OnlyBucs

I just hope hurdle isn't so stubborn as to think Dickerson is definitely and everyday player.   He hit lefties last year.   First time ever.



Usually he's empty vs LHP and it will kill his value to us if Hurdle gets stuck on him as an everyday guy.  Maybe he figured them out last year?  But if he looks bad vs LHP, we've got to pull the plug and run a platoon



Hell he had Freese batting cleanup vs RHP for a while... So yes. Misusing this offensive piece hurdle was just given is in my mind

Good for Neal --He picks up a solid player at a position of need, while dispensing an overpriced player at an overpopulated position.



However, this trade probably reinforces the restrictive parameters under which Neal must operate. I wonder if this trade was contingent on moving Hudson? In other words, had the Rays been unwilling to accept Hudson and his $5.5MM salary, would the Bucs have been willing to sign Dickerson for anywhere close to his $5.95MM he was due from the Rays in 2018 before the DFA?



Neglecting Gray, and even with the $1MM boot, this is basically a wash deal financially in the MLB world. But credit to Neal, he seized the day. And thank goodness the Rays took Hudson.

426F62737465723231000 wrote: Can anyone provide some Rays perspective on this?  The money is almost a wash before anyone goes there.
The deal includes cash considerations from the Pirates. Obviously, TB was cutting costs when they DFA's him. Now they get Hudson at a similar price so the Bucs must be paying a big chunk of Hudson's salary.




Tim at Pirates Prospects is reporting that the cash we sent is around $1M.

6E676F7E700A0 wrote: I just hope hurdle isn't so stubborn as to think Dickerson is definitely and everyday player.   He hit lefties last year.   First time ever.



Usually he's empty vs LHP and it will kill his value to us if Hurdle gets stuck on him as an everyday guy.  Maybe he figured them out last year?  But if he looks bad vs LHP, we've got to pull the plug and run a platoon



Hell he had Freese batting cleanup vs RHP for a while... So yes. Misusing this offensive piece hurdle was just given is in my mind
Here's his BA vs LHP since 2013: .194 (36 ABs), .253 (91 ABs), .268 (56 ABs), .241 (108 ABs) and .308 (156 ABs). Career vs LHP: .266 (447 ABs).



I'd say for a LH batter, he's been fairly consistent (other than his rookie year) as at least a mediocre hitter vs LHP. Last year he was outstanding vs LHP, but most of the time he's at least okay. As a point of comparison, Polanco is a career .209 hitter vs LHP and only a .265 vs RHP (worse than Dickerson vs LHP).

I looked over his month-to-month splits over his career and it makes him look pretty streaky.  He had a slightly less bad August (243/291/408) last season in between terrible July (220/273/429) and Sept (203/224/324). 



He rarely takes a walk and his 152 strike outs would have lead the Pirates by as WIDE margin last year.  He has a career 6% walk rate and a 23% strike out rate and was pretty much right on those numbers this past season.  Those are somewhat concerning. 

6D404D5C5B4A5D1D1E2F0 wrote: I just hope hurdle isn't so stubborn as to think Dickerson is definitely and everyday player.   He hit lefties last year.   First time ever.



Usually he's empty vs LHP and it will kill his value to us if Hurdle gets stuck on him as an everyday guy.  Maybe he figured them out last year?  But if he looks bad vs LHP, we've got to pull the plug and run a platoon



Hell he had Freese batting cleanup vs RHP for a while... So yes. Misusing this offensive piece hurdle was just given is in my mind
Here's his BA vs LHP since 2013: .194 (36 ABs), .253 (91 ABs), .268 (56 ABs), .241 (108 ABs) and .308 (156 ABs). Career vs LHP: .266 (447 ABs).



I'd say for a LH batter, he's been fairly consistent (other than his rookie year) as at least a mediocre hitter vs LHP. Last year he was outstanding vs LHP, but most of the time he's at least okay. As a point of comparison, Polanco is a career .209 hitter  vs LHP and only a .265 vs RHP (worse than Dickerson vs LHP). 




I don't really care too much about his batting averages, some but they're secondary to me.  Look at his OPSs and slugging.  Other that last year, he's been a middle infielder with the stick vs LHP.  We're talking like, .680 OPS type guy.



A guy who's a mean, powerful hitter vs RHP, who turns into a slaphitting shortstop with no ability to take a walk vs LHP  should be platooned IMO.  Especially when the players defense isn't that good, what purpose does it serve to run him out there in that split?



Now after last year, he's earned a look vs LHP, but if he reverts back to Chico Lind vs LHP, hurdle should pull the plug on him in that split.



Though it will only maybe cost us 1-2 wins, I guess.  So what's the difference if we win 78 or 76? I mean, at least get him down the order if he reverts to his career lines. I don't want to pre-complain about it, so I guess I'll wait and see what happens.



If he hits like last year vs LHP it won't matter

As an aside. . . .



seriously, what on earth is going on with this uniform combination?

4241475B5C42555A0003320 wrote: I like it. Hudson wasn't worth anything, Gray had a decent year at WVBB but is so far away and there are a lot of middle IF prospects ahead of him. If the Bucs are paying the difference between Hudson and Dickerson's salaries (or less) this is good. Feliz/Schugel/Kontos/Crick/Santana/Neverauskas/Glasnow could be a decent bunch of arms.



Who would think the Pirates would take advantage of a salary dump?
My exact thoughts!

31030F0F1B290A030E0B0403620 wrote: As an aside. . . .



seriously, what on earth is going on with this uniform combination?






I think those were their fake 80's throwbacks since they didn't have a team in the 80's.



Anyone still wondering why Tampa made that trade? That was really the best offer for Dickerson? It's been a strange off season.

That makes sense. It's among the worst unis I've ever seen.