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MLBTR Podcast: A Conversation With Pirates GM Ben Cherington — Also The O’s, Zack Wheeler, And The Rangers

By Darragh McDonald | August 27, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT

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

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Baltimore Orioles MLB Trade Rumors Podcast Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates Texas Rangers Ben Cherington Felix Bautista Paul Skenes Samuel Basallo Zack Wheeler

MLB Mailbag: Kyle Tucker, Nick Lodolo, Bo Bichette, Rays, Mets
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283 Comments

  1. bob9988 2

    1 month ago

    Definitely required to rely on player development and ONLY player development.

    2
    Reply
    • Not Korean Yankees Fan

      1 month ago

      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.

      8
      Reply
      • Heels On The Field

        1 month ago

        The Pirates passed over absolute stud position talent to take Skenes instead.

        The Pirates have used a lot of top of the first round picks on pitchers when excellent position players were available.

        High school pitchers can be drafted by teams like the Pirates in the 2nd round every year.

        The Pirates have built their farm backwards under Bob Nutting, which precedes Cherington. It’s deliberate. Nutting does not want the Baltimore problem because top level pitchers are available every winter on the free agent market.

        Nutting is very smart. Nutting is getting exactly the result he has strived for from the beginning.

        3
        Reply
        • Ezpkns34

          1 month ago

          Yeh, no need to worry about falling short of expectations like the Os if you keep the expectations on the floor

          2
          Reply
        • Heels On The Field

          1 month ago

          The Orioles should be getting hammered. This winter they can buy the A.L. East.

          Reply
        • greatwhiteangus

          1 month ago

          Majority of people wanted the Bucs to take a stud talent named Dylan Crews instead of Skenes. I’m sure the FO is kicking themselves in the tuckus for missing on that generational talent

          3
          Reply
        • Heels On The Field

          1 month ago

          There are others there other than Crews. They are top of the Top 100 lists.

          There were excellent position guys there this year and the Pirates used another top pick on a pitcher.

          Could the Pirates have gotten Roman Anthony for Paul Skenes before the Crochet deal?

          They wouldn’t think about it because Nutting doesn’t want Anthony.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          No they took maybe the best one of the best college pitchers ever and one of the best maybe the best hs pitching prospects ever.

          Simply put Cherington takes the best player when drafting at least with his 1st pick. Gonzales Davis TJ KG. 4 bats 2 arms. I love a good conspiracy but 4 2 the math ain’t adding up.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Taking Skenes was an absolute no brainer.
          This guy is a HOF pitcher if he keeps his health.
          I don’t know any knowledgeable baseball fan who would doubt that.

          8
          Reply
      • bob9988 2

        1 month ago

        It was in reference to B.Cherinton’s constant misspeaking about how he works now for an org that has to rely on development. Only to then immediately restate not entirely, like they intend on actually signing FAs. No, he said it right the first time, the Pirates HAVE to develop their own cheap players.

        1
        Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          if the Pirates have to rely on development of their position players, someone needs to tell Cherington that they suck at it.
          In the 6 years he’s e
          been GM, only one of his draft picks have been a solid major league hitter.
          Nick Gonzalez

          2
          Reply
        • greatwhiteangus

          1 month ago

          BC should have traded some of that pitching prospect depth for some bats. This, IMO, is his biggest failure.

          3
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          He did. Connor Joe. Choi. Horwitz. Yorke. Cook. Cruz.

          You probably want bigger names but they aren’t often traded unless it’s the trade deadline and pirates only been buyers once and soft buyers. Any young controllable player in the rare event they are available in the off season has a lot of interest from other teams. I’m all for it but it’s not a easy thing to get.

          1
          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          Cruz , who was moved down to the 7th spot in the order in last night’s game twice struck out with runners in scoring position, once with the bases loaded and on pitches nowhere close to the plate

          1
          Reply
      • Fever Pitch Guy

        1 month ago

        guy – I agree, scouting is the key …. and mental makeup is EXTREMELY important, yet so many teams ignore that aspect.

        1
        Reply
  2. Captain Dunsel

    1 month ago

    Don’t forget to read the new book, “Zack Wheeler and the Time Machine; A Journey Back To 1964”.

    Reply
  3. Fever Pitch Guy

    1 month ago

    How does a glacier have any type of taste or smell? It’s just snow and ice?

    2
    Reply
    • Acoss1331

      1 month ago

      Fever,

      I’ll just take cold water lol

      2
      Reply
      • Fever Pitch Guy

        1 month ago

        Acoss – I replenish with Heineken. The best way to avoid a hangover is to never stop drinking. LOL

        2
        Reply
    • Darragh McDonald

      1 month ago

      Yes, but Speed Stick offers a Glacier deodorant while Gatorade has multiple Glacier flavors.

      6
      Reply
      • Fever Pitch Guy

        1 month ago

        Darragh – I share your bewilderment at those product labels!

        Pete Alonso is missing out on great sponsorship opportunities ;O)

        2
        Reply
      • Mendoza Line 215

        1 month ago

        I knew about the Glacier Ice but not about the deodorant.
        Glacier Ice is actually pretty good.

        Reply
  4. WashedUpOldTimer

    1 month ago

    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

    6
    Reply
    • sad tormented neglected mariners fan

      1 month ago

      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

      5
      Reply
      • Fever Pitch Guy

        1 month ago

        sad – Cherington was not a good GM in Boston, at all.

        In his 4 years his teams finished last 3 times, and with not exactly small payrolls.

        He also had some horrific signings such as Pablo, Hanley and Rusney.

        Sure he made some good moves for the 2013 Champs, but that team was carried by mostly players he inherited.

        As for Moneyball, that’s been proven to be a farce. Beane’s team that year was carried by three exceptional starting pitchers and a whole lotta Balco.

        The Rays? They are in the process of likely finishing last for the second year in a row and they haven’t gotten past the ALDS since 2008 (nobody counts Covid 2020).

        If Moneyball was real, guys like Friedman wouldn’t be spending a ton more than every other team.

        2
        Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Idea of moneyball was real. Not the idea that you can be just as good having the lowest tier of payroll but the idea of taking advantage of industry value. The teams that understood where wins came from had advantage. The first teams that understood the value of shifting and pitch framing had advantage. Teams who built elite bullpens for playoffs had advantage.

          It’s just temporary with sports being copy cat. And finding these hidden advantages become less impactful and frequent.

          1
          Reply
        • sad tormented neglected mariners fan

          1 month ago

          I believe the idea of moneyball is still real today because in a nutshell it’s gaming the system of baseball to get more wins for less money

          Sometimes it takes rebuilds like what the athletics or rays are doing, sometimes there’s consistent winning with low payroll like the brewers, but if you are a team that wins with less payroll then you are following the idea of moneyball

          4
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Moneyball was just a catchy title. Since the history of time people have looked to gain an advantage whether business politics war whatever.

          2
          Reply
      • Sports_Guy

        1 month ago

        Nutting is the easy target. Yes he sucks and needs to allow for a higher payroll, but Cherington is the problem. Lack of development, wasted draft capital, spending available money on analytics instead of payroll, and on and on. If the organization could develop its draft picks on even an average scale, like other teams, we would be competing in the division..

        6
        Reply
    • YankeesBleacherCreature

      1 month ago

      Hahahha…

      Reply
    • TheMan 3

      1 month ago

      Don’t forget Family Sundays when kids can run the bases after the game is over
      Considering the offense stinks sometimes only kids’ shoes hit the actual bases

      5
      Reply
    • greatwhiteangus

      1 month ago

      You are an old timer. I’m old myself. But you have to know that the planned events are sponsored so that Bob pays very little of that himself, right?

      Plus this kind of stuff gets families to the ballpark. ALL parks do it.

      The problem is Bob and not necessarily the GM. When you haven’t signed a multi year free agent since IVAN NOVA you really can’t blame the GM for not getting talent in the Burgh

      4
      Reply
      • TheMan 3

        1 month ago

        so having family days at PNC Park isn’t funded by Nutting?
        Then who’s paying for the kids to run the bases?
        The Parrot?

        3
        Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Kids have become so lazy you gotta pay them to run

          2
          Reply
      • WashedUpOldTimer

        1 month ago

        Angus, HUMOR. It’s all we Pirates fan have. Believe me, I understand they need attractions and events to draw fans. The team sure isn’t gonna do it.

        A special shout out to Richard, the Nutting apologist who says Pittsburgh isn’t a baseball town. He’s been amazingly quiet lately. Guess he heard the Savannah Bananas will be in town and sold out both Friday and Saturday

        1
        Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          Richard might have been Nutting in disguise for as much as he defended him

          3
          Reply
    • AI GM

      1 month ago

      I’ve heard enough of you. Mute!

      Reply
  5. GothamNeedsAutomaticBallsAndStrikes

    1 month ago

    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.

    2
    Reply
    • sad tormented neglected mariners fan

      1 month ago

      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

      3
      Reply
      • WashedUpOldTimer

        1 month ago

        Fans and radio hosts go round and round on this locally but I agree that it likely makes more sense to trade Skenes than to keep him
        And it pains me to say that, as he’s a wonderful pitcher
        The problem here is two-fold. On one hand, they have nothing besides Griffin in the minors to turn the franchise around. On the other, Cherington has not shown any ability to assess the abilities of prospects coming to the Pirates in trades. Witness the recent give-aways of Bednar, Hayes and Falter. And what does it say about the player development department when it hasn’t produced one impact player during this GM’s tenure
        They’re in a very difficult situation now by their own doing. Other than pitching, the cupboard is almost bare in the minors. And it’s doubtful that anyone other than Skenes in their roster would bring back true, promising prospects
        Hey, but we have a beautiful ballpark

        3
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        • greatwhiteangus

          1 month ago

          The problem is that fans think we are going to get premier talent in return for Bednar, Hayes and Falter.

          You gotta be more realistic, maaaaan

          1
          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          The Yankees offered a top tier prospect for Bednar, Cherington refused and got 3 players who probably won’t make it to Pittsburgh during the current decade

          6
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          That’s the problem, dude. I *am* realistic.
          Premier talent? Just a player or two who sniff the MLB level once in a while would be nice

          3
          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          I wouldn’t trust Cherington to trade a Pierogi for a hot dog.
          Frazier is hitting .287 for the Royals with 29 hits, and is only 11 hits away from 1000 for his career.
          Hayes is batting .243 for the Reds and has 4 has hit 4 homers.
          Who did we get for Bednar and when will they be making an impact here in Pittsburgh?
          How about Faltet?
          When is that player coming up?

          3
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Exactly. And it’s the recurring theme of the Cherington era. Trade players in return and get little in return.

          3
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          These players received what they were worth. Falter made zero impact so why would someone give impact back?

          Teams thought so little of Frazier he had to sign a nothing deal with Pittsburgh.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          You’re deflecting
          What did Bednar bring back?
          How in the world are they agreeing to another catcher?
          I’m not talking about trading away scrap, Dream

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          They did not need to trade Bednar for scraps.

          4
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Yes. Agreed. But we can’t judge the GM by his trades of guys like Frazier. You wouldn’t have expected much coming back for him

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Bednar is scrap. A old expensive reliever. I thought he could have brought back more quality and he could have Cherington said trust me I know more than you and got this quantity instead. Maybe you should trust him. Have you seen Bubba? The same people who rank prospects had Crews ahead of Skenes and Cherington went against their rankings then. These ranking sites didn’t have KG as the best player in the draft did they. Maybe Bens smartest guy again.

          I thought he could do better. He admitted so himself. But he wasn’t doing that much better. 1 year and 2 months of a old expensive reliever. What exactly would you trade for that? I ain’t trading 7 years of anything impact for that. Not giving a sure thing.

          And did you see the other relievers traded? Half dozen as good or even better than Bednar. Another half dozen who aren’t that far off.

          I wasn’t impressed with the trade but those weren’t prospects who had my attention so I am not close to a expert on them. I like the return. Just disappointed. I wanted quality. But it’s a solid quantity trade. The quality wasn’t going to be that much quality more.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Not scraps and maybe they did. Nutting might have said dump this salary. Nutting approved of trade.

          1
          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          they didn’t even need to trade Bednar until next year

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          You think that you know more about everything than everybody.

          2
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Sure. But the difference between me and Ben is I actually do and he just thinks he does!

