4:50pm: The club has announced the signing.
3:30pm: The Pirates have agreed to a deal with free agent catcher Luke Maile, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). It’ll be a MLB pact, with financial details still unknown. Maile is a client of Pro Star Management.
Maile, 28, has turned in abysmal showings with the bat in two of the past three seasons. He was nearly a league-average hitter in 2018, when he slashed .248/.333/.366 in 231 plate appearances. But Maile owns just a 48 wRC+ for his career and was worse than that in 2019.
Clearly, the Bucs aren’t making this move on the presumption that Maile will be a valuable offensive contributor. The hope is that he’ll be capable of delivering at least palatable work from the batter’s box, though the team surely knows even that can’t be relied upon.
When the Pirates decided to drop Elias Diaz at the outset of the winter, the club made clear it wanted to improve defensively. That’s an area that Maile can be trusted. He grades as an above-average overall defender, generally receiving positive reviews in the framing department, and has been trusted by the Rays and Jays in spite of his occasionally dreadful offensive output.
Ladies and Gentleman, your 2020 Triple A Pittsburgh Pirates. New management team same as the last. I am not quite sure there is a worse team to be a fan of than the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Marlins? Oh, wait. They don’t have fans.
Just stop. This team isn’t going to contend in 2020 and everyone knows it. I’d rather then focus their energy on acquiring prospects. The time to spend for FA will be when they have reached contention again. Sadly management failed them last time we were good. I hope Cherrington does not.
I agree, but I will be very disappointed if Luke Maile is the team’s primary catcher. It’s ok if let go big name FA’s, but at least get someone a tier up from Malie like Maldonado.
Pretty sure he won’t be. Seems like decent depth at this point.
Diaz is better depth.
Maybe not…He had one real decent offensive season and his defense has disappeared plus several injuries…
It’s already reported that Stallings will be the everyday catcher for the Pirates. But I for one don’t think this signing of Maile is anything special or should have happened. I think it was a desperate move and ties to Cherington helped Maile to a contract with the Bucs. 38 wins this year for the Pirates.
and this moves helps the future or the today how? Everyone knows its not going to contend in 2020. If this owner continues, we won’t contend in 2034.
It doesn’t right now. But not every single move needs to drastically improve the chances of the Pirates making it back to the playoffs. If they trade off Marte, and eventually Bell, you need warm bodies somewhere.
Agree, he isn’t going to be their front line starter…he is supposedly a better than average defensive first catcher who can help as a backup…He has an option left, so they can stash him in AAA if they pick up a better guy…their system is Barron at the catcher position, so need some depth.
So, using that theory, if the Pirates aren’t going to contend for a title ever, should they never sign anyone good?
By that theory, they should take stock of the situation that is currently on their hands, and address it as best as they can. The current situation is looking at a rebuild, and so they need depth and warm bodies to fill positions that might eventually be wide open.
So you are saying they are never going to contend for a title ever…. interesting…I’m just saying that this appears to be a depth signing of a guy who is better than average as a defensive catcher with an option left. BC obviously knows the player and was comfortable bringing him into the fold. He isn’t going to block anyone, he can be stashed in AAA…if he is solid at Defense, may instill confidence in a young team in a rebuild…he isn’t going to break the bank signing him and there is still room for a bigger signing…My theory is this is new management and coaches so let’s see what they do with a rebuild…. what’s your theory, to treat them as the same old Pirates under old management thinking they will do the same old thing? You may be right, it they may surprise you…
What @TL said. They have no depth at catcher. This is only one guy who will give the depth at the worth. I guess you ignore when every other team signs guys just like this. It is not a signing that was meant to solidify the major league catching position for years to come. He will be a back up and might be in AAA for the year.
If the Pirates are Triple A then that must make the Baltimore Orioles Double A or maybe even Single A. With the new management team of the Orioles I have just resigned as a fan.
Typical yinzer. Gove cherington the benefit of a doubt. You arent really a bucco fan, just a troll
Giving the benefit of the doubt gives you 7 years more of Huntington than should have been
Cherington is on fire
Just when Lonnie Chisenhall as the splash big free agent signing seemed absurd, the new GM brings you Luke Maile.
I hope this is a precursor to a bigger move, maybe trading for a prospect near MLB ready will follow. One can only hope.
classic Pirates
An MLB deal? Really? Stallings is a capable MLB backup. Pirates need a starter. This seems like a waste of a 40 man spot.
I believe they had an empty spot unless I miscounted. somewhere. They can still cut him the moment someone better comes along if they have to.
