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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 12.22.23
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Jason Mackey
11:23
Hey everyone. Thanks for stopping by my weekly Pirates chat. You know the drill. Will be back around noon to answer.
11:59
And away we go ...
Tim
11:59
Why do you think the Pirates DFA'd Andre Jackson?  I thought he showed promise, more so than some others still on the roster.
Jason Mackey
12:00
He wanted to pursue another opportunity in Japan -- probably a full-time starting role to prove himself -- and they obliged.
Cullen
12:00
Hey Jason, I consider myself to be on the more positive side of Pirates fans but it's hard not to be jaded with the Dodgers spending over 1.1 billion in a single offseason to build a "super team". How can small markets compete with that?? In your Olivares article you reported Cherington saying that small markets have some advantages, can you tell us what he meant by that?
Jason Mackey
12:01
It's ridiculous, I agree. I hate the financial guardrails that exist in baseball. Should be a cap and floor. That simple. And I can't fathom changing my mind. As for Ben, might've been just talk. There's using guys with options and deepening your roster -- shuttling back and forth between the majors and Triple-A, something not possible with veteran players -- but I'm not sure I would call that an advantage.
Wayward
12:01
Happy Holidays Jason, as you have stated it appears that trading for a SP is the way the Bucs need to go.  If they indeed trade and use the excess of middle infield types, who has the most perceived value and who would you least like to see them trade?  Also, do you view Suwinski as a core piece or do you think they would trade him for pitching?
Jason Mackey
12:03
Hey Wayward, same to you. I think Nick Gonzales probably has the most perceived value among candidates considering his draft position and former top-100 status. Mind you, I'm not including Henry Davis in this group. More the second-base crowd. ... I hope they don't trade Jack. I think he's going to be/already is an excellent player. But they need pitching more. If the right deal came along -- like if it was necessary to get Dylan Cease -- I would have to consider it.
Cullen
12:04
You have been reporting that the Pirates are active in the SP trade market. Are they looking more at backend #4/5 guys to eat innings or a more proven starter like Gilbert and Miller at Seattle, Garrett at Miami? If its the formee, will they ever trade for guys like that?
Jason Mackey
12:08
I believe they would like more of a front-end guy. Does that land? Not sure. A bunch of variables. But I love the guys you mentioned. I think they would both make a TON of sense for the Pirates, especially Gilbert.
Brax
12:08
What are the odds they add another starting pitcher via FA and use some of their “depth” you alluded to earlier this week to acquire an everyday OFer with control instead of a young controllable SP?
Jason Mackey
12:08
Not sure I see that. I think the OF is probably mostly set. The emphasis remains starting pitching, and I think the likelihood is greater via trade than free agency.
Cullen
12:08
Bae, Peggy, Chandler (maybe add a lottery ticket) for Braxton Garrett...who says no?
Jason Mackey
12:09
Fine with the first two. Don't love also losing Chandler in that deal. Might be a pitcher, I get that. But not someone who could impact the club in '24. And I think there's an outside chance Chandler could do that.
Justin
12:09
Seems like a lot of the projection systems (and common sense) would project the current pirates somewhere around the 77 win mark (plus or minus 10, because baseball).  Do you get the sense that they think they're better than that already?  I ask because even if they add a really good #2 sp that's probably still just getting them to 81 win range and am hoping that if they add one good player, that they would keep the foot on the gas.
Jason Mackey
12:11
Have not seen the projection systems, but FanGraphs also projected the Pirates to win 68 games. Many outlets were similar. I don't put a ton of stock into that stuff, especially in December.
Guest
12:11
Do you think one of the Pirates middle infielders to be part of the multi player trade for a pitcher?
Jason Mackey
12:12
Yes, I think that's extremely likely. Would look at Gonzales, Peguero or Bae as possibilities.
Mitch
12:12
How’s my extension coming Jason? My agent isn’t returning my calls.
Jason Mackey
12:12
Have not heard much, Mitch. Sorry. Need to circle back on some of that.
