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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 07.14.23
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Jason Mackey
11:42
Hello, everyone. Thanks for stopping. Welcome to my weekly Pirates chat. We'll get started shortly.
11:55
OK, let's get started.
Jeff M
11:55
I have seen Miguel Andujar described as a quad A player. However, the pirates have only given him 67 ABs since they acquired him. With the offensive struggles do you feel it may be time to get him some ABs? One last chance for him to show he can play in MLB and maybe some help for a struggling offense.
Jason Mackey
11:57
Hi Jeff. Andujar has been great at Triple-A. I can see giving him another look, too. Agree with your point there. But that's it. As much as he has produced in the minors, he has a .209 average and .635 OPS in those 67 ABs.
Jeff M
11:57
Do you think the Pirates draft after round 1 was focused on guys the can sign for under slot and that they expect to have to go over slot for Skenes?
Jason Mackey
11:58
Not necessarily. They might have to go over-slot for Skenes, and that's fine. But I don't think it changed how they drafted too much. Now, did they have a strategy with the next two picks? Likely. And at other points in the draft. But not related to Skenes.
LSU fan
11:58
I understand the drafting the best possible player, but seems a bit off when you go 80% pitching. Hopefully one of them break out!
Jason Mackey
11:59
It was pitching heavy, but I have a hard time finding fault with it. You simply can never have enough pitching. We're seeing that at the MLB level now.
Johnny Boy
11:59
Are the Pirates allowed to bring up Priester and Endy now?   They dont have a 5th starter and havent had a catcher all year.   Can we begin to see the 2024 lineup anytime soon?
Jason Mackey
12:02
Yes, they're allowed. They were always allowed. Guessing you're asking if they're past the Super-2 window, and that has indeed passed. I think they'll go bullpen game or Cam Alldred this time around, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Priester next time through. And Endy soon, too. They're wasting reps on the other two.
Jim M.
12:02
Jason,  There have been a few rumors about a Quinn Priester promotion. Have you heard anything that you’re at liberty to disclose and if not what’s your guess. It has to be soon.  Right.
Jason Mackey
12:03
It's not Tuesday, per CBS Sports putting it out there and making my life more difficult. Last I heard, he was scheduled to start tonight in Omaha. I think it's very close, Jim. They have a definite need in the rotation.
Guest
12:03
What happened to Roansy? There are enough data points that support Marin is doing a good job as pitching coach. But Roansy’s implosion reminds me of the old regime. What happened?
Jason Mackey
12:04
He's a 23-year-old trying to pitch in the major leagues. It's hard. It happens. This is a fascinating situation. Feels like a societal thing. Someone always has to have screwed up. Not necessarily. They've tried to work with some stuff delivery-wise that will help him, but the adjustments haven't come quickly enough. He has struggled. He's been hit hard and has struggled more. They need to stop the cycle. I don't think it's anybody's fault. But they need to step back and probably address the delivery stuff a different way or at another time.
Guest
12:04
BTW, great job on the Bucs coverage! Thanks!
Jason Mackey
12:04
Thank you very much!
Cullen B
12:04
Is Andy Haines seat at least a little bit warm at this point? It seems like a lot of our bats have regressed under him and he cant get players out of extended slumps
Jason Mackey
12:06
I think the players should be held accountable for that stuff more than Haines, but yeah, if this continues into the offseason, I have a tough time seeing them bring him back. It depends on results, right? If the Pirates sorta snap out of this and wind up winning 74-76 games, they can call this progress. Even if the offense gets better, but they win, say, 66, that ain't gonna sit well. As such, someone would likely go in that scenario. My best guess would be Haines.
Cullen B
12:06
Do you think there is any chance the Pirates take the risk and sign Skenes to a long term deal immediately when he comes up buying out his minimum/arb years plus 1-2 FA years to lock him down? Would be a FA again at ~30 and could command another huge contract potentially!
Jason Mackey
12:07
I think we should focus on them signing him to his first contract before worrying about the second one.
Cullen B
12:07
Is Cruz still on track to be ready by mid August? If he is, does that include a rehab assignment being completed or he would be starting the assignment mid August?
Jason Mackey
12:07
I would say third or fourth week of August at this point. Last we heard, he wasn't hitting. And, if he has, it was minimal. There's a long way to go between that and a rehab assignment. Have a tough time seeing Aug. 10-12. Would think Aug. 22-24 is more likely at this point.
