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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 06.09.21
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Jason Mackey
11:39
Hi, everyone. Welcome to my weekly Pirates chat. Thanks for stopping by. We'll get started at noon, but feel free to leave your questions now.
11:59
And away we go ...
Seferg
11:59
I asked this last year, but new year and new roster: Lets say the 2022 Pirates make the playoffs, how many of the current starting 8 position players, starting 5 rotation and closer would be on that team next year and what positions would need to be upgraded?
Jason Mackey
12:01
First off, playoffs in 2022? I want whatever you're having. Second, next year, I think you could reasonably expect Hayes, Newman, Moran, Stallings and Reynolds to be around among the position players. I think they will trade Rodriguez. I think Bednar could fill that role. Rotation, I'll say Brubaker, Keller, Yajure, Crowe and maybe Kuhl. I think you need to upgrade the outfield and the starting rotation.
Sunner in Orlando
12:01
Hi Jason! Now we are reading that some of your colleagues are proposing that they keep Frazier for the rebuilding process. They can't do that can they? They are not winning this year or the next so why not get the best haul for Frazier now instead of less later?
Jason Mackey
12:03
I don't know who proposed that, but I would disagree with them. Also, Frazier is a year away from arbitration? Why in the world would he sign anything that binds him here, to a club that almost assuredly won't contend? The idea of keeping him makes absolutely no sense to me. This offseason, we heard Cherington talk about years of control and how they mattered with Bell and Musgrove. Don't they matter now, too? Frazier has one full one left. Time is ticking. He'll make more next season when the Pirates figure to be non-competitive. He's having a career year. To me, now is the time.
Sunner in Orlando
12:03
How long for the Polanco debacle to continue. No team in their right mind is going to trade for him unless Hayes is thrown into the trade. The error in right field last night opened the flood gates for the Dodgers. We as Bucco fans for life deserve better than this. Put the future in the outfield instead of the disaster that is out there now please!
Jason Mackey
12:04
OK, I hear what you're saying. But who is ready and pushing for time? Seriously. Not trying to be a jerk. I think the Polanco situation stays a thing until someone does something at Class AAA. Fowler is hurt. Stokes Jr. isn't doing anything. Oliva is hurt. Swaggerty is hurt. Alford has been better of late but hardly looking like they NEED to promote him. Madris has cooled. What viable option are they overlooking? I agree that fans deserve more and Polanco hasn't been very good, but don't you have to have a viable alternative?
Guest
12:04
do you think the first base coach should have yelled at hayes when he missed the bag, if not, whats his job?????
Jason Mackey
12:05
I think Brock should have caught that, yes. Absolutely I think he should share the blame on the play.
Joe Snarky
12:05
Who is in the Pirates starting lineup in 2071? ... Just kidding -- who is in it at the end of this season? I assume two or more current position starters will be gone. And are there any potential late-season call-ups you'll be excited to see?
Jason Mackey
12:06
I enjoy that running joke with Joe. End of season, I'm thinking Hayes, Newman, Tucker or Gonzalez and Moran in the infield ... Stallings ... Reynolds, Oliva and I'll say TBD in the outfield. Maybe Alford, maybe Madris, maybe even Oneil Cruz, Cal Mitchell or Canaan Smith-Njigba, someone making a late push at Class AA who gets a September cameo.
Carl in Carrick
12:07
Hey Jason...is there a reason why Cruz is not being groomed to possibly replace Polanco in right field?  It seems shortstop has the most depth.  Also, is Nick Gonzales primarily playing second in the minors?  Thanks.
Jason Mackey
12:08
It's a good question, Carl. He wants to play shortstop. He thinks he can play shortstop. I think they want to give him the chance to do that. Is that enough of a reason to keep him at shortstop? I'm not sure. For right now, I think it's not a hill they want to die on. One thing at a time. Cruz has made great strides at the plate while they've kind of left him alone at short. That's great, though incomplete. Now that he's got some offensive confidence, I think you will see him reintroduced to the outfield. How well he takes to it will determine whether he sticks out there.
Darnell
12:08
Hey Jason. With Frazier having an outstanding season to date, do you think this may be the perfect time to trade him?   Thank you.
Jason Mackey
12:09
Hey Darnell, absolutely I do. Not for nothing, obviously. I think they need to maximize the return. But I think one of the reasons the Pirates held firm on Frazier was because they had a different valuation on him than other teams. I think they look smart now by passing on what had to be lesser offers.
Donna
12:09
Hi Jason, are Leiter and Rocker still in contention to be drafted by the Pirates with the first pick or are they leading to one of the shortstops or the catcher Davis?  Thanks Jason.
Jason Mackey
12:10
Hey Donna. First off, they're absolutely in contention, as you put it. There's a sizable swath of players the Pirates are considering: Leiter, Rocker, Mayer, House, Lawlar, Frelick, Davis ... and not necessarily in that order. Much of it, too, comes down to conversations, off-field stuff and fit. I think there's still plenty of work to be done and a draft strategy to execute.
Nicholas
12:11
Jason, thanks for the chats.  Do you think Brian Reynolds is going to be part of the rebuilding process or is he projected  to be traded along with Frazier and Rodriguez?
Jason Mackey
12:11
I think they will extend Reynolds before they trade him. I've seen that put out by people not around the team every day. No damn way they trade him.