          When I go against everyone else I am usually right. Ben is usually wrong. Hudson Head won’t succeed unless they get rid of arm bar. Ben says he will succeed with it. Alika Williams doesn’t have the strength to be a mlb player. Ben says lets get him a rice cooker. So what if the best strength training college and the best strength training mlb team couldn’t develop him. I’m Ben F ing Cherington I can do anything! Red Sox thought so much of Yorke they made one of the worst trades in baseball history to get a 2b. Cherington says haha stupid red sox. How stupid are the red sox? They replaced me Ben Cherington! Absolute idiots. Now I got Nick Yorke! And all it cost me was this bum Quinn priester! Winning all day everyday I’m Ben Cherington and thats what I do. I don’t care that this Yankees catcher is low ranked by the so called experts because he strikes out all the time. Sure I could have got a better prospect but I’ll fix him just like I fixed Cruz Davis Endy Canario Suwinski.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Then there should be an opening for GM with the Pirates unlike you have been recently saying when you have been singing Ben’s praises and you should apply for it and get it since you say that you are better than Cherington.
          The first thing that you need to tell Nutting or Williams is that Bednar is old and scrap,even though he has been pitching very well for the Yankees,and not that Cashman has cooked Ben’s goose for the third time in a row.
          And you were with the chorus that could not stand the $4M acquisition in Tommy Pham who suddenly has become over the last two months one of the best hitters in the NL.
          And something has happened to Alika Williams and Bae over the last two months as they have been hitting in AAA like Pham has in the ML’s.
          And what about Yorke?Who knows what he will amount to given the chances that Peguero has had with the Pirates.
          Unfortunately your posts do not always make sense.

          2
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Yeah they been facing AAA pitching and have lots of experience doing so. If you are impressed with them you should see Solak! I haven’t been watching. Maybe Ben got development so good they can even turns these guys into good players!

          Have you seen me surprised with Pham production? No because he is doing just as I predicted. My complaint was it’s not enough. They needed a better player or 2 or 3 Phams. Or sign Tauchman and get the same production for half the price and buy another reliever or something.

          I’ll never work in baseball. If you can do what I am capable of I have much more value to a much larger company. More importantly once you have your own business it’s hard to go work for someone else. They can hire me as a advisor. Better yet just come on down to the comments section. Cherington said he comes to this site all the time. Doesn’t bother with comment section or thinks he knows more than me. Only gm smarter than me is Cashman. I said claim Tim Hill. He knew other gms wouldn’t be smart enough so he let him pass waivers and saved 300k. Then again he gave out the worst free agent contract I ever seen so Hill was probably just a desperation move. If not he got a huge set to risk another team claiming such a prize.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Yep. I heard you called the front office and advised them that Pham needed a new set of glasses and contacts. That’s all it apparently took. AI, your Dream Optometrist

          2
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Ke’Bryan Hayes has a batting average of .000 since August 24

          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          Cruz has no hits since coming off the IL, 0 for his last 12 plate appearance and is 3 for his last 30 since before he went down concussion protocol

          2
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          The biggest bust of the Cherington era.
          But hey, chicks dig the “Daddy Cool” persona
          Glad they peddled him

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Are you guys going to start calling 200 the Cruz line?

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          I am surprised that Cashman still has a job.
          He can evidently only pickpocket Ben Cherington.

          Reply
    • TheMan 3

      1 month ago

      Correction
      Ben is a BSer

      4
      Reply
    • Fever Pitch Guy

      1 month ago

      Gotham – I’d like to think MLB would lean on the Pirates to increase their payroll like they did with the A’s last offseason. If they do, Skenes seems like the logical choice to spend on.

      2
      Reply
      • AI GM

        1 month ago

        Pirates are in full compliance with revenue sharing. One thing Nutting makes sure of.

        Reply
  6. deadmanonleave

    1 month ago

    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.

    3
    Reply
  7. sad tormented neglected mariners fan

    1 month ago

    Does losing wheeler take the Phillies out of World Series contention? A postseason rotation of Suarez sanchez and nola/luzardo is still good but the last spot of the rotation could be really bad if Nola is still bad and luzardo implodes

    2
    Reply
    • Captain Dunsel

      1 month ago

      Probably. Wheeler was the anchor, the one postseason starter the team could rely on.

      Reply
    • Captain Dunsel

      1 month ago

      Almost certainly. It would be like losing Carlton in 1980 or Hamels in 2008. Not sufficient but clearly necessary.

      Reply
  8. Mendoza Line 215

    1 month ago

    I am impressed by the Cherington interview.Darragh and MLBTR are to be highly commended for getting it.
    I appreciate Ben’s candidness in giving his answers.He is a very knowledgeable,well spoken,and intelligent baseball person.
    The problem with the Pirates and the Owner is that there has not been a sense of urgency here.
    I understand that the first three years were rock bottom in that they had 51 equivalent,60,and 61 wins for the about the second worst Pirates period ever.
    2023 showed a significant increase,but there was no good reason to level out in 2024 then go downhill this year.
    Keeping Haines and Shelton for as long as he did basically falls on Ben.They should have been fired before they were.Sometimes hard decisions have to be made.
    Many of his early trades were giveaways but many of Huntington’s were too.
    I understand why they traded for Yorke but not Falter and know that you never have too much good pitching depth.
    He also works from a weakness which is not his in that Nutting has a reputation and the Pirates do of not winning so that medium level tier free agents will go somewhere else if the money is anywhere near to each other.That is the reality that Cherington has to deal with.
    I am somewhat alarmed that the hitting development has not been better since he says that he has an extensive experience in it.He says that improvements have been made over the last 1 1/2 years but what about the first four years.
    In industries nothing flies as well as success.
    Perhaps he deserves another year as AI GM says he does.
    I hate to say it but now I am on the fence.

    2
    Reply
    • TheMan 3

      1 month ago

      Quinn Priester was traded to Boston for Nick Yorke
      Boston later traded him to the Brewers
      Priester has double digit wins and is going to the playoffs this season
      York is stuck in Siberia-Indy with no talk of promoting him to Pittsburgh

      3
      Reply
      • greatwhiteangus

        1 month ago

        So what? We didn’t trade Quinn to Milwaukee. Boston couldn’t fix him either.

        Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          the point is Priester is having a nice season while Yorke is still at AAA

          4
          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          actually Priester only pitched in one game for the Red Sox before he was traded to the Breeers and won that game

          1
          Reply
    • TheMan 3

      1 month ago

      If they go on one of their long losing streaks as they are known to do towards the end of the season, they could easily lose 100 games again
      At best they will probably only win 75 games
      There’s been absolutely no significant improvement in their offense from last year.
      They haven’t even hit 100 homers as a team yet this season
      Ben doesn’t deserve another season at the helm of this team
      If I was on the fence about bringing him back, I might have to jump off of it

      2
      Reply
      • greatwhiteangus

        1 month ago

        We all know Bob is the problem, but yeah it’s time to go in a different direction. Problem is that we’ll still have the same problem.

        Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          We did go in a different direction under Huntington.
          I would happily take the 3 years we were competitive under a different direction.
          With Ben at the helm, the direction will continue to going in circles

          4
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Well as Dream said previously, they have a very average big league roster, at best. I almost blew coffee through my nose when I laughed at Starkey’s column this morn, stating they aren’t far off and crediting pitching
          It’s moronic And beyond. Back when starters went 9 innings, it made a huge diff. Even when they went 7. Now, you’re gonna tell me 5 inning starters equates to the Braves starting staff of the 99’s?
          They’re not close, unless .500 is your thing and squeaking by for a WC berth is your bag.
          They have one position player on the farm. They have little of trade value on the big league roster besides Skenes

          Just where does any new regime begin?
          With Cherington, we know the script. Patchwork signings in the winter
          Yeah. That’ll do it

          3
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I don’t remember saying that. I would call the group as a whole below average. They don’t have a single impact bat. Ideally you multiple. Think of good lineups and how many guys they have. Then next tier of players they don’t have any.

          Pham above average free agent
          Cruz good not great. Maybe just really above average. But has power speed.
          Reynolds above average

          Triolo average at best glove only unless bat turns out to be legit.
          Peguero average at best.
          Gonzales slightly above average.
          Horwitz average.
          Davis below average

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        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Dream, it was old age. I wanted to refer to something you said and somehow this popped out. Apologies

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          It’s ok. Just average at best sounds too good for this offense. It’s bad. Terrible. Awful. But players probably average out as average. Just most teams have some good great star players.

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        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          Cruz is overrated.and should hire a personal hitting coach during the offseason.
          He leads the league in called third strikes and did that again in today’s game
          He’s currently 3 for his last 30 plate appearances and 0 for his last 9 since coming off the IL
          He definitely shouldn’t be batting 4th in the lineup

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I like the positive thinking. Better to believe a hitting coach can magically improve him than admit the fact that he just can’t hit good pitching.

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        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Oh I dunno, AI. There was someone here last month telling us Cruz could fetch a top prospect in trade value and another talking about his hustle (?) speed and arm

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Hustle? That’s a rare occurrence with him. Arm and speed sure.

          I don’t see top 10 prospect but top 50 probably top 100 easily.

          He is so tall. Long hair. Those exit velocities. He’s a very marketable player.

          Talking about hall of fame business men Nutting should take a lesson from one. Steve Cohen who is 20x richer than Nutting. He invested in his business. Nutting just sits back waiting hoping he hits on some trades vs Cohen who is attempting to take over NY. He could never surpass the Yankees but he realizes the Mets could become bigger and close the gap.

          Is Juan Soto baseball skills worth 700m? Heck no. Cohen didn’t sign him for baseball skills alone. He was an investment. An asset for his business. Mets attendance last year 28k a game. This year 38k a game. Mets radio deal wil be up for sale soon. Tv deal 2030. Soto also happens to be good at baseball so that will help Mets win and make playoffs and that makes season ticket holders keep their tickets. Allows mets to charge more for tickets. Creates new Mets fans that could have been Yankees fans. Can increase ticket cost again. Have huge demand to buy their tv rights in 2030. Soto didn’t cost the Mets 700m he’s making them $.

          If Nutting makes some big trades. Signs some big names. The same thing would happen for him.

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        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          Two years ago he did have a personal hitting coach but the Pirates were against that as they were with Hayes also having one

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Ben F ing Cherington knows more than these personal hitting coaches.

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        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          He’s teaching Life 101, Dream

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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Cruz to me looks like he has put it in “cruz control”.
          I think that he is like Hayes who wanted out of Pittsburgh and who has miraculously hit four home runs for Cincinnati with his normal 240 batting average.
          Hayes actually hustled to some extent but was so graceful that he did not look like it.
          Sometimes there is a plus by subtracting rather than adding.If Cherington stays he should know enough by now to trade this guy for as much as he can get in the offseason.
          Cherington does not look ahead so will he?
          Will he be here after the season ends?
          Only Bob Nutting knows for sure.

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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Totally different situation.
          Nutting cares about making money.
          Cohen only cares about not losing as much.
          Soto will play fine for a few years but his contract will get old like Harper’s will soon enough.
          Small market teams cannot make anywhere near the kind of money that New York teams can.
          And when a big contract goes south that $30-50M annual Nutting profit drops to almost nuttin.

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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          What does that say about Cherington?
          .

          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          have you seen in the outfield when he’s catching a fly ball?
          Nonchalant. As if he gives no real effort. Today I thought the ball was going to pop out of his glove

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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          It will someday.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Harper has already made Philly more than the 330m he will receive. If he never plays again they already won. One of the best contracts in history of baseball sports well just history. But he will keep playing at a high level and even if when he becomes average at the end he is a super star fan favorite. The golden goose. Soto will soon pay for himself. If when he opts out it will be a tuff choice for team. Maybe not that tuff. See how it plays out but just letting him leave could be best option.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Oh forgot you asked this above. My thoughts on Cherington is you could do better and probably need to do better. You could do worse though. Likely the same. I have a old school thought on this. 2025 was a good year for Cherington. Dumped Hayes. Got the best player in the draft for third year in row. Minor league development took big leap forward. Elite farm system. Have the best prospect in baseball and it’s not even close. Best pitching prospect. 2nd best pitching prospect. Old saying earn your keep well he earned it. Probably under contract for 2026. So let him work for 2026. Alternative is you spend $ on 2 gms. You could lose some of Cheringtons people. Nutting seems to want Kelly. So you have to hire a new gm who is fine with Kelly vs his own person. Nutting is seen as reckless firing a guy who built one of the best farm systems in baseball from absolutely nothing. You will be either massively overpaying this new gm in both $ and years. Does that sound like Nutting? Or hiring someone so desperate to be a gm who has no confidence of ever being offered this opportunity from another team that they have to take the job. They’ll find someone.

