Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
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Crimson's Ghost
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Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
Just a quick rundown of where the Pirates stand with their roster with a position by position look, and possible areas of where they can look to make deals before the trade deadline. I also breakdown how the schedule plays out over the next few months.
Catcher
The Pirates are incredibly strong at the catcher position these days, and that's hard to imagine after losing Russell Martin to free agency. Francisco Cervelli has emerged as one of the better all around catchers in the National League. He has been nothing short of outstanding in replacing Martin, and he has exceeded every expectation I think anyone had of him heading into this season. Chris Stewart is more than an adequate backup, and has served as Gerrit Cole's personal catcher as well earning him at least a start or two a week. There is not much of a drop-off when he is out there.
In the event one of those two go down, Tony Sanchez is a guy with some major league experience that can also handle the bat a little bit, despite his poor showing in AAA right now. Beyond that, the Pirates have well-regarded 24 year old prospect, Elias Diaz, also waiting in the wings of AAA. No moves need to be made here, they have four solid options in the organization right now.
First Base
The Pirates will continue to ride with Pedro Alvarez most of the time at first base. He is pretty much a known commodity at this point in his career as to what he can do with the bat. Alvarez is a streaky average hitter mixed in with great power, and he isn't ever going to be anything more than that. We have found out he is just plain bad at defense, and it does not matter what position he plays. He can get hot at any time, and is good for a big hit and still provides a threat of power in the lineup.
Travis Ishikawa was brought on for some help at a low risk signing a week ago. He has not done much yet in his brief time here, as he is 1-8 in his current stint with the Pirates. Ishikawa at least seems like a slight upgrade over the rehabbing, Corey Hart. Sean Rodriguez is the current first base platoon option against lefties, and his batting has cooled off after a modest start. Still, S-Rod is pretty good with the glove, and has some value on this team with his versatility.
With little in AAA to turn to for help, it would make a lot of sense to add something before the deadline. Alvarez can hold down batting against right handers as it stands. He is streaky and yet still one of the better power hitters in the NL. Adding a veteran right handed first basemen would be ideal to at least platoon, but if the right name and deal comes along for an everyday guy, it's more than reasonable to give it a good hard look. Josh Bell is the first basemen of the future, but may not even get here to 2017, so adding a guy for the present and next year is a good idea with Alvarez not likely to be back next year.
Second Base
Neil Walker has really elevated his play lately. After a slow start, Walker is hitting .388 with 19 hits already in the month of July. He has given them a little power boost as well, and has given Clint Hurdle flexibility in the batting order. Obviously Walker's biggest flaw is his prowess as a right handed hitter facing lefties. Not a total concern, but not much they can do to shake up the lineup with Josh Harrison on the DL.
Like I mentioned, the Pirates could afford to give Walker a break against righties and allow Harrison to play at second, with Kang and Mercer also in the lineup. Without JHay, less of that lineup shuffling is going to happen. Walker is a guy they can't really afford to lose at this point. Rodriguez could play their in a pinch, but wouldn't be a long term solution. I tossed around the notion of bringing up stud top 100 prospect, Alen Hanson, but that seems extremely unlikely.
Walker is fine and one of key parts to this team, but the idea of adding an extra infielder has been thrown around by some publications. A name out there is Ben Zobrist. He is 34 years old, a career .264 hitter, and a guy that can play almost anywhere. Zobrist is with Oakland now, but was a key part in Tampa's emergence the past few seasons. He would be a great fit to sure up the bench, especially with Harrison out for a while.
Third Base
I wrote on here last week my concern with Harrison being out, and Jung-ho Kang being inserted into an everyday role. The Cardinals series almost makes me want to swallow my words entirely on that prediction. Kang came up with four hits in the Padres series, and five big hits against the Cardinals. Kang became one of the hotter bats on the team just before the break.
