Pittsburgh Pirates: 2025 Season

[Amazin69]

Fiction aside, the name that leaps to mind would be Reginald Martinez Jackson, who late in 1967 joined a Kansas City A's team that hadn't had a winning record since 1948, and hadn't won a pennant since 1931. Reggie helped The Swingin' A's win 5 consecutive AL West titles and 3 consecutive World Series during his 8 seasons in the East Bay.



Reggie crying in the dugout after the A's were swept by Baltimore in the 1971 ALCS. Yes, sometimes there is crying in baseball.

"Reginald Martinez Jackson"…you're first name is white, your middle name's Latino, and your last name is black. No wonder you're so messed up. —Mickey Rivers

REGGIE: I'll have you know, I have an IQ of 175!
MICKEY: Out of what, 1000?

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

Fiction aside,

Well, the Pirates still suck so obviously Skenes isn't an Applegate plant. But Olivia Dunne might be.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

Fiction aside, the name that leaps to mind would be Reginald Martinez Jackson, who late in 1967 joined a Kansas City A's team that hadn't had a winning record since 1948, and hadn't won a pennant since 1931. Reggie helped The Swingin' A's win 5 consecutive AL West titles and 3 consecutive World Series during his 8 seasons in the East Bay.

Attachment 1062815

Reggie crying in the dugout after the A's were swept by Baltimore in the 1971 ALCS. Yes, sometimes there is crying in baseball.

I lived near San Francisco from 1963 to 1970, before my dad accepted a job overseas. I was ... 7 to 14, and a HUGE baseball fan.

Clearly, I loved the Giants first. Mays, McCovey, Juan Marichal...I could name their entire lineup, year after year. Those years, the Dodgers and Cards were very good, and it was EXCELLENT baseball.

When Charlie Finley moved the A's to Oakland, they were terrible. But...they had the nucleus of a great team, and then WERE great. Don Mincher at first, "Campy" Campaneris at short, the highly under-rated Sal Bando at third, Rick Monday at center, and one of the greatest catchers of ALL time, Gene Tenace. Catfish Hunter, Blue Moon Odom, and others.

Gene Tenace had a lifetime OPB of .388, and an OPS of 136. He only hit .241, but he had some pop in his bat. Find me a catcher with a higher OPB. I THINK there may be one or two...Cochrane, maybe?

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Well, the Pirates still suck so obviously Skenes isn't an Applegate plant. But Olivia Dunne might be.

[Complete OT] In my freshman year of college, I was in the chorus of our production of Damn Yankees, playing the Mayor of Hannibal MO and other (low-singing) roles. The highlight of the show came in one of the rehearsals, when the fellow playing Applegate (who was named Bruce and who was a Jets fan, which I remember because of Bruce Harper's time in Green and White), not yet familiar with the details of the main theater, was giving a spirited rendition of "Those Were The Good Old Days" and danced off stage left…

…only to forget that he was no longer on the apron (in front of the proscenium and curtains) but on the hydraulically-lifted "thrust stage" beyond that, and so rather than dancing off into the wings, poor Bruce actually danced off the thrust and took a 10-foot drop into the orchestra pit. Yowch.

(I forget if he only bruised his left arm in taking the fall or actually broke it, but he put it in a sling and made the run anyhow. The Show Must Go On, as even the Jets know.) [/OT]

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

Gene Tenace had a lifetime OPB of .388, and an OPS of 136. He only hit .241, but he had some pop in his bat. Find me a catcher with a higher OPB. I THINK there may be one or two...Cochrane, maybe?

Tenace probably has a very impressive Walk Rate, but his low BA holds down the OBP. Cochrane is indeed top of the list, at #21 all-time, just below active leader Juan Soto.

After that we drop down to Wally Schang at #94, Joe Mauer at #122 and only then Tenace, at #127.

(Keith Hernandez is nothing to sneeze at at #148, but can't hold a candle to Dave Magadan at #111. Clearly, the Mets made the right decision in letting Keith go to Cleveland…although Keith's non-success in Tribe colors pretty much tells you that, anyhow. [But seriously, good for Mags].)

