2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

[eman11]

Alright Pirates fans, it's about that time of year again! Cutch is the cover boy and Baseball America ranked us as a Top 10 farm system, so it should be a fun, enjoyable version of "The Show".

Think we had a good thread last year, figured I'd start one again for this year. Everyone seemed to have editing roles last year, but I'd be happy to jump in and help beyond this forum if needed.

I'll post some links and maybe a preliminary list of potentials...any and all opinions are of course welcome.

[eman11]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Minor League Ball

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/11/24/3686110/pittsburgh-pirates-top-20-prospects-for-2013

Baseball America

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2013/2614547.html

Jonathan Mayo

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2013/ipad/#list=pit

Pirates Prospects

http://www.piratesprospects.com/2013/02/pittsburgh-pirates-2013-top-20-prospects.html

Keith Law (insider)

Cole, Taillon, Hanson, Polanco, Heredia (all in Top 100), Bell, Barnes, Kingham, Mathisen, Holmes

[eman11]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Here's a preliminary list of guys who could be A's/B's...not sure how many guys can be created so didn't want to get into C's/D's, but I figure the A's and B's will be in no matter what. Also not sure how many A's/B's other systems will be given, so I'm starting off conservatively.

A's:

Gerrit Cole - SP
Jameson Taillon - SP
Luis Heredia - SP
One of Gregory Polanco, Alen Hanson, Josh Bell - OF, SS, OF

B's:

2 of Polanco, Hanson, Bell
Barrett Barnes - OF
Clayton Holmes - SP
Wyatt Mathisen - C
Dilson Herrera - 2B

So, that's 10 total. 4 A's and 6 B's. Not too crazy, and obviously there are plenty of guys who could be debated/replaced/added.

Guys who crossed my mind as other options were Kingham (SP), Black (RP), Glasnow (SP), and Dickerson (1B) since he won FSL POY his first season.

[BDKiiing]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't know too much about the Pirates farm system, but is Erik Cordier good enough to make it onto the roster?

[dingleberryfinn]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't know too much about the Pirates farm system, but is Erik Cordier good enough to make it onto the roster?

He's not a top prospect, but since he may make the AA or AAA bullpen,
he may make it on an updated OSFM roster, IMO.
But realistically I wouldn't look for him to be on the first OSFM roster put out.

[eman11]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't know too much about the Pirates farm system, but is Erik Cordier good enough to make it onto the roster?

I have no idea, mainly because I'm not sure how many roster spots we'll have/we can create. He looks like he's at the AAA level, though, so that'll likely give him an advantage since he's more likely to make the majors than some of the A-ball fillers that we create.

I'll keep him in mind for sure when we decide on the final list of guys.

[GoBucs09]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Here's a preliminary list of guys who could be A's/B's...not sure how many guys can be created so didn't want to get into C's/D's, but I figure the A's and B's will be in no matter what. Also not sure how many A's/B's other systems will be given, so I'm starting off conservatively.

A's:

Gerrit Cole - SP
Jameson Taillon - SP
Luis Heredia - SP
One of Gregory Polanco, Alen Hanson, Josh Bell - OF, SS, OF

B's:

2 of Polanco, Hanson, Bell
Barrett Barnes - OF
Clayton Holmes - SP
Wyatt Mathisen - C
Dilson Herrera - 2B

So, that's 10 total. 4 A's and 6 B's. Not too crazy, and obviously there are plenty of guys who could be debated/replaced/added.

Guys who crossed my mind as other options were Kingham (SP), Black (RP), Glasnow (SP), and Dickerson (1B) since he won FSL POY his first season.

Usually we end up creating between 50 and 55 guys to round out the roster.

Here's my list by Position.

Catcher - Level - Potential - Note
Sanchez - AAA - C - Not Franchise Catcher but will provide quality D
May - AAA - D - Minor League depth (no MLB AB last year)
Paulino - AA - C (maybe D) - Can hit and okay Defense
Cutler - AA - D (maybe F) - Minor Leage depth (Extra?)
Jhang - A - C (maybe B) - Good bat, good defense.
Mathisen - A - C (maybe B) - Good bat, raw defensivly though.

