2016 Pirates

[ramburgh]

2016 Pirates:

C- Cervelli, Stewart
1B-?, Morse
2B- Walker
SS- Kang, Mercer
3B- Harrison
OF- McCutchen, Marte, Polanco, Snider
SP- Cole, Liriano, Morton, Happ, Locke
RP- Watson, Hughes, Caminero, Blanton

They will need to focus on a plan for first base (until Bell is ready) plus bring in two bench players and two relievers.

I believe Alvarez will be traded and Walker will be back. Maybe they move Walker to first, Harrison to second, Kang at third and Mercer at SS. Possibly have Tony Sanchez play first?

I think they bring Happ back along with Locke. Glasnow, Taillon and Kingham will make the rotation throughout next year.

Bell and Hanson will be added to the mix in June/July..

The biggest questions will be will they spend the money to bring Melancon back. Maybe re-sign Soria as the closer if Melancon is too costly?

Retired- Burnett, Ramirez
Gone- Alvarez, Bastardo, Hart, Liz, Rodriguez, Worley

 

[thedddd]

With the way Glasnow is pitching in AAA right now I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get a chance at the beginning of the season? A little control issues at first but settled recently.

 

[ramburgh]

This team would be a lot more exciting next year if they didn't have $8M tied up with Morton.

Would like to see Happ and Blanton back.

Funny how at the deadline lots of people were criticizing the Pirates moves - Happ, Blanton, Morse, Soria and Ramirez and they all have worked out. Happ has been huge with Burnett missing time.

 

[Darkstone42]

This team would be a lot more exciting next year if they didn't have $8M tied up with Morton.

Would like to see Happ and Blanton back.

Funny how at the deadline lots of people were criticizing the Pirates moves - Happ, Blanton, Morse, Soria and Ramirez and they all have worked out. Happ has been huge with Burnett missing time.

Morton's not great, but he's fair value and useful at the back of the rotation. But he's a pitch to contact guy, and that means he's subject to luck and sequencing, so you get the bad games.

 

[HammerDown]

You guys are positioned to compete for the NL Central for quite some time. You have some interesting decisions to make on rotation.

 

[thedddd]

Worley is gone and Snider and Ishikawa elected Free Agency.
Then Joakim Soria, J.A. Happ, Corey Hart, Antonio Bastardo, Joe Blanton and Sean Rodriguez are all FA's. I only would like them to try and bring back Happ, Blanton and if cheap Soria. Hart, Bastardo and Sean "I can't beat up a Gatorade jug" Rodriguez should hopefully be gone.

 

[thedddd]

Looks like Cumpton and Sadler will be out in 2016.
Also Lambo was claimed by the A's.

 

[Darkstone42]

Someone won the bid for Byung-ho Park. $12.85 million. I'm curious to see who it was.

So far it seems that the Tigers, Indians, Orioles, and Rangers are not the team, but that's all we know so far.

 

[thedddd]

Neither did the Padres, it will be interesting until we know since the Pirates didn't say anything.

 

[element1286]

I'd like to see them get Happ back, something like 2-16 seems reasonable.

 

[thedddd]

Yeah if I had to choose 12.5 just to talk to Park vs 16 million for 2 years of Happ I would choose Happ. Since SP is needed more than a 1B since they have Morse who can hold it down long enough for Bell.

Good news with Happ there seems to be mutual interest.

 

[element1286]

Don't see too many reasons they can't do both. Assuming Happ doesn't want something like 3/33, which I've seen floated around.

If you get Park, that eliminates the need to keep Walker.

We already know Pedro should be gone, so there are some savings there.

 

[element1286]

I'll be interested to see what they do with Melancon though, in the past NH sells high on him right now, don't know if that changes since a good closer has high marginal value for a playoff team.

 

[Darkstone42]

There are a lot of interesting options on the market at SP. I'd also like to see them bring back Happ, but Fister and Samardzija are coming off down years and might be worth a look at a possibly discounted rate, and even Cliff Lee might be an interesting option on a minor league deal.

But there are a lot of second-tier starting pitchers out there. The Bucs might want to get a couple just in case something goes wrong with Taillon and/or Glasnow so they don't have to rely on Morton and Locke all season.

There are a couple shortstops available, too, who might be upgrades over Mercer. The front office doesn't seem especially sold on Jordy, so it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to court someone like Ian Desmond or Asdrubal Cabrera.

 

[Darkstone42]

Byung-ho to the Twins. Darn. Would have liked to have had him.

Still, there are options out there.

 

[element1286]

Unfortunate, but I hope that means Josh Bell time sooner rather than later.

I really don't see the need to upgrade over Jordy, Desmond is going to get a huge deal. Asdrubal is interesting, but would be a big downgrade defensively.

Anecdotal evidence from the playoffs suggests that a lineup with a low strikeout rate goes pretty far. Would like to see the Pirates start moving in that direction.

 

[Darkstone42]

Unfortunate, but I hope that means Josh Bell time sooner rather than later.

I really don't see the need to upgrade over Jordy, Desmond is going to get a huge deal. Asdrubal is interesting, but would be a big downgrade defensively.

Anecdotal evidence from the playoffs suggests that a lineup with a low strikeout rate goes pretty far. Would like to see the Pirates start moving in that direction.

Desmond was pretty bad last year. I'm not sure he'll command the contract he could have otherwise. I do think Cabrera is a solid option if we deal Walker, though, since he can play a little second base.

I don't think we necessarily need to upgrade over Jordy, but I do think we should bring in a roughly similar player at shortstop. He goes so cold for so long at times, and having another option when that happens would be a huge boost. And I'd rather that not be Kang, since he's so much better suited for third.

 

[thedddd]

Don't see too many reasons they can't do both. Assuming Happ doesn't want something like 3/33, which I've seen floated around.

If you get Park, that eliminates the need to keep Walker.

We already know Pedro should be gone, so there are some savings there.

Oh very true, just being a realist with the past spending the team has done.

Anyway the Pirates just got another good pitching prospect for the loss of Benedict: Details On October Prospect Swap Between Pirates, Marlins

Along with Glasnow he might be another we see early next season.

 

[Darkstone42]

Oh very true, just being a realist with the past spending the team has done.

Anyway the Pirates just got another good pitching prospect for the loss of Benedict: Details On October Prospect Swap Between Pirates, Marlins

Along with Glasnow he might be another we see early next season.

And Taillon, who probably just needs to stretch out before he can come up. I don't know he really has much to learn in AAA, mostly just needs to prove he's healthy and strong.

I do really like the Trevor Williams get, though. Decent stuff, and he's apparently already completely bought into the Pirates' pitching philosophy.

I saw, by the way, that the Braves are discussing dealing Andrelton Simmons to an NL West team. Knowing he's available, and with a focus on ground balls with the pitching staff, I'd probably ask to see what kind of cost is being thrown around to get his glove on our infield. He's not much with the bat, but his glove is game-changing.

 

[thedddd]

^ Too bad on Simmons that would have been a great pickup. The Angels upgraded their MI a lot with that deal.

You know what I totally forgot about Taillon! I just hope he is healthy.