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        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Please tell me how Baseball America ranks the Pirates farm 2nd Best in all of MLB. On the basis of pitching alone? Because Griffin is moving up rapidly? If there is no help in the horizon, is it just a case of the number of guys who are breathing at the farm level?
          I agree and have said they’re gonna do nothing where front office changes are concerned. Why would they? They’re not gonna spend in free agency, have little to trade. Now it’s just biding time and a lot of powerful novenas.
          They must have a lot of kids at low A is all I can figure. Can’t wait until 2031.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Will reply soon

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          I’m on the edge of my seat as I listen to old radio shows

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Some of your guesses are right. Baseball America is the best ranking site. That’s my opinion because they think the most to how I think. Lets find the right rankings for you.

          Would you rather have 1 Bobby Witt or 10 Nick Gonzales and 20 Nick Yorke? If your answer isn’t Witt then you should ignore baseball America and especially my rankings. If you offered me TJ Barco and all 15 players from the pirates 16 to 30 best prospects I won’t trade you KG. Throw in Yorke Cooke Solometo etc. I don’t know how far I go but unless Bubba SH Seth Hernandez is included I probably wouldn’t trade KG for the entire Pirates farm system. He isn’t rising. He is far and away undisputed #1. If you offered me the #2 prospect in baseball and the 50th and 100th I am not trading KG. He did rise but that’s because they had him criminally too low. Same thing with SH although not to that extreme.

          It’s not just KG. It’s not just pitching. They just don’t have pitching they have the best and 2nd best pitching prospect in baseball. BA doesn’t think as highly as SH as I do so they have a high ranked pitching prospect.

          Pirates quantity is good though. Yes A ball for the highest ceiling of it. Having great year looking good. Also 2 no doubt SS lacking power. Power could come but it’s coin flip at best probably worse. There’s other projectible pitchers. Bat catcher. Glove catcher. Little bit of everything except for outfielders. Which doesn’t matter because everyone can’t play SS 2b. Outfielders you can find and afford.

          Edward Florentino. Take a look at him if you want a outfielder. Don’t forget the black and gold Trout is a gold glove caliber CF he just also happens to play a really good SS.

          KG is #1 all alone. #7 isn’t close to him. #17 isn’t close to #7. #77 isn’t close to #17.

          You can offer me TJ Barco Solometo Yorke Cook Harrington and I won’t trade you SH.

          In the 2026 draft my competive balance pick and 2nd rd pick will be a top 10 prospect. 3rd 4th round will be in top 30. I could trade Cruz for a top 50 probably top 30. Keller for top 50. In baseball. Hayes salary dump got a top 10 system. Bednar got a top 10 and top 20. A 2 month rental of Santana Rich Hill Quintana got top 30s. See how easy it is to get top 30 prospects. Sew how hard it is to get a KG Skenes? Even having a #1 pick doesn’t mean you can get 1 see the Henry Davis draft.

          If you take the worst farm system in baseball and give them KG BC SH it becomes top 5.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I was on the seat as well when I seen your notification. Then my 4 legged friend needed to do his business. Most my mlbtr work comes from the seat but this was too much a reply to do on such a uncomfortable seat.

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Thanks for your rationale here.
          All Pirate fans have is hope.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Nothing on tv. Might have to join you with the old time radio!

          Here’s how mlb.com does there farm system rankings.

          “The rankings are are based on long-term Major League value — factoring in impact talent,” (*AI GM stops right here. That’s what matters to me)

          “depth, proximity to the Majors, balance between position players and pitchers and between ceilings and floors.”

          Depth is nice but light years away 2nd. Close to majors is a huge flaw and makes their rankings useless imo. I knew KG was a stud since drafted. I should rank pirates system lower because he is in A ball? Or give another team a higher ranking because they drafted a college pitcher instead of a hs pitcher? Balance of hitters and pitchers. Irrelevant. That balance can change in less than a year. Pirates had all pitchers then draft KG another hs ss sign a bunch of international hitters trade hayes Bednar for hitters. Unbalanced to balance fast easy. Why penalize or give extra credit for balance? Priester for Yorke. Pitcher O’Reilly for Cook. Pitchers for Horwitz. Juan Soto for King Cease. 2 hitting prospects for Crochet. Balance doesn’t matter.

          Ceiling floor more awful. Anderson Quintana Perez Heaney Falter Horwitz Santana Santana Grandpal Tauchman Pham. Floor is cheap and easy to get. Why value Yorke Cook. Just sign Frazier for few million.

          I do my own rankings but why I think baseball America is better.

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          But it’s all speculation
          Depth? Nice.
          But how many of the kids in Low A, A or even Altoona will make it to the show
          You’d think BA would base their rankings on AAA and make notations about franchise depth. It’s easier to do and likely more reliable
          As is, the Pirates are one of the worst teams in baseball, will likely continue to be, but have the 2nd best farm system?
          How exactly does that make sense?

          A reminder that this bad baseball town hosts the Savannah Bananas tonight. Two consecutive sell outs at PNC. I suspect it’d be the same story if they played 100 games here. Someone wake Richard from his coma.
          Maybe Bright eyes can provide some analytics about how Suwinski would flourish as a Banana or fop can opine about how the Bananas ownership has such an easier job than poor Bob Nutting. Because counting your millions is rough

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Most of them will make it. Injuries could happen.

          AAA is irrelevant. The worst talent level. If a team needs a good player and doesn’t need to manipulate service time that player will spend very little time in AAA or come up straight from AA. AAA is to 1 manipulate service time 2 to hold your AAAA reserves. 3 where your failed prospects linger in hopes of unlocking something. Based on just AAA pirates have elite farm system as they are loaded with failed prospects and AAAA players.

          The worst mlb teams should and often do have the best farm systems. Cherington never picked outside the top 10 so farm system should be good.

          MLB team stinks because he took over absolute garbage.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Think about it.
          The US has not made $100,000 bills for may be 70 years.
          I am not sure that even $1000 bills are made anymore.
          How long would it take to count say $50,000,000 in $100 bills?That’s a lot of Franklins!
          It would be very rough to do so Old Timer.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          ML team stinks because they have not traded for or developed position players that can compete at the ML level.
          Six years is plenty of time to do so.
          Paragraph on AAA use is mainly excellent however.

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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Harper is almost 33 with injuries slowing him down.Still a fine player but they had to move him to first base not only because of his arm but because he was never Clemente in right field.
          No longer a viable MVP candidate but should still be good for the next 2-3 years.
          He wanted an extension but the Phillies were wise not to give it.His contract runs through the 2028 season.
          Probably worth the $330,000,000 ten year contract but only in a large market where it can attract the attention and fans.
          Small market team could never afford it because they often do not work out.

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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          You were the first to point out that Bubba was a result of low balling Henry $.
          The Pirates needed a good catcher desperately
          In same ways that was a win win especially if Henry can learn to hit 230 with some power as he has developed into a very good catcher on his own.

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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          You take the time to review and assess the minor leagues.
          I do not want to speak for others but I would not enjoy that even if I was knowledgeable.
          What you are saying might very well be true,but one of the rating systems said that the Pirates system was top heavy.Doh!With those three that makes sense.
          No team hits on nearly all of their minor league stars.These three may be blue chippers,but Termar was too,and see how far he has fallen.
          TJ is a high schooler,and they have a much bigger miss % than college players who are much more developed.See Termar.
          Cherington does not have a good track record of developing hitters and position players even though that was his background and what he enjoys the most.
          You seem to have a lot of enthusiasm now but the fact is where was all of this development previously?He may not have had three blue chippers but he had plenty of the rest that he may have now.
          Long time Pirate fans have seen this lack of development for many years.
          They are all suspects until they prove themselves in the ML’s.

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        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Very well stated, Mendoza. Thanks

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          1 they are wrong, it’s not top heavy. 2 good, top heavy is better. Top heavy is a positive. What you want. Depth is just bonus.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          TJ never blue chip. 1 and a half tool player. And those tools never took a step forward. Weak draft and he was clearly best available at time according to every source I seen. He was never at any point considered best player in baseball or top 5 or top 10 not even top 20. Top 30 would be stretch. Top 50 sure. Top 100 no doubt.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Development has been awful for I dunno 30 years. It just became good enough in 2025. At least to where it was noticeable.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I enjoy minor leagues. Not like I am watching 6 hours a night. I don’t even watch the entire game. There’s 4 levels so I pick the 2 or 3 best pitching matchups and flip back and forth. After those starters leave I leave. Watching hitters vs minor league relievers doesn’t tell you much.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Depth is a joke. If aliens abducted any teams entire farm system leaving only the top 15 or 20 no one notice unless you are following it closely. They would be replaced so easy. There’s a draft and international signing every year. The only ones that matter are the ones capable of becoming top 10.

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Here’s 2012 top 20 pirates prospects. I’ll take only the top 4. You guys can have all the DEPTH. I don’t even know who some of these guys are even #5 even got a van meter or something in there for you

          Photo headshot of Jameson Taillon
          Jameson Taillon
          RHP
          2
          Photo headshot of Gerrit Cole
          Gerrit Cole
          RHP
          3
          Photo headshot of Starling Marte
          Starling Marte
          OF
          4
          Photo headshot of Josh Bell
          Josh Bell
          1B/OF
          5
          Photo headshot of Stetson Allie
          Stetson Allie
          1B
          6
          Photo headshot of Luis Heredia
          Luis Heredia
          RHP
          7
          Photo headshot of Tony Sanchez
          Tony Sanchez
          C
          8
          Photo headshot of Robbie Grossman
          Robbie Grossman
          OF
          9
          Photo headshot of Jeff Locke
          Jeff Locke
          LHP
          10
          Photo headshot of Justin Wilson
          Justin Wilson
          LHP
          11
          Photo headshot of Kyle McPherson
          Kyle McPherson
          RHP
          12
          Photo headshot of Nick Kingham
          Nick Kingham
          RHP
          13
          Photo headshot of Rudy Owens
          Rudy Owens
          LHP
          14
          Photo headshot of Alex Dickerson
          Alex Dickerson
          1B
          15
          Photo headshot of Bryan Morris
          Bryan Morris
          RHP
          16
          Photo headshot of Alen Hanson
          Alen Hanson
          2B/OF
          17
          Photo headshot of Colton Cain
          Colton Cain
          LHP
          18
          Photo headshot of Zack Von Rosenberg
          Zack Von Rosenberg
          RHP
          19
          Photo headshot of Clay Holmes
          Clay Holmes
          RHP
          20
          Photo headshot of Jarek Cunningham
          Jarek Cunningham

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          2013 I just want 1 and 2. Although Mr Glass was criminally rated 2 low which would never have happened in my rankings because my only criteria is elite ceiling impact player. But 3 thorough 20 30 40 50 100 1000 is all yours

          Gerrit Cole
          RHP
          2
          Photo headshot of Jameson Taillon
          Jameson Taillon
          RHP
          3
          Photo headshot of Alen Hanson
          Alen Hanson
          2B/OF
          4
          Photo headshot of Gregory Polanco
          Gregory Polanco
          OF
          5
          Photo headshot of Luis Heredia
          Luis Heredia
          RHP
          6
          Photo headshot of Josh Bell
          Josh Bell
          1B/OF
          7
          Photo headshot of Kyle McPherson
          Kyle McPherson
          RHP
          8
          Photo headshot of Barrett Barnes
          Barrett Barnes
          OF
          9
          Photo headshot of Justin Wilson
          Justin Wilson
          LHP
          10
          Photo headshot of Wyatt Mathisen
          Wyatt Mathisen
          3B
          11
          Photo headshot of Alex Dickerson
          Alex Dickerson
          1B
          12
          Photo headshot of Andy Oliver
          Andy Oliver
          LHP
          13
          Photo headshot of Nick Kingham
          Nick Kingham
          RHP
          14
          Photo headshot of Bryan Morris
          Bryan Morris
          RHP
          15
          Photo headshot of Clay Holmes
          Clay Holmes
          RHP
          16
          Photo headshot of Tony Sanchez
          Tony Sanchez
          C
          17
          Photo headshot of Vic Black
          Vic Black
          RHP
          18
          Photo headshot of Willy García
          Willy García
          OF
          19
          Photo headshot of Tyler Glasnow
          Tyler Glasnow
          RHP
          20
          Photo headshot of Dilson Herrera
          Dilson Herrera

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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Give me 1 through 4. All that wonderful depth is all yours. This is fun or at least interesting looking at these old rankings.