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

[Complete OT] In my freshman year of college, I was in the chorus of our production of Damn Yankees, playing the Mayor of Hannibal MO and other (low-singing) roles. The highlight of the show came in one of the rehearsals, when the fellow playing Applegate (who was named Bruce and who was a Jets fan, which I remember because of Bruce Harper's time in Green and White), not yet familiar with the details of the main theater, was giving a spirited rendition of "Those Were The Good Old Days" and danced off stage left…

…only to forget that he was no longer on the apron (in front of the proscenium and curtains) but on the hydraulically-lifted "thrust stage" beyond that, and so rather than dancing off into the wings, poor Bruce actually danced off the thrust and took a 10-foot drop into the orchestra pit. Yowch.

(I forget if he only bruised his left arm in taking the fall or actually broke it, but he put it in a sling and made the run anyhow. The Show Must Go On, as even the Jets know.) [/OT]

Good story. I was pit orchestra in three in high school. Two were Flower Drum Song, and Fiddler On The Roof. I don't remember the third.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

Tenace probably has a very impressive Walk Rate, but his low BA holds down the OBP. Cochrane is indeed top of the list, at #21 all-time, just below active leader Juan Soto.

After that we drop down to Wally Schang at #94, Joe Mauer at #122 and only then Tenace, at #127.

(Keith Hernandez is nothing to sneeze at at #148, but can't hold a candle to Dave Magadan at #111. Clearly, the Mets made the right decision in letting Keith go to Cleveland…although Keith's non-success in Tribe colors pretty much tells you that, anyhow. [But seriously, good for Mags].)

I usually play the Pirates. I really don't like doing it but I often trade Sanguillen away due to poor OBP and poor power. Howie Haak didn't pay attention to anything except contact.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Brad K

I usually play the Pirates.

I see that. Yes, a nice view count for your Pirates Play Moneyball thread.

I usually play the Yankees. No, let me amend that. I almost always play the Yankees. The only times that I have not played the Yankees are the rare instances that I play the New York Knights.

I should branch out, and if so, I believe I will do it with the Pirates. Besides their tradition, their uniforms, and that Pittsburgh is a pretty city, I have fallen in love with PNC Park as I said here.

Look, what criteria would you choose to get out of a rut like I'm in?

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I see that. Yes, a nice view count for your Pirates Play Moneyball thread.

I usually play the Yankees. No, let me amend that. I almost always play the Yankees. The only times that I have not played the Yankees are the rare instances that I play the New York Knights.

I should branch out, and if so, I believe I will do it with the Pirates. Besides their tradition, their uniforms, and that Pittsburgh is a pretty city, I have fallen in love with PNC Park as I said here.

Look, what criteria would you choose to get out of a rut like I'm in?

I think it would be hard for people like us to play other teams. I've considered that perhaps the only answer is to play fictional.

I haven't had reason to be in Pittsburgh during baseball season for a while. But I regularly go to Pirates spring training games to see... future Yankee stars!

I had fun with Pirates Moneyball. I didn't have my system solidified until maybe page 11 or 12. I didn't expect it to get anywhere near the reads it did.

[letsgobuccos]

Going to declare the Cruz switch a success. He should settle in as an average defensive centerfielder relative to the position. That's really good defensive value.

[letsgobuccos]

Didn't think they'd get an actual prospect for Adam Frazier

[letsgobuccos]

Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Reds for Taylor Rogers and infield prospect Sammy Stafura.

Lots to digest. Hayes is a favorite who might yet be stuck batting wise. Also it's possible he might imagine being traded, but he might not imagine getting traded to your potentially biggest rival

Stafura... quick impression is... gamble prospect, and funnily enough, potentially a Hayes type.

Rogers might be a money onload, or potential one day trade person, or ???

Not really the type of trade I've been looking out for but I suppose it's a net benefit

[letsgobuccos]

There's also enough reasons not to like it for either team. Chances that either Hayes or Stafura are regular 2+ win players are not that good.

[letsgobuccos]

David "The Renegade" Bednar to the Yankees.

Return is catchers Rafael Flores and Edgleen Perez and center fielder Brian Sanchez.

Flores and Perez seem rather underwhelming. Perez is still in the LMs and Flores at least has a good record although he has struggled in AAA so far. Neither is above average against steal attempts.

Sanchez looks like a genuine, though not can't miss, center field prospect.