*** Hopefully one of Jhang or Mathisen have a breakout year ***

First Base - Level - Potential - Note
Curry - AAA - D (maybe C) - Matt Hague v2.0?
Dickerson - AA - C - Hopefully he does better this year
Ozuna - A - C - little as far batting avg but good power (Extra)

Second Base - Level - Potential - Note
Hernandez - AAA - D - Minor league depth
Cunningham - AA - C - Might prove to be a decent bench guy.
Tejeda - AA - D - young but probably minor league depth.
Herrera - A - B -

Short Stop - Level - Potential - Note
Gonzalez AA - C - Okay bat and good defense
Ngoepe - AA - C - No bat (some power) but great speed and defense
Maggi - AA - D - No bat but great speed and defense (Extra?)
Hanson - A - B (maybe A) - Looks good all around

Third Base - Level - Potential - Note
Goedert - AAA D - Minor league depth (Extra?)
Welch - AA - C - With Dickerson at 1B, Welch will play 3B, Hague 3.0
Farrell - AA - D - Minor league depth (Extra?)

Left Field - Level - Potential - Note
Santos - AAA - C - He can hit, might be a decent bench option
Grovatt - AA - D - doesn't hit for average and power is ?
Garcia - A - C - Okay average and good power

Center Field - Level - Potential - Note
Rojas - AA - C - Good defensive skills and decent speed
Chambers - AA - D (maybe C) - Didn't pan out, minor league depth now
Polanco - A - B (maybe A) - Marte 2.0 but with more power?
Barnes - A - B (maybe C) - Good tools and debut

Right Field - Level - Potential - Note
Lambo - AAA - C (maybe D) - Still semi-young but hasn't done much
Ford - AA - D - Minor league depth
Bell - A - B (maybe A) - Still has amazing talent and young

Starting Pitcher - Level - Potential - Note
Cole - AAA - A - Will make MLB debut this year
Irwin - AAA - C - Good control
Colla - AAA - C -
Cumpton - AAA - C -
Taillon - AA - A - Slim chance to make MLB dubut this year (Sep?)
Pimentel - AA - C -
Pribanic - AA - C -
Waldron - AA - D -
Baker - AA - D -
Preda - AA - D - (Extra)
Heredia - A - A - Upside top of rotation
Kingham - A - B - Upside middle rotation innings eater
Holmes - A - B -
Glasnow - A - B -
Von Rosenberg - A - C -
Sampson - A - C -
Burnette - A - C - (Extra)


Relief Pitcher - Level - Potential - Note
Bromberg - AAA - D - Minor league depth (Extra?)
Inman - AA - C -
Alderson - AA - C -
Strickland - AA - C -
Thornton - AA - D -
Navarro - AA - D -
Beckman - AA - D -

Closer - Level - Potential - Note
Black - AAA - B - Sits at 94-96, touches 98, good stuff, poor control

*** Black will probably make his debut this year as middle releif ***

FYI: I stared low for grades. Looks like I gave the Pirates 3 A's, 9 B's, 25 C's and 18 D's. We'll have to see how that compares to what other teams look like for OSFM.

[KHarmo88]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Hey guys... I've been using these rosters the past couple of years and really appreciate all of your hard work. If there's anything I can help with let me know!

[GoBucs09]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

I don't know too much about the Pirates farm system, but is Erik Cordier good enough to make it onto the roster?

Erik Cordier is a relief pitcher who appears to be slated for Indy. It's usually tough to get Minor League relief pitchers included because usually they make the roster because of an injury to another pitcher.

There may be a spot or two (since Stewart was claimed off waivers), I'll do some research and try to figure out how much playing time Cordier is likely to get this year (if it's a decent amount, he'll be included).

[joshize]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Good start... I'm excited to see how this all comes together this year. Last year, a lot of people doubted how good our farm system was, and this year it is getting the respect it deserves. Some of us were speaking of our system being better than it was spoken of. Now, we don't have to worry about ppl thinking with "unfairly" built these potentials.

I like Victor Black a lot. I think he will be a future closer in the MLB. They are rating Dickerson pretty high as well, so I think he gets a B again this year. And I think Hanson AND Bell could be A's with Polanco being a B.

I have a question:
Let's say we come down to the wire with how many A potential players we are allowed and it comes down to, for example, Bell or Hanson. How do we go about figuring out who gets what rating? Do we actually just say... "Well, Pittsburgh has their OF set for a long time, so let's make Hanson an A. The Pirates are in a serious need for a future shortstop." ?

