OnlyBucs

For what it’s worth, here is my 2 cents on the recent wave of rookies:

Jack Suwinski: Good defensive OF. Has shown power. 8 HR but only 16 RBI’s. Strikes out too often. Only hitting a buck fifty against lefties. I’m not sold on him being a regular OF.



Tucupita Marcano. Has shown that he can play an excellent 2B and OF. Very good speed; possibly our fastest runner. Does not seem over matched at the plate. Took 2 of the best pitchers (Buehler, Urias) deep. Deserving of a roster spot. At a minimum he can be a super utility guy.



Travis Swaggerty: Small sample size. However he looked to me to be overmatched at the plate. Needs more time in AAA



Cal Mitchell: A very good physical specimen. Has extra base hit and power potential. Weak OF arm. Need to see more of him



Canaan Smith Njigba: strong physical appearance. Also showed power potential in a very small sample size. This is probably unfair; but he has looked like a butcher in the OF. Obviously need to see more



Diego Castillo: with the exception of his 3 error game, he has played an excellent SS. Had a great Spring Training and made the team. Definitely has power. I think he has been pressing with all of the rookies getting a look. I think he needs to relax and start hitting more to stick on the roster.



Rudolpho Castro. Made highlight reel plays; but made errors on routine plays. Very enthusiastic but made many poor decisions on the base path. Back in the minors where he needs to be right now.



Anxious to see Madris and Bae. Of course we hopefully turn the corner when Cruz, Gonzales, Davis, & Peguero are in the lineup



What are the OBN members thoughts?

The record speaks for itself.  We need more veterans or we will see more of the same.

65404343567D40484A5D2F0 wrote: For what it’s worth, here is my 2 cents on the recent wave of rookies:

Jack Suwinski: Good defensive OF. Has shown power. 8 HR but only 16 RBI’s. Strikes out too often. Only hitting a buck fifty against lefties. I’m not sold on him being a regular OF.



Tucupita Marcano. Has shown that he can play an excellent 2B and OF. Very good speed; possibly our fastest runner. Does not seem over matched at the plate. Took 2 of the best pitchers (Buehler, Urias) deep. Deserving of a roster spot. At a minimum he can be a super utility guy.



Travis Swaggerty: Small sample size. However he looked to me to be overmatched at the plate. Needs more time in AAA



Cal Mitchell: A very good physical specimen. Has extra base hit and power potential. Weak OF arm. Need to see more of him



Canaan Smith Njigba: strong physical appearance. Also showed power potential in a very small sample size. This is probably unfair; but he has looked like a butcher in the OF. Obviously need to see more



Diego Castillo: with the exception of his 3 error game, he has played an excellent SS. Had a great Spring Training and made the team. Definitely has power. I think he has been pressing with all of the rookies getting a look. I think he needs to relax and start hitting more to stick on the roster.



Rudolpho Castro. Made highlight reel plays; but made errors on routine plays. Very enthusiastic but made many poor decisions on the base path. Back in the minors where he needs to be right now.



Anxious to see Madris and Bae. Of course we hopefully turn the corner when Cruz, Gonzales, Davis, & Peguero are in the lineup



What are the OBN members thoughts?


Good summation of the guys we've seen so far in their limited time here.  I think we'll see more of them and a few others as this season wears on, which is what should happen.  The older players who won't be here next year will hopefully soon be released or traded so that the young guys can continue getting themselves acclimated to the big leagues. 

0355435758425259544371565C50585D1F52310 wrote: For what it’s worth, here is my 2 cents on the recent wave of rookies:

Jack Suwinski: Good defensive OF. Has shown power. 8 HR but only 16 RBI’s. Strikes out too often. Only hitting a buck fifty against lefties. I’m not sold on him being a regular OF.



Tucupita Marcano. Has shown that he can play an excellent 2B and OF. Very good speed; possibly our fastest runner. Does not seem over matched at the plate. Took 2 of the best pitchers (Buehler, Urias) deep. Deserving of a roster spot. At a minimum he can be a super utility guy.



Travis Swaggerty: Small sample size. However he looked to me to be overmatched at the plate. Needs more time in AAA



Cal Mitchell: A very good physical specimen. Has extra base hit and power potential. Weak OF arm. Need to see more of him



Canaan Smith Njigba: strong physical appearance. Also showed power potential in a very small sample size. This is probably unfair; but he has looked like a butcher in the OF. Obviously need to see more



Diego Castillo: with the exception of his 3 error game, he has played an excellent SS. Had a great Spring Training and made the team. Definitely has power. I think he has been pressing with all of the rookies getting a look. I think he needs to relax and start hitting more to stick on the roster.



