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Bill Brink's Pirates chat: 4.11.18
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Bill Brink
12:01
Good afternoon and welcome to this week's Pirates chat. Thanks for all who have submitted their questions already, and keep them coming. We'll get going in just a minute.
JonC
12:04
Obviously attendance has been down this year at games. Do you have any data on the number of people watching on TV or listening on radio compared to past years? Or data on number of clicks on Pirates stories? Are people interested but just don't want to go to the game? Thanks.
Bill Brink
12:06
It's a good question. I did a quick look around and didn't see any updates this early in the season. I think they usually wait for more of a sample size -- I think Nielsen in the past has released them at the All-Star break. As for the attendance, I'll be interested to see what an 8-2 start coupled with the lack of arctic temperatures does for the fans.
Jake from Raleigh
12:06
I'm happy about this start for the pirates, but the cynic in me is mad. If the pirates end up being good, the front office will use this team for years and years as vindication to continue their cheapness. Teams are better with more good players. We'd be better if we still at least had Cole, and likely McCutchen. As much as I am happy about the start, I'm equally as upset about the implications it could have on the future. Thoughts?
Bill Brink
12:09
I understand the concern, for sure. Far be it from me to tell you how to feel, but that sounds like searching for the negative. They're good right now, and even if they play poorly in the future, the victories are already in the bank. I also believe this front office will operate the way it wants to regardless of this particular 10-game stretch.
Bake
12:09
Bill, have the Pirates actually become a better team with the additions of Moran and Dickerson and subtraction of Cutch and Cole?
Bill Brink
12:10
Too early to say. Cole has had two excellent starts, but it's two starts against mediocre to bad offenses. Dickerson has hit well but it's two weeks. McCutchen had six hits and a walk-off homer but it was one game. More data needed.
Bake
12:10
With the 8-2 start do we all need to increase our preseason win totals from the 70's into the 80's?
Bill Brink
12:11
On one hand, the wins are on the board. On the other, there are 152 games remaining and everybody but Musgrove has been healthy so far.
Jim in VT
12:11
With Brault looking like a viable starter and with his stats in HOU showing Musgrove is a better RP than SP, will management still push Hurdle to use Musgrove as an SP?
Bill Brink
12:11
The plan now is for Musgrove to join the rotation when he's ready, yes.
Bake
12:11
Based on their performance last year and to start this year, it seems Taillon and Williams will anchor the rotation.  How do you think things will play out with the rest?
Bill Brink
12:13
I see upside with Kuhl. He started to blend the new four-seam/curveball approach with his older sinker/slider arsenal at the end of last year and it played, and if he can continue that and maintain his composure on the mound, he'll be good. Nova should be solid, better than the second half of 2017 if not as good as the first. Brault and Musgrove are something of an unknown at this point, though Brault has had successful starts in the majors and I see him as having a high floor.
Jim in VT
12:13
How long do Hurdle/Huntington stay with a 4 man bench?
Bill Brink
12:14
Hurdle said this week that he's given no consideration to changing, and as long as Glasnow and Holmes are in the bullpen and the Pirates don't want to use them on consecutive days, they'll carry eight relievers.
Mark
12:14
Hi Bill.  I know it's very early but the Dickerson acquisition is looking excellent so far as he appears to be a good clutch hitter and solid fielder.  And let's be honest, Cutch didn't exactly rack up the clutch hits last year.  My question is, how much credit do you give the FO for acquiring Dickerson or was it mostly luck?  Thanks.
Bill Brink
12:15
The only luck I would attribute would be the Rays' decision to DFA him, and the timing of it. Other than that, I would give the credit to the front office for finding a good player to fill a need and not giving up too much to get him.
Wayward
12:16
How much rope do you think Santana and Neverauskas have?
Bill Brink
12:17
A decent chunk still. I don't think Hurdle or Huntington will want to make rash decisions after two weeks in cold temps where it's hard to get loose and feel the ball, and also it's not like there are a ton of great options in the minors.
