OnlyBucs

Frazier 2nd

Marte CF

Polanco RF

Bell 1st

Reynolds LF

Moran 3rd

Diaz C

Tucker SS

Feliz P



This is getting absurd now that the Pirates won’t call up another starting pitcher or try to acquire one when they are 25-22 and 1 game out of a playoff spot on Memorial Day weekend. Going with the opener now two times a week is not going to work out.

I agree. Totally embarrassing that they're trying to continue on with just 3 legitimate starters.



Of course, this is the same front office that was perfectly content with just 2 major league outfielders last year.



EMBARRASSING.



And IDIOTIC.



And not surprising in the least ...

VaPirate just started a thread about how its Time for the Fans to Show Up.



I agree with him about how sad it is to look out at what appears to be a nearly empty PNC Park.



That said, within the same week, the Pirates, in two games, will have used a less than stellar relief pitcher to open a ball game when the team is supposedly trying to win a playoff spot. While we all know that neither of the relievers is really expected to pitch more than 2 innings, and then only if everything goes right, the players, even more than the fans, realize that ownership must not really believe in this team because they are silent and absent in addressing the situation.



I know that the AAA roster is thin on starters who could pitch in the majors. I know that many teams are 1 or more starting pitchers shy and that many are similarly looking for help. I also recognize that few teams are ready to consider themselves sellers. My response --- So What!



Nutting needs to give management the authority to go get help, and to do so now. It will cost money, but the team will need to consider taking on a contract to get some real innings. And, when (if) Tallion and Williams return (assuming that none of Archer, Musgrove or Lyles is injured or underperforms), the worst performing starter can go to the pen where the team also desperately needs help.



The current situation is more embarrassing and harmful to the team than having only 2 OF'ers on the roster. In March, would any of us expected to hear --- and now starting for your Pittsburgh Pirates --- Michael (where is the plate) Feliz.



PNC is empty, but ownership is morally bankrupt and continues to cheat (and blame) Pittsburgh's fans.

Also --- tonight's decision to start Feliz explains why Montana, rather than Feliz, was called upon to pitch the 9th inning in yesterday's win.



Yep, gotta save Feliz for tomorrow's game and his first major league start.

If they lose tonight don't blame CH or TBMTIB. Blame Steady Freddy for being too impatient and not letting me start this thread! ;D



And Mainer, I can't believe a level headed poster like you is singing this tune. You have been around a long time like me. But what I can't believe even more is that agree with you 100%.

This is unreal. Michael Feliz and his 4.63 ERA to start against arguably the best team in baseball. I guess if you're going to punt a game, he's the guy to do it with. I tend to defend management more than most. But this is just sad. I actually don't mind Feliz being on the roster. I think he has potential to be a solid bullpen guy. But this is just crazy. Forget winning this series. I'll be content if the Pirates can take one game this weekend.



In other news Freese and Martin are back in town tonight. They deserve a warm welcome from fans.

0C20282F2403342232410 wrote: VaPirate just started a thread about how its Time for the Fans to Show Up. 



I agree with him about how sad it is to look out at what appears to be a nearly empty PNC Park. 



That said, within the same week, the Pirates, in two games,  will have used a less than stellar relief pitcher to open a ball game when the team is supposedly trying to win a playoff spot.  While we all know that neither of the relievers is really expected to pitch more than 2 innings, and then only if everything goes right, the players, even more than the fans, realize that ownership must not really believe in this team because they are silent and absent in addressing the situation. 



I know that the AAA roster is thin on starters who could pitch in the majors.  I know that many teams are 1 or more starting pitchers shy and that many are similarly looking for help.  I also recognize that few teams are ready to consider themselves sellers.  My response --- So What!   



Nutting needs to give management the authority to go get help, and to do so now.  It will cost money, but the team will need to consider taking on a contract to get some real innings.  And, when (if) Tallion and Williams return (assuming that none of Archer, Musgrove or Lyles is injured or underperforms), the worst performing starter can go to the pen where the team also desperately needs help. 



The current situation is more embarrassing and harmful to the team than having only 2 OF'ers on the roster.  In March, would any of us expected to hear --- and now starting for your Pittsburgh Pirates --- Michael (where is the plate) Feliz.   



