Let's go Bucs!!! (Mercer: replacement, moved, outside)

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gmagoo

How many top end players would want to go to any team to be bench players. I don`t have much confidence in the players you mentioned but who has superstars on their bench? There`s room for improvement for sure but the focus should be on how they can help the team, not did we pay enough?
An NFL team can go to a gym or a college wrestling team and sometimes even a college basketball team can produce an NFL star(Sam Clancy for instance) but baseball is a skill game and there aren`t a lot of skilled bench guys just sitting around doing nothing. I expect the Pirates will do an upgrade of their bench but I don`t think they will spend $100 million for bragging rights. Indeed I`m happy being 18 games over .500. If you`re not that`s truly puzzling.

The Bucs need at least 1 bat and at least 1 pitcher.

What bragging rights? What we did not pay enough?

You pay for talent to make your team better to put yourself in the best possible position to win a championship.

18 games over is great, but it means nothing if/when you lose in the WC game because you don't have enough bats to beat a top lefty.

What's puzzling are the low standards that many are satisfied with and the need to protect Bob's wallet.

Bucs are 10/1 to win the WS. I'm sure Hernandez will put the Bucs over the top.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by erieguy

18 games over is great, but it means nothing if/when you lose in the WC game because you don't have enough bats to beat a top lefty.

The point about the WC game is overblown, IMO.

If McCutchen, Harrison, Marte and Martin weren't touching Bumgarner, I can't think of a RH better than those guys who would. Bumgarner had what is acknowledged as the best postseason since divisional play started in 1969. Only game he lost was because of his own throwing error. You tip your cap and move on.

I think the point is to avoid the WC game. Given the slow start and the comparative schedules going forward, I don't think they can overtake the Cards. I don't see them playing .700+ ball from here on out.

But if one thinks it's a matter of 3-4 wins that would make the difference, then that's what you act on, IMO.

Things I'd consider...
I would take a long, hard look at Kazmir's next couple of starts. His triceps injury could be worrisome, but if he's OK, that's a pitcher I add.
Apparently Caminero doesn't have any options left. So I hire someone to break his non-throwing wrist and put him on the 60-day.
I bring up Necklips and put a security guard on him to keep him away from Rivers Casino.
I get a Rajai Davis or Ryan Raburn for a RH platoon partner for Polanco.
I sacrifice a live chicken for Pedro because there simply isn't a RH 1b platoon option out there. Napoli sucks. McGehee sucks. They all suck. I tell Walker to start taking some balls at 1b in practice. Plenty of guys who can play 2b on this team, plus Hanson at AAA.

Prospects who are untouchable: Glasnow, Bell, Hanson, probably Taillon and Diaz too. Everyone else is expendable.

[erieguy]

The point of the WC game is not overblown because it appears that's where they're headed. Last years outcome can easily be this years outcome with the way they're set up right now.

[SammyKhalifa]

If the standard is that you couldn't beat Madison Bumgartner last postseason, then there are very very very many terrible awful CHEAP teams out there.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by SammyKhalifa

If the standard is that you couldn't beat Madison Bumgartner last postseason, then there are very very very many terrible awful CHEAP teams out there.

Really? How many as CHEAP? 5 less than the Bucs?

Bucs did nothing at the deadline last year. Better do something this year or I can easily see a repeat.

The standard for many Bucs fans is over .500 and protect Bob's wallet at all cost. That's extremely low "standard".

[Pghuser]

Are we back to the Milwaukee House of Horrors type of play?

[erieguy]

I heard Charlie Morton being interviewed and he said the team is talking/thinking WS. It's great to have confidence but it's too early for that.

Overlooking the Cards, Cubs and Giants to even have a shot should be a concern rather than ever looking at the WS this early.

[erieguy]

Lineup tonight should be interesting. How about that end of bench player depth?

[erieguy]

Brewers dealing 3B Aramis Ramirez to Pirates

A good start. They sure need help.

[Rocket88]

One MLB GM tweeted that the Pirates are "offering Pedro Alvarez to everyone. They want to get rod of him."

I think Pedro's value to an American League team would be greater because he would not have to worry about playing the field. Being a DH may help him at the plate. Pedro still should have 4 or five years left in his prime. Granted that his prime produces thirty plus homers a year. Pedro was drafted with PNC Park's short porch in right in mind. Forty homers a year was not out of the question for him. He has hit over thirty twice in his career. Yet he has "only" 116 career home runs. I'm sorry, but with his power at PNC, he should be closing in on 150. I know that he was benched a lot last year. That's because he was not producing, so the argument is moot as to why he did hit more homers. I have seen enough and apparently the Pirates have also. I feel kind of bad because Pedro is not a bad guy. He is just a weak link on the team when he should be the opposite.