OnlyBucs

this was in today's chat:



Bucs

2:53 Do you see the Pirates re-tooling to contend in next few years or total long term rebuild



Jeffrey Todd

2:53 Might just depend what kind of offers they get on Cole.

They have started to put out some feelers in comments on a little step back from competitiveness. Doesn't help that Cubs and Cards are building up right now for '18 while Brewers look to be a significant threat.

What have or are the Cubs doing? They lost a bunch of free agents and are trying to unload an outfielder. I think they are making room for the attempt to get Bryce Harper for 2019. That's what it looks like to me.



If the Pirates get a 3B and some bullpen help, they can compete for the Wild Card and at least be ahead of the Cubs and Brewers. The Cardinals are the ones going for it in 2018. More moves to come by them, in my opinion.

070C04080D0C175254231A020B0C0C4D000C630 wrote: What have or are the Cubs doing? They lost a bunch of free agents and are trying to unload an outfielder. I think they are making room for the attempt to get Bryce Harper for 2019. That's what it looks like to me.



If the Pirates get a 3B and some bullpen help, they can compete for the Wild Card and at least be ahead of the Cubs and Brewers. The Cardinals are the ones going for it in 2018. More moves to come by them, in my opinion.


Cubs have lost players but have made some additions too.



So far Brandon Morrow, Drew Smyly (for 2019 since he is coming back from TJ), Steve Cishek and Tyler Chatwood.

6B60686461607B3E384F766E676060216C600F0 wrote: What have or are the Cubs doing? They lost a bunch of free agents and are trying to unload an outfielder. I think they are making room for the attempt to get Bryce Harper for 2019. That's what it looks like to me.



If the Pirates get a 3B and some bullpen help, they can compete for the Wild Card and at least be ahead of the Cubs and Brewers. The Cardinals are the ones going for it in 2018. More moves to come by them, in my opinion.
If we're going to compare the moves of the Pirates and the Cubs, we also have to consider where they are starting from. A team that won 75 games has a lot more work to do than a team that won 92 games.

With the moves the Cubs and Cards have made so far, I think the Pirates will be predicted to finish fourth in the Central Division.

464A4B1019101815120D17200 wrote: With the moves the Cubs and Cards have made so far, I think the Pirates will be predicted to finish fourth in the Central Division.


That is only because the Reds are looking to reboot again by trading Hamilton, not resigning Cozart and others.

Listen, if the Pirates do nothing else this off-season, I would consider it a win if the Reds traded Hamilton at least to another division, if not to the American League. I rate that sort of trade at a WAR of 3.2.