Pirates pitching future looks very bright

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Right field is by far the least important defensive position. We already have a great defensive outfield. You can hide a guy out there. Russell Martin, who is number 1 in all of baseball in catcher ERA and hasn't played the outfield since junior college, has been started in right field this year against left handed starters. Have to get a good right handed bat to hide out there some how.

Hopefully they're not thinking that the platoon of Snyder and Tabata will do the rest of the way.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Hopefully they're not thinking that the platoon of Snyder and Tabata will do the rest of the way.

I agree.

It was a good idea at the start of the season...both guys are young, can run, play good defense for RF, and maybe one would break-out.

I like T. Snidely Whiplash a lot against right-handed pitching. He works the counts, he has good at-bats, he usually gets the job done when he has to move runners over, he's been clutch with several timely hits in key spots, and he's been a little unlucky...hitting a lot of balls hard, but right at people.

Still, the offensive stats for him are mediocre. Cannon Shell can make a case with numbers that Ethier is the much better option ... but I feel good about Snider. At age 25 and a former mid 1st round pick, I still feel like he's a threat to get hot with the bat. However, he's a major liability against Lefty's.

Tabata, has the stupidest tattoo I've ever seen... lips on his neck, and can't stay healthy. Even though he hits right-handed, he doesn't get it done against left-handed pitching. He has a lot of annoying at-bats where you curse him, unlike Snider.

Other than right-field ... I don't see an upgrade. I'm fine with the Gabby Sanchez/Garrett Jones platoon at 1st base. We are absolutely set everywhere else.

If the Angels continue to struggle ... what about Mark Trumbo?

[Duvalier]

And playing right field for the Pirates tonight...Brandon Inge. Get the White Sox on the phone...

[keithting]

The Pirates need good ole #39 in Right Field - Dave Parker

One of the 1st ballplayers to fashion a diamond earring and the fans loved to hurl batteries at him while he played his outfield position - his famous quote back in 1980 was - "When the leaves turn brown, I'll be wearing the batting crown"....

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

And playing right field for the Pirates tonight...Brandon Inge. Get the White Sox on the phone...

Brandon Inge in RF...that Clint Hurdle is a genius

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Brandon Inge in RF...that Clint Hurdle is a genius

LOL. He smokes a 3-run homer.

He could be the right-handed power bat we've been looking for in RF...if you ignore his .198 batting average, otherwise lack of power, and decrepit age.

It's not pretty when you have Gabby hitting clean-up, a hotshot young Minor League call-up Catcher known more for his defense as your DH, and Inge as your right-fielder...but it's working great tonight.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

LOL. He smokes a 3-run homer.

He could be the right-handed power bat we've been looking for in RF...if you ignore his .198 batting average, otherwise lack of power, and decrepit age.

It's not pretty when you have Gabby hitting clean-up, a hotshot young Minor League call-up Catcher known more for his defense as your DH, and Inge as your right-fielder...but it's working great tonight.

I know right? After I posted about the White Sox, Inge goes and hits a 3 run homer. I had to give Hurdle credit and tab him a genius lol. Right now he's pushing all the right buttons with this team.

[Calzone Lord]

Honestly, Inge is the only right-handed hitter that they have available to play right-field with Tabata on the DL.

It was either that, or a 3-Catcher line-up...using Russell Martin in right-field, and have one Catcher DH and another one Catch.

But, you can't put Russell Martin in right-field with Locke on the mound. The two of them have a great chemistry. The announcers claim that Locke has not shaken off Martin a single time this year, which is unbelievable. He's literally thrown every pitch that Martin has called for.

[Calzone Lord]

Here's a crazy fact ... the Pirates have won all 7 games that Jenmar Gomez has started this year.

He was a huge underdog on a couple of occasions.

Still, I can't believe he is only a +140 underdog against King Felix in Seattle today.

If a Jenmar Gomez VS King Felix match-up in Seattle happened at the start of the year, Seattle would have been about a huge favorite.

