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Bill Brink's Pirates chat: 9.26.18
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Bill Brink
11:56
Good morning and welcome to the final Pirates chat of the season. We'll get going in a few minutes so please submit your questions now.
12:02
OK, get those questions in. Here we go ...
12:04
If you've ever wanted to ask a question but haven't yet, today's your chance.
AndyG
12:05
Basically, who decides if a game is to be played? If instead of the Marlins, the Monday make-up game was with the Red Sox. It has no playoff implications, but it would force Boston to fly the team to Pittsburgh, and even though third-stringers would play, injuries could occur.  Could Boston just forfeit, and would MLB allow that?
Bill Brink
12:08
I believe it's MLB in conjunction with the two teams. With nothing at stake in terms of the postseason, causing the Pirates to rush back to Pittsburgh and the Marlins to divert there on their way back to Florida as the only game being played on a wild-card game workout day after six months of baseball wasn't in anybody's best interest. I don't think the Red Sox would change anything, unless maybe they were going for the all-time wins record. I'm sure they could just not show up, though I don't think it would come to that, and I don't know if there is an official procedure for it.
BobbyToledo
12:10
We're getting to see what Pablo Reyes can do, and it's been amazing, but how come we hcan'e had the opportunity to see the same in Kevin Kramer? It sure does look like his bat will play in the bigs, and very similar to Adam Frazier. Wouldn't be awesome to have to Frazer types on the team? I would think so.
Bill Brink
12:12
Thus far, Kramer has 16 strikeouts in 27 at-bats. I understand wanting to see how his triple-A numbers translate, but you also want to reward Reyes for both his triple-A numbers and his big league production.
BobbyToledo
12:12
Shouldn't the Pirates show Nova some love and give him that $750,000 bonus anyway? It's not his fault the game won't be played, and he's been on fire over his last several starts. I think letting the cancellation dictate the move for the F.O. would be in bad taste. Thoughts?
Bill Brink
12:13
Nova went on the DL earlier this year and missed time (he also missed a start because of a family issue, which I don't want to ding him for) so he had the opportunity to get there. The only reason it's an interesting quirk is because of the timing and his being lined up. If he started Friday it wouldn't matter. He's also pretty well compensated with his base salary.
Guest
12:13
Good afternoon. It looks like Pittsburgh has most of the pieces to put up an interesting season. With Frasier at second and Reyes filling in for Polanco in right, the outfield looks good. However, the left-hand side of the infield is something to be desired. I like Moran, but expected more from him. Any ideas what the team will recommend him to do to get better in the off-season? Also, Newman at
Bill Brink
12:15
I talked to Moran a week or two ago about his defense and he mentioned being on time for pitches in a similar way to hitters are in the box. He knows he's not the fastest guy in the world, but he thinks he can improve his first-step quickness by being prepared earlier for every pitch.
BobbyToledo
12:15
Glad to see we are finally seeing the Archer the Pirates traded for. If he pitches like this next thing, do you think the perception will at least swing back to win-win for the trade, instead on the Rays winning with the haul they got?
Bill Brink
12:16
I do think the perception will shift. A rough August for Archer, Glasnow doing what he'd never done before in the majors and Meadows having three-homer games in the minors got that perception off to a bad start.
Pablo
12:16
Am I for real? I just googled my name, and everyone seems to agree that my tool box is limited....
Paul or Phil
12:16
Is what Pablo is doing sustainable? I mean not at his current pace, but as a legit major leaguer? Or are we seeing another Ngoepe situation?
Bill Brink
12:18
I don't like making calls on a players' future based on a smattering of September plate appearances, but I don't think this is entirely a fluke. He's talented. I talked to scouts around the time Apostel was the PTBNL and heard some who felt the three position players in the Pirates' farm system they liked most were Apostel, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Pablo Reyes.
Guest
12:18
Good afternoon.

I'm confident the Pirates have a fairly decent team to compete next year. Even with Polanco out for a bit, it looks like they have a great replacement in Reyes. The outfield looks good. However, I'm concerned about the infield. Second is covered with Frazier. Bell needs some hitting coaching to get back in form. Same with Moran. What kind of help do the Pirates provide these guys in the off-season, or is there a "guy" to go to in order to get the batting help they need? Also, Newman at SS isn't going to work out. He has a real hard time adjusting to hitting at the majors. Long term he might be a fit, but I just don't see him as a starter next year. Any ideas what they might do at SS? Thanks for the info! Cheers! Richard
Bill Brink
12:21
Sorry Richard, I jumped the gun on that first one. Some guys go to private hitting coaches in the offseason -- you read a lot about that with the launch angle guys -- and some have their own programs. The Pirates hold exit interviews with all players and give them offseason tasks to brush up on, so with those two, I think they'll want to focus on hard contact. Bell in particular they'll want to commit to an approach and get himself on time. I agree, they're going to need a shortstop to at least begin the season. There are some reasonable non-Machado options in free agency -- Freddy Galvis and Jose Iglesias, off the top of my head -- or they could trade for one.