          Gregory Polanco
          OF
          2
          Photo headshot of Jameson Taillon
          Jameson Taillon
          RHP
          3
          Photo headshot of Tyler Glasnow
          Tyler Glasnow
          RHP
          4
          Photo headshot of Austin Meadows
          Austin Meadows
          OF
          5
          Photo headshot of Alen Hanson
          Alen Hanson
          2B/OF
          6
          Photo headshot of Josh Bell
          Josh Bell
          1B/OF
          7
          Photo headshot of Reese McGuire
          Reese McGuire
          C
          8
          Photo headshot of Nick Kingham
          Nick Kingham
          RHP
          9
          Photo headshot of Harold Ramírez
          Harold Ramírez
          OF
          10
          Photo headshot of Luis Heredia
          Luis Heredia
          RHP
          11
          Photo headshot of Willy García
          Willy García
          OF
          12
          Photo headshot of Brandon Cumpton
          Brandon Cumpton
          RHP
          13
          Photo headshot of Barrett Barnes
          Barrett Barnes
          OF
          14
          Photo headshot of Tony Sanchez
          Tony Sanchez
          C
          15
          Photo headshot of Wyatt Mathisen
          Wyatt Mathisen
          3B
          16
          Photo headshot of Clay Holmes
          Clay Holmes
          RHP
          17
          Photo headshot of Stolmy Pimentel
          Stolmy Pimentel
          RHP
          18
          Photo headshot of JaCoby Jones
          JaCoby Jones
          OF
          19
          Photo headshot of Jin-De Jhang
          Jin-De Jhang
          C
          20
          Photo headshot of Cody Dickson
          Cody Dickson

          1
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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          They started doing 30 players this year so even more DEPTH for you. Give top 4 or heck just top 2. Keller nice get for you guys but he will soon be joining my top guys. Again only there because these idiots value closeness to mlb. And they just stink at their job.

          Photo headshot of Tyler Glasnow
          Tyler Glasnow
          RHP
          2
          Photo headshot of Jameson Taillon
          Jameson Taillon
          RHP
          3
          Photo headshot of Josh Bell
          Josh Bell
          1B/OF
          4
          Photo headshot of Austin Meadows
          Austin Meadows
          OF
          5
          Photo headshot of Reese McGuire
          Reese McGuire
          C
          6
          Photo headshot of Nick Kingham
          Nick Kingham
          RHP
          7
          Photo headshot of Alen Hanson
          Alen Hanson
          2B/OF
          8
          Photo headshot of Harold Ramírez
          Harold Ramírez
          OF
          9
          Photo headshot of Cole Tucker
          Cole Tucker
          SS
          10
          Photo headshot of Mitch Keller
          Mitch Keller
          RHP
          11
          Photo headshot of Elias Díaz
          Elias Díaz
          C
          12
          Photo headshot of Trey Supak
          Trey Supak
          RHP
          13
          Photo headshot of JaCoby Jones
          JaCoby Jones
          OF
          14
          Photo headshot of Willy García
          Willy García
          OF
          15
          Photo headshot of Luis Heredia
          Luis Heredia
          RHP
          16
          Photo headshot of Wyatt Mathisen
          Wyatt Mathisen
          3B
          17
          Photo headshot of John Holdzkom
          John Holdzkom
          RHP
          18
          Photo headshot of Barrett Barnes
          Barrett Barnes
          OF
          19
          Photo headshot of Andrew Lambo
          Andrew Lambo
          OF/1B
          20
          Photo headshot of Clay Holmes
          Clay Holmes
          RHP
          21
          Photo headshot of Chad Kuhl
          Chad Kuhl
          RHP
          22
          Photo headshot of Connor Joe
          Connor Joe
          3B/OF
          23
          Photo headshot of Stephen Tarpley
          Stephen Tarpley
          LHP
          24
          Photo headshot of Adrian Sampson
          Adrian Sampson
          RHP
          25
          Photo headshot of Jordan Luplow
          Jordan Luplow
          3B
          26
          Photo headshot of Gage Hinsz
          Gage Hinsz
          RHP
          27
          Photo headshot of Cody Dickson
          Cody Dickson
          LHP
          28
          Photo headshot of Taylor Gushue
          Taylor Gushue
          C
          29
          Photo headshot of Steven Brault
          Steven Brault
          LHP
          30
          Photo headshot of Stetson Allie
          Stetson Allie

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Top 4 for me. You take the other 26 for depth. Why they didn’t Keller I have no idea. Remember this idiots put Harrington Solometo Yorke in their top 100 in all of baseball.

          Tyler Glasnow
          RHP
          2
          Photo headshot of Austin Meadows
          Austin Meadows
          OF
          3
          Photo headshot of Josh Bell
          Josh Bell
          1B/OF
          4
          Photo headshot of Jameson Taillon
          Jameson Taillon
          RHP
          5
          Photo headshot of Reese McGuire
          Reese McGuire
          C
          6
          Photo headshot of Harold Ramírez
          Harold Ramírez
          OF
          7
          Photo headshot of Ke’Bryan Hayes
          Ke’Bryan Hayes
          3B
          8
          Photo headshot of Elias Díaz
          Elias Díaz
          C
          9
          Photo headshot of Cole Tucker
          Cole Tucker
          SS
          10
          Photo headshot of Alen Hanson
          Alen Hanson
          2B/OF
          11
          Photo headshot of Kevin Newman
          Kevin Newman
          2B/SS
          12
          Photo headshot of Nick Kingham
          Nick Kingham
          RHP
          13
          Photo headshot of Willy García
          Willy García
          OF
          14
          Photo headshot of Mitch Keller
          Mitch Keller
          RHP
          15
          Photo headshot of Clay Holmes
          Clay Holmes
          RHP
          16
          Photo headshot of Chad Kuhl
          Chad Kuhl
          RHP
          17
          Photo headshot of Steven Brault
          Steven Brault
          LHP
          18
          Photo headshot of Yeudy Garcia
          Yeudy Garcia
          RHP
          19
          Photo headshot of Stephen Tarpley
          Stephen Tarpley
          LHP
          20
          Photo headshot of Barrett Barnes
          Barrett Barnes
          OF
          21
          Photo headshot of Luis Escobar
          Luis Escobar
          RHP
          22
          Photo headshot of Kevin Kramer
          Kevin Kramer
          2B
          23
          Photo headshot of Gage Hinsz
          Gage Hinsz
          RHP
          24
          Photo headshot of Trevor Williams
          Trevor Williams
          RHP
          25
          Photo headshot of Max Moroff
          Max Moroff
          2B
          26
          Photo headshot of Jordan Luplow
          Jordan Luplow
          3B
          27
          Photo headshot of Adam Frazier
          Adam Frazier
          OF/2B
          28
          Photo headshot of Tyler Eppler
          Tyler Eppler
          RHP
          29
          Photo headshot of Jacob Taylor
          Jacob Taylor
          RHP
          30
          Photo headshot of Dario Agrazal
          Dario Agrazal

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Again I only want the top 4 impact players. You and mlb.com can have the rest of the entire system. Any of you as bright as bright eyes and are starting to see why I don’t give a it about depth or near mlb or balance?

          Tyler Glasnow
          RHP
          2
          Photo headshot of Austin Meadows
          Austin Meadows
          OF
          3
          Photo headshot of Josh Bell
          Josh Bell
          1B/OF
          4
          Photo headshot of Mitch Keller
          Mitch Keller
          RHP
          5
          Photo headshot of Kevin Newman
          Kevin Newman
          2B/SS
          6
          Photo headshot of Ke’Bryan Hayes
          Ke’Bryan Hayes
          3B
          7
          Photo headshot of Cole Tucker
          Cole Tucker
          SS
          8
          Photo headshot of Will Craig
          Will Craig
          1B
          9
          Photo headshot of Nick Kingham
          Nick Kingham
          RHP
          10
          Photo headshot of Steven Brault
          Steven Brault
          LHP
          11
          Photo headshot of Elias Díaz
          Elias Díaz
          C
          12
          Photo headshot of Gage Hinsz
          Gage Hinsz
          RHP
          13
          Photo headshot of Taylor Hearn
          Taylor Hearn
          LHP
          14
          Photo headshot of Yeudy Garcia
          Yeudy Garcia
          RHP
          15
          Photo headshot of Luis Escobar
          Luis Escobar
          RHP
          16
          Photo headshot of Travis MacGregor
          Travis MacGregor
          RHP
          17
          Photo headshot of Alen Hanson
          Alen Hanson
          2B/OF
          18
          Photo headshot of Trevor Williams
          Trevor Williams
          RHP
          19
          Photo headshot of Stephen Alemais
          Stephen Alemais
          SS
          20
          Photo headshot of Brandon Waddell
          Brandon Waddell
          LHP
          21
          Photo headshot of Kevin Kramer
          Kevin Kramer
          2B
          22
          Photo headshot of Braeden Ogle
          Braeden Ogle
          LHP
          23
          Photo headshot of Clay Holmes
          Clay Holmes
          RHP
          24
          Photo headshot of Dovydas Neverauskas
          Dovydas Neverauskas
          RHP
          25
          Photo headshot of Edgar Santana
          Edgar Santana
          RHP
          26
          Photo headshot of Max Moroff
          Max Moroff
          2B
          27
          Photo headshot of Max Kranick
          Max Kranick
          RHP
          28
          Photo headshot of Tyler Eppler
          Tyler Eppler
          RHP
          29
          Photo headshot of José Osuna
          José Osuna
          1B/OF
          30
          Photo headshot of Barrett Barnes
          Barrett Barnes

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I’ll just take 1 other 29 DEPTH is all yours. I don’t even know who these guys are. I didn’t get into prospects until after college and the health crisis. You get Reynolds. No idea why these bums are ranked ahead of him. Reynolds put up great stats everywhere every level. Vanderbilt developed. Could actually play of. Enjoy Juan Pie whoever the F that is.

