OnlyBucs

736B696E6E79686F727365000 wrote: Get used to it, we've got lots of losing to do before this season is over. 
Yep this is not just a bad team, its a terrible team. Offense, defense, bullpen are all scuffling. I expect the pen to somewhat right itself. The offense and especially the defense we don't have much hope.

What a waste of good to great starting pitching so far this year. Awful start for the offense, bullpen and defense. Should we start taking trade offers for Dickerson yet? They should easily be 4-0, but they are not a good team.

They will play 162 games. They have played four. There is no way to draw any long term conclusions about this team right now. The knee jerk reaction of fans in baseball... It's football mentality in baseball.



The hitting is bad, but they have had 2 guys (Shuck & Reyes) getting big at bats that won't even be on the MLB roster next month. When Polanco and Chisenhall get back, those two won't be getting important at bats. It sucks they are here now, but they are literally the 3rd and 4 options. Plus, they have played a strangely high amount because of issues with Marte/Dickerson and the extra innings. Those things even out beyond four games.



The bullpen has been a dumpster fire so far. To suggest that this will be what happens all year is foolishness. It may, but it is unlikely. It seems like people want to blame Hurdle for the bullpen uses in these last two losses. I see that. You can always second guess. But the reality is, these guys in the bullpen have a job to do. Many of them have proven they can successfully do it. Rodriguez and Kela were the two that really cost them these last two games. Last year, they were both fantastic. I suspect they will come around and return to that form.



These two games have sucked. They have been incredible frustrating to watch and I have felt like I wasted my time watching them. And, these 4 games count as 2.5% of the season. To draw sweeping generalizations about the whole season from 2.5% of the games seems irresponsible.

I understand you point PMike, but it falls back on upper management to put better 3rd and 4th options to compete against major league talent. Especially division rivals is all. Will they go 40 and 122, no. But it is a disappointing start to the season. These games in April mean something. I think this board will agree with me in that come August we seem to have conversations about, 'if we just won those 2 games against' fill in the blank each and every year. When it is all said and done this year we will be our mediocre selves, 80 and 82 or so. I guess that is good enough for some fans.

04193D3F31540 wrote: They will play 162 games.  They have played four.  There is no way to draw any long term conclusions about this team right now.  The knee jerk reaction of fans in baseball...  It's football mentality in baseball.



The hitting is bad, but they have had 2 guys (Shuck & Reyes) getting big at bats that won't even be on the MLB roster next month.  When Polanco and Chisenhall get back, those two won't be getting important at bats.  It sucks they are here now, but they are literally the 3rd and 4 options.  Plus, they have played a strangely high amount because of issues with Marte/Dickerson and the extra innings.  Those things even out beyond four games.



The bullpen has been a dumpster fire so far.  To suggest that this will be what happens all year is foolishness.  It may, but it is unlikely.  It seems like people want to blame Hurdle for the bullpen uses in these last two losses.  I see that.  You can always second guess.  But the reality is, these guys in the bullpen have a job to do.  Many of them have proven they can successfully do it.  Rodriguez and Kela were the two that really cost them these last two games.  Last year, they were both fantastic.  I suspect they will come around and return to that form.



These two games have sucked.  They have been incredible frustrating to watch and I have felt like I wasted my time watching them.  And, these 4 games count as 2.5% of the season.  To draw sweeping generalizations about the whole season from 2.5% of the games seems irresponsible. I would have rather had someone like Troy Tulowitski up last night in the 10th or Freddy Galvis over a guy like Erik Gonzalez both whom the Pirates could have afforded but chose not to go get. I would have rather had a guy like Derek Dietrich up who was available for the Pirates to sign over some scrub like JB Shuck but didn’t as well. Yes the bullpen has not done it’s job but this offense as well is just brutal. When you go 1 for 14 with RISP you aren’t going to beat anybody period. The Pirates need more offense from guys like Marte and Bell if they hope to win consistently.

Another thing that made no sense was after Gonzalez got on to start the 9th and stole 2nd you absolutely have to have Pablo Reyes bunt him over with nobody out and the top of the order due up next. That made no sense at all and of course when they asked Clint about it after he completely blew it off like it was no big deal. Hurdle’s arrogance and just ignorance to the obvious when pointed out to him in his press conferences is really annoying and it’s another reason why I just think this team needs a new manager and that Clint is done here and has been now for awhile.

