Rays 16, Pirates 15. How many touchdowns did Tabata have? Goodness gracious. And poor Tabata. The kid has it hard enough learning how to cover the ball in right field off major league bats, but he ends up having to take the field playing center with winds up to 45 mph. I’m sure he’ll be using those skills the rest of his playing career.
So what can we take away from this game that has any meaning whatsoever? Doumit not catching again (early spring, the old man is resting some)? Veal not being stretched out (we don’t know what he did in the bullpen after his one inning of work but it’s starting to look like he might be a candidate for the pen)? Russell’s lineup hitting Clement behind Doumit (we hope that doesn’t continue or Clement will likely end up with a .200 BA as a result with LaRoche behind him). That Karstens is still in camp (sayonara)? Or that Young all of a sudden decided to put on his game face (scouts aplenty at the game)?
Not too much can be taken from games like that so let’s instead talk about fan patience that we keep hearing about.
Steve Blass said something like this in the MLB broadcast today while talking about Alvarez: the fans don’t want to, and rightfully so, but they have to be patient. It was a casual statement.. one we’ve heard every year over the last decade, but it still struck a nerve with me when he said it.
Why? Because in dealing Nate McLouth to acquire Charlie Morton, Huntington started the clock on the first wave by having to bring up the centerpiece of that wave in Andrew McCutchen to replace McLouth.
The only good part about starting the wave early is that, since McCutchen spent more than 31 days in the minors to open the season, we won’t lose a year of control with him and he got a nice jump in development during years that are projected to be poor. The bad part is that the rest of the projected offensive power for that wave isn’t ready (Tabata and Alvarez), we’re quickly running out of years of control on our veteran pitching (Maholm in 2011 unless we exercise a $9.75M 2012 option, and Duke in 2011 unless he is extended), and the wave’s catcher is far from ready (Doumit’s contract ends after 2011 unless we pick up a 2012 & 2012 options for $15.5M).
So what good is it to have patience if the wave is an unorganized mess?
If Sanchez, Tabata, and Alvarez were all rushed to Pittsburgh in May this year, it would still be 2012 before they would be starting to produce at a meaningful clip but by then our rotation would include Lincoln and Morton and a cast of junk or misfits like Ohlendorf, Veal, Hart, and McCutchen. I don’t include Maholm because there is less than 5% chance he’ll still be with the club then, not to mention the remote chance we would even spend to pick up his option.
If we instead hold Sanchez, Tabata, and Alvarez in the minors thru 2011, forced them to sit out 31 days in 3A in 2012, and then brought them up and aligned them with the next wave, the pieces start to fall in place a little better with Bryan Morris, Morton and Lincoln still be around, Locke and Alderson would certainly be ready by then, Owens and Lorin would be potential options, D’Arnaud, Friday, Mercer, and Cunningham would be set for the middle of the diamond, McCutchen could still be around and extended, and some depth would be available right behind them. It would piss him off, but McCutchen has options left and could sit and fester with Alvarez and Tabata in 3A through 2011 too stretching out his years of control as well.
Throw in two years of development with all those guys and we’d be looking at a run by 2014 and have numerous years of control with them all together. At least the middle of the diamond would be set, pitching would be advanced and deep, the bench strong with the youth here now developing, and the only need would be two corner power guys.
If we’re going to preach patience, then we need to see management take logical steps to protect the commodities of the wave instead of burning them up in the name of a few tickets sold during years the team hasn’t a prayer on paper. Why risk losing the years?
If we’re not going to act as we preach, then screw it – bring up Sanchez, Tabata, and Alvarez May 5th and let them get their development the hard way asap so that we have a chance to fill holes and make a run in 2011 before our pitching walks out the door.
But that’s my take.
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I have a couple openings left in our MLB.com fantasy leagues which are free (chance to win $10,000) and super easy to get involved with.
1 opening for a live draft on 03/20 at 08:00 pm ET
3 openings left for a live draft on 03/18 at 09:00 pm ET
Leave a comment below if you would like to play.
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When should we do our first live game chat? The two next broadcast games are Sunday at 1 against the Yankees and Saturday at 1 vs Boston. I can’t wait to try out the new software.
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Meaningless but fun stats through play Wednesday :
Did you know that the Pirates had the best team ERA in the NL at 4.22? They also had the third best K/9 rate in the NL at 7.4.
On the other side of the coin, the Bucs .293 OBP is not only the lowest in the majors, but so low the front office has to be sweating bullets.
And bet you never expected to see Pedro Alvarez at the top of the NL leaderboard in…. triples. I certainly didn’t.
So far Cubs have issued only 18 walks all spring, third lowest in MLB. Second lowest? Brewers. Hmm.. The Cubs pen is pretty solid despite what you may have heard.
Oh, and Chapman throws again for the Reds Friday.
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Top Prospect Alert:
Chris Sale pitches Friday night against USC Upstate in Spartanburg, SC. Game time is 4 PM.
Streaming Video: http://ASun.TV
Live Stats: http://www.UpstateSpartans.com
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Do you realize there are only four additional Pirates games scheduled to be broadcast this year?
Related posts:
There is a really good chance (Better than 50%)that tomorrow’s game against the Braves in Kissimmee will be rained out. Just FYI..
Jake,
I would like to participate in the 3/20 league.
invitation sent.
Awesome…the chat software!
Just concluded a deal with Coverit Live to be able to use their premium product.
Jake,
I would like to participate in the 3/18 league.
invitation sent to you Mike.
I think it would be worse for morale to hold players in Indy who are ready for big leagues for a year or more.
It is one thing to keep someone down for a couple months to maintain a year of control or start arbitration a year later that is just the way the system works.
But to keep someone down a year so they can be part of a wave would create a lot of problems with players IMO.
> I think it would be worse for morale to hold players in Indy who are ready for big leagues for a year or more.
What’s worse for morale.. playing for a title in 3A for a year or two or sitting in Pittsburgh losing 90 games a year? The players may not like it but, hey, that’s part of the business side of the game.
Jake,
What do you mean by “only four additional Pirates games scheduled to be broadcast this year”?
I should have clarified that better — only 4 more on MLB.tv during the spring.
WHAT!?!? Send McCutchen back to AAA? No way/never happen.
I’m really surprised/disappointed in Brandon Moss’ spring training showing so far. I really thought he’d come out with a hot bat and not only make the 25 man roster, but start in RF when Clement gets sent to AAA and Jones goes to 1st. That’s why I’m not a gambler. But seriously, can you remember a sadder showing for a player with his major league life on the line? Even Steve Pearce is putting up some numbers, and he has zero chance of making the team.
> I’m really surprised/disappointed in Brandon Moss’ spring training showing so far
he’s being a good corporate boy trying to earn a year in 3A, huh? He needs it bad.
Jake so you think that Moss is purposely tanking it? Its hard to imagine that a player would purposely go out and play like garbage. Moss is having a tough time no doubt, but he grew up probably being the best on his team and hes a pro athlete as well. Competitiveness alone should sway him to go out an work hard every time out. I do understand that baseball is a business, but if I was Moss I would go out there and try to make the opening day roster
> but if I was Moss I would go out there and try to make the opening day roster
he has too many flaws to make it George. He knows it, his agent knows it, and the Pirates know it. He needs 550 consistent AB in 3A to recharge him.
Purposely tanking it? Naw, I don’t think that. But I do believe you can come to camp prepared and with a drive, or you can come to camp unprepared and with very little motivation.
His only motivation should be to get AB – somewhere, somehow – if he expects to keep playing the game.
Brandon Moss needs to spend a year with Mark McGwire to get bulked up, heh.