DJ Spinoza
Registered User
- Aug 7, 2003
- 25,350
- 3,874
Agreed, clearly the Pirates see something that's worth keeping around, since he's still going to need a full season of development at least before he's MLB ready. To some extent, he's probably in a similar situation as Brubaker and Bolton, except further behind. Guys with the tools to be solid bullpen options, who could also be useful backend guys or potentially a mid-rotation guy. I am pretty intrigued to see what Brubaker can do, though I also think that he could be a very devestating weapon as a multi-inning reliever.
I feel very much the same about Tucker and thus probably have him up there as the MLB storyline I am most in on for us. It's not based on anything other than the tools profile, but I think he's someone for whom it could all click, and he is still only 24. I really don't get how his season was handled last year, as you have to figure that his profile could have been a very light hitting but strong defensive SS. The logic of him exclusively being an OF seems to point towards management wanting to develop him as a utility player, but now that seems almost entirely off the table. I think he needs to earn starts, but I also think there's really nothing to see from others at SS, so I hope he's getting them unless he struggles. He's #1 on my list of guys who I hope have a torrid spring.
This is changing gears a bit from prospects and young players, but I actually think that Brault might be a decent post-hype player, and that Cherington keeping him around could be something that looks like a quite solid decision a few months into the season. It's not unusual for LHP to put things together somewhat gradually – Patrick Corbin is an example of this. Brault's continued to grow as a pitcher and has quietly put up extended runs of very solid performance. I don't know how much more of an additional gear he has, but I wouldn't be totally floored if he quietly goes about a nice 2.5 WAR season this year, which would pretty much prime him to be traded in a deal not too far off the pace of the Musgrove and Taillon deals.
I feel very much the same about Tucker and thus probably have him up there as the MLB storyline I am most in on for us. It's not based on anything other than the tools profile, but I think he's someone for whom it could all click, and he is still only 24. I really don't get how his season was handled last year, as you have to figure that his profile could have been a very light hitting but strong defensive SS. The logic of him exclusively being an OF seems to point towards management wanting to develop him as a utility player, but now that seems almost entirely off the table. I think he needs to earn starts, but I also think there's really nothing to see from others at SS, so I hope he's getting them unless he struggles. He's #1 on my list of guys who I hope have a torrid spring.
This is changing gears a bit from prospects and young players, but I actually think that Brault might be a decent post-hype player, and that Cherington keeping him around could be something that looks like a quite solid decision a few months into the season. It's not unusual for LHP to put things together somewhat gradually – Patrick Corbin is an example of this. Brault's continued to grow as a pitcher and has quietly put up extended runs of very solid performance. I don't know how much more of an additional gear he has, but I wouldn't be totally floored if he quietly goes about a nice 2.5 WAR season this year, which would pretty much prime him to be traded in a deal not too far off the pace of the Musgrove and Taillon deals.