OnlyBucs

I didn't expect the Pirates to be in the trade market for Mookie Betts or throwing dollars around on free agents like Cole or Rendon, but I did think that the Pirates would do more than sign the few marginal players that most fans would not recognize.



I am particularly troubled by what appears to be the complete indifference to sign any starting pitching that could qualify as major league depth. The team has 5 pitchers who may qualify as starters: Williams, Archer, Musgrove, Brault and Keller. Archer, Williams and Musgrove all missed starts last year, Brault only was inserted into the starting rotation because of the number of starters who were down, and Keller is still virtually a rookie. No one should count on Kuhl or Brubaker at this point in their recoveries, and if I recall I believe Stratton will not be ready for spring training. .



One, and more likely two or three of our top five will again miss starts because of injuries or abject ineffectiveness. While I understand that we are not truly competing for the World Series next year, I believe it is important to have someone who could step in and give the team 5 or 6 innings with giving up only 3 or 4 runs. Otherwise, the pen becomes the shambles that it was last year and the season goes from trying to watch what comes out of the petri dish experiment to just hoping that the season will soon end, be it June, July or August when everything melts down.



Cherington may be the best choice for trying to rebuild this franchise. That said, in looking at things from where I sit, I am very concerned that so few positive steps have been taken to put the finger in the dyke and let the limited talent that you have on the team to have their best chance at experiencing some success.



P.S. I also see where Liriano just signed a minor league deal with the Phillies that pays him in the range of $1.5 mil with incentives if he makes the team. Liriano was not a savior for Pittsburgh last year, but he was always ready to take the ball and to face both righties and lefties; a trait that will be more valuable this season with the institution of the 3 batter rule. I believe Liriano could have been part of the bridge (a placeholder) to 2021 and beyond.

It's irritating after all that talk and all the goodwill over the new hirings that we're sitting here doing nothing. For a while I felt like they were waiting to see what they'd get for Marte before proceeding. Now it just seems like they're sitting on their asses.

19353D3A3116213727540 wrote: I didn't expect the Pirates to be in the trade market for Mookie Betts or throwing dollars around on free agents like Cole or Rendon, but I did think that the Pirates would do more than sign the few marginal players that most fans would not recognize.



I am particularly troubled by what appears to be the complete indifference to sign any starting pitching that could qualify as major league depth.  The team has 5 pitchers who may qualify as starters: Williams, Archer, Musgrove, Brault and Keller.   Archer, Williams and Musgrove all missed starts last year, Brault only was inserted into the starting rotation because of the number of starters who were down, and Keller is still virtually a rookie.   No one should count on Kuhl or Brubaker at this point in their recoveries, and if I recall I believe Stratton will not be ready for spring training. .



One, and more likely two or three of our top five will again miss starts because of injuries or abject ineffectiveness. While I understand that we are not truly competing for the World Series next year, I believe it is important to have someone who could step in and give the team 5 or 6 innings with giving up only 3 or 4 runs.  Otherwise, the pen becomes the shambles that it was last year and the season goes from trying to watch what comes out of the petri dish experiment to just hoping that the season will soon end, be it June, July or August when everything melts down. 



Cherington may be the best choice for trying to rebuild this franchise.  That said, in looking at things from where I sit, I am very concerned that so few positive steps have been taken to put the finger in the **** and let the limited talent that you have on the team to have their best chance at experiencing some success.



P.S.  I also see where Liriano just signed a minor league deal with the Phillies that pays him in the range of $1.5 mil with incentives if he makes the team.  Liriano was not a savior for Pittsburgh last year, but he was always ready to take the ball and to face both righties and lefties; a trait that will be more valuable this season with the institution of the 3 batter rule.  I believe Liriano could have been part of the bridge (a placeholder) to 2021 and beyond.   




I wouldn't be surprised if BC feels like he can get a pass on the team's record in 2020 and that this may be the easiest year for him to get a top 5 pick without taking a lot of heat. That being said, rooting for wins in 2020 may not be much fun. I'm thinking about rooting for some young players to come through and look like they may be better than average players in the near future.

Agree with EC. I'm looking forward to seeing some of the young players get acclimated to MLB and see what we have going forward with them (even if it is June for Hayes).

735E53424554430300310 wrote: I get the sense they are treating this season as an extended spring training where they see what they have and what they most desperately need. If they get a good offer for Marte, they'll take it; if not, they'll try again in July when they have a better sense of who might work for them going forward.




