2019 Pirates

[thedddd]

I think we should go for it too

We have the rotation and Vasquez and Crick for 3 +years. Bell for 3.5 and Polanco and Marte for about the same.

Lets not trade

Keller(can help now)
Ke'bryan Hayes(can help now, superstar potential)
Oneil Cruz(superstar potential)
and anyone else they think has superstar potential( I follow it but not real close)

Shove all the chips on the table

pick up a couple good, controllable relievers, with options , and maybe that Wilson Ramos from the Mets to get rid of Stallings. Depending on what the docs think about Cervilli and Tallion

Our 6th to 50th best prospects can all go bye bye imo.

Maybe, just maybe get Josh Bell to give the pirates an option year to buy out his arbitration years( we gonna have to pay here).

We can trade everyone worth anything in 2 years and burn it down, but we are to close to not go for it imho.

Plus, the Pirates tv contract is over after the season(this is the biggest reason I think the Pirates brass goes for it, barring a July collapse).


We sent alot out in the last trade deadline(but that isnt looking as bad as it was a month ago), lets keep the potential immediate help, and potential superstars like Cruz in the minors and try to open our 3 year window and win a WS, if not now when?

Will Craig could be a good chip to trade. Really will be blocked going forward as long as Bell is a Pirate.

 

[steelparrot]

Will Craig could be a good chip to trade. Really will be blocked going forward as long as Bell is a Pirate.

Yep and hes basically Osuna too, and we wont have to add him to the 40 man this offseason, we have been flipping so many players this year its hard to get a handle on all the issues, we have to add Hayes, Cruz and Craig with 2 maybes in Stephen Alemais and Lolo Sanchez. From what i can see at :

Pittsburgh Pirates 2019 I think I have posted this before, but its a great free website, especially when we make moves seemingly every day.

Now that I look again we prolly have 10 guys on the 40 man we can release and never miss.

Lets get a setup guy, and a typical buy low starter than usually works out for us(rotation insurance, if Tallion out for year maybe 2)

I dont want to see em trade our top tier guys, but what the hell might as well trade some maybe types and just do it.

 

[ramburgh]

I know this sounds crazy, but going after Max Scherzer would really push the team and the rotation. He has two very expensive sesons left but there was some who thought Machado was potentially doable due to the low payroll the team has this year. He is under control in 2020 and 2021 which fits well with the current team. Maybe the Nats would eat some of the salary if the Pirates provided some quality prospects. The offense is solid and this would significantly boost the rotation and give them the perfect wild card game option (if it comes to that). The rotation would then be Scherzer, Musgrove, Williams, Archer and then Taillon/Arguzal/Brault (depending upon health). The bullpen seems to be coming together and the offense doesn't need any additions unless there is a significant injury. The primary focus has to be to find a solid SP and maybe a bullpen arm.

I might even consider trading Mitch Keller and a few others for Scherzer.

 

[thedddd]

I know this sounds crazy, but going after Max Scherzer would really push the team and the rotation. He has two very expensive sesons left but there was some who thought Machado was potentially doable due to the low payroll the team has this year. He is under control in 2020 and 2021 which fits well with the current team. Maybe the Nats would eat some of the salary if the Pirates provided some quality prospects. The offense is solid and this would significantly boost the rotation and give them the perfect wild card game option (if it comes to that). The rotation would then be Scherzer, Musgrove, Williams, Archer and then Taillon/Arguzal/Brault (depending upon health). The bullpen seems to be coming together and the offense doesn't need any additions unless there is a significant injury. The primary focus has to be to find a solid SP and maybe a bullpen arm.

I might even consider trading Mitch Keller and a few others for Scherzer.

Nothing crazy about it. If they were willing to give up what they did for Archer why shouldn't they be willing for a much better Pitcher.

The challenge will be, if they have enough additional pieces to fix the bullpen.

 

[ramburgh]

Here is what the payroll will look like next year:

