I’d like to see both Frazier and Pham released now. Of course, the Pirates would never release guys who they’ll have to pay major league contracts to, so that won’t happen.Dutton wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 3:45 pm I really liked Adam Frazier when he played for the Bucs a few years back. But I really hated it when he was signed to a MLB contract that basically guaranteed him a 26-man spot and likewise guaranteed that one our many young infield prospects would be denied an important opportunity to develop at the MLB level.
We've now seen Nick Yorke sent down to a crowded Indianapolis infield. If you don't look too hard at Yorke's ST statistics, you might think it's a wise decision. But Yorke has hit the ball hard this Spring and his versatility would be Frazier's equal. Yorke could have been part of a LF platoon.
The Tommy Pham overpay is, at least, easier to understand, given that few suspected that Suwinski and Bae would knock the MLB door down this Spring. And there is the L/R platoon that seems obvious. But there is one other decision that shows a lack of forward thinking: the failure to give Bart, Davis and Rodriguez a thorough opportunity to learn 1B.
We seem to have an "embarrassment of riches" at catcher, where a solid MLB backup like Jason Delay can do no better than a share of AAA playing time. But in a smarter ST, Bart, Davis and Rodriguez would have all auditioned for a 1B platoon. And that might have allowed all 3 to start the season on the 26-man. Cutch as DH removes a possibility.
A few comments on the pitching staff:
Heaney's awful ST has me worried, but Jared Jones' sore elbow has me depressed. Assuming Jones can't answer the bell, adding Harrington to the MLB staff is a popular rumor, but I think it would be short-sighted to create a 40-man cut when you have Burrows and Ashcraft available.
Who do you want to cut? I suppose Shugart is expendable, but I'd rather keep a spot available for a tasty final cut from another team, or Tyler Rainey, who seems to have bounced back this Spring. And we should make room for Borucki.
We have an "abundance of mediocrity" in the bullpen. As much as I like Nicolas' stuff, he has 2 options left. Stratton' has 3. Bednar Holderman, Santana, and Lawrence are righties who should make it. And Mlodzinski, despite having 2 options left, might be a short term option as a starter. There's room for 3 lefties at most. Ferguson and Mayza have contracts that pretty much insure their spots. Could Joey Wentz be traded? If it comes down to Wentz vs Borucki, I'll take the latter. So that means that I'd option Nicolas and Stratton to AAA. Lord knows we'll see them when the inevitable pitching injuries occur.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
I’d also make a decision about MCutchen by May 15. If he’s not contributing, then it’s time to convince him to retire or pretend he has a season-ending injury. I wouldn’t embarrass him by releasing him but, if he has little to offer this year, it’d be a really poor decision to continue to play him at the expense of a younger player who needs the at bats.