The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Pirates general manager Ben Cherington to discuss…
- What attracted Cherington to a smaller market like Pittsburgh (2:40)
- Why have the Pirates been so much better at developing pitching than hitting? (5:10)
- The choice of picking Paul Skenes first overall in 2023 (9:05)
- The Pirates not having signed a free agent to a multi-year deal in many years (13:45)
- Is there a sense of urgency for the Pirates to make something happen in the near future? (16:20)
- The balance of subtracting pitching to add hitting (18:45)
- What percentage of rumors that make it to the public are based in fact? (22:30)
Plus, Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors joins the show to discuss…
- The Orioles extending Samuel Basallo and losing Félix Bautista to shoulder surgery (23:45)
- Zack Wheeler of the Phillies facing a lengthy absence (43:35)
- The Rangers losing several players to the injured list as they hang in the back of the playoff race (57:00) (recorded prior to the Nathan Eovaldi news)
Check out our past episodes!
- The Pohlads Aren’t Selling The Twins, Nathaniel Lowe, And Service Time Manipulation – listen here
- Walk-Year Performances, Roman Anthony’s Extension, And More! – listen here
- Sifting Through The Trade Deadline Deals – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
Definitely required to rely on player development and ONLY player development.
wrong , it’s 90% scouting and 10% player development. You can try to develop a player as much as you want, but if they don’t have any talent, there’s nothing you can do. Look at all the sports categories: the richest teams have all the resources,(coaches, facilities, medical staff, nutritionists, etc.), but they rarely get to develop a star player. It’s all about scouting raw talent.
Don’t forget to read the new book, “Zack Wheeler and the Time Machine; A Journey Back To 1964”.
How does a glacier have any type of taste or smell? It’s just snow and ice?
Fever,
I’ll just take cold water lol
Acoss – I replenish with Heineken. The best way to avoid a hangover is to never stop drinking. LOL
Yes, but Speed Stick offers a Glacier deodorant while Gatorade has multiple Glacier flavors.
Darragh – I share your bewilderment at those product labels!
Pete Alonso is missing out on great sponsorship opportunities ;O)
With all due respect to MLBTR, we Pittsburghers have heard enough of Cherington
He and his owner have done their best to run the franchise into the ground and destroy the fan base
Here’s an idea, though. Get the Pirates Director of Marketing on. We’d love to hear the important things like news on pierogi races, bring your dog to the ballpark night, fireworks nights and alternating hot dog/cheap T-shirt launches. You know, the essentials of being a Pirates fan
Cherington is not the same GM as he was before when he won a World Series with Boston
Nutting is the bigger reason why the pirates are bad but Ben hasn’t implemented moneyball like the brewers or rays or guardians
Boston fan here and Cherington is beyond frustrating. I know that it’s crazy to say without pushback, that trading Skenes is a good idea. But let’s be real. He and PGH are not going to dish for a Skenes extension or FA signing. Why keep him? The haul you could get is insane. I feel for the Pirates gang, Ben is a talker.
I just don’t understand.
Ben probably isnt allowed to trade skenes because he makes so much money for Nuttings bank account, people are willing to line up the Allegheny bridge just to get his bobble head
Might be another shohei ohtani angels situation where they would miss out on a ton of revenue if he isn’t on the team
That was a great listen. We can all take our views from the sidelines, but hearing how it is from the guy in the middle of it all was great.