2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

[mjb2124]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I'm very pleased with what the Pirates have in the farm, but I do still have questions about whether or not they can develop the talent they have, since it's been a problem in the past. I don't quite know if I buy their coaching at the developmental level.

The point is, they have two "sure things" in Cutch and Alvarez, and a solid group of pitchers. And then a ton of depth to use to build around them. I'm not surprised that they rank our farm system lower right now, since it's right after the trades. Wait a year or two, to see how these players progress, then see where we're ranked.

That's my problem as well. I don't trust the Pirates to develop the talent they have. The "sure things" are just that...it's the guys who could go either way which make or break many organizations. I'm not sold that the Pirates have the staff in the minors to develop those players.

If they don't develop those players, it will be Cutch and Alvarez and a bunch of filler...which will result in 90-100 losses. I'm all for depth, but it's got to be talented depth and I'm not sure that's what the Pirates have.

As I type this, Duke is getting shelled. If he fails like I think he will, I'm going to be annoyed. I was saying for months that he should be traded at his peak.

On an interesting note, I ran into Matt Capps at Chik-Fil-A in Cranberry today during lunch. He was there with his wife and his wife's mother for about 10-15 minutes and then left. Not 1 person approached him (nor am I sure anyone else recognized him). I also ran into Jack Wilson at a Brewsters in Cranberry about 1-2 months ago...same thing...not 1 person approached him. It seems a lot of these guys live up here - can't blame them, it's a great area. Makes me wonder how many Steelers could go out like that and not get recognized? Troy P lives a few streets over from me, but you never see him outside. Marvel Smith used to live there as well, but moved once he was traded. Never saw him outside the house either.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

The Bryan Morris situation is what scares me. Makes me think "Is he actually a bust, or did we make him a bust?" not that he's a bust yet, but he certainly hasn't impressed. It really makes the Jason Bay trade look bad, considering Moss/Hansen have both been useless, and Andy LaRoche looks like nothing more than a solid player on a good day, and has had a pretty rough season. Certainly doesn't look like the offensive force we wanted him to be. I still look at that trade as Neal's first miss. Regardless of how Morris/LaRoche turn out, we got a pitiful return from Boston for giving them our best player. While LA didn't give up much of anything to get Manny Ramirez.

LA gave up little, to get a player that they needed, who has been awesome for them. Boston gave up a player who they HAD to give up, and two really mediocre young players, to get a player they needed, who has been awesome for them. The Pirates gave up a player they didn't have to give up, to get two players who have already failed at MLB level, one prospect who dropped off the face of the planet and was losing playing time to Blake DeWitt in LA, and one decent prospect who is a project, and probably won't even see the MLB until 2011 at the earliest.

It's like everybody won except the Pirates. That trade still drives me nuts.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Was thinking, depending on how bad we finish, maybe we have a shot at Harper next season in the draft. Imagine a future lineup featuring him with Pedro and Cutch. Only problem is he's about 3-5 years away from the MLB. It's imperative that the Pirates start their turnaround as early as next season.

[mjb2124]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

It's imperative that the Pirates start their turnaround as early as next season.

Do you really think that's going to happen? I think they're still 2 years away...unless they go out and sign a few FA's to solidify a few positions. I guess it depends on what you mean by turnaround. To me, that means closing in on .500 at this point. As it stands now, if that same team takes the field next year, they'll lose 100 games IMO.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I mean start their turnaround. As in, show SOME signs of progress. They don't have to be .500, but at least put out a ballclub that isn't an embarrassment. Mainly, I want to see their young talent come out and impress. Show us that they didn't drop the ball this year with the trades. I want to see Alderson, Alvarez, maybe Tabata, Lincoln, all on the MLB club next season.

[BurghFan]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates are just so hard to figure out sometimes. First the lose what 12 or 14 games then turn around and sweep a team they had lost to 17 of the past 18 tries or something like that. Now with tonights win, they've won 4 straight. It seems like they tend to get streaky, unfortunately the majority of those streaks are of the cold variety.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I like the way the Pirates young players have responded to a series with Philly. Their season is long over, they're playing a playoff team, so they step it up. This is the kind of stuff you just didn't see from the Pirates of the past 5 years.

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

They play well at home (winning record I believe).

But I would disagree. The Pirates used to love to go on these late-year spurts that would always save DL's job -- of course he made these spurts at the cost of not bringing up the young players and so on.

[baseball66]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

any chance the pirates will call alderson up for sept?

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

any chance the pirates will call alderson up for sept?

Nope.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't recall many late season spurts of the past few years. They just die after the All-Star break and become embarrassingly terrible.

McCutchen has been so awesome. I hope he wins ROTY, because out of every rookie I've seen, save for maybe Tommy Hanson, he looks the most legit. We were questioning where his power would end up being at, but wow has he impressed. He's basically leading the team in RBI's from the leadoff spot, since we have no power hitters.

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't recall many late season spurts of the past few years. They just die after the All-Star break and become embarrassingly terrible.

McCutchen has been so awesome. I hope he wins ROTY, because out of every rookie I've seen, save for maybe Tommy Hanson, he looks the most legit. We were questioning where his power would end up being at, but wow has he impressed. He's basically leading the team in RBI's from the leadoff spot, since we have no power hitters.

Yeah, he says he is a leadoff hitter, but I could see him hitting in the 3-hole sooner rather than later.

And while the Pirates died last year, I think you'd be surprised how many years the Pirates have at the very least tried to make late-season pushes under DL. It was his classic move because he'd try to get people to believe going into the next year they would keep up the momentum.

PS, still not in love with Hanson. BB rate is iffy as is the fly-ball rate. Not saying he's not going to be good, but I see him more as a 2-3 than an "ace" at this point.

[steelcurtain311]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Dan McCutchen debuted yesterday in game 1. Damn game wasn't televised so I didn't see it. His line looked okay though.

[ChaseB]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Dan McCutchen debuted yesterday in game 1. Damn game wasn't televised so I didn't see it. His line looked okay though.

He looked good. Kept the ball down, was running it up there at 95 on multiple occasions, and had a really nice split-finger changeup working -- watched the game online.

[BurghFan]

Re: 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates

Dan McCutchen debuted yesterday in game 1. Damn game wasn't televised so I didn't see it. His line looked okay though.

In front of 2,000 fans I heard. That's pretty sad when you get that few people to attend a game in a 42,000 seat stadium even considering it was a makeup game on a weekday afternoon.

Garrett Jones isn't showing any signs of letting up with the bat. He had another HR tonight and now has I think 17 on the season. Neal Walker made his ML debut with a pinch hit ground out that almost snuck through the gap for a hit. At this point, it seems unlikely that he will ever live up to the expectations the Pirates had for him when he was their #1 pick back in '04.