I've been a Pirate fan for almost 60 years. I'm tired of hearing about trading Rivero for a 3rd baseman or McCutchen and Cole for prospects. We have some exceptional talents and that's what it takes to compete in the playoffs.
I may be crazy but I think the team has a good chance to compete for the playoffs in 2018 and probably won't thereafter for a few years, as Cutch & Cole leave.
Here's my plan for 2018:
1. Sign a 3rd baseman, like Moustakas, who can replace the power we lost with Kang. Kang is NOT coming back. If we prefer to get a 2nd baseman, fine, move Harrison to 3B. But I'm after power, and it's hard to find at 2B.
2. Move Glasnow and Braun to the MLB bullpen, joining Rivero, Kontos, Schugel, Hudson (regrettable but untradeable) and one of the young BP arms like Neveraus or Santana.
3. Replace Chris Stewart with Elias Diaz. Jacob Stallings is depth at AAA. Cervelli remains the starter unless he can be traded in a package for an improvement.
4. Infield starters are Bell, Harrison, new 3rd Baseman and Mercer. Bench is strong: Frazier, Freese & Rodriguez. Lots of mediocre depth at AAA.
5. Leave Marte in LF, Cutch in CF and Polanco in RF. Because it's what works best. If a better 4th OF cannot be found in trade, use Luplow. Frazier and Rodriguez provide depth. Meadows is depth at AAA.
Seems as though the best trade baits we have are Nick Kingham and Jose Osuna. They're both blocked in our system. If they could get us help at catcher, 2B or 3B (Harrison is flexible), even the bullpen, move them.
In review, I favor making ONE BIG ADDITION. Smell the coffee re: Kang, get us a potential all-star at 3rd base. Get a strong 4th OF. Move the stars of the AAA rotation into the MLB bullpen. See what we can get for Kingham and Osuna.
Stop crying poverty. In my view, the best chance we have to return to the playoffs is now.
Don't trade away our best players. There is no damn good reason why we cannot have nice things!
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
I like pretty much everything you wrote.
I'm not sold on Moustakas being a game changer. He is coming off a career year. Not the time to pay a guy. Though, he is 28. Maybe this past year is what you get for the next 3-4 years. If so, I'd ante up to give $20 million per year for his number for this year. Everyone else is cheap. McCutchen will be coming off the books.
I continue to be a Glasnow fanboy. But I like the idea of moving him to the bullpen for now. Maybe he can have a run of success there that gets his head right. There is no problem with his stuff. He has dominant MLB stuff.
I'm not sold on Moustakas being a game changer. He is coming off a career year. Not the time to pay a guy. Though, he is 28. Maybe this past year is what you get for the next 3-4 years. If so, I'd ante up to give $20 million per year for his number for this year. Everyone else is cheap. McCutchen will be coming off the books.
I continue to be a Glasnow fanboy. But I like the idea of moving him to the bullpen for now. Maybe he can have a run of success there that gets his head right. There is no problem with his stuff. He has dominant MLB stuff.
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dogknot17@yahoo.co
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
I agree with everything too, except Glasnow.
I don't know what to do with him. He is way too wild to bring into a game from the bullpen. Would he be used in a "wash up" role.
I don't know what to do with him. He is way too wild to bring into a game from the bullpen. Would he be used in a "wash up" role.
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
SyrBucco
Good to see you posting.
I believe everyone on this Board and most in the broad world of 'Pirateland', regardless if they have been fans for a decade of more than half a century (like you and me), hear and feel your frustration. While I don't know if you are more right than me, I have come to a different conclusion. I don't believe this team has enough talent to be truly competitive, and I believe they need to selectively retool and to be prepared to trade real assets/talent.
By process of elimination you suggested that our most readily tradable assets are Osuna and Kingham. If this is true, we basically have no tradable assets. Trading either or both is unlikely to yield any significant player in return.
I have previously posted about how I believe the team should trade Rivero, McCutchen, Cole and Harrison for talent (because they likely have the most value), and that they should try to rebuild the everyday line-up around Marte (CF), Bell (1st) and Frazier (versatile). Frankly, I hate the thought of moving Rivero, but he could be the best hope of obtaining someone equal to Devers.
