OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: More of the same

[DanielPlainview]

July didn't make up for it, May/June put them behind where they otherwise should have been. July should have pushed them into the division lead.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

They were still 2.5 games back after July. That would have been good enough if they didnt blow it in August...was the point.

And there was no reason to lose most of of those games in August with the pitching we had.

I accept May/June more because we didnt solidify the staff yet. No excuse for what happened in August tho.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Has anyone seen the insane scenario if 4 teams tie for 1 or 2 playoff spots? And there's an outside shot of 5 teams being tied. There could be something like 3 or 4 extra "regular" season games to just decide who plays in the WC game.

Explaining the MLB postseason tiebreakers

 

[DanielPlainview]

They needed a ridiculous winning streak just to get within striking distance. It was never sustainable, but if they'd played even .500 ball in May and June (instead of going 22-31) they'd have been several games ahead.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Also, since we're looking back on the Pirates' season already. They are, as of today, 37-55 vs teams with a .500 record or better.

 

[turd]

The Pirates season was a success. All they need to do for me is be interesting from the end of the Pens season to the start of the Steelers season. For the most part, they accomplished that.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Kuhl looks like he'll miss all of next year

 

[DanielPlainview]

Well that sucks. I guess that means Nova's sticking around.

 

[Brandinho]

That's really bad timing for Kuhl on a personal level, but he's not very good so it doesn't impact the Pirates all that much. Maybe he can salvage his career as a reliever in a couple of seasons.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Apparently Polanco also had some extra damage in a ligament that was dealt with in the surgery, meaning he's more likely to be closer to that 9 month timeframe than the lower end. Don't have a link on hand, was from a fantasy baseball update. I wouldn't bank on seeing him until mid-June at the earliest.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Block's stats are always a bit random and decontextualized for my tastes, but this is fairly surprising, and probably indicates that the big slump from earlier in the year was more important overall than the bad 20 game stretch in August I was pointing out the other day.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I hate seeing these kinds of stats because it just shows me that had they spent a little more (money/effort/whatever) to improve the team this off season, or gotten a different, less "safe" return on the Cole deal, (or to beat the dead horse some more, had an average to good manager) we'd be looking at fighting to hold onto a WC spot instead of just looking to "end on a good note".

This team never stops finding ways to make my blood pressure spike.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Not that it means much at the MLB level, but the Pirates and the West Virginia Power have broken their affiliation and the Pirates have signed a 2-year Player Development Contract with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (also of the South Atlantic League) to be their Low-A affiliate. Any idea what happened to sour what seemed to be a match made in heaven between the Power and the Buccos?

 

[Brandinho]

Not that it means much at the MLB level, but the Pirates and the West Virginia Power have broken their affiliation and the Pirates have signed a 2-year Player Development Contract with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (also of the South Atlantic League) to be their Low-A affiliate. Any idea what happened to sour what seemed to be a match made in heaven between the Power and the Buccos?

Could be the same reason that the Pirates and State College Spikes ended their affiliation. The Spikes wanted to win, the Pirates rightly said "LOL, you're a NYPL team, f*** off" and that was that. From any major league team's perspective, player development is all that matters. Of course, the minor league team doesn't agree so if both can't be satisfied, they move on.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Could be the same reason that the Pirates and State College Spikes ended their affiliation. The Spikes wanted to win, the Pirates rightly said "LOL, you're a NYPL team, **** off" and that was that. From any major league team's perspective, player development is all that matters. Of course, the minor league team doesn't agree so if both can't be satisfied, they move on.

That's the thing though, West Virginia's had a winning record (albeit barely) as the Pirates affiliate. In the 10 years they've been affiliated with Pittsburgh, the Power have posted a winning record in 5 seasons with a total record of 696-680 (0.506). To use your State College example, those Spikes teams were truly putrid, never posting a winning season in the 6 years they were a Pirates affiliate and having a season-best record of .500 ball and an overall record of 191-260 (0.424).

