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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 10.16.25
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Jason Mackey
10:41
Hello, everyone. Welcome to my weekly Pirates chat. Thanks for stopping by. An hour early today to accomodate other stuff on our site relative to football. We'll get started at 11 a.m. Thanks for your understanding.
11:02
And away we go ...
Your Name
11:02
What are the odds we see a different kind of offseason from the norm, I.e. more aggressive trades, and perhaps one mid market free agent signing, as opposed to spreading the money around on replacement level players who never pan out? 0%? 1%?
Jason Mackey
11:03
I think what you're describing is actually realistic. Maybe I'm nuts. But if you look at their current salary commitments, they're not much. They know they need to win, that people are ticked. Even if you tell me payroll is $88 million, you have a starting staff for peanuts. You should be able to spend that on actual bats. So, yeah, they better do what you're saying. And then some.
PhilinCT
11:03
Mr Mackey, welcome back to baseball full time. As well as you did with your column, it's good to have you back dealing with just baseball. As much as I hate to trade starting pitching, it cannot be denied that it is the one commodity the Pirates have in relative abundance. If they decided to trade Keller, Oviedo AND a younger cusp starter (Burrows, Harrington, etc), either separately or together, what is the realistic return on offense that could be expected? Not advocating, just wondering. Thanks as always for your time and knowledge.
Jason Mackey
11:07
Thank you! The possible return: whatever an organization is willing to give up. I'm being sarcastic, but there's some truth there. I don't know. Nobody does. Depends on desperation. I will say this:

1) They better not trade all 3 and probably only one of the guys you mentioned.

2) I also think it's fair to want/require at least one every-day position player coming back in the deal, maybe more depending on what you're giving up.
BadBoyBurv
11:08
Ex-baseball coach here, Pirates lover.  I’m amazed every year watching the Bucco’s, hitting and the lineup should be based purely on stats.  If a player doesn’t like his place in the order, tell them to “get better”, but the Pirates base their order on potential or reputation.  Let the players know, the best players play.  Stop making the order on salary or potential.  Find minor leaguers with his batting averages, not these .204 guys we sign.    Also have some clubhouse discipline, players and kids in general crave discipline.  Sign me up, I’ll knock some sense into those yahoos…
Jason Mackey
11:09
Oh, boy. Yep, we have a solution here.

I do agree, though, that the Pirates would win more games if they got better players. I think that's a logical statement.
Jeff M.
11:09
Hi Jason, is there anything that makes you believe the Pirates will actually sign more than a couple past their prime vets to one year deals and tout the leadership the bring to the clubhouse? Not that we should trust GMBC to add any major league hitters.
Jason Mackey
11:10
I think they will try, Jeff. Will they be the right ones? I don't know. Recent evidence ain't great. But I outlined above the space they have to do it. Again, I'd like to see payroll go up, but there's still space to sign actual MLB players. They know they're in a tough spot. I can't imagine Ben Cherington wants to get fired. I can't imagine Paul Skenes is simply going to tolerate losing. I don't think Don Kelly wants to preside over a lousy team. It's just a matter of CAN they make the right moves to fix this.
Jim Maruca
11:10
Jason. It’s great to see you back on the beat. I missed your chats. Welcome back.
Do you think the possibility of a lockout next offseason will affect free agency throughout the league?  Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think the teams are liable (have to pay) for salaries during a lockout so I don’t see the risk of multi-year contracts.
Jason Mackey
11:11
Yeah, got this one last week, Jim. It's a good Q. Don't have a magic answer. Maybe some ... but I still think it'll be mostly normal. It's not guaranteed, mind you. If anything, they'd really like to avoid it.
Scott from NJ
11:11
I think the Pirates need to take advantage of teams and be creative. If I was GMBC, I would be calling Minnesota about Ryan Jeffers , Trevor Larnach, and Matt Wallner.  We have a surplus of young pitching and there rebuilding. To me that would help us fill several wholes on the team and be a perfect match with us.
Jason Mackey
11:12
I agree with you that there are a lot of calls to be made involving teams with young positions players who can swap them out for pitching. A's, Orioles and maybe even the Giants are a couple more.
demosthenes98
11:12
I have a general baseball question to ask, if you don't mind answering it. Is it just me, or do MLB pitchers all throw a wider variety of pitches than they used to? Every time I watch a baseball game, whether it's a Pirates game or not, and they show a pitcher's arsenal, it never seems to be fewer than four or five pitches. The days of Mariano Rivera getting into Cooperstown with basically one pitch seem long gone.
Jason Mackey
11:13
Ha. I'm not sure Rivera or those types ever getting into Cooperstown was a trend. But I do see what you're saying. Anecdotally, I agree with you -- pitchers are throwing more pitches, maybe too many. Sweepers, cutters, etc. The forkball has been used less, but it's really a splitter or splinker twisted another way.
demosthenes98
11:13
It is the calling of the journalist to speak truth to power. In professional sports, a team's ownership/management group is the power. Does this dynamic ever make things awkward for beat writers such as yourself?
Jason Mackey
11:16
Not at all. It's a beat writer's job -- while we're defining these things, I guess -- to cover a team objectively, to report news. These lines have certainly been blurred. As teams take away access, we lean more into brands and analysis. Just a state of the business thing. It's a columnist's job to give opinion. The Pirates know how this dynamic works. They've never been anything but completely professional to me in either role. Doesn't mean they haven't gotten mad. Conflict is inevitable. But you're doing your job. Also, I cover baseball, the overthrowing of government or an active war zone. Let's not get too dramatic with the speak truth to power stuff.
D9 Dave
11:16
Do you think the Pirates would ever consider making Oneal Cruz the DH?  He seems to a defensive liability whatever position he plays. Perhaps his hitting would improve if he just concentrated on it. Would also give the Pirates more leeway in the outfield.
Jason Mackey
11:17
Maybe one day. But Dave, he's one of the fastest players in MLB and has one of the strongest arms. I know the defense hasn't been great. But me personally, I'd try a little harder to make it work. It's in there.
Jim Maruca
11:17
It seems like every hitter the Pirates send down to Eric Munson in Indianapolis improves noticeably. Triolo, Davis, Suwinski etc. Why not promote him to the Pirates staff?  My theory is he’s not as obsessed with analytics as Cherington is and seems to focus more on slight technical adjustments and athleticism which is just what hitters like Cruz and Davis need imo. Am I totally off base?
Jason Mackey
11:19
I don't know much about Eric Munson. Maybe they will, too. I don't know. But I also hear complaints about them not being able to develop hitters. So, we're gonna fix that by promoting the Triple-A hitting coach?

