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2019 Season Review
So, a quick update, I had the rest of the months written up on my laptop and I saved them. Though when I went back to find them I guess I didn’t because I’ve searched everyone to find them and wasn’t able to. So I’m going to start with the offseason here. Here are some notable things I was able to find though:
2018 First Year Player Draft Players to watch
Round 1 Pick 10
C Rafael Bruno
A 19-year-old catcher from Florida Atlantic University Bruno was a standout as a freshman leading the team with hits and third in homers. The 6’5 catcher can hit but his fielding has to be worked on. Bruno may slide over to first base in the future. MLB ETA 2021 and player comparison is Carlos Santana
Round 2 Pick 40
1B Jamaal McWilliams
Jamaal drafted out of Georgia Tech is another tall guy as Jamaal also stands 6’5 but currently he has no true strengths and at the age of 22 needs to develop quickly if he wants to make the show. His current MLB ETA is 2024 and player comparison is Lucas Duda
Round 3 Pick 70
P Rickey Zager
Zager drafted out of Ohio State is a 19-year-old that has the ability to through with break and velocity with four pitches to work with. He is a pitcher that will start most games cause of his stamina he has to get through innings. MLB ETA 2022 and player comparison is Jose Quintana.
Round 7 Pick 190
P Jaime Castaneda
Jamie a short pitcher standing at 5’11 was drafted out of Farleigh Dickenson where he played last season with 1st round pick catcher Doug Lusk. He has great break in his pitches but the downfall is he is most useful as a starter but the lefty needs to develop his stamina if he wants to work long innings. MLB ETA is 2023 and player comparison James Paxton.
2019-20 Offseason Review:
Notable Retiree’s
Astros: P Joe Smith, P Justin Verlander
Blue Jays: C Russel Martin
Cubs: IF Ben Zobrist
Dodgers: P Rich Hill, LF Howie Kendrick
Indians: DH Edwin Encarnacion
Orioles: P Darren O’Day
Pirates: P Malcom Henderson (Double-AA)
Rangers: P Cole Hamels
Red Sox: 1B Hanley Ramirez
Royals: LF Alex Gordan
Twins: P Pat Neshek
Free Agents: DH Jose Bautista, LF Matt Holiday
Top 10 Free Agents
1. 1B Paul Goldschimdt (Qualified Offer Made)- signed with Blue Jays 10 years/246.5M
2. 2B Brian Dozer (Qualified Offer Made)- signed with Dodgers 9 year/ 227.7M
3. CF Charlie Blackmon (Qualified Offer Made)- signed with Phillies 4 years/106.9M
4. 2B DJ LeMahieu (Qualified Offer Made)- signed with Padres 6 year/ 110.1M
5. CP Zach Britton- signed with Cubs 5 year/46.6M
6. SP Dallas Keuchel- signed with Pirates 4 years/50.2M
7. AJ Pollock- signed with Nationals 6 years/91.2M
8. Alcides Escobar- signed with Blue Jays 2 years/12.6M
9. Hector Rondon- signed with Angels 3 years/9M
10. Matt Kemp- signed with Rangers 1 year/3.7M
Notable Pirates Offseason Moves:
Expired Contracts
AJ Schugel- free agent
Daniel Hudson- resigned 1 year and $2.1M
David Freese- free agent
Ivan Nova- free agent
Richard Rodriguez- resigned 3 year and $1.3M
Sean Rodriguez- free agent
Starling Marte- resigned 4 years and $34M
Todd Cunningham- free agent
Wade LeBlanc- resigned 1 year and $460K
Signings:
P- Dallas Kuechel for 4 years and $50.2M
P- Lance Lynn for 2 years and $3.6M
3B- Marwin Gonzalez for 1 year and $8.2M
Trades:
Pirates trade P Drew Pomeranz to the Blue Jays for SS Lourdes Gurriel Jr., P Brian Ibanez and C Andy Hauta
Pirates trade P Tyler Glansnow, CF Clint Frazier and SS Benny Angel to the Marlins for CF Christian Yelich
Pirates trade 3B Andres Blanco to Mets for P David Peterson
Other:
Released C Francisco Cervelli
Released 3B Jae-gyun Hwang
Removed RF Jordan Luplow from 40-Man roster
Added P Brian Cruz and P Billy Donnelly to 40-Man Roster
Top Pirate Stories of the Offseason
We get Pitching
In one of the most suprising moves of the offseason the Pirates sign last season Cy Young winner in Keuchel. Dallas went 20-5 last season with the Astros with a ERA of 3.32 and 181 strikeouts. The signing of Keuchel has shown the fans of the Pirates that they may be going all in this season. Keuchel who will be the leader of the staff. The 31-year-old will be tied as the oldest in the staff along with Lance Lynn who spent the last two seasons with the Rangers. Last season we went 7-5 with a 4.95 ERA as the Rangers didn’t give him much help. With the two new pitchers the Pirates have tremendously strengthened their rotation and may be able to lead them into the postseason.
We Shop the Market
Another blockbuster deal we made this offseason was the acquisition of All-Star center fielder Christian Yelich. Yelich has been with the Marlins his whole career as last season he had a career high average at .306, homeruns at 24 and second career high in RBI’s at 72. With Yelich being added to the lineup we bulk up the middle of our offense and allow protection to Marte, Bell and Polanco. Yelich will now slide in at starting CF and take the place of Andrew Toles who will be a bench option. In the trade we did send two top prospects in Frazer, who we got in the Gerrit Cole deal, and high draft pick in 2019 SS Benny Angel. Though we also traded P Drew Pomeranz who pitched horrible last season and got a haul back in 3 prospects as we get a great deal. Finally, in a salary dump we send Andres Blanco to the Mets for P David Peterson.