Kang is a defensive upgrade over Harrison, and really put on a show the past 6-7 games displaying great glove work, and some excellent, yet risky base running, and has also shown the ability to come up with timely hits. Kang has a ton of upside, and we are really starting to see it develop.
Harrison will be back around the end of August, and may be moved into super utility role again if Kang continues his great play. Sean Rodriguez can likely play here in a pinch, and they have Brent Morel in AAA if they are in a an absolute emergency, but let's hope it never comes to that. No real need to make a deal here.
Shortstop
Jordy Mercer managed to go 5-15 in the final three games before the break and played a nice role offensively over the past two weeks or so overall. Mercer is hanging in the .240 range for batting average, slightly below his career .259 mark. His defense has also slipped somewhat from 2014. Despite some regression, Mercer isn't exactly a liability just yet either, as his bat is starting to come around in the recent weeks.
Jung-ho Kang could always play here if needed, and the likes of Rodriguez and Harrison seem like they can play just about anywhere. The minors do not offer much, so the Pirates have to roll with what they have, or potentially make a deal. The thing I keep mentioning is Harrison's return. He can easily replace Polanco, Kang, or Mercer as a starter whenever he does return, it all depends on who is struggling the most by then.
Adding a Troy Tulowitzki would be a major splash, and that's also a highly unlikely never-gonna-happen scenario. Jean Segura also falls into the splash category to a degree, but another unlikely plan. I don't think it's a must to trade for a shortstop, but the Pirates might as well keep their ear on things just in case.
Left Field
Starling Marte may be one of the better outfielders in the game to not have made the All Star Game. Marte blends power, speed, and defense all into one and is the perfect player for the middle of the Pirates lineup and to cover the vast territory of PNC Park's left field. Marte is on pace for his best year in the big leagues, and I still do not think we have seen of Starling Marte.
Marte is an everyday guy, and one they can ill afford to lose. I am certain that the Pirates need to make a move to add a solid fourth outfielder, and in that case the depth should take care of itself. Like I mention with just about every other position, Harrison or Sean Rodriguez can handle a spot start at any given time. A more permenant fourth outfielder, though, is a must. The "Tabata/Hernandez/whoever else they have in AAA" platoon needs upgraded.
Center Field
Andrew McCutchen is off to the races for another MVP run. He is behind the likes of Bryce Harper and Paul Goldschmidt right now, but with a strong second half and some help, he could bring home some more hardware to his collection. Cutch's walkoff against the Cardinals may be the defining play of the baseball season to date, and he just popped a big home run in the All Star game. He's a superstar in every sense of the word.
If anything happened to McCutchen, the replacement is rather simple: move Marte to center. Starling Marte could be the starting center fielder for over half the teams in the league in all honesty, so it's safe to say center would be covered if Cutch were to go on the DL. It would obviously leave a gigantic hole in the lineup, though. Like I have been saying, an extra outfielder will come in handy if anything were to come up injury wise.
Right Field
Gregory Polanco is supporting a less than desired .237 batting average at the All Star break. He has not hit for average and there has not been much power to speak of either. Polanco's best assets right now are his speed and throwing arm, but everything else is not where you would like it to be. The Pirates can continue to throw him out there everyday, because the talent is obviously there and he can work through it. He also has some momentum with a 3-4 game against the Cardinals, which included the dramatic walk off hit.
The Pirates just simply have to make a deal here. The name Jeff Francoeur has been mentioned, and he would be an upgrade over what they have as a fourth outfielder and could platoon with Polanco as the hitter against lefties. Ben Revere has been mentioned as well, and with him being a lefty it would really cut Polanco's playing time entirely. We'll see what happens.
Starting Pitching
Gerrit Cole, AJ Burnett, and Francisco Liriano have been fantastic. The team has been downright lethal when the rotation allows for them to line up 1-2-3 in a series. Perhaps in their most impressive road series of the year, the trio swept the defending world champion Giants in AT&T Park. Looking down those three in a playoff series is not anything an opposing team would want to see.
