OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Say It Ain't So, Starling

[DanielPlainview]

Jaso is the new Clint Barmes/Phil Gosselin. At this point it looks looks NH would have to move him to stop Hurdle from overplaying him.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

We might need the rain to knock Nola out of this one. Need to take this series.

 

[Cherpak]

McCutchen is about as useful as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest.


And now Hurdle "Hurdled" again. One run lead and he pulls Bell yet again for Jaso. Its like he can't help getting in his own way.

 

[Cherpak]

Rivero with a 31 pitch 8th. Guess he's used up for a couple of days.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

The dogmatism about taking Bell out of the game has to end. I haven't been watching as much since I've been away, but I literally can't even remember the last time I saw Bell make a bad/awkward play in the field. I'd guess he'll have to hit his way out of it, but given that he's basically tops amongst rookies, I'm not sure what else he can even do to help his cause.

Rivero got a bunch of bad luck there. Would be nice to break through here for a couple more and seal the deal. I hate to keep harping on it, but we really are not that far out of the divisional race, and though I wouldn't put a huge losing streak past us, we do stand to at least gain momentum when we get Taillon back. Things could just be so, so much worse. We have a good opportunity here with four against the Braves, then three against a banged up Mets team, and somewhat of a challenge (in terms of eventual WC competitors) with the Diamondbacks at home. After that, the first month of June really isn't too bad for us, before a 10-game, probably make-or-break stretch against the division. If we do more than tread water between now and then, that could be the stretch where we actually start emerging as an actual contender in this division.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Earth to Hurdle...

Bell is a perfectly competent defender at this point. All the switch is doing is downgrading the lineup and robbing our top power hitter of needed at bats.

It's lunacy. What's more upsetting is that Hurdle is also using Jaso in right constantly despite metrics showing him to be an absolutely terrible right fielder. Again, lunacy.

 

[Cherpak]

The dogmatism about taking Bell out of the game has to end. I haven't been watching as much since I've been away, but I literally can't even remember the last time I saw Bell make a bad/awkward play in the field. I'd guess he'll have to hit his way out of it, but given that he's basically tops amongst rookies, I'm not sure what else he can even do to help his cause.

Rivero got a bunch of bad luck there. Would be nice to break through here for a couple more and seal the deal. I hate to keep harping on it, but we really are not that far out of the divisional race, and though I wouldn't put a huge losing streak past us, we do stand to at least gain momentum when we get Taillon back. Things could just be so, so much worse. We have a good opportunity here with four against the Braves, then three against a banged up Mets team, and somewhat of a challenge (in terms of eventual WC competitors) with the Diamondbacks at home. After that, the first month of June really isn't too bad for us, before a 10-game, probably make-or-break stretch against the division. If we do more than tread water between now and then, that could be the stretch where we actually start emerging as an actual contender in this division.

I'm honestly trying to figure out what you mean by bad luck? Galvis had a hell of an at bat fouling off pitches left and right until he sneaked a knuckler by Ngope. The batter before Galvis also made Rivero work as well though I can't remember his name. Just two great at bats that really wore down our set up man.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I don't mean to downplay the good at-bats, but Ngoepe broke the wrong way on a little fluke single, otherwise he's out of it no problem. He hurt himself some with a throwing error on the batter before. Either way, sometimes a ballooned pitch count is going to happen in a game where there's no margin of error.

Nice to see Kuhl with a solid effort. I think him going 5-6 right now is the best target, even if it will eventually tax the bullpen some more. They have been hyping Leblanc during the games I've seen, bit it's definitely true that he's stepped up in a good way.

 

[Cherpak]

I don't mean to downplay the good at-bats, but Ngoepe broke the wrong way on a little fluke single, otherwise he's out of it no problem. He hurt himself some with a throwing error on the batter before. Either way, sometimes a ballooned pitch count is going to happen in a game where there's no margin of error.

Nice to see Kuhl with a solid effort. I think him going 5-6 right now is the best target, even if it will eventually tax the bullpen some more. They have been hyping Leblanc during the games I've seen, bit it's definitely true that he's stepped up in a good way.

I wouldn't be too hard on Ngope. That was a cue shot off the top of the bat that had some serious side spin. He played the track of the ball in flight correctly but once it hit the ground that thing just spun to the other side.

Hmm, I guess there was some bad luck involved after all.

 

[DanielPlainview]

I'll take back-to-back series wins any way they can come, and I'll feel a lot better if they can make the most of this 4-gamer with Atlanta.

 

[Harv]

Here is why Hurdle keeps yanking Bell.

http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/230992864/pirates-josh-bell-more-comfortable-at-first/

 

[djt153]

hasnt bell played like 3x the pro innings at first as jaso?

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Here is why Hurdle keeps yanking Bell.

http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/230992864/pirates-josh-bell-more-comfortable-at-first/

Why do they continue to replace Bell? Simply put, the Pirates want their best defense on the field with the game on the line

Why don't they want their best lineup on the field?

