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Bill Brink's Pirates chat: 7.18.18
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Bill Brink
12:08
Good afternoon and welcome to this week's Pirates chat, All-Star game/airport terminal edition. It'll be a bit shorter than usual due to having to catch a flight, but we'll get going at 12:30. You can begin submitting questions now.
12:33
Thanks for the questions, and keep them coming. Here we go...
Rick
12:33
Is Nova gone by the end of July
Bill Brink
12:34
I don't think so. He's pitched better recently, but it was only three starts ago he allowed five home runs, and I don't think other teams are desperate enough for his services to offer the Pirates a package they'd deem worth trading him for.
Hippo
12:34
I have read reports that Cervelli might be done as a catcher. And he obv would have no value as a backup first baseman. If true, what do the Pirates do? Would he have any value as a DH in the American league? With his injury and concussion issues I can't see any team wanting him.
Bill Brink
12:37
An inability to catch would put him in a tough spot with the Pirates, who have an everyday first baseman. I don't think they'll want to jeopardize Bell's development by playing a converted catcher ahead of him. They might have to make do for the rest of this season and re-evaluate this offseason. I don't know which reports you have read, but it needs to be noted that the head of neurology at AGH, who's managing this, has not recommended to the Pirates that Cervelli no longer catch. That could happen at some point, but has not as of yet.
TonyT
12:38
hi bill. why isn't neal huntington held accountable for the lack of top prospects in the minors and the poor development?
Bill Brink
12:41
The people to hold him accountable would be Coonelly and Nutting, and Huntington got a four-year extension last September, so they appear to be good with the job he's doing. I get the narrative that they don't develop, but I don't think it's as bad as the public thinks it is. Needs improvement, for sure, though.
BobbyToledo
12:41
The Pirates answered Huntington's challenge and went 7-1 in the week leading up to the all-star break. The ball is in the GM's court? Will he he use it or not?
Bill Brink
12:42
The question none of us can wait for in the next two weeks. On one hand, he issued a challenge and they rose to it. On the other, they are under .500 and nine games out of first. He might have backed himself into a corner.
Hippo
12:44
A few other pieces I have read say that some of the coaches including and starting with Jeff Branson will be on the hot seat after the season. Do you agree Bill? Haven't been impressed with him to be honest.
Bill Brink
12:47
In a similar respect with the Cervelli question -- I can't speak for other reports or reporters, things I didn't write based on conversations I didn't have. From a general perspective, the Pirates have been near the middle of the pack offensively in every month but June, when they had the absolute worst offense in the National League. Looking at prolonged slumps from Polanco and Bell leads you to think maybe a change would be good, but solid offense from Dickerson and Cervelli crediting the hitting coaches with helping him build a new swing land on the other side.
Ron
12:47
Ranked in order of who will be gone- JHay Mercer Dickerson Cervelli Freese and Sean Rod at 31st
Bill Brink
12:48
Are you ranking them in order of who will be traded, or am I? If it's me, from most to least likely: Mercer Harrison Dickerson Freese Cervelli Rodriguez.
Hippo
12:48
McCutchen has a 1.1 WAR in 2018. Kyle Crick has a 1.0 WAR. Pretty surprising how great Crick has been huh?
Bill Brink
12:48
Surprising to me because he didn't make the club out of spring, but not as much given his pedigree and the fact that the Pirates made him the only major league piece in their return for McCutchen.
Mike
12:49
At this point, based on the players that should get traded (Mercer, Harrison, Freese) - are there ANY team that would be interested in even taking they for free, let along trading something worth while.
Bill Brink
12:49
That's the problem, right? Huntington alluded to that when he said, a few weeks, ago, there has to be interest in your players. None of them profile as difference-makers on a contender, at least the way they're playing right now.
Hippo
12:50
I get that Josh Bell has had a good few weeks but I'm still concerned watching him. His swing still seems off, and I'm not sure he knows what kind of hitter he is. He was like Jung Ho Kang last year belting all those homeruns but he wasn't that kind of player in the minors when he hit over .300 and had a great eye at the plate. What do you think Bill? Am I right?
Bill Brink
12:51
Bell is talented enough that he can change his swing and approach frequently and sometimes it works, but the Pirates have said that sticking with one thing could be more beneficial. I think his performance at the plate is not as much knowing what kind of hitter he is but choosing what kind of hitter he wants to be.
Wayward
12:51
What can be reasonable done to improve this team?  Another SP and some bullpen help?  Who/what are you willing to give up to get somewhat better?
Bill Brink
12:53
I would agree, another SP and some bullpen help -- if we're talking about a contender. The Pirates could be better served letting their young rotation sort itself out. At nine games back and under .500, given the front office's past actions, I don't know how much they'd be willing to give up at this point.
Hippo
12:53
Does Neal Huntington realize that he has literally no credibility with the Pirates' fans? So he mentions 4-4 won't help but the Pirates have won 6 in a row and went 7-1 before the break. If he sells which is still most likely, he is going to just continue to be not believed. Does he care? Or understand?
Bill Brink
12:54
He's a smart guy, so I'm sure he does, but he still runs the team his way despite outside outcry. He also has to operate under the restrictions of ownership.
TonyT
12:54
is kang with the club next season bill and is dickerson with the club next year?
Bill Brink
12:56
Dickerson, I don't think so, because the Pirates will have three outfielders who are under team control and it will probably be time for Meadows to start the season in the majors. If Dickerson keeps it up he could be a nice trade piece. They could also trade Polanco or Marte, though that would surprise me. Kang, too early to tell, depends on if he makes it back/how he does, but right now it's looking like they'll decline his option.
HB
12:56
If the pirates trade their veterans for bullpen help and than let the young prospects play the rest of the way and they play around .500 do you think in the off season the front office would add free agents to help the team or is that a pipe dream.
Bill Brink
12:56
They didn't add any free agents this winter, so it's kind of a see-it-to-believe-it thing at this point.
Wayward
12:56
I agree with your previous about letting the young SP sort itself out.  Do you think most fans would understand if the Bucs traded guys like Mercer, Freeze or JHay not so much with an eye to acquiring top prospects, but with a focus on opening opportunities for young position players?
Bill Brink
12:58
I do get that sense, yes. "Play the kids" only goes so far when none of the kids are an Acuna or a Vlad Jr., but Newman and Kramer have a longer future with the club than Mercer or Harrison at this point. Fans on Twitter seem to be OK with this, in general.
BobbyToledo
12:58
Woudn't it be smart to move Marte now? He's having a really good year numbers-wise, enough so to make people forget about his suspension last year. Just saying ... what if it happens again?
Bill Brink
12:59
He's currently their best player. If they want to contend in the next few years they'll need him and I don't think he'll bring the type of return worthy of trading their best player.
LA Matt
12:59
Although we tend to blame the owner for all that ails the Pirates, how much is he really involved in the day to day operations and decisions of the team?
Bill Brink
1:00
He is involved with assembling the baseball operations staff -- employing the people who make the decisions and hire the field staff -- and he is invovled in the finances, what the front office can spend. He's not in a literal sense on the phone with Brian Esposito telling him that Tanner Anderson is coming up, but his influence is there.
LA Matt
1:01
Although I understand the cry for the Buccos to be sellers as we approach the trade deadline, other than pitching (a high valued commodity by EVERY team) and organizational depth (another high value by every team), what openings in their everyday lineup do they really have?
Bill Brink
1:01
In the near future they'll have openings in the middle infield, and they could be on the lookout for catching help, at least catching depth.
1:02
That's it for today, sorry to cut it short. We'll do a longer one next week. Try to make it through two days without baseball!
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