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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 11.04.20
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Matt from LA
12:26
Like a lot (most?) awards in baseball (and probably most other sports as well), "politics" plays a major rule in the decision!t
Jason Mackey
12:26
I don't know if someone was really "playing politics" with Jacob Stallings' Gold Glove nomination.
12:27
Folks, I see plenty of you in this room; however, Matt from LA is dominating the question asking. He's dominating the question asking because he's the only one asking questions. If you're here, don't be shy. It can be baseball-related or funny or whatever. Just ask.
Matt from LA
12:32
Thanks for keeping the Pirates in the news over the off-season! Keep up the great work!
Jason Mackey
12:32
Thank you, Matt. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Thank you for reading.
Wayward Eer
12:32
Trevor Williams a better bullpen than starter option?
Jason Mackey
12:34
Thanks for the question, Wayward. I don't think so, honestly. And here's why: Trevor has started his entire life. He very much wants to be a starter, and he's one of the most routine-oriented players I've ever covered. I don't think he would want to shift to the bullpen, even if it necessitated him leaving Pittsburgh. Money-wise, he's also going to make upwards of $3 million via arbitration. I don't think that's a smart number for the Pirates, period, but especially for one of their relievers.
Sko
12:34
Was it true that there might be talks on signing Bell?
Jason Mackey
12:39
I generally don't like commenting on others' reporting, but I checked with a source close to Bell after reading that and was told it's "not accurate." Did two sides interpret one conversation different ways? Is someone trying to spin something? I have no clue. Just saying that's what I got back. ... Before reading the Bell piece, I was told multiple times that there had been no substantive conversations toward an extension, though both sides did express interest in something potentially happening there.
Jan
12:39
Jason, any information about how the Pirates plan to handle spring training in terms of fan attendance?
Jason Mackey
12:39
Not yet, Jan. And another good question. Obviously they would like to have fans there. But I think due to the close proximity that we're still going to have to wait and see what happens with a vaccine. I know I'm crossing my fingers, as I would imagine you are.
Matt from LA
12:40
By "playing politics" I meant that large, media markets, big market teams, winning/playoff teams  and people who are on ESPN nightly seem to dominate the award winners rather than deserving winners.
Jason Mackey
12:40
Yeah, I just think that implies something shady. It's more probably the Pirates losing out because ... well, they've done a lot of losing.
Wayward Eer
12:40
Why wouldnt a team like the Bucs claim Brad Hand and then shop him during the offseason?  $10M for a top line RP is not off the charts for his type of arm for a big market team even during these times.  They could have picked up lower level prospect or two at worst.
Jason Mackey
12:41
I respect that line of thinking. I think the worry is the gamble. Can you guarantee that Brad Hand dominates? Apparently other teams aren't so sure because everyone passed on him, not just the Pirates. And for a team like the Pirates, sadly, $10 million could be really costly. I wish that wasn't reality, but it is.
timmy
12:41
would the pirates consider trading the #1 pick to add more quality depth to their system?
Jason Mackey
12:41
You can't trade picks in baseball like you can in other sports.
Sko
12:42
Who is the next player in the minors to make an impact on the pro team and when would we see this player come up?
Jason Mackey
12:43
Interesting ... next Big Thing might be ... does Blake Cederlind count? He's probably disqualified. Honestly, it might be Nick Gonzales. I think 2021 is possible, though I'm not sure I'd say likely. Just possible, if he hits.
Richard
12:43
What is your projected outfield in 2022 for the Pirates?
Jason Mackey
12:45
Hmm ... another good one. ... I'm gonna go with Reynolds, Oliva and Alford. Don't know who will play where, but I like Alford a lot. I think there's a lot there. I'm also inclined to list Swaggerty, although I feel better -- at this point -- about betting on Alford.
Chris
12:45
Hi Jason...Dave Parker was mentioned earlier in the chat...any info on his health and have his chances of making the HOF improved at all?
Jason Mackey
12:48
Uhh, no. Nothing on his health, No. 1. Although that's a good reminder to check in on that. He should also be in the HoF. It's absurd that he's not. Given his health issues, I find it hard to believe that people would think differently about him now as opposed to last December, when his health was also not great, but I guess you never know.
MjB
12:48
Right...I started with four, researched their lineups from 1979, and saw that Madlock batted fifth almost exclusively.  Oops...and sorry.
Jason Mackey
12:48
It's all good. Just having some fun with you. I do it all the time.
Drew
12:48
I thought Lolo Sanchez was supposed to be an outfield prospect, but I haven't seen his name mentioned recently.  Is he still considered a prospect?
Jason Mackey
12:50
He is -- sorta. Coming off a year where he hit .257 at High-A, I just worry about the offense/power. I think 2022 might be too soon for him to be up here, if he's up here at all.
Sko
12:50
Who will be the closer next year? Kuhl??
Jason Mackey
12:51
I think you could see them adopt more a Rays model, where they have high-leverage guys they rotate. I suppose Cederlind could morph into that role, but I think they might shift away from the Capital-C type closer after having Melancon, Vazquez, Kela, etc. over the past handful of years. Seems to fit more what they want to do development-wise anyway.
Chris
12:51
Sorry to hear about Burdi. I enjoyed watching him pitch.  He had a great attitude and spirit that fired up his teammates.
Jason Mackey
12:51
I agree. He's one of the good ones. I feel for him. Kid just can't catch a break.
Guest
12:54
Do you think we see Cruz June of next year assuming the schedule is the same as usual?
Jason Mackey
12:54
I think that's a little bit early, honestly. I really like Cruz as a player, although I think he might ultimately play somewhere other than shortstop. I just think he has some consistency issues in his game that he needs to figure out first. I also think he's innocent of the drinking crap, and we all got fed a bunch of bad information.
Drew
12:55
I agree with Chris about Nick Burdi.  I talked to him for a few minutes at Pirate Fest last year and he was real personable and looked like he was happy to get to meet the fans.  An easy guy to pull for.  I do feel like Travis Swaggerty - through no fault of his own - probably shouldn't have been a first round pick, but maybe that's a failure of development, not scouting.  Any thoughts?
Jason Mackey
12:56
Yeah, I agree with you on both counts. Swaggerty is getting to the point where you need to see him make some kind of push. I'll give him a pass for 2020 because I think it was tough on everyone. But if he doesn't come out of the gates strong in 2021, I think a lot of people are going to start questioning the legitimacy of that pick. If they haven't already.
Brad
12:56
If Peguero and Gonzales both panned out, right field seems perfect for Cruz. But obviously no guarantee on Gonzales or Peguero
Jason Mackey
12:57
I agree with you. Also no guarantee Cruz grasps the position. But he certainly has the athleticism and arm strength to handle it. I worry about Cruz at shortstop because of his tight-range quickness. His footwork is a little rough. Now, maybe that doesn't matter because he can cover so much ground, and his arm is incredibly strong. But as the game speed up, I worry whether that sort of thing will become a factor. End of the day, though, he also has to hit. If he does that, they'll find a place for him.
Dave
1:01
What is your opinion on Travis swaggerty, he was a number 1 pick but he is never mentioned in top prospects
Jason Mackey
1:03
Weird thing about this beat: I have yet to see Travis Swaggerty for any extended period of time. Maybe in spring training I should have sought him out more, but honestly, I can't remember watching him do a single thing at Pirate City. That said, his development track has been fairly slow and uninspiring. I don't think it's too late, by any stretch, but I think we're gonna need to see more consistently at the plate, less swing-and-miss, as well as a little more power.
Derrick
1:03 
Who do you think realistically will be in the starting rotation on opening day, and who do you think will be there at the end of the season?
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