NewsInbox: Will there be new 'pen additions?
Beat reporter Jenifer Langosch answers fans' questions
By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
11/02/09 2:20 PM EST
PITTSBURGH -- Another week, another Inbox for you. With a World Series champion set to be crowned as early as Monday and as late as Thursday, the Hot Stove season is just about to get burning. For Pirates fans, it's a time of year that is often met with some combination of optimism and cynicism.Obviously, there's always the hope in Pittsburgh that the Bucs will make a moderate ripple in the free agent market, or that an impact trade might be completed. Yet, there's always hesitation to expect too much considering the team's recent offseason track record.
Regardless, this week is the start of just over three months before Spring Training opens in full force. So while baseball is on hiatus, enjoy some football. Enjoy some turkey and whatever you find in your stockings next month (I expect socks in mine). And maybe in the coming weeks the Pirates will give you a reason to lean more toward the optimism than the cynicism. Stay tuned.
Is there any chance my prayers might be answered in that an honest effort will be made in shopping for bullpen help? We blow way too many leads once the bullpen takes over.
-- Bill F., Dryden, NY
Your prayers, Bill, might not be futile. Though the Pirates remain semi-tightlipped about their priorities this offseason, bullpen help has to be on that list. Only one other National League club (the Nationals) finished with a higher bullpen ERA than the Pirates' 4.61 mark. Overall, Pittsburgh finished 26th in the Majors in that category and actually were just percentage points better in ERA in 2009 than in 2008. The club was successful in save opportunities just 62 percent of the time, which ranked 24th.
It would seem that bringing in a lefty reliever would be a pressing matter since the Pirates don't have one to go to. And while young right-handers Jesse Chavez and Evan Meek both made significant strides in '09, it would certainly be a plus to add an experienced reliever to that late-inning mix. I would expect the bullpen needs to be addressed in some form or fashion over the next few months.
If I heard right, Pirates president Frank Coonelly said the reason the Pirates didn't sign young Dominican shortstop Miguel Sano was because it would have put them over their international budget. Why not just take the funds from their domestic budget if this kid is what everyone says he is? I was really disappointed they didn't sign him.
-- Steve C., Washington, Pa.
|
Have a question about the Pirates?
 E-mail your query to MLB.com Pirates beat reporter Jenifer Langosch for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content.
|
||||||||
The version of the story that you've heard isn't exactly accurate. The Pirates actually had two international budgets of sorts this year. Their general budget for international signing bonuses was $2 million. That was the same amount the club had available in 2008 after owner Bob Nutting increased financial resources in that area. That budget, however, was not designed to include any signings of $1 million or more or else it potentially would have crippled the Pirates' efforts to be aggressive abroad.
An offer to Sano or any other player commanding a seven-figure bonus would have come from a separate budget. If the Pirates wanted to make significant dollars available for one player, Nutting would have to approve that money in a separate process. Though the Pirates' final offer to Sano was for $2 million, from what I've heard, Nutting was willing to pay more if necessary. With the Pirates being the first to make an offer, they didn't want to go in with their maximum bid initially, which obviously makes sense. But because Sano's agent didn't give the Pirates a chance to counter the Twins' $3.15 million bonus, Pittsburgh was never given the chance to offer more. Therefore, we'll never know exactly how much Nutting would have approved.
The fact that there were also apparently testy relationships between the two parties didn't help negotiations, and both sides have provided different versions of why/how negotiations broke down.
What are the chances that Brad Lincoln will be in a starting spot next season? I think he is better than Charlie Morton.
-- PJ B., Rochester, NY
Lincoln will be at Major League camp next spring and will technically be in competition for a starting rotation spot in Pittsburgh. However, don't bet on him landing one. It's not that Lincoln isn't close, because he is. But the Pirates have already hinted that they plan on having the right-hander take a path similar to the one Andrew McCutchen did last season in which he'll start out in Triple-A Indianapolis and be ready for a promotion mid-season.
This would accomplish two goals. First, Lincoln would have a bit more time for polishing in the Minors, something that management has said is needed. Second, it would keep Lincoln from hitting arbitration and then free agency for an extra year.
Andrew McCutchen is obviously a great leadoff hitter, but I remember during a game they showed that Garrett Jones hit much better with the bases empty than with runners in scoring position. What are your thoughts on Jones leading off and McCutchen batting third?
-- Kristy P., Ohio
While I do think you can make the argument that McCutchen could be a good fit batting somewhere other than leadoff, Jones would not fit in that top-of-the-order spot. You can't have the guy who leads the club in home runs coming to the plate at least once a game with no one on base. He simply doesn't fit the mold of a leadoff hitter and really should be a nice offensive piece in the middle of the Pirates' lineup.
Now, you are correct in the fact that Jones did hit much better with no one on base than he did with runners in scoring position. In asking him and the coaching staff about the anomaly, no one seemed to think it was a trend that should persist in the coming seasons.
Jones went 10-for-66 with runners in scoring position, while conversely hitting .330 with the bases empty. In 65 at-bats leading off an inning, though, Jones hit just .231.
What is your sense of where the Pirates stand in the front office's rebuilding expectations? It seems they've added a lot of organizational depth. Is 2010 seen as a year in which they should start to compete? Or is more re-tooling seen as necessary?
-- Tim W., Rhinebeck, NY
The front office will never be completely satisfied, so if that's what you mean by re-tooling, then, yes, that will continue. However, that's not to say that management doesn't believe it can't send a competitive club onto the field while it continues to try and improve what it has. Management has said it believes the organization is in a better position now than it was two years ago. However, I think you can argue that maybe the Major League team, as it stands now, may not be strong enough to compete with the NL Central's best next season.
Depth is great for the long run, but the Pirates' ability for short-term success still seems to be hampered by a lack of impact pieces.
When will the Pirates stop rebuilding and start working with the talent they have and not trade away proven performers? I would be willing to put money on the fact that neither Jones, nor McCutchen, will be in the organization at the Trade Deadline next year.
-- Steve M., Aurora, West Va.
By all means, please keep those dollar bills in your pocket, Steve. This is not a bet you'd be in line to win. And if you do still decide to make it, I'd be glad to make the counter-wager against you.
In most situations -- the '09 trades with the Braves (Nate McLouth) and Nationals (Nyjer Morgan/Sean Burnett) not included -- there has been a common denominator among those players who were dealt away. They were nearing or just about at the point of becoming free agents. The Pirates' inability to keep players once they become free agents, whether it's due to financial demands or simply a lack of interest from either side, has put the organization in position to try and trade players before they walk away. That, of course, is why you saw the likes of Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, Xavier Nady, etc. go over the last few years.
Both Jones and McCutchen have another six years before either will be a free agent. They will make just above the Major League minimum next season and have plenty of upside still left. As a result, they are exactly the type of players that the Pirates want to keep.
Can you tell me if and when they are going to hold PirateFest this winter? Are they going to bring back some of the former players?
-- Randy H., Tuscola, Ill.
PirateFest is scheduled to be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center from Jan. 29-31. As always, current and former Pirates players are expected to attend. The list of those players, though, won't be released until closer to that date. Also, the Pirates' annual Caravan will embark the week preceding PirateFest.
Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