[Duvalier]

They'd be tough to take against Hernandez today at only a +140, really depending on what the starting lineups look like with it being a day game after a night game today...who's going to be sitting, if anyone's getting a few extra days rest with it being an off day tomorrow. I know they tried to give both McCutchen and Martin off Sunday but ended up using both of them in that wild win against the Angels.

With Gomez just coming off the DL for the forearm after that bad start he had against Cincy last out where he gave up like 4 runs in one inning of work...he seems kind of shaky even against a light hitting team like the Mariners. It'd be nice though to sweep the 5 game road series against the AL West.

[Calzone Lord]

Pirates win again! 18 games over .500 now.

Just a half game behind St. Louis for the best record in all of baseball.

[Duvalier]

Nice outing by Gomez and it was obvious the Pirates had no intentions of resting anyone, big time sweep of the AL West on the road. Twelve of their next fifteen games at home.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Right field is by far the least important defensive position. We already have a great defensive outfield. You can hide a guy out there. Russell Martin, who is number 1 in all of baseball in catcher ERA and hasn't played the outfield since junior college, has been started in right field this year against left handed starters. Have to get a good right handed bat to hide out there some how.

They need a better player regardless

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

I agree.

It was a good idea at the start of the season...both guys are young, can run, play good defense for RF, and maybe one would break-out.

I like T. Snidely Whiplash a lot against right-handed pitching. He works the counts, he has good at-bats, he usually gets the job done when he has to move runners over, he's been clutch with several timely hits in key spots, and he's been a little unlucky...hitting a lot of balls hard, but right at people.

Still, the offensive stats for him are mediocre. Cannon Shell can make a case with numbers that Ethier is the much better option ... but I feel good about Snider. At age 25 and a former mid 1st round pick, I still feel like he's a threat to get hot with the bat. However, he's a major liability against Lefty's.

Tabata, has the stupidest tattoo I've ever seen... lips on his neck, and can't stay healthy. Even though he hits right-handed, he doesn't get it done against left-handed pitching. He has a lot of annoying at-bats where you curse him, unlike Snider.

Other than right-field ... I don't see an upgrade. I'm fine with the Gabby Sanchez/Garrett Jones platoon at 1st base. We are absolutely set everywhere else.

If the Angels continue to struggle ... what about Mark Trumbo?

You dont think SS is a problem? Barmes has been awful at the plate and according to the defensive metrics has slipped in the field too. The young kid platooning with him is sure to regress.
1b for Pitt is a below average position.

They are near the bottom of the NL in most offensive categories, they dont hit HR's, they dont walk much, they don't score much. These are gonna be issues later in the year as the pitching fades.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

If the Angels continue to struggle ... what about Mark Trumbo?

Teams rarely trade guys under club control (ie-cheap contracts) for 3 more years

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

You dont think SS is a problem? Barmes has been awful at the plate and according to the defensive metrics has slipped in the field too. The young kid platooning with him is sure to regress.
1b for Pitt is a below average position.

He's not platooning with him. Mercer is now the everyday starter.

Barmes lost the job. His defense was outstanding. He was robbing people of hits and making great plays every other game. He is just terrible with the bat.

I suppose it's a relative thing ... but I'm not worried at all about shortstop and I don't think the team is either.

The team has been a lot more successful since benching Barmes, but I still feel very good about having him.

Gabby Sanchez and Garrett Jones are both terrific defensive 1B's ... and they are a perfect platoon, because Gabby only hits left-handed pitching well and Jones is great against right-handed pitching but useless against lefties.

All this team needs is a good Right-handed bat in RF. The team is 8-0 when Jenmar Gomez starts games. He's just 25 years-old, he has a .276 ERA, a .114 WHIP, he pitched 5 innings of no hit-ball in his final AAA rehab start, and pitched very well today ... yet he's out of the starting rotation and headed back to the bullpen when Wandy and A. J. Burnett get back into the rotation.

