OnlyBucs

We are going nowhere this year. The lineup may be good enough, but the pitching - which will probably improve - cannot improve enough to get us in the running.



Archer is clearly not cutting it as a SP. It's not clear there is a fix for that. So let's do something that has been done before with struggling, undersized, 2-pitch starters and make him a late-inning relief pitcher. His value as a SP is close to rock bottom. The bullpen needs help. His stuff should tick up in short outings. If he succeeds, he could stabilize the back end of the pen and restore some value.



Archer could be the next closer allowing us to trade our most valuable asset, The Nightmare, to bring in impact prospects where we need them (C, LHSP, mashers). Or more different, turn Felipe into a SP. He has four pitches. You'd have to do it between seasons. But he started for most of his time in the minors with decent success. We could use a LHSP. Slot him in behind Williams in the rotation for a very different look.

IMHO Archer has to be used as a starter and I think when Kela is healthy he could close, or maybe a better option is Crick, If Vasquez is traded.

1601172036363A550 wrote: We are going nowhere this year.  The lineup may be good enough, but the pitching - which will probably improve - cannot improve enough to get us in the running.



Archer is clearly not cutting it as a SP.  It's not clear there is a fix for that.  So let's do something that has been done before with struggling, undersized, 2-pitch starters and make him a late-inning relief pitcher.  His value as a SP is close to rock bottom.  The bullpen needs help.  His stuff should tick up in short outings.  If he succeeds, he could stabilize the back end of the pen and restore some value. 



Archer could be the next closer allowing us to trade our most valuable asset, The Nightmare, to bring in impact prospects where we need them (C, LHSP, mashers).  Or more different, turn Felipe into a SP.  He has four pitches.  You'd have to do it between seasons.  But he started for most of his time in the minors with decent success.  We could use a LHSP.  Slot him in behind Williams in the rotation for a very different look.


I'd be all for using Archer in the BP. He's pretty worthless as a starter. However, even counting Archer, they can't come up with 5 legit starters. So they would have to find someone to replace him and be an upgrade as a starter before putting him in the BP.

I also was thinking about moving Archer into the closer role; perhaps a co-closer with Crick. Archer could be used for 2 inning stints; bring him into the 8th with the idea that he is also going to be used in the 9th. He clearly has the ability to get strike-outs, but as a starter, he seems to be getting lit up in the mid-innings.



With respect to Kela, I have no confidence that he will ever be a healthy or effective pitcher for the Pirates.



With a few shrewd trades, perhaps trading Vasquez and even Marte (prefer trading Polanco but doubt that he has much value), the team could remake itself on the fly.

6F424F5E59485F1F1C2D0 wrote:

I'd be all for using Archer in the BP. He's pretty worthless as a starter. However, even counting Archer, they can't come up with 5 legit starters. So they would have to find someone to replace him and be an upgrade as a starter before putting him in the BP.


Yeah, the situation is not good with our starters. But Williams and Lyles are on their way back. Go with those two, Musgrove, Brault, and Keller the rest of the way. Get a AAAA SP when you trade an OFer to add depth if you feel it's important. Aside from having the guys that are there do as well as they can, I don't care much about the game results the rest of the way. And maybe part of the Vazquez return - if you trade him - is a (near) MLB-ready SP prospect.

6176796170647D70657D110 wrote: IMHO Archer has to be used as a starter and I think when Kela is healthy he could close, or maybe a better option is Crick, If Vasquez is traded.
Just curious, but why do feel Archer has to be a starter?



I agree that (healthy) Kela and/or Crick could close.