Blowing games like this early on in the season especially at home to a division rival is just not good for an already fragile fanbase who is already irritated and pissed off with this team to begin with. Those people who are on the fence about possibly going to more games just aren’t going too after games like last night and the home opener on Monday. So while yes it’s only 4 games in and way too early the Pirates need to create a buzz about this team and make people want to come out and see them play. And so far through this first week they have not come close to doing any of that and it should be a major concern for this front office seeing how badly the attendance numbers dropped last season and how it’s only going to get worse if this keeps up.

5E79686C69744B7F686969740D0 wrote: Another thing that made no sense was after Gonzalez got on to start the 9th and stole 2nd you absolutely have to have Pablo Reyes bunt him over with nobody out and the top of the order due up next. That made no sense at all and of course when they asked Clint about it after he completely blew it off like it was no big deal. Hurdle’s arrogance and just ignorance to the obvious when pointed out to him in his press conferences is really annoying and it’s another reason why I just think this team needs a new manager and that Clint is done here and has been now for awhile.
They've needed a better manager for a long time but TBMTIB is quite satisfied with him. Just as they are satisfied with their annual dumpster diving. They aren't even willing to spend a MLB average amount on payroll to fill their needs. They put together a team that could only compete if a lot of unproven "ifs" all came together to exceed expectations. It's very obvious that TBMTIB isn't trying very hard to compete, so they have no incentive to get a better manager.

3836333A2C253A3A5F0 wrote: I understand you point PMike, but it falls back on upper management to put better 3rd and 4th options to compete against major league talent.  Especially division rivals is all.  Will they go 40 and 122, no.  But it is a disappointing start to the season.  These games in April mean something.  I think this board will agree with me in that come August we seem to have conversations about, 'if we just won those 2 games against' fill in the blank each and every year.  When it is all said and done this year we will be our mediocre selves, 80 and 82 or so.  I guess that is good enough for some fans.


Well stated.  Last night I’m thinking two things: 1) second game in a row a wild pitch scored the winning run but in both cases it’s miscommunication between the pitcher and catcher that causes the WP; and 2) how in the world did we have a line up of our 6, 7, 8 batters AND have such a weak bench last night? 



To lose two games due to miscommunication between catcher and pitcher...it’s just more of the unacceptable play that Plagues this team year after year.



To have such a noncompetitive line up due to injuries, once again, is a direct result of management decisions which also impacts this team year after year.



Freddy nails it - there were so many affordable options out there, there....

584561636D080 wrote: They will play 162 games.[highlight] They have played four.  There is no way to draw any long term conclusions about this team right now.  The knee jerk reaction of fans in baseball...  It's football mentality in baseball.[/highlight]



The hitting is bad, but they have had 2 guys (Shuck & Reyes) getting big at bats that won't even be on the MLB roster next month.  When Polanco and Chisenhall get back, those two won't be getting important at bats.  It sucks they are here now, but they are literally the 3rd and 4 options.  Plus, they have played a strangely high amount because of issues with Marte/Dickerson and the extra innings.  Those things even out beyond four games.



The bullpen has been a dumpster fire so far.  To suggest that this will be what happens all year is foolishness.  It may, but it is unlikely.  It seems like people want to blame Hurdle for the bullpen uses in these last two losses.  I see that.  You can always second guess.  But the reality is, these guys in the bullpen have a job to do.  Many of them have proven they can successfully do it.  Rodriguez and Kela were the two that really cost them these last two games.  Last year, they were both fantastic.  I suspect they will come around and return to that form.



These two games have sucked.  They have been incredible frustrating to watch and I have felt like I wasted my time watching them.  And, these 4 games count as 2.5% of the season.  To draw sweeping generalizations about the whole season from 2.5% of the games seems irresponsible.


this is exactly right. The team has started off 12-5 a couple times and ended up close to last place. Its doubtful this a good or great team based on players past performance and expectations but it is too early to tell.



Its too bad the Bucs are at their third option in right field already and Pablo Reyes showed last year he deserved a shot and he is getting it. We'll probably know for certain after another 30 or 40 games if Gonzo is going to be an adequate shortstop.