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Bill Brink's Pirates chat: 8.29.18
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Bill Brink
11:58
Good morning and welcome to this week's Pirates chat. We'll get going in a few minutes, so get those questions in.
12:01
Thanks for the questions, and keep them coming. Here we go ...
Adam F
12:02
So have I worked myself into the conversation to start at second next year? Is Kramer supposed to be better than thou defensively?
Bill Brink
12:04
I think you have, Adam. You showed you could hit in a small sample size in 2016 and backed it up with a pretty good performance last season. This year, when you struggled, you showed the ability to figure it out, make the correction and return to hitting major league pitching. I have not seen Kramer play defense since spring training, but I do know that Frazier has struggled defensively at second base, including with routine plays, so that could play a role in the Pirates' decision-making process.
Ed
12:04
So who's the Pirates' starting SS to start 2019? Do you think it'd be Newman or Kramer, or do you think they'll still want to get a free agent?
Bill Brink
12:05
I don't think, based on what we have seen from the current front office and coaching staff, that they will hand the opening-day job to a rookie. My read would be that Newman will have the job at some point, but they might want to sign or acquire a shortstop with more experience to begin the season, whether it's Mercer, Hechavarria or someone else.
Ty
12:05
What’s your guess for opening day rotation next year?
Bill Brink
12:06
Taillon, Archer, Nova, Musgrove, Williams. It's tough to leave out Kuhl, but given the time he missed this year, maybe he starts the year in the minors or in the bullpen. Kingham is out of options and will probably be in the bullpen.
C. Moran
12:07
I appear to be a very solid backup third baseman, but a team that hopes to play meaningful September ball needs more pop and range at third. Concur?
Bill Brink
12:09
I think that argument is especially pertinent the way this roster is constructed. Ideally, third base is a position where you can get some power. On a team with power, a third baseman like Moran, who has a good approach, strong and accurate arm, but is perhaps limited in the power and range department, would be good. On this team it stands out more because -- especially the way Bell has hit this season -- the power threat is not as prevalent. Polanco and Marte have power and Cervelli has shown it, but that's about it.
12:11
Keep the questions coming. We're going to take a quick break while I deal with the spring training schedule. This is two weeks in a row the commish has not respected my chat time and I will be addressing it with him at the winter meetings. Pirates open Feb. 23 against the Phillies in Clearwater and play the Astros in Houston March 25-26.
12:16
And we're back.
Basile
12:16
Any changes in the coaching staff? Any rumors of coaches getting some heat from above?
Bill Brink
12:17
I have not yet heard from Pirates people on this, but the one I am keeping an eye on is Joey Cora, who is the third-base and infield coach. He has made questionable sends and holds this year and the infield defense has not been good. Keep in mind I'm not reporting he's on the hot seat, nor am I advocating for it, but that's who I'm watching.
Bill
12:18
I have been a huge Clint Hurdle/Ray Searage fan and advocate over the years, but I do believe that baseball has caught up with Ray and Clint isn’t getting the job done. The Cardinals did it and so should the Pirates. September should be Tom Prince’s month and if things work out you let him be next year and a new pitching coach should be hired in the offseason. It’s for the better. Thoughts?
Bill Brink
12:23
This is the first year since 2011-12 where I've noted as many questionable coaching decisions. Playing Rodriguez as much as he did, using McRae when he did, pulling Taillon when he did ... I don't think these should result in him being fired, but I do notice more than in the past. It's also worth noting that some of the decisions he's made have influence from the front office, which all managers these days deal with. And at the end of the day the record is a reflection of the coaching staff and front office. In the end, I don' think it matters because he signed an extension last year. Searage is tougher to figure. Ding him for Glasnow and Feliz, but praise him for Musgrove and Williams. He's no longer turning pitchers around like before because they don't really have those type of guys in house.
Joe
12:23
I think the Kela trade was really good for both sides.  Take a proven closer with controllable years and trade for a your potential starter/closer for more controllable years.  Make sense.  The Archer deal is moronic.  Trade near MLB big time potential plus future potential for somebody who had big time results 2.5 years ago??  Why does the last 2.5 years not matter????
