Pittsburgh Pirates - A new beginning...

[moore4807]

Your 2019 American League All Star voting results and A.L. All Star Rosters

[moore4807]

Your 2019 National League All Star voting results and N.L. All Star Rosters

[moore4807]

Disappointing... bewildered... frustrated... All these feelings run through GM Moore's mind as he watches the end of this game.

two run lead in the top of the ninth, WHERE is our closer? It's what he is paid to DO!

Josh Lindgren is a nice player, but NOW is not the time to be messing with a WIN!?!?!?

<sighs loudly> stays in owners skybox for an hour before going home, but he goes nowhere near the clubhouse.

GM Moore is watching BNN baseball show and sees Texas-Minnesota game from yesterday, it shows LF Joey Gallo getting plunked and immediately flying out to the mound where a brawl ensues. The pitcher, Fernando Romero, didn't stand a chance against Gallo who threw at least three punches before he was taken down by a Twins player. The end result according to the broadcast is LF Gallo gets 4 games and the Minnesota P gets two games suspension.

Well a few days with no baseball, plenty of work to do, but no baseball games awaits...

[moore4807]

I broke down the lists to Batters and Pitchers,

Batters -
1) 1B Bell is overall #1, even though he is under contract for one more year for peanuts, you HAVE to give him a money contract for his performance here.

2)SS Iglesias is my priority after signing Bell. He doesn't want to negotiate right now, which is fine. Not signing him until after the season is done is ok too.

3) OF Jason Martin moves up here, since Melky Cabrera wants $3M a year still, I cant do that with the depth behind him. I offered Melk-Man $1.25M per for two years plus bonuses. He got P.O.'d and refused to negotiate after that. If I was gonna pay $3M+ for an OF I would have kept Polanco and Frazier...

4) P Jesus Liranzo, P Justin Steele, and P Jake Brentz were offered minor league extensions, if they say no I'm willing to go $750K on each for 3 years as top offer.

5) OF Gassaway and 1B Pimentel got same minor league extension offers, will do the same as the pitchers above $750K for 3 years.

I cant give P Bumgarner $13M in any way shape or form. So he's a rental for the year.

My criteria is if your under 25 and at least two stars potential, you got offered a minor league contract extension.

All others - nice knowing ya!

[moore4807]

We slipped in the power rankings to 18th. That means I have to remind the Manager and Coaches to get on the players, we haven't won anything, so busting their humps isn't over yet!

In our minor league awards the -A West Virginia Black Bears of the NY/Penn league gave LF Brendt Citta it's P.O.T.W. for Citta's performance this past week. Citta's scouting report doesn't paint too bright a picture, but players have used this to springboard to greater heights than the scouts expected too.

Finally the L.A. Dodgers have made a trade offer that totally disinterests me, I have no real desire to move a good player to a dominant team like the top three Dodgers. I will take the opportunity to shake the Dodgers prospects tree to see if something juicy falls out though.

[moore4807]

After looking through the Dodgers farm system with Head Scout Joe DelliCarri and his staff, we found a potential diamond in the rough. 19 y/o SS Albert J Suarez is a well above average defensive SS/2B with a high BA potential and slightly below average eye, or if OSA ratings are to be believed, Albert J is a medium contact - medium power prospect again with a slightly below average eye. Either way he's worth a look and see what L.A. wants for him. Later in the day GM Andrew Freidman calls back and outside the usual suspects, they ask about 27 y/o OF Joe Spitz's availability. We hadn't even considered that possibility since Spitz was considered a low minors journeyman... One call to Joe DelliCarri and he says "jump on that deal!" I call back GM Friedman and quickly accept before he can change his mind.

We filed the paperwork with the league office, then as I'm getting ready to say goodnight to a long day at the job - a quick thought runs through my head about Toronto. RP Axford is only earning league minimum salary, would Toronto accept either P Gant or a comparable player? I go back in and make a phone call not thinking that GM Ross Atkins would still be in work, but surprisingly he was there, and further surprised to hear from me. I pitch my trade proposal and before I even got done my pitch, he said "I accept"...
So this time I start the trade process myself and just leave a voicemail for Asst. GM Neal Huntington and Head Scout Joe DelliCarri about the trade.

I laugh thinking about what Manager Clint Hurdle said to me a week or so ago about making more trades than the rest of the league combined! What's that number now? I wondered as I shut off the lights to go home after 9pm.

