3 moves to boost Pirates’ chances
To be fair, I didn’t think they would be doing this well.
I am referring to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who, after pulling off a walk-off victory on Memorial Day, sported a 24-28 record. While I, like most fans, am not pleased with the team being four games below .500 the day after Memorial Day, I also like to consider myself a realist.
Realistically, just how much can you expect from a team that has had perhaps the worst luck in the Major Leagues in 2017? This is a squad that may have lost its starting third baseman forever, its starting left fielder and best player until July and a top-three pitcher for at least a few more starts. Now, take a look at some of the other underachieving clubs and tell me if their situations come close to the Buccos’ level of “What the heck is going on here?”
After losing on Monday, the reigning World Series champions from Chicago are just two games ahead of the Pirates at 25-25, despite bringing practically every starter back from last year’s title team and getting a healthy Kyle Schwarber back in the outfield.
With typically strong teams like St. Louis (24-24) and San Francisco (22-31) also having their unexpected struggles this year, squads like Milwaukee (27-24), Colorado (33-20) and Arizona (31-22) have been able to make surprising moves up their respective division standings. This unlikley switch in fortunes has also found its way into the American League, where the Twins (26-21), Yankees (29-19) and the White Sox (24-26) seem to be exceeding expectations, while pennant contenders like the Blue Jays (23-27), Rangers (25-26) and Mariners (23-29) are in a similar boat as the Pirates’, no pun intended.
However, Pittsburgh can’t simply rest on its laurels and be satisfied with moral victories. This is still a flawed franchise that is in danger of losing a fan base just a few years after winning it back following two decades of losing records. Is this season a lost cause? Absolutely not … yet. If the Pirates want to keep it that way and keep from falling back into their old pattern of planning for the future, they have to be willing to stray off the thrifty path.
Now, I know calling the Pirates cheap is about as clich茅 as saying how NOT cheap the food is at PNC Park, but the adjustments to the roster do not have to be of the major variety. With a pitching rotation that is exceeding expectations and Jameson Taillon appearing to be ready to return sooner rather than later, I see making three moves being all that is needed to make a run in a topsy-turvy type year.
Adam Frazier has to be in the outfield every day. As the team’s top all-around hitter and only true lead-off bat, Frazier, has to be given time to learn a position in the grass. With Josh Harrison hitting once again and the corner spots on the infield seemingly settling into place, Frazier’s future with the franchise looks to be in either right, center or left.
As much as I hate to say it, it’s Frazier’s rapid ascension to everyday starter/team star and not the presence of Austin Meadows in AAA that leads to my next move.
It’s time to cut bait with Andrew McCutchen. Once an MVP and a perennial All-Star, McCutchen has become one of the most polarizing player on the roster. The biggest sign that number 22 is likely done being the centerpiece of the team is the fact that it is his speed, both in his hands and his legs, that is in the sharpest decline.
When it comes to athletes, it is power not speed that lasts the longest in terms of physical gifts. Unless he resigns himself to bulking up and committing to playing right field, I just can’t see a rebound for McCutchen at this point in his career.
Though his trade value has plummeted, his contract is not immovable. He is controllable through the end of 2018 and if the Bucs can get something useful (a minor league hitter with power or a solid lefty reliever) in return, I think the trigger has to be pulled on the transaction.
Finally, the Bucs need to add to the already strong starting rotation. If there is still interest in the White Sox’s Jose Quintana, the asking price should be much less steep than what was eluded to by Pittsburgh’s brass this offseason. Quintana has struggled (2-6, 4.82) early on this year, but his strikeout numbers are outstanding (8.76 per nine innings).
If the team is still committed to letting Tyler Glasnow work through his growing pains in the majors, Chad Kuhl hasn’t exactly played his way into the position of being an absolute certainly to be run out every five starts.
Will the Pirates make any of these moves? I doubt it. But, if the team is ever going to take the next step towards getting back to the playoffs, let alone finally return to the World Series for the first time since 1979, ownership has to be willing to finally try something different to take the franchise from being above average to great.