Ben wasn't here last year, but any person who wasn't know exactly what the Pirates need to compete without going through ST.  C, SP, RP, CL for starters.  Nothing has been added to help this.  I forgot, someone to replace Polanco again when he gets hurt.
Yes, it's clear what they need. But Nutting isn't going to pay for productive FAs to fill those needs. They can trade Marte and Bell to fill a couple of those needs but then they have additional needs of another OFer and a power hitter. The strategy seems to be to take a year to see if some of those needs can be filled internally within a farm system that previously was poor at talent evaluation and development but now has new leadership. I guess a new mgt team operating under an owner who won't spend doesn't really have many options. Nutting hired BC to be a miracle worker. I think we know how that will turn out.


Here is the thing. If you trade Marte, you may as well trade Bell and blow the whole thing up. Could this be the hesitation in the Marte deal? They don't want to admit a full blown rebuild, which as fans, we know it is.

163A32353E192E38285B0 wrote: I didn't expect the Pirates to be in the trade market for Mookie Betts or throwing dollars around on free agents like Cole or Rendon, but I did think that the Pirates would do more than sign the few marginal players that most fans would not recognize.



I am particularly troubled by what appears to be the complete indifference to sign any starting pitching that could qualify as major league depth.  The team has 5 pitchers who may qualify as starters: Williams, Archer, Musgrove, Brault and Keller.   Archer, Williams and Musgrove all missed starts last year, Brault only was inserted into the starting rotation because of the number of starters who were down, and Keller is still virtually a rookie.   No one should count on Kuhl or Brubaker at this point in their recoveries, and if I recall I believe Stratton will not be ready for spring training. .



One, and more likely two or three of our top five will again miss starts because of injuries or abject ineffectiveness. While I understand that we are not truly competing for the World Series next year, I believe it is important to have someone who could step in and give the team 5 or 6 innings with giving up only 3 or 4 runs.  Otherwise, the pen becomes the shambles that it was last year and the season goes from trying to watch what comes out of the petri dish experiment to just hoping that the season will soon end, be it June, July or August when everything melts down. 



Cherington may be the best choice for trying to rebuild this franchise.  That said, in looking at things from where I sit, I am very concerned that so few positive steps have been taken to put the finger in the **** and let the limited talent that you have on the team to have their best chance at experiencing some success.



P.S.  I also see where Liriano just signed a minor league deal with the Phillies that pays him in the range of $1.5 mil with incentives if he makes the team.  Liriano was not a savior for Pittsburgh last year, but he was always ready to take the ball and to face both righties and lefties; a trait that will be more valuable this season with the institution of the 3 batter rule.  I believe Liriano could have been part of the bridge (a placeholder) to 2021 and beyond.   
I hear ya! Seems that BC has decided to tank in 2020.

I think that Nutting is using the "Cherington is new here and has to see what he has" excuse to avoid spending any money for another year. Next year if will some other excuse and the year after that it will still be another excuse.

This offseason has sure been strange. First the way Nutting handled the firing of Hurdle, Coonley and Huntington. To date there have been no significant free agent signings. It appears that other than after the new FO individuals were hired none of them have had much broadcast media contact. It appears that looking at the schedule for PirateFest this weekend there is no ask the Management section. The schedule says players and management will be in the press room. Also upon checking with ATT Sports they are not going to have a live broadcast either on Friday or Saturday as they have done in the past. This offseason has just seemed so different than previous years.

2F2322797079717C7B647E490 wrote: This offseason has sure been strange. First the way Nutting handled the firing of Hurdle, Coonley and Huntington. To date there have been no significant free agent signings. It appears that other than after the new  FO individuals were hired none of them have had much broadcast media contact. It appears that looking at the schedule for PirateFest this weekend there is no ask the Management  section. The schedule says players and management will be in the press room. Also upon checking with ATT Sports they are not going to have a live broadcast either on Friday or Saturday as they have done in the past. This offseason has just seemed so different than previous years.


if management doesn't answer fans questions, it doesn't have the opportunity to lie to them.

607B76777E727D130 wrote: I think that Nutting is using the "Cherington is new here and has to see what he has" excuse to avoid spending any money for another year.  Next year if will some other excuse and the year after that it will still be another excuse.




Well we will have a better feel at the end of March I don't expect much though. It would be nice if Cherington could at least give us an idea of what the organization is thinking.