2015 Pittsburgh Pirates Thread

[columbia]

He looked like a criminal, so that's a positive.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

He is already said on Trib Radio that Cutch has gone corporate. Called him "Corporate Cutch".

[Troy Loney]

The Post Gazette seems to think it has something to do with charity. We'll just have to wait for Rossi or Dunlap to get the real story on this one.

[penny lane]

somebody had a funny tweet
~ letang haircut
~ Andrew M
~ Troy P is on the clock!

[Troy Loney]

Pirates Prospects is becoming a subscription site.

Someone should just start a site that links every article on the pirates from BA and Baseball prospectus, and recaps all the games from the minor leagues during the season.

[the errey i breathe]

Pirates Prospects is becoming a subscription site.

Someone should just start a site that links every article on the pirates from BA and Baseball prospectus, and recaps all the games from the minor leagues during the season.

I just saw this. I usually read the site but more out of boredom. I don't think the articles are that groundbreaking or really worth a subscription. I completely understand the reasons I just don't think it's necessary to pay to read about players who might some day be on the MLB team. If this were content on the Pirates then maybe...I dunno I'm rambling, kind of bummed because it was a decent time waster but paying for 1-2 mediocre articles per day and maybe 1 good article per week doesn't seem worth it.

[Bioshock]

Pirates Prospects is becoming a subscription site.

Someone should just start a site that links every article on the pirates from BA and Baseball prospectus, and recaps all the games from the minor leagues during the season.

I just saw this. I usually read the site but more out of boredom. I don't think the articles are that groundbreaking or really worth a subscription. I completely understand the reasons I just don't think it's necessary to pay to read about players who might some day be on the MLB team. If this were content on the Pirates then maybe...I dunno I'm rambling, kind of bummed because it was a decent time waster but paying for 1-2 mediocre articles per day and maybe 1 good article per week doesn't seem worth it.

Yeah, I'm up in the air on whether to do this or not. With Dejan it was a no-brainer because of who Dejan is and since i was already a fan of his writing, i knew i'd enjoy it.

Tim Williams has good stuff but it's much more sporadic. It reminds me of Jesse Marshall in a way with his writing on the Pens blog and his top 50 draft prospects he'd put out right before the draft every year. Sure, the content is awesome but it's not generated with enough regularity.

[Troy Loney]

Yeah, I'm up in the air on whether to do this or not. With Dejan it was a no-brainer because of who Dejan is and since i was already a fan of his writing, i knew i'd enjoy it.

Tim Williams has good stuff but it's much more sporadic. It reminds me of Jesse Marshall in a way with his writing on the Pens blog and his top 50 draft prospects he'd put out right before the draft every year. Sure, the content is awesome but it's not generated with enough regularity.

I think it's sort of a catch-22 for Pirates Prospects. He needs more resources to get better content, so I think he implies that the subscription style will provide better content.

That said, there's diminishing returns for covering the Pirates. I don't think there's enough out there to report beyond what he's doing...at least for stuff that would provide anything of interest. I don't care how some middling prospect in West Virginia reduced his walk rate.

Its primary asset was to provide a centralized location for recaps of minor league games

[Bioshock]

All that said... Anytime i see a Pittsburgher do something like this, I want to help. I'll probably sign up anyways. lol

[skullman80]

The Post Gazette seems to think it has something to do with charity. We'll just have to wait for Rossi or Dunlap to get the real story on this one.

yep it is for charity..

http://www.wpxi.com/news/sports/andrew- ... tes/nkd7z/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

McCuthchen says his locks will be auctioned on MLB.com with proceeds benefiting Pirates Charities.

[pittsports87]

People are actualy going to spend money to own some of McCutchen's hair?

[TheGhostofGoulet]

The Post Gazette seems to think it has something to do with charity. We'll just have to wait for Rossi or Dunlap to get the real story on this one.

yep it is for charity..

http://www.wpxi.com/news/sports/andrew- ... tes/nkd7z/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

McCuthchen says his locks will be auctioned on MLB.com with proceeds benefiting Pirates Charities.

