2013 Pirates

[Etrius24]

I just wonder what if... What if they start the season strong.. So that in June they are above the .500 mark... And then they can call up Cole! Do the bucs at that time trade one of their starters for a bat?

And this gets me to thinking... In april you usually do not need the 5th starter much at all... So could not the Bucs Gamble.. trade a starter away now and bring in another bat... and hope the pitching staff can hold it together until they can call up Cole in June?

This is risky I know.. and many people say you can never have too much pitching! But I think it is a risk that is worth taking. I like the chances of Pedro improving overall.. but I am not expecting Cutch to better his numbers from last season and I am not expecting Jones to duplicate his numbers from last season... So overall I am worried about the offense.

 

[sychmd]

look at the april schedule. they really need a fifth starter pretty quickly. i think the 6th game actually. weird quirk in the schedule this year.
so having 5 guys ready to get at it and go a good 6-7 innings regularly is a necessity to not tax the pen as only 2 april days off. we need our pitching to be ahead of their hitting and have some gems of 8 inning from starters sprinkled in there at times.

 

[Etrius24]

Wow Sychmd

Good pick up... It is weird that this is the year where the bucs no time off in April... Maybe this is a conspiracy set out to keep the bucs from breaking the streak? On the other hand hot starting pitching could have the bucs 3 or 4 games over .500 for the month of april... That would be incredible!

 

[HammerDown]

You guys just got a top-notch defensive infielder.

 

[magnumo]

You guys just got a top-notch defensive infielder.

I don't like this at all..... a 38-year-old weak-hitting middle infielder, who no doubt will take the 4th spot on the bench (along with McKenry, Snider/Tabata, and Jones/G.Sanchez). McDonald carries a lifetime slash line of .239/.276/.331/.608 over 14 seasons (in other words, worse than Mercer or Harrison), and will turn 39 before this season ends.

Pretty much means that the Pirates are not satisfied in choosing a back-up MI from among Mercer, DeJesus, and Harrison. I would MUCH rather see Mercer or DeJesus (or even Harrison) in that role, rather than John McDonald.

Unfortunately, this move also opens the door for Inge (or, God help us, Hawpe) to make the roster, despite them both crapping the bed this spring.

And the Pirates have traded a PTBNL..... wonder who that's gonna be? Wonder who the Pirates will give up for someone who likely will contribute no more than a cheaper Mercer or DeJesus would.

I also wonder who they're going to dump from the 40-man roster to make room for McDonald.

Definitely appears to be in direct opposition to Huntington's stated plan.

Overall, a pretty disgusting development, IMO.

 

[HammerDown]

I also wonder who they're going to dump from the 40-man roster to make room for McDonald.

Hawpe

 

[sychmd]

i am thoroughly bummed out.
you got to be kidding me.
a 38 yo.
i was hoping for a dejesus/mercer and inge rest of the bench.
if macd is a defensive wiz, i can believe mercer or dejesus is so much worse that it will cost us in spot starts.
if our system is that bad that we dont even have a good fielding/no hit SS to fill in when very system has those, what has been going on the last 4 years.

i am really bummed out. tell me one positive other than a good sabermetric at SS.

did i mention i am really bummed out. as a psychiatrist, i am going to start myself on antidepressants,
but i would rather start our front office on antipsychotics to help their delusion thought processes.

UUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

i would rather take a flyer on pitcher sanchez and or inge as NRI to dump a 40 man roster player.

 

[magnumo]

Hawpe

Hawpe is not on the 40-man roster. He's a non-roster invitee.

 

[stillmatic32]

Now we have 2 J-Macs.

 

[magnumo]

I also wonder who they're going to dump from the 40-man roster to make room for McDonald.

Apparently, Chase D'Arnaud has been put on the 60-day DL following his surgery. That's no surprise, I suppose. So the issue has been "delayed." Obviously, when D'Arnaud comes off the 60-day DL, a move will need to be made at that time.

 

[thecrow124]

I personally am feeling good about this move. We now have Barmes and Barmes lite on the same team. Also Bryan Morris got a 4th option season today so he likely will not be in the bullpen. Do you guys realize we could have a bench that has McDonald, Inge, and Hawpe if everything goes right. Heck I might even have to ammend my prediction on the downward direction, todays news could actually cost the Pirates 2-3 wins.

 

[thedddd]

I don't get it, if you look at it as a replacement over Josh Harrison last season that is fine but he won't make your team better. The potential of Dejesus and Mercer was much better than this.

