OnlyBucs

4B7668656A606B496176676160040 wrote:



Might as well sell off if we're not going to even add the big 3bman.   No chance


That's where I am. Collectively, you can say that every position is decently covered.



C: Cervelli and Diaz

1B: Bell, Freese as RH backup

2B: Harrison and Frazier

SS: Mercer, with combo of backups (Frazier, Moroff, SeanRod)

3B: Freese, Kang (maybe) Harrison, Frazier, Sean Rod as options

RF: Polanco, Luplow

CF: McCutchen (Meadows if injury)

LF: Marte (Meadows if injury)



What's crappy about the situation is that when tough calls are being made, and he's afraid he's getting a raw deal, he can argue that the specific position is covered and back out of an expensive acquisition. I hope he's going into the offseason saying that I need to shake things up on offense. I wouldn't touch the pitching staff, and I wouldn't be afraid of making the offense worse. I say, Bell is my 1st baseman, if I can somehow turn McCutchen, Polanco, Marte & Harrrison into an upgrade at 2 positions, then I do it and back fill with my versatile group of guys like Frazier and SeanRod.




Here's the thing...they have adequate players at each position, but no superstars. Playoff teams are built on stars. The Pirates have a bunch of average to slightly above average players. When injury, suspension, visa issues, or having a down year get in the way, the result isn't pretty. The Pirates went to the playoffs in 13-15 because they had star power led by an MVP-caliber McCutchen. He was complimented by Marte, Cervelli, and Martin having career (or at least above average) years. Kang was a great addition in 2015. The pitching staff had three guys who were above average and in 2015 were legit CY candidates. Burnett and Cole were well deserving All Stars that year.



in short...average gets you average. If you want to be above average, you need stars. 31 year old McCutchen is still a good player, but not the same as 28 year old McCutchen. Cole...who knows? Marte? I'm not convinced. Can this team be great next year? Yes, but the following have to go right:



Cole gets back to where he was in 2015, Taillon, Glasnow, Brault, Williams, and Kuhl all show significant improvement. Rivero continues to dominate, and they get some pieces to compliment him in the BP. McCutchen has some semblance of the year he had in 13-15. Marte and Polanco finally live up to the hype. Harrison continues to be above average. Bell shows that his rookie year wasn't a fluke and hits for the same amount of power with more average. Cervelli has a year like 2015, or absent that, Diaz (who I still think is the best catcher on the roster) is given adequate PT and named the full time starter. Kang comes back and plays like he did in '15, or they go outside the organization and bring someone who is better than replacement level in to play third base.



That's a lot of what-if's, maybe's, and potential. Maybe half of this will happen. The Pirates need all of it to happen to be competitive, and not just competitive, but actually make the playoffs. I just don't see it.



This is why I think it's time to blow it up.

747C7F485E7B5C533D0 wrote:

Here's the thing...they have adequate players at each position, but no superstars.  Playoff teams are built on stars.  The Pirates have a bunch of average to slightly above average players.  When injury, suspension, visa issues, or having a down year get in the way, the result isn't pretty.  The Pirates went to the playoffs in 13-15 because they had star power led by an MVP-caliber McCutchen.  He was complimented by Marte, Cervelli, and Martin having career (or at least above average) years.  Kang was a great addition in 2015.  The pitching staff had three guys who were above average and in 2015 were legit CY candidates.  Burnett and Cole were well deserving All Stars that year.



in short...average gets you average.  If you want to be above average, you need stars.  31 year old McCutchen is still a good player, but not the same as 28 year old McCutchen.  Cole...who knows?  Marte?  I'm not convinced.  Can this team be great next year?  Yes, but the following have to go right:



Cole gets back to where he was in 2015, Taillon, Glasnow, Brault, Williams, and Kuhl all show significant improvement.  Rivero continues to dominate, and they get some pieces to compliment him in the BP.  McCutchen has some semblance of the year he had in 13-15.  Marte and Polanco finally live up to the hype.  Harrison continues to be above average.  Bell shows that his rookie year wasn't a fluke and hits for the same amount of power with more average.  Cervelli has a year like 2015, or absent that, Diaz (who I still think is the best catcher on the roster) is given adequate PT and named the full time starter.  Kang comes back and plays like he did in '15, or they go outside the organization and bring someone who is better than replacement level in to play third base.



That's a lot of what-if's, maybe's, and potential.  Maybe half of this will happen.  The Pirates need all of it to happen to be competitive, and not just competitive, but actually make the playoffs.  I just don't see it.



This is why I think it's time to blow it up.


I don't think the goal is accumulating stars. I think the goal is consistency from the pitching staff and the ability to score runs in a variety of way. I think the analytic staff completely whiffed on the launch angle revolution that took place in 2016-2017. I think the league adjusted to the sinker/ground ball strategy with the anti-ground ball approach and the Pirates were late on the response. They seemed to changed the organizational approach to avoid K's and are in the dregs on offense.



I think you make a concerted effort to add power to this lineup, and the results will improve. That could be mechanical adjustments for current players, or pointed acquisitions. Either way, Their 3rd worst offense in the league is unacceptable.

