Pirates offseason

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I've been giving this some thought and maybe a good idea is to compartmentalize personnel movements by organization. I'm not deciding anything for anyone, but just for fun I'm gonna try with the Pirates who are making bits of small news this offseason.

They have signed douchy lefty Scott Olson to a 1-year deal and now look like they are getting x-Padre/Giant Kevin Correria on a 2-year deal.

This'll give them, um, 2 guys they didn't have last year.

They also got Hurdle to manage, and didn't offer arbitration to Milledge. Your thoughts on the Pirates?

[Theoldmole]

Still lousy.

[TransMonk]

18 seasons since they last finished above .500...I'm surprised they have any fans left.

I'd like to see them get better. Or be contracted.

[Benjamin Grimm]

This reminds me of a thread I steered off course at one point...

Let me see if I can find it.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Nice uniforms. Great ballpark. As a kid, I feared and admired Willie Stargell.

[Benjamin Grimm]

This is what happened the last time somebody created a thread about the Pirates.

I hope this one stays on topic!

[metirish]

It's a conversation we have every off season...at some point all those young studs they got in the draft should come good right?....Bobby V would have been a perfect manager for them, no offense to Hurdle.

[Guest attgig]

they'll start to get exciting.

An outfield of McCutchen, Tabata, and Jones.
Infield of Jones, Walker, Cedeno, Alvarez, and Doumit.

it's a pretty solid lineup ... though most of the guys are going to need time to grow... But in a couple of years, If Alvarez, McCutchen, & Tabata develop as they have been, Jones keeps on getting better bit by bit, and Doumit can stay healthy, they could be good.

As for their pitching, Mcdonald was actually pretty good last year for being on such a bad team. Maholm and Ohlendorf have shown they have the stuff, but just need to improve. I'm guessing Correia is going to be their #2, and Olsen a #3/4.

Optimistically, if their pitching pans out, they can flirt with 500 this year. and perhaps beat it next year.

[G-Fafif]

It's not like they haven't had their share of high draft choices.

[batmagadanleadoff]

It's probably too late for this, but if I had a say, I'd recommend that the team move their fences back to Citi Field dimensions, maybe even slightly deeper. Either that, or move the fences in to make their ballpark the most hitter friendly park in baseball.

[Guest sharpie]

Jones took a pretty big step backward last year and they say he'll be a platoon player in the future.

Correia and Olsen aren't bad pickups. Still don't think they reach .500 in '11.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Doumit. Wasn't he moved from behind the plate (at least primarily) because of the glove?

Their drafting has been pretty terrible on the pitching side. Correia was an okay pickup... I'm not a huge fan of Olsen's at this point.

[Guest Edgy DC]

People hate Doumit as a catcher. I'm sure he's not good, but he never struck me as bad as he's popularly made out to be.

For my part, I love having catchers who play other positions.

[DocTee]

And, Doumit, apparently, can be had.

I remember them getting blasted for dealing Nate McLouth to the Braves, since he was a five-toolsy guy, but that didn't turn out so well for ATL, did it.

Every year I root for them to do well, and every year they suck. Hoping for Pittsburgh natve Mark Cuban to step in and spend spend spend on this team.

[TransMonk]

Per Metsblog:

According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Matt Diaz signed a two year, $4.25 million contract [with the Pirates].

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Lyle Overbay inks one year deal.

[Ceetar]

attgig wrote: they'll start to get exciting. An outfield of McCutchen, Tabata, and Jones. Infield of Jones, Walker, Cedeno, Alvarez, and Doumit. it's a pretty solid lineup ... though most of the guys are going to need time to grow... But in a couple of years, If Alvarez, McCutchen, & Tabata develop as they have been, Jones keeps on getting better bit by bit, and Doumit can stay healthy, they could be good. As for their pitching, Mcdonald was actually pretty good last year for being on such a bad team. Maholm and Ohlendorf have shown they have the stuff, but just need to improve. I'm guessing Correia is going to be their #2, and Olsen a #3/4. Optimistically, if their pitching pans out, they can flirt with 500 this year. and perhaps beat it next year.

good call.

[Farmer Ted]

With that ballpark and its location, surprised it took them so long to get some momentum going.

Bring back the black stirrup socks with the three gold rings and the Stargell-era bucket caps and I might pull for them down the stretch.

Had some beers with Hurdle when he was toiling as a manager in the minors (clean and sober now, unlike me and my microbeer-loving tastes). Good guy.

[Guest attgig]

wow. one of my predictions actually panned out!

now, if i go to vegas and place a million $1 bets, I'm sure one of the bets will win $1million

[G-Fafif]

For aesthetic reasons alone, a Giants-Pirates NLCS would be the most sumptuous HD matchup possible. Two more beautiful ballparks there are not.

Let the winner play three game in Fenway in the World Series of venues.

And as long as we're dreaming non-Mets dreams, Phillies-Pirates NLDS (not out of the question if Bucs and Braves hold their current positions) would revive a great rivalry. I think we can write in the CPF choice for winner of that theoretical matchup right now.

[Frayed Knot]

Pitt tied with the Bravos in the 10th
A Neal Walker error gives Atlanta a leadoff baserunner in bottom 10.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Is this our OoTSB thread? Let's go, Bucs!

[Guest Edgy DC]

And the Cubbies fail to best the Brews. Boo, Cubs!

[Gwreck]

Going to 12 now. Go Pirates!

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sheesh,

[list:2ne3lq6i][*:2ne3lq6i]Cubs fail to beat the Brews[/*:m:2ne3lq6i]
[*:2ne3lq6i]Houston fails to beat the Cards[/*:m:2ne3lq6i]
[*:2ne3lq6i]Giants fall to the Phils[/*:m:2ne3lq6i]
[*:2ne3lq6i]Diamondbacks beating San Diego, 2-0, in the fifth[/*:m:2ne3lq6i][/list:u:2ne3lq6i]

Everybody ahead of the Mets either (1) has won, (2) is winning, like Arizona, or (3) is playing another team ahead (Pirates-Braves).

Gotta be a Pirate fan right now, though.

[Ceetar]

• Cubs fail to beat the Brews
• Houston fails to beat the Cards
• Giants fall to the Phils
• Diamondbacks beating San Diego, 2-0, in the fifth

Everybody ahead of the Mets either (1) has won, (2) is winning, like Arizona, or (3) is playing another team ahead (Pirates-Braves).

Gotta be a Pirate fan right now, though.

Edgy DC wrote: Sheesh,

I always aim for the head. or at least the neck. Go Pirates..let's see these Braves lose. (I suppose the head is Philly)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

But... hold on.

In the 11th inning of the Pirates-Braves game, Brian McCann sailed a throw on a steal attempt... and came up favoring his back; t'was bad enough that he gave way for David Ross, and was visibly grimacing as he did so.

Did the Braves just lose ANOTHER offensive piece from an injury-reeling squad?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Jason Grilli gets two on, gets Alex Gonzolez on one pitch for out two, and then walks Heyward intentionally. Bases jammed and...

... Julio Lugo grounds to third. Thank you, Brooklyn's own.

[Gwreck]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: But... hold on. In the 11th inning of the Pirates-Braves game, Brian McCann sailed a throw on a steal attempt... and came up favoring his back; t'was bad enough that he gave way for David Ross, and was visibly grimacing as he did so. Did the Braves just lose ANOTHER offensive piece from an injury-reeling squad?

Yes indeed. Strained oblique, 15 day DL.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

And Larry hurt himself yesterday, in his first day back.

The Braves lineup could have the look of Getaway Day every day for the next week or two, at least.