The Pirates have made a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s game, with right-hander Roansy Contreras being recalled to the active roster and catcher Tyler Heineman being reinstated from the injured list. To make room for those two, catcher Jose Godoy has been optioned while right-hander Austin Brice has been designated for assignment.
For Brice, 30, this is the second time this year he’s been given a brief stay on the Pirates’ roster. Signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, he had his contract selected in late June and was designated in early July. After clearing waivers and accepting an outright assignment, he was selected back to the roster last week but has again lost his spot rather quickly. In between those transactions, he’s managed to throw 6 2/3 innings for the Bucs with a 4.05 ERA.
In 34 2/3 Triple-A frames for the year, Brice has a 4.41 ERA with a 27.2% strikeout rate, 8.6% walk rate and 47.8% ground ball rate. Despite those strong peripherals, the ERA is being inflated by the long ball, with Brice having allowed six in that time, a 19.4% HR/FB rate.
Brice will now be placed on waivers in the coming days, since the passing of the trade deadline eliminates the chance of any deal being made. If he clears waivers, he will be eligible to reject an outright assignment, though he forewent that right the last time he passed through waivers in July.
I guess Van Meter’s offensive and defensive skills should be more effective in a game than Austin Brice
SMH
VanMeter can pitch. He can throw a fastball 30 to 37 meters per second.
There is no logical reason why Vanmeter is still on the pirates team.
Some real Sinophobia exhibited here by the Bucs. He’s the only MLB player ever who’s a native of Hong Kong (which of course, like Taiwan, is part of China).
Several million people in Taiwan would disagree.
Several million people in
Taiwan would disagree.
Dude, are you really stumping for China?
I think he meant the exact opposite of that. Millions of people in Taiwan don’t believe they are part of China (or at least don’t want to be).
That’s the joke
The better question is:
Is Taijuan Walker Taiwanese?
People here are up in arms because Eckersley called the Pirates pathetic on the BoSox TV broadcast last night, something he did back when the two teams met in spring training. Odd that no one noticed then
Anyway, there are a couple things right now that are troubling if you’re a fan. One is Shelton’s continued mystery line up shtick, which often has a VanMeter or Gamel in it and if Marisnik gets healthy, him, too
Two is the lack of progress that the kids seem to be making here. I’m being a hypocrite as I wanted them to play the kids since May, but we are still seeing horrible, punchless at bats where batters are either overmatched or apparently unfamiliar with spin pitches or the strike zone, or both. At the same time, some of the fielding gaffes continue to numb the mind. And it seems to be rubbing off on Reynolds
And pitching? Uh….
Eckersley made a comment about KC’s kids and apparently sees an upside. Baltimore is doing well
Guess I’m just wondering if all of the promise and potential we have been hearing about is going to take a bit more time to show itself
Marisnick was DFA’d last week.
Otherwise, I do agree with most of what you say. I tend to believe that it’s organizational philosophy. Some teams can bring up their prospects and live with their struggles before seeing benefits (Seattle with Haniger comes to mind) while some teams (Braves) will gamble on their player development being spot on, and promote a kid like Harris, and throw him in the deep end during a pennant race. Some teams (Cleveland and St. Louis, who seem to manage this every year) drafts middle /back of the pack but must have incredible player development within the organization, that they can always field competitive teams.
Eckersley calling the Pirates pathetic? What would he call a team with a $207 million (sixth in the MLB) payroll that is playing below .500? What would he call such an underperforming team besides the Boston Red Sox’s?
Skeptical-Easy.If he picks on the Pirates he does not have to pick on the Red Sox.There is absolutely no reason for a team with that much money to be below 500.
And to mention the Royals who have been just as bad as the Pirates for a couple of years longer shows that he really does not know what he is talking about.
On the other hand the Pirates really do stink.
I think that he may be saying it because their salary level has been very low for several years and he is pro player.