P 2019 2020
Francisco Cervelli C $ 11,500,000
Starling Marte OF $ 10,000,000 $ 11,500,000
Corey Dickerson OF $ 8,500,000
Chris Archer SP $ 7,666,668 $ 8,250,000
Gregory Polanco OF $ 6,100,000 $ 8,600,000
Felipe Rivero RP $ 4,000,000 $ 5,250,000
Jordan Lyles SP $ 2,050,000
Keone Kela RP $ 3,175,000 3 arby
Jung-Ho Kang SS $ 3,000,000
Lonnie Chisenhall OF $ 2,750,000
Francisco Liriano RP $ 1,800,000
Melky Cabrera OF $ 1,150,000
Michael Feliz RP $ 850,000 2 arby
Richard Rodriguez RP $ 650,000
Jameson Taillon SP $ 587,500 1 arby
Josh Bell 1B $ 587,000 1 arby
Adam Frazier UTIL $ 584,000 1 arby
Trevor Williams SP $ 584,000 1 arby
Joe Musgrove SP $ 582,500 1 arby
Kyle Crick RP $ 581,500 TC
Edgar Santana RP $ 581,500 TC
Colin Moran 3B $ 579,500 TC
Elias Diaz C $ 578,500 1 arby
Chad Kuhl SP $ 578,000 1 arby
Erik Gonzalez UTIL $ 577,000 1 arby
Steven Brault $ 574,500 1 arby
Jose Osuna 1B/OF $ 573,500 1 arby
Jacob Stallings C $ 564,000 TC
Nick Burdi RP $ 559,000 TC
Kevin Newman 2B/SS $ 557,500 TC
Bryan Reynolds OF $ 555,000 TC
Dario Argazal SP $ 555,000 TC
Jason Martin OF $ 555,000 TC
Clay Holmes RP $ 555,000 TC
Rookie Davis SP $ 555,000 TC
Luis Escobar RP $ 555,000 TC

Cervelli ($11.5M), Dickerson ($8.5M), Lyles ($2.05M), Kang ($3M), Chisenhall ($2.75M), Liriano ($1.8M) and Cabrera ($1.15M) are off the books. That's $30,750,00 off the books! Granted, everyone else will be getting raises, but the money will definitely be there to bring in a significant upgrade at SP.

Next year's team would look like this year's team just without some of the dead weight and depth in the OF:
Starters: Newman, Reynolds, Marte, Bell, Moran, Polanco, Frazier, Diaz
Bench: Stallings, Osuna, Martin, Gonzalez, Kramer
SP: Scherzer, Taillon, Musgrove, Williams, Archer (also Kuhl, Argazal, Brault)
RP: Vazquez, Kela, Crick, Rodriguez, Feliz, Santana, Burdi, (also Holmes, Davis, Escobar, etc)

I would make Hayes, Swaggerty, Mason Martin and O'neil the only untouchables. Build a trade around Keller to acquire Schwerzer.

 

[steelparrot]

I would make Hayes, Swaggerty, Mason Martin and O'neil the only untouchables. Build a trade around Keller to acquire Schwerzer.

I admit I didnt know who Mason Martin was before I just googled him.

19 doubles, 23 homeruns and 46 walks in 360 PA is some serious production this year.

 

[ramburgh]

Pirates seem to be developing hitters well but struggle with young pitchers. Searage tends to be good with veterans though. Maybe an assistant pitching coach (like they now do with hitting) with the assistant specializing in young pitchers and Searage working with the veterans. I am for trading Keller because I don't think the Pirates can get him to where he should be in the majors.

Keller, Craig and Mitchell would be a package I would use to try to acquire Schwerzer. If it doesn't work out then trade Schwerzer at one of the following deadlines to acquire some promising prospects back.

Zach Wheeler and Madison Bumgartner are also reportedly available but they are both just rentals for the remainder of the season. Neither of the have been lights out this year. Any other under the radar SP options that might be available?

 

[ramburgh]

Marcus Stroman is reportedly available also and he might have another year of arbitration eligibility in 2020. He is having a very solid year with 3.18 ERA.

Solid starting pithers that are reportedly available: Bumgartner, Schwerzer, Stroman, Wheeler.

 

[thedddd]

^ Have a feeling there will be a major overpay for all four pitchers and sadly I don't think the Pirates will get into the bidding war.

With that hopefully Archer improves with the following changes:
Chris Archer Revamping Repertoire

 

[psaboy]

^ Have a feeling there will be a major overpay for all four pitchers and sadly I don't think the Pirates will get into the bidding war.

With that hopefully Archer improves with the following changes:
Chris Archer Revamping Repertoire

Watched Archer pitch today vs cubs, thought he looked good. I hope he makes more progress, think he fanned 10 today

 

[thedddd]

Blue Jays Designate Nick Kingham For Assignment

Wonder if they try an bring him back?

 

[psaboy]

Well looks like the Bucs stellar start after the All Star break has ended much discussion about possible wild card. Hope they address their needs for next year.

 

[thedddd]

Polanco looks to be done. Cabrera and Dickerson should be dealt and just let Jason Martin play.
Really at this point nothing else, except the possibility of Lyles (sadly has come back to reality) do they have good trade chips.

