OnlyBucs

Polanco hasn't been worth a warm body in almost 3 years. His story's been about salary relief.

Unfortunately the results so far through these first 4 games are not shocking at all. This team is just not very good and losing Hayes right away will do this lineup no favors either. The starting pitching is not very good and it can’t continue to pitch 5 innings or less every single game. This bullpen which hasn’t been terrible so far is just not gonna be able to hold up long term if the starters don’t at least on occasion give the Pirates a chance to win. I’m with a lot of people as well when I say get Todd Frazier up here now especially with Hayes down for at least the next week or so and add some kind of pop to both the bench and the lineup. The Pirates are getting absolutely no offense at all from both RF and Center. This has the potential to get real ugly here early on if the Pirates don’t stop the bleeding here soon this week.

They have 2 off days in their first 7 games. I don't understand why they went with a short bench. thinking outside the box, one or two of the starters going only 60-70 pitches makes me think they'd be available for an inning of relief after a two or three days.



I know, I know, their routines and all. But it's silly. You shorten the bench....but you burn through it by the 7th inning, because of the holy doctrine you keep the back up catcher in case the starter gets injured.



Most of all I'd like to see Polanco sit. Today they'll face a lefty. I might strangle myself with my own tongue if Polanco starts today.

7C4F535251596F5249554E495854533D0 wrote: Polanco hasn't been worth a warm body in almost 3 years.  His story's been about salary relief. 


I don't disagree that he's not worth a warm body but, if the Pirates agree to pay some portion of his salary, they can at least get a player in return in a trade. That's better than just releasing him.



However, if his poor play continues through the month, I see no benefit to keeping him any longer. He won't be here next year under any circumstance, and Shelton should never once write his name in the line-up if he's still here after the Deadline.

Even the guys on 93.7 The Fan were saying Polanco is done and should be shown the gate or at least sit down a few games. One problem with that is who plays RF if you sit him down?

I'm feeling good about my 50-112 prediction. (I hope I wasn't overly optimistic.)



The starting rotation has Kuhl (yet to become a better than average pitcher), Keller (hugely disappointing), Anderson (dumpster dive), Cahill (dumpster dive) and Brubaker (10 career starts with a ceiling of middle of the rotation).



There are a lot of hopefuls in the BP but no one other than Rodriguez with anything close to a track record of success.



The infield is encouraging both offensively and defensively.



But in the OF they went with a competition between 2 dumpster dives to start in CF and stuck good old Polanco in RF again whose salary is the only thing that explains his bewildering presence on an MLB roster. His combined batting average for 2019 through 2021 is .191 with a third of those PAs (358) resulting in Ks (120). The result (predictably) is 2 dead spots in the OF.



Stallings is a fine catcher if he can provide some offense.



The bench is inadequate with only 4 players. Especially when the starting pitcher has to be PH for by the 4th or 5th inning.



But we all knew this season wouldn't be pretty. The best we can hope for is some encouraging play from some of the individuals.

With respect to Evans, he has looked good at the plate, but his defense at 3rd has been horrible.



In Chicago he let a grounder go past his glove at a critical point in the game that cost the Pirates' runs. And yesterday, he crow hopped after fielding a sure out grounder (and potential double play ball) that resulted in the runner at first beating his slow motion throw to 2nd.



I believe Evans will be an asset to the team this year (think Bill Robinson), but he needs more reps at 3rd if he is going to be starting the next 10 games or so at the position.



Sadly, the Pirates resorted to mid-season form in the first 4 games of the season. A few bright spots have been some nice performances out of the pen and some decent hitting (and plate discipline) from the top 5 in the order. Particularly encouraging to see Reynolds looking like a hitter with a good approach at the plate this year.

664A42454E695E48582B0 wrote: With respect to Evans, he has looked good at the plate, but his defense at 3rd has been horrible.



In Chicago he let a grounder go past his glove at a critical point in the game that cost the Pirates' runs.   And yesterday, he crow hopped after fielding a sure out grounder (and potential double play ball) that resulted in the runner at first beating his slow motion throw to 2nd. 



I believe Evans will be an asset to the team this year (think Bill Robinson), but he needs more reps at 3rd if he is going to be starting the next 10 games or so at the position.



Sadly, the Pirates resorted to mid-season form in the first 4 games of the season.  A few bright spots have been some nice performances out of the pen and some decent hitting (and plate discipline) from the top 5 in the order.  Particularly encouraging to see Reynolds looking like a hitter with a good approach at the plate this year.       


I'll take a few Bill Robinson's on this team right now. Sure would be better than Polanco and would free up Reynolds to play some CF until they can find someone better in a year or so.

69484069424A2D0 wrote: Even the guys on 93.7 The Fan were saying Polanco is done and should be shown the gate or at least sit down a few games.  One problem with that is who plays RF if you sit him down?
Good question they can move Adam Frazier to RF and call Tucker up or Todd Frazier up to help the infield. Or another option which they will never do is just start O Neil Cruz clock early age call him up and play him in RF everyday. Anything is better then Polanco at this point.

7E59484C49546B5F484949542D0 wrote: Even the guys on 93.7 The Fan were saying Polanco is done and should be shown the gate or at least sit down a few games.  One problem with that is who plays RF if you sit him down?
Good question they can move Adam Frazier to RF and call Tucker up or Todd Frazier up to help the infield. Or another option which they  will never do is just start O Neil Cruz clock early age call him up and play him in RF everyday. Anything is better then Polanco at this point.
Evans could play RF.