Rudolpho Castro. Made highlight reel plays; but made errors on routine plays. Very enthusiastic but made many poor decisions on the base path. Back in the minors where he needs to be right now.



Anxious to see Madris and Bae. Of course we hopefully turn the corner when Cruz, Gonzales, Davis, & Peguero are in the lineup



What are the OBN members thoughts?


Good summation of the guys we've seen so far in their limited time here.  I think we'll see more of them and a few others as this season wears on, which is what should happen.  The older players who won't be here next year will hopefully soon be released or traded so that the young guys can continue getting themselves acclimated to the big leagues. 


With Peguero waiting in the wings, I think Castillo is better suited for 2nd Base

I like Mitchell- best suited for LF with his arm

Marcano- Has shown that he belongs up here

Suwinski- Gotta remember he is young and I think will only get batter.

I think we have to be somewhat patient when guys are brought up. The Angels picked Mike Trout as the 25th pick in 2009. He started the 2010 Season with the team. By June he was hitting below the Mendoza line and was sent down and not brought back up till after Sept.1. The rest is history,

I know he is an exception but one never knows.

Suwinski needs to hit more than HRs. That .209 BA won't cut it. HRs are instant runs but all those outs inbetween prevent other runs from scoring. Unless he's going to be a 40 HR guy he needs to hit around .240 at a minimum. Good OFer so there's that.



Marcano looks like a keeper. Lacks power for OF but could play 2B a couple years until Nick Gonzales is ready. Then Marcano could be a J-Hay type super sub.



Swaggerty: His brief stay (mainly on the bench) revealed nothing. Good job Shelton, Cherington. ::)



Mitchell: Has potential to be a productive hitter. But that lack of arm in the OF is a problem. Could DH.



Smith Njigba: Not enough info. But in just 3 games he's already made 2 glaring mistakes in the OF. Is that a fluke or is he really that bad defensively?



Castillo: Looks like a fringe utility infielder.



Castro: Looks like a fringe utility infielder.

Jack Suwinski: This is the guy you keep playing. Good in the OF, will only get better, plays all three positions competently. As he faces more LHP, he will improve there. His K rate will come down, he does need to get his OBP up, but then again, aside from Ke'Bryan Hayes, the entire team does.



Tucupita Marcano. He also needs to keep playing everyday. Like JW, this guy is a keeper, and will be a solid major leaguer. Another poster mentioned him as a super utility guy in the future, I agree, he's shown he's pretty good putting him anywhere, so you don't have to cubby hole him.



Travis Swaggerty: Never got enough of a look really. I commented about it in GDT, why was he brought up if he wasn't playing?



Cal Mitchell: I wish his arm was better, but if he makes the throw to the right spot, he's okay in RF. What I like best about him, is he has already shown some clutch hitting. Another keeper, I'd like to see them use him as the primary DH with some spot RF starts, and dump Vogelbach.



Canaan Smith Njigba: Too small of a sample size to tell, but he's certainly comfortable at the plate. Perhaps use him and Mitchell as DH, giving them time in the OF.



Diego Castillo: He's bench player quality right now. Good on defense, but hasn't been able to hit RHP lately, maybe he'll adjust.



Rudolpho Castro. He's where he belongs now, I think his future holds bouncing around to a couple other organizations.

Suwinski. On the current roster, only Reynolds offers more power, and HR's do matter. I like his defense and his ability to play all 3 outfield positions. He also appears to understand how to play the game; a trait too many Pirate prospects have lacked. He should get regular playing time the rest of this season and to see if he can mature on the vine.



Marcano. Has shown more than I expected. He too warrants considerable playing time, primarily at second, with the occasional start in LF.



Swaggerty. No idea based on his very brief stay in the majors.



Mitchell. Warrants more playing time, and as noted by others, more ab's at DH. Vogelbach's role as a stop gap should soon be coming to a close.



Canaan Smith Njigba. Not impressed with his timidiness near the wall in LF, nor his near collusion with Reynolds. Also, seemed to nonchalant the play at first last night when he turned the wrong way after crossing the bag. If you knew you made a mistake, take off for second and make the Cards make a play.



Castillo. Likely has value as a future utility player and platoon bat. He has some pop, but opposing teams appear to have caught up with him and he now needs to adjust.



