OnlyBucs

After Brault got hammered yesterday and Kingham got TORCHED today, I'm feeling really good about the Pirates decisions to (A) Let Nova go for nothing; and (B) Not sign a legitimate MLB starter (or two) even though there are several available at rock-bottom prices.



It is just PATHETIC and INEXCUSABLE that the Pirates are perfectly willing and content to go into the season without a real No. 5 starter when so many are available.



It's almost like we are intentionally trying to get worse.



And of the other 4 starters, you know there's going to be at least one injury and one of the 4 slumping or underperforming.



Bottom line ... our starting pitching depth is non-existent.



THANK YOU PIRATES.

7F5D4E535055525D7E495F5F533C0 wrote: After Brault got hammered yesterday and Kingham got TORCHED today, I'm feeling really good about the Pirates decisions to (A) Let Nova go for nothing; and (B) Not sign a legitimate MLB starter (or two) even though there are several available at rock-bottom prices.



It is just PATHETIC and INEXCUSABLE that the Pirates are perfectly willing and content to go into the season without a real No. 5 starter when so many are available.



It's almost like we are intentionally trying to get worse.



And of the other 4 starters, you know there's going to be at least one injury and one of the 4 slumping or underperforming.



Bottom line ... our starting pitching depth is non-existent.



THANK YOU PIRATES.


I guess I'm just too accustomed to this method of operating to get upset about it anymore. I know the "Nutting is cheap" stuff gets tiresome but it effects everything the team does. Other teams try to assemble a roster capable of getting to the post season while addressing team needs. TBMTIB would love to win but they try to get by on the bare minimum in order to keep payroll as low as possible. The standard is the standard.

If we wanted to really win, we would sign Dallas Keuchel and put him #2 in the rotation.



Taillon

Keuchel

Archer

Williams

Musgrove



Period.

414F4A43555C4343260 wrote: If we wanted to really win, we would sign Dallas Keuchel and put him #2 in the rotation.



Taillon

Keuchel

Archer

Williams

Musgrove



Period.


and the payroll would be about the same as two years ago.

Unfortunately, Keuchel will cost compensation since the Stros offered him a qualifying offer. And, I'm assuming that he would have much better options than the Bucs.



That said, there is not much left among starting pitching on the free agent market. Gio Gonzalez is clearly the best after Keuchel, but the others are really lacking.



Chris Tillman - No success in last 2 years.

Miguel Gonzalez - Similar to Tillman and he is now 34.

James Shields - He will get lit up, but would be willing to take the ball every 5th day.

Edwin Jackson - Likely similar to Shields.



So, unless the Pirates are willing to sign Gio Gonzalez (which I really doubt would happen based on everything else that has occurred this off-season, the Pirates' options appear to be:



1) Go with what you got - The most likely option.

2) Find a starter on another team that is on a 1 year contract that the team wants to dump for salary purposes and the Bucs agree to take on some of the salary as well as sending someone like Kingham to them.

3) Find a starter similar to Clay Holmes in another team's organization that the Bucs feel has some upside for at least half a season.



I don't like the above options, but it appears to be where we are with little likelihood of anything happening.

Just sign Gio. He can't be THAT expensive since it's March 2 and he's currently unemployed.



Not signing a SS and SP in this extreme buyer's market, when those two positions are such severe needs, is bordering on criminal.

042635282B2E29260532242428470 wrote: Just sign Gio. He can't be THAT expensive since it's March 2 and he's currently unemployed.



Not signing a SS and SP in this extreme buyer's market, when those two positions are such severe needs, is bordering on criminal.




I agree with you. The Pirates could have signed these two pieces to their roster, and hopefully without any serious injuries to their core players could have contended for certain for the Central Division. Now there are a lot of “ifs” regarding their chances to win the division.

5955540F060F070A0D12083F0 wrote: Just sign Gio. He can't be THAT expensive since it's March 2 and he's currently unemployed.



Not signing a SS and SP in this extreme buyer's market, when those two positions are such severe needs, is bordering on criminal.




I agree with you. The Pirates could have signed these two pieces to their roster, and hopefully without any serious injuries to their core players could have contended for certain for the Central Division. Now there are a lot of “ifs” regarding their chances to win the division.
Previously, the Pirates have tried to convince the fans that minimizing payroll was tied into their plan to build a championship team. They said they were building a young core of players who didn't yet command great salaries. They said they would spend when the time was right. But the time was never right; not even with 3 post season appearances and a 98 win team. They said they would spend when the fans supported the team. But they didn't spend after a franchise attendance record in 2015. When they reverted to a less talented team and attendance predictably dropped, they blamed the same fans who enthusiastically supported them in 2015 for the resulting payroll decrease. Now they just don't say anything. Nutting decided not to answer questions at Piratefest. They slashed payroll to 29th in MLB and don't fill needs with available, reasonably priced FAs. He gives a cryptic answer of "We need to focus on the things we believe are controllable" and changes the subject to state it's not feasible to expect them to have a 200 million dollar payroll. That's a response to a question no one asked. No one wants or expects a 200 million dollar payroll. Fans just want something closer to the MLB average rather than ranking #29. Ladies and gentlemen: your Pittsburgh Pirates!

5674677A797C7B74576076767A150 wrote: Just sign Gio. He can't be THAT expensive since it's March 2 and he's currently unemployed.



Not signing a SS and SP in this extreme buyer's market, when those two positions are such severe needs, is bordering on criminal.






Agreed. This is a layup that we won't attempt.

First, Brault was hammered.



Next, Kingham was lit up.



And today, Lyles was torched.



Boy, really good wise to let Nova go and at the same time NOT go out and get a REAL LIVE STARTING PITCHER.



It's impossible for me to believe the Pirates are perfectly willing to go into a new season with no semblance of a 5th starter.