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Bill Brink's Pirates chat: 5.9.18
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Bill Brink
12:00
Good afternoon and welcome to this weeks' Pirates chat. Thanks for the questions, and keep them coming. Here we go ...
KB
12:00
Are the minor league players acquired for Tony Watson still in the Pirates organization?
Bill Brink
12:02
They are. Angel German just pitched a scoreless inning for Bradenton Sunday (though he has a 10.64 ERA, .436 OBP and .617 slugging allowed in eight relief appearances) and Oneil Cruz five homers and a .336 OBP with low-A West Virginia.
Mike-9 Mile Falls WA
12:03
In your opinion, what is the most glaring hole the Pirates currently have? As a team, I see that 5th/6th inning as one (as opposed to a singular player) although that seems to be healing itself just a little.
Bill Brink
12:04
I'd agree that's a weak spot, though Edgar Santana is helping. Getting starters through the sixth would help that out, so I'd say pitching in general, though that's a little broad.
Frederick Warren
12:04
Bill, I can’t help but notice the players’ enthusiasm.  Earlier this year, the front office ‘owned’ the comments by David Freese, about the lack of leadership last year.  Well, it seems this team has a collective sense of responsibility, without a singular leader, per se.  Consequently, this team has not lost a series to a divisional foe.  Your thoughts?
Bill Brink
12:06
I talked to Freese about this in Chicago last month and he said the players had handled it during spring training, so I would agree. When you hear that stuff from veterans like Freese, Rodriguez, Cervelli and Harrison, it carries weight. It also helps that they started well; Taillon says they always believed in themselves but human nature would indicate that it's helpful when beliefs are validated.
King of Hamms
12:06
When does Kontos move down in the bullpen pecking order? Who slides up: Rodriguez, Santana, Glasnow?
Bill Brink
12:08
Rodriguez or Santana are candidates, the way they've been pitching. Not Glasnow. Kontos' track record will give him time, but his strikeout rate is down and his hard contact rate is up, so that's worth watching.
Sam
12:08
Do you have any insight to behind the scenes of the announcers booth for TV/Radio? The game has changed, but the announcers refuse to acknowledge it or just downright mock new and useful information. Also, the announcers who are for it do not talk about it at all while on air, only on Twitter.
Bill Brink
12:10
I have insight in that I know the Pirates broadcasters, and a few from teams in the division we see all the time, but not in the way they prepare for or think about the game. It's got to be tough for former players who operated under one paradigm when they played to buy into a new one, but what's important, I think, is that front offices and coaching staffs think differently than they used to, so to properly educate fans, broadcasters and reporters must convey those new operating principles.
Bob
12:11
Why bring up Osuna and only play him one game , play Rodriquez at a buck 40 instead! Makes no sense!!!
Bill Brink
12:12
Rodriguez is playing second today, a position Osuna does not play. The question is a good one -- if they feel they can roll with seven relievers rather than eight, Osuna will stay, and if he stays he'll play from time to time.
Aaron
12:12
Do you think if the pirates continue their winning ways this year they will potentially add to the team by the deadline?
Bill Brink
12:12
Yes, I do. They've added in the past when in contention -- they don't make the big splashy add for the expiring contract of a star in exchange for big-time prospects, but they add.
Bill
12:14
How do Pirates address IF logjam when Harrison returns if Kang forces his way back to the roster?
Bill Brink
12:15
Kang will have more of an effect on Moran and Freese at third. He plays short and third, but the Pirates will begin working him back at third, the position he played most recently, because he's been away from the game for so long. I bet he'll be in a bench role to begin with, and if he forces his way into a starting role, the Pirates will cross that bridge when they get to it.
Bill
12:17
Can Cervelli keep up this pace of hitting?  His hot start has been a pleasant surprise.
Bill Brink
12:18
When he's been healthy, he's hit, his whole career. He's been hurt a lot, some because of the wear and tear of being a catcher, some soft-tissue stuff and a bad-luck hamate. He hasn't hit for this kind of power before, but a new offseason program and another year removed from hand surgery (nothing saps power like hand/wrist injuries and it often takes a year to get it back) have him at his best right now.
Bill
12:19
Why is Hirdle so locked in to Kotos in the 8th. He’s been unable to register Ks for a reliever used so often in high leverage spots
Bill Brink
12:20
It reminds me of when Watson struggled out of the gate that one year. Kontos has been a good reliever for a long time and Hurdle is going to give him time to get right. The decrease in K rate is alarming; the Pirates know that as well as we do and presumably know a ton more about why it's happened.
King of Hamms
12:20
Over/Under 146-16 for the Pirates this season?
Bill Brink
12:21
Gotta get at least one correct prediction on the record this season (my Cy Young and and MVP picks aren't looking great, although Verlander might work out): Under.
What other questions do we have today?