After that, you have Charlie Morton and he has had a nice season after starting the year late with an injury. I am not a believer that "wins" for a starting pitcher means a whole lot statistically speaking, because it does not paint the whole picture. In some cases, however, I think it can still be useful for certain guys. All you want from the back end of your rotation is to keep you in games, and Morton does that and his six wins are a nice stat for a pitcher like him.
At least up until the trade deadline, Jeff Locke is the fifth starter. Locke can either be really good or really bad. It would sure things up a whole lot if they can bring somebody into the mix to take his place. I doubt Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto will be dealt here, but the Bucs made a run at David Price last year supposedly, so perhaps anything is possible, right? Clay Buchholz is a peg below and would make some sense. Dan Haren is a name the Pirates have been linked to as well. I like Scott Kazmir also, but Oakland is still hanging onto some hope for now it sounds.
Relief Pitching
I think the Pirates are in a good spot with Mark Melancon and Tony Watson on the back end of the pen. Both have been very good throughout the year, Watson may have had 2-3 slip-ups and Melancon only really has had one. Melancon leads the league in saves, and has been incredibly reliable with his last earned run given up coming on May 11.
Jared Hughes hasn't given up an earned run since June 9, and has quietly had a nice year. Arquimedes Caminero has all that talent, but you would like to see a lower ERA than 4.12 at this stage of the season. Antonio Bastardo has been better of late also, but nothing to write home about for the most part. Deolis Guerra has been a pleasant surprise, and the Pirates may have found something there with the 26 year old rookie, and he could potentially be this year's John Holdzkom (Who is on the AAA DL with a 3.38 ERA to date).
Of course you have to keep Vance Worley around as the long relief man, and he's done fine in that role. Adding a reliever always makes sense, but it totally isn't a necessity. If they can find the right trade that is a sure upgrade, they should pull the trigger, but I wouldn't expect them to take on a castoff or a project again like they did last year with Ernesto Frieri.
Taking a look at the schedule
74 Games (Currently 53-35)
Home - 33 Away - 41
Teams with .500 or better record: 40 games // Below .500: 34 games
NL Central - 38 games
NL West - 20 games
NL East - 11 games
Interleague - 5 games
Brewers - 10
Reds - 10
Cardinals - 9
Cubs - 9
Rockies - 7
Dodgers - 6
Nationals - 4
Marlins - 4
Giants - 4
Royals - 3
Mets - 3
DBacks - 3
Twins - 2
Catcher
The Pirates are incredibly strong at the catcher position these days, and that's hard to imagine after losing Russell Martin to free agency. Francisco Cervelli has emerged as one of the better all around catchers in the National League. He has been nothing short of outstanding in replacing Martin, and he has exceeded every expectation I think anyone had of him heading into this season. Chris Stewart is more than an adequate backup, and has served as Gerrit Cole's personal catcher as well earning him at least a start or two a week. There is not much of a drop-off when he is out there.
In the event one of those two go down, Tony Sanchez is a guy with some major league experience that can also handle the bat a little bit, despite his poor showing in AAA right now. Beyond that, the Pirates have well-regarded 24 year old prospect, Elias Diaz, also waiting in the wings of AAA. No moves need to be made here, they have four solid options in the organization right now.
First Base
The Pirates will continue to ride with Pedro Alvarez most of the time at first base. He is pretty much a known commodity at this point in his career as to what he can do with the bat. Alvarez is a streaky average hitter mixed in with great power, and he isn't ever going to be anything more than that. We have found out he is just plain bad at defense, and it does not matter what position he plays. He can get hot at any time, and is good for a big hit and still provides a threat of power in the lineup.
Travis Ishikawa was brought on for some help at a low risk signing a week ago. He has not done much yet in his brief time here, as he is 1-8 in his current stint with the Pirates. Ishikawa at least seems like a slight upgrade over the rehabbing, Corey Hart. Sean Rodriguez is the current first base platoon option against lefties, and his batting has cooled off after a modest start. Still, S-Rod is pretty good with the glove, and has some value on this team with his versatility.
