1:46pm: Cabrera will earn a guaranteed $1.15MM if he makes the Pirates’ roster and could make $850K in performance bonuses, Jeff Passan of ESPN tweets.
10:13am: The Pirates and outfielder Melky Cabrera have agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, Ken Rosenthal and Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic report. Cabrera will have a chance to earn up to $2MM in the majors, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Cabrera follows major league signing Lonnie Chisenhall and minor league pickups JB Shuck and Patrick Kivlehan as the fourth veteran addition to the Pirates’ outfield this offseason. The 34-year-old Cabrera will have an opportunity to earn a role on a team that will open the season without one of its starting outfielders, Gregory Polanco, who likely won’t return until at least mid-April after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. However, until Polanco comes back, Chisenhall figures to receive the lion’s share of playing time alongside holdovers Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson.
A big league regular throughout most of his career, which began with the Yankees in 2005, the switch-hitting Cabrera settled into a reserve role with the Indians in 2018. Cabrera went to the plate 278 times last year and matched both his lifetime wRC+ (102) and on-base percentage (.335), also posting a .280 batting average, a .420 slugging percentage and six home runs. Along the way, he offered passable production from both sides of the plate while limiting strikeouts – both of which have been staples for Cabrera over his career. On the other side, Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating have each pegged Cabrera as a minus outfielder across his time in the majors, though he nonetheless hasn’t seen much action at DH in AL stints with the Yankees, Royals, Blue Jays, White Sox and Indians.
This team will be in last place until Nutting nuts up and opens up his wallet
4th place and 5th place are essentially the same thing. Every other team is at least a .500 team on paper.
Did the Pirates not finish above .500 last season? They lost nothing valuable, not sure why people think this is gonna be a 60 win team now.
That’s not how it works. The other teams in the division did a lot to get better, aside from the Cubs who should get Darvish back and you can argue they underachieved. Granted, I don’t think they will be horrible either but when St Louis gets a top hitter, Cubs and Brewers are still very good, and the Reds totally remade their team, the Pirates got Erik Gonzalez and Melky Cabrera.
Somehow magically every team gets better so if you don’t get better enough then you are doomed. What’s really amazing is that all the other teams got better without even playing games yet.
It’s not about what the Pirates didn’t do it’s about what everyone around the Pirates has done.
Improvements are not always done by adding.
Pirates got a ‘new’ 2-3.5 fWAR 2nd basemen simply by not picking up Harrison’s Option.
Pirates likely improved at SS in Newman simply by letting Mercer Walk.
Pirates got Gonzalez, Cabrera, Chisenhall, Lyles, Liranao, Lyons and a handful of other minor signings.
They havn’t added 10 wins or anything, but it is a error to say they havn’t upgraded.
The Pirates were also 15-5 against the horrible AL Central last year in interleague play. They won’t finish above .500 against the AL West.. The entire NL Central stayed the same or got better basically. Expect Cervelli and Dickerson to be shipped out by July. Marte traded in the off season. This is what the Pirates do.
I agree Don. I like these small little moves they’ve made that are under the radar. I really think all the teams in the NL Central could be over .500 next year. The surprising thing really is the cubs could be in the most trouble. That pitching looks very shaky and the offense was just awful those last few games. They’ve made zero improvements to both.
Frazier is the only potentially actual upgrade, and he’s still unproven over a full year. Newman’s (and Gonzalez’s) upside is a slightly better Mercer, and he hasn’t even shown he’s a good bet to reach even that. Not to mention Mercer shouldn’t really be the standard for a team that dreams of playoffs. Replacing Nova with Lyles or anyone else in camp is at this point a downgrade. They also lost Kuhl and Santana for the year and haven’t addressed the bullpen (aside from Liriano and Maurer, also not upgrades). Chisenhall and Cabrera are just fill-ins for a month until Polanco returns and are by no means all-stars.
There are actual upgrades still available on the FA market that could be had for prices well within the Pirates’ budget, and by completely ignoring them they are doing both the team and the fans a major disservice, all while the rest of the division gets better. They’ve become so enamored with their “value” signings that they’ve become too stubborn to spend any real money to actually address holes, and it’s honestly getting sickening.
