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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 01.26.24
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Jason Mackey
11:42
Hello, everyone. Welcome to my weekly Pirates chat. You know the drill. We'll get started shortly.
12:14
OK, sorry for the delay. Walked into the lunch room and got distracted. Let's get started.
Seferg
12:14
If the Pirates are set at 3rd (Hayes), short (Cruz), other than starters, what positions need upgraded before the Pirates are a legitimate World Series contender?
Jason Mackey
12:17
Well, they won 76 games last year, so I think there's a pretty wide gap between what they have and the World Series. But to make the playoffs, let's say, I'd start with starting pitching, obviously. Catcher, too. They have at least 1 OF spot covered, maybe two depending on how Jack fares. I'll say they're good enough at DH, not so much at 2B. Not sure on 1B. A lot riding on the platoon end.
Cullen
12:19
Hey Jason, who are some of the big prospects I can expect to see start the year at Greensboro?
Jason Mackey
12:21
Not Skenes ... not Termarr ... Harrington, 22, made 18 starts there last year. Might be Altoona for him ... Barco eventually but starting there would be tough ... Mitch Jebb, who I actually really like on the position player side ... last two people would know are probably Jack Brannigan and Lonnie White Jr.
Rowdy
12:21
Jason, I still have something left in the tank, correct? And it’s a big freaking tank, if you were not otherwise aware.
Jason Mackey
12:22
Andrew, don't you have Penguins stuff to cover? Quit screwing off, dude.
Tom
12:22
Why don’t the pirates sign a low risk Starting pitcher like B Woodruff
Jason Mackey
12:24
I mean, I don't disagree with you. I like Brandon Woodruff. I think we're veering into a bigger question: Why don't the Pirates do business differently? Also, let's keep this in mind, something I talk about every week: Why would Woodruff want to sign here? Now, if the Pirates win 85 games in 2024 and become a little more established, different question. Woodruff might want the certainty of a playoff race. Just might not line up.
Bob
12:24
Jason, just wanted to say that I enjoyed our little chat but you went a little heavy on the umbrella drinks afterwards. Just saying.
Jason Mackey
12:26
Assuming this is some sort of criticism of my Nutting/DR stories? Tho I'm not sure what was indicative of going "a little heavy on the umbrella drinks." It was an interview. About the offseason. If I acted with the aggression fans want toward Nutting, I would be arrested.
12:28
*Should say some fans want, not all. A large majority are rational. And I get the frustration, believe me. But it's not my job to yell at him. It's my job to question things, which I've done, repeatedly.
Guest
12:28
Pirates still waiting for the starting pitcher price to go down ? The cost for controllable young pitchers must be exorbitant?
Jason Mackey
12:28
We'll see if it ultimately happens, but I interpret their posture at this point to believing they can do better via trading for a young, controlled starter than they can with the FA market on starting pitching.
Erik
12:28
Hi Jason. How soon do you expect to see Paul Skenes and Jared Jones starting for the Pirates during regular season games?
Jason Mackey
12:30
Loosely, Erik, around May or June. Skenes just need to show that he is who we think he is. I don't worry about development. He could show that to me in spring, though I think they would like preserve a year of club control -- doesn't save money, just stretches his contract to its maximum length. I think Jones probably has a few more development hurdles to clear. Would think maybe mid-May for Skenes, June or July for Jones.
Dan N
12:30
I keep howling every time someone mentions a Cease trade involving the Pirates…They do know who is agent is correct ? They still need a starter or two..eh ?
Jason Mackey
12:30
My belief is that the price on Cease will ... oh, no, make all teams cease trying to trade for him. (I'll let myself out.)
Stash
12:30
Jason, did you volunteer or were you highly encouraged to make that daunting journey to the winter hellscape known as Upstate New York?
Jason Mackey
12:32
A little of both. I like doing funky/different/exciting stories. Did the Mason thing, volunteered to go to Buffalo. Was originally told no, which is fine, because we used our allotted press box seats. Spot opened up, and I said I would go. Was an awesome experience ... but a terrifying drive.
Cullen
12:32
One Pirates podcast recently, I think it was locked on, floated the idea of trading Bednar for controllable SP...Theoretically if BC swings a 3 team deal where say the Yankees get Bednar, they send 2 MLB ready guys like Peraza and Pereira to the Marlins/Mariners and we snag Miller or Cabrera. Us this something the front office would seriously consider? The guys made a good point about how volatile relievers are and Bednar is a big guy with some back issues. If we can trade him for SP and save position guys it may be worth it...
