OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Offseason at the Crossroads

[WheresRamziAbid]

I would hope he would have some info that the Pirates were sending scouts to a FA workout for a guy they've been heavily in on.

Maybe not break it, but report it almost 24 hours after the fact seems a little... slow

Yeah im sure 24 hrs inst exactly "on the pulse". But none of these guys (any of them) are investigative reporters. They only know what the teams want the to know and the current regimes are tight lipped around here.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Stop wasting time and just sign him. No risk high reward. Adding a big name would help with ticket sales as well so dont know why they wouldn't be all over it. If he can stay healthy he can have a season weve recently seen from guys like Cabrera, Lowrie, etc who had to prove they can come back. Add that to Kang bouncing back and our offense could be enough to compete considering our pitching.

Season relies on them mainly, if they can match(or close to) what they did after the deadline we should be competing for the division. Shouldnt see any big losing streaks. Winning most series'. This season could look like one of our playoff years.

The longer it goes on, the more likely I think that there's something that has complicated things, because if he wants to play SS, we are the only team. However, deals don't happen according to the timeline of twitter, especially with veterans, so I think another day, maybe two makes sense. This is just me totally bullshitting, but with him working out yesterday morning, I could see him trying to wait until tonight or tomorrow for teams to get back to him with their pitches.

From the Pirates perspective, maybe I need to walk this back, but I just don't really see any scenario where they wouldn't be all over this other than them being totally unconvinced by the workout/his health. I suppose it's possible that they just don't believe the upside is there over Galvis or Ahmed, but even then, Tulo's surplus value would be much better, and if something really bad happened, it's not like it wouldn't be possible to trade for Ahmed in May or June.

Still, I don't think there's huge room for panic just yet. In the arbitrary world of judging offseason timing, I'd imagine that various camps might want a deal done before Christmas, so roughly by the end of the weekend.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Report: Trevor Cahill signs a one-year deal with the Angels

I think this is the kind of deal to judge Lyles by -- someone who might start some games for you and hold the fort ok, and also give you innings out of the bullpen. Obviously Cahill is a way smarter bet for this than Lyles, which is why he's getting 9 million and not 2 million, but depending on how the spot is handled, it seems like a wise move. I would have definitely wanted Cahill at something more like 4-5 million. (Obviously we should still be working on another starter--ideally Sonny Gray, though if Sanchez would sign for 1 year, 5 million or something, that's essentially replacing Nova at half the cost).

 

[DJ Spinoza]

It's possible that my brain is slowly rotting with the non-move on Tulo that seems to be consolidating itself (if that's the right way to talk about something not happening), but Clayton Richard was just DFA'd by the Padres. He's owed 3 million next year, but he might be a kind of interesting pickup, especially if we're really going to go full steam ahead with a kind of modified bullpen day and utilizing an opener from time to time. I'm not sure how he'd take to being a bullpen type, as he's had trouble with walks historically, but his ground ball rate is still quite solid and he's only one season off a pretty good year in 2017.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

I think it's sad as Pirate fans that the organization has f***ed the fans so much that we're on the edge of our seat if Tulo is going to be a Pirate. Yes, we'll take your physically broken down 34 year old former all-star from 4 years ago and be excited at what could be.

If fans didn't stop going to the park last year, the Pirates would've never added Archer. They need to raise the bar a bit higher than Tulo after all the f***ing money they've traded away and not replaced.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I think it's sad as Pirate fans that the organization has ****ed the fans so much that we're on the edge of our seat if Tulo is going to be a Pirate. Yes, we'll take your physically broken down 34 year old former all-star from 4 years ago and be excited at what could be.

If fans didn't stop going to the park last year, the Pirates would've never added Archer. They need to raise the bar a bit higher than Tulo after all the ****ing money they've traded away and not replaced.

Sir, this is an Arby's

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Sir, this is an Arby's

I wish the Pirates served Beef and Cheddar's.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I'm really upset they stopped serving Tot-chos after one season.

 

[Winger for Hire]

FWIW

 

[Winger for Hire]

Also, if Tulo chooses elsewhere, this isn't anything I would blame the front office for. There is literally nothing. The Pirates can do but make their pitch and wait.

There's no haggling or anything. It's all out of their hands now.

 

[Empoleon8771]

FWIW

Rollinson did get the Chissenhall signing way before anyone else did. I also don't want to dig through his rumors, but I also don't want to say that he's spouting BS because something didn't happen. Him saying "the Pirates are interested in so and so" and the player signing elsewhere doesn't mean what he's saying is BS.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I'm not taking sides here, but Williams' logic isn't wrong. There's no proof, but when you step back it does smell funny.



Williams is going off on Rollison though.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Tim Williams has always seemed like an egomaniac to me, so who knows. It seems totally plausible that Rollison has a couple of random sources for information, even if he was likely stretching on the "Tulo might sign tonight" thing. But it seems more like spun controversy because nothing is really happening than anything Rollison is guilty of... he doesn't often spin stuff out like this, and as he says is more of a blogger than a reporter. I sort of trust him in a more level-headed sense than I do Williams, even though I put him reporting things as imminent/close with a grain of salt.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Reports that the Cards are closing in on Andrew Miller.

