OnlyBucs

7A5C5D4A5C4C3F0 wrote: It's too obvious to be missed by the team, but I'm wondering if something is up with Cutch's eyesight?
I was thinking the same thing. I'm sure the team tests eyesight. I don't know how frequently. It seems that Cutch is not picking up the ball off the bat. There is a delay In his reaction time. Same thing at the plate, his pitch recognition skills have been poor. He is guessing more. I also noticed that many times he steps out of the box and opens his eyes wide several times. I wonder if he wears contacts.


the question I have is since this is so obvious to fans watching, what do the Pirates think about it?



Having him sit out three games seems like a reaction to someone slightly tired, or having a minor injury, nothing major.  Yet his play indicates there must be something else wrong.



this team analyzes everything.


I keep wondering about his personal life. Is he happy away from the field? I surely don't know. But when I watch him, I can't help but think there is a weight on him outside of his baseball struggles. He always seems glum. The guy was a happy player, dancing in the dugout, pal-ing around with J-Hay all the time. Not anymore.

5273666F576E75667362070 wrote: It's too obvious to be missed by the team, but I'm wondering if something is up with Cutch's eyesight?
I was thinking the same thing. I'm sure the team tests eyesight. I don't know how frequently. It seems that Cutch is not picking up the ball off the bat. There is a delay In his reaction time. Same thing at the plate, his pitch recognition skills have been poor. He is guessing more. I also noticed that many times he steps out of the box and opens his eyes wide several times. I wonder if he wears contacts.


the question I have is since this is so obvious to fans watching, what do the Pirates think about it?



Having him sit out three games seems like a reaction to someone slightly tired, or having a minor injury, nothing major.  Yet his play indicates there must be something else wrong.



this team analyzes everything.


I keep wondering about his personal life. Is he happy away from the field? I surely don't know. But when I watch him, I can't help but think there is a weight on him outside of his baseball struggles. He always seems glum. The guy was a happy player, dancing in the dugout, pal-ing around with J-Hay all the time. Not anymore. I don't know if he is happy with his personal life nobody really does know. But if he isn't happy then he still needs to check that kind of stuff at the door and leave his problems at home. Everybody has personal issues to deal with coming into their line of work everyday. With the kind of money Cutch is making if he having personal problems nobody is really going to feel too sorry for the guy. At the end of the day you still have a job to do.

3235232B2532757900272D21292C6E232F2D400 wrote: It's too obvious to be missed by the team, but I'm wondering if something is up with Cutch's eyesight?
I asked Dejan K. about this several years back. I don't remember the exact words of the response, but at the time they had an optometrist that checked their vision whenever something looked amiss. I remember getting the impression from what he said that the players got vision checkups a few/several times a year even when things were going well.



At the same time, I asked about sports psychiatrists, and he said one traveled with the team.

Dmetz



Hmmnn - Trades in the last 2 years that helped the Pirates. In my opinion, the Pirates would not have made the play-offs last year if not for the shrewd under the radar trades by NH. My examples of what I consider good and some very good trades:



Cervelli for Justin Wilson.



Caminiero for cash (he was good last year and cost little)



Sean Rodriguez for the proverbial PTBNL



Antonio Bastardo for Joely Rodriguez (Bastardo was a real asset in the 2nd half of last season)



Travis Snider for Tarpley and Brault (Let's give some credit here)



Joe Blanton for cash (great asset to the pen last year)



Soria for Jacoby Jones (Soria helped solidify the pen last year)



Morse for Tabata (Morse didn't offer a lot, but he offered a lot more than Tabata)



Aramis Ramirez for minor leaguer. Ramirez wasn't great, but he was a lot better than Morel.



J. Happ for Adrian Sampson.



Does NH make mistakes - Yes. But, there is no denying that nearly all of the above moves helped the Pirates to win 98 last year.

062A22252E093E28384B0 wrote: Dmetz



Hmmnn - Trades in the last 2 years that helped the Pirates.  In my opinion, the Pirates would not have made the play-offs last year if not for the shrewd under the radar trades by NH.  My examples of what I consider good and some very good trades:



Cervelli for Justin Wilson.



Caminiero for cash (he was good last year and cost little)



Sean Rodriguez for the proverbial PTBNL



Antonio Bastardo for Joely Rodriguez (Bastardo was a real asset in the 2nd half of last season)



Travis Snider for Tarpley and Brault (Let's give some credit here)



Joe Blanton for cash  (great asset to the pen last year)



Soria for Jacoby Jones (Soria helped solidify the pen last year)



Morse for Tabata (Morse didn't offer a lot, but he offered a lot more than Tabata)



Aramis Ramirez for minor leaguer.  Ramirez wasn't great, but he was a lot better than Morel.



J. Happ for Adrian Sampson. 



Does NH make mistakes - Yes.  But, there is no denying that nearly all of the above moves helped the Pirates to win 98 last year.


Wow, you are right. A bunch I forgot about.

OP's observation would be mine, Cutch isn't saying it but it is in his body language. he aint happy like most of us fans, this organization has done nothing since last year to make things better and for the most part they have made moves to save money. people paid there money last year and got nothing in return.

Cutch is paid a nice salary which his agent negotiated to perform at a high level. This year he has underperformed along with a few other players which is why they will not see a post season this October.

Cutch has a right to be ticked off about the moves (or lack thereof) of the front office to build upon a 98-win season.



But, at the same time, he has to know that he is also responsible for this being a mediocre .500 team. He is not just having a down year. He is having a bad year. Right now he is performing worse than the average CF.



And as one of his biggest fans I have a right to be disappointed in him -- not because of his poor season statistically, but because of his body language and his apparently lack of interest and lack of enthusiasm and lack of energy that I noticed so very cleary this weekend vs. the Reds.

Maybe the body language shouldn't be interpreted as that he doesn't want to be here. Maybe it means that he does.



For the first time in his professional career, Andrew McCutchen is not the future of the Pirates franchise. He has seen what has happened with Russell Martin and Neil Walker. Maybe his edge is predicated on being The Man.



He has seen the extensions signed by Marte, Polanco and Cervelli. Maybe he at least needs to be negotiated with. It may likely be a deal that is never reached, but it may be enough to get him back on task.



What did Yogi say? Half of the game is 90% mental, or something like that. Cutch has shown himself to be a sensitive type with his demeanor off the field. Maybe he is focused too much on the future...thinking too much.



I'm not saying this is the answer. But it should be considered as a possibility.

Maybe he is just having a bad year?



I find it hard to believe that players don't care. Baseball is such an individual game and everything is counted. Stats are huge in baseball and everything is recorded. Stats lead to higher paychecks. I am sure every player knows this and is trying their best. Maybe McCutchen is having a bad year and that is all that is wrong with him? It happens. Even to the great ones.