Jason Mackey
12:33
I don't think this is something being considered. They did not sign Chapman to trade Bednar. I think they think they can get young, controllable starting pitching without giving up Bednar.
PrinceBob
12:33
In your article about Bob Nutting when the topic of competitive balance and redoing the economic structure, mostly having a salary floor and cap, I think he said that he thought it might be possible to do something in 2025 when the current CBA expires. As far as I've been able to tell the player's union has been dead set against anything resembling a salary cap and basically plans to refuse one at least until the sun goes nova.  Do you think BN knows something? Does he think the union is softening on this a bit? Does he think there are other ways to level the playing field? Or is he just working around the topic of what he's willing to spend and blaming the problem on something or someone other than himself?
Jason Mackey
12:34
I'm not sure. There's a lot there, in your question. There's also time between now and then. My hope is that teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, now being beaten in spending by the Dodgers and Mets, come around to a cap/floor. Or maybe everyone takes enough of a look outside of MLB and realizes that the sport would be a lot more popular with the general audience with better competitive balance. I also think Bob might've said what he said because he was an easy answer in January 2024.
Brad13
12:34
If you had to take a guess, what starter do you see the Pirates acquiring?
Jason Mackey
12:35
I'll cheat and list three, but they all make sense: E. Cabrera, Syndergaard or German.
Brax
12:35
Can we expect some delay in making Chapman and any other moves official until the Pirates are able to put Brubaker, Endy & Oviedo on the 60 day IL? Seems to be such a silly rule to have to wait to put players on IL who are designated to miss the entire season (Endy & Oviedo) until ST starts. MLB should come up with a better system/designation for players who suffer season ending injuries in the off-season, suggest it to Bob the next time you talk!
Jason Mackey
12:36
No. The only delay will be getting Chapman here. My expectation is that happens early next week.
Dave in Wexford
12:36
Hi Jason. If GMBC doesn’t work a trade for another starter, any chance Skenes could get to PGH before May which would start his Arb/FA clock sooner?
Jason Mackey
12:37
Could, sure. Likely? Probably not. My belief is that they wanna see him show he can handle a typical pro workload. Probably sounds dumb from the outside. Of course he can, right? But he is a giant investment. If you told me they were going to bring up Skenes in mid-May but not before, would you agree to that? I think you probably would. Preserving a year of control on the contract does make sense.
Cullen
12:37
Does Ortiz convert to a reliever role this year if we trade from the bullpen? Has the look and pitches of a potential high leverage guy.
Jason Mackey
12:38
Don't think they're planning to trade from the 'pen, but I agree with you that he looks like a potential reliever. Sinker/slider is good. Changeup and four-seamer are not. I just worry about his consistency right now. I think his first work would be as a long man out of 'pen, which could be good for him.
Q
12:38
Would the potential Sean Manaea deal have even benefited the Pirates as much as some would have thought? Obviously, starting pitching is welcomed from anywhere at this point, but a TJ ird lefty added to already soft throwers in Gonzales and Perez would have been a bit confusing, but maybe I’m not as familiar with Manaea’s repertoire
Jason Mackey
12:39
It's a fair point, but he's a potentially very good starting pitcher, and they have a lot of uncertainty there. So, it would have helped. But I understand it being a little redundant, too. Also not sure I would have gone a second year on Manaea.
Mitch
12:39
Jason, T or F: I break out for 15 wins in the upcoming campaign?
Jason Mackey
12:40
F. I think you'll pitch well, but the way the Pirates handle pitching, 15 wins is a lot.
Gene
12:41
Any chance the Bucs sign Gary Sanchez or Mitch Garver? That would help the catching situation.
Jason Mackey
12:41
Doubt it. Sanchez had a .792 OPS last year. He'll have work available. Garver, even more so. I think the Pirates will add a depth option, someone who could catch in an emergency, but I do think they want to see what Davis can do.
PrinceBob
12:41
I expect you'll get several variations of this question, but if not, does the money Chapman is getting mean the team is pretty much done spending free agent money and will either not be adding a starting pitcher or will only get one with a trade? And did the deal surprise you? It did me because everything I've seen about their needs has said their bullpen is in decent shape. There's nothing wrong with making something that's decent even better. But if it's at the cost of not strengthening a weakness it becomes not a good move.
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