          Photo headshot of Mitch Keller
          Mitch Keller
          RHP
          2
          Photo headshot of Ke’Bryan Hayes
          Ke’Bryan Hayes
          3B
          3
          Photo headshot of Travis Swaggerty
          Travis Swaggerty
          OF
          4
          Photo headshot of Oneil Cruz
          Oneil Cruz
          SS
          5
          Photo headshot of Cole Tucker
          Cole Tucker
          SS
          6
          Photo headshot of Kevin Kramer
          Kevin Kramer
          2B
          7
          Photo headshot of Cal Mitchell
          Cal Mitchell
          OF
          8
          Photo headshot of Bryan Reynolds
          Bryan Reynolds
          OF
          9
          Photo headshot of Kevin Newman
          Kevin Newman
          2B/SS
          10
          Photo headshot of Luis Escobar
          Luis Escobar
          RHP
          11
          Photo headshot of Jason Martin
          Jason Martin
          OF
          12
          Photo headshot of Jared Oliva
          Jared Oliva
          OF
          13
          Photo headshot of Steven Jennings
          Steven Jennings
          RHP
          14
          Photo headshot of Braxton Ashcraft
          Braxton Ashcraft
          RHP
          15
          Photo headshot of Will Craig
          Will Craig
          1B
          16
          Photo headshot of Ji Hwan Bae
          Ji Hwan Bae
          2B/OF
          17
          Photo headshot of Lolo Sanchez
          Lolo Sanchez
          OF
          18
          Photo headshot of Pablo Reyes
          Pablo Reyes
          RF
          19
          Photo headshot of Tahnaj Thomas
          Tahnaj Thomas
          RHP
          20
          Photo headshot of Travis MacGregor
          Travis MacGregor
          RHP
          21
          Photo headshot of JT Brubaker
          JT Brubaker
          P
          22
          Photo headshot of Conner Uselton
          Conner Uselton
          OF
          23
          Photo headshot of Clay Holmes
          Clay Holmes
          RHP
          24
          Photo headshot of Nick Burdi
          Nick Burdi
          RHP
          25
          Photo headshot of Santiago Florez
          Santiago Florez
          RHP
          26
          Photo headshot of Stephen Alemais
          Stephen Alemais
          SS
          27
          Photo headshot of Cody Bolton
          Cody Bolton
          RHP
          28
          Photo headshot of Juan Pie
          Juan Pie
          OF
          29
          Photo headshot of Max Kranick
          Max Kranick
          RHP
          30
          Photo headshot of Gage Hinsz
          Gage Hinsz

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I want #1 other 29 all yours

          Photo headshot of Mitch Keller
          Mitch Keller
          RHP
          2
          Photo headshot of Ke’Bryan Hayes
          Ke’Bryan Hayes
          3B
          3
          Photo headshot of Oneil Cruz
          Oneil Cruz
          SS
          4
          Photo headshot of Quinn Priester
          Quinn Priester
          RHP
          5
          Photo headshot of Liover Peguero
          Liover Peguero
          SS
          6
          Photo headshot of Travis Swaggerty
          Travis Swaggerty
          OF
          7
          Photo headshot of Brennan Malone
          Brennan Malone
          RHP
          8
          Photo headshot of Sammy Siani
          Sammy Siani
          OF
          9
          Photo headshot of Jared Oliva
          Jared Oliva
          OF
          10
          Photo headshot of Cody Bolton
          Cody Bolton
          RHP
          11
          Photo headshot of Ji Hwan Bae
          Ji Hwan Bae
          2B/OF
          12
          Photo headshot of Cal Mitchell
          Cal Mitchell
          OF
          13
          Photo headshot of Tahnaj Thomas
          Tahnaj Thomas
          RHP
          14
          Photo headshot of Braxton Ashcraft
          Braxton Ashcraft
          RHP
          15
          Photo headshot of Mason Martin
          Mason Martin
          1B
          16
          Photo headshot of Santiago Florez
          Santiago Florez
          RHP
          17
          Photo headshot of Steven Jennings
          Steven Jennings
          RHP
          18
          Photo headshot of Kevin Kramer
          Kevin Kramer
          2B
          19
          Photo headshot of Will Craig
          Will Craig
          1B
          20
          Photo headshot of Lolo Sanchez
          Lolo Sanchez
          OF
          21
          Photo headshot of Max Kranick
          Max Kranick
          RHP
          22
          Photo headshot of Matt Gorski
          Matt Gorski
          OF
          23
          Photo headshot of Rodolfo Castro
          Rodolfo Castro
          INF
          24
          Photo headshot of Alexander Mojica
          Alexander Mojica
          3B
          25
          Photo headshot of Rodolfo Nolasco
          Rodolfo Nolasco
          OF
          26
          Photo headshot of Travis MacGregor
          Travis MacGregor
          RHP
          27
          Photo headshot of Aaron Shortridge
          Aaron Shortridge
          RHP
          28
          Photo headshot of Blake Cederlind
          Blake Cederlind
          RHP
          29
          Photo headshot of Jared Triolo
          Jared Triolo
          3B
          30
          Photo headshot of Matt Fraizer
          Matt Fraizer

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Last one. This is Cherington year 1 so you can see where he started from. And I am going to be nice. Since this is all a quantity zero quality depth system you can have them all. Every single one of them.

          Ke’Bryan Hayes
          3B
          2
          Photo headshot of Nick Gonzales
          Nick Gonzales
          2B/SS
          3
          Photo headshot of Quinn Priester
          Quinn Priester
          RHP
          4
          Photo headshot of Oneil Cruz
          Oneil Cruz
          SS
          5
          Photo headshot of Liover Peguero
          Liover Peguero
          SS
          6
          Photo headshot of Hudson Head
          Hudson Head
          OF
          7
          Photo headshot of Tahnaj Thomas
          Tahnaj Thomas
          RHP
          8
          Photo headshot of Brennan Malone
          Brennan Malone
          RHP
          9
          Photo headshot of Travis Swaggerty
          Travis Swaggerty
          OF
          10
          Photo headshot of Cody Bolton
          Cody Bolton
          RHP
          11
          Photo headshot of Carmen Mlodzinski
          Carmen Mlodzinski
          RHP
          12
          Photo headshot of Miguel Yajure
          Miguel Yajure
          RHP
          13
          Photo headshot of Eddy Yean
          Eddy Yean
          RHP
          14
          Photo headshot of Ji Hwan Bae
          Ji Hwan Bae
          2B/OF
          15
          Photo headshot of Mason Martin
          Mason Martin
          1B
          16
          Photo headshot of Jared Oliva
          Jared Oliva
          OF
          17
          Photo headshot of Jared Jones
          Jared Jones
          RHP
          18
          Photo headshot of Cal Mitchell
          Cal Mitchell
          OF
          19
          Photo headshot of Sammy Siani
          Sammy Siani
          OF
          20
          Photo headshot of Roansy Contreras
          Roansy Contreras
          RHP
          21
          Photo headshot of Nick Garcia
          Nick Garcia
          RHP
          22
          Photo headshot of Braxton Ashcraft
          Braxton Ashcraft
          RHP
          23
          Photo headshot of Wil Crowe
          Wil Crowe
          RHP
          24
          Photo headshot of Omar Cruz
          Omar Cruz
          LHP
          25
          Photo headshot of José Soriano
          José Soriano
          RHP
          26
          Photo headshot of Canaan Smith-Njigba
          Canaan Smith-Njigba
          OF
          27
          Photo headshot of Endy Rodríguez
          Endy Rodríguez
          C/1B
          28
          Photo headshot of Max Kranick
          Max Kranick
          RHP
          29
          Photo headshot of Mike Burrows
          Mike Burrows
          RHP
          30
          Photo headshot of Alexander Mojica
          Alexander Mojica

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          All this depth I gave you. Hundreds of players. I wouldn’t trade KG Bubba for all decade worth of depth. You and mlb.com can keep it.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          When he came out I think that he was in the low 20’s.
          Next year went down maybe 10.
          Next year maybe in the 50’s.
          He was highly rated for awhile.
          I thought that you gave a good comp for him for Gonzalez.
          I do like Gonzalez more than maybe you do.He hustles and is sound fundamentally.Never will be an all star but is a good sold player.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Top heavy is a positive as you say because the players can be the stars that a team needs to be a good team before the Yankees poach them.
          But lower levels are importantly too to maintain a reasonably good team when they are not competing for the playoffs.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Interesting list.I remember most of them.
          Some of the lower ones became decent players but the only real cream was at the top.
          But no good team only has stars.The Justin Wilsons and Clay Holmes and Robbie Grossmans became useful ML players too.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          And Mr Glass has averaged 75 innings per year over ten years and made one all star team and is making $25M per year.
          Such a deal.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Interesting what happened to Meadows as the best computer analysis in the world would not have figured that one out.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          What you said about depth is applicable because you remember Eddie Feigner and he only had an outfielder,a shortstop,and a first baseman with his catcher.
          Not everyone can be a star.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Juan was a left hand hitting outfielder who I think also played for the Cubs.
          He was a slim guy who clearly did not last long but did make the ML’s.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Now I understand.You no longer want your guy Malone because you are a Monday morning quarterback.What about your guy Liover?
          Tahnaj Thomas has a great name and I would see him every year for like 25 years as a prospect but he never made it.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          You only like the finest.
          I say it takes a village to raise a team.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          You would be Eddie Feigner with your good arm and Konnor could play both SS and CF and I will spot you a first baseman and a catcher of your choice.
          Bubba could come in for four innings of relief and pitch every day like you but you would get credit for all of the wins
          since you put the team together.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Gonzales as floor. Could have more power. Better average. Gonzales could be put in outfield. TJ seems 2b only. TJ higher ceiling. Just hasn’t looked like a all star level player.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Depth is just good as you have a platoon somewhere or glove only in case of injury. But really doesn’t matter. Trade a piece of garbage for Adam Frazier or claim IKF on waivers. Bart minor trade better than any catcher they had. Canario minor trade better than any outfielder they had. Awful but still better than your Swaggerty CSN Matt Frazier Siana Gorksi whatever trash Depth.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Sure but so did that Washington wild thing guy theh have now and Santana a waiver claim Moreta minor trade Lawrence Ferguson 3m free agent. Try signing Skenes Cole as free agent.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Well the depth isn’t useful. Your everyday players are the creamed of the crop but the next level.

          And these sites are wrong. Pirates have depth. As good or better depth than 25 teams at least.

          This is by far the best farm system they had in 30 some years at least maybe ever but I ain’t researching that.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Malone was never blue chip. Not next level either. He was the level after the next level.

          And their rankings stink. If you had Priester 3 then Malone should be 4. They were in the same draft same talent tier went like dozen or so picks apart. The team that was good enough to draft Corbin Carroll took Malone in same draft.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I wouldn’t need your 1b. I would just trade my garbage depth for Horwitz or Naylor. Give Santana 5m.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          You mention Frazier who was a third round pick in 2019 and is hitting well with a 813 OPS in AAA this year.
          Does he have any ML future or he another Harold Ramirez type?

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Thanks for all of the responses.
          I actually saw Eddie Feigner in the early 1980’s.
          I read now that he did not even have an outfielder and needed the shortstop so that he would have another hitter if his team loaded the bases.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I haven’t seen him lately. I don’t watch AAA much. I seen the players in A A AA so gotta invest my time in the new players. He cut down on strike outs and has hit better as a guy nearing closer to 30 in AAA should. I used to think he could be a 5th outfielder or a platoon 4th. He was a solid defender. I thought of him as a better defensive Olivares CSN.

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Yeah, me too
          They’ve had a handful of guys who made a dent but most faded.
          Most of these guys gave us fans some hope that led to nothing
          Me? I really thought Polanco was gonna complete what would have been the best OF in MLB

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Anxiety. Yips. I had them for a while and I wasn’t a player. Compromises everything you do. I feel for the kid. Seemed to be the real deal and my biggest problem in the Archer deal, odd as it sounds.
          If you’ve never read Rick Ankiel’s book on the subject and you have interest, do yourself a favor. Crystalized everything for me

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          My dad’s era. Post WWII barnstorming. Didn’t need fielders.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Yeah, that’s the entire problem with BA’s rendering. Bubba will throw 5-6 innings a game. Griffin may bat 4 times. Sure need more than that in most games

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Watch the Jenny Finch video on YouTube from back in Bonds’ day. Struck out every hitter she faced in a packed power hitter order.
          Feigner was one of the pioneers. Many others.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          There’s no problem with BA. Pirates have depth. They have a ton a depth. Every article all I hear is where is Yorke? Devanney? Cook? Bae? Bubba? Barco? Mendoza even calling for Frazier!!!!! Bubba Barco is good but rest is hot garbage. Cook doesn’t even make my top 30. Yorke might crack top 20 but not fop 15. Devanney well you will get to see him….. Let’s just say he will fit right in!!!!!! By all means give him a chance. And I don’t know much about him. When you don’t watch milb every day and only for hour to 2 when you do you aren’t watching Devanney types. His K rate for someone his age against AAA pitching is scary. You can hope being in mlb changes him or Hague Vogey Cutch Pham see something but chances are he will be a K machine.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Mendoza not calling for Frazier but he was someone who I knew next to nothing about and wondered whether you did.
          We will see about Yorke now that he seems to be getting an actual chance in the ML’s.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I think Yorke realistically can be Adam Frazier. Don’t think he is a SS. Don’t think he has arm for 3b and has nevwr played there according to mlbtr article. Bat isn’t good enough for outfield and I know you are a arm guy and he doesn’t have ideal speed. So he is pretty much 2b only. Gonzales is better 2b. TJ better than Gonzales. So that leaves Yorke as utility player. You need those. But you can just trade your garbage for Frazier or sign him for a million or 2. Or get IKF for free on waivers. Why I am not excited about Yorke. The only hope is that in some time line he is a 20 to 25 hr a year guy or at least 15 to 20. Right now he is trending to 10 to 15 at best.

