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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 10.01.20
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Jason Mackey
11:49
Hi everyone and welcome to my weekly Pirates chat -- albeit a day later than usual. Sorry about yesterday. Cherington and Shelton talked at 11:30 a.m., so I decided to move it. Anyway, lot to talk about. We'll get started around noon.
12:02
OK, and away we go, listening to a little 7/2/89 (Foxboro) Grateful Dead ...
Danny
12:02
I know Joe Musgrove will be one of the Pirates most intriguing trade chips for obvious reasons but how likely is the possibility that they seek to extend him instead?
Jason Mackey
12:04
Hi Danny, good question. And it sounds weird that both of those things could be true. I do think there's a possibility they could extend Joe, although I say that not knowing what he's looking for. They could also do a lot worse. I think he's a solid No. 4 in a rotation, and that's what he could be here if you go Taillon, Keller and Kuhl ahead of him. But how much he's looking for on said extension -- versus maybe what he could get if they trade him -- might wind up being the big question.
thomastown
12:04
Marte is now playing for the Marlins which was a pretty quick flip by Arizona.  Do you have any idea how the trade assets Arizona got from Miami compare to what the Pirates got from Arizona for him?
Jason Mackey
12:08
First: Arizona got pitchers Caleb Smith and Humberto Mejia and a PTBNL for Marte. It's hard to compare, honestly, because Brennan Malone and Liover Peguero are in the lower levels. Smith made his MLB debut in 2017 and Mejia his this season. I think the hope is that, in a couple years, both Malone and Peguero will surpass those guys the Diamondbacks got for Marte.
wvpirate
12:10
Do you know which minor league players need to be protected on the 40 man roster this winter? At least the most important ones?
Jason Mackey
12:10
My colleague, Mike Persak, covered this way more in-depth than I will have the time or space to do here. So I would recommend reading that. Short answer is probably just Jared Oliva: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2020/09/08/pirates-jared-o...
Rob B
12:10
What are the chances that Kumar Rocker or Jack Leiter won't be the first overall pick in the next draft?
Jason Mackey
12:11
I would be stunned if the No. 1 pick wasn't one of those two.
Rob B
12:11
What are some reasonable names that the Pirates could look at this offseason? Will they let the young guys play and carve out their roles on the team or will they look to add more seasoned players to fill out the roster?
Jason Mackey
12:12
I think they will let young guys carve out their roles, honestly. It's hard to answer names of players they'll "look at." Not only is that insanely speculative, but we're also dealing with the Pirates. They're not going to operate like most other MLB clubs, at least not right now, which makes predicting their offseason "look at" plans incredibly difficult.
Rob B
12:12
What players from the current roster will the Pirates look to move this offseason? I'm not sure any of the players I had in mind, like Frazier, did enough after the deadline to increase his value.
Jason Mackey
12:13
I could see Frazier falling in that category. They could "look" to move Polanco, Williams and Gonzalez, although I don't see any of that actually happening. Musgrove is another one they could probably make a reasonable deal for.
wvpirate
12:13
Is Burdi no longer a Rule 5 player?
Jason Mackey
12:18
I do believe he is still eligible; however, would have to imagine he's on their 40-man and protected.
Danny
12:19
The Pirates have 8-9 spots (depending on Archer option) to clear after the WS just for when players come off the IL. Do they start paring down their bloated arb class early, or just clear bottom of the roster fodder (Waddell, Susac, etc) first?
Jason Mackey
12:19
First, I would not expect them to pick up Archer's option. But I think they'll likely do the latter first, clear what they can and then probably start figuring out how to avoid so many arb cases.
Danny
12:19
Say the Pirates are down two starters this winter... whether Trevor gets non tendered or a trade or two. Could the Pirates look to bring back Archer for cheaper? I really wanted to see how he would do under a new coaching staff.
Jason Mackey
12:21
Yeah, I think they could. He might be interested in that, too. Can't imagine there's going to be a huge market for a 32-year-old coming off season-ending surgery and a career-worst year. So, perhaps the Pirates are Archer's best option. I think a decent amount depends on context and what Archer is looking at.
Destiny
12:21
The Pirates have a long climb even in thier own division with the cubs, cards, Brewers, and Reds making the playoff. So much for the small market cop out. The Pirates are going to have to spend some money
Jason Mackey
12:22
I don't disagree with you, although I'd rather see them spend the bulk of that money when it makes more sense. Like after they grow more prospects and are closer to competing. Spending $20 million more now? That might get them closer to .500 or even over it, but it's not gonna help the pass the teams you mentioned.
nivek morris
12:22
I just read your grades for the 2020 Pirates, and I have to say I found your grading system extremely kind. They were the worst team in baseball on merit. How can you give them an average above C level?
