OnlyBucs

Looking at the current 40 man roster, these are the current starters minus Cahill, he's a FA:

Brault

Brubaker

Crowe

Kuhl

Wilson

Contreras

De Jong

Keller

Kranick

Peters

Ponce

Yajure



Presumably, they'll all be healthy heading into ST. All of them have team control. IMHO I think the Pirates would like to field their 2022 opening day rotation from this group. But I just can't see it happening.



I think of that group, Bryce Wilson and Wil Crowe are locks. Contreras and Yajure, I think the Pirates would like to give them more time at AAA, and probably the first wave of reinforcement. I think one or two others might make the team, and the Pirates will probably once again dumpster dive for a FA or two.



Brault was drafted in 2013 and acquired in 2016 from Baltimore, and has shown flashes of being a solid ML starter, but has been constantly on the IL. Kuhl was also drafted in 2013, by the Pirates. Keller was drafted in 2014, Brubaker in 2015. All of them except Keller were drafted from college. By now, Brault, Kuhl, and Brubaker should have established themselves as ML pitchers, and they have not. Keller has been given quite the opportunity, and hasn't demonstrated he's a ML pitcher.



All four of them go back to the NH days not just from a draft/trade status, but also from a philosophical standpoint for the organization, i.e. "their type of pitcher" in stature and repertoire. They also are some of the longest tenured guys within the organization, and the longest for all of the pitchers on the 40 man roster (Max Kranick was drafted in 2016).  I honestly think they are the most likely to be traded/cut as BC clears out the NH roster holdovers. If they make it to ST, I think they will have to really wow the organization to still be around.



De Jong, Ponce, Peters, and Kranick I think will be given a chance to win a job in ST, but of that group, I can only see Peters making the cut. The others will be AAA if they even make the 40 man, barring some new found competence.

Looking at the 40 man roster as it stands today, Sam Howard was the last NH guy. Phillip Evans was the first BC guy.



There are currently 29 BC guys of the 48 on the 40 man roster. 6 of the 8 guys on the 60 day IL are BC guys.

What concerns me the most about the early off-season is who do they protect in the Rule 5 draft. As for the guys Surg mentioned as being around for ST, which ones go either in trades or being non-tendered. Sometimes sitting on a failed or partially failed guy like Kuhl and/or Brault might be worse than losing a valued prospect to another team in the Rule 5 draft. After the Rule 5 draft, they can take a serious look at guys who have not lived up to their potential and do what they want with them. They could be traded or released during ST.

0A2B230A21294E0 wrote: What concerns me the most about the early off-season is who do they protect in the Rule 5 draft. 
I don't think there's anything to worry about protecting guys from the rule 5 draft. No team can keep everyone, so some guys will be exposed for sure.



Looking at our current 48 man roster, that has to be pared down right after the WS, it's pretty easy to see a lot of room being made.

For certain, anyone that's a free agent. Tsutsugo, Cahill, Shreve, Difo, Miller. I'm not sure what Gamel's status is though, is he a FA too?



There's also a catcher's spot that will go. There has to be at least 2 minimum that have to be let go of Oliva/Tucker/Newman/Park.



I think Evans, De Los Santos, Underwood, Kyle Keller, and Anderson are also real easy calls if they need to make room.



That leaves 5 open spots by me estimation that are easy calls. And I would think most anyone that is eligible for the Rule 5 draft would be NH guys anyhow, and if there hasn't been any interest in them by now, I don't think there will be too many hard calls.

406661747D71667078130 wrote: What concerns me the most about the early off-season is who do they protect in the Rule 5 draft. 
I don't think there's anything to worry about protecting guys from the rule 5 draft. No team can keep everyone, so some guys will be exposed for sure.



Looking at our current 48 man roster, that has to be pared down right after the WS, it's pretty easy to see a lot of room being made.

For certain, anyone that's a free agent. Tsutsugo, Cahill, Shreve, Difo, Miller. I'm not sure what Gamel's status is though, is he a FA too?



There's also a catcher's spot that will go. There has to be at least 2 minimum that have to be let go of Oliva/Tucker/Newman/Park.



I think Evans, De Los Santos, Underwood, Kyle Keller, and Anderson are also real easy calls if they need to make room.



That leaves 5 open spots by me estimation that are easy calls. And I would think most anyone that is eligible for the Rule 5 draft would be NH guys anyhow, and if there hasn't been any interest in them by now, I don't think there will be too many hard calls.
I read a recent article that the bucs might be playing more younger players next year. Might want to play them and have them take their lumps than risk losing them. I remember the Phillies doing that when Larry Bowa and Denny Doyle started out. The team was terrible and I said these two are lousy. Especially in Bowa's case it worked out. For you young guys, Bowa

was the SS and Doyle played second

I give you credit. You didn't mention Abner Doubleday like you usually do.

4D6B6C79707C6B7D751E0 wrote: What concerns me the most about the early off-season is who do they protect in the Rule 5 draft. 
I don't think there's anything to worry about protecting guys from the rule 5 draft. No team can keep everyone, so some guys will be exposed for sure.



Looking at our current 48 man roster, that has to be pared down right after the WS, it's pretty easy to see a lot of room being made.

For certain, anyone that's a free agent. Tsutsugo, Cahill, Shreve, Difo, Miller. I'm not sure what Gamel's status is though, is he a FA too?



There's also a catcher's spot that will go. There has to be at least 2 minimum that have to be let go of Oliva/Tucker/Newman/Park.



I think Evans, De Los Santos, Underwood, Kyle Keller, and Anderson are also real easy calls if they need to make room.



That leaves 5 open spots by me estimation that are easy calls. And I would think most anyone that is eligible for the Rule 5 draft would be NH guys anyhow, and if there hasn't been any interest in them by now, I don't think there will be too many hard calls.


Shreve and Gamel are eligible for arbitration.

3A79607B687D6C7A3A090 wrote: Howard was claimed off waivers a couple days after Huntington was fired SB (when Graves was in charge temporarily).
Thanks. I was going by the date of the transaction, which was before BC was hired. Didn't realize the gap was so wide between the two.

6C4A4D58515D4A5C543F0 wrote: Howard was claimed off waivers a couple days after Huntington was fired SB (when Graves was in charge temporarily).
Thanks. I was going by the date of the transaction, which was before BC was hired. Didn't realize the gap was so wide between the two.
I expect Gamel to be the Pirates LF in 2022

0937323A2931313A1A3F283B6C5E0 wrote: Howard was claimed off waivers a couple days after Huntington was fired SB (when Graves was in charge temporarily).
Thanks. I was going by the date of the transaction, which was before BC was hired. Didn't realize the gap was so wide between the two.
I expect Gamel to be the Pirates LF in 2022


unless he is the right fielder. The Bucs pretty much have to bring him back.