Dave
12:08
Seeing all the Pirates players from some of their non glory years pop up on broadcasts got me thinking. Would they ever bring Brian Giles back in any capacity, a couple others would be Jason Bay, Freddie Sanchez, Nate McClouth? How do they go about that & I would suppose the former player would want to come back.
Jason Mackey
12:09
I don't think they would have anything against it. Bay was back recently for something. I don't know what Sanchez & McLouth are doing these days, if they would want to come back. I had heard Sanchez was dadding it up and coaching his kids. I will say, this new regime doesn't seem terribly emotional about such things. It's very fact- and development-based when they think about coaching hires. Those guys always have to be interested.
Cullen B
12:09
Are there any lower level prospects that have caught your eye at the halfway point?
Jason Mackey
12:11
I don't know if this is what you're going for, but obviously Solometo has been impressive. Harrington as well. Massey. Tsung-Che Cheng is someone I think people are probably sleeping on a little as well.
Dave
12:11
I know you can’t answer this in this little space but I thought this might be a project for that stats guy you wrote about a few months back. Would the Pirates be better off just keeping players until they hit free agency rather that trading for players that just don’t pan out. I/e two more years of Cole vs 4 players we got very little from.
Jason Mackey
12:13
That stats guy you wrote about = the great Ethan Hullihen. Ha. ... I know what you're saying. Would the Pirates be better off keeping Rich Hill, Carlos Santana, etc. The problem I find with it: When have they actually done that? Like I would be comparing the production of trade return, I guess, but to what am I comparing it? Other situations where they kept guys? i understand it's an interesting decision they face, but I guess I just struggle to see how I would mathematically -- as opposed to anecdotally -- said one is better than the other.
Austin H.
12:16
Jason, when will my sham end and I hit the unemployment line? Do you think I have more than 2 weeks of clubhouse free meals left?
Jason Mackey
12:19
Same thing I've reiterated on Hedges: Fine with him being on the time. He's also at -1.0 bWAR and shouldn't be playing every day. Should be the backup and mentoring Henry/Endy. I think people would be less agitated if that was the case.
Austin H.
12:19
Jason, I've been able to really take advantage of these pitch framing shenanigans. Can you tell me how this is measured? I move my glove towards the strike zone every pitch like every catcher does. Since I make a ton of errors and can't throw out the likes Danny Vogelbach stealing, I want to make sure I maximize this pitch framing stuff.
Jason Mackey
12:19
Same deal. I don't think pitch-framing is a con. As a former pitcher, I actually think it's important. But again, it shouldn't override everything else. And I think that's why fans are (understandably) upset.
Rick Reuschel Fan Club
12:22
Gerrit Cole did not pitch professionally, except in the AFL, the year he was drafted. He spent the entire next year in the minors and almost three months in the minors the following year prior to being promoted to Pittsburgh. Is that the timeline you would expect for Paul Skenes? I would hope that we would see Skenes next year in Pittsburgh. Maybe not at the start of the season, but not too long after that. He's a year older than Cole was when Cole was drafted and seems more advanced as a pitcher. Obviously, if he were to struggle that would delay his arrival. But assuming he pitches well, I i think we should see him in the big leagues next year.
Jason Mackey
12:24
That's a good question. And one that's hard to answer because Cole came up under the former group. Skenes will be handled differently. They've also gone on record numerous times calling this a player-centric culture and saying players will determine when they're ready. If that's true and Skenes pitches the way many think he can, he should be up. That said, they do need to be cognizant of arm health. I would not push him this year because he's not worth it. And it's OK to want him to go through Double-A and Triple-A next year before bringing him up. Basically performance with some eye toward arm health.
Bill
12:24
Even with the struggles of Bae and Castro it still feels like middle infield is an area where the Pirates have a lot depth. Do you think to maximize it they could look to move one of them to 1B since there is lack of depth there going in 2024?
Jason Mackey
12:25
It's something that's on my radar, specifically with Castro. But he has to hit first. I also think Triolo could make a really good first baseman. Lastly, we need to learn more about Endy. He could be a 1B candidate. I would not move Gonzales, Cruz, Peguero or Bae to first base.
Endy
12:25
Why am I not playing for the pirates tonight ?????
Jason Mackey
12:25
Good question. I'm not sure I have a good answer at this point. Potentially if there's even a sniff of interest in Hedges, it would behoove the Pirates to sacrifice two weeks of ABs to make that move, if it's available to them.
Tony Womack
12:26
What are you hearing numbers wise for Skenes?
Jason Mackey
12:26
Numbers-wise with ... a bonus? Nothing, honestly. Those are details that are generally not shared publicly. Or privately.
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