49746A676862694B6374656362060 wrote:

Here's the thing...they have adequate players at each position, but no superstars.  Playoff teams are built on stars.  The Pirates have a bunch of average to slightly above average players.  When injury, suspension, visa issues, or having a down year get in the way, the result isn't pretty.  The Pirates went to the playoffs in 13-15 because they had star power led by an MVP-caliber McCutchen.  He was complimented by Marte, Cervelli, and Martin having career (or at least above average) years.  Kang was a great addition in 2015.  The pitching staff had three guys who were above average and in 2015 were legit CY candidates.  Burnett and Cole were well deserving All Stars that year.



in short...average gets you average.  If you want to be above average, you need stars.  31 year old McCutchen is still a good player, but not the same as 28 year old McCutchen.  Cole...who knows?  Marte?  I'm not convinced.  Can this team be great next year?  Yes, but the following have to go right:



Cole gets back to where he was in 2015, Taillon, Glasnow, Brault, Williams, and Kuhl all show significant improvement.  Rivero continues to dominate, and they get some pieces to compliment him in the BP.  McCutchen has some semblance of the year he had in 13-15.  Marte and Polanco finally live up to the hype.  Harrison continues to be above average.  Bell shows that his rookie year wasn't a fluke and hits for the same amount of power with more average.  Cervelli has a year like 2015, or absent that, Diaz (who I still think is the best catcher on the roster) is given adequate PT and named the full time starter.  Kang comes back and plays like he did in '15, or they go outside the organization and bring someone who is better than replacement level in to play third base.



That's a lot of what-if's, maybe's, and potential.  Maybe half of this will happen.  The Pirates need all of it to happen to be competitive, and not just competitive, but actually make the playoffs.  I just don't see it.



This is why I think it's time to blow it up.


I don't think the goal is accumulating stars. I think the goal is consistency from the pitching staff and the ability to score runs in a variety of way. I think the analytic staff completely whiffed on the launch angle revolution that took place in 2016-2017. I think the league adjusted to the sinker/ground ball strategy with the anti-ground ball approach and the Pirates were late on the response. They seemed to changed the organizational approach to avoid K's and are in the dregs on offense.



I think you make a concerted effort to add power to this lineup, and the results will improve. That could be mechanical adjustments for current players, or pointed acquisitions. Either way, Their 3rd worst offense in the league is unacceptable.


I didn't say you need to accumulate stars. I said you need to have some to compete. The Pirates did when Cutch was playing like an MVP. Look at this year's playoff teams, and I'll only focus on the NL, as I don't know the AL as well.



Arenado, Blackmon, Greinke, Goldschmidt, Pollock, Kershaw, Seager, Turner, Bellinger, Harper, Strasburg, Scherzer, Bryant, Rizzo, Russell, Arietta, and others, but that's just off the top of my head. We have a lot of good players, but no great players. A few guys who can be great, but none who are right now, at this stage of their careers.

Marte, Cutch and the 3b acquision.   Those  are the 3 you cement the lineup around.  The "stars". Though that's probably generous.



Bell could take the next step and join them.



Then you rely on solid support hitters around them.  jHay.  Frazier/Polanco (if he pulls it together.



Then you have the .700 -.730 OPS guys Cervelli -mercer



Then you fill with Freese, SRod.  Maybe Osuna, luplow



Getting the power hitting 3b is an absolute need to change the dynamics of the lineup.

202921303E440 wrote: Marte, Cutch and the 3b acquision.   Those  are the 3 you cement the lineup around.  The "stars". Though that's probably generous.



Bell could take the next step and join them.



Then you rely on solid support hitters around them.  jHay.  Frazier/Polanco (if he pulls it together.



Then you have the .700 -.730 OPS guys Cervelli -mercer



Then you fill with Freese, SRod.  Maybe Osuna, luplow



Getting the power hitting 3b is an absolute need to change the dynamics of the lineup.


As long as we are dreaming, I want Josh Donaldson. The lineup would be:

Marte

Harrison

Cutch

Donaldson

Bell

Frazier

Cervelli

Mercer

I would trade Polanco in a heartbeat and let Frazier play RF.

You could platoon S-Rod and even JHay in RF. I would get Moroff several starts a week. Add a couple of bullpen pieces and roll with it. Luplow would be the 4th OF.

6F6E7564723235010 wrote: Marte, Cutch and the 3b acquision.   Those  are the 3 you cement the lineup around.  The "stars". Though that's probably generous.



Bell could take the next step and join them.



Then you rely on solid support hitters around them.  jHay.  Frazier/Polanco (if he pulls it together.



Then you have the .700 -.730 OPS guys Cervelli -mercer



Then you fill with Freese, SRod.  Maybe Osuna, luplow



Getting the power hitting 3b is an absolute need to change the dynamics of the lineup.


As long as we are dreaming, I want Josh Donaldson. The lineup would be:

Marte

Harrison

Cutch

Donaldson

Bell

Frazier

Cervelli

Mercer

I would trade Polanco in a heartbeat and let Frazier play RF.

You could platoon S-Rod and even JHay in RF. I would get Moroff several starts a week. Add a couple of bullpen pieces and roll with it. Luplow would be the 4th OF.




I sure would like Donaldson. Not so certain about Frazier as regular in right. Not sure about his defense there or if his bat is good enough. He would need to hit a lot better than he did this year. He is unlikely ever to hit for power so he needs to get his oba up to 370 or higher to get his ops over 800.