He has an option left…may have said we will bring you in with a chance to make the big team but have to show something…can’t figure his signing is going to break the bank..
seems to still have an option. Unless his bat comes back some how… he doesn’t make it out of spring on the MLB roster. Doesn’t even need to be good, just a wRC+ “a few” points over his career 58
Bad signing. Are we still shopping in the bottom of the bucket? Come on now.
Is Bob Nutting still the owner?
I hope this isn’t the only catching addition…
Maile isn’t bad, but if im being honest, plug him into the bullpen… he was decent when he pitched against the rangers last year in a blowout.
So, the two additions we have now are nothing more than garbage. We still need a catcher. A career .197 hitter in close to 700 MLB at bats … this is where we are.
They’re not going to sign or trade someone on Yasmani Grandal’s level. They’re going to trade away Marte, and Bell probably at the deadline if not this off season. Plus, it’s not like there are better options currently just sitting on the market. Maybe Maldonado, but he is basically a worse hitting Stallings.
UMMMM … Jason Castro?
Castro did meh last season. Sure he had a .767 OPS and 101 OPS+ but in only 275 PA’s, and he only caught 19% of runners trying to steal on him, and he had -7 DRS. Plus between 2014 to 2018, Castro only had a .667 OPS and 84 OPS+. I don’t see Castro returning to a .760+ OPS. This was the second time he has done that in a 9 year career. He posted a .7 bWAR while Stallings posted a 1.5 bWAR.
But you are fine with a .197 hitter instead? Got it.
As a 2nd or 3rd string catcher who has 21 DRS and a 33% caught stealing percentage in 1600 career innings behind the dish? Yes. Stallings is going to be the primary catcher heading into 2020 unless he either suffers a catastrophic injury, or Maile hits some scorching hot streak. Castro won’t accept a deal where he will be regulated as a secondary catcher, and there is no real point right now in spending more than league minimum on a player. Right now, they should be looking for trade partners on Marte and Adam Frazier, while adding depth pieces (ie Luke Maile).
Glad to see that Maile managed to win himself (I mean via a poker tournament or something) an MLB deal. Seems like a nice guy and is a pretty good defender, but he can’t hit worth a damn.
Cherington clearly loves the dude. Drafted by Boston in ‘09 and comes from the Toronto organization. One would think he’d have some level of confidence in the first move he makes as GM.
This kids gonna be the next Yogi Berra
More like Boo Boo.
He will do his best for the team!
I’ll just go follow the Altoona double A team instead of the Pirates now.
They will have a more exciting roster than their major league affiliate.
What a joke of a team and of a signing, especially up against all the good major league signings and trades of every other team in their NL central division.
Thanks for Nutting!
Just disgusting. Game over.
I’m ok if Stallings is the primary catcher for 2020. He did ok with the bat compared to other glove first catchers, and he is really good defensively.
Wasn’t he a waiver claim?
Pretty sure hes not starting quality major league talent.
No, he was brought up though the minors. But if were going to be rebuilding next year, I’m ok with a .260 batting, glove first catcher. Probably wouldn’t start on a contending team though.
Stallings … what a joke. You are fine with him as the starter? So, you really don’t want to contend or compete anytime soon.
I mean, no not really. I don’t expect them to for 2020 or 2021. I expect that in 2022 at the earliest. Hopefully, they either are able to net a top prospect catcher in a trade involving either Marte and/or Bell. 2020 needs to be a tank year. Get a top 10 or so draft pick, and develop guys currently in the system while bringing in new prospects. The point of rebuilding/tanking is to not compete for the next 3 seasons or so.
TANK COMMANDER!!!!
All of you are looking into this way too deep. Yea it’s an MLB deal, but so what? The current goal should be to build up the farm by trading veteran pieces for prospects. Stallings is more than capable of holding down the position for 2020, a rebuilding year. This is far from the first thing they’ll do this off season given the new front office.
Yes and perhaps it allows them to take a flyer on an unproven AAA catcher. Start the year with Stallings and Maile and swap Maile out with the new guy in June.
Sounds like a plan. Guys like Maile get signed all over the league as a depth option. Every team signs depth options at multiple positions in the off season. This is not a thing to get upset over. At the very least they will need some catchers for spring training for goodness sakes.
They just love to complain. I remember the archer deal. At the time the fans loved it. Said a out time they made a splash. Year later the same yinzers.said worst trade. Cant keep the clowns happy
I’m sure signing a .197 hitter makes clowns happy.
If you’re rebuilding, the plan should be to trade away pieces for top tier minor leaguers, while signing guys like Maile to give you depth and possibly a trade chip later on in the year.
Archers first game was in front of an empty park on a Wednesday.
No one cared, and most were perplexed by the timing of the trade.
A margin of intelligent baseball fans knew Meadows for Archer was a bad idea.
