OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: The Rise of Taillon...and Fall of Everything Else

[DJ Spinoza]

Biertempfel says catcher will go, which must mean Stewart is healthy and Stallings will go back. He also mentions Nicasio might be back soon, which requires a spot on the 40-man. I guess that could mean Kratz will get DFA'd and sent down, but that's risky if he doesn't want the assignment or something, because then if Stewart or Stallings get hurt, we're in serious depth troubles.

Frazier also needs a 40-man spot. So presumably a reliever and a catcher will be DFA'd.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Bring up Alen Hanson, Josh Bell and Tyler Glasnow and see what they can offer you.

Hansen doesn't offer anything right now. He plays a position that's blocked and he's having a terrible year...having him sit on the bench won't do anything for us or him.

Frazier is the right move here. Middle infielder who is being called up based on deserving it. I don't see him as a starter in this league, but I see him as a good bench player.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

https://twitter.com/Braves

What the ****?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Polanco out tonight with leg discomfort.

In other news, Clint Hurdle will perform seppuku at home plate tonight just after the first pitch (during which Taillon will assuredly go down for another TJ surgery), in an act of symbolism for the state of the franchise.

 

[Brandinho]

Pirates aren't going to be a player this year. Time to make some trades and get some nice talent back in the minors. I'd trade melancon, locke and liriano for sure. Dangle jaso to see what is offered, if it's a really solid prospect, make the swap.

Bring up Alen Hanson, Josh Bell and Tyler Glasnow and see what they can offer you.

Focus on signing some international players with high potential this offseason to retool the prospect pool and sign a solid starting pitcher for the big club. The other signing I'd try and make would be a power hitting 3rd baseman.

Glasnow isn't ready. Hanson probably isn't going to prove anything in the minors and Bell seems ready, but Glasnow should not come up before September.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

So the news on Nicasio is that he is going straight to the bullpen, and Sunday's starter is still TBD. Biertempfel says he thinks it will be Lobstein, whereas Sawchik says that the "popular guess" is Kuhl. No idea if he means that's what rando yinzers are tweeting at him, or that it's the popular guess among media people.

Lobstein would be a true disaster, but Kuhl would need added to the 40-man. Kuhl is scheduled to start tomorrow, so we could find out if he is scratched tomorrow. I'd rather see us shake things up a bit and throw the dice with Kuhl for a start, maybe DFA Lobstein and then have Kuhl stay on for a little while out of the bullpen or take another start if he's fine/Cole's not yet ready. Status quo isn't really going to cut it with this bullpen.

 

[Brandinho]

Lobstein was a pretty mediocre starter in the minors throughout his career. Would much rather go with Kuhl.

 

[DanielPlainview]

I'd like to see Kuhl given an audition.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I'd love to see a winning streak.

 

[DanielPlainview]

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Exciting that Kuhl will get a crack - less exciting that literally every good player on the team is either really hurt or kinda hurt (unless you count Taillon, and I guess Melancon).

I think the Pirates will really need to take 3/4 here to stay in the hunt. That still puts us at 3 games below .500 and probably 3.5-4 back of the WC race, but it's more about battling through and out of this tailspin, and showing that we can hang with the current best non-division leader in the NL.

Tonight is pretty much a must-win game, since you have to assume Kershaw is going to get about 15 Ks on Sunday.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Also, Locke took down MadBum, so maybe we should just have Kuhl go on regular rest tomorrow and save Locke for Kershaw?

 

[DanielPlainview]

What are we paying Niese?

$9.5m for 1 year with 2 option years.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

The Pirates win a game!

 

[Coastal Kev]

We rule.

 

[Brandinho]

Shame that we couldn't have gotten this kind of performance from Joyce last season. Might have been enough to win the division. At least he'll fetch a nice return if he keeps this up for a while longer.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Shame that we couldn't have gotten this kind of performance from Joyce last season. Might have been enough to win the division. At least he'll fetch a nice return if he keeps this up for a while longer.

You mean in lieu of Snider/other 4th OFs?

Seems like Taillon got hit pretty hard -- not too encouraging, but a win's a win. At least Feliz-Watson-Melancon are more or less not garbage. I think we sort of need Nicasio to emerge as a light's out relief option who can hold down the fort with bridge innings for a few weeks, and then move to the backend once Melancon is traded. In fact, Nicasio as a Melancon replacement isn't an option I had considered before, but he could be a controllable backend guy for a few more years (initially I presume it'd be kind of a committee thing, with Feliz maybe getting the first true shot at it).

Maeda seems like the kind of pitcher who can throw ice water on this lineup, and he's picked it back up in June after struggling in May, but tonight is probably another must-win. Here's hoping the Locke roulette favors us again.

 

[AltDess]

You mean in lieu of Snider/other 4th OFs?

Seems like Taillon got hit pretty hard -- not too encouraging, but a win's a win. At least Feliz-Watson-Melancon are more or less not garbage. I think we sort of need Nicasio to emerge as a light's out relief option who can hold down the fort with bridge innings for a few weeks, and then move to the backend once Melancon is traded. In fact, Nicasio as a Melancon replacement isn't an option I had considered before, but he could be a controllable backend guy for a few more years (initially I presume it'd be kind of a committee thing, with Feliz maybe getting the first true shot at it).

Maeda seems like the kind of pitcher who can throw ice water on this lineup, and he's picked it back up in June after struggling in May, but tonight is probably another must-win. Here's hoping the Locke roulette favors us again.

He'll be OK.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Yeah, I ended up watching the condensed game and it didn't seem as bad as I expected. It seemed more like he got hit pretty hard all at once in the 5th, and Hurdle opted for the quick hook (probably right to do so, even though Hughes isn't exactly an inspiring choice).

 

[Gunnar Staal]

Yeah, I ended up watching the condensed game and it didn't seem as bad as I expected. It seemed more like he got hit pretty hard all at once in the 5th, and Hurdle opted for the quick hook (probably right to do so, even though Hughes isn't exactly an inspiring choice).

It cannot be understated how bad Jared Hughes has been this year. The dude nearly blew the lead yesterday... twice.

 

[Brandinho]

You mean in lieu of Snider/other 4th OFs?

Seems like Taillon got hit pretty hard -- not too encouraging, but a win's a win. At least Feliz-Watson-Melancon are more or less not garbage. I think we sort of need Nicasio to emerge as a light's out relief option who can hold down the fort with bridge innings for a few weeks, and then move to the backend once Melancon is traded. In fact, Nicasio as a Melancon replacement isn't an option I had considered before, but he could be a controllable backend guy for a few more years (initially I presume it'd be kind of a committee thing, with Feliz maybe getting the first true shot at it).

Maeda seems like the kind of pitcher who can throw ice water on this lineup, and he's picked it back up in June after struggling in May, but tonight is probably another must-win. Here's hoping the Locke roulette favors us again.

I mean that it's a shame that we're getting an incredible performance from a fourth outfielder in a year where such a performance doesn't do much for our team. Just kind of amusing to think that it's something we were missing last season when it would have mattered a lot.

Taillon wasn't very good in my estimation, but at this point I don't care. He'll learn from it and hopefully be much better next season when we actually will need him to contribute.

 

[Brandinho]

It cannot be understated how bad Jared Hughes has been this year. The dude nearly blew the lead yesterday... twice.

I think he's cooked tbh. Relievers like him that lack high end stuff are often only a few injuries away from completely falling to pieces.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Cutch with one of the worst ab's I've ever seen.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Cutch's 2 ab's since the 1st inning have been quite a bit better. 2 hr and 4 rbi's.