2K23: Pittsburgh Pirates

[james33]

Baseball Reference Page
mlb depth charts
cot's contracts - team page
cot's contracts - 2014 spreadsheet
mlbtraderumors - team page
fangraphs - team page
fangraphs - park factors

prospects - rhd, with team highlighted

[james33]

Rent-a-hitters Byrd and Morneau are gone and presumed gone, but the Pirates still look pretty good to me.

Will AJ Burnett resign with the Pirates or will he retire?

When might we see OF Gregory Polanco, who spent half of 2013 in Hi-A, and half of 2013 in AA?

When might we see SP Jameson Taillon, who spent most of 2013 in AA, and pitched 37 innings in AAA?

7 of 8 of mlbdepthchart's projected starting lineup is aged 25-30 (Garret Jones is 32); that has to be a good sign for the offense.

Barmes is a free agent. Mercer takes over at shortstop or does he have competition?

[mjl]

wild guesses:

Burnett re-signs. Tough to pass up a big paycheck and a shot at a World Series before you quit.

Polanco didn't destroy AA, and much of his semi-decent line was due to a much higher BB% than he's shown before, even last year in single A. If that's a real improvement, maybe he can make it up, but without an injury I don't know where. He doesn't really profile as a RF and the Pirates have a lot of guys who can sort of play RF. I doubt he's up with a real role this year.

Taillon could easily be up this year. Locke isn't nearly as good as his second half last year. If Burnett doesn't come back, or if Morton isn't as good as he was last year, or if there's an injury, Taillon is the obvious choice.

I think they like Mercer well enough and Alen Hanson could be ready by 2015 if he has a good year to follow up his impressive AFL showing at a young age.

[madducks]

I think Burnett signs up for another year with an option for 2015.

Look for Taillon & Polanco to start next season in AAA and get called up in the second half of 2014. Polanco is tearing up the Dominican winter league now. Not sure what the talent level is there. I'm thinking it's probably the equivalent of AA?

Mercer's only competetition at SS is minor leaguer Alen Hanson who should start the year in AA and probably won't get a look until 2015 unless Mercer absolutely tanks.

I think the biggest question is who plays first base? (cue Abbott & Costello) Does Morneau re-sign? Do they go back to a Jones/Sanchez platoon? Do they give Andrew Lambo (5 errors in 19 minor league games at 1B) a shot? Or acquire someone like Trumbo?

[Don Quixote]

Based on what little I saw of Hanson in the AFL Stars Game and the comments I heard from the real experts, he may be one of those guys who needs to slow down and let the game come to him. While there's certainly no one ahead of him of consequence, I don't see him up and sticking this year, as another full year of seasoning should do him a world of good. Great talent, though.

The issue for the Pirates in RF and LF is the vastness of left field at PNC Park. The left fielder MUST be able to cover a ton of ground, so the speed guy goes in left and the other guy to right, even if he doesn't have a great arm. If Polanco can cover left, he could perhaps go there with Marte moving to right, but the guys who see games at PNC regularly would know a lot more about this.

I think Burnett will be back, on a one-year deal. I believe management will make him an offer he can't refuse. Taillon comes up in mid-June, taking a rotation spot from one of the not-bad, nothing-special guys there now.

1B is as usual a problem. I don't think Jones/Sanchez is the answer. They could try Lambo there, or sign a mid-level free agent (Loney?). Neither of those alternatives generates optimism on my part in any event.

[revo]

Bucs DFA Garrett Jones.

[Don Quixote]

Pirates acquired RHP Miles Mikolas and OF Jaff Decker from the Padres in exchange for OF Alex Dickerson.

Mikolas may be a serviceable MR. Decker may qualify for "failed prospect" status.

Overall, a nothing special deal.

[madducks]

Bucs DFA Garrett Jones.

Wow, my dad is going to be pissed. He and i have had numerous debates about whether or not Jones deserved to be the Pirates full-time first baseman. He being for and me being against. It's so tempting to tell him i told you so. But, i think i'll take it easy on him and just express my surprise with this move.

[Don Quixote]

Pittsburgh-area guys--Do you see any chance of the Pirates making a somewhat lowball offer to Morneau if his rumored negotiations with the Rockies don't work out? IMO teaming him with Sanchez would be better than the apparent in-house solutions, especially the idea of Sanchez taking over alone.

[madducks]

Pittsburgh-area guys--Do you see any chance of the Pirates making a somewhat lowball offer to Morneau if his rumored negotiations with the Rockies don't work out? IMO teaming him with Sanchez would be better than the apparent in-house solutions, especially the idea of Sanchez taking over alone.

Unless Morneau is still a free agent in spring training, i don't think the Pirates make him an offer. It looks like Andrew Lambo will be given every opportunity to win the first base job in 2014. Lambo is playing first base in the Venezuelan Winter League and will get some work there in spring training as well. He's also a candidate for RF, but the Pirates would prefer that he isn't blocking Gregory Polanco who is likely to be called up later in the season. Gaby Sanchez looks like plan B at first base unless they pull off a last minute trade.

[joncarlos]

Pittsburgh-area guys--Do you see any chance of the Pirates making a somewhat lowball offer to Morneau if his rumored negotiations with the Rockies don't work out? IMO teaming him with Sanchez would be better than the apparent in-house solutions, especially the idea of Sanchez taking over alone.

They might also be in on Loney. I know they liked Morneau's clubhouse presence but he was really not good last year. I could see him coming back if his price drops significantly but I don't think that's going to happen.

[revo]

Pirates acquire Chris Stewart from the Yanks for a PTBNL, and then DFA Mike McKenry.

[Moonlight J]

McKenry was horrendous in throwing guys out, Stewart can do that AND is a great pitch framer.

[Don Quixote]

McKenry was horrendous in throwing guys out, Stewart can do that AND is a great pitch framer.

OK, that answers my question before I asked it, thanks. I was going to ask why they'd trade for Stewart, given his anemic bat. McKenry at least has power. However, if there's that much difference in defense, I get it.

It's tough to overcome 20 years of skepticism regarding Pirates GMs and the deals they make, but I'm making progress.

[revo]

Bucs sign Edinson Volquez to a 1 yr deal.