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Bill Brink's Pirates chat: 8.22.18
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Bill Brink
11:59
Good morning and welcome to today's Pirates chat. We'll get going in a minute. Thanks for the questions, and keep them coming.
12:02
OK. Here we go ...
Austin
12:04
When should A.J. Schugel and Nick Burdi be ready to join the team?
Bill Brink
12:08
We'll know more on both of them this afternoon, when we talk to director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. Schugel has made three appearances with Indianapolis since shutting down his rehab, but given how much trouble his shoulder has given him, the Pirates will probably be cautious. Burdi had a rehab complication but has pitched twice for Indianapolis since. I'd bet both could come up on or around Sept. 1, when rosters expand.
12:09
Keep the questions coming, but we're gonna pause the chat for a minute. I have to write a quick story about the 2019 schedule, which was released. I told Manfred to wait until after the chat but he did not listen. Pirates open at Cincy, home opener against the Cards.
BobbyToledo
12:15
Has the team given up on Hurdle?
Bill Brink
12:15
Don't think so, no.
Austin
12:15
Also, do you think guys like Kevin Kramer and J.T. Brubaker could receive a September call up?
Bill Brink
12:16
Kramer, almost certainly, given what he's done this year and his defensive versatility. I think Brubaker could as well and he would deserve it but it depends how they want to handle his innings, who they want to take a look at in the bullpen, etc.
Billy
12:16
what are your thoughts on the bucs essentially mortgaging their future for a guy who plays every 5 days?
Bill Brink
12:18
For years, fans wanted the Pirates to make the big move. Now they do, and they've mortgaged the future. I disagree with that notion. They have Archer under control for three more years. Glasnow was a middle reliever and Baz is 19. I like the move now, after watching Archer, same as when they made it.
Tonylexus
12:18
Should we expect kang to be on the team next year?
Bill Brink
12:18
I don't think so, no.
Tonylexus
12:18
How safe is hurdles job at this point.
Bill Brink
12:18
Safe. He signed a four-year extension last September.
Blair
12:19
We can assume the Pirates are out of a playoff spot his year. Where do they need to look to add this off season and is signing Dickerson long term part of their plans?
Bill Brink
12:19
They'll need a shortstop. Past precedent suggests they won't open the year with Newman as their shortstop, and Mercer and Hechavarria are free agents, so they'll need someone there. Also a lefty reliever.
12:20
As far as Dickerson, I don't know for sure yet whether he's in their long-term plans but he's done well here and they don't have a left fielder for 2020 (maybe Jason Martin or Bryan Reynolds are ready/healthy, maybe not) so they will probably think about it.
Casey
12:21
Inconsistent hitting is this team’s MO. Who should the Pirates go after this winter to solve that??
Bill Brink
12:22
I haven't done a deep enough dive into free agency/players who might be available in trades to have a good answer just yet; I usually get to that as the end of the season and free agency get closer. Middle infield will need to be priority, I would think.
Harrison
12:22
Do you see Joey Cora lasting past this season? His decisions at 3rd base seem to be becoming a problem.
Bill Brink
12:22
If it were just the baserunning, or the defense, that'd be one thing, but he's in charge of both, and both have been subpar this year. If there were changes made, that one would make sense.
Paul or Phil
12:22
do you expect any expiring contracts to be moved before Sept 1st?
Bill Brink
12:23
If they continue to fall out of it, possibly, but both Mercer and Harrison (Harrison's not on an expiring contract but he's got club options for 2019 and '20) are banged up, and they might want to pick up Freese's option, so it's unclear.
Morty
12:23
what's the organization's assessment of Archer thus far?  He still hasn't produced a single outstanding start and hasn't been appreciably better than any other starter in the rotation aside from slumping Kingham.  Buyer's remorse?
Neal H
12:23
So I finally made a big boy trade, and initial indications are not good. Please tell me 1) Archers era will get below 4.5 at some point, and 2) meadows will just be average, and 3) Glasnow will return to being Glasnow?
Morty
12:23
Who will start 2019 home opener?  Has Archer earned that right just because they mortgaged future for his mediocrity?
Hard to argue Pirates have ruined Archer, but have they helped him at all?  I'm unimpressed
Bill Brink
12:26
I get it. I watched Archer's starts too and I know what the numbers are. For the first, he was on a new team working with his fifth catcher in five starts; he had food poisoning for the second; the Minnesota start was not great; and he got hurt and left early in the fourth. His batting average on balls in play, his FIP and his strikeout history suggest he'll be better. I know he's not pulling a J.A. Happ and lighting the NL Central on fire, but give him a minute.
Don
12:27
Heard Bucs are in talks to bring cutch back.. any truth to that???
Bill Brink
12:28
I have not seen that reported anywhere nor have I heard it myself. He was reportedly placed on revocable trade waivers and could be traded, but I would be surprised if the Pirates were involved.
Paul or Phil
12:28
What can we make out of Colin Moran?
Bill Brink
12:30
Excellent question, and I don't know that we have a good handle on it. He's got a strong, accurate arm and handles balls that he can get to, but the number of balls he can get to is limited. Right now, he's slightly below league average as a hitter. There was more power last year, but that was in the Pacific Coast League, so who knows.
Sam
12:30
I read a story recently on ESPN about a new position many teams were starting to hire in MLB--former players to serve as conduits between the FO and players regarding analytics. Do you the Pirates employ anyone to a similar position?
Bill Brink
12:31
The Pirates employ people to assist the players and coaches with analytics, and they employ former players in the front office like Jamey Carroll and Kevin Young. I don't know that they specifically have one point person for this, but they do have similar personnel in place.
Bill
12:31
Any word on Marte??
Bill Brink
12:32
Nope. Clubhouse opens at 3:30.
Rob
12:32
Who's the odd man out for the rotation next year (yes, time to start looking into next year unfortunately)?  Seems like Taillon, Musgrove, Archer, Williams,.....Nova/Kingham/Kuhl?
Paul or Phil
12:32
Is Archer-Jamo-Trevor-Musgrove-Nova cemented in as the 2019 rotation?
Bill Brink
12:33
I would say Taillon Archer Musgrove Williams Nova for next year, given that Kuhl's coming off an injury. They could move Nova in his walk year if things don't go how they want, or to clear a spot for Kuhl or Mitch Keller.
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