Game Thread 4/24/2025 Pirates vs. Angels

[Wildwoodcoach]

You got your wish Wildwood. They brought up Gorski and let him play. Win or lose they have given us some hope for the future. Now fire Shelty and GMBC now.

They should listen to me more often. I wish Carol would.

[Ecbucs]

Just saw the replay of Frazier unhustling a double into a single in the 9th. Apparently, he decided to take it easy running up the 1B line because he thought the ball would either be caught or be foul or both. This is typical of Shelton's team. Batters routinely stroll up the line when they hit ground balls or when they expect their fly ball to be caught. Shelton obviously accepts this style of play because it's repeated constantly. The team motto should be "There's no sense hustling if you think you might be out." It feeds into the culture of losing. They don't do everything they possibly can to try to win because they don't have the mentality of expecting to win. Shelton and Cherington are extremely harmful to this organization.

time to make them watch Pete Rose videos. That guy turned more singles into doubles than anybody else.

[Bobster]

I wonder how many Home Runs Cruz has to hit for Doc to be
on the Cruz Bandwagon ?

It'll never be enough until he plays the game hard from beginning to end, both physically and mentally. Most others do, why can't he?

Sadly, Cruz will probably put it all together after he goes to a real team with a real manager. Shelton needs to be fired ASAP and replaced with someone who will be on Cruz's case and teach him to play correctly with the alternative being on the bench. Cruz wants to play. But he doesn't grasp the nuances of the game. He understands the physical aspects of batting and throwing and running. But he has little concept of what to do or not do. With all that talent, he should be the #1 priority of a manager to turn him into a complete player. But the Pirates don't have a manager. They have Shelton.

[Doc]

I wonder how many Home Runs Cruz has to hit for Doc to be
on the Cruz Bandwagon ?

It'll never be enough until he plays the game hard from beginning to end, both physically and mentally. Most others do, why can't he?

Sadly, Cruz will probably put it all together after he goes to a real team with a real manager. Shelton needs to be fired ASAP and replaced with someone who will be on Cruz's case and teach him to play correctly with the alternative being on the bench. Cruz wants to play. But he doesn't grasp the nuances of the game. He understands the physical aspects of batting and throwing and running. But he has little concept of what to do or not do. With all that talent, he should be the #1 priority of a manager to turn him into a complete player. But the Pirates don't have a manager. They have Shelton.

I've said from the beginning that his talent knows no bounds, but his mindset is just awful. Put Derek Jeter's head on Cruz's body and we'd marvel at what could be. As for a manager being able to reach him, everyone is capable of learning but not everyone is willing to apply what they're taught. I think he's one of those. I'm all for benching him when he regresses, and I think he'd get the message, but I don't think it would last for long before having to bench him again.

[Bobster]

It'll never be enough until he plays the game hard from beginning to end, both physically and mentally. Most others do, why can't he?

Sadly, Cruz will probably put it all together after he goes to a real team with a real manager. Shelton needs to be fired ASAP and replaced with someone who will be on Cruz's case and teach him to play correctly with the alternative being on the bench. Cruz wants to play. But he doesn't grasp the nuances of the game. He understands the physical aspects of batting and throwing and running. But he has little concept of what to do or not do. With all that talent, he should be the #1 priority of a manager to turn him into a complete player. But the Pirates don't have a manager. They have Shelton.

I've said from the beginning that his talent knows no bounds, but his mindset is just awful. Put Derek Jeter's head on Cruz's body and we'd marvel at what could be. As for a manager being able to reach him, everyone is capable of learning but not everyone is willing to apply what they're taught. I think he's one of those. I'm all for benching him when he regresses, and I think he'd get the message, but I don't think it would last for long before having to bench him again.

I don't know if we can conclude that he doesn't apply what he's taught. You may be right about that. OTOH, other than Cutch and Reynolds it's hard to think of any Pirates who are fundamentally sound. That's why I think Shelton is part of the problem. I'd like to see a legitimate manager work with Cruz. Then if the problems persist, we'll know Cruz won't improve. I just don't want to see him go to another team and then play like a pro, and we'll wish he had been taught the right things as a Pirate.

[JollyRoger8]

Sadly, Cruz will probably put it all together after he goes to a real team with a real manager. Shelton needs to be fired ASAP and replaced with someone who will be on Cruz's case and teach him to play correctly with the alternative being on the bench. Cruz wants to play. But he doesn't grasp the nuances of the game. He understands the physical aspects of batting and throwing and running. But he has little concept of what to do or not do. With all that talent, he should be the #1 priority of a manager to turn him into a complete player. But the Pirates don't have a manager. They have Shelton.

I've said from the beginning that his talent knows no bounds, but his mindset is just awful. Put Derek Jeter's head on Cruz's body and we'd marvel at what could be. As for a manager being able to reach him, everyone is capable of learning but not everyone is willing to apply what they're taught. I think he's one of those. I'm all for benching him when he regresses, and I think he'd get the message, but I don't think it would last for long before having to bench him again.

I don't know if we can conclude that he doesn't apply what he's taught. You may be right about that. OTOH, other than Cutch and Reynolds it's hard to think of any Pirates who are fundamentally sound. That's why I think Shelton is part of the problem. I'd like to see a legitimate manager work with Cruz. Then if the problems persist, we'll know Cruz won't improve. I just don't want to see him go to another team and then play like a pro, and we'll wish he had been taught the right things as a Pirate.

We can ill afford to create another Jose Bautista situation whereby we give up on a player and he becomes an All Star on another team. Cruz has too much talent. Also it’s not just Cruz. You has Adam Frazier watch his high fly ball fall in the ninth inning lat night. He could have walked to 2B but there he was standing of 1st.
Even Cutch does not run at full speed on routine grounders. Sadly the only player that does run at full speed is Henry Davis. You shouldn’t have to tell professional ball players to hustle 100% of the time.