Glasnow working out for them was acceptable. But everyone knew Meadows was grade-A talent who should not have been on the tradable list.
Adding Shane Baz as the PTBNL was absolutely unacceptable on any level.
I know. When news originally broke, I was totally fine with Glasnow being in the trade. By the time all the players who would be heading to TB were announced, I was beyond skeptical.
I agree the trade was awful, but I have to state, for opposite reasons. I would have never given up Glasnow for Archer. I thought Meadows was acceptable in the trade because I felt we had a ton of outfield depth (Polanco was breaking out at the time) and it’s a position that, honestly, is easier to fill than quality SP.
But Glas…. ouch. I’m sorry, but if people were paying any attention beyond the numbers it was evident that he just needed to work through some things. That, or the problem wasn’t him.
He was untouchable in the minors. Came to the majors and couldn’t, for whatever reason, get it together. Then went to TB, and was back to dominance.
See a recent trend?
Morton leaves… immediately becomes dominant. Cole leaves… reaches maximum potential. Glas leaves… and there he is, the pitcher he was all along.
I don’t believe we had the right personnel around those guys. They weren’t allowed to pitch THEIR game.
And when Miguel Cabrera is backing out of the box in inter league play looking at Glasnow’s breaking ball like “who is this kid”, maybe get some new personnel instead of trading away a future CY Young candidate for another pitcher who has yet to dominate himself.
Meadows for Archer, I felt was a fair trade that worked out better for TB.
Glasnow for Archer, I always thought was really bad. Immediately. I was praying they didn’t trade that kid.
Meadows and Glas for Archer… horrible.
Meadows and Glas and Baz… I mean… wth. It’s obviously insane. All those years developing those guys.
When you think about our return for the 324 million dollar man, as opposed to what we gave up for Archer, it is some of the dumbest, ridiculous, decision making I have seen in the 40 years I’ve been a fan. Disgusting.
I don’t know one person who thought it was a good idea. Not one.
They’ve driven the franchise into the ground. And now no one wants to play there. And soon, they’ll drive what is left of their fan base away, too. Good luck Bucs.
Slow down all. The Pirates need catchers from. AA up. There are going to be several catchers signed. He has an option, so he’s guaranteed nothing. His defensive numbers look awesome, maybe with he and Oscar the pitchers will improve.
The point is this is there first signing and its mid-December
Maile’ing it in.
To be fair, Huntingdon’s biggest mistake was not losing enough and finishing just behind the Nats, missing out on Harper and Strasburg.
They learned, it seems.
Luke Maile reminds me of how Chris Stewart was for the Pirates.
Oh my I am ready to buy my season tickets
So it seems everyone had already figured out the Bucs are rebuilding. I guess it takes me a little longer. The Bucs could have added Baumgardner, Keuchel, and a major league catcher for around $35M. Tell me they wouldn’t have at least made some contending conversations. And if they’re out in July, then you trade. New mgmt, same ownership. My proposal would’ve had payroll right at $100M, still one of the lowest in the league, and oh BTW, a year after pocketing $50M from new Nat’l TV deal, they got another $25M local TV. Sincerely, another lost fan in the stands.
There will be a meeting of the Pirates fan club Thursday evening in the phone booth in the Heinz History Center.
Stallings should only be counted on 300 or 350 ab. So your spare should get maybe 250. I dearly hope it’s not Maile.
Obviously the Pirates are winning nothing with Maile around. Cherington was the guy who brought us Salty as the Jays were supposedly in a a year where they were competing for a playoff spot. Pirates fans have a long rebuild as head of them.
Ooh, forgot the Salty era.
It’s December 17th, off-season is far from over but some people already pushing panic button. Let’s talk about how bad this team is going to be on March, not now.
People are acting like they’re giving Maile 10 million dollars. It’s a depth signing. A pretty good one. Would i have given him a major league deal? No. But it’s probably slightly above the league minimum and he’s probably going to AAA unless we don’t sign or trade for a starter. These moves are made all the time.
Maile is a backup catcher. Nothing more. Could be a nice guy to have if Pitt has a young catcher coming up in the system.
Maile is a good depth third catcher which the Pirates need.
They also need a first stringer although Stallings is fine for 40% of the time.
They also need to get by trade a good young catcher with promise for AAA
I would have preferred Romine for #1 who came at a reasonable price.Ben needs to get on the ball to pick up reasonable free agents where they lack depth.
It is up to him to get players who move the needle from the 2019 to the 2018 win totals.
Nonsense. Same old Pirates story. They kept saying “Rebuild” “Rebuild” “Rebuild”. They gave up too many good players over and over again.