Regardless, I don't expect the Pirates to blow it up, but I similarly don't expect them to sign anyone along the lines of Moustakas. Here is what I expect will occur:
Pirates will pray that Kang can return, and lead everyone to believe that he may return until he can't.
Hudson will be traded with the team eating half of his salary for a mid-level A prospect.
Stewart's option will be declined.
Harrison may be traded if the team doesn't get a bite on either Rodriguez or Freese.
No significant additions and with the potential exception of Harrison, no significant subtractions.
Team will tread water and talk about how so many things went wrong in 2017 that things are surely to go more right in 2018.
Frankly, I expect the worst and that all of us will be more disappointed and frustrated than ever.
Good to see you posting.
I believe everyone on this Board and most in the broad world of 'Pirateland', regardless if they have been fans for a decade of more than half a century (like you and me), hear and feel your frustration. While I don't know if you are more right than me, I have come to a different conclusion. I don't believe this team has enough talent to be truly competitive, and I believe they need to selectively retool and to be prepared to trade real assets/talent.
By process of elimination you suggested that our most readily tradable assets are Osuna and Kingham. If this is true, we basically have no tradable assets. Trading either or both is unlikely to yield any significant player in return.
I have previously posted about how I believe the team should trade Rivero, McCutchen, Cole and Harrison for talent (because they likely have the most value), and that they should try to rebuild the everyday line-up around Marte (CF), Bell (1st) and Frazier (versatile). Frankly, I hate the thought of moving Rivero, but he could be the best hope of obtaining someone equal to Devers.
Regardless, I don't expect the Pirates to blow it up, but I similarly don't expect them to sign anyone along the lines of Moustakas. Here is what I expect will occur:
Pirates will pray that Kang can return, and lead everyone to believe that he may return until he can't.
Hudson will be traded with the team eating half of his salary for a mid-level A prospect.
Stewart's option will be declined.
Harrison may be traded if the team doesn't get a bite on either Rodriguez or Freese.
No significant additions and with the potential exception of Harrison, no significant subtractions.
Team will tread water and talk about how so many things went wrong in 2017 that things are surely to go more right in 2018.
Frankly, I expect the worst and that all of us will be more disappointed and frustrated than ever.
-
Bobster21
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
7B575F585374435545360 wrote: SyrBucco
Good to see you posting.
I believe everyone on this Board and most in the broad world of 'Pirateland', regardless if they have been fans for a decade of more than half a century (like you and me), hear and feel your frustration. While I don't know if you are more right than me, I have come to a different conclusion. I don't believe this team has enough talent to be truly competitive, and I believe they need to selectively retool and to be prepared to trade real assets/talent.
By process of elimination you suggested that our most readily tradable assets are Osuna and Kingham. If this is true, we basically have no tradable assets. Trading either or both is unlikely to yield any significant player in return.
I have previously posted about how I believe the team should trade Rivero, McCutchen, Cole and Harrison for talent (because they likely have the most value), and that they should try to rebuild the everyday line-up around Marte (CF), Bell (1st) and Frazier (versatile). Frankly, I hate the thought of moving Rivero, but he could be the best hope of obtaining someone equal to Devers.
Regardless, I don't expect the Pirates to blow it up, but I similarly don't expect them to sign anyone along the lines of Moustakas. Here is what I expect will occur:
Pirates will pray that Kang can return, and lead everyone to believe that he may return until he can't.
Hudson will be traded with the team eating half of his salary for a mid-level A prospect.
Stewart's option will be declined.
Harrison may be traded if the team doesn't get a bite on either Rodriguez or Freese.
No significant additions and with the potential exception of Harrison, no significant subtractions.
Team will tread water and talk about how so many things went wrong in 2017 that things are surely to go more right in 2018.
Frankly, I expect the worst and that all of us will be more disappointed and frustrated than ever.
I have no doubts that will happen. There will not be a total rebuild. A few years ago Nutting & CO sold the fan base on the idea that a rebuild was taking place by The Best Mgt Team in Baseball. I don't think there's any way they admit failure and "back to the drawing board." That would be a PR disaster and beg the question, "Why should we buy into a process you've already failed at?" A total rebuild of the previous rebuild destroys what little credibility this org has. So I'm sure the company line will be that things went wrong in 2017 but they're still close in 2018. It won't surprise me if Polanco is traded because they seem discouraged about his performance and his injury prone nature. They could try to get a better hitting RFer with HR power. The cost of such a contract would be offset by trading Cutch in July, which I fully expect. At that time they will tell us Cutch wasn't going to return in 2019 and they acquired prospects who will make the team competitive for years to come.