The bullpen is unbelievable. I can see why AAA Indianapolis has been the best minor league team in baseball over the last few years.

This is not even close to the same team as last year. Last year, McCutchen, A. J Burnett, Walker and the bullpen were carrying the team by themselves for a long time. Those three guys have all been banged up this year, especially the latter two, and they've played below expectations.

This team got a monumental upgrade at catcher in Russell Martin. Liriano has been a nice addition to the starting rotation. And Melancon has been sensational in the bullpen. But, it's the youth movement that has made all the difference.

[Calzone Lord]

After the Cards just lost to the Houston Astros tonight...the Pirates now have the best record in all of baseball.

And...

12 of the next 15 Pirates games are at Home.

And 12 of the next 15 Pirates games are against teams with losing records.

They have a big chance to tack on to their 18 games over .500 record.

[Vegaskid]

What an amazing job Clint Hurdle has done with this team. Maybe the best managing of a team I have seen in some time. I know a lot of ball left to be played but this guy looks to be a lock to get manager of the year award.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

He's not platooning with him. Mercer is now the everyday starter.

Barmes lost the job. His defense was outstanding. He was robbing people of hits and making great plays every other game. He is just terrible with the bat.

I suppose it's a relative thing ... but I'm not worried at all about shortstop and I don't think the team is either.

The team has been a lot more successful since benching Barmes, but I still feel very good about having him.

Gabby Sanchez and Garrett Jones are both terrific defensive 1B's ... and they are a perfect platoon, because Gabby only hits left-handed pitching well and Jones is great against right-handed pitching but useless against lefties.

All this team needs is a good Right-handed bat in RF. The team is 8-0 when Jenmar Gomez starts games. He's just 25 years-old, he has a .276 ERA, a .114 WHIP, he pitched 5 innings of no hit-ball in his final AAA rehab start, and pitched very well today ... yet he's out of the starting rotation and headed back to the bullpen when Wandy and A. J. Burnett get back into the rotation.

The bullpen is unbelievable. I can see why AAA Indianapolis has been the best minor league team in baseball over the last few years.

This is not even close to the same team as last year. Last year, McCutchen, A. J Burnett, Walker and the bullpen were carrying the team by themselves for a long time. Those three guys have all been banged up this year, especially the latter two, and they've played below expectations.

This team got a monumental upgrade at catcher in Russell Martin. Liriano has been a nice addition to the starting rotation. And Melancon has been sensational in the bullpen. But, it's the youth movement that has made all the difference.

The problem is that most of the pitchers have exceeded what their norms would be and the team is still near the bottom of the league in offense.

Liriano isn't likely to make it through the season with a 2.30 ERA
Gomez is really unlikely to continue at his current pace
Locke is unlikely to continue at this pace
Burnett is 36 and hurt again
Wandy Rodriguez is hurt but is the only SP on the team not having a career year at this point.
Bryan Morris, Melancon, Grilli, Wilson all having career years or have stats that are exceeding their minor league numbers

The pitching coach obviously is doing a great job and the park factors help but it is unlikely that they all will continue to perform at the current level.

They are gonna have to add some bats to the lineup or they will just be the Oakland A's of the NL. Make the playoffs with young, cheap guys and castoff vets but get wiped out in the playoffs when they have to face the other teams best pitchers only. Understandably making the playoffs for a team that hasn't in 20 years is a huge deal but hopefully management doesnt make the mistake in thinking that this team as currently constructed can make any noise in the playoffs without an extreme amount of good fortune. Not hating on your team but it would be nice if they had a single guy hitting .300 or more than one with more than 8 HR's heading into July.

[Cannon Shell]

I saw where Paul Konerko might be available. Would seem to be a great fit. Add's needed power, the "intangble" of veteran leadership and most importantly for the Pirates is a FA after the season so they commit no money beyond this season.