2k13: Your record-breaking Pittsburgh Pirates

[james33]

crystal ball, joncarlos and anyone else who follows the pirates - who will see more playing time at corner outfield and/or 1B in 2014 than they are seeing this year?

[joncarlos]

crystal ball, joncarlos and anyone else who follows the pirates - who will see more playing time at corner outfield and/or 1B in 2014 than they are seeing this year?

Marte should remain the full-time LF. One of Snider or Tabata should hopefully claim the other job, and the other could be the 4th OF. Jones will be in his last arb year (I think, he's definitely not a free agent, but he might have been super 2) and he's getting way too expensive to keep, so he should be gone.

Who gets those ABs? I dunno... Sanchez hasn't impressed. Jerry Sands? Mysterious free agent or trade target to be determined later?

[joncarlos]

Pirates SP Francisco Liriano (arm) is expected to make three more rehab starts.

Pirates SP Charlie Morton (elbow) allowed two runs on three hits over three innings for High-A Bradenton Thursday in his first rehab start.

Pirates SP Jeff Karstens (shoulder) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session Thursday.

[Erik]

The Pirates just executed a rundown with the acumen of a last-place Little League team.

[madducks]

The Pirates just executed a rundown with the acumen of a last-place Little League team.

Yeah, it even sounded ugly on the car stereo. Base running and fielding fundamentals have been a problem for them the last few years. They probably throw away 6-10 games a year that way.

[mjl]

Jonathan Sanchez is just the Jonathan Sancheziest.

[madducks]

They are in first place after a 9-0 win over St Louis!

[joncarlos]

The Pirates could place 2B Neil Walker (finger) on the disabled list if he doesn't make progress by Friday.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Wednesday that SP Charlie Morton (elbow) is on track to be activated around May 14.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Wednesday that SP Francisco Liriano (arm) is on track to make his season debut on May 11 against the Mets.

Starling Marte hit a long HR off John Axford yesterday, the pitch was 95 at his ankles. He is pretty awesome.

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id=pit&content_id=26757409&topic_id=8879096

[joncarlos]

This article has the Pirates pegged to finish around 87-88 wins. Would that it were so.

http://www.bucsdugout.com/2013/6/9/4413306/the-probable-fate-of-a-37-26-team

Yesterday's loss really hurt, Justin Wilson, aka this decade's Mike Marshall, gives up a grand slam to Cody Ransom after Jeff Locke had a no hitter into the 6th, and good Edwin Jackson shows up so the Pirates lose 4-1.

Starling Marte has been awful lately, just like you'd expect from someone with his plate discipline. Really, the whole offense is struggling, except for the currently hot Garrett Jones. Cutch has been good but not great like he usually is. The pitchers have been amazing but a lot of it looks unsustainable.

On the other hand, Gerrit Cole will be up on Tuesday!

[joncarlos]

I wrote up my impressions about Cole's start in the Cole thread: http://forum.rotojunkiefix.com/showt...Cole-coming-up

Charlie Morton will be up to start on Thursday, with Wandy on the DL. So there are now 2 rotation spots open, Gomez' and Wandy's. We'll see how Morton pitches when he's up.

[joncarlos]

@JamesSantelli A.J. Burnett says he suffered a Grade 1 calf tear while doing a running drill this week. His right leg is in a protective boot. #Pirates

@BiertempfelTrib #Pirates Burnett is wearing walking boot, says he has "grade 1 tear" in calf and cannot put weight on leg: "Hope it's not six-week thing."

So, I'm guessing more than the minimum 15 days for AJ.

@BiertempfelTrib #Pirates Marte strained oblique making head-first slide Wed v #Giants. Return soon? Marte: "One, two, three days, I don't know."

Yeah, if it's an oblique, probably going to be a DL trip, but I've got my fingers crossed.

@BiertempfelTrib #pirates have called up rhp Brandon Cumpton to be on taxi squad today, likely start saturday v. #dodgers

I have no idea who that is.

[joncarlos]

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Monday that SS Jordy Mercer will receive the bulk of the playing time at shortstop moving forward.

Certainly worth picking up in NL only if he's not already owned. Not a great hitter but certainly a hell of a lot better than Barmes. Not as good a fielder, though.

[overkill94]

With Snider struggling (Jansen bomb withstanding), how do you think the outfield will shake up when Tabata comes back?

[joncarlos]

With Snider struggling (Jansen bomb withstanding), how do you think the outfield will shake up when Tabata comes back?

Well, I still think Marte is headed to the DL, so you'll probably see a theoretical OF based on Cutch/Tabata/Presley, but a heavy dose of GI Jones in the outfield and Gaby Sanchez at 1B. If Marte does go on the DL, then Alex Presley can stay up. If not, it will be Marte/Cutch and back to Tabata/Snider sharing time in RF. Snider just doesn't have it lately.

[frae]

When will the Pirates not let the Reds look like they are their Daddy? I mean come on, hit Cutch...again and then buzzz walker with a 100 mph heater. Start someone who you weren't going to use and hunt some heads. This needs to stop before one of the Bucs hitters gets really hurt.