[moore4807]

I called and left a message on my secretary's voicemail that I was going to sleep in and wouldn't be there until 9am or after. So of course I'm sleeping good at 730am when my cell phone starts ringing loudly. I eventually fumble it open and of course the call has gone to voicemail. As I try to bring up my voicemail my phone starts ringing again, and I answer it. Its the owner Bob Nutting, hes' asking if I'm going to be at the All Star game tonight? I said no that we had planned for staff and employees were going to have a nice BBQ on the infield of the stadium and watch the game on the jumbo screen. I had to credit Penny Layne with the idea and set up though... and when I'm done speaking... silence... uh-oh I think... "Boss?" He answers, but is clearly not happy, I'm torn between feeling bad for Penny for not inviting the boss, or what exactly is happening that I'm not aware of is my sudden fear...

Apparently the problem isn't with us, according to the boss, its with him! He made arrangements with the other owners for two skyboxes at the game for networking and backslapping, but he forgot that I haven't been through a All-Star Game festivity yet. I tell him I can call my wife and we can be in Philly in 3 hours. He says no - just stay there and he will handle it out in Philly... Now I feel a little bummed out, but quickly shower and dress for the short trip to the office.

After finding out that I (of course) didn't file the paperwork correctly with the MLB office, Eleanor Rigby fixes it and I only find out from a phone call from Toronto's GM Atkins, who calls me to tell me about my "incompetence"!! When I ask him if he did his paperwork he replies "Of course not!!!" We share a laugh and GM Atkins starts hinting around he is interested in more trades with Pittsburgh. I tell him to make me an offer and see Penny Layne at my door. I make my goodbyes and invite the "boss" in.

We chitchat and she doesn't know anything about the bosses not coming, she left invites with his secretary, but hasn't heard back yet... So I tell her about my conversation with him at 730am... Penny is mortified - but also sympathetic, she didn't think I was coming because previous GM's went with the owner to the A.S.G.

So I stay and attend the BBQ with my wife, the employees are appreciative and the food is great. We moan the loss of the NL in the game but cheered wildly when 1B Josh Bell and 2B Kevin Kramer played and batted.

[moore4807]

Here is the Toronto trade with P Gant for P Axford. The trade leaked out to the press early of course. but it's not all bad.

Also CF Trayvon Robinson is coming off IL, we will do some games at AAA on rehab before bringing him back up

[moore4807]

It's way too soon to be anointing this kid the next big thing, but its one of the reasons I point out WHY I don't want overage players blocking up lower level leagues for these younger players. Why is this kid hitting .355 or better in DSL, without getting called up to see if he can handle the next level???

Also in MLB news, the Dodgers found their man in P Clayton Richard a 35 y/o journeyman, from the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays got a couple of minor leaguers in exchange. Here's hoping Clayton doesn't find new life behind that powerful Dodgers offense.

[moore4807]

Coming up into our weekend road trip series against the Cubs, the next week away vs. the Cardinals, Mgr Clint Hurdle and I have our meeting before the coaches are brought in for a general meeting. Much like I got a report evaluation from my Boss, I gave Clint a report too.

I'm overall happy with the club coming out of the break, but some things are just sticking with me about decisions Clint has made that backfired. My words are not taken badly, more like the constructive criticism it was supposed to be, and I appreciate the Managers professionalism here.

We let the coaches in along with the Asst. GM Neal Huntington, and Head Scout Joe DelliCarri for the final roster decisions before we leave for Chicago. Most of the decisions were made already by Clint and I, but we give our crew a chance for input and see if we are missing anything through the groups eyes.
1) We are not carrying 13 pitchers for the next two series, everybody is fresh (except 1B Bell and 2B Kramer). Since Melk-Man is balking at our offer, it's time to see if our OF farm hands are ready for a promotion. The group nearly unanimously picks RF Myles Straw, the only objector is Neal Huntington who thinks he isn't ready for MLB level competition. We assure him that if Myles is overmatched we will look for other options, so we don't ruin the kid.
2) Ok who off the pitching roster goes down for now? JT Brubaker is again both our pick and the groups pick. He won't be happy but its always a numbers game and he isn't going to be far away with our injury bug this year.