Notice how once players pierce the Rays-Pirates-Indians universe, they can spend years going from team to team.
can’t disagree more about Frazier. near definite upgrade over last year. The only question is his glove and as i recall the more he played the more comfortable he looked.
Kuhl, Nova and Santana are not game changing losses.
The rest of the division really hasn’t gotten much better outside of the reds, But i do agree there a couple of free agents till out there that would likely be bigger short term upgrades (like Gio for example), But as a whole the team looks better than it did last year assuming people come back healthy.
Listen, I’m not saying that the Pirates are going to be a great team next year and go for a run at the WC or more next season, or even finish above .500 again. But even with other teams getting better, they don’t just automatically lose 22 games from last year’s win total. I’m going to predict they win somewhere between 70-80 wins next season and I think that’s reasonable looking at their team and other teams around them.
Nova was a reliable innings eater and serviceable as a #5, you can’t say that right now about Lyles, Kingham, or Brault. Santana was certainly a solid middle reliever and could get even better, and again right now Liriano, Maurer and others are not better than that. Same with Newman/Gonzalez. You can argue about their potential all you like, but at the end of the day, they’re cheap unproven long shots that most teams usually take when they’re not trying to compete. At least when those are the main/only moves you make.
And the Reds getting better probably hurts the Pirates most of all, since they racked up a lot of their wins last year against them. The Archer/Kela trades were supposedly meant to help this year’s team. Not continuing to add when you can (and they absolutely 100% can) only makes those deals seem pointless and gives the impression that they were only done to try and generate fan interest.
Reliable is a reach. Nova is streaky always has been. On a hot streak he’s awesome on a down streak not so much. I like him, wanted to keep him, not too overly paid seems to be a good club house guy and doesn’t cause problems. If Ivan was a lefty, or if they didn’t expect keller until sometime in 2020 i bet they would’ve have kept him.
I’m not arguing they’re potential. i’m saying its not hard to match last years production for their expected positions and they’ll likely do better.
I don’t even think Keven or Erik will be starting by 2020.. Tucker defense will likely win the starting job as long as he can keep above the Mendoza line.
The reds actually got worse as far as the pirates are concerned. No billy h on their team gives the pirates 4 more divisional wins! LOL seriously though billy killed us.
The Pirates additions have created a marginal upgrade,if any.I think that Mercer and Nova were better than generally acknowledged,and remember that they have lost their best hitter for 1-2 months without an equivalent addition.The Santana loss will be felt also.
They have not added a significantly better shortstop which they needed to do to compete for a title.
Their internal improvement from young players and pitchers will be perceptible,but mostly lost because of the improved AL teams that they will be playing and the NL Central betterment.Remember St Louis has clearly improved too in addition to the Reds.
I see the Pirates at 83 or 84 wins,but not competing for the division title.
With regard to Billy Hamilton,I thought that they should have signed him to keep him from ever playing against them again.
I agree wholeheartedly with J.T.
So who do you think that they should sign? If you’re thinking Adam Jones or Carlos Gonzalez who’s to say that they haven’t tried or if they Pittsburgh is their choice?
How about Marwin Gonzalez
And as said right above, do you know that they have not tried? Just like the Braves loon that was berating the Braves for not making the trade for Realmuto on the Poll board earlier, you can not force a trade,to happen and you can not force a FA to sign with your team. Some FA want way more than they are worth.
For what? Short? Outfield? Had a nice yr as a utility player but he’s overestimating his value obviously. Not against it but I think that money could be better spent elsewhere.
Assuming that money will actually be spent elsewhere, aside from minor league deals for fringy players. Such is the life of a Pirates fan
at 4-5M/year sure any more than that no.
Can’t argue with that. Actually Yankees and Red Sox fan still moan because THEIR teams don’t spend enough. All relative.
Why would they sign Marwin? To have him play a couple months of RF and then Polanco comes backs and now they either have to trade Dickerson, Marte or Polanco, or platoon Marwin all over the diamond which isn’t really ideal for the money he would cost.
Team owners like Nutting ruin sports.
Wallets are overrated. The future is using an app with a QR code to pay. Open the app Nutting!