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

According to war, Jaso has been almost a full game worse than a replacement level player so far. Bell is worth almost a full game more than a replacement player thus far and he stumbled out of the gates. Even if Jaso is a better defender (and I'm seeing no such evidence other than the eye of Jaso's man crush) it makes no sense to make the change.

Hurdle's strategy only makes sense if you assume that the other team will never score any more runs. Hurdle seems to assume offense ceases to be valuable when a lead is established. 95% of modern managers disagree and so does common sense. Hurdle is akin to a WW1 general: he is a veteran of a bygone era who will die by tactics that have long passed the rest of the baseball world by.

This guy has Marte bunt because he is fast. Never mind he can't bunt. He sacrifices with position players. He uses a hit and run with slow runners and low contact hitters. He has the team running constantly even though the vast majority of the team are poor base stealers.

I don't know what planet the ****ing guy is living on.

 

[Winger for Hire]

That article made me angry.

The fact that Bell isn't seen as at least Jaso's equal, defensively, at first is mind boggling.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I think Hurdle's problems end up boiling down to fixed opinions on specific players, and not simply fixed tactics as such, but there's no sense splitting hairs about it when we all basically agree he should go.

I'd like to see us take 3 of 4 from the Braves before I even continue inching back towards any optimism going forward, but it has been nice to see Frazier and Freese not really miss a beat, and Bell emerge as a real lineup threat. Hopefully we'll see the same from Polanco when he's back, and then the lineup might actually be capable of some kind of consistency that doesn't demand perfection from the pitchers.

The matchups aren't ideal for this series. Foltynewicz can occasionally be tough, but we need to win a Gerrit Cole matchup. Then we've got wildcards in Glasnow and Williams, but I like our chances with Nova vs. Colon. The path seems pretty simple: hope one of the rookies can give you a fighting chance by the fifth or sixth, and depend on Cole and Nova for 7+, 1-2 runs. That's a tall order, but it is what it is. Teheran tends to completely own us, so I think we're looking at needing a big game from Glasnow.

If we can manage a 3-1 series win, then winning the Mets series will put us back at .500. Atlanta's been pretty good in recent weeks, but a glance at their schedule reveals a pretty streaky looking team, so maybe that turns back in the opposite direction here. Their offense can be quite capable: 5 runs or more in 5 of their last 10 games or so. We're going to need some good offensive production in this series.

 

[Return of the Paek]

I don't mean to beat this to death, but what is it going to take to get Cutch moved way down the lineup? He is in danger of dropping below .200.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

That article made me angry.

The fact that Bell isn't seen as at least Jaso's equal, defensively, at first is mind boggling.

It'd be one thing if Jaso was a natural first baseman with a reputation as a quality defender...but he's an immobile former catcher who has played the position for less time than Bell has.

 

[Coastal Kev]

I wonder if Cutch needs an eye exam. I remember hitters in the past having a drop off and finding out later the cause was a change with their vision.

 

[Winger for Hire]

From the article...

It's not as simple as putting on a new glove and instantly succeeding.

You literally just gave Jaso a first baseman's mitt last spring.

 

[Coastal Kev]

It'd be one thing if Jaso was a natural first baseman with a reputation as a quality defender...but he's an immobile former catcher who has played the position for less time than Bell has.

The biggest lie told is that 1st base has somehow become a tough position to play. From my experience from both playing and watching baseball back in the early 80's, it was always known that 1st base was the best position for your best hitter/ worst fielder combo.

Thanks moneyball!

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

I agree that Bell hasnt been a liability at 1B defensively but the UZR numbers overwhelmingly point to Jaso being better...

UZR 150
Bell - -32.8 (2016), +2.5 (2017), -9.3 (career)
Jaso - -2.3 (2016), +22.3 (2017), -0.3 (career)

Small sample sizes abound especially nowhere near enough to draw definitive conclusions but TO THIS POINT Jaso has been much better defensively.

Hopefully a better defensive stat becomes available soon with all the newer tracking. But that is a big enough difference even in a small sample to point to Jaso being better for now.

 

[Cherpak]

The biggest lie told is that 1st base has somehow become a tough position to play. From my experience from both playing and watching baseball back in the early 80's, it was always known that 1st base was the best position for your best hitter/ worst fielder combo.

Thanks moneyball!

Your confusing RF to 1B.

 

[Cherpak]

I agree that Bell hasnt been a liability at 1B defensively but the UZR numbers overwhelmingly point to Jaso being better...

UZR 150
Bell - -32.8 (2016), +2.5 (2017), -9.3 (career)
Jaso - -2.3 (2016), +22.3 (2017), -0.3 (career)

Small sample sizes abound especially nowhere near enough to draw definitive conclusions but TO THIS POINT Jaso has been much better defensively.

Hopefully a better defensive stat becomes available soon with all the newer tracking. But that is a big enough difference even in a small sample to point to Jaso being better for now.

The eye test this season says that those stats are total ****.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

The eye test this season says that those stats are total ****.

Someone else's eye test has the same value as a snorkel in the desert.