We turn the meeting over to Neal for a report on our Minors. he covers our AAA batters to watch;
A) SS Cole Tucker is playing well and pushing hard to be promoted to MLB. Neal thinks he may be either a trade card in the next month if we can sign SS Iglesias, or next years competition for SS Newman here in Pittsburgh.
B) 1B/LF Ryon Healy has seemed to adjust to playing LF, although he is nowhere near proficient at it yet. His batting is picked up and he's hitting .278 with 5HR's after a slow start. Neal thinks Healy will be our LF in Pittsburgh next year simply because of his power potential.
C) 3B KeBryan Hayes had a short call-up last month, KeBryan showed us he has the leather to play here, just not yet with the lumber. Good chance for next year as he matures at AAA.
D) OF Jason Martin is a recent callup from AA Altoona where he was just too good a player for that level. He will get a good shot now to showcase his skills and we will get a better idea where he slots in our plans.

The meeting has to be cut short here as the flight is getting ready to leave in a couple hours and the coaching staff needs time to pack their stuff.

[moore4807]

While we couldn't lock up 1B Josh Bell long term, we did get him to sign a one year pact. We paid $8M which some would see as overpaying, but he is single handedly the most popular Pirates player in MLB, he finished 2nd overall in voting to Dodgers 3B Justin Turner in all star votes and his signing raised interest in our Pirates club. Case closed for me, I'm now going to start getting him to think long term signing in 3-5 year range.

I signed Minor league OF Jason Martin to a one year deal @$750K, if he impresses, its cheap reserve price, if he fails its a price I can still move to another team without squawking too much.

Also signed to minor league extensions are 24 y/o SP Justin Steele, 24 y/o RP Jake Brentz, 23 y/o RP Angel German, 24 y/o RP Jesus LIranzo… and unknown to me (I'll have to talk to Neal about this...) 35 y/o 1B Adam Lind. These players are now wrapped up until next year.

[moore4807]

We didn't trade anyone!

We are starting a three game set in Chicago (N) tonight and our scouting report is below.

in the whirlwind of things happening, SP Jameson Taillon and SP Matt Showmaker both went on IL rehab stints in AAA, both will not be for all 30 days unless a problem occurs.

Apparently Neal Huntington also made an offer to our 28 y/o C Steve Baron to a minor league extension, who promptly accepted it.

St. Louis has traded 2 minor leaguers to the Baltimore Orioles for SP Nate Karns. Karns (3-11 6.10 ERA) will surely benefit from playing behind the Cardinals offense, but we'll see how it plays out.

The NYM have decided to entrust CL Blake Treinen with either set up or closer duties, in return the Mets shipped 2 minor league position players to Oakland to complete the deal.

[moore4807]

Hmmm, go back to last Box Score and find me whining and complaining about us not using our closer...
P Quintana throws 8IP, 1H, 1R, 2BB, 7K's and leaves a 5-1 lead for the Cubs closer. This turns into a three pitcher collapse and a 10 run 9th inning for the Pirates.

1B Bell - what can you say? he waits until the moment is right, then gets his club in position to win with one HR, then slams the lid on the coffin with his 2nd HR.

What a way to start this series!

[moore4807]

We get a trade offer from Milwaukee's GM David Stearns, while I would normally say I'll look it over, the problem here is LHP Claudio isn't even close to average on his stuff, his movement and control are well above average, but he's lugging a 4.43 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP here. the Pirates are well stocked at LHP right now, which is strike two, and strike three is I'm not helping a divisional competitor halfway through the season!

Remember when I said the Dodgers were a top three ballclub? Well check out the lumber thumping those Dodgers applied to the Red Sox yesterday. 22-2! I know, I know, everybody has a stinker once in a while, but it just goes to show you - the Dodgers are able to rise above the grind and put on a show like that... wow!

[moore4807]

No 9th inning heroics found here... 2nd straight 220pm afternoon game, with another on tap for tomorrow.

SP Joe Musgrove was continually getting out of jams each inning, driving up his pitch counts, Musgrove was done after the league minimum (5.2IP 10H, 5R, 1BB, 5K's) to win a game, only problem is he was down 5-1...

Chicago(N) pitcher Yu Darvish pitched a 6 hitter over 8 innings, giving up 3 walks and striking out 5 for the win. Darvish (6-6) pushed his win/loss record to .500 with the win while Musgrove dropped to 3-9 on the season.

