Does anyone else think the manager and GM has made some very questionable moves so far in this young season? Here are a few small examples I can think of off the top of my head.
John Russell
1. J.R continually batted Laroche 4th, until recently he's been lower in the order(after everyone on this message board had already noticed his .130 average).
2. Tonight for instance, he batted Maholm in the bottom of the 6th, and then pulled him before throwing a pitch in the 7th. (Despite Paul pitching a 4 hit gem and the guys in the pen are overworked)
However, I do like the tandem at catcher that this staff has created.
Neal Huntington
1. Loaded up on power arms all off-season but totally ignored quality positional depth. I mean we all knew Bautista was not the answer at third, and he didn't have any competition going into the season. Why couldn't we have picked up a cheap free agent like Cantu or McPherson like the Fish, or the always steady, Eric Hinske. There were other options for whom Bautista could've split time with.
2. The whole Sean Burnett accountability ordeal. If we really wanted Meek so bad and the Rays didn't, we could have given them a low level prospect for trade and started him at triple A Indy. Even worse, the GM claimed to have a desire for different types of pitchers in the bullpen. After the aquisition of Yates (hard throwing righty w/little control) that theory is thrown out the window b/c now they have two very similar pitchers.
One positive, I did like the Yates pick up from Atlanta.
I think John Russell has lost a game or two for the Pirates already this year (my example is the extra-inning game versus the Cubs when we had Meek in and they had Jon Leiber late in the game...). You cannot have that with a team that has marginal talent. The manager MUST be an asset, not a liability. It is early in the season...we'll see what happens.
As for the GM position, Meek was a Rule 5 guy, only costing the Pirates $100,000 (I believe). Meek is not ready yet, but for $100,000 they can potentially land another Yates-of-the-future. Scott Sauerbeck worked out in the past for the Pirates, let us hope Meek does as well, though it will require some patience from the fans. Yates was a great trade...only having to give a A or AA pitcher (whatever he was). But ultimately, Huntington came in and wanted to see what the Pirates already had. His real test (not just his, but all of the new management) will occur in the amateur draft. I hear the 3B from Vandy (Alvarez, I believe) may slip from the top spot...I think that, after whiffing on Weiters last year, they need to really step up and get the *TOP* talent at the #2 pick. This minor league system is pitiful, with the exception of 2 or 3 prospects. With Ownership not putting much money there for Huntington to work with, we'll have to rely much more on the draft than signing some quality free agents to give us depth. No one wants to be the back-up