Bucs will never sign a $100 million dollar contract. They can not afford to lose that money should that player flop. You dont see KC, TB or Oak dole out that $ either. That said, I’d have been happier this offseason if Bucs had picked up more starting pitching depth. Specifically Shelby Miller or Drew Smyly, as they both went for cheaper than Lyles. To the Nutting whiners, stay or leave, no one cares. If you care about the team enough, come support them at the ballpark. Let’s Go Bucs!
Open up the books. Let’s see the P and L and Balance Sheet for last 10 years. Most fans would find that educational and help understand the Pirates business model. There’s nothing to hide. Correct??
Long live the Melk Man!
Cheater
Gotta read those ingredient labels.
Why are you not,berating Mate too?
Also a cheater
They lauded Edelman as a hall of fame candidate throughout the super bowl. Cheaters can win!
Did he get suspended for PED use this past year?
interesting. dickerson, marte and perhaps a platoon of ChisenDL and Melky…
When Polanco is healthy Chis can flip flop around the diamond too and play some 1st and 3rd if necessary.
Have you seen him play 3B? I have, and it’s scary.
“ChisenDL” Appropriate nickname for Lonnie.
Seriously. He missed most of the season last year with a strained calf.
Veally?
Things are heating up now lol
All these minor league deals are eventually gonna add up to what an actual major leaguer would make… geez
Only will add up if all are not released or the players do not opt out. None of the minors deals are guaranteed.
Not really the point I was trying to make. The Pirates should be going after quality players, not quantity, which they already have.
honestly i think i’d rather sign 10 players who had quality seasons in the recent past than sign an Iglasesis type especially when i got someone already who has a good chance of matching the output.
You must be way higher on Newman and Gonzalez than I am, right now I don’t even see them matching Mercer’s output. And Iglesias is an upgrade from Mercer. Same idea with Lyles and the 5th rotation spot.
Matching mercers over all output last season isn’t much of a feat.
And also shouldn’t be the standard for a team claiming to be trying to win.
Why does this POS keep getting jobs?
It’s been 7 years since he tested positive man. The way he handled it was not cool but time heals some wounds. I don’t hold any grudges with the man. He is a fun player to watch. No doubt about that.
This dude can flat out rake, with consistency. Yet all he keeps mustering up are minor league deals the past couple years. Great signing for the Bucs.
It’s because he’s scary as a defender. Scary bad.
In that case he’ll be a great platoon in right once Polanco comes back from his injuries. They can both be defensive liabilities.
He talks like the Padres win the World Series every year. Don’t mind him. He’s needed his script refilled for a while.
No scripts for me. I’m strictly THC brah
You can get a script for that too, so technically he’s right.
Still doesn’t change the fact that Melky was a good signing.
This is going to make me watch the Pirates, or pay to see them? Same answer as their other off-season moves. No.
I’ll watch because I love baseball and the Buccos are my team. I don’t take everything else so seriously. Wasted emotions on things I can’t control.
Like marriage?
When Melky plays for an NL team he is a perennial All Star. Checkmate, Pirates!
Or at least a nice forking.
kinda sad that a 33 year old who had an OPS+ of 102 last ssn cant find a major league deal
Certain players always are in this position, yet they make the team and are very productive…ie…Mark Reynolds, Moustakas,
Throw Ty Wiggington in that mix!
He’s a perfect example of how top 100 prospect lists can miss guys. Melky actually became better once he faced mlb pitching. He;ll probably finish with 2,000 hits, 1,000 rbi and an outside shot of 200 homers. I think that’s a real solid mlb career, Couples with an all-star apperance, an AS MVP and a WS ring and he has something to brag about to his grandkids.
The Melky Serial: A Podcast
The Melky Cerial: Cabrer-o’s.
I love seeing your comments lol
Mine’s way better
So they’ve basically acquired Cleveland’s former RF platoon?
Not a platoon in the conventional RH-LH sense, but the DL and injury replacement platoon. Here’s to Lonnie staying clean and healthy and off the DL and Melky staying clean and healthy and off the PEDs…
For the month or so Polanco is out. Still, I’d rather give an opportunity to Pablo Reyes, who impressed in September. But the Pirates probably think these moves are to generate fan interest, which isn’t the case.
Probably to provide insurance to a questionable situation. Maybe they do intend to see if Reyes is ready, but odds are he isn’t. Better have a backup plan
Pablo do not impress so much in Winterball.
