My Baseball Picks

[knowitall]

I see deficiencies at 1B, 2B and SS. The 3-5 starters are question marks. The RF needs to put it together now. 3B could be problematic as well. I'm not counting on Melancon to be as good this year and I expect someone to get injured this year.

I also see several NL teams being improved this year: Diamondbacks, Giants and the Cubs.

The Cardinals may slip a bit and the Dodgers appear to be iffy as well but the Pirates look like the best candidate to slip the most. Since the end of last season they have lost Alvarez, Bastardo, Blanton, Burnett, Happ, Morton, Ramirez, Snider, Soria and Walker. Kang suffered a horrific injury and we don't know how he will respond once he rejoins the team. They replaced them with Freese, Jaso, Joyce, Nicasio and Niese. Whoopdeedoo!

[Crimson's Ghost]

Josh Harrison is projected to have a better season than Neil Walker FWIW. I don't see a deficiency there. Walker's range on defense started to slip. Walker was definitely a better run producer, but I think Harrison has been the better hitter the past two seasons. His OBP is slightly better, while Walker averaged .270 the past two seasons, while Harrison's has been .301. Different kind of players, but the Pirates are hardly sticking a nobody in his place, JHay was an All-Star in 2014. He gives you more speed on the base paths, better defense, and a better batting average than Neil Walker.

[abpk2903]

Your definitions of a deficiency must be quite liberal then.

How many years in a row does Harrison have to play extremely well before you don't label 2B as a deficiency?

Mercer is probably a top 5 SS in the NL. Is he an all-star? Probably not but he sure isn't an issue.

Every team has a player or two that is bouncing back from an injury. All reports seem to be optimistic about Kang.

Polanco is probably a key to either being a division contender or battling for a wild card IMO. He seems to have figured it out. I expect an even better year from him than last year.

What makes you believe the Pirates bullpen won't be one of the best in the game? They got 3 guys out there that would be a closer on some clubs. Melancon has been good for quite a while now, how is he a question mark?

The back half of the rotation is the 2nd key to a division title. Having a great bullpen takes pressure off of the 3-5 guys. They know they just got to get through 5-6 innings with the Buccos in striking distance and the bullpen will win them more than they will lose them.

Most of all, I'm to the point where I trust this organization. For the past 4-5 years, they have been right more often than wrong when acquiring players. They know what they are looking for and they get it. They continue to be successful without being tied down with contracts that are going to hurt them in a few years. Neil Walker will be a bad contract in a few years, they made a great decision to get rid of him when they could still get something for him. Just as they were blasted by the Pittsburgh media when they made the same decision with Russell Martin 2 years ago. Giving a 33 year old catcher a 5 year contract would have been a horrible idea.

[knowitall]

Two years in a row for Harrison. it hasn't happened yet. Mercer is a borderline major leaguer. Top five? Give us all a break.

And the bullpen includes Lobstein, Leubke and Vogelsong. Closers tend to have short shelf lives.

If the Pirates goal is to win now you do not give Neil Walker away for another team's sixth starter. You go for it and take the draft pick. Especially when you have his eventual supposed replacement already in the system. And no, Harrison will not be better than Walker. With Kang on the shelf Harrison would be of better use to this team as a super utility guy than he will being the everyday second baseman. Or Walker could have moved over to first base.

[12HankQB]

I think we need to come back to this conversation in May-June. There's a lot of placeholders out there right now. The Pirates could be the Cubs and bring all the young studs up at anytime. The amount of speed between Cutch, Marte, Po Po, and JHay should be enough to score some serious runs. When Kang comes back and Bell comes up with Cervelli catching.....my mouth is watering. Mercer is only on his fifth year in the majors, he's only going to improve after last years subpar batting and his defense more than makes up for that. Career fielding .979 @ SS.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Mercer certainly isn't a borderline major leaguer. He's been the starting shortstop for 3 straight playoff teams. He can't be that bad.

[12HankQB]

I now understand the name Knowitall

[abpk2903]

Please name me 5 SSs better than Mercer in the NL right now.

The Pirates have arguably the best outfield, bullpen, and 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation in the NL. No one can really argue that. How is everyone so doom and gloom?

Not to mention they have a great farm system that will bring some help along throughout the season.

The Pirates have a good roster for opening day and if they stay healthy the roster will get better as the season goes.

[knowitall]

I don't think there are five NL SSs I wouldn't take ahead of Mercer. Mercer lost his job last year.

As for 1-2 punch? Mets, Nationals, Cubs, Cardinals and Giants. And perhaps the Diamondbacks and Marlins.

[223113]

There are two (2) theories on arguing with a know-it-all.
Neither one works.