2019 Pirates

[Darkstone42]

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.

As a starter, I agree, but I think Liriano has more to offer out of the 'pen.

He's had some stinkers, but when he's been good, he's been untouchable. That's worth the extended look. And he absolutely embarrasses lefties, which only Vazquez and RichRod in the current 'pen can claim.

I would have loved Gio in the fifth starter role, though, with Lyles in the 'pen. Still crossing my fingers for Keuchel, even though I know it won't happen.

 

[thedddd]

Indians Release Matt Joyce

If a gap occurs where a right handed bat is needed, might not be a bad cheap reunion.

 

[Darkstone42]

The 25-man is decided, pending injury situations.

SP: Taillon, Archer, Williams, Musgrove, Lyles (injury)
BP: Vazquez, Kela, Crick, Rodriguez, Liriano, Burdi, Kingham
C: Cervelli, Stallings
IF: Bell, Frazier, Kang, Gonzalez, Newman, Reyes
OF: Dickerson, Marte, Chisenhall (injury), Cabrera

IL: Diaz

Brault will take Lyles's spot if his cramps prevent him from breaking camp with the team.
Shuck will take Chisenhall's spot if Chisenhall's hand isn't good to go for the opener.

 

[thedddd]

The 25-man is decided, pending injury situations.

SP: Taillon, Archer, Williams, Musgrove, Lyles (injury)
BP: Vazquez, Kela, Crick, Rodriguez, Liriano, Burdi, Kingham
C: Cervelli, Stallings
IF: Bell, Frazier, Kang, Gonzalez, Newman, Reyes
OF: Dickerson, Marte, Chisenhall (injury), Cabrera

IL: Diaz

Brault will take Lyles's spot if his cramps prevent him from breaking camp with the team.
Shuck will take Chisenhall's spot if Chisenhall's hand isn't good to go for the opener.

Looks like both will start on the DL....errr...IL

 

[steelparrot]

We need the middle of our lineup to hit this year especially Kang and Bell.

 

[Darkstone42]

Tough loss for Jamo. Pitched great for six, but gave up a first-row dinger on a get-me-over slider, walked a guy on some close pitches, and got chased by a chopper right down the line for a double that might not even have been a fair ball. I'm encouraged by what I saw from him and from Burdi, though.

 

[thedddd]

The last AB yesterday was a heartbreaker with the bases loaded and Dickerson fouling off so many pitches. It just seemed like he was going to get a hold of one.

 

[steelerssb]

To the surprise of no one, Erik Gonzalez is useless

 

[psaboy]

To the surprise of no one, Erik Gonzalez is useless

Yep, watched the game, or should I saw collapse. looks like another season of good/decent starting pitching, but a bunch of loses "grabbed from to jaws of victory" due to poor relief pitching.

 

[redskin4209]

Same old same Pirates. The inability to put it all together. If it's not having timely hitting it's the poor Def or poor pitching. This is who we are and have been the last few yrs. This lost to the Cards was very similar to the game 1 vs the Reds. You just knew our Pirates was going to choke.

 

[Darkstone42]

Yep, watched the game, or should I saw collapse. looks like another season of good/decent starting pitching, but a bunch of loses "grabbed from to jaws of victory" due to poor relief pitching.

The relief pitching was fine. It was the defense that let them down. The Cards' last three runs all reached base and/or scored because of poor defensive plays.

 

[psaboy]

The relief pitching was fine. It was the defense that let them down. The Cards' last three runs all reached base and/or scored because of poor defensive plays.

I will agree and say the D did play a part in the collapse

 

[Diamondeye]

Archer still needs to become more efficient with his pitches. He looked a lot like the pitcher we saw frequently last year, with his pitch count elevated by the fourth inning.

They probably win that game yesterday if he was able to go into the sixth or seventh. I know the defense had issues, but bad things tend to happen when you ask for more than three innings out of your bullpen.

 

[Darkstone42]

Kela doesn't have fastball command early in the season. He's been too good for too long not to figure it out soon. Burdi had a rough one yesterday, but he's looked good (if a bit unlucky) early. Crick looks amazing. RichRod is struggling.

The bullpen needs to be a strength of this team if they're going to contend. Kela and RichRod struggling early gets highlighted, I think, by the youngness of the season, and by how good the starting pitching has been in contrast, but the Bucs would probably be 4-0 right now despite the shaky defense and terrible RISP hitting if the bullpen were performing to expectations.

 

[thedddd]

Yankees Acquire Jake Barrett

I was hoping he would have had a chance but oh well.

 

[Darkstone42]

If the bullpen locks it down and Bell finds his stroke (and once Polanco is back healthy), I think the Pirates on the strength of their rotation will end up being the Central's most complete team. I don't know if that's enough to top the Brewers and Cardinals star power, but it's not nothing.

And I know it's early, but I don't know that the Cubs rotation is going to be much better than even the Reds this year. They've been terribad.

 

[Diamondeye]

With Kela continuing to struggle and Crick expected to miss time, they definitely need to give Burdi some opportunities in late-game situations.

That arm is just too good to barely use.

 

[Darkstone42]

With Kela continuing to struggle and Crick expected to miss time, they definitely need to give Burdi some opportunities in late-game situations.

That arm is just too good to barely use.

Hurlde has been going to him so far. RichRod is starting to find himself again, too, after struggling in his first couple appearances. And Kingham has looked decent at least in limited action so far. He's getting swings and misses, but the sharpness and command aren't consistent, but those might come as he gets more reps, since the sparseness and unpredictability of action is the biggest adjustment when sliding to the bullpen.

Kela gave up another dinger his last time out, but I'm not as worried as I was earlier. He's back in the zone, his fastball has its velocity back, and guys are swinging over the curve again. Those are the elements he needs for success, and they're there again. The dingers will stop as he continues to sharpen up.

 

[Diamondeye]

I'm trying to remain optimistic about the Archer trade, but it is looking pretty bad right now with the way Meadows and Glasnow are performing for the Rays.

Archer might need to win a Cy Young to validate the move for the Pirates.

 

[steelerssb]

Don't want to get too excited just yet, but Jordan Lyles is paying off in a big way.