Justin
12:12
Do you get the sense that the team thinks there's another gear to josh palacios' game or do they just see him as an energetic backup?
Jason Mackey
12:14
Maybe a little of the latter. And I don't blame them. He improved a ton last season. Never had an MLB homer, then hit 10. Had some rough patches. Finished hitting .317 with an .853 OPS over his final 29. Not sure anyone knows the ceiling, but I feel confident that it has not yet been reached.
Guest
12:15
Do you know which borderline players are out of options going into spring training?
Jason Mackey
12:15
Falter, Sanchez, Ro, Kranick ... at least that's according to FanGraphs' roster resource page that you can check here: https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/pirates
412DoublePlay
12:16
Have there been any reports attached to Pirates pursuing a specific free agent RP? Rotation is priority but plenty of solid candidates out there who could eat innings out of the pen
Jason Mackey
12:16
Nah, Cherington said on Wednesday that it's unlikely they would make much of a FA pursuit for bullpen help. Maybe a minor signing or trade. But they like the group they have. Seemed to intimate it would remain intact.
Cullen
12:16
I know the front office usually keeps these things close to their chest but any update on a Keller extension? Are you still optimistic that it has a good chance to get done?
Jason Mackey
12:16
You're right on keeping it close. And no update. Sorry.
BHouse
12:17
Jason, love your work, think you do a great job of walking that line between hope and criticality. That said, we all know the trade rumblings, do you see this as a case of "We WILL make a deal, just waiting for the best one" or more "We'll make a deal IF it's a good one"?
Jason Mackey
12:18
Thank you for the kind words. That's hard to say for sure. I would say that I don't think they're going to make a crappy deal just to make one. They can't afford to haphazardly lose prospects -- more of them. We've also seen that they haven't been afraid of non-traditional pitching deployment, for better or worse. Would have to think they're OK doing it again.
Seth
12:18
What’s going on with this mystery trade the Pirates are working on for a controllable SP? They don’t really deserve the benefit of the doubt that they weren’t just sending out smoke to get people off their backs for the underwhelming offseason so far. I’ll believe they do something of significance when I see it.
Jason Mackey
12:20
That's fine, man. You do you. Also, don't know how we got to the place of a "mystery trade." They would like to add more starting pitching. A reasonable way of doing that is via trade. You're allowed to be unimpressed, but I really don't think it was a "get people off our backs" kinda deal. Shoot, what I wrote was a lot of me taking information TO people and making sure I wasn't nuts for what I had been hearing. Not someone trying to PR spin anything.
Seth
12:20
Is there one SP out of the disappointing trio of Contreras, Ortiz, and Priester that the Pirates feel is closer to figuring things out than the others?
Jason Mackey
12:21
Based on last year, I would say Priester or Ortiz. I worry about Roansy based on last season. He looked truly lost. I'd probably go Priester because I like the velo returning, and I think Delay was a big help for him. We just didn't see enough of that combo.
Seth
12:24
I saw the Pirates are not letting Cruznplay winter ball. Is this a precaution or are they worried he is not healthy enough to return to game action yet?
Jason Mackey
12:25
My understanding is that it's more of a precaution than any sort of setback or issue. He was doing everything in instructional league games there and apparently looking quite good. Would imagine they figure it's not worth the risk at this point.
Justin
12:25
Henry davis had some pretty striking differences before and after his IL stint in the majors.  23 k% and 11 bb% (really solid and promising plate skills!) before injury vs 46 k% and 6.5 bb% after.   1) do you get the sense that the injury lingered afterward and impacted his approach and abilities, and 2) was he battling injury even when he was called up?  His supposedly-huge power was absent.
Jason Mackey
12:26
Yes, he was battling it for most of the year. Occurred in Miami early on during his MLB time, and yes, I do think it affected him. I'm curious to see how he performs without it. Not sure where things stand with Davis as a catcher, but I'm confident there's more offense in there.
Gene
12:26
Do you see the Pirates acquiring another catcher?
Jason Mackey
12:26
I do. But I think it will probably be a depth option more than anything.
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