With little in AAA to turn to for help, it would make a lot of sense to add something before the deadline. Alvarez can hold down batting against right handers as it stands. He is streaky and yet still one of the better power hitters in the NL. Adding a veteran right handed first basemen would be ideal to at least platoon, but if the right name and deal comes along for an everyday guy, it's more than reasonable to give it a good hard look. Josh Bell is the first basemen of the future, but may not even get here to 2017, so adding a guy for the present and next year is a good idea with Alvarez not likely to be back next year.
Second Base
Neil Walker has really elevated his play lately. After a slow start, Walker is hitting .388 with 19 hits already in the month of July. He has given them a little power boost as well, and has given Clint Hurdle flexibility in the batting order. Obviously Walker's biggest flaw is his prowess as a right handed hitter facing lefties. Not a total concern, but not much they can do to shake up the lineup with Josh Harrison on the DL.
Like I mentioned, the Pirates could afford to give Walker a break against righties and allow Harrison to play at second, with Kang and Mercer also in the lineup. Without JHay, less of that lineup shuffling is going to happen. Walker is a guy they can't really afford to lose at this point. Rodriguez could play their in a pinch, but wouldn't be a long term solution. I tossed around the notion of bringing up stud top 100 prospect, Alen Hanson, but that seems extremely unlikely.
Walker is fine and one of key parts to this team, but the idea of adding an extra infielder has been thrown around by some publications. A name out there is Ben Zobrist. He is 34 years old, a career .264 hitter, and a guy that can play almost anywhere. Zobrist is with Oakland now, but was a key part in Tampa's emergence the past few seasons. He would be a great fit to sure up the bench, especially with Harrison out for a while.
Third Base
I wrote on here last week my concern with Harrison being out, and Jung-ho Kang being inserted into an everyday role. The Cardinals series almost makes me want to swallow my words entirely on that prediction. Kang came up with four hits in the Padres series, and five big hits against the Cardinals. Kang became one of the hotter bats on the team just before the break.
Kang is a defensive upgrade over Harrison, and really put on a show the past 6-7 games displaying great glove work, and some excellent, yet risky base running, and has also shown the ability to come up with timely hits. Kang has a ton of upside, and we are really starting to see it develop.
Harrison will be back around the end of August, and may be moved into super utility role again if Kang continues his great play. Sean Rodriguez can likely play here in a pinch, and they have Brent Morel in AAA if they are in a an absolute emergency, but let's hope it never comes to that. No real need to make a deal here.
Shortstop
Jordy Mercer managed to go 5-15 in the final three games before the break and played a nice role offensively over the past two weeks or so overall. Mercer is hanging in the .240 range for batting average, slightly below his career .259 mark. His defense has also slipped somewhat from 2014. Despite some regression, Mercer isn't exactly a liability just yet either, as his bat is starting to come around in the recent weeks.
Jung-ho Kang could always play here if needed, and the likes of Rodriguez and Harrison seem like they can play just about anywhere. The minors do not offer much, so the Pirates have to roll with what they have, or potentially make a deal. The thing I keep mentioning is Harrison's return. He can easily replace Polanco, Kang, or Mercer as a starter whenever he does return, it all depends on who is struggling the most by then.
Adding a Troy Tulowitzki would be a major splash, and that's also a highly unlikely never-gonna-happen scenario. Jean Segura also falls into the splash category to a degree, but another unlikely plan. I don't think it's a must to trade for a shortstop, but the Pirates might as well keep their ear on things just in case.
Left Field
Starling Marte may be one of the better outfielders in the game to not have made the All Star Game. Marte blends power, speed, and defense all into one and is the perfect player for the middle of the Pirates lineup and to cover the vast territory of PNC Park's left field. Marte is on pace for his best year in the big leagues, and I still do not think we have seen of Starling Marte.