The only realistic hope that they are competitive in 2018 is if the starting pitching blossoms into a stellar rotation. There were good signs with Kuhl, Williams and Taillon. But unless they become better and more consistent (along with Cole), the hitting will be insufficient to compensate for mediocre or worse pitching.
Good to see you posting.
I believe everyone on this Board and most in the broad world of 'Pirateland', regardless if they have been fans for a decade of more than half a century (like you and me), hear and feel your frustration. While I don't know if you are more right than me, I have come to a different conclusion. I don't believe this team has enough talent to be truly competitive, and I believe they need to selectively retool and to be prepared to trade real assets/talent.
By process of elimination you suggested that our most readily tradable assets are Osuna and Kingham. If this is true, we basically have no tradable assets. Trading either or both is unlikely to yield any significant player in return.
I have previously posted about how I believe the team should trade Rivero, McCutchen, Cole and Harrison for talent (because they likely have the most value), and that they should try to rebuild the everyday line-up around Marte (CF), Bell (1st) and Frazier (versatile). Frankly, I hate the thought of moving Rivero, but he could be the best hope of obtaining someone equal to Devers.
Regardless, I don't expect the Pirates to blow it up, but I similarly don't expect them to sign anyone along the lines of Moustakas. Here is what I expect will occur:
Pirates will pray that Kang can return, and lead everyone to believe that he may return until he can't.
Hudson will be traded with the team eating half of his salary for a mid-level A prospect.
Stewart's option will be declined.
Harrison may be traded if the team doesn't get a bite on either Rodriguez or Freese.
No significant additions and with the potential exception of Harrison, no significant subtractions.
Team will tread water and talk about how so many things went wrong in 2017 that things are surely to go more right in 2018.
Frankly, I expect the worst and that all of us will be more disappointed and frustrated than ever.
I have no doubts that will happen. There will not be a total rebuild. A few years ago Nutting & CO sold the fan base on the idea that a rebuild was taking place by The Best Mgt Team in Baseball. I don't think there's any way they admit failure and "back to the drawing board." That would be a PR disaster and beg the question, "Why should we buy into a process you've already failed at?" A total rebuild of the previous rebuild destroys what little credibility this org has. So I'm sure the company line will be that things went wrong in 2017 but they're still close in 2018. It won't surprise me if Polanco is traded because they seem discouraged about his performance and his injury prone nature. They could try to get a better hitting RFer with HR power. The cost of such a contract would be offset by trading Cutch in July, which I fully expect. At that time they will tell us Cutch wasn't going to return in 2019 and they acquired prospects who will make the team competitive for years to come.
The only realistic hope that they are competitive in 2018 is if the starting pitching blossoms into a stellar rotation. There were good signs with Kuhl, Williams and Taillon. But unless they become better and more consistent (along with Cole), the hitting will be insufficient to compensate for mediocre or worse pitching.
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
It appears the Marlins intend to reduce their payroll to the 90MM range. That may free up some players -- and their Osuna (sp) looks good as an outfielder. Of course, that 90 MM payroll figure may challenge Pirates ownership not to be outdone. We may see that too.
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
Wait, maybe we can have nice things. There is some suggestion the Reds may look to trade Billy Hamilton. mlbtr is suggesting the Giants (which would be nice in itself as it would cut substantially the number of times he hits against us at his special .350 rate). Or we could trade for him and watch him hit .210 for us but play good defense.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/10/ ... trade.html
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/10/ ... trade.html
Why Can't We Have Nice Things?
5E5C464056330 wrote: Wait, maybe we can have nice things. There is some suggestion the Reds may look to trade Billy Hamilton. mlbtr is suggesting the Giants (which would be nice in itself as it would cut substantially the number of times he hits against us at his special .350 rate). Or we could trade for him and watch him hit .210 for us but play good defense.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/10/ ... trade.html
Billy Hamilton has fifty stolen bases against the Bucs.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/10/ ... trade.html
Billy Hamilton has fifty stolen bases against the Bucs.