          There’s a wide range of outcomes with prospects. There’s what’s possible and what’s probable. I don’t expect much but a nice utility bat but hope for the best.

          Reply
      • Mendoza Line 215

        1 month ago

        They would have to go 3 and 24 to lose 100 games.
        No easily about it.
        They would have to go 16 and 11 for 75 wins.
        No easily about that either.
        I had said the trifecta-76 wins.
        No way.
        If Old Timer,when he was known as Tired Old Dude,said 70 wins,he would be the closest.
        They will probably go 72 and 90,with Kelly going 60 and 64.
        The bad part is that Cherington will stay and rehire Shelton to take his place.

        Reply
  9. paosfan

    1 month ago

    Not sure I agree with the assessment that Baltimore needs 4 starters…

    TOR FA addition – trade for.m Keller while not TOR might be enough…
    Brandish (assuming health and contined success like tues) #1 results in past
    Rogers #1 or 2 potential
    G Rodriguez (assuming health) has #1 potential
    Kremer looking great since rough start to yr

    With Suarez, Wells, povich, and young as depth in bullpen or minors.

    I’d go with a #1 and a #5 depth move if g rod not looking good along with another long pen option that could perhaps spot start.

    Adding more pushes kremer to pen where he’s not as valuable. Wells is already in the above pushed to pen whereas he’s a good option for rotation if he bounces back from surgery as expected from rehab starts.

    Reply
    • greatwhiteangus

      1 month ago

      Who would come back to the Pirates in a trade for Keller? Beavers and Mayo? Mayo and Westburg? Beavers and Westburg, hold the Mayo???

      😀

      Reply
      • paosfan

        1 month ago

        Mayo might be too much as Keller isn’t cheap a #1 (seems more a solid #3) or signed for too much longer but I’d do it. I’d rather mayo headline a Bubba c trade with some lower level Os prospects thrown in.

        Otherwise package a few other good minors OF and/or good lower minor if prospects if Pitt wants more of a volume deal.

        Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Pittsburgh wants mlb ready players,or at they should,and Mayo is hitting 190.
          Hold the mayo.
          And they aren’t trading Bubba,especially for Mayo.

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Look, they have a formidable starting pitching staff in the making, no doubt. But if last off season proved anything at all it’s that this ownership and front office will refrain from seizing the opportunity to surround them with decent sticks. That’s all

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Mayo too much lol. I wouldn’t trade Bubba for him. Not close. Mayo was never that tier of prospect. Bubba has looked great in mlb. Mayo awful. It would take a top 10 hitting prospect. Stars align we need hitting you need pitching. But Pirates need pitching. Need Bubba. But a top 10 hitting prospect mlb ready would be possiblity.

          I wouldn’t trade Bubba for 2 Mayo’s.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Where you getting these sticks from? You’re owner. What sticks you getting for 2026?

          Reply
        • Baseball trade conspiracies

          1 month ago

          Bubba has looked very good so far. 8 scoreless. A 4 inning save and a win.
          Great 1,2 punch next year with chandler and skenes.
          I’ve said it before. Last year the Orioles offered mayo for bednar. And cherring said no. Glad he did. Mayo looks like a bust

          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          who did you used to be on here, BTC?

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Paul-Buuba.
          That is why he likes Bubba Chandler so much.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Hold the Mayo.
          190 this year.
          That is too close to Henry Davis for comfort.
          But he may have more potential than the clowns that Cherington got from the Yankees.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          AI-Old Timer said that he would get Winkler to make you happy.

          2
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Nice gesture but I wanted him in 2024 instead of Cruz. Don’t know who I want now. Who’s available for trade because free agents we are probably looking at Does Pham Tauchman have 1 more year left in them?

          Reply
        • Baseball trade conspiracies

          1 month ago

          Mendoza is correct man 3. For some reason mlb booted me. Im positive I know why, but I’ll not say anymore.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Welcome back young man.
          My guess is I know why also.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          AI-You are correct in saying about free agents in that there has to be some that not only are reasonably priced but who will want to play in Pittsburgh.
          MLBTR is good in providing the lists every year but there does not seem to be a lot of mid level position players that would fit in and be helpful to the Pirates.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Agree. Uh, who is BTC?

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Nee Buuba
          Baseball Trade Conspiracies

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I was thinking Cherington middle name was Tiberious

          Reply
    • Thornton Mellon

      1 month ago

      paosfan-

      I’m closer to 4 than 1.

      – Bradish – coming back from a major injury. Is the most likely to succeed. For half a season he had #1 type numbers, more of a #2 overall.
      – Rogers – if he keeps the ball on the ground he has mid rotation potential. His hard hit rate combined with BABIP and nearly complete lack of balls getting out of the park do not sustain 1.4 ERA. He can turn into mid/high 3 ERA which they still need
      – Rodriguez – done as a starter for any sustained stretch. Could be a good reliever
      – Wells – can’t judge on “potential” anymore, he’ll be 31! Has never exceeded 120 IP in a season and got hurt each time he got that far. Good for bullpen and maybe a spot start
      – Kremer – you can’t weed the bad Kremer out of his body of work. He will always be hot and cold and that limits him to the back end of the rotation. He is consistently getting IP though.

      The bullpen needs help too, and Rodriguez, Wells, Suarez would bridge a lot of that gap.

      Kremer is the only slot I would write into the rotation using a pen. Maybe they would come back with Bradish as a #2, Rogers as a #3/#4 but I’m not betting a paycheck that both make 30 starts for the Orioles next season.

      Therefore, need 2 guys at the #1 and #2 level, minimum. If those two are obtained, add another #3/#4 to the group. That would be a strong rotation with a backup plan.

      Having a large # of warm bodies/the “building from the bottom up” thing did not work. Morton and Gibson combined for 11 losses the first month or so of the season themselves which took them right out of the race this year. They’ve been .500 since then. Offense underachieved overall too, need a new coaching staff/manager and approach.

      Reply
  10. foppert3

    1 month ago

    The problem is that being a small market team is very difficult. Blaming one person is meh. Hardest job ever imo. Got to be easier ways to make a living.

    1
    Reply
    • TheMan 3

      1 month ago

      Milwaukee is a small market team, so is Cleveland, Minneapolis, Tampa and Cincinnati
      The small market excuse is hogwash

      4
      Reply
      • foppert3

        1 month ago

        Ha ha. The Man. Yeah the small market teams are killing it. Easy as.

        Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          He forgot Detroit. KC has been ok
          I guess that’s too much evidence for you.

          3
          Reply
        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          They have their moments. No doubt. Come back to me when they sustain it.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          None of those teams have been that impressive other than Detroit which is a bigger market than Pittsburgh. Minnesota literally has 2 cities not to mention entire state like Detroit. Milwaukee has entire state and a dome. Cleveland Cincinnati are fair comps. Milwaukee is too.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          No small market team will be winning the WS unless the Brewers luck out this year.
          But most if not all of these small market teams have done better than the Pirates as far as competing since the last small market team except for the Royals last won a WS in 1991.

          2
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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Another one or 2 or 3 should win. They make the playoffs. Once in you have a chance. 7 games is small sample. But when KC won and Cleveland made it, they went not all in but in strong. Milwaukee hasn’t done that so it decreases their odds. Notice the big market teams all added reliever reliever reliever. Platoon bat platoon bat. They will have a matchup for everything you do. Will eliminate their 5th maybe even 4th starter. More than willing to pull starter early if stuff isn’t meta that day.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Then they also have enough relievers to do the same thing with a reliever who does not have his stuff that game.

          Reply
    • WashedUpOldTimer

      1 month ago

      Tell you what, I was in an inner city classroom for 30 years. Police officers. Nurses. ER doctors. All pretty challenging. And you’re gonna opine about a billionaire only bringing in $30-50m in profit every year as difficult? Seriously?
      The guy is a carpetbagger. He conducts business in a taxpayer-funded palace. He doesn’t live here, feels no civic responsibility to put a competitive team on the field. Is such a tightwad, he replaced banners commemorating a Pirates great and humanitarian with advertising. Pulled lifetime Bucco bricks that he sold to fans and put them in a scrap heap. Plans two commemorative bobble heads nights but doesn’t order enough of them for fans and doesn’t have anyone supervising distribution.
      I don’t know if you’re being sarcastic and if you are, my apologies. This is the worst owner in professional sports. If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was intentionally wrecking the franchise

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      • foppert3

        1 month ago

        I was more about Cherington than Nutting but the point remains. I don’t care how much money they earn. That’s an American thing. The job would suck. Full stop. Trying to overcome a huge competitive disadvantage, forced into the development lottery rather than purchasing proven talent. Even if they have the cash, no one wants to go there. Non stop chicken or the egg merry go round. Getting hated on by keyboard warriors with limited knowledge every time your name is mentioned. Accused of profiteering and even when dudes investigate it and find nothing, the keyboard warriors just pull out the “fake news” cop out. Fark that. Don’t care what they get paid, anyone with the balls take on that has my respect.

        Ps. You mention the Clemente banner/sign. What does selling that space tell you about the financial position of the Pirates ?

        Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          What dudes investigated it? DK? This is your source? The PG did an expose a few years back and found great profit thanks to revenue streams from MLB, TV rights, merch and more. In fact, they noted that however lower the gate receipts were compared to other markets, they alone could fund the franchise’s entire payroll. And their salary allotment was higher then
          Mark Cuban noted that Nutting would be crazy to sell given the profit he’s making
          The financial situation you note here comes down to one word: greed. Their financial situation is essentially their mission statement.
          They had good intentions, of course. Build a team using the Rays model. But thanks to mediocre drafting and worse trades, coupled with a poor player development program, here they are. One blue chip position player on the farm and a lot of guys who may—who may-be utility players one day if they’re still in the game
          fop, I’d love to have a sucky job that earns such incredible profits with no accountability to MLB or more important, fans
          The competitive disadvantage you note has been felt in Milwaukee, Cleveland, Detroit. Players didn’t want to go there, either. All three had scouts who knew talent and player development people who refined skills. All 3 augmented their youth with legitimate players
          None of this has happened here
          If what you write is true, Nutting the genius businessman would have had the for sale sign out long ago. You would have us believe he is losing money and pulling his hair out when the reality is quite the opposite
          No one is saying they should compete with big market teams for signings. No one is looking for a championship here. But jeez, most of us would take a . 500 team vying for a WC once in a while

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        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          Think it was DK. Read it, watched him talk about it on Foul Territory. Honest as it gets. When in with an agenda to find the pilfered money and after months of diligence, came up with nothing but loans. Dude got written off as an owner sympathiser. Surprise surprise. The standard MO with info that doesn’t match what people want to believe.

          The greed slurs annoys me. Weak. The likely thing is he is just no good at it. There’s a massive difference in that and being greedy.

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          I have nothing against DK but I think he got snowed in his reporting, that’s all
          If you see the idea of greed as being weak, I’m taking it that you and I are generations apart and I don’t mean that as an insult in any way
          I come from a generation that had pro players having to work in the offseason to support themselves and then looking for work after retirement
          Money has corrupted everything and made the sanctity of the game rather dubious. It’s all about the money, from owners to players, from pro level to college and now high school. And it’s compromised the idea of competition
          Everything is about profits. It defines the actions of an owner like Nutting and defines why players have no allegiances anymore.
          It defines collegiate players going from school to school each year
          Younger generations are more accepting of all of this. It’s just what they’ve been grandfathered into.
          DK ignored what the PG reported, what Cuban has said, how Forbes described the profits of this franchise. Dream has said Nutting is a HoF businessman and that should be remembered. He’s no dummy and he sure isn’t losing money here

          1
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        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          I question why DK left the Post Gazette. I read that he was fired for writing false stories

          3
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        • Baseball trade conspiracies

          1 month ago

          You mean false stories like Fsux fake news

          1
          Reply
        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          Of course he was.

          Reply
        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          I’m 55. I think It’s about a countries generation or 2 of childish spoilt men who can’t deal with disappointment.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          You do realize a business claiming losses and taking out loans is a common strategy. DK report could be true but doesn’t mean Nutting is losing $.