Gamel drove in the only runs in last night’s game (3)
Everyone else remained in their season long slump
By the time these kids show their potential, Nutting will trade them for more prospects
And Madris belongs back at Indy
I don’t trust this coaching staff at all with handling young players, I think it’s a combo of that and these guys may not be as good as advertised. Cruz and Suwinski have good potential but massive flaws in their game, I really don’t care at all for Nick Gonzales at this point, and a lot of other guys are mid or getting old for the minors. Hope I’m wrong but I don’t see any high upside guys like in the Baltimore or KC systems, or even a Michael Harris type.
Yeah, this was my original point. Is the problem scouts who over estimate the talent of kids, or do the Pirates have instructional problems
Polanco was a red flag for many of us, but that was the old regime
I was unaware that Marisnik was DFA’d and I generally like Gamel in terms of being a team guy and hard as nails type. My thinking is that at this point,why have him here if your team is destined for another 100 loss season and you are supposed to have a stocked farm system
Gamel is making $1.8 million and while Yoshi was making $4 million and released, Gamel at least produces both on the field and in the batters box, Nutting doesn’t like paying players no longer on the team
I think that what they have to do is what some have been saying all along and play the kids.But send some to AAA and bring others up.I did not mind keeping Gamel and Newman and generally playing them but bring others up like Bae and Bolton and Oviedo and give them a chance.Underwood and Van Meter should be gone.Why are they waiting for September?This season has become another in an absolute line of busts and this rebuild is lasting far too long without showing progress.
You likely know better than me about what’s coming up through the minors and who is on the cusp
Look, I like Gamel. Newman is ok. The point is what they are being paid (above) but rather, whether they are taking roster spots
Agree about playing the kids and VanMeter and Underwood.
Where pitching is concerned, aside from the issue of player development and instruction you just hope will pay dividends, it’s the most troubling aspect about the rebuild. We all had high hopes about Keller but it appears he’s really a 3,4 or 5 starter, no?
I’m at a loss at this point as to how some saw these kids contending next year or even in ‘24 without a corp of starting pitchers The guys they currently have will have one good start followed by 3 in which they get shelled
Still, a lot more hope than a couple years ago
TIredolddude-I am a tired old dude also,so your first statement may not be correct.There are others here who follow the minor leagues much better than I do.
You and I are both old enough though to have misplaced our rose colored glasses and have not found them yet.
I think that they need at least a couple of position veterans for a variety of reasons.
A solid starting rotation is difficult to form unless you have a gifted group of pitching coaches and have drafted well and augment them with very good trade or free agents.I think that Wilson shows promise along with Brubaker.Contreras seems to me to be a keeper.You are down on Keller but other than his last start,when he had arm fatigue,his last 8-10 starts have been very good.I think that although he will not be an ace he will be a solid number three.The guy from the Marlins shows flashes but he has to start to be more consistent.Hopefully BC will add an Anderson or Quintana again next year
I wonder if Don Drysdale or Bob Gibson ever told their managers that they had arm fatigue.
I am much more concerned with the position players.They are lucky to be anywhere near close to 500 next year,and will be losing Keller and Reynolds at that point.
This was their year to start to have a competitive team.They are not succeeding.
First, apologies for my poorly written previous post. Sheesh
Your points are well taken, as always
What I find difficult in assessing the pitchers is the line between their performances and instances were poor or mediocre defense let them down
I want to believe
You’re right about vets being on the staff, of course. Rare to have a rotation dominated by young guns and even if you have them for a moment, it seems it’s a temporary novelty. (I’m thinking the Mets of a few years ago, headlined by deGrom and Syndergaard)
Lastly, I again have to agree about being lucky to be around .500 next year. I understand all about young athletes who struggle. All you can hope for over a protracted period is progress and learning. I dunno, I’m not sure we’re seeing enough of either here
No apologies are necessary.
You used to see the glass a little a less than half full.
I used to see it a little more than half full.
But we both know,unlike some other posters,that these guys are just prospects until they prove themselves to be major leaguers.
We do not have rose colored glasses knowing our long histories with the Pirates.
But,like Ben Franklin mentioned whether it was a rising or setting sun as the decoration,is the half full glass that we see rising or setting?
Only time will tell young man.