PNC is empty, but ownership is morally bankrupt and continues to cheat (and blame) Pittsburgh's fans.       


good post. the thing about needing to use an opener (or bullpen game or whatever you want to call it) is that the Bucs are doing this because of an emergency situation because of injury.



However, it is a solution that only should be used once or twice. Going through the rotation like this for 3 or more turns is just ridiculous and shows that Mainer's point that management doesn't think this team is going to be successful so why expect fans to think so?

6E48495E48582B0 wrote: VaPirate just started a thread about how its Time for the Fans to Show Up. 



I agree with him about how sad it is to look out at what appears to be a nearly empty PNC Park. 



That said, within the same week, the Pirates, in two games,  will have used a less than stellar relief pitcher to open a ball game when the team is supposedly trying to win a playoff spot.  While we all know that neither of the relievers is really expected to pitch more than 2 innings, and then only if everything goes right, the players, even more than the fans, realize that ownership must not really believe in this team because they are silent and absent in addressing the situation. 



I know that the AAA roster is thin on starters who could pitch in the majors.  I know that many teams are 1 or more starting pitchers shy and that many are similarly looking for help.  I also recognize that few teams are ready to consider themselves sellers.  My response --- So What!   



Nutting needs to give management the authority to go get help, and to do so now.  It will cost money, but the team will need to consider taking on a contract to get some real innings.  And, when (if) Tallion and Williams return (assuming that none of Archer, Musgrove or Lyles is injured or underperforms), the worst performing starter can go to the pen where the team also desperately needs help. 



The current situation is more embarrassing and harmful to the team than having only 2 OF'ers on the roster.  In March, would any of us expected to hear --- and now starting for your Pittsburgh Pirates --- Michael (where is the plate) Feliz.   



PNC is empty, but ownership is morally bankrupt and continues to cheat (and blame) Pittsburgh's fans.       


good post.  the thing about needing to use an opener (or bullpen game or whatever you want to call it) is that the Bucs are doing this because of an emergency situation because of injury.



However, it is a solution that only should be used once or twice.  Going through the rotation like this for 3 or more turns is just ridiculous and shows that Mainer's point that management doesn't think this team is going to be successful so why expect fans to think so?




Exactly. Stuff happens. We all know that. Sometimes you have to MacGyver something together and make it work. But the Pirates seem to make a habit out of this. Whether it's playing with two outfielders, three starting pitchers, no shortstop, whatever. It's like it's a game to them to see how much smarter they can be than everyone else. I mean, no one could have predicted that a starting pitcher would get injured. That never happens in today's MLB. Everyone knows the five starting pitchers you open the year with are the five you finish with, they all make 32 starts a year, and it all works. Right. That happens to every team, every year.



I actually don't even fault them for not signing a guy like Gio Gonzalez. I fault them for signing a guy like Rookie Davis. He was supposed to compete for the fifth starter's spot. As it is, he can't even be our #8 starter, and that's not because #6-7 are performing so adequately. They had no contingency plan at AAA when guys would inevitably get hurt. I suppose maybe Brubaker. But the point is, every team needs five starters in the bigs, probably three at AAA, and maybe two legit prospects in your AAA rotation that you're seasoning until they are ready for promotion. Keller fits that mold for us, and I'm not in favor of rushing him until he's ready. But our AAA options to come up and start a game are who...Alex McRae and his north of 5 ERA, Rookie Davis, and Dario Agrazal? You can't possibly tell me there weren't AAAA guys looking for a job at AAA knowing they'd get a shot to come up and start in the bigs.

Feliz showing why he shouldn't be on the roster.

Feliz implodes in the 1st and it's already 5-0. So Brault enters. They go to the extreme of using openers so that they can avoid starting Kingham and Brault. But Kingham relieved DuRapau in the 1st on Wednesday and Brault enters in the 1st today. So it's an odd strategy to use an opener to prevent having Kingham or Brault pitching in the 1st inning if those are the guys who will pitch in the 1st inning anyway after the Bucs are already trailing. Might as well just start Kingham and Brault. It's not as if Hurdle is using reliable relievers as his openers. He's using the last guys in the pen, the ones most likely to fail.