          If somehow he was losing $ while fielding 60 70 80 90 million payrolls he could easily get it back. Sell team. Sell shares of team. Cut his awful analytics department. Reduce staff. Look how bloated it is. And they are awful. After 6 years there is plenty of fat to trim. They should be grading the scouts and directors. Get rid of the entire marketing and pr department. Hire 1 person to head it and allow a very small staff to be hired. Same with analytics. Let them show they are good at their job before they are allowed to expand. Keep churning until you hire the right person. Instead they got bloated garbage. Williams, why is he still here?

          2
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        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          I’m 70 and not gullible or naive.

          2
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        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          You call yourself the “The Man”. Enough said.

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Now you’re getting personal
          If you think I’m alternately elated when local teams win or disappointed to the degree of anger when they lose, you’re delusional.
          Maybe when I was younger
          Maybe when before winning trumped the idea of pouting and getting even more money
          I tend to look at all of it as priorities being severely out of whack where you are more accepting
          I have better things to be disappointed with and other topics to better waste my time

          1
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        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          I’m always amazed how the modern sports fan is so accepting of all he sees. Like you, I root for teams with “Pittsburgh” across their chests. And like you, I watch because I grew up in and love the game. I couldn’t care less about the personal lives of players or owners. Zero interest.
          They can pound salt
          But these types of folks can shove the idea that some pity should be had for billionaire owners and millionaire players. What a pathetic, ill informed stance. Imagine having pity for a carpetbagger making millions or a guy playing a kid’s game that has allowed him to enjoy a charmed life since he was in high school.
          Yeah. What a tough life

          2
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        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          Such an immature take. It’s not pity. It’s the basic human decency of treating a man fairly. Something that is trumped by the so called right of the self entitled American male to be disappointed. Keep believing he is a thief. I’ll wait for the evidence.

          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          I gave you the evidence as published by the PG in their expose, in the Cuban interview, in Forbes. I salute the usage of the modern “if I just keep refusing to acknowledge evidence, it can’t be accurate” maneuver. How intellectual of you.
          And “entitled?” To what? Wins on a baseball field?
          If they decide to move the franchise tomorrow, I’ll be there to help load the moving vans.
          Is this all you’ve got? Really?
          Thief is a strong word. How about carpetbagger.
          Run along little man, you’re embarrassing yourself in abject stupidity and truthfully, MLBTR already has a resident Nutting compadre

          1
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        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Poor Ben Cherington making 2m a year and still getting paid after 6 years of absolute failure.

          2
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        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          Ha ha. Ok precious.

          Reply
        • The Saber-toothed Superfife

          1 month ago

          He should hire the Superfife.

          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          TheMan moniker wasn’t the one I wanted, it was given to me when I bought the subscription.
          Say what you want but at least I am supporting this site by paying for it.
          You on the other hand are too cheap

          1
          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          you probably don’t have very many friends.
          Anyone who comes across with such arrogance and ignorance can’t respect others opinions without throwing insults

          1
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        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          Just randomly came up the The Man. Weird. I’d change it. Embarrassing.

          I’m pretty sure I pay. I subscribed under a banned foppert. It’s such a small amount I don’t keep track of it. I have access to all the subscriber stuff so somebody somewhere is onto it.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Cheap eh. Maybe we just like our user names and don’t want a new one forced upon us? Although in my timeline multiverse you had theman name long before you became VIP.

          Many people only come for the comments so paying to read the extra articles or aak questions in the live chats is of no benefit to them.

          If they just put a title with no article I would be completely fine with that. All the article contains is stats that I already know or could easily look up and keyword spamming for google search.

          Reply
        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          Oh you poor thing. I thought you were “The Man”. Are you ok ?

          lol at the no friends jibe. So hurtful. Yeah. Nah. You don’t behave like a child.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Send your resume to Nutting at the end of the season.
          One never knows.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          If I may interject,which I shouldn’t but I will.I think that question of Nutting and his wallet can be boiled down thusly,as I have been saying for three years.
          He is probably making $40-60M per year.
          If someone purchased the team today for the current supposed Forbes value of $1.1B,that would be about a 4-6% profit per year.
          I think what Cuban meant is the 10% supposed annual increase in value of the franchise.
          That is sweet for anyone.
          Then one must really look at this annual profit and business value increase and judge that it is acceptable in an open business profit society or not.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Paul- Upon my first reply to your post,you said to call you Paul.
          I was the first one to do so.
          Nobody else has ever said to call them by their first name.
          If you had a big head,as,ahem,some others do here,you would want to be called THE MAN 1.
          Foppert probably does not know those facts in his defense.

          1
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        • foppert3

          1 month ago

          I don’t need any defence. 1, 2, 3, 4. It doesn’t matter. It screams fwit. Any man who happily rolls with it is a goose.

          Reply
        • The Saber-toothed Superfife

          1 month ago

          Yeah. Maybe I could talk him into trading Paul Skenes to the Tigers for….Ryan Kreidler….

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Saber- They offered Skenes for Kreidler but the Tigers said that they had a better pitcher and did not need him.

          Reply
        • Baseball trade conspiracies

          1 month ago

          Foppertnitwit just another trolling loon

          Reply
      • Baseball trade conspiracies

        1 month ago

        You mean like the Teflon Don, who wrecking America

        1
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        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          I knew it was you Buuba!

          2
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          There’s only one crazy tds mindrot who dreams of going back to school to kill the kids who made fun of his shoes on the site.

          1
          Reply
        • Baseball trade conspiracies

          1 month ago

          And you the orange bobblehead who has tds..tRump devotion syndrome. You like my deranged older brother, on Christmas will put up their life size cut out of the TACO. Then decorate it with his merchandise that he sells…er scams people out of.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Psychopath. Has me muted but just has to look on another browser to see what I am saying. Glad there is plenty of room in your head because of your tiny brain so both me and our wonderful leader can both live there.

          Reply
        • Baseball trade conspiracies

          1 month ago

          NoI don’t have you muted. But you are so sure of yourself that you assume that I go to another browser. So sad. But when you say our wonderful leader, you mean your leader. Figures from your mass postings just like your wonderful leader. Yep he lives in your head.
          So to my friend the man and mendoza. Im sure , with our ages that we will see another world series. I can still reminisce about the 1966 buccos, princes green weenie, the babushka nights. Listening to them going down to the wire with the dodgers and giants. And of course,THE GREAT ONES, MVP year.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I know the tds ate away your brain but it’s very easy and obvious to know when someone muted you. I’m a expert on the subject. Obviously you unmuted me to reply. But you 100 percent know when you been muted so you are a liar which isn’t anything we didn’t already know.

          If you are going to trash talk be original. You are lame. I say you have tds you say I know you are but what am I you’re the one that has it just like my bro…. bro! I say I live in your head you do the I know you are but what am I. Should have just kept me on mute and not replied if that lame pathetic garbage is all your lil brain could come up with. Your brain is smaller than our wonderful leaders hands and it is our. Just because you don’t care about him he cares about you. He wants to make your life great again.

          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          BTC-I went to the doubleheader the next to last day of the 1966 season and they lost both games to the Dodgers and Drysdale and Koufax and were eliminated.
          I knew that they were done when Koufax started the second game because they could not beat him.
          They were the only team with a winning record against Drysdale.
          Clemente was MVP that year with 28 home runs.
          Exciting times.

          Reply
  11. TheMan 3

    1 month ago

    Kelly has finally made a good decision by batting Cruz 7th in tonight’s game. He’s 3 for his last 25 plate appearances but Kelly is starting Carmen
    Why not give Chandler a chance to start?

    Reply
    • Mendoza Line 215

      1 month ago

      Cruz should be batting ninth.
      Maybe that would tell him something.

      2
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      • WashedUpOldTimer

        1 month ago

        But they don’t want to hurt his feelings or anything

        1
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  12. Sparky1000

    1 month ago

    The Pirates deserve to have a solid team on the field. They have a rich history, an awesome ballpark, and a city that’s passionate about sports.

    2
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  13. Patriot12992

    1 month ago

    Say what you will but I welcome having an interview like this, don’t be close minded because you hate the guy, it’s a gm if you can get an interview take the dang interview.

    1
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    • WashedUpOldTimer

      1 month ago

      I’ll speak for detractors, Patriot
      I don’t know the guy. He’s likely a wonderful man. I don’t hate the guy. I hate the job he’s done. I don’t know the parameters he works under. I say it’s probably quite confining.
      He’s had a lot of interviews locally. This one was nothing new. I tend to think no GM could excel under this kind of owner. When you are resistant to bring even mid level talents here, what do we think the outcome will be?

      2
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      • AI GM

        1 month ago

        It must be cool for you Mendoza and Paul. You grew up listening to your radio programs like superman lone ranger gun smoke captain midnight and now podcast are big thing. Audiobooks. It’s come full circle.

        Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          And you grew up playing video games, sitting on your kiester instead of actually getting involved
          Audiobooks? Cop out. Do the work.
          We’ve never had a lazier, more apathetic, more entitled generation than yours, Dream.
          Just sit on the couch and eat your Big Mac, pal

          3
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Audiobooks are awesome! I can “read” a book while driving running swimming pretty much anything.

          No big macs for me. 1 I eat pretty healthy. 2 big macs on the bottom of fast food scale burgers imo. 3 fast food prices are too high imo. For similar or bit more I can order from a restaurant with much better quality and healthier meal. 4 I usually order something harder to make. I can easily make a burger.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Humor, Dream. Humor. Don’t get all defensive now, nothing personal
          By the way, I preferred The Shadow over the shows you listed. Maybe even Jack Benny

          1
          Reply
        • TheMan 3

          1 month ago

          I never listened to those radio programs growing up.
          Even at a young age, my strict parents preferred that I read , learn how to play the piano and help around the house
          I credit my parents for a work ethic that allowed me to retire early and with prosperity

          3
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I got the humor. Well the humor attempt at least!!!!!

          I got a friend who listened or used to listen to those radio shows. I gave them a try. Wasn’t for me but if I lived in that time they would have been awesome. I know you guys aren’t that old. I know you know. Paul though I didn’t use the sarcasm font or whatever you put so people know.

          1
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        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Truth is, those shows were just a couple decades before our time, Dream. But hey, I got the humor, too
          Now if you want to talk about black and white TV’s and life before cable…

          2
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          There’s lots of people on YouTube who talk about life before internet. Fairly popular videos. Or life in the 50s or 60s or depression or in Appalachia.

          I would have been fine. Would have spent a ton of time at library though instead of phone.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          The older you get, the more you start to think that the internet is root of all evil

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Old Timer-Shame on you for generalizing like our friend AI GM does!
          And please don’t refer to him as Dream as his head is swelled up enough!

          3
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          It is simply a tool,just like baseball analytics.

          Reply
        • Baseball trade conspiracies

          1 month ago

          Is it bigger than Barry’s watermelon head?

          Reply
  14. The Saber-toothed Superfife

    1 month ago

    So, I suppose it’s against the law to tweak a batting machine to 105-110….?

    Just hoping the best for Wheeler. He should have played for the Tigers…

    Reply
  15. The Saber-toothed Superfife

    1 month ago

    Yep. Should have hired the Superfife.

    Reply
  16. TheMan 3

    1 month ago

    By leaving Ramirez in after walking a batter then giving up a double, this game is lost
    Bart has been a huge disappointment this year as has Suwinski and Cruz
    Cutch isn’t playing because he was given the day off

    2
    Reply
  17. TheMan 3

    1 month ago

    I will go out on a limb and predict that Ramirez gets dfa and Sisk is promoted to take his place on the roster
    Ramirez is out of options and he’s been horrible his last few appearances
    His 6.52 era says it all

    1
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    • Mendoza Line 215

      1 month ago

      Paul- Hopefully.Time to bring up Shugart.
      They also need the 40 man spot when Mayza or Lawrence get off the 60 day IL.

