Playoff Roster

[Darkstone42]

Since the Bucs have clinched, now is as good a time as any to talk about what we think the playoff roster will be.

The locks:
SP Liriano
SP Cole
SP Volquez
C Martin
C Stewart
1B Sanchez
1B Davis
2B Walker
3B Harrison
SS Mercer
SS Barmes
LF Marte
CF McCutchen
RF Snider
OF Polanco
RP Melancon
RP Watson
RP Holdzkom
RP Hughes
RP Wilson

So that's 20. Who are the last five? Do we bother carrying Locke? Worley likely ranks ahead of him right now if we want a fourth starter. But if we don't use them to start, would one or either go to the bullpen? If so, does that displace Gomez? LaFramboise has been good in limited action, but I don't know if Hurdle would trust him yet. Still, if we drop a starter and Jeanmar, might want an extra lefty.

Lambo seems likely. He's been good in a pinch hitting role since his recall. Same with Tabata. Morel is an option, I guess, since he's an infield glove, but his bat is useless. D'Arnaud could be an option for his legs. I'd rather have him than Morel, personally, if we want another bench infielder.

I'd probably go with these five:
OF Lambo
OF Tabata
Util D'Arnaud
SP Worley
RP LaFramboise

 

[stillmatic32]

Pretty close to what I'd say. I'd consider putting Sanchez in for Tabata. Just like him better as a pinch hitter vs. lefties. And that's really what it all comes down to. None of these secondary guys are getting any starts.

 

[element1286]

OF Lambo
C Sanchez
Util D'Arnaud
SP Worley
SP/RP Locke

Pretty close between Tabata and Sanchez, like stillmatic I prefer Sanchez's bat, and I think we have enough OFers.

 

[sychmd]

lambo, worley, sanchez, locke, tabata.

leaves us a little shy with IF depth, but barmes is there.

like having both bats of sanchez and tabata. polanco can pinch run instead of Darnaud. cant afford just legs.

 

[Darkstone42]

Thinking about it a little more, I might take Axford over LaFramboise. He's been alright, and there's definitely an edge in experience.

I like Locke well enough, but of our starters, I fear he would have the most trouble working out of the 'pen.

 

[sychmd]

worley trows strikes out of the pen, but not swing and miss stuff, unless you read that one article about his deceptiveness.
locke just walks too many for my liking to start a playoff game

 

[mrwallace2ku]

WERE "IN" BEOTCHES!

Looooong tough season, playoffs! next!

 

[thecrow124]

Since you can reset your roster after each round, the make-up of the roster could be very fluid. If they use Cole today, there is no use to have him on the roster for the one game series if it comes to that.

It is to early for me to think, I will have to get back to this later.

 

[Burghfan]

I think I'd have Axford and Gomez in the bullpen before I'd put LaFramboise and Hughes. I have my doubts about LaFramboise and I just don't like Hughes. I know he has pitched well at times, but he's also really messed things up.

 

[Darkstone42]

I think I'd have Axford and Gomez in the bullpen before I'd put LaFramboise and Hughes. I have my doubts about LaFramboise and I just don't like Hughes. I know he has pitched well at times, but he's also really messed things up.

Hughes is better than Axford, LaFramboise, and Gomez. He doesn't hurt himself with walks like Axford, he keeps the ball on the ground unlike Gomez, and he's got a lot more experience than LaFramboise. Of those four, he's probably the best.

 

[element1286]

Hughes is better than Axford, LaFramboise, and Gomez. He doesn't hurt himself with walks like Axford, he keeps the ball on the ground unlike Gomez, and he's got a lot more experience than LaFramboise. Of those four, he's probably the best.

For example on Wednesday, if Volquez is struggling, and the Pirates are down say 3-1 in the 4th with a man on first and second, that is when Jared Hughes is useful. I'd trust him much more than Axford, Laromboise, and Gomez.

 

[Darkstone42]

On Eddie pitching:

Why Starting Edinson Volquez Isn?t A Bad Idea | FanGraphs Baseball

There's some more of that deeper analysis on quality of contact from the article on the Pirates staff I posted in the 2014 thread. Eddie's an average pitcher, nothing's changed over his career, but this year his context is very favorable, with a good system and defense behind him, in a pitcher-friendly ballpark.

Since that context isn't changing for the Wild Card game tomorrow, he seems like a pretty decent choice to pitch, really. And if we do win, which we have a good chance, being a very good lineup who hit lefties really well historically, this also sets us up to lead off the Divisional Series with Liriano and Cole.

 

[sychmd]

I like Eddie. He has been our most consistent beginning to end, and has fought with a great attitude.
He seems to have been hot in the last 2 months when we really needed someone to step up and get wins.
He has also pitched the deepest in games.
Reward the guy and it no significant reason against it.

my concern is more generating something against bumgardner. hopefully we can have a repeat of jumping on cueto early.
getting he crowd into it and giving eddie an early lead can go a long way.
then we are set up well for wash.

 

[Darkstone42]

As crow expected, our ace starters are not on the roster tonight, allowing the bench and bullpen to be bigger.

 

[steelparrot]

Great story on Holdzkoms.

Holdzkom's Path To Bigs Took Many Twists - BaseballAmerica.com

 

[element1286]

Still strange to me they didn't take D'Arnaud, especially when you decide to include Brent Morel on the roster.

 

[Darkstone42]

Still strange to me they didn't take D'Arnaud, especially when you decide to include Brent Morel on the roster.

Unlikely either would pinch-hit, but I guess they like Morel's glove better, and don't feel much need for another pinch runner. I would have preferred the pinch-runner, especially in a one-game situation, but what are you going to do.