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Bill Brink's Pirates chat: 05.08.19
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Bill Brink
11:58
Good morning everyone and welcome to the day game edition of this week's Pirates chat. We'll get going in a couple minutes. Thanks for those of you who have sent your questions, and keep 'em coming.
12:00
Here we go ...
PhillyJake
12:00
We hear Burdi is going for a third opinion.  What did the first two say?
Bill Brink
12:02
Pirates have been cagey with Burdi's injury. We did hear today from Todd Tomczyk that a nerve injury caused his biceps pain and he won't throw for about a month.
Kol Diamond
12:02
When all starting Pirate regular outfielders are healthy, where will Melky Cabrera play
Don Orris
12:02
Why are you a Nutting apologist Bill?
PhillyJake
12:02
What happens when Chisenhall comes back?
Bill Brink
12:02
Oops. Don, we'll get to yours in a second, but I wanted to address the outfield situation first ...
12:04
Right now, Dickerson is still not throwing (he was doing drills in the outfield with Polanco yesterday but not throwing, only catching). Chisenhall said his calf is better but he has to run the bases today, then he might have to go on another rehab assignment. He'll have to get through that with his calf healthy, and Dickerson will have to work back to throwing in game situations, before this becomes an issue. I think we've got some time. The move they could make is to send Bryan Reynolds down, but he is now also the backup center fielder with Shuck gone and Reyes in the minors so that could be hard to do, plus he's hitting well.
Don, I'm afraid I'll need you to be a scosh more specific.
Manny
12:04
What is up with DuRaupau?He has been pitching great at Indy,why not bring him up?Besides love his name
Bill Brink
12:07
The one earned run in 141/3 innings and 18 strikeouts do get your attention. Ideally I'd imagine the Pirates would like him to go around the International League a little bit to see how hitters adjust to him, and they've called up players ahead of him who have major league experience. Now they'll have to weigh experience in the majors, which Davis, Holmes and McRae have, against production the next time they need a reliever.
Jay
12:07
I really would love to see Marte and Polanco both get red hot... and then trade them both while value is up. What says you? i dont think they will ever be the players we hope they would be.
Bill Brink
12:10
My question then becomes, who plays center and right? OK. Reynolds in center. Not sure Martin has the arm for right. We don't know right now how long Dickerson or Chisenhall will be out and both are free agents after this year anyway, as is Cabrera. Newman? He just started playing there. I don't see this working if the Pirates think they can contend while Polanco and Marte are under contract.
CoalportKid
12:10
Realistically, is there any stopping the Cubs and Cardinals this year?
Bill Brink
12:11
Sure. They're hot right now, and they're good teams, so that's not surprising. Once the Cubs' pitching staff, especially its bullpen, figured it out, things got a lot smoother. They're both going to be tough to chase, and it might be unlikely that the Pirates run them down, but it's possible.
Bob
12:11
Do you think  Montana Durapau is the next pitcher called if Kela goes on the IL?
Bill Brink
12:12
Possibly. They'd be losing a one-inning reliever and he's pitched one to two innings in Indy, so if they want that short-burst guy rather than length, that would make sense.
Canyon
12:12
Did this season start like you think it would?
Bill Brink
12:13
I didn't see all the injuries coming; I figured the rotation would be good but didn't know Lyles would be this good; record-wise, this seems about right; I thought Bell would be better but didn't see this coming.
PhillyJake
12:14
With the Pirates theory of playing two centerfielders, one in left the other in center, you'd think Polanco would play left today and Melkey in right?
Bill Brink
12:14
I think that theory went by the wayside once Moran ran out there, and Polanco has enough trouble mastering the wall in right field. I don't think they want to flip things up on him
CoalportKid
12:14
RE: Catchers, did anyone get the full Diaz absence story? Any reasons for Cervilli's large step back (after a good spring)?
Bill Brink
12:16
Diaz told us it was a virus related to bacteria in his stomach, and that's the most detailed explanation we have. Cervelli is not squaring balls up: His 85.5 mph average exit velo ranks 228th out of 259 players who have put 50 balls in play.
PhillyJake
12:16
Is Stallings really hurt?  Or are they just trying to hold on to him?
Bill Brink
12:17
Little bit of both. The neck bothered him during spring training, but it would hurt their catching depth if they lost him and they need to carry eight relievers while Brault and Kingham are in the rotation (and with 27 games in 28 days).
What other questions do we have today? Don, I was being serious; I'll answer questions about Nutting, if you ask them.
Canyon
12:17
When will we see Kramer again?
Bill Brink
12:18
He's hot right now. I think if, say, Frazier went down and they needed a bat and not position flexibility, he could be a good option. If they need position flexibility they might opt for Reyes.
CoalportKid
12:18
What specifically are teams doing differently that has neutralized Cole of late?
Bill Brink
12:20
It's nothing specific. It's been Tucker's swing-and-miss that have challenged him, which is not surprising for a rookie. The pitchers in the majors hit their spots and have better breaking stuff, and that takes some adjusting.
Canyon
12:20
Is Will Craig the first one come up if bell gets injured
Bill Brink
12:20
That would make sense, yes.
Walking Wounded
12:20
I've heard people say we can't judge this team until everyone is healthy, however, I'm afraid if that day actually comes, the team won't be in real contention for it to matter. Basically, it will take too long for that day to come. Agree or disagree?
Bill Brink
12:22
That's a good way to look at it. Treading water with this many people hurt is gonna be hard. At some point you have to look at it as, it's crummy luck, but the team is what it is, and needs to be treated as such. The Pirates know this when they talk about next man up, although I'm not sure how much they actually talk about that or if reporters just ask about that.
PhillyJake
12:22
The trade deadline looms.  The Pirates are on the cusp of the race.  The Nats are out of it.  What would you give up to rent Rendon for two months?
Bill Brink
12:24
Good question. My instinct is not too much because they traded a lot of prospect capital last year (though that got them more years of control) and the upper levels of their farm system are somewhat thin with a few exceptions (Keller, Hayes) and they won't want to part with that for two months of Rendon. But if they're in contention for the division, not just the wild card, and have some guys healthy and the price isn't ridiculous, some talented lower-level prospects perhaps, that might make sense.
Jay
12:24
If the pirates are in the same position they are in now come July, what do you think they do?
Bill Brink
12:25
Right now they're 2.5 games out of the division, two games out of the wild card and above .500. I think they add somewhere, maybe a rental starter, maybe a reliever, maybe a bat who can play third, but nothing earth-shattering.
Walking Wounded
12:25
It seems the training staff is getting an unfair rap in my opinion. Pulled hamstrings maybe, but can they really help torn elbows, pitching machines, bad slides, viruses, outfield collisions, etc.?
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