Jason Mackey
12:22
That was Miguel Del Persak who did that. mpersak@post-gazette.com. Tell him I sent you.
Jacob
12:22
I think a few surprise inclusions at Altoona (Kranick, Castro, and Ogle) need protected from the Rule 5, so the Pirates having them at Altoona could mean they think they are worthy of protection.
Jason Mackey
12:24
It could, yeah. It could also mean they just wanted to see more out of them with no minor league season in 2020.
Danny
12:24
Could the Pirates trade Rich Rod? Lots of pen options especially with what you reported about Santana... Rodriguez has been very solid but he’s a bit on the older side — relatively to where the Pirates are right now.
Jason Mackey
12:25
Sure. If he nets something, they wouldn't be against it. And he might, too. But if it's only reasonable or average interest -- the Pirates, same as all teams, establish baselines for what they want back in trades -- they also wouldn't be wrong to wait until mid-2021 and potentially try to move him at the deadline.
Guest
12:25
Do you think Hayes will be signed to a extension this offseason after seeing him rake in September
Jason Mackey
12:26
Short answer: no. I expect them to try. I think it would be a smart business move by them and a gesture of goodwill toward their fans. But unless they're going to come really strong, I don't see Hayes signing that.
Mike
12:26
So the Pirates almost want to place blame for their hitting woes on Eckstien, when in reality it's the players who have to do the hitting. With that in mind, do you think they will them Eckstein go
Jason Mackey
12:27
I haven't heard them blaming everything on Eckstein. Or almost blaming it on him. From what I've been told, Eckstein is likely to stick around. I agree that the players should receive the bulk of the blame here. Eckstein is a good man and smart coach. I'd keep him.
Guest
12:27
Could we see any extensions this offseason?
Jason Mackey
12:29
Yeah, I think we could. Newman and Reynolds are two interesting ones to me. Bell and Hayes, no. I think it makes sense for both of them to wait. Musgrove, maybe. He could go either way, and it could depend on the trade market. But Newman and Reynolds, coming off down years, it would make sense for the Pirates to try and buy low. Meanwhile, they both have young families and might actually value the certainty right now.
Dr Bob
12:31
Realistically what do you think would be the return for Josh bell this off season....thanks.
Jason Mackey
12:34
Last season I thought it was interesting that Jim Bowden proposed Bell to the Yankees for third baseman Miguel Andújar, right-handed pitcher Roansy Contreras and first baseman Luke Voit. Here we are a year later, and Bell has one less year of cost-certainty (I know, it matters less to the Yankees) and is coming off a year where he struggled, albeit over 60 games. It should also be noted that this trade heavily favored the Pirates. ... Honestly, the answer is TBD. I don't think it makes sense, and I don't think the Pirates want to trade Bell. I also think they would target controllable assets if they did something. But it just doesn't make sense right now.
Danny
12:34
Do you think the DH will be back in the NL next year?
Jason Mackey
12:35
I do. I don't see how they can put the toothpaste back in the tube on this one. Certain people -- Greg Brown, cough, Greg Brown -- will hate it, but I just don't see baseball going back. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see the DH, seven-inning doubleheaders, 28-man rosters and a guy on second to start extras all stick.
Bucco Neil
12:35
I know you can't really answer this but it's something I've wondered about at times. Why does Bob Nutting want to own the Pirates? I know we all think it's because he wants the money, maybe that annual $10-$20 million Mark Cuban says he gets. But I read that he could sell the team for over $1 billion, about a 1,000% return on his investment. That has to make any self respecting money grubber drool. But could he be thinking he could get $2 billion in another ten years? I know he says he wants to bring a World Series championship to Pittsburgh but by now anyone paying even a little attention has to see how unlikely that is given how he runs the team. And he's got to be near the top of any list of most despised Pittsburghers. Could he want that status, maybe like the attention it brings? I know only he can answer this stuff but you have talked with him and know him to a degree so I just wonder what your take is.
Jason Mackey
12:41
Good question, Neil. Here's my take. And it's not gonna be to throw Bob off a bridge, so fair warning. ... I do think Bob Nutting enjoys owning a professional baseball team. I like he takes pride in it. I think he wants to keep it in his family. I think he wants to see the Pirates win and be successful ... but his way. If you talk to enough people about Nutting, he's not dumb. But he's definitely frugal/measured/calculated/cheap, some combination there. ... I try to be fair with Nutting about a lot of things, and I think one of the things you can criticize him for is being too calculated; sometimes you have to make a decision that's dumb and emotional. That's OK. That's sports. ... I don't think he's an evil person or a mizer or stealing money from the Salvation Army. ... I think he has a view of how the business should run -- I disagree on some of it, and you might, too -- and that involves spending differently than most other teams.
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