OnlyBucs

1E333E2F28392E6E6D5C0 wrote:

Bell looked worse than Pedro last year at 1B.
Totally disagree. Bell was bad. Generally because he appeared not to know what to do. Not because he was unable to catch the ball. Pedro simply had a very difficult time catching balls both hit and thrown to him. Bell needs to learn the position better. But Pedro just couldn't catch. Even pickoff throws went through him. Bell made 3 errors in 150 innings at 1B. That's an error every 50 innings. Pedro had 23 errors in 906 innings at 1B in 2015. That's roughly an error every 39 innings. When you play 1B and can't catch the ball, the errors occur far more frequently. Bell's defense was very disappointing because he had time to learn the position in AAA but didn't seem to know what he was doing. But I don't know how anyone could watch all those balls bounce off Pedro's glove and say Bell was worse. 




Good point. Bell looked lost out there, looked awkward. I was surprised knowing he has been playing the position. Not sure why Pedro lost the ability to catch balls throws thrown to him (new, weird glove?)? Bell better hit, because I don't see his defense being better than what the Pirates had last year.

5D565E5257564D080E794058515656175A56390 wrote:

Bell looked worse than Pedro last year at 1B.
Totally disagree. Bell was bad. Generally because he appeared not to know what to do. Not because he was unable to catch the ball. Pedro simply had a very difficult time catching balls both hit and thrown to him. Bell needs to learn the position better. But Pedro just couldn't catch. Even pickoff throws went through him. Bell made 3 errors in 150 innings at 1B. That's an error every 50 innings. Pedro had 23 errors in 906 innings at 1B in 2015. That's roughly an error every 39 innings. When you play 1B and can't catch the ball, the errors occur far more frequently. Bell's defense was very disappointing because he had time to learn the position in AAA but didn't seem to know what he was doing. But I don't know how anyone could watch all those balls bounce off Pedro's glove and say Bell was worse. 




Good point.  Bell looked lost out there, looked awkward.  I was surprised knowing he has been playing the position.  Not sure why Pedro lost the ability to catch balls throws thrown to him (new, weird glove?)?  Bell better hit, because I don't see his defense being better than what the Pirates had last year.


It had to be something mental for Pedro, I mean we all saw him handle smashes down the line playing third, you wouldn't think getting a pickoff throw would be that tough in comparison.

Bell looks to me like he just needs to relax. He looks stiff and awkward. It may well be from inexperience, but he's not fluid at this point. I suspect being at the MLB level a bit will help with that. And he certainly can hit. Whether he turns out to be superstar like Dick Stuart . . . (Okay, I had to throw that in - he was my favorite player when I was a kid).

03313D3D291B38313C393631500 wrote:

Bell looked worse than Pedro last year at 1B.
Totally disagree. Bell was bad. Generally because he appeared not to know what to do. Not because he was unable to catch the ball. Pedro simply had a very difficult time catching balls both hit and thrown to him. Bell needs to learn the position better. But Pedro just couldn't catch. Even pickoff throws went through him. Bell made 3 errors in 150 innings at 1B. That's an error every 50 innings. Pedro had 23 errors in 906 innings at 1B in 2015. That's roughly an error every 39 innings. When you play 1B and can't catch the ball, the errors occur far more frequently. Bell's defense was very disappointing because he had time to learn the position in AAA but didn't seem to know what he was doing. But I don't know how anyone could watch all those balls bounce off Pedro's glove and say Bell was worse. 




Good point.  Bell looked lost out there, looked awkward.  I was surprised knowing he has been playing the position.  Not sure why Pedro lost the ability to catch balls throws thrown to him (new, weird glove?)?  Bell better hit, because I don't see his defense being better than what the Pirates had last year.


It had to be something mental for Pedro, I mean we all saw him handle smashes down the line playing third, you wouldn't think getting a pickoff throw would be that tough in comparison. 
Yes, it has to be mental for Pedro. Just like Blass, Sax and Knobloch. First, he suddenly developed an inability to throw from 3B to 1B. I can imaging how embarrassing that must have been. But fielding the ball had not been a problem. Then when he had to switch to a new position because he had failed so badly at his old position, I suspect he put a great deal of pressure on himself and probably tensed up on every play out of fear of failure. Even last year, the Orioles tried to show confidence in him by playing him occasionally at 3B. But he made 4 errors in just 9 chances and that plan was quickly discontinued.

Bell's defense is a concern. If he is capable of being decent there I think he will show it by end of 2017 spring training.



I would not give up on him at first based upon last season (the Pirates might since they see him practice)

If we keep Bell, then let him stay in the minors for another year or two to learn the position. Wasn't last year his first season at 1B? We got a decent tag team of Jaso/Freeze to let him stay in the minors to help him learn the position and relax.

From what I gather that Pedro that he didn't start learning 1B until Spring training instead of, like Jaso did, start in Jan to get a head start of the learning curve of all the footwork he needed to learn..

Bell has played more 1B in the minors than the outfield.



He started playing 1B in the Fall League in 2014. Then played 1B all of 2015 and all but four starts in 2016. he actually played more RF with the Pirates than he did in the minors in 2015 and 2016 combined.



His bat is needed now. He isn't going to start in the minors. He will be the primary starting 1B.

Rumor going around on twitter and a site on facebook,Cutch to Yankees,Pirates get Quintana ,Gardner and cash,Whitesox get Glasnow and Newmen and yankees 1st rounder from last year and another prospect from yanks.Anyone else hearing this?

Read the same thing on FB..Wonder if its true or a major rumor going around the holidays.. According to the post they want this deal done before Xmas.. we'll just wait and see..

3A352E3F343A6D5C0 wrote: Rumor going around on twitter and a site on facebook,Cutch to Yankees,Pirates get Quintana ,Gardner and cash,Whitesox get Glasnow and Newmen and yankees 1st rounder from last year and another prospect from yanks.Anyone else hearing this?


Ugh. If true, I think I'll hate this deal. There's the emotional attachment to Cutch (even though I know, and have argued, that the better baseball decision may be to trade him), but also losing Glasnow (who I think could be in Bumgarner/Kershaw territory some day) and Newman (who is an outstanding hitter, but will probably have to move to 2B).