Starling Marte called up (7/26/12)

[joncarlos]

The Pirates are calling up Starling Marte today. He was hitting .286/.348/.500 at AAA with 12 HR and 21 steals (but 12 CS). He has good speed, some power, and is a really good outfielder. His AVG could be shaky, but he should run and hit some balls into the gaps for doubles and triples. He is probably going to hit leadoff for the Bucs.

[Old Hoss]

Maybe an in-house option for the OF instead of a trade?

Hoss

[joncarlos]

Maybe an in-house option for the OF instead of a trade?

Hoss

Honestly I think they need to do both. Marte in LF, a real hitter in RF, and a platoon of GFJ/McGehee at 1B. There are other options too, some that might be simpler, but that is the easiest path to a big upgrade.

[frae]

Honestly I think they need to do both. Marte in LF, a real hitter in RF, and a platoon of GFJ/McGehee at 1B. There are other options too, some that might be simpler, but that is the easiest path to a big upgrade.

Yeah this could work. Jones is barely acceptable in the smallish RF at PNC, but on the road it can be an adventure. Presley isn't hitting nearly enough at this point so I am all for another move. Marte is if nothing else a huge defensive upgrade over some of the guys the Pirates have been trotting out to LF. Marte and Cutch can cover a lot of ground out there. Hopefully he can leadoff and make some things happen.

[joncarlos]

Starling Marte is the first homegrown international prospect to play for the Pirates since 2005.

Wow.

[onejayhawk]

I would love to pick him up, but my OF is Ellsbury, Trout and Trumbo. Where was he in May when I needed him?

Is Tabata going to make it as anything but pinch runner?

J

[frae]

Starling Marte is the first homegrown international prospect to play for the Pirates since 2005.

Wow.

It just shows how poorly this team was run for so long. The international market is a place this team should be very involved in and it has gotten better since Huntington took over.

Dave Littlefield - The gift that keeps on giving.

[frae]

Is Tabata going to make it as anything but pinch runner?
J

He will be one expensive pinch runner by 2016...

2013: $ 1 million
2014: $3 million
2015: $4 million
2016: $4.5 million

Honestly though, I don't know what to think of Jose anymore. If Marte is a success and Jose could just get his OBP up and steal some bases he can play better RF defense than their other current options, but I don't know anymore. In the short term the answer is don't expect much. In the future there is probably still a bit of hope.

[joncarlos]

He will be one expensive pinch runner by 2016...

2013: $ 1 million
2014: $3 million
2015: $4 million
2016: $4.5 million

Honestly though, I don't know what to think of Jose anymore. If Marte is a success and Jose could just get his OBP up and steal some bases he can play better RF defense than their other current options, but I don't know anymore. In the short term the answer is don't expect much. In the future there is probably still a bit of hope.

This looks like a lost season. When Tabata signed the deal I said it was fine even if he ended up being a good 4th OF. Which is probably what he is when his head isn't up his a$$. He can be a .270/.330/.400 guy who can play all 3 OF positions. Right now he's even sucking at AAA, but if he turns it around at all, he has to be a better bench option than Gorkys.

[frae]

This looks like a lost season. When Tabata signed the deal I said it was fine even if he ended up being a good 4th OF. Which is probably what he is when his head isn't up his a$$. He can be a .270/.330/.400 guy who can play all 3 OF positions. Right now he's even sucking at AAA, but if he turns it around at all, he has to be a better bench option than Gorkys.

Yeah, but I really question if his makeup will let him be a bench player. He is definitely a better option than Gorkys off the bench if he is the 2011 version, but I think his head may prevent him from doing it. We will see though. For now I am just excited that people here are watching baseball for baseball, almost 95K for a 3 game series with Chicago with over 30K at noon Weds game? This is fun right now.

[Erik]

I would love to pick him up, but my OF is Ellsbury, Trout and Trumbo. Where was he in May when I needed him?

Who do you have at 3B? You could move Trumbo there if necessary.

[Flyman]

The Pirates are calling up Starling Marte today. He was hitting .286/.348/.500 at AAA with 12 HR and 21 steals (but 12 CS). He has good speed, some power, and is a really good outfielder. His AVG could be shaky, but he should run and hit some balls into the gaps for doubles and triples. He is probably going to hit leadoff for the Bucs.

He got caught stealing in the minors at an alarming rate...65 percent success rate at AA/AAA. I like Marte and hope he does well, but I can see some growing pains coming this year...low average with high K totals, some power and some SBs. It will be interesting to see how long his leash is and how long they'll leave him in the leadoff spot if he struggles.

[joncarlos]

He got caught stealing in the minors at an alarming rate...65 percent success rate at AA/AAA. I like Marte and hope he does well, but I can see some growing pains coming this year...low average with high K totals, some power and some SBs. It will be interesting to see how long his leash is and how long they'll leave him in the leadoff spot if he struggles.

Unless a trade brings in a leadoff hitter, I have to think he'll be hitting leadoff as long as he's up... the Pirates don't really have ANY other options in their current lineup. Whoever is playing LF has to lead off.

[onejayhawk]

Who do you have at 3B? You could move Trumbo there if necessary.

Beltre has been en fuego. Trumbo pulled some 1B time til Goldschmidt heated up. I sat Willingham when Ellsbury came off the DL. My Util is now Rizzo. I was dying in April and May.

But its a keeper league, so Marte is potentially valuable down the road.

J

[Porcello]

He got caught stealing in the minors at an alarming rate...65 percent success rate at AA/AAA. I like Marte and hope he does well, but I can see some growing pains coming this year...low average with high K totals, some power and some SBs. It will be interesting to see how long his leash is and how long they'll leave him in the leadoff spot if he struggles.

The leash will probably be shorter than it would have been in past years because they're in a pennant race. I'm surprised they made the call now and not a week ago if they were going to bring him up before the trade deadline. They aren't going to get much of a read in 4 days of work. But, yes, I expect him to be hitting 1st or 2nd as long as he's up. If he's scuffling I think he would be sent back down instead of just down in the order.