Dan
12:17
Hi Bill.  When do you think Nick Kingham will get calls up and whose spot in the rotation would he take?
Bill Brink
12:18
My guess would be, it would take an injury for Kingham to get called up, or a drastic lack of production. Kingham is good, but the Pirates have him below all the other starters on the depth chart.
Jim
12:18
I know this is jumping way ahead but....if this continues and the Pirates are competing in July, do you think there is a chance that Huntington trades a legitimate prospect and "goes for it", considering the massive blowback that has occurred recently from this management team's decisions? My thought is that they will never abandon the current strategy.
ChandlerC
12:18
If this Pirates hot start continues, and they become contenders into the summer months, do you think acquiring another Starting Pitcher is possible? Or maybe some bullpen help?
Bill Brink
12:19
They need to worry about continuing to win games before they can jump ahead to the trade deadline. It's been 10 games. I don't think Huntington will abandon his strategy now after adhering to it for 10 years.
Jon L in Miami
12:19
What’s the deal with David Freese? I love Moran but if Freese isn’t going to play against lefty starters like Romano, where does that leave Freese?
Bill Brink
12:19
He's a bench guy, with Moran the everyday player.
Austin
12:20
I know the feel of a bat is huge at the mlb level, so do switch hitters such as Josh Bell use a different bat depending on the side they bat from?
Bill Brink
12:20
That is an excellent question that I don't know the answer to. I'l ask.
Jim
12:20
In the hours that you spend covering this team, can you point to anything that can explain the hot start offensively. The Pirates are notorious for starting slow offensively. Was there a different focus this spring? Better scouting of opponents? Quality of opponents so far?
Bill Brink
12:21
One thing that jumps off the page is the batting average on balls in play. They lead the majors at .318. And a couple years ago, they got off to a hot offensive start too, though I think quality of opponent (facing the Tigers and Reds helps) plays a role here.
Austin
12:23
How should the Pirates fix the bullpen?
Bill Brink
12:24
Right now, I'd say they will let it play out. They don't have many great options in the minors with Schugel injured and they probably want Crick to pitch a little bit down there. I don't see them making a major trade this early, though a waiver claim wouldn't surprise me.
Scott
12:24
The way I see it, the buccos are a left starter away from being a contender. Pushing one of our guys in the rotation to middle relief which has been a huge problem, would help. Thoughts?
Bill Brink
12:25
Right now that guy would be Brault, who's a lefty starter. Getting Musgrove healthy and having the option of putting him or Brault in the bullpen will strengthen both staffs.
Jim
12:25
Smoker has really underperformed so far. From my perspective, the stuff is unimpressive and he has struggled to find the plate. Is there any feeling that they will look to replace him? And if so, what other lefty options exist in AAA?
Bill Brink
12:26
Maybe eventually, but not right yet. There are no lefties on the roster in triple-A except for Kevin Siegrist, who is on the suspended list because he did not report.
BobbyToledo
12:26
I think Cole is benefitting from being let off the leash. The Pirates want their pitchers to pitch to contact, and Cole has more of the Nolan Ryan mind-set, which didn't mesh. Now, he looks like a beast. Thoughts?
Bill Brink
12:27
I read two interesting articles, one on Fangraphs and one on Baseball Prospectus, that made a similar argument. It could be that Houston's analytics, coaching staff and catchers helped Cole change some things, and flourish, or it could be two starts against the Rangers and Padres. It's probably a combination of the two. We've seen Cole have stretches like this in Pittsburgh, but what we didn't see was the swing and miss, which is interesting.
Chandler
12:28
If this hot start continues into the summer months, what are the chances the Pirates sign/trade for another starter? Or maybe some bullpen help?
Bill Brink
12:28
Bullpen help more likely than a starter at this point, but there's plenty of time for the rotation to clarify what it's going to be capable of.
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