Marte is an everyday guy, and one they can ill afford to lose. I am certain that the Pirates need to make a move to add a solid fourth outfielder, and in that case the depth should take care of itself. Like I mention with just about every other position, Harrison or Sean Rodriguez can handle a spot start at any given time. A more permenant fourth outfielder, though, is a must. The "Tabata/Hernandez/whoever else they have in AAA" platoon needs upgraded.
Center Field
Andrew McCutchen is off to the races for another MVP run. He is behind the likes of Bryce Harper and Paul Goldschmidt right now, but with a strong second half and some help, he could bring home some more hardware to his collection. Cutch's walkoff against the Cardinals may be the defining play of the baseball season to date, and he just popped a big home run in the All Star game. He's a superstar in every sense of the word.
If anything happened to McCutchen, the replacement is rather simple: move Marte to center. Starling Marte could be the starting center fielder for over half the teams in the league in all honesty, so it's safe to say center would be covered if Cutch were to go on the DL. It would obviously leave a gigantic hole in the lineup, though. Like I have been saying, an extra outfielder will come in handy if anything were to come up injury wise.
Right Field
Gregory Polanco is supporting a less than desired .237 batting average at the All Star break. He has not hit for average and there has not been much power to speak of either. Polanco's best assets right now are his speed and throwing arm, but everything else is not where you would like it to be. The Pirates can continue to throw him out there everyday, because the talent is obviously there and he can work through it. He also has some momentum with a 3-4 game against the Cardinals, which included the dramatic walk off hit.
The Pirates just simply have to make a deal here. The name Jeff Francoeur has been mentioned, and he would be an upgrade over what they have as a fourth outfielder and could platoon with Polanco as the hitter against lefties. Ben Revere has been mentioned as well, and with him being a lefty it would really cut Polanco's playing time entirely. We'll see what happens.
Starting Pitching
Gerrit Cole, AJ Burnett, and Francisco Liriano have been fantastic. The team has been downright lethal when the rotation allows for them to line up 1-2-3 in a series. Perhaps in their most impressive road series of the year, the trio swept the defending world champion Giants in AT&T Park. Looking down those three in a playoff series is not anything an opposing team would want to see.
After that, you have Charlie Morton and he has had a nice season after starting the year late with an injury. I am not a believer that "wins" for a starting pitcher means a whole lot statistically speaking, because it does not paint the whole picture. In some cases, however, I think it can still be useful for certain guys. All you want from the back end of your rotation is to keep you in games, and Morton does that and his six wins are a nice stat for a pitcher like him.
At least up until the trade deadline, Jeff Locke is the fifth starter. Locke can either be really good or really bad. It would sure things up a whole lot if they can bring somebody into the mix to take his place. I doubt Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto will be dealt here, but the Bucs made a run at David Price last year supposedly, so perhaps anything is possible, right? Clay Buchholz is a peg below and would make some sense. Dan Haren is a name the Pirates have been linked to as well. I like Scott Kazmir also, but Oakland is still hanging onto some hope for now it sounds.
Relief Pitching
I think the Pirates are in a good spot with Mark Melancon and Tony Watson on the back end of the pen. Both have been very good throughout the year, Watson may have had 2-3 slip-ups and Melancon only really has had one. Melancon leads the league in saves, and has been incredibly reliable with his last earned run given up coming on May 11.
Jared Hughes hasn't given up an earned run since June 9, and has quietly had a nice year. Arquimedes Caminero has all that talent, but you would like to see a lower ERA than 4.12 at this stage of the season. Antonio Bastardo has been better of late also, but nothing to write home about for the most part. Deolis Guerra has been a pleasant surprise, and the Pirates may have found something there with the 26 year old rookie, and he could potentially be this year's John Holdzkom (Who is on the AAA DL with a 3.38 ERA to date).
