2019 Pirates

[Diamondeye]

Pittsburgh Pirates 2019 Top 50 Prospects | Prospects1500

Found this free site for prospects, not only do they list the top 50, they have a paragraph on all of them too.

Best free site I have found since John Sickles got the boot on his website for whatever reason.

It's hard not be excited about Cruz, Hayes and Keller, but we've fairly recently been down this road of optimism before with the likes of Bell, Polanco, Glasnow and Taillon and have been disappointed to various degrees.

Cruz, in particular, is exciting as hell. It's rare to see such a young player with his combination of strength and athleticism.

After this season, I think he'll either emerge as one of the absolute elite prospects in the game or completely fall off the radar.

Even if he does not pan out, it was still a great trade getting such potential in return for Tony Watson.

 

[Darkstone42]

He should be their opening day SS. He already brings more to the table than anyone else they're going to throw out there, but the Pirates are all about saving a few bucks a few years from now.

Also, the Nova trade is looking worse by the day, as he's far better than all those stiffs they have competing for the #5 rotation spot.

Tucker had a rough first half last year in AA, leading to a below-average offensive output at the level on the year. He needs to prove himself quite a bit more in the upper levels of the minors to suggest he offers more than Newman or Gonzalez. Newman was a .300 hitter last season a level higher than Tucker, and Gonzalez has been in and out of the Majors. They've both done more than Tucker so far to earn their way onto the roster.

 

[wings-pens2166]

okay, fellow Bucs fans, I'll admit between keeping up with the NHL and the View-like drama that is the Steelers (and just mostly from being deployed), I haven't paid them one second of attention this off-season. So just how are these fucktards looking for the '19 season? based of last season's 83 wins (at least I think it was 83), would you all say more, less or about the same?

 

[Darkstone42]

okay, fellow Bucs fans, I'll admit between keeping up with the NHL and the View-like drama that is the Steelers (and just mostly from being deployed), I haven't paid them one second of attention this off-season. So just how are these fucktards looking for the '19 season? based of last season's 83 wins (at least I think it was 83), would you all say more, less or about the same?

The Pirates are a better team entering 2019 than they were entering 2018. And I think they have better hitting coaches this year, who I'm more confident can get at Bell's raw talent. A rotation with Archer is better than a rotation without it, there are fewer questions in the bullpen, and Frazier at 2B on opening day is better than Harrison there, even if the glove is a downgrade. I think one of Newman or Gonzalez can at least be a wash with Mercer, and if neither of Moran or Kang can step up and take 3B, Hayes has the look of being ready by June to come up and be an above-average or better Major League 3B. And they have an actual 4th OF in Chisenhall once Polanco comes back.

I would like to see them add a Dallas Keuchel or a Gio Gonzalez to bolster the 5th spot in the rotation, but this is a better team than the 2018 squad even without one of those moves.

 

[steelerssb]

Well the fifth starter race is a disaster, but it's only a stop gap until the prized prospect is ready and will obviously have no learning curve.

Because that worked so well in 2016.

 

[steelerssb]

Pirates: "Kevin Newman and young Freddy Galvis are good enough to help this team compete."

Literally everyone: "No they aren't, get an upgrade."

Pirates when both players have horrendous springs:

 

[Darkstone42]

Pirates: "Kevin Newman and young Freddy Galvis are good enough to help this team compete."

Literally everyone: "No they aren't, get an upgrade."

Pirates when both players have horrendous springs:

The player Gonzalez is right now is basically a wash with Mercer--less offense and a lot more glove. Newman is working on a new swing, though, and could be an upgrade if he can translate it to games. It hasn't stuck yet, and I think a lot of his issues can be assigned mostly to getting his timing down with the new swing. He's loading his hands in a different position, and incorporating his lower half differently/more, and those change the timing considerably. Rick Eckstein also said they hadn't even started yet on finding the contact point in the new swing for him, just getting him used to using the new mechanics in game action.

His last two starts, his swing has looked more in games like his BP swing, so they might be starting that final move now. Coaches across the International League said he looked like a genuine Major Leaguer last year, and Eckstein seems to think there's a really good hitter in there, so let's give him a little more time on incorporating the new mechanics and approach before we write off a first-round talent as a failure for a bad September and a bad first half of spring training.

 

[thedddd]

The Pirates are a better team entering 2019 than they were entering 2018. And I think they have better hitting coaches this year, who I'm more confident can get at Bell's raw talent. A rotation with Archer is better than a rotation without it, there are fewer questions in the bullpen, and Frazier at 2B on opening day is better than Harrison there, even if the glove is a downgrade. I think one of Newman or Gonzalez can at least be a wash with Mercer, and if neither of Moran or Kang can step up and take 3B, Hayes has the look of being ready by June to come up and be an above-average or better Major League 3B. And they have an actual 4th OF in Chisenhall once Polanco comes back.

I would like to see them add a Dallas Keuchel or a Gio Gonzalez to bolster the 5th spot in the rotation, but this is a better team than the 2018 squad even without one of those moves.

Jordan Lyles as the 5th starter is awful. It is sad that neither Brault or Kingham could beat him out.

 

[Darkstone42]

After watching Trevor Williams throw his new-ish curveball today, I'm not sure we've even seen the best he's got yet. That's a good pitch, a real weapon, and it'll make his fastball and slider play up even more than they already do.

