Pirates pitching future looks very bright

[ninetoone]

I hope you're right about them...but they were 67-54 on August 19th last year & finished 79-83. Hopefully it will be different this year.

[Duvalier]

Won't be long before top prospect Jameson Taillon, the number 2 overall pick in 2010 will be added to that staff too.

[3kings]

Cole looks like he is for real. I know it is only 3 games gut he throws strikes, 100 MPR, and the balls that are hit kind of thud off the bat. The problem with the Pirates in the past couple if years is they don't really manufacture runs. When a guy or two are hot they score runs but they are susceptible to long run scoring slumps. That is what happened the last two Augusts after promising starts.

[Calzone Lord]

A 6-1 Pirates win over the Angels tonight.

The Angles opened up as a -130 favorite tonight, albeit at home, but with a bullpen guy named to start facing off against Francisco Liriano.

Of all the great pitching on the Pirates staff ... Liriano has actually been the guy who has been getting the worst looking swings from opposing batters this year.

He whiffed Mike Trout and even got a few very silly looking swing and misses out of him. Liriano's change-up has been very good. He's now 6-3 with just a 2.30 ERA.

They have a chance to sweep the Angels tomorrow...but will have to do it as a clear-cut underdog again.

Angels starter J. Blanton, who is 1-10 with a 5.62 ERA is a favorite against Pirates sinkerballer Charlie Morton.

Pirates now have the clear-cut 2nd best record in all of baseball, and they're an underdog a strong majority of night. Especially since A. J. Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez have gone to the DL.

[bigrun]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

The Pirates have had a losing season every single year since 1992. Rooting against them is like rooting against a handicapped child...only Justin Dew would do that.

Yes..1992..I was at one of the playoff games in Pgh with my Dad and Son. We were in the right field stands and Bonds lined a home run over our heads..My Dad says 'what happened', told him Bonds won the game..still have my ticket stub...Been a Buc fan since before Bob Prince..still have an unopened 6-pack of Iron City beer. 'Pirates - Back to back Eastern Division Champions'. and another 'Saluting the 1995 AFC champions'. Big Steeler fan also of course..
Been torture last 20 years following the Pirates, in contention half the season then winding up in last place..Think finally they may hold on for the playoffs this year..
Favorite Pirates, Roberto Clemente and ugh Barry Bonds

[jms62]

Originally Posted by bigrun

Yes..1992..I was at one of the playoff games in Pgh with my Dad and Son. We were in the right field stands and Bonds lined a home run over our heads..My Dad says 'what happened', told him Bonds won the game..still have my ticket stub...Been a Buc fan since before Bob Prince..still have an unopened 6-pack of Iron City beer. 'Pirates - Back to back Eastern Division Champions'. and another 'Saluting the 1995 AFC champions'. Big Steeler fan also of course..
Been torture last 20 years following the Pirates, in contention half the season then winding up in last place..Think finally they may hold on for the playoffs this year..
Favorite Pirates, Roberto Clemente and ugh Barry Bonds

Dave Parker and Willie Stargell were best in my lifetime.

[Calzone Lord]

Angels have gone up from a -129 favorite to a -153 favorite.

Clint Hurdle is giving both McCutchen and Martin (the 2 and 3 hole hitters) a day off.

Hurdle has been trying to milk this team along, it's frustrating, but hopefully it pays off in the deep stretch of the season.

[Calzone Lord]

Big Pirates win today to sweep the Angels on the road. Winning as clear-cut underdogs in all 3 games. And their 4th straight win, the first of which came as huge underdogs on the road in Cincy with minor league call-up Brandon Cumpton starting.

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Won't be long before top prospect Jameson Taillon, the number 2 overall pick in 2010 will be added to that staff too.

There is gossip going around that he could be the key piece of a trade with the Marlins that would bring Giancarlo Stanton to the Pirates.

[Patrick333]

Grilli got knocked around in the ninth yesterday. Hopefully he's not wearing out.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

There is gossip going around that he could be the key piece of a trade with the Marlins that would bring Giancarlo Stanton to the Pirates.

Yeah Taillon looks like what it would probably take to get Stanton, probably have to throw in Gregory Polanco too. Stanton would be a major upgrade hitting wise in RF though and adding him this year would show that the Pirates are serious about being contenders.

What's your thoughts on adding Stanton this year? The only problem I see with Stanton is his heath, he's missed a number of games over the past few years because of knee problems among other things...when he's healthy though he's one of the best power hitters in the major leagues.

[Calzone Lord]

I don't know enough about the business and economics of baseball, especially as it relates to a small market team. I know Stanton is young and cheap himself...and adding A right handed power bat in right field would be the best way to upgrade the current team. They say Tallion has an excellent fastball and curve, but he's benn stuck in AA because his change up is mediocre and they want him to develope that pitch a little more.

[Cannon Shell]

Ethier or Rios would be a huge upgrade though both dont come all that cheap. LA would certainly more or less give Ethier away of the Pirates would pay all of his salary but that won't happen. Even so you'd give up 10% prospect-wise for him or Rios compared to Stanton who seems to always be hurt.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Ethier or Rios would be a huge upgrade though both dont come all that cheap. LA would certainly more or less give Ethier away of the Pirates would pay all of his salary but that won't happen. Even so you'd give up 10% prospect-wise for him or Rios compared to Stanton who seems to always be hurt.

Tough to see Huntington and Nutting paying a steep price in salary...though either of the two players mentioned puts them that much closer to a real playoff contender, I'd probably rather go with Rios.

It will be interesting to see how much they believe in Taillon and Polanco, as Taillon is about a year away from likely joining the rotation and Polanco who is still a few years away from making it to Pittsburgh looks like he has a higher ceiling than Marte, who has been great for the Pirates thus far. At this point I don't know how much you can trust Stanton to stay healthy to make the deal worthwhile.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Ethier or Rios would be a huge upgrade though both dont come all that cheap. LA would certainly more or less give Ethier away of the Pirates would pay all of his salary but that won't happen. Even so you'd give up 10% prospect-wise for him or Rios compared to Stanton who seems to always be hurt.

We need a right-handed bat in right-field...and Ethier bats left-handed, so he isn't worth it imo.

Travis Snider is a young player without great numbers, but, against right-handed pitching, he's had a lot of good at-bats and hit the ball extremely hard, but a lot of times right at people. He plays good defense for a right fielder, runs the bases well, and I just like him against right-handed pitching.

Snider is useless against left handed pitching, though.

The Pirates have a losing record against Left-Handed starters this year. They're DH'ing a minor league call up Catcher for the 2nd game in a row tonight...because the opposing pitcher for Seattle is Left-Handed.

In my opinion, adding a good right-handed bat in right-field is the best way to upgrade the team.

Our everyday Second-baseman Neil Walker (switch-hitter) is batting .178 with 0 Homers from the right-side this year, but .271 with much better power from the Left.

Our everyday Third baseman Pedro Alvarez is hitting .179 against Left Handed Pitching.

Our best Right Fielder bat in general, Travis Snider is hitting just .111 against Left Handed Pitching.

Our best bat at 1st base in general, Garrett Jones is hitting .083 against Left handed pitching this year, and is just a career .195 against left handed pitching.

Adding Andre Ethier, who is a .222 hitter against left handed pitching, isn't going to address what I see is the biggest flaw this team has.

Love the bullpen, love the starting rotation when healthy, love the line-up against right-handed opposing pitchers. However, the line-up is VERY shaky against Left handed opposing pitchers, and the poor record this year against Lefty Starters proves that out.