Dinosaur
12:23
Last week I asked if there was any talk about Moran moving to second base which would open up a spot for Osuna at third and you responded with a resounding “No. Because he doesn’t play second base.” - I find it hard to believe that a professional baseball player who plays third base cannot make the transition to second base if that move will make the team better.
Bill Brink
12:26
I'm glad you brought this up because this answer probably required more explanation on my part, so I'll do that here. I stand by the premise that Moran will not move to second base, but here's why. He has not played an inning of second base in the majors or minors. He's a big guy, 6-4, and big guys have longer legs, which means slower footwork. At third, that's OK, because it's a lot more reactionary. Balls are smoked to third. In the middle infield -- this is also why you hear young, talented, tall shortstops need to "move off the position" -- speed and footwork are more important because fielders have to turn double plays, range to both sides, create hops (position themselves to field the ball on the hop of their choosing, usually short or high, rather than get caught in the middle). Could Moran work really hard and do it? Maybe. But the growing pains while he did so would not be satisfactory for a major league team.
Simon
12:29
How concerning is it that Searage and Hurdle seem to be refusing to acknowledge the changes that go against their philosophy that seem to finally be unlocking Gerrit Cole's true potential? It's holding back other talented pitchers on the roster...
Bill Brink
12:32
I don't think there is a connection between Gerrit Cole and other pitchers on the roster; I do think there is a connection between what the Pirates did with Cole and what the Astros are doing. He's got a better spin rate and he's throwing his breaking pitches more. Cole was talented enough that I have a hard time believing the Pirates told him not to use his breaking pitches, but it's possible. The Pirates' philosophy of fastball command, pitching inside and making something happen in three pitches or fewer is a sound one; pitchers like Cole should have the leeway to do their own thing. Whatever the reason, the Pirates didn't get this type of performance out of Cole except for 2015. Maybe being in a rotation with Verlander, Keuchel and McCullers has helped
Jack
12:32
Even though he may understand the reason why, how hard does it hit someone like Kingham that has performed well but gets shuffled around based on unfortunate circumstances?
Bill Brink
12:32
I have to imagine it isn't easy, but there must be some solace in knowing that he didn't pitch his way to the minors; he did everything he was asked.
Jack
12:32
Do you foresee "fan" outrage to bubble back up this weekend, despite the teams standing and McCutchen's expected down performance to start the season?
Bill Brink
12:33
I would expect fans will be excited to see him, regardless of how he's playing, and with that the memories of the trade will resurface, so maybe a little.
Frederick Warren
12:34
How about a review of the 2 young OFs we received for Cole and McCutchen; how are they doing?
Bill Brink
12:35
Jason Martin (Cole) has a .297/.357/.557 line at Altoona, with three homers. Bryan Reynolds (McCutchen) had surgery for a broken hamate bone in mid-April and will be out a couple months.
Dave
12:36
Barring injuries, it seems hard to guess what kind of deadline acquisitions would help, because the team has a lot of solid depth all around, even if individual spots could improve. Two names stand out, probably because they will get a lot of attention: Machado and Archer.

I'd lean towards dismissing any thought of either out of hand, but the Orioles desperately need pitching, and the Rays always value it. Trading from the solid, but unspectacular depth of mid/backend guys (Williams, Brault, Kuhl, Kingham, Glasnow, Eppler) seems like a non-NH move, but maybe the market swings in our direction, and two of those players start a package, with some lower level prospects providing further enticement (probably a significant one or two in Archer's case)?

Failing that harebrained scheme, any names or roles standing out to you as trade targets this early? It just seems like we have supplemental options galore, but lack a big impact talent, which is the one thing we know for sure Huntington won't trade for.
Bill Brink
12:38
In a vacuum, both those names make sense, but all indications from the Pirates' front office since they took over in September 2007 say that this is not a paradigm where those would happen. The challenging things with those trades is that despite popular belief, throwing a bunch of mediocre names for one big name won't get it done because of the value one player producing from one roster spot is higher than several lesser players taking up several roster spots. Players like Machado and Archer require multiple young, talented, controllable players or prospects at premium positions, which the Pirates haven't shown a willingness to give up.
That’s it, Fort Pitt
12:39
Hypothetical question coming...Trade deadline nears. Pirates are in it, Giants are out. Pirates need a 4th OF. Any chance Cutch comes back and joins a 4 OF rotation? Current guys play current position, he rotates between all 3, so each guy plays 3 days then gets one off. Effective way to rest guys through the summer heat. Or does Meadows come up in a similar capacity in that situation?
Bill Brink
12:39
Assuming he's hitting like he is in May rather than April, I wouldn't rule it out, unless the Pirates didn't want to go through the PR hit of not retaining him again.
12:40
Lightning round. Go.
Frederick Warren
12:42
Central Division championship contender?
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