Paul or Phil
12:21
Strange question for you that I’ve never seen answered. A few weeks back Elias came out wearing all white catchers gear and then it disappeared for good the following inning. Where did it go? Who complained?
Bill Brink
12:22
I honestly have no idea. I'll have to ask Elias.
12:24
What other questions do we have today?
Elias
12:26
How much playing time do I get next year? I think I’m worthy of 40 percent
Bill Brink
12:28
There's arguments for more and for less. On one hand, Cervelli is as strong as he's ever been and swinging the bat well. No reason to think he won't be the same or stronger next year, and his control of the running game has improved. They'll want his bat in the lineup -- right now, he's their cleanup hitter. On the other, they are well aware of his issues with head injuries and might want to minimize his exposure to foul balls, and Diaz has shown little drop-off, at least offensively.
Paul or Phil
12:30
Do u think Bannister got a fair shot in Tex? And do u think Hurdle will bring him back?
Bill Brink
12:32
Probably could have used another year. He had two first-place finishes in his first two seasons, and this year at least he didn't have much talent or much of a pitching staff. But he went 2-6 in the playoffs. He'll always be welcome in the Pirates organization but he might want to try to manage again elsewhere.
BobbyToledo
12:32
I hear you on the Kramer at-bats, but Newman started out like that or worse, and with time he's gotten better. I'm not saying sit Reyes and play Kramer, but also give Kramer a shot instead of Mercer or Moran a game or tow in the final days.
Bill Brink
12:33
Yeah, I agree with you entirely on that. It could be that they face four lefties this week, but I'd hope that at this point in the season -- Dovydas Neverauskas pitched two innings last night -- they're not that worried about the platoon advantage.
Ron
12:33
Josh Bell’s drop in HR has been puzzling. What are the theories? His shifting approach at the plate? Any chance of an injury not widely disclosed?
Bill Brink
12:35
Jeff Branson says Bell needed to commit to being on time. Hurdle says Bell needed to pick one approach and stick with it, and to hit the ball out front, off his front foot , rather than letting it travel. Bell says he needs to show pitchers he can pull inside pitches, because if he dinks them all the opposite way or fouls them off, he'll keep getting pitched there. So it's a combination of stuff.
12:36
Lightning round. Go.
Guest
12:37
Bill....What's more likely...The Pirates add a legitimate outfield bat, or look to Jordan Luplow and tell everyone how much upside he has?
Bill Brink
12:38
Judging by the way last offseason unfolded (Nava/Brentz/Saunders, no major league free agents) and the fact that Polanco will not miss the entire season, it appears more likely that the Pirates will stick with Luplow or Reyes to fill in for Polanco, or go after low-risk minor league free agents or trade targets.
OldSchool
12:40
People are assuming Bucs again won't be offseason players, but they should have some $ to spend w/o Freese, Mercer, JHay, no? Add a middlereliver and a power hitting SS and people would be pretty excited for next year.
Bill Brink
12:41
They should have some money to spend, but this past offseason, they didn't sign a major league free agent. They added Dickerson's reasonable salary, but only after trading McCutchen and Cole. So we can't assume they will spend, either.
Paul or Phil
12:43
Has this been a successful season in your opinion?
Bill Brink
12:45
Neal Huntington has spoken about how the Pirates are not satisfied unless they make the playoffs, and because they won't, I will say this is not a successful season. It is objectively a better year than last year, in terms of their record, but given who they had on the field this year, I don't think you can say it was successful.
Professor Plum
12:45
If Nutting stands pat again in the offseason and spends little, and we see Jordan Luplow starts in RF on opening day will there be even more of a fan backlash? The pitching is there but almost everyone says they need to spend on some bats and or a power bat. It's time Bill.
Bill Brink
12:46
The fans showed their disapproval this year by not showing up, and that certainly could continue next season, yes.
Richard
12:46
If Hurdle had to pick the MVP for pitcher and fielder positions for the Pirates, who would he pick?
Bill Brink
12:47
I haven't asked him this, so this is conjecture. My guess would be Taillon or Williams off the mound, Cervelli, Marte or Polanco on the field. Dickerson could be a down-ballot contender.
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