He's relied on good fortune to run his low ERAs so far, though he is an elite contact manager, but I think he's going to cut his walks and maybe get a few more whiffs this season to take some of that luck out of the equation.

 

[Darkstone42]

Also, Kevin Newman has looked great at the plate today. His swing has looked much better this spring, and he came into camp in much better shape than he was in in September when he was hemorrhaging weight. If he's finding his timing with a better, more connected swing, he's got a very real path to being a .300 hitter in the Majors who can hit enough doubles to run upwards of a .120 ISO. That would make him a legitimately solid hitter at the position, upwards of a .770 OPS.

I'm feeling more and more confident he'll manage a perfectly reasonable .280/.320/.380/.700 slash and be an average or better regular at the spot this season, which would be an upgrade over last season.

 

[steelparrot]

26 man rosters this year
Eliminated the clear waivers trades in August and September
3 batter minimum or end of half inning for pitchers
A currently unset max number of pitchers on rosters..

MLB, MLBPA ANNOUNCE ON-FIELD AGREEMENT

I bet this makes Stallings happy.

 

[steelparrot]

Nevermind, it doesnt start till next year.

 

[thedddd]

After watching Trevor Williams throw his new-ish curveball today, I'm not sure we've even seen the best he's got yet. That's a good pitch, a real weapon, and it'll make his fastball and slider play up even more than they already do.

He's relied on good fortune to run his low ERAs so far, though he is an elite contact manager, but I think he's going to cut his walks and maybe get a few more whiffs this season to take some of that luck out of the equation.

Amazing thing about Williams is we got him for losing a coach.

 

[thedddd]

Also, Kevin Newman has looked great at the plate today. His swing has looked much better this spring, and he came into camp in much better shape than he was in in September when he was hemorrhaging weight. If he's finding his timing with a better, more connected swing, he's got a very real path to being a .300 hitter in the Majors who can hit enough doubles to run upwards of a .120 ISO. That would make him a legitimately solid hitter at the position, upwards of a .770 OPS.

I'm feeling more and more confident he'll manage a perfectly reasonable .280/.320/.380/.700 slash and be an average or better regular at the spot this season, which would be an upgrade over last season.

Looks like Newman and Kramer are most likely heading back to AAA. Reported Kang and Gonzalez won the starting roles.

 

[Darkstone42]

Looks like Newman and Kramer are most likely heading back to AAA. Reported Kang and Gonzalez won the starting roles.

Unless Tucker is going to AA, I don't know where Newman plays in AAA. They should be able to find him plenty of at bats in the Majors, and given enough, I think he'll win the job back from Gonzalez, who I just can't foresee suddenly being able to hit after three years in the Majors not hitting.

 

[thedddd]

Unless Tucker is going to AA, I don't know where Newman plays in AAA. They should be able to find him plenty of at bats in the Majors, and given enough, I think he'll win the job back from Gonzalez, who I just can't foresee suddenly being able to hit after three years in the Majors not hitting.

If Newman doesn’t get enough AB’s that is the scenario where he gets sent down. Really they put him a spot with no home with Tucker behind him and Gonzalez starting.
I think what hurt Newman this spring was the fact he didn’t get on base enough to warrant starting the season. With that I hope their love affair with Gonzalez starting ends soon so Newman can get a real shot.

 

[Darkstone42]

If Newman doesn’t get enough AB’s that is the scenario where he gets sent down. Really they put him a spot with no home with Tucker behind him and Gonzalez starting.
I think what hurt Newman this spring was the fact he didn’t get on base enough to warrant starting the season. With that I hope their love affair with Gonzalez starting ends soon so Newman can get a real shot.

They called the competition too early to sincerely believe they were basing it on the spring, especially since by the numbers, Newman outhit Gonzalez, but it looked to me like his swing clicked recently. Eckstein and Cruz changed his swing this spring, so it made sense he started cold. What he's done lately with the new swing, now that he's on time, feels like a better read of the hitter he is.

I don't expect it to take long for him to force his bat into the lineup, honestly.

 

[thedddd]

They called the competition too early to sincerely believe they were basing it on the spring, especially since by the numbers, Newman outhit Gonzalez, but it looked to me like his swing clicked recently. Eckstein and Cruz changed his swing this spring, so it made sense he started cold. What he's done lately with the new swing, now that he's on time, feels like a better read of the hitter he is.

I don't expect it to take long for him to force his bat into the lineup, honestly.

Great point. I don't think it was on hitting numbers but the fact of Gonzalez getting on base more and his glove is better? But as you stated there is more to this thinking that maybe they will give Newman some time into the season to refine his swing more. When ready the job will be his?

 

[steelparrot]

Newman can get lots of abs as a backup.

If he just plays 2nd vs LHSP and gives Gonzalez 2 days off a week he will get 300+ abs. That isnt the worst way to get a rookie started. If and when Gonzalez has proven he sucks, give the job to Newman.

 

[thedddd]

So Gio Gonzalez just signed with the Yankees on a minor league deal. With incentives can get as high as 3 million.
The Pirates look to keep Liriano, who isn't doing too good in ST and his value will guarantee him 1.8 Million and with incentives would be 3.3 million.

Not sure why it took so long for him to sign but I would have liked him more than Liriano.