"Send Kang Back to Korea."

-Rossi

[Rocco]

http://www.forbes.com/mlb-valuations/list/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Get ready for some more piping hot takes about how Nutting is making money and spending it on ski resorts and not the Pirates.

[Troy Loney]

http://www.forbes.com/mlb-valuations/list/

Get ready for some more piping hot takes about how Nutting is making money and spending it on ski resorts and not the Pirates.

Very encouraging. I think this reinforces that Pittsburgh is a true middle market for sports teams. Pittsburgh was a really depressed place in the early 1990's, the Pirates were just late on realizing the regrowth of the region...due to their incompetence and the resulting product they put on the field for 20 years.

I do think that Nutting deserves a lot of credit, he took over and then brought Coonelly and Huntingdon. They rebuilt the organization and the baseball from the ground up. Of course it helped to have a franchise guy in waiting. But every decision they've made seems to have a positive impact on their sustainability.

[stopper40]

http://www.forbes.com/mlb-valuations/list/

Get ready for some more piping hot takes about how Nutting is making money and spending it on ski resorts and not the Pirates.

Very encouraging. I think this reinforces that Pittsburgh is a true middle market for sports teams. Pittsburgh was a really depressed place in the early 1990's, the Pirates were just late on realizing the regrowth of the region...due to their incompetence and the resulting product they put on the field for 20 years.

I do think that Nutting deserves a lot of credit, he took over and then brought Coonelly and Huntingdon. They rebuilt the organization and the baseball from the ground up. Of course it helped to have a franchise guy in waiting. But every decision they've made seems to have a positive impact on their sustainability.

I agree with you. Too many people have screamed about how Nutting is cheap and won't spend any money. I think that's incorrect. He's frugal, that doesn't mean cheap. Some complained because he wasn't putting the money into a couple of high profile free agents The Pirates took the long term approach. They've rebuilt everything in the system, starting with the scouting and minor league system, to building the Latin American Training Facility in the Dominican Republic.

[TheGhostofGoulet]

I think Gorkys is going to beat out Lambo for that final bench spot.

Also looks like Holdzkom is going to have to go to Indy to start the year, looks like a similar situation that had last year with Pimentel and Mazzaro.

Gorkys was one of 12 reassigned to minor league camp, along with Steve Lombardozzi, Brad Lincoln, Jose Tabata, and the great Brent Morel. Those are the only players with major league experience reassigned today.

Oh, Bobby LaFramboise was optioned to Indy.

[Faubert5]

I know it's Spring Training but the Bucs just hung 18 on the Phils. Pedro with two HRs including a grand slam.

[the errey i breathe]

I know it's Spring Training but the Bucs just hung 18 on the Phils. Pedro with two HRs including a grand slam.

and hitting .325 and with "just" a 22.5 K%

[kovyfalcon27]

Jeff Locke named the fifth starter over the VANIMAL. VANIMAL to the bullpen.

[TheGhostofGoulet]

Pirates are trying again to sign Polanco long term.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon ... -of-future" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Troy Loney]

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best- ... off-Hopes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That’s exactly why fans should be angry that Nutting has neither provided the money for an impact free agent signing nor given the financial flexibility to add through trades. Has Nutting increased payroll? Yes. Has he done so enough to keep up with his competition? Absolutely not.

So this article happened. Then it didn't take long for the feces to attract flies.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/smiz ... 1504010221" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Criticizing the Pirates and owner Bob Nutting on spending practices is a time-worn topic and one that understandably has been somewhat pushed aside by the recent success of the team. This article is different because it relies more on baseball common sense than it does the the latest payroll rankings. Those ranking have the Pirates 25th in MLB, ahead of, in descending order, Cleveland, Oakland, Tampa Bay, Houston and Miami.

According to bloggin' Bob this writer has given the spending hawks the correct angle to continue their confused ramblings. He also seems to have some odd sort of man crush on the writer.

At least the author does go beyond the idea of spending more money to actually put a suggestion to the premise of increasing the payroll.