I can understand from Greensboro's prospective why they'd want to ditch the Marlins (losing records in 11 out of the 16 years they were affiliated, a prospect pipeline that was getting dry despite once having guys like Yelich and Stanton suit up for them over the years) for the Pirates but didn't know if there was some deeper issue going on in West Virginia, particularly facility issues (which would be surprising since Appalachian Power Park and First National Bank Field are about the same age.

 

[Brandinho]

Either the perspective on the telecast is weird or Ke'Bryan Hayes is nowhere near 6'1. Surprised at how short he looks.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Too bad Bell couldnt do this last month, giving us an extra few wins.

What a tease this year has been.

And Id bring back Nova next year(if we dont decide to uprade ).

Pablo looking great so far. Hopefully keeps this up and becomes a surprise super utility player for us next season.

 

[Brandinho]

Too bad Bell couldnt do this last month, giving us an extra few wins.

What a tease this year has been.

And Id bring back Nova next year(if we dont decide to uprade ).

Pablo looking great so far. Hopefully keeps this up and becomes a surprise super utility player for us next season.

Outside of 45 terrible at-bats in AA this year, he's been remarkably consistent at every level. If he can OPS over .700 in the majors, he'll be an incredibly cheap and useful utility guy for sure.

 

[Winger for Hire]

This rain delay might just cost me my fantasy league (have both Chacin and Nova going and neither are going to qualify for the win). Stupid pitching wins. Stupid rain.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

This rain delay might just cost me my fantasy league (have both Chacin and Nova going and neither are going to qualify for the win). Stupid pitching wins. Stupid rain.

And may cost the Pirates the game. Santana imploding to end the season. Ruined the win streak we had going entering the Cards series(and had that game won if he didnt let up 4) and now tonight.

 

[TNT87]

What an incredible second half of the season Williams has had.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Could be the same reason that the Pirates and State College Spikes ended their affiliation. The Spikes wanted to win, the Pirates rightly said "LOL, you're a NYPL team, **** off" and that was that. From any major league team's perspective, player development is all that matters. Of course, the minor league team doesn't agree so if both can't be satisfied, they move on.

That's the thing though, West Virginia's had a winning record (albeit barely) as the Pirates affiliate. In the 10 years they've been affiliated with Pittsburgh, the Power have posted a winning record in 5 seasons with a total record of 696-680 (0.506). To use your State College example, those Spikes teams were truly putrid, never posting a winning season in the 6 years they were a Pirates affiliate and having a season-best record of .500 ball and an overall record of 191-260 (0.424).

I can understand from Greensboro's prospective why they'd want to ditch the Marlins (losing records in 11 out of the 16 years they were affiliated, a prospect pipeline that was getting dry despite once having guys like Yelich and Stanton suit up for them over the years) for the Pirates but didn't know if there was some deeper issue going on in West Virginia, particularly facility issues (which would be surprising since Appalachian Power Park and First National Bank Field are about the same age.

While the Power have been decent as a Pirates affiliate (unlike the Spikes), they still don't have a single playoff series win as a Pirate affiliate in that decade...could just come to that.

Ultimately minor league affiliates just shuffle every so often...a solid decade with one team is pretty damn long for an independently owned team in the low minors. The Buccos were the Power's (née AlleyCats née Wheelers) 6th MLB affiliate since 1988 when the affiliation started in 2009, with no other affiliation hitting a 6th year. This decade doubled the span of the original Charlies affiliation, back in the 70s. Still, you'd have to imagine the advantage of having a Major League team within a couple hours drive would have resulted in an attendance boost that they'd lose with a fairly random affiliate...I can't image there's a ton of pre-existing Mariners fans in West Virginia. Plenty of transplanted Pittsburghers in North Carolina, though.

 

[USMC607]

Good to see nothings changed. My monthly check in on the Pirates is about what I expected.

 

[FlightlessBird]

3 guys on, wild pitch, all three score.

Feliz has walked three in a row now.

 

[lordstanley91]

Well I see that Kingham was poop again lol