I must have seen Melky’s only great defensive play. Was at a Tribe game last year and watched him catch a deep fly ball way back in the RF corner and proceed to throw a frozen rope all the way to 3rd on the fly and gun down a runner tagging at 2nd. One of the best OF assists I’ve ever seen.
LOL And that concludes the Melky career highlights reel.
He still would likely be the 2nd best OF for the Indians this year had they resigned them. Was hoping he would return
Why get one good guy at 8-10 mil a year when you can sign 5 guys at 1-2 million and hope for the best?
That was sarcasm right?
Blame it on the lack of a salary cap. Teams can spend a fortune and then get out from under a bad contract quickly while teams like this have to shop at the scratch and dent section. Then hope the stars align for a quick run at a title and watch it blow up.
I don’t think it’s the lack of a salary cap…Pittsburgh could be in on these big name free agents it’s just that owner is more worried about his wallet than the product that gets put out on the field.
It’s not just the wallet….it’s about the ROI….return on investment. There’s only so much they can do now and still maintain flexibility when things happen during the season.
The Pirates right now are projected to have the 2nd lowest payroll in baseball, only ahead of the Rays and behind the tanking Orioles and Marlins. When similar small markets such as Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Kansas City can maintain payrolls around and over $100M, there’s absolutely no reason the Pirates can’t do the same. They maybe have more flexibility now than ever before, and they choose not to use it. It’s honestly baffling and basically spitting on your fanbase, and Pirates fans are starting to realize it, given the falling attendance numbers.
I don’t understand your post. What does a salary cap have to do with this discussion? If anything, you can argue for a salary floor which might force teams to spend more. With that being said, how are teams able to “get from under a bad contract”? I’m asking because the Yanks have been trying to figure that out with regards to Ellsbury’s contract. Obviously they can “absorb” it but that’s different from getting from underneath it.
Teams like the Pirates have to hope a reclamation product at a $2million salary can hold it down for them while the big boys go all in on the expensive pieces. If a salary cap made no difference then why is it always the same few teams in the hunt for the elite talent? Because good luck signing an expensive player and not having any money left over to field a team around them (see Arod’s first big deal or Stanton’s). A team like Boston can swing a deal to get out of bad contracts like Adrian Gonzalez while a small market team gets crippled by it and forced to sell off everything around it as well as eat salary to unload it. Not sure how or why the 3 other major sports leagues can survive with a salary cap but baseball feels the need to have the haves and have nots where by the end of April 1/2 the teams and their fans know they have zero realistic chances at a title. With a salary cap the well run teams will still be well run and still be in the hunt every year.
Ellsbury is a perfect example on why small market clubs can’t afford to gamble on big name players. The yanks are able to just absorb his contract, but if he was on the Pirates, it would cripple the team. Yes, the pirates have room to spend. However, look at the structure of their team; the rotation, normally a teams biggest cash sink, is filled with quality pitchers who have yet or only just reached arb eligibility. Polanco/Marte/Dickerson is a really good outfield. Bell is still a young 1B who experienced a sophomore slump, Frazier is a 2B with a good stick at the top of the order and is versatile, I still think Moran has something to show, Short is a spot that needs upgrading, and Cervelli is one of the better catchers in the NL. The bullpen is pretty solid. So realistically you’re spending money on your bench (these kinds of signings) and at a shortstop which doesn’t look like it’s happening. They probably should bring in Iglesias but that’s easy for us armchair GMs to say.
And they needed another OF why? That infield sure needs a lot of help and bullpen as well. Nutting really does not care what kind of team he puts out there I guess.
He’ll bring a decent prospect or two before the TD.
You have to give up something to get something.
I love Melky and am so excited! I will go see the pirates to watch him. His offense is amazing and he had some great defensive plays last year, did anyone see him rob Aaron judge of the homer?
Pirates looking to lead the league in guys linked to PEDs.: Marte, Cervelli, now Melky. Bring back Bastardo or Volquez! You can do it!
LOL Melky and defense should never be in the same sentence. That ship sailed some time ago.
It’s getting ugly in Pittsburgh
Seems like yesterday that Melky was dating California Governor hopeful Mary Carey.
Does anybody remember the Melkman’s amazing throw from the warning track to nail the runner advancing to 3rd? He might not be a plus defender but he can still flash the leather.