Basically... should we be looking at these borderline players according to the Pirates' needs? Is that fair? If it could go either way?

[slyfox]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Good start... I'm excited to see how this all comes together this year. Last year, a lot of people doubted how good our farm system was, and this year it is getting the respect it deserves. Some of us were speaking of our system being better than it was spoken of. Now, we don't have to worry about ppl thinking with "unfairly" built these potentials.

I like Victor Black a lot. I think he will be a future closer in the MLB. They are rating Dickerson pretty high as well, so I think he gets a B again this year. And I think Hanson AND Bell could be A's with Polanco being a B.

I have a question:
Let's say we come down to the wire with how many A potential players we are allowed and it comes down to, for example, Bell or Hanson. How do we go about figuring out who gets what rating? Do we actually just say... "Well, Pittsburgh has their OF set for a long time, so let's make Hanson an A. The Pirates are in a serious need for a future shortstop." ?

Basically... should we be looking at these borderline players according to the Pirates' needs? Is that fair? If it could go either way?

I think it's better to just rate them according to what we think their potential is, w/out regards to needs or anything. Also, I don't like the "quota" system too much. If our system has 7 A potentials (not saying they do), we should rate those 7 players with A potentials. Those are my feelings, anyway.

[joshize]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

...Also, I don't like the "quota" system too much. If our system has 7 A potentials (not saying they do), we should rate those 7 players with A potentials. Those are my feelings, anyway.

The only problem with that is fans of other teams will think we stacked our system or something. I think I remember something like that being brought up last year. That we could only agree on a certain number of players or something? Not sure.

But also... I understand rating them like we think their actual potential is... I'm only saying if there IS, in fact, a certain number we can't go over and we have two guys on the fringe.

Btw.. Hanson #54 and Polanco #65. They are both in the Top 100 overall.

[seanjeezy]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

I think it's better to just rate them according to what we think their potential is, w/out regards to needs or anything. Also, I don't like the "quota" system too much. If our system has 7 A potentials (not saying they do), we should rate those 7 players with A potentials. Those are my feelings, anyway.

Unfortunately there needs to be a quota because too many A's will break the game... Plus, there needs to be some sort of hierarchy so the top ranked systems in real life will be tops in the game as well (which includes the Pirates). I see two easy A's and personally I think Hanson is an A-, I know Bell has a high ceiling as well but he did lose almost a year of development time and he wasn't exactly setting the world on fire when he went down. B+'s still have the chance to become A's, I think that grade fits his current situation.

[joshize]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Unfortunately there needs to be a quota because too many A's will break the game... Plus, there needs to be some sort of hierarchy so the top ranked systems in real life will be tops in the game as well (which includes the Pirates). I see two easy A's and personally I think Hanson is an A-, I know Bell has a high ceiling as well but he did lose almost a year of development time and he wasn't exactly setting the world on fire when he went down. B+'s still have the chance to become A's, I think that grade fits his current situation.

Thanks.. you say it better than I do. lol. And I agree with the Josh Bell thing. I think G Polanco made better advancements and would deserve a higher potential than Bell at this point. And truly, as a B, Bell could still end up being an impact power hitter for the Pirates. Just may not develop into much as far as AVG and speed. But for a RF... that's not a bad thing at all. I think Bell being a B will still have me keeping him around trying to develop his power throughout the system.

I mean, the way it looks, our system may just have a large number of B's, right? I mean, you can't be one of the top 10 farm systems and have just 2 or 3 A's. So if we only have 3 A's... we're going to have a lot of B's who could end up becoming A's?

[yanksdaniel99]

Re: 2013 OSFM: Pittsburgh Pirates

Unfortunately there needs to be a quota because too many A's will break the game... Plus, there needs to be some sort of hierarchy so the top ranked systems in real life will be tops in the game as well (which includes the Pirates). I see two easy A's and personally I think Hanson is an A-, I know Bell has a high ceiling as well but he did lose almost a year of development time and he wasn't exactly setting the world on fire when he went down. B+'s still have the chance to become A's, I think that grade fits his current situation.

Just to elaborate on this, # is usually 50-60 A's, some teams have 0, other teams have more then 2. I would say the Pirates are one of those teams.

I would say def. Cole and Tailon, think Hanson & Polanco are pretty close too. Would have Bell & Heredia at B+.