OnlyBucs

0120353C043D26352031540 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


BTW, Holmes was very good with the Yankees so they must have seen something we were missing. Not sure what they did with him, but after being a BB machine with us he walked 4 in 28 innings to go with 34 K's and a 5-2 W/L record.


Completely stopped throwing his curveball.

1C313C2D2A3B2C6C6F5E0 wrote: And down the thread hijacking rabbit hole we go.

So much for a good group conversation.



I believe I'll just refrain from posting from here on out - no sense trying to get involved in a conversation.


Wonder how many people quit for this reason?  I know i posted less when it seemed like everything was just a broken record no matter the topic.
We took steps to correct that problem. A certain poster was shown the door.


That is a plus, but my point was more that good posters are gone and not coming back.

4D41401B121B131E19061C2B0 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


Castillo will be a free agent if they do not protect him, Rule 5 wont matter.

496E67676E7D7E6E497E680B0 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


BTW, Holmes was very good with the Yankees so they must have seen something we were missing. Not sure what they did with him, but after being a BB machine with us he walked 4 in 28 innings to go with 34 K's and a 5-2 W/L record.


Completely stopped throwing his curveball.


I read that NY told him to stop nibbling and attack the plate. Seems like the Pirates would have told that too. Maybe he just had more confidence to try it with NY.

755F546453454549260 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


My guess is the catcher is a minor league FA that is added once they put some of the injured pitchers back on the 60 day IL.

587578696E7F68282B1A0 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


BTW, Holmes was very good with the Yankees so they must have seen something we were missing. Not sure what they did with him, but after being a BB machine with us he walked 4 in 28 innings to go with 34 K's and a 5-2 W/L record.


Completely stopped throwing his curveball.


I read that NY told him to stop nibbling and attack the plate. Seems like the Pirates would have told that too. Maybe he just had more confidence to try it with NY.


Just knowing that the Yanks wanted him had to be a confidence boost in itself. It's one thing if bottom feeders want you, another altogether if a perennial contender does.

7471767078726B767F6C6A671E0 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


BTW, Holmes was very good with the Yankees so they must have seen something we were missing. Not sure what they did with him, but after being a BB machine with us he walked 4 in 28 innings to go with 34 K's and a 5-2 W/L record.


Completely stopped throwing his curveball.


I read that NY told him to stop nibbling and attack the plate. Seems like the Pirates would have told that too. Maybe he just had more confidence to try it with NY.


Just knowing that the Yanks wanted him had to be a confidence boost in itself.  It's one thing if bottom feeders want you, another altogether if a perennial contender does.
Yes, that is sure to be a confidence boost. Also, on a weak hitting team like the Pirates it would be natural for a pitcher to try to be too perfect for fear any mistake would likely lose the game. With the hitters NY had they could tell him not to worry and if he gives up a run, they'll get it back.

60474E4E47545747605741220 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


BTW, Holmes was very good with the Yankees so they must have seen something we were missing. Not sure what they did with him, but after being a BB machine with us he walked 4 in 28 innings to go with 34 K's and a 5-2 W/L record.


Completely stopped throwing his curveball.




Interesting ... I kind of hate it when ex-Pirates seem to get fixed easily by other organizations.

1E393030392A29391E293F5C0 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


BTW, Holmes was very good with the Yankees so they must have seen something we were missing. Not sure what they did with him, but after being a BB machine with us he walked 4 in 28 innings to go with 34 K's and a 5-2 W/L record.


Completely stopped throwing his curveball.




Didn't they make a movie of that?

496469787F6E79393A0B0 wrote: One more clarification: I've protected Canaan Njigba-Smith and Diego Castillo. Two spots are open on the 40-man. One will be a catcher.


I think Castillo flies a little under-the-radar. It may because his minor league offensive stats prior to this year are pretty ordinary, and then he missed 2020 completely.



But he was very solid in both AA (Yankees and us) and AAA this year with power and OBP up significantly. Seems to have figured out something since 2019. I think we'll want to see what we have.
I am of the opinion that Castillo will be protected. I could not see the current FO acquiring him in July, and then losing him in the Rule 5 Draft in December. There was a reason when they acquired him for Holmes.


BTW, Holmes was very good with the Yankees so they must have seen something we were missing. Not sure what they did with him, but after being a BB machine with us he walked 4 in 28 innings to go with 34 K's and a 5-2 W/L record.


Completely stopped throwing his curveball.


I read that NY told him to stop nibbling and attack the plate. Seems like the Pirates would have told that too. Maybe he just had more confidence to try it with NY.


Probably easier to do that when you are throwing your fastball 75% of the time instead of 50%. He did add a slider this year as well, and Holmes had stretches with the Pirates this season where he was unhittable. Really he had 3 games where he could not throw strikes. Big reason why you can't really judge relievers on their ERA alone.