In other MLB games that occurred tonight TB RF Joe McCarthy (ok I said who? too) had 5 hits and one was a two run HR in the 9th inning. Got to get my Joe (Head Scout DelliCarri) to check out this "Joe"

[moore4807]

Locally we have signed OF Randolph Gassaway to a minor league contract, meaning nearly all of our potential targeted free agents are under contract now.

My ARZ GM "Mike" sent me a trade offer that... totally underwhelmed me! And I thought we were "friends" lol... ARZ P Andrew Chafin isn't going to knock anybody's socks off at this age, and I again point to our abundance of LHP in my rejection letter to him.

My "Joe" got right on scouting the Tampa Bay Ray's "Joe"... McCarthy. You can read it below along with his player sheet from this year. It's pretty apparent he isn't the steak, just the one game sizzle.

Finally Cal Quantrill from San Diego Padres now knows what "Heartbreak Hill" is in MLB... In his first game back after pitching in his first All Star game, P Quantrill tears his UCL and is lost for the season. Ouch, that's tough luck!

[moore4807]

You know I thought I had a good feeling about this team. but to borrow an old phrase from the then Indians Manager Mike Hargrove "It could just be gas.."

SP Bumgarner (2-6 / 7-8) is getting a ton of bad luck lately. He only gave up six hits in as many innings, but the Cubs managed to score three times on him and with no offensive run support, that makes it hard to win.

Turns out Asst. GM Neal Huntington is right, RF Myles Straw (.091BA) does indeed appear overmatched by MLB pitching although his speed once on the base paths makes him a formidable weapon. Getting him on base (OBP) is something he will need to work on in AAA for now.

[moore4807]

Our Pirates had a busy week going on. Yes they lost the series to the Cubs, were pretty much overmatched throughout the series, save one gigantic 9th inning, and had a couple of trade offers that were not really credible.

Wait, did I say trade offers? We have another one brewing and its not nearly as lopsided, but does entail a LHP for one of our RHP. Minnesota Twin's GM Thad Levine is offering left handed RP Andrew Vasquez for our right hand RP Kyle Crick. both players stats sheets and scouting reports are listed below.

This one is going to take a bit of thinking, Asst. GM Neal Huntington opines that its a pretty even transaction, with Vasquez holding slightly better control numbers than Crick. Crick is an auto renew for next year's salary @ $581,500 while Vasquez is league minimum $555,000 through this year.

DEAR READERS: I am openly inviting your opinions on this trade. There are good arguments and points to be made for trading P Crick and also keeping him here.

[moore4807]

1B Josh Bell is taking a lot of good natured ribbing from his teammates after being named the NL Player Of The Week for his **4** games played along with 2B Kevin Kramer (includes ASG stats apparently - the rest of the Pirates only got credit for 3 games). They are calling Bell " Short Week Hero" to needle him.

In Eastern League action, Altoona Curve 1B Will Craig has garnered P.O.T.W. honors for his performance. Craig has spent most of the season at AA, although he hit .400 in his cup of coffee stop at AAA Indianapolis this season.

This weeks power rankings show the Pirates have dropped to 21st place, but were gonna shrug that off considering it was only 3 games this week.

Batting and hitting stats for the week, obviously 1B Josh Bell looks good with a .429 BA, 6 for 15 batting with 2 HR's, and 5 RBI, is a good week for a 6 game schedule let alone a 4 game one.

We are demoting RF Myles Straw to bring CF Trayvon Robinson back from his rehab stint. RP Corbin Clouse, RP Jacob Lindgren are going to AAA to make room for SP Jameson Taillon and SP Matt Shoemaker off their short rehabilitation period.

[moore4807]

While this weeks rosters in pitching don't hold many surprises of starters over relievers, the position players sure do - CF Pablo Reyes is going to continue to start in CF against RH and switch to play LF against LH. CF Trayvon Robinson will start against LHP and be a defensive replacement for LF & CF when playing RHP.

In MLB news its a trade that's been coming a long time... Longtime Blue Jays CF Kevin Pillar is changing his uniform for a Indians one. Toronto came away from the trade with two minor leaguers who are not predicted to make a lot of noise in the near future...

Finally MLB trivia question Which 3B leads the league in Caught Stealing while playing 3B? answer below...