I only remember him getting suspended for steroids.
OMG, a bunch of whiny lil girlz. Offseason isn’t over and the season hasn’t started, so quit yer Bawlin’
The Melk Man cometh to pittsburgh.
He’ll crack the roster and D up.
The energizer bunny
I’m convinced Nutting and Huntington have accounts on here and read all the hate they get for these ‘major’ signings.
They are doing nothing but trolling this week.
itll be funny if Pittsburgh isnt half bad this year.
I’m thinking more along the lines of 2nd straight year setting record low attendance at PNC Park.
Yes. It amazes me to see how many people think the only way to win is throw a bunch of money at the past and not look to your system to win in the future.
While 82 wins is technically a “winning” record, that’s not what teams should be shooting for. Right now this team isn’t sniffing a wild card let alone a division title or WS berth, which would be actually successful landmarks. That’s the main problem with the Pirates right now, they seem content to hover around .500, only going any further if everything breaks the right way, which it basically never does.
NH is not good at choosing the right free agents to sign because he does not do enough of it.
I think that he is afraid to make mistakes,especially after the Daniel Hudson fiasco.
I was very surprised at the boldness of the trade of the three young players at the trade deadline,for that was a significant move.Maybe he has only one of them per year.
I am no longer sure that they can win anything with him at GM.
So if they are half good they’ll still only win 81 games.
Another disappointment signing.
Adam Jones still there and we sign this guy??
Adam Jones…according to a prior post wants a full time gig. Not looking so good but injuries happen.
Yinzers are shocked, shocked they say, that Nutting is cutting payroll this off season.
After all, the fat guy and serial harasser who think for them told them that if they cut the cheap owner’s revenues, why, gosh, then he’ll have to spend more money, right?
Yes, because that is what cheap men do…spend more money when they have less of it after not spending it even when they had more of it, right?
Good plan.
Yinzer speak and radio show host drama aside, can you actually defend the inaction this offseason? You can argue about the upside of Erik Gonzalez and Jordan Lyles all day, but the fact is that NH is trying to fill the team’s holes in the cheapest way possible, not the best way possible.
They have payroll room to work with, attendance numbers and all. When the tanking Orioles and Marlins, as well as similar small markets like Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee are all handily outspending you while you claim to be trying to compete, how is that acceptable? Especially given that the Archer/Kela trades were made specifically to help this year’s team.
I’m not defending anything, I’m simply explaining now what I explained then…reality.
The idea that Nutting can be shamed or guilted into spending more is snake oil sold by people with agendas. He was always going to and is always going to respond to drops in revenue by lowering his expenses. Not sure how the people who call him cheap most often could think otherwise, but they still say it all the time.
Go or don’t go, but anyone who chooses not to go thinking it’s going to increase rather than decrease payroll is misinformed.
Now I’m no economics major, but if you’re selling a product, and people stop buying it because they say the product is garbage, shouldn’t that be an indication to improve the product? Rather than just slashing costs and calling it a day?
Thinking about it in the long-term, the product would just keep getting worse and the cycle would continue until eventually no one’s buying and you’ve crippled your revenue stream. Just cutting costs seems short-sighted for someone who wants to pass the business onto his daughters.
@ Jtkuch 100% facts!
While I don’t condone the use of PEDs in any way, I feel like M. Cabrera’s reputation has been hindered peculiarly more than other players who have been suspended at one time or another.
Nonetheless, the guy has had a really solid career (statistically) to date.
That is total BS
Sorry…
Yawn………..another blockbuster signing………when spring arrives the bucs will be outta the race shortly after and the bobbleheads and fireworks will commence…….Nutting aplolgists will still flock to the games and pay their money while Nu
tball smiles and keeps his and yours
Let’s see Pirates P an L and Balance Sheet in comparison with other MLB Teams.
I know no MLB owner shows this info and this seems odd since in many cases tax payer money is being used for the stadium s.
As a pirates fan, i think it is a great pickup. Low risk high reward. I know i know. Nutting is a terrible owner, i agree completely. As it comes to cheap low budget moves though, this one is good. Now sign Bucholz
He’s only 34???? this man has been in the league since like 2005
He has! Used to go see him with the Yankees! Great then, great now!