Bill Brink
12:27
I agree with you on Kela. I disagree that the Archer deal is moronic. I do very much agree, as does he, that he hasn't pitched well since coming over, and I do very much agree that Glasnow has pitched much better in Tampa. The way I look at it is, Glasnow was a middle reliever for the Pirates who didn't really have a path back to the rotation. Take the name and prospect pedigree away and he had a 4.34 ERA and 5.5 walks per nine. Archer has not been as good this year but has three consecutive years of 200 innings and 233+ strikeouts. He's 29 and under contract. I think you can say that while he's been bad in five starts, it's a reasonable expectation he can pitch better going forward.
Bruce
12:27
What kind of future opportunities do you see for Andrew McCutchen ?
Bill Brink
12:29
It's tough to gauge after last year's free-agent market and the way it treated veterans in their 30s. Much less than he probably though two or three years ago, for sure. He'll sign, but it maybe for one to three years rather than the Adam Jones-Hunter Pence-Jacoby Ellsbury deal he might have expected during his MVP-caliber seasons, before the free-agency landscape shifted.
Bob
12:29
What does a players defensive position have to do whether he hits for power?
Bill Brink
12:31
Good question. Players who are up-the-middle defenders -- catchers, shortstops, second basemen and center fielders -- in the past have been valued for their defense more so than their offense, while talented offensive players who are limited defensively have gotten "moved to a corner," where their defensive limitations make less impact. This has changed over the years, with shortstops like Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor and center fielders like Trout. But if a player is limited defensively but you want to get his bat in the lineup, third base, first base, left field or right field is generally where they end up.
Basile
12:32
Y- thank you. Your opinion on the “ pitch to contact “  has this been over blown, or is there some truth to it.
Bill Brink
12:34
This was more prevalent in the past, when the Pirates had a rotation that hit spots, an infield that converted balls in play into outs and good shifts to capitalize on the percentages. It's still important because with the exception of Archer, this staff generally does not rely on the strikeout (Taillon can get them when he needs but it's not a crutch) so getting balls in play on the ground or weakly in the air is necessary. Pitching to contact also keeps pitch counts down and allows starters to go deeper, thereby saving the bullpen. It might have gotten a bit out of hand, but I do think it was somewhat overblown.
Joe
12:35
Archer has given up over 4 runs per game for three years.  It has nothing to do with his numbers since the trade.  And his numbers are getting worse not better.
Bill Brink
12:36
Yup. 2016-18: 4.20 ERA, 97 ERA+ (which means 3 percent below league average). The 3.65 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching, which attempts to strip out defense), 2.9 walks per nine, 10.5 K/9 and a move out of the AL East mean there could be improvement.
I know the five starts have been bad. That's not where I'm going with all this.
12:38
What other questions do we have today?
Whitney
12:39
is Jung Ho part of the Pirates future?
Bill Brink
12:40
I can't imagine they exercise his $5.5 million 2019 option after he didn't play all season but they have poured a lot of time and energy into getting him healthy and getting his personal life in order.
12:45
Lightning round. Go.
Bob
12:47
If a pitcher is on a "pitch count" does a throw to first to hold a runner on, or a defensive throw count as a "pitch"?
Bill Brink
12:48
No, it doesn't. Pitch counts are very fluid. If a starter has 75 pitches and cruises through seven innings on 10 pitches per inning, he might get the eighth, but if he's at 59 pitches through 2.2 innings he won't get to 75. Depends on high- and low-volume innings, baserunners, long or short at-bats.
Basile
12:49
Should Kingmen get another shot in the rotation or is the others just that much better?
Bill Brink
12:50
At this point I don't really see who you take out of the rotation. He might get a spot start in September, depending on how the rest of the rotation is doing.
Dale
12:51
Do you not agree that as this collapse continues , that Hurdle should be let go , a lot of his horrid decision has helped caused another losing record (it appears) ?
Bill Brink
12:52
I'm a reporter, not a columnist, so I'm not really in the "so-and-so should be fired" business. I will agree the decision-making this year has been worse than in previous years.
Creme Brule
12:52
Why is your paper disabling the comments sections now of some of the articles? You guys should be ashamed of yourselves for doing that. The Pirates deserve to be criticized. Stop silencing our thoughts.
Bill Brink
12:52
I asked about that this morning. I was told it's a problem with the commenting system, not a decision to disabled them on Pirates stories.
I'll keep an eye on it.
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