 

[element1286]

They must really hate Mercer.

I guess it keeps Harrison and Inge from playing ss ever, so I'm ok with it from that side.

 

[HammerDown]

 

[HammerDown]

Hawpe

I won't use this opportunity to say TOLD YOU.


Hawpe is a total bum. The Pirates found that out just like the Padres. I predict he's finished in baseball.

 

[element1286]

Yea, I think Hurdle wanted to throw him a bone a get him in a camp. We can all rest easier now that he was cut.

 

[ramburgh]

The final bench spot comes down to Harrison (R), Mercer (R), Inge (R), Pie (L) and Presley (L).

Bench is currently: Sanchez (R), Tabata (R) McDonald (R), McKenry (R).

My guess is that they open up with Pie (need a lefthander) and Inge on as a 6th bench game to start the season until an extra pitcher is used or on the DL. I am sure there will be some DL juggling with questionable injuries to start the season.

 

[magnumo]

I won't use this opportunity to say TOLD YOU.

Well..... it's a good thing that you won't use the opportunity..... because what you TOLD US was that Hawpe would be dumped from the 40-man roster to make room for McDonald. (See your post #26 in this thread.) That did NOT happen.

- Hawpe could NOT be cut from the 40-man roster to make room for McDonald because he was never on the 40-man roster. Hawpe was a non-roster-invitee.

- The Pirates made roster space for McDonald, acquired on 3/20/13, by placing Chase d'Arnaud on the 60-day disabled list on 3/20/13.

- Hawpe was released 3 days later (3/23/13) at this own request:

Brad Hawpe has requested and been granted his unconditional release. | pirates.com: News

A suggestion: If you're gonna play the "I told you so" card (by claiming that you're NOT gonna do so)..... you ought to be right about what you told us.

 

[thedddd]

Good to see Hawpe gone. Glad Hurdle's personal feelings didn't get in the way of that roster spot.

Hammerdown I am with Mags on this one what did you tell us? No one wanted him here in the first place and he was never on the 40 man roster.

 

[magnumo]

The final bench spot comes down to Harrison (R), Mercer (R), Inge (R), Pie (L) and Presley (L).

Bench is currently: Sanchez (R), Tabata (R) McDonald (R), McKenry (R).

My guess is that they open up with Pie (need a lefthander) and Inge on as a 6th bench game to start the season until an extra pitcher is used or on the DL. I am sure there will be some DL juggling with questionable injuries to start the season.

Given the unfortunate acquisition of John McDonald to take up the 4th bench slot..... I agree with your selection of Pie as a lefty bat to open the season with the Pirates. Besides, Presley, Mercer, and Harrison all have options remaining, and all can be sent down without losing them.

On the other hand, I'll be very surprised if the Pirates open the season with 6 guys on the bench and only 11 pitchers:

- The April schedule has fewer off days than is typical (creating an almost immediate need for 5 starters, as well as potential higher demand for bullpen innings).

- Pirate starters will not be stretched out completely before the season opens (potential high demand for bullpen innings).

- The team has pitchers "on the bubble" who are out of options (e.g. Leroux, Gomez) or have an "out" clause (e.g. Jonathan Sanchez)..... and cutting a bullpen slot increases the probability that the Pirates would lose a pitcher they would prefer to keep.

- Under current management (both front office and Hurdle), the team has been very reluctant to "short" the bullpen, even when it made sense to do so.

Unfortunately, if they go with a 5-man bench, Pie remains a long-shot:

- Inge is a Hurdle favorite and exudes the "veteranosity" which Hurdle covets.

- The Pirates have long preferred to carry 2 backup middle infielders, and Hurdle likes Harrison.

- I haven't heard that Pie has an "out" clause, and I don't believe that he has enough major league service time (under the new CBA) to qualify for an automatic out clause. Thus, the Pirates can stash him at Indy without losing him, and I gotta feeling that's what they'll do.

Conclusion: I'd prefer Pie (or Presley) on the bench, but I expect to see Inge or Harrison instead. (Although Mercer may still have an outside shot at the Pirate bench, I expect him to be the starting SS at Indy.)

By the way, I agree with your thought that some DL juggling seems likely, with Karstens and Watson as potential candidates already. It's also possible that they could put Morton and/or Liriano on the 60-day DL to open up 40-man roster spots. (And I suppose that pre-season trades remain a possibility.)