Given that the Pirates’ rotation continues to be their weak spot, where were they on pitchers James Shields ($75 million) or Brandon McCarthy ($48 million)? Was it too much to expect the Bucs to be a bidder for Jon Lester? The Cubs’ signing the established starter for $155 million proved they are looking to knock the Pirates and Cardinals from their playoff spots.

All those contracts have a good chance of being disasters, this criticism is just clueless. For one they spent a lot of money on Liriano and Burnett, and there's no reason to crowd the rotation with Taillon, Kingham and Glasnow all pitching in the upper levels this season. I think the first true opportunity that will determine if the Pirates are being cheap or not will surround Alvarez and Walker's walk year.

[malkinshair]

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best- ... off-Hopes/

That’s exactly why fans should be angry that Nutting has neither provided the money for an impact free agent signing nor given the financial flexibility to add through trades. Has Nutting increased payroll? Yes. Has he done so enough to keep up with his competition? Absolutely not.

So this article happened. Then it didn't take long for the feces to attract flies.

Spoiler:

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/smiz ... 1504010221

Criticizing the Pirates and owner Bob Nutting on spending practices is a time-worn topic and one that understandably has been somewhat pushed aside by the recent success of the team. This article is different because it relies more on baseball common sense than it does the the latest payroll rankings. Those ranking have the Pirates 25th in MLB, ahead of, in descending order, Cleveland, Oakland, Tampa Bay, Houston and Miami.

According to bloggin' Bob this writer has given the spending hawks the correct angle to continue their confused ramblings. He also seems to have some odd sort of man crush on the writer.

At least the author does go beyond the idea of spending more money to actually put a suggestion to the premise of increasing the payroll.

Given that the Pirates’ rotation continues to be their weak spot, where were they on pitchers James Shields ($75 million) or Brandon McCarthy ($48 million)? Was it too much to expect the Bucs to be a bidder for Jon Lester? The Cubs’ signing the established starter for $155 million proved they are looking to knock the Pirates and Cardinals from their playoff spots.

All those contracts have a good chance of being disasters, this criticism is just clueless. For one they spent a lot of money on Liriano and Burnett, and there's no reason to crowd the rotation with Taillon, Kingham and Glasnow all pitching in the upper levels this season. I think the first true opportunity that will determine if the Pirates are being cheap or not will surround Alvarez and Walker's walk year.

Yeah, I found it hilarious how enamored with the author Smizik was when the article is nothing more that reaching for the lowest hanging fruit. The Pirates have the 2nd lowest payroll in the NL, so they obviously should've spent a lot more.
On what?
Who cares......just spend more!!!!

The fact is that for this season, and most likely next, this team has very few holes. They have a decent, if not overwhelming, starting rotation, great bullpen, accomplished closer (with another waiting in the wings), a productive offense (on paper), and I'd say an above average defense overall (especially if Cervelli stays healthy). Where would you spend? Who would you replace? Who was available this offseason? I guess you could've waaayyyy overpaid for an upper echelon SP, but you've also got Kingham and Taillon coming either this or next year (assuming no regression). Why lock yourself into a long-term, very expensive contract?

The Pirate's payroll is NOT reflective of the talent currently residing on the team. IMO, GMNH has done a masterful job assembling pieces for Hurdle to play with. The Snider trade is still a head-scratcher, but may have been requested by Snider himself...because I can't make sense of it any other way.

They are also in a good position this year to attack the trade deadline if needed. Injuries, or flameouts, could force their hand to add payroll mid season, so I'm not too worried about what wasn't spent this offseason. I think that they think they've got a very solid team that didn't need much high-priced help...I tend to agree.

[KennyTheKangaroo]

In related bad free agent signing news, the post gazette had an AP blurb saying the dodgers will spend 42 million to guys to not play for the team. That group includes matt kemp Brian Wilson and chad billingsley

[ville5]

JHay MVP MVP.

[Faubert5]

Alternating between shots of Pete Rose and Cueto. I think I'm running out of eye bleach.