Billy B
12:11
Assuming Rich Rod gets traded before the deadline, who would be in line to get the closer role for the rest of the year? Want to be proactive with my fantasy squad!
Jason Mackey
12:12
Haha. If your fantasy squad is contingent on the Pirates' closer situation, I'm afraid I've got some bad news ... I would say probably Bednar. Although knowing Shelton, I wouldn't be shocked if he went with a by-committee approach in that circumstance. But long-term, I think they'd like Bednar to have that role.
Justin
12:12
We have all heard about Oneil Cruz's fielding errors, but have you gotten any idea of if he's actually *looked* bad?  Is he sailing throws (probably fixable yips / small sample blip) or booting easy grounders (probably not fixable).  Any idea what his range is looking like these days?
Jason Mackey
12:13
Both, Justin. His range is outstanding. It's not the issue. It's been wild throws, balls that tick off his glove, some mental lapses. The guy is incredibly gifted physically. But he's not as sure-handed at this point as you would like a shortstop to be. Not saying it can't happen, and the issues are definitely not the strength of his arm.
Guest
12:13
Who is on your untouchable list for trades?
Jason Mackey
12:15
Majors: Hayes, Brubaker, Reynolds. Minors: Priester, Peguero, Cruz, Thomas, Mlodzinski, Yajure and Contreras.
Danny
12:15
I saw Wil Crowe came out of the bullpen for Indy last night for an inning. Is that just to get some work in or do they plan on continuing that and try him as a reliever some?
Jason Mackey
12:16
It could be a little bit of both. You see that from time to time. Maybe a guy goes in the 'pen for a lower-leverage, shorter-spurt kind of outing. I also think Crowe could profile that way. Or maybe they needed to get two guys work. I think there's some context to acquire, but it certainly doesn't surprise me. Maybe be his MLB future.
May be*
Guest
12:16
  1. When is Polanco going to get DFA? 2. Do you think Hayes and Reynolds haven't signed long-term contracts with the Pirates because Polanco is getting this much playing time? (can't have a winning team with a below average Outfielder that plays every day in the middle of the lineup) I'm very curious for your answer.
Jason Mackey
12:17
  1. After they realize they can no longer trade him. 2. Absolutely not. They haven't signed because I think there are differences in what they think their worth versus what the Pirates think they're worth. And because of Hayes having only played so many games and Reynolds struggling last season -- albeit in a tiny sample size -- I think it makes sense for all involved to wait, especially given the fact that they're not even arbitration-eligible at this point.
MjB
12:18
I believe that you can never appreciate the top until you have spent enough time at the very bottom.  After the Craig blunder against the Cubs, and after K. Hayes missing first base, I'm wondering if we can do anything else this year to assure we have reached the bottom.   The image of the Cubs laughing in the Cubs dugout will forever remain in my brains, and I would prefer to have no further images placed there!
Jason Mackey
12:18
Oh, MjB. The year is young, my friend. Who knows what sort of fresh hell awaits us tomorrow.
David
12:18
With a seeming consensus forming that the draft target is (more? most?) likely a position player, how much do you think the CWS performance can impact things for Rocker and Leiter? Especially for the latter, it's a stage he hasn't stepped on yet and you would think a dominant performance could really cement the brief hiccup as precisely that. Finally, the sense I'm getting is that the even more important factor is going to be the price tags guys set for themselves?
Jason Mackey
12:20
I would disagree with there being a consensus formed around the draft target being a position player. I think that, at this point, that appears the most likely scenario. But how I usually qualify that when doing interviews and such is by saying that there's a long way to go. So much can happen, because of what you mentioned. They can absolutely impact things for those two, good and bad. And yeah, the price tag could matter. This is a really good draft, I'm told, for high school guys who can be signed for over-slot. I wouldn't blame the Pirates for wanting to prioritize that and wanting to shift some first-round money to the second and comp rounds.
Ryan
12:20
Good afternoon Jason what do you think about the play of Reynolds and Frazier so far Frazier has been doing pretty good so his Reynolds lets go Bucs
Jason Mackey
12:24
Hey Ryan. I think they've been the Pirates' best two offensive players, hands down. Frazier should be an All-Star. Reynolds is close, but it's tough because of his position. I've enjoyed how frequently these two make contact as well. Too much strikeouts in baseball today. These two have been palate cleansers.
Justin
12:24
Are you looking forward to having locker room access again?   I imagine this is where a lot of good off the record / interesting conversations could take place.
Jason Mackey
12:26
Put it this way, Justin: If we weren't going to get clubhouse access again -- and I believe we will -- I would absolutely change careers. I have no desire to do this job over Zoom or in press conference settings. You need the nuance, the off-record conversations, the relationships. I'm not a dynamic personality. I'm socially awkward, and I struggle until I really know you. Guessing some of these guys are the same way. But when you're there every day, there's a nice understanding that goes both ways. I'm not trying to be a jerk. Sometimes I need to criticize, and they get that. But I'm always going to show up, and I'm always accountable to them. At the same time, if you build relationships and players trust you, those conversations -- that aren't possible until we get back -- guide/inform your coverage
Justin
12:27
Who leads the pirates in SS innings in 2022?  Cruz, Newman, Tucker, or the field?
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