 

[ramburgh]

If the Pirates do trade Vazquez (Dodgers seem like they are very interested) maybe the Pirates could include Craig to increase the package of prospects coming back from the Dodgers. It seems like the Dodgers have a talented top 5 or so prospects and maybe Vazquez and Craig could bring back 3 of their top 5 or so prospects. I think the fan base is putting a lot of pressure on the front office to add to their bullpen. If Kela is a problem then maybe include him to increase the package. Maybe even Liriano would be of interest.

Crazy trade proposal of the day: Vazquez, Kela, Liriano and Craig to the Dodgers for 4 of their top 7 prospects (Ruiz, Lux, May, Smith, Gonsolin, Santana, Downs). They might also be interested in Cervelli.

This gives them the bullpen they need to win this year and Kela has another year of control plus Vazquez value is extremely high as he has 4 more years of control. Cervelli could help them down the stretch and into the playoffs. Craig is a top 5 prospect for the Pirates but is blocked.

Blockbuster trades with lots of players going back and forth almost never happen but I'd propose this that should work for both teams:

Vazquez, Kela, Liriano and Cervelli to the Dodgers
Lux, May, Gonsolin, Downs and Stripling to the Pirates

 

[thedddd]

Kela looks to be a bigger trade chip now due to these issues.

 

[ramburgh]

Dodgers could use several bullpen arms. 7 of their top 8 prospects are in AAA (4 rank in the top 100 in MLB) so the Pirates could plug them into the majors almost instantly. I think a trade of multiple players between the two teams makes the most sense since they have what the other is looking for in return. I think it makes more sense for the Pirates to focus on trading multiple players to one team as they will get legit prospects back instead of marginal prospects for rentals.

If Lyles throws well tonight, he might be of interest to the Dodgers also.

Vazquez, Kela, Liriano and maybe Cervelli + Lyles to the Dodgers for a package of AAA prospects and a major leaguer like Stripling. There were rumors of Cervelli for Stripling was being discussed this past winter. Maybe the Dodgers would want a couple prospects back and the Pirates could send Craig and another prospect that doesn't fit into the Pirates plans because they are blocked.

Try Crick at closer for the rest of the year. Liriano, Cervelli and Lyles will all be gone at the end of the year so not much there. I think Vazquez is at peak value right now and Kela seems to be a problem.

The way Marte has been swinging lately, it might be time to sell high on him also.

This team isn't winning so start fresh with a group of AAA talent to bring in to surround Diaz, Bell, Newman, Frazier, Moran, Reynolds with Hayes, Tucker, Kramer and Keller up next year.

 

[thedddd]

Dodgers could use several bullpen arms. 7 of their top 8 prospects are in AAA (4 rank in the top 100 in MLB) so the Pirates could plug them into the majors almost instantly. I think a trade of multiple players between the two teams makes the most sense since they have what the other is looking for in return. I think it makes more sense for the Pirates to focus on trading multiple players to one team as they will get legit prospects back instead of marginal prospects for rentals.

If Lyles throws well tonight, he might be of interest to the Dodgers also.

Vazquez, Kela, Liriano and maybe Cervelli + Lyles to the Dodgers for a package of AAA prospects and a major leaguer like Stripling. There were rumors of Cervelli for Stripling was being discussed this past winter. Maybe the Dodgers would want a couple prospects back and the Pirates could send Craig and another prospect that doesn't fit into the Pirates plans because they are blocked.

Try Crick at closer for the rest of the year. Liriano, Cervelli and Lyles will all be gone at the end of the year so not much there. I think Vazquez is at peak value right now and Kela seems to be a problem.

The way Marte has been swinging lately, it might be time to sell high on him also.

This team isn't winning so start fresh with a group of AAA talent to bring in to surround Diaz, Bell, Newman, Frazier, Moran, Reynolds with Hayes, Tucker, Kramer and Keller up next year.

Another team desperate for Bullpen is the Braves. Would be great if they pull off a deal for one of their young SP's.

 

[thedddd]

Taillon officially shut down with new pain in his forearm. Most likely surgery on the way.

 

[psaboy]

Taillon officially shut down with new pain in his forearm. Most likely surgery on the way.

Get him fixed (surgery) as soon a possible, no reason to delay that. Also, shut down Polanco for the year. No need to play him.

Small team/market problem for Bucs as long as ownership remains.

 

[thedddd]

Get him fixed (surgery) as soon a possible, no reason to delay that. Also, shut down Polanco for the year. No need to play him.

Small team/market problem for Bucs as long as ownership remains.

There is no reason their starting OF most days doesn't include Jason Martin and Reynolds.