Great

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

If you read through hes probably not wrong. But i think hes taking this a tad too serious. They guys nenee claimed to be Ken Rosenthal hes just a dude saying he hears stuff, take it or leave it.

 

[Brandinho]

Tim Williams has always seemed like an egomaniac to me, so who knows. It seems totally plausible that Rollison has a couple of random sources for information, even if he was likely stretching on the "Tulo might sign tonight" thing. But it seems more like spun controversy because nothing is really happening than anything Rollison is guilty of... he doesn't often spin stuff out like this, and as he says is more of a blogger than a reporter. I sort of trust him in a more level-headed sense than I do Williams, even though I put him reporting things as imminent/close with a grain of salt.

Pirates Prospects was a solid resource when it was free because it made it super easy to get a quick overview of how the affiliates were faring, but the notion of paying for a glorified blog run by a guy who is neither a Pirates fan nor somebody with any connections within the game seemed mental to me. I haven't paid any attention to him since then so I don't know if his ego is out of control, but that whiny tweet is definitely something an egomaniac would post.

 

[Gooch]

Pirates Prospects was a solid resource when it was free because it made it super easy to get a quick overview of how the affiliates were faring, but the notion of paying for a glorified blog run by a guy who is neither a Pirates fan nor somebody with any connections within the game seemed mental to me. I haven't paid any attention to him since then so I don't know if his ego is out of control, but that whiny tweet is definitely something an egomaniac would post.

Same, I loved Pirates Prospects back in the day. I couldn't wrap my head around the decision to charge for information in this modern day.

I read his full chain of tweets. I didn't really see it as whiny but more of a frustration that someone is that careless with passing on information and seemingly not taking responsibility when they're wrong. I tend to fall on the side of P2 in this situation because this race to be first with information often causes people to cut corners. If they're not held accountable when they are wrong then we'll end up with a situation like you have with soccer journalism where they just fling all kinds of transfer speculation crap and hope something sticks.

 

[Brandinho]

Same, I loved Pirates Prospects back in the day. I couldn't wrap my head around the decision to charge for information in this modern day.

I read his full chain of tweets. I didn't really see it as whiny but more of a frustration that someone is that careless with passing on information and seemingly not taking responsibility when they're wrong. I tend to fall on the side of P2 in this situation because this race to be first with information often causes people to cut corners. If they're not held accountable when they are wrong then we'll end up with a situation like you have with soccer journalism where they just fling all kinds of transfer speculation crap and hope something sticks.

Haha, football journalism is truly an incredible monster all its own. It's hilarious. I totally understand the complaints about the local media, but even Rob Rossi has nothing on the average columnist for the Daily Mail.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I'v never been a Tim Williams fan.

No matter what the Pirates do he would try and put a positive spin on it, i want to hear real talk, i don't want to read somebody who's just kissing the Pirates butts.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

You know with Andrew Miller in the fold and Goldschmidt, maybe Shelby Miller and some Cardinals Devil Magic... they'll win the division handily next year.

#FridayNihilism

 

[DJ Spinoza]

A's just picked up Profar... probably bodes well for us getting Tulo, but the possibility of him going to the Yankees or something seems viable. The Brewers also could sweep in and have him play 2B, and in fact, that's probably another viable everyday opportunity, especially given the potential mentorship of Hiura and the potentially shaky SS situation with Arcia.

You would think that with us, he'd have the definite inside track for SS, and potentially some playing time at 2B in some situations as well. The Brewers are a much more competitive team, especially if they are able to add a pitcher. Seems like it's down to the wire if we're going to see something happen.

I know next to nothing about these prospects but it doesn't seem like Oakland gave up too much beyond a decent middle IF type and a pretty good draft pick. Not a bad price for a 3 win player who might break out more next year.

Edit: Andrew Miller's deal is 2 years, 12.5 million per. Obviously we're trained to look at everything from Pirates lenses, but that doesn't seem like an overcommitment or too much risk. No way we'd spend that much on an RP, but it would have been the kind of slightly outside the box move that could make some sense. RichRod, Crick, Miller, Kela, and Vazquez could make the bullpen quite a weapon, and alleviate any concern over using Lyles as a bridge while waiting for Keller. Instead we're on edge waiting for a hail mary former SS star, and we'll be facing this guy and Paul Goldschmidt next year and maybe beyond if they extend Goldy as I'm sure they plan to.

 

[USMC607]

Tulo to the Cubs.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Tulo to the Cubs.

I thought you were serious for a second there

 

[USMC607]

I thought you were serious for a second there

Lmao

 

[USMC607]

I thought you were serious for a second there

Lmao it wouldnt suprise me, if my joke ends up coming true.