OnlyBucs

104650444B51414A475062454F434B4E0C41220 wrote: Who takes over at SS?  I don’t want Castro to be that guy.  There are a handful of guys who can play the position but I’m not sure any of them are ready to handle it yet.
Missed todays game- must have been a well played game

I agree doc. Who is playing SS at Indy?


It looks like there are five guys who can play SS but I don’t think Cherington is ready to turn over the job to any of them for any length of time:

1.  Rodolfo Castro

2.  Tucupita Marcano (who’s off to a fast start in Indy)

3.  Nick Gonzales

4.  Liover Peguero

5.  Chris Ownings



My immediate choice, to cover this coming series at least, would be Owings because he’s an experienced major league player, but he would just be temporary, unless he surprises and holds the fort. If Marcano continues to play well, then he could be he next man up.



Of course, there’s always a possibility for a trade, but I don’t know that BC could acquire anyone better than what he already has.


Doc, it was a pyrrhic victory, and I hope it doesn't start a slide like Roberto Perez' injury did last year.



I'll bet on Tucupita Marcano being the next man up. Indy has been playing Shortstop by committee: Gonzalez, Owings and Marcano each started SS in the past three games. But Marcano is on fire: best stats on the team.



Castro is NOT the answer. He's a horrible defensive shortstop. 2B is the only place he doesn'y hurt us as a regular.

I would have liked to see Marcano.

However the Pirates are bringing up Mathias.

785259695E4848442B0 wrote: Who takes over at SS?  I don’t want Castro to be that guy.  There are a handful of guys who can play the position but I’m not sure any of them are ready to handle it yet.
Missed todays game- must have been a well played game

I agree doc. Who is playing SS at Indy?


It looks like there are five guys who can play SS but I don’t think Cherington is ready to turn over the job to any of them for any length of time:

1.  Rodolfo Castro

2.  Tucupita Marcano (who’s off to a fast start in Indy)

3.  Nick Gonzales

4.  Liover Peguero

5.  Chris Ownings



My immediate choice, to cover this coming series at least, would be Owings because he’s an experienced major league player, but he would just be temporary, unless he surprises and holds the fort. If Marcano continues to play well, then he could be he next man up.



Of course, there’s always a possibility for a trade, but I don’t know that BC could acquire anyone better than what he already has.


Doc, it was a pyrrhic victory, and I hope it doesn't start a slide like Roberto Perez' injury did last year.



I'll bet on Tucupita Marcano being the next man up. Indy has been playing Shortstop by committee: Gonzalez, Owings and Marcano each started SS in the past three games. But Marcano is on fire: best stats on the team.



Castro is NOT the answer. He's a horrible defensive shortstop. 2B is the only place he doesn'y hurt us as a regular.


Another thing I thought about the injury is whether or not it will compromise his ability to play SS in the future. Rennie Stennent's injury was devastating to his career, for example. Cruz's injury didn't look nearly as bad as that but ankle injuries can be difficult to overcome.



Completely agree with your opinion regarding Castro. I don't want him playing at all, let alone SS.

1E3B38382D063B333126540 wrote: I would have liked to see Marcano.

However the Pirates are bringing up Mathias.


I didn't consider Mathias because I think of him as a 2Bman but, like Ownings, he can be a temporary fill-in.

I would guess that Mathias will be used at 2nd and that Castro and Bae are the shortstops.



I also will repeat a comment I made several days ago. Bucs have too many outfielders and not enough infielders. Either Suwinski or Smith-Njigba should be sent down since both have options and the team won't cut Choi so soon. Too many of the outfielders are typically watching the game from the bench.



While no ankle injury can be as horrific as watching Kendall's, my thoughts on Cruz drifted to Kendall and how his broken ankle robbed him of his power.



While baseball is often viewed as a no contact sport, injuries readily rob teams of players and destroy the careers and dreams of those who play the game.

Bobster21 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 7:19 pm 705651444D41564048230 wrote: Cruz looked pretty badly hurt on that awkward slide at the plate. Hope it's not serious
He was pointing to his knee and the replay looked like he and the catcher collided knee to knee with the knee covering of the catcher's shin guard adding to the problem. And if there was also a twisted ankle, it wouldn't surprise me.

I was looking for a thread about the Cruz injury, but the original game day thread was what I found. Prior to playing the red hot Braves tonight the Pirates are 7.5 games from a Wild Card entry. They are 11 games under.500, but let’s imagine if the Pirates hadn’t lost Cruz on the ninth game of the season. I am sure with him playing in the lineup they would have five more victories. I understand injuries are a part of the game, but this injury probably took a 25 to 30 home run hitter from their lineup. I am sure everyone who posts on this site can think of a game or two in which a clutch hit would have changed the outcome of the final score. Let’s hope in 2024 there is no major injury to one of the core players.