Of course you have to keep Vance Worley around as the long relief man, and he's done fine in that role. Adding a reliever always makes sense, but it totally isn't a necessity. If they can find the right trade that is a sure upgrade, they should pull the trigger, but I wouldn't expect them to take on a castoff or a project again like they did last year with Ernesto Frieri.
Taking a look at the schedule
74 Games (Currently 53-35)
Home - 33 Away - 41
Teams with .500 or better record: 40 games // Below .500: 34 games
NL Central - 38 games
NL West - 20 games
NL East - 11 games
Interleague - 5 games
Brewers - 10
Reds - 10
Cardinals - 9
Cubs - 9
Rockies - 7
Dodgers - 6
Nationals - 4
Marlins - 4
Giants - 4
Royals - 3
Mets - 3
DBacks - 3
Twins - 2
Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
Great work, Crimson
Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
Impressive review. I agree pretty much down the line. A trivial matter, but your use, twice, of "sure". The word, or expression, is SHORE, as in "shore up the breach in the wall". I point this out for purely journalistic improvement. Yours, not mine.
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peytonsaturday
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- Joined: October 17th, 2010, 9:30 pm
Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
I think I'm in the minority, but I really don't want to trade Polanco. We need to keep in mind that he has only started playing OF the year before he got to Pittsburgh. He also flew through the minor league system. He went from A to MLB in less than a season and a half. That's unheard of.
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peytonsaturday
- Official BleacherCoach
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Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
I'm also against platooning him. I don't know how to fix a car engine. Know why? Because I've never tried to fix a car engine. If he never (or rarely) sees lefties, it will be the same issue. Maybe I'm too old school, but you gotta see / do it to learn it. Plus is Cutch, Kang, Cervelli, Walker all continue to hit the way they are, and then add Harrison, you can live with Polanco's hitting being less than stellar at the time being.
But overall, great write up! I can tell you have a passion for journalism and we can tell you have a talent. Good job kid.
But overall, great write up! I can tell you have a passion for journalism and we can tell you have a talent. Good job kid.
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Crimson's Ghost
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Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
Thanks for the kind words everyone.
As for the shore/sure thing, my last edit of this happened at 1:00 AM, my tired eyes didn't catch it. I will say it's tough to write without an editor. Something I'm working on to improve.
As for the shore/sure thing, my last edit of this happened at 1:00 AM, my tired eyes didn't catch it. I will say it's tough to write without an editor. Something I'm working on to improve.
Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
Thanks for another great read man. I look forward to new posts in this forum!
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WPIAL~Titan
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Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
Well done as usual CG!
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Crimson's Ghost
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Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
I want Polanco to be a big part of this stretch run, but I also want to see someone better than Tabata or Gorkys Hernandez behind him. I think a trade is needed, but I don't think it will necessarily mean Polanco gets demoted. We saw Cutch go down last year, and that's just a reminded anything can happen. Better to be safe than sorry.
But I agree, to this point, Polanco isn't costing the team any games. He needs to improve, and like you mentioned he made a ridiculous jump to the big leagues. Not every player is asked to learn on the fly, but the organization is asking him to do that. Let's see what he can do, and see if the way he ended the second half gives him a jolt.
But I agree, to this point, Polanco isn't costing the team any games. He needs to improve, and like you mentioned he made a ridiculous jump to the big leagues. Not every player is asked to learn on the fly, but the organization is asking him to do that. Let's see what he can do, and see if the way he ended the second half gives him a jolt.
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peytonsaturday
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Re: Pirates 2nd Half Prospectus
I agree. Until he starts losing us games, hit him 7 or 8th, and let him develop. 99.99% of the time guys develop in the minors, he has to with the big club. But I do like adding a 4th OF. I'd prefer Francour over Revere. Revere would almost force Polanco out of the lineup and cost more, whereas Francour would be more the 4th OF type, while still being an insurance plan if Cutch, Marte, or Polanco goes down.