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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 08.05.22
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Jason Mackey
12:52
I've never seen a player paycheck, but the Cardinals are paying his salary, so it would be weird if it had a Pirates logo on it.
Jack
12:52
Hi Jason, do you expect Roberto Perez to return to the Bucs next year? He could potentially hold down the catcher position until a prospect (like Henry Davis, Endy Rodriguez) come up in late 2023 or 2024. R. Perez was solid offensively and defensively before the injury. What are your thoughts?
Jason Mackey
12:52
Assuming they're good with his medicals and such, yeah, I think that makes a lot of sense. Would not shock me at all if he was back.
Justin
12:52
Is Oviedo gonna start out in indy as a RP or SP?
Jason Mackey
12:53
It's a blurry line there with the Pirates, but I'll say this: He's gonna come up here as a starting pitcher. How they get him going and build, not sure. But the end goal is to start.
Mateo
12:53
Endy Rodriguez has to get a serious bump in the next prospect rankings. If somebody wanted to tell me he’s the best prospect in the pirates system I wouldn’t argue with them. Just curious on your thoughts on him as a player?
Jason Mackey
12:53
He's already top-10. I also don't see the rankings as gospel. Guys will get dinged because they've been hurt -- Davis, Gonzales, etc. Look, Endy is one of their best prospects. Not sure I feel differently about him if he's seventh or third. Still a very good player.
New Guy
12:54
I understand not getting value for Gamel  but what is his true value to the Pirates? Won't be here much longer and taking ABs from the kids. I say getting the kids more ABs is worth even more than middling prospect. They should have dumped him. Your thoughts?
Jason Mackey
12:54
Depends on the return, if there was a return. I think he does have value playing a steady left field (helps pitchers makes games more watchable), and you also can't have 26 kids. You need to have some veteran players in that clubhouse, guys younger players can learn from. Gamel plays that role very well.
Canyon
12:54
Hi Jason. There seems to be a group of fans that thinks Cruz has a attitude problem. I have no idea where they got this idea from and they also think that his teammates don’t like him either. Why do you think people think this stuff?
Jason Mackey
12:55
I think it completely insane. I don't know where anyone started that or heard that, but it couldn't possibly be more wrong. Oneil is a great kid. He's shy and doesn't love the attention, but he's a great kid.
BVA123
12:55
Thoughts on Marisnick, I think he could stick on this team as a 4th-5th outfielder. He's ridiculous on defense.
Jason Mackey
12:56
I would DFA him. Great defensively, yes. They have other things they need to accomplish in the outfield, and he's not part of the future here.
tgmartin@logility.com
12:56
Jason, Gotta say how exciting it has been to watch and follow Oneil Cruz. The kid has skills!
Jason Mackey
12:56
Been fun, no doubt.
Not impressed
12:56
I see the numbers of the supposed talent in the Minors and I'm not really blow away by any of them. Is this "talent" just all hype because it seems like it is ? Will these guys be anything in the Majors because if they can't excel in the minors how are they gonna do when they paly with the big boys ?
Jason Mackey
12:57
You can feel however you want, but nobody on this Earth can predict what these kids will be when they get to the majors. That's what makes it fun. They do have talent right now -- and it's not just people saying that for the heck of it. Scouts spend their lives analyzing this stuff.
Wayward
12:57
Of the AAA and AA prospects who have taken steps back this year, who concerns you the most and who concerns you the least?  For me the step back Yajure has taken is the most concerning.
Jason Mackey
12:58
I would put Yajure up there, yes. And he's been better of late, but I would also add Matt Fraizer into the category. Last year was their minor league player of the year. Obviously hasn't been that this season.
Matt
12:58
Why has Ji-hwan Bae not been given a chance yet? Castillo struggled hitting for average almost all season and stayed on the roster. I know he's on the IL right now, but did his offseason problems impact what the front office thinks of him?
Jason Mackey
12:59
I think they wanted to allocate playing time to others and give Bae a chance to start and receive consistent playing time. My other suspicion is that he does come with baggage. The Pirates know they'll take it on the chin when he comes up, and they want to make sure it's worth it when he does come up. That's just a suspicion though.
tgmartin@logility.com
12:59
With the state of our starting rotation, I would think signing more starting pitching is top priority this offseason. Any idea on what pitchers will be free agents? Would love it if they could resign Jose Quintana. He was always a tough pitcher to face while with the Cubbies and WhiteSox. Wow, he showed a lot of leadership capability while a Bucco too. Yea, I am a fan of Jose Quintana...Beat'em Bucs Terry Martin in Woodstock, GA
Jason Mackey
12:59
I haven't gotten that far, Terry. And even if I did, they're not going to sign guys atop the free agent heap. Never do. Probably never will.
ev
1:00
Jason, what is your new position that everyone is extending congratulations?  Congrats, by the way,,...
Jason Mackey
1:00
Thank you! Copy/pasting from earlier: "It's a columnist/enterprise hybrid called "senior sports writer." I write 10 Thoughts every Monday, likely a newsletter, podcast, video and chats as well. Also doing takeout pieces across all beats and traveling for stuff. Basically bouncing around and reporting a little differently than anyone else at our paper across all sports."
Chief Powhatan
1:00
Can we hang on to 3rd place?
Jason Mackey
1:00
Uh, no.
Art from ct
1:00
Although he hasn’t earned it, why not bring mason Martin up forcatastecof big leagyes
Jason Mackey
1:00
Because he hasn't earned it and has struggled in the minor leagues. I don't see who that's serving.
Brian
1:00
Do you know what the plans are for Oviedo? Do want to see him as a starter or do they like what he's done as a reliever enough to leave him there? Seems like the Pirates acquire a bunch of these swing types (DeJong, Yajure, Crowe, etc) and don't like committing to one role for then to develop into. Crowe sticking in the pen seems to have helped his development a ton.
Jason Mackey
1:01
They want Oviedo to start and will be building him up as such. But they also want to work on some mechanical and pitch-usage things with him in the minors before bringing him back up.
Chief Powhatan
1:01
Could the Pirates pull an LA Angels' draft strategy and draft all pitchers in 2023?
Jason Mackey
1:01
They almost did it this year! But, no. I don't see them going that route, at least not completely.
Art from ct
1:01
why not bring mason Martin up for a taste of the big leagues?   Yes he has struggled at AAA but we need a first baseman and he is a good fielder. He can’t be any worse at plate than van meter and this version of Madris.  Plus we need to know whether to protect him in rule 5 draft
Jason Mackey
1:02
They left him unprotected last year and didn't lose him. Hard to imagine his struggles this season would cause him to get claimed. Guys should earn their way up here. I have no problem with adhering to that strategy, although it should also be a two-wat street.
OK, folks. Thanks so much for this. Have some other stuff to do before the game tonight. Always enjoy these. Talk to yinz next week!
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