Castro, similar to Park, does not strike me as having a big upside, however, he is still quite young and was rushed up to the majors last year. As others noted, the enthusiasm is great, but you need more to stick in the majors.



All-in-all, it is really encouraging to me to discussing more than only 1 or 2 rookies being on the team, particularly when there are additional players that likely warrant a call-up.



P.S. If I were Mitchell, Smith-Njigba, and others, I would be requesting a first baseman's mitt and to begin taking reps there in pre-game warm-ups.

one thing about Suwinski is that he skipped AAA. I am impressed by what he is able to do. I have no problems with playing him most games. Marcano looks like he deserves to play about every day too.



Castillo has done pretty well.



Mitchell and Canaan Smith-Njigba both need to get some at bats. One or both could be back at Indy to get regular playing time. At least their time in majors should have helped them know what they need to do better.

042820272C0B3C2A3A490 wrote: Suwinski.  On the current roster, only Reynolds offers more power, and HR's do matter.  I like his defense and his ability to play all 3  outfield positions.  He also appears to understand how to play the game; a trait too many Pirate prospects have lacked.   He should get regular playing time the rest of this season and to see if he can mature on the vine.



Marcano.  Has shown more than I expected.  He too warrants considerable playing time, primarily at second, with the occasional start in LF.   



Swaggerty.   No idea based on his very brief stay in the majors.



Mitchell.   Warrants more playing time, and as noted by others, more ab's at DH.   Vogelbach's role as a stop gap should soon be coming to a close.



Canaan Smith Njigba.   Not impressed with his timidiness near the wall in LF, nor his near collusion with Reynolds.  Also, seemed to nonchalant the play at first last night when he turned the wrong way after crossing the bag.  If you knew you made a mistake, take off for second and make the Cards make a play.



Castillo.  Likely has value as a future utility player and platoon bat.   He has some pop, but opposing teams appear to have caught up with him and he now needs to adjust.



Castro, similar to Park, does not strike me as having a big upside, however, he is still quite young and was rushed up to the majors last year.   As others noted, the enthusiasm is great, but you need more to stick in the majors. 



All-in-all, it is really encouraging to me to discussing more than only 1 or 2 rookies being on the team, particularly when there are additional players that likely warrant a call-up.



P.S.  If I were Mitchell, Smith-Njigba, and others, I would be requesting a first baseman's mitt and to begin taking reps there in pre-game warm-ups.


Responding to your P.S.:

I was thinking the same at least as far as Mitchell is concerned.

Chavis is a valuable component and he certainly can stretch better than most 1B’s I have seen. However I just don’t think he is tall enough to be a regular 1B

6F4A49495C774A424057250 wrote: Suwinski.  On the current roster, only Reynolds offers more power, and HR's do matter.  I like his defense and his ability to play all 3  outfield positions.  He also appears to understand how to play the game; a trait too many Pirate prospects have lacked.   He should get regular playing time the rest of this season and to see if he can mature on the vine.



Marcano.  Has shown more than I expected.  He too warrants considerable playing time, primarily at second, with the occasional start in LF.   



Swaggerty.   No idea based on his very brief stay in the majors.



Mitchell.   Warrants more playing time, and as noted by others, more ab's at DH.   Vogelbach's role as a stop gap should soon be coming to a close.



Canaan Smith Njigba.   Not impressed with his timidiness near the wall in LF, nor his near collusion with Reynolds.  Also, seemed to nonchalant the play at first last night when he turned the wrong way after crossing the bag.  If you knew you made a mistake, take off for second and make the Cards make a play.



Castillo.  Likely has value as a future utility player and platoon bat.   He has some pop, but opposing teams appear to have caught up with him and he now needs to adjust.



Castro, similar to Park, does not strike me as having a big upside, however, he is still quite young and was rushed up to the majors last year.   As others noted, the enthusiasm is great, but you need more to stick in the majors. 



All-in-all, it is really encouraging to me to discussing more than only 1 or 2 rookies being on the team, particularly when there are additional players that likely warrant a call-up.



P.S.  If I were Mitchell, Smith-Njigba, and others, I would be requesting a first baseman's mitt and to begin taking reps there in pre-game warm-ups.


Responding to your P.S.:

I was thinking the same at least as far as Mitchell is concerned.

Chavis is a valuable component and he certainly can stretch better than most 1B’s I have seen. However I just don’t think he is tall enough to be a regular 1B
That's why I have been mentioning Cruz for 1st Base