      Reply
  18. AI GM

    1 month ago

    Miguel Andujar (31)
    Mark Canha (37)
    Michael Conforto (33)
    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (32) – $18MM player option
    Austin Hays (30) – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
    Tyler O’Neill (31) – can opt out of final two years, $33MM
    Tommy Pham (38)
    Rob Refsnyder (35)
    Chris Taylor (35)
    Alex Verdugo (30)
    Jesse Winker (32)

    Center Fielders

    Harrison Bader (32) – $10MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout
    Trent Grisham (29)
    Garrett Hampson (31)
    Travis Jankowski (35)
    Manuel Margot (31)
    Cedric Mullins (31)
    Luis Robert Jr. (28) – $20MM club option with a $2MM buyout
    Michael A. Taylor (35)

    Right Fielders

    Cody Bellinger (30) – $25MM player option with a $5MM buyout
    Adam Frazier (34)
    Randal Grichuk (34) – $5MM mutual option with a $3MM buyout
    Jason Heyward (36)
    Max Kepler (33)
    Ramon Laureano (31) – $6.5MM club option
    Starling Marte (37)
    Tyler O’Neill (31) – can opt out
    Hunter Renfroe (34)
    Austin Slater (33)
    Lane Thomas (30)
    Kyle Tucker (29)
    Mike Yastrzemski (35)

    Reply
    • AI GM

      1 month ago

      “Nutting needs to spend”

      What outfielder in that list will make the pirates better? I don’t see any better than Pham that the Pirates can afford. Robert is roll dice and dream of what he could be. Probably wants a better ballpark and lineup protection than Pittsburgh has to offer.

      3b is weak. Outbid every team for Suarez? Old. Lot’s of strike outs. Risky for small market team.

      Team needs Alonso Tucker. Not happening.

      CF Cruz
      RF Reynolds
      C Davis Bart
      1b Horwitz
      2b Gonzales
      SS Triolo Peguero
      DH Cutch likely

      That leaves 3b LF as only upgrades. Who are we getting that gets us to 85 wins?

      Team needs 2 of Bergman Tucker Alonso but it ain’t happening.

      Need to trade pitching for bats if serious about contending.

      1
      Reply
      • AI GM

        1 month ago

        DH

        Mitch Garver (35) – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
        Rhys Hoskins (33) – $18MM mutual option with a $4MM buyout
        Andrew McCutchen (39)
        Ryan O’Hearn (32)
        Marcell Ozuna (35)
        Joc Pederson (34) – $18.5MM player option (if Pederson opts out, Rangers can void by exercising two-year, $37MM club option)
        Kyle Schwarber (33)
        Justin Turner (41) – $10MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
        Jesse Winker (32)

        3b

        Jon Berti (36)
        Alex Bregman (32) – can opt out
        Paul DeJong (32)
        Enrique Hernandez (34)
        Yoan Moncada (31)
        Max Muncy (35) – $10MM club option
        Luis Rengifo (29)
        Eugenio Suarez (34)
        Luis Urias (29)
        Gio Urshela (34)
        Ildemaro Vargas (34)
        Tyler Wade (31) – $1MM club option with no buyout

        Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Trent Grisham

          Semi realistic Nutting spending spree fantasy splurge.

          Robert fantasy Pirates coaching fix him.

          Other than that Pham return looks as good as any.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          So after reading this, who’s ready for more fireworks, pierogi races and hot dog launches for ‘26, along with a “team” that will struggle to win 70 games.
          Thanks, Dream.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          That’s why I say it’s easy to parrot Nutting needs to spend on free agents. Problem is there’s no free agents. Teams been doing extensions like crazy. Alonso Schwarber Bregman Tucker aint coming here. And there are so few stars that the big market teams will be bidding on the mid tier so Pirates can’t even get a Liriano or Martin type.

          Only way this team wins is through farm system. Cherington built a elite one. Why I say keeping him 1 more year isn’t the terrible idea every other fan thinks. I even got Mendoza on the fence. You ready to climb that fence Washed?

          And just so I am clear on how irrelevant I think these prospect ratings are. I wouldn’t trade 1 KG for a billion Yorke. Wouldn’t trade 1 Bubba or 1 SH for a billion Harringtons. So I am crystal clear I wouldn’t trade 1 KG for a billion TJ AND a billion nick Gonzales. These blue chip prospects are rare. Pirates Cherington have found 4 Skenes Bubba KG SH. So have to go back to Cole Cutch Bonds Parker to find the previous 4. 5 decades and Cherington found them in 5 years. And none of them are close to the CF KG is and none could play SS.

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Your analysis of potential free agents makes too much sense.
          Please do not continue using logic and knowledge to formulate an opinion.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          You wouldn’t trade for a billion players because they would have to all come from China.
          Are you building a statue to Cherington or did KG and TJ fall into his lap like Skenes did?
          I would trade both KG and TJ for New York.

          2
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Next year they will go back up to Shelton’s 76.
          They are attracted to that win total like a moth to light.

          2
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          I hate to say it, but I predicted 70 wins. That’s three years in a row. Why am I not in Vegas
          And yeah, I agree with Mendoza. Why this Cherington love all of a sudden? Elite farm system? Because they have pitching? Breathing players? Where is the help coming from…I mean…by 2028?

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          I told you guys multiple times. Even gave 4 or 5 hitters names that emerged this year. At this point you would rather just keep complaining about the scouting and develop because that what Pittsburg loves to do. You’re fans of complaining. What’s baseball America know????!!!!!! Farm sucks!!!!!! Perpetual rebuild!!!!!!!!!

          Reply
  19. AI GM

    1 month ago

    https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=moss–000cal

    1b prospect from Falter trade. Off to decent start 400 average 1200 ops.

    Reply
    • Mendoza Line 215

      1 month ago

      Wait until the Pirates hitting coaches show him what he is doing wrong.

      1
      Reply
  20. WashedUpOldTimer

    1 month ago

    Well, they waived IKF tonight so he can “hook on with a contender”. What nice people, this front office
    Hope they were all at PNC tonight, seeing a sell out crowd in a town “that won’t support baseball”

    Reply
    • AI GM

      1 month ago

      You go? You were going to.

      Reply
      • AI GM

        1 month ago

        You and mlb.com can take all your depth and give it to the bananas because thats where it belongs.

        I’d rather see some bum make a backflip catch than see Devanney!

        Reply
  21. AI GM

    1 month ago

    In 2013, Baseball America ranked the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system as the top in MLB due to its depth and high-potential prospects, including Jameson Taillon and Gregory Polanco, highlighting the success of the team’s recent draft classes and depth of talent, according to MLB.com. The ranking was a result of the organization’s combination of impact talent, depth, big league-ready prospects, and a strong 2013 draft class.

    Depth vomit

    Reply
  22. AI GM

    1 month ago

    In the 2014 pre-season rankings by Prospect Pipeline (now Bleacher Report|Bleacher Report), the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system was ranked as the third-best in baseball.

    Reply
  23. AI GM

    1 month ago

    In 2014, Baseball America ranked the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system as the No. 1 system in overall organizational talent, a first for the publication. The ranking was based on the Pirates’ combination of potential impact talent, depth, big league-ready prospects, and a strong 2013 draft class.

    Reply
  24. AI GM

    1 month ago

    Last sentence is a laugher

    In 2013, Baseball America ranked the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system as one of the best in baseball, placing them at the top of the list, which was a significant improvement from their #8 ranking the previous year. Other sources, like Minor League Ball, also lauded the system’s rapid improvement, highlighting strengths in high-upside pitching prospects like Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon, alongside emerging talent in the Latin American market

    Reply
  25. AI GM

    1 month ago

    I never want to see the word depth again

    n 2015, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system was ranked highly by major publications, including Keith Law at ESPN at No. 7 and Baseball Prospectus at No. 8. The system was noted for its elite prospects at the top, such as Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows, along with a strong depth of potential big leaguers throughout the system

    Reply
  26. AI GM

    1 month ago

    Why I do my rankings. Depth depth depth

    In 2017, MLB’s Prospect Pipeline ranked the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system as the #7 best in baseball due to its strong pitching depth, featuring top prospects like Tyler Glasnow and Mitch Keller.

    Reply
  27. AI GM

    1 month ago

    I’ll side with baseball America on this one.

    In 2020, MLB Pipeline ranked the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system as the 15th best in baseball, and Baseball America ranked it 27th. MLB Pipeline later noted that after the 2020 preseason rankings, the system was re-ranked to 16th in the midseason update, and then the Pirates saw a significant jump in the following year, landing at 4th by MLB Pipeline’s 2021 midseason rankings.

    Reply
  28. AI GM

    1 month ago

    n the summer of 2021, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system was ranked fourth-best in baseball by MLB Pipeline, a significant jump from their 15th-place preseason ranking in 2020. This improvement was attributed to successful drafts, including the first overall pick Henry Davis, and several trades that brought high-potential prospects into the organization

    Reply
  29. AI GM

    1 month ago

    In 2022, Kiley McDaniel’s farm system rankings placed the Pittsburgh Pirates’ system as the “8th best” at $256 million in value, a significant jump from its previous year’s ranking. The Pirates’ strong farm system was also noted in a Midseason 2022 list by MLB.com as they were the only team listed to be ranked highly on the overall list.

    Reply
  30. AI GM

    1 month ago

    he Pirates’ farm system was ranked in the top 15 by Baseball America and ranked 16th overall in their mid-season report in 2023. The ranking was considered respectable and was attributed to the strong young pitching talent within the system, which has been a consistent theme for the Pirates

    Reply
  31. AI GM

    1 month ago

    For the 2024-25 offseason, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system ranked highly, with Baseball America listing it as the second-best in MLB, boosted by strong young pitching talent like Bubba Chandler and recent drafts. While their pitching is considered a strength, the Pirates’ hitting depth is seen as an area needing more scrutiny, with 2024 first-round pick Konnor Griffin being a key prospect to watch for development

    1
    Reply
  32. AI GM

    1 month ago

    Enough of that eh? Interesting and beneficial to know history I believe.

    Personally I only care about elite talent. Don’t care about how many average players they have or the balance of bats arms or how close or fat they are from MLB.

    1
    Reply
    • Mendoza Line 215

      1 month ago

      Somehow I knew that.

      1
      Reply
      • AI GM

        1 month ago

        Bright eyes 2.0

        1
        Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          I do not have a wit of the knowledge of the current rage of mlb statistics that mlb225 and you have.
          You are both much more talented along these lines than I will ever be.
          I think that someday the HOF will morph themselves by AI into using the cacophony of them to induct players.
          Then you will be a much more content person having added to it.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          Here again, analytics take you so far. Yeah, every team uses them but they fail to tell the entire story

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Correction. Every team tries to use them. Thinks they use them.

          No idea why longtime fans (pc term for old men) hate on analytics and where they get the idea that people think they are the be all end all. I blame bright eyes and that awful Clint Eastwood movie.

          1
          Reply
        • WashedUpOldTimer

          1 month ago

          I think that too often, analytics tells you things that embellish truths we see in watching games every day. It’s like when Bright Eyes was telling me how Hayes was such a good hitter and then attributing everything to his back issues
          He was never a good hitter. He had one good half season. Then pitching coaches and pitchers/catchers understood his many weaknesses and adjusted accordingly.
          And Bright Eyes apparently knew human anatomy and the spine so well that he muted me when I didn’t bite in the idea that yeah, you can be a stellar infielder but still have problems at the plate due to back issues. Yeah. Ok.
          In my managing/coaching career I had numerous players with ailing backs of all kinds and causes. Even walking was painful
          I wouldn’t wish pain on anyone but the excuses used by him and his like-minded compadres lacked sense. Just send analytics of how he hit for three months three years ago as proof.
          Yeah. Ok.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          His back got better in that Cincinnati air

          1
          Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          1 month ago

          Don’t look now.
          OPS 796
          BA 274
          3 home runs
          The change has suited him.
          Maybe Cincinnati has a magic elixir for a bad back.

          1
          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          Bright eyes told tired old dude that his eyes were too tired and old to see how good Hayes was!

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          For the record I thought Hayes could should do better than he has recently with Pittsburgh with 500 something ops. I just thought he needed a change of scenery. I wanted his contract off the books and his bad back risk. I’m not surprised at all what he is doing and good for him. Hope it continues.

          Just ever since Hayes said the jelly between his disc was gone I wanted him gone. I even came up with the catch phrase no jelly Hayes is toast!. Like our wonderful leader who is making things great again I like catch phrases. Off topic are you entertained when I mess with the tsd guy or feel sorry for him? Lol. It’s so easy I have to do it. And he brought it on himself.

          Reply
        • AI GM

          1 month ago

          And for Paul who sometimes misses sarcasm I am not a fan of our wonderful leader. I don’t even vote. I’m just a very sick twisted person who enjoys messing with the tsd people and the guy does want to kill me like the kids who made fun of his shoes so no reason to take it easy on someone who wishes you dead!

          Reply

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