Truthfully, Jim, I don't know. I don't know enough about Munson's process. I will say this, though, the Pirates would do well to have guys thinking less. That's something I know that from talking to people has been an issue. So if that's Munson's MO, cool. Less numbers and locking guys up. More feel.
Matt L
11:19
Should the Pirates consider moving Cruz to 3b to give them more flexibility in acquiring bats via trade and free agency?
Jason Mackey
11:19
No Absolutely not.
Cullen
11:19
So Esmerlyn Valdez has to be added to the 40 man right? His power seems real and he performed pretty well after some initial struggles in AA as a 21 year old. Underlying stats seem to be pretty good and it would be tough to lose him in the rule 5 draft.
Jason Mackey
11:19
He does, yes. He's making it very easy.
Cullen
11:19
If the Pirates trade for a guy with a year or two of control like Lowe, would they look to extend him? For a team like the Pirates it would be hard to give up trade capital for only a rental...
Jason Mackey
11:20
Lowe has one year. And I think it would depend on the situation. Not right away, I'd imagine. Maybe partway through the year if things are going well. Love you, Cullen. But it's hard to predict an outcome of someone they have not yet signed.
Steve Jeremko
11:20
Welcome back to the Bucco Bes
Jason Mackey
11:20
Thanks, Steve.
Cullen
11:20
Could Carmen be a trade candidate if both he and other teams believe he can be a starter? His value seems to be at an all time high after another brilliant season. Could be a good time for the Pirates to cash in if we believe his ceiling is a long reliever/back end bullpen arm while still preserving our starter depth.
Jason Mackey
11:21
I'd hope not. And I doubt it. They need back-end bullpen guys. He's been outstanding. I hope he comes to that realization. I hope they encourage him. There's nothing wrong with being a dominant, late-inning reliever. Those guys have long careers and make a lot of money. If Carmen is a reliever, he's a regular in the 7th/8th, and the Pirates are much better for it.
Steve Jeremko
11:21
Welcome back to the Bucco Beat, Jason!  I always enjoy your writings and podcasts.  My question concerns two players that I like very much but who've struggled mightily .. Henry Davis and Jack Suwinski.  When players such as these guys need help, what is generally done in the offseason by the organization?  Or is it left up to their own devices until Spring Training.
Jason Mackey
11:22
There's never one thing, Steve. Depends on what the players need. Henry works out at Driveline. Jack owns his own place in Chicago. Vastly different. There's obviously individual stuff they're working on and need to fix, and the organization supports that. They also communicate with private coaches.
Steve Jeremko
11:22
Question 2:  What is your best guess of the probability that Ben Cherington is mercifully relieved as GM before the season?
Jason Mackey
11:22
If that was going to happen, it would have been done by now.
Steve Jeremko
11:23
Question 3:  Oneil Cruz is a baffling mystery wrapped inside an enigma.  How much rope do you think he has with Don Kelly? ... or with the organization?
Jason Mackey
11:23
Plenty. I think he's with them at least through this season and probably longer, assuming he's not absolutely horrible in 2026. (I don't think he will be.)
Bzer
11:24
What free agent who could be projected to hit 30 home runs or more is available and would be within the Pirates price range?
Jason Mackey
11:25
Maybe Trent Grisham? I'm not sure there is a 30-homer guy within their price range via free agency. There's a lot of 20-plus guys. I also don't think the number of homers should be the ultimate determinant. They need to score more runs. Look at the Brewers. That can happen other ways.
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