Why not?

He generally didn't go very deep into games in his rookie season. He has already suffered a significant injury that I am guessing was a direct result of his max-effort-all-the-time style of throwing---which is doubly concerning because he has good mechanics. He has also had trouble developing a reliable third pitch, something that is usually an essential add for starters but not for relievers. Oh, and there's no way I believe he is actually 6-1 and 190. I think he's more like 5-11 and 175.

In other words I am getting a distinct Tim Lincecum vibe from him and it makes me wonder if he will last very long as a starting pitcher. I don't think he can take the physical pounding.

As a reliever, though, it's another matter entirely. And with Chapman gone and Bednar an unknown quantity heading into 2025, the Pirates need somebody at the back of the 'pen. Meanwhile Chandler, Barco, and Ashcraft (if healthy) are all knocking on the door of the big leagues, Mike Burrows is ready to go and Oviedo is back from injury. So there would seem to be no shortage of starting pitchers.

Thoughts?

1 year, 10.75 million. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone else post it here yet. I was hoping they’d bring him back. Who do you guys want to see us target for bullpen help now?

Im looking to go to a Pirates game on a day trip. I know the times for the games aren't out yet but flights are on sale for the holiday weekend. Is it a safe bet that a Wednesday game to end a series would be a 1230-1pm start time? Or does it vary? Thanks!

What are inside jokes or catchphrases that only true Pirates fans would know? Is it possible to do in 6 words or less? The best ChatGPT could come up with is: “The best view in baseball." That's weak sauce. Can you do better? I've got some suggestions below but want to hear your thoughts.

Next Pirates Game: Sat, Feb 22, 03:33 AM EST @ Orioles (81 days)

^^^Posted: ^^^12/02/2024 ^^^05:00:00 ^^^AM ^^^EST

FS

I mean....just saying

I became a Pirates fan when I went to my first game on June 10, 2005. Back then and for a handful of years after, there was a link on the Pirates site where you could go and pick any day and watch individual highlight videos. At some point, that was removed and now I can’t find any highlights or video of that game. Does anyone know how I could get my hands on those videos? Alternatively, did any of you sickos happen to tape that game in 2005 because I’ll buy it off you 😂

He fits the profile of being slightly better than league average and won't cost a lot.

From MLBTR:

Put that all together and Kepler has a .237/.318/.429 career batting line and 102 wRC+, indicating he’s been 2% better than league average overall. He’s been a bit better over the past six seasons, with a .240/.320/.436 line and 107 wRC+. He could perhaps get those numbers up if shielded from lefties more often, as he has hit .243/.326/.452 against righties in his career for a 111 wRC+, compared to a .221/.292/.363 line and 78 wRC+ against lefties.

Defensively, his contributions have been quite strong. In over 7,000 right field innings, he has accrued 48 Defensive Runs Saved and 57 Outs Above Average. From 2016 to the present, he’s actually the MLB leader in Outs Above Average in right field with 57, just ahead of Mookie Betts and his 54. DRS likes Betts far more, giving him 129 for that same time frame, but Kepler is fourth behind Betts, Aaron Judge and Jason Heyward.

Plus, he Ks less than league average (18.6%) and BB higher than league average (9.7).

Their projection is a 1 year deal between $6-10M.

Last off season, the Pirates signed Chapman after a couple of not great years and it worked out fine. What’s the harm in taking on Kimbrel? Maybe they can fix him and get something at the deadline?

So, I was just perusing MLBTR and saw that Hyeseong Kim is likely to be posted.

Here's a brief write up about his skill set:

Kim came in at no. 26 on MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents list this offseason. And unlike fellow international star Roki Sasaki, Kim is old enough and has the necessary amount of professional experience to sign with any MLB club for as many years and dollars as he can command. Given his plus speed, his defensive talents at second base, his well-regarded bat-to-ball skills, and his youth (he won’t turn 26 until January), the MLBTR staff predicted him to sign a three-year, $24 million deal.

Considering his expected deal is very much within the Pirates' range, what if the Pirates signed him and moved Nicky Sticks to CF?

Gonzales certainly has the speed to cover CF, it's an easier position than either of the middle IF spots, where he's been decent, defensively, and his bat would play better there.

Or, they could do the opposite, since Kim's defensive skillset is pretty much a duplicate of Gonzales.

Another option would be to have Gonzales and Kim be the MI combo and have IKF play CF (he has experience there in MLB with the Yankees).

Just trying to be creative and find a possible OF for the least amount of money so that they can use whatever is left over for RF/1B.

Mlbtraderumors showing Daniel Moskos was hired as the Marlins new pitching coach. I still remember being mind blown that Littlefield chose a reliever 4th overall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Ymn-eT6iE

I started following Brodie based on his reporting for the A's move. He's a popular sports reporter in the Bay Area. Interesting to see if the billboards story starts to expand.

It's being reported that the Phillies are making Alec Bohm available.

Today, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports along similar lines, noting that the club is making Bohm available and is expected to look to free agents Alex Bregman or Willy Adames if they succeed in trading Bohm.

For those that don't know, Bohm is a 1B/3B who put up 3 bWAR last year, is only 28, and is under control for this season and next. And, considering he's only making $8M this year, even his final arb, next season, will still be in the Pirates range.

Because of his limitations, the prospect acquisition cost shouldn't be too outrageous either:

On top of that, his performance has been more good than great. To this point in his career, he has a batting line of .277/.327/.416. That translates to a 103 wRC+, indicating he’s been 3% better than the league average hitter. He did have a 115 wRC+ in 2024, but in lopsided fashion, with a 128 in the first half and a 90 in the second. Also, most of his damage has been done with the platoon advantage. He has a career 135 wRC+ against lefties in his career but a subpar 91 wRC+ against righties.

Next Pirates Game: Sat, Feb 22, 03:33 AM EST @ Orioles (88 days)

^^^Posted: ^^^11/25/2024 ^^^05:00:01 ^^^AM ^^^EST

Free agency is unlikely to be a pathway to success for the Pirates during this window of competitiveness.

The team’s history with free agency, particularly in acquiring impactful offensive players, has been poor compared to their success with pitching signings. Notable examples include the acquisitions of A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano, who both delivered significant value on relatively modest contracts. Burnett, signed in 2012, and Liriano, initially brought in on a two-year, $12.75 million deal in 2013, both exceeded expectations and played pivotal roles in the Pirates’ pitching staff. In more recent years, guys like Volquez, Quintana and Anderson have provided value.

In contrast, they’ve struggled to secure offensive talent through free agency that delivers comparable value. This is to be expected. Offensive players have more predictable declines, with skill sets that are harder to resurrect. Pitchers have more room for unexpected improvement. This trend suggests that the team may achieve better results by leveraging their surplus of young pitching talent to acquire offensive assets via trades.

PROPOSED TRADES

Mitch Keller and Henry Davis for a Blocked Top 100 Prospect (1B or Corner Outfielder) Mitch Keller is owed $71 million over the next four years, ostensibly to be the Pirates third or fourth best starter behind Skenes, Jones and (hopefully) Chandler. He is definitely worth that $15M-$20M, especially to a team without our payroll constraints and their own top-of-the-rotation talent. Paired with Henry Davis who still has time to turn it around at a premium position, we might be able to pry away another team’s blocked prospect.

Johan Oviedo and Ke’Bryan Hayes for a Blocked Top 100 Prospect (1B or Corner Outfielder) This is similar in design to Keller and Davis but with a different premium position (3B vs C) and a cheaper SP in Oviedo who is controlled through 2028. Despite his injuries, Hayes is still the best defensive 3B in baseball and is very affordable by major market standards. Besides, the Pirates have a cheaper and more versatile version in Jared Triolo. Combined, Oviedo and Hayes present the sort of final piece for a contending team. Here we aren’t likely to pull a top-100 guy, but possibly near the top or just outside it.

POTENTIAL PARTNERS

Team 1: Chicago Cubs
Prospect: Owen Caissie (OF) - #34 on MLB’s Top 100
Current Block: The Cubs’ outfield depth includes established players like Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, potentially limiting Caissie’s path to the majors. The Cubs also have like Matt Shaw, Moises Ballesteros, and Cade Horton looking to make a splash next season after Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered this year. The depth of their starting rotation and bullpen was tested throughout the season, and the team is set to lose Kyle Hendricks and Drew Smyly. I think Keller and Davis could get this done for one top-40 type talent. Throw in a lottery ticket single-A guy.

Team 2: Los Angeles Dodgers - #39 on MLB’s Top 100
Prospect: Dalton Rushing (1B/OF)
Current Block: Freddie Freeman at first base and a deep outfield roster restricts Rushing’s opportunities. Conversely, the Dodger’s starting rotation could be set to lose Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Jack Flaherty, though they're set to gain Shohei Ohtani's pitching. Still, the injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto should give the team pause. Keller would be a score.

Team 3: Toronto Blue Jays
Prospect: Spencer Horwitz (1B/OF)
Current Block: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base and a crowded outfield could impede Horwitz’s progression - chalk me up as someone who sees them resigning Guerrero. He had a good first season, but could be flipped to address positions of need. The pitching staff needs more depth after losing Yusei Kikuchi and Jordan Romano's injury, and 3B is unsettled with young talent. I see Oviedo and Hayes being attractive here, along with a guy like Barco.

Team 4: Houston Astros
Prospect: Pedro León (OF)
Current Block: With Kyle Tucker and Yordan Álvarez in the outfield, León’s path is obstructed. The starting rotation has seen Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti emerge but has issues on the backend with Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Verlander headed toward free agency. This is another one where I think Oviedo and Hayes could be just the thing with Alex Bergman heading to free agency.

By proactively exploring the trade market and dealing from a position of strength, the Pirates can potentially bolster their offensive lineup with young talent ready to contribute, aligning with their competitive window and maximizing the value of their pitching.

This also eliminates $25-30M annually in salary for 2025-2028, so you can go out and spend even more to bring in a legit FA… or better yet, retain Skenes.

Okay....now that the non-tender deadline has passed and we all know who are free agents, let's have some "fun" and rack our brains about who is realistically an option for the team that we share a mutual love/hate relationship with.

This means that we shouldn't waste time/bytes on suggestions like Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, or Alex Bregman or even Pete Alonso. Let's live in a somewhat realistic reality.

1B - Ty France OF - Austin Hays, Ramon Laureano, Tyler O'Neill, Jurickson Profar, Alex Verdugo, Jesse Winker

Obviously, there will be other moves, especially in the pen and possibly another reserve utility guy, but I think that, if they get Ty France and two of the above listed OFers, the lineup will be much better and will allow the team to be a lot more competitive.

Can anyone make out this autograph? A friend gave it to my son after cleaning out a closet but didn’t remember who it was. Probably within the last couple seasons.

So Manfred has proposed bringing all TV deals under a single league wide umbrella. How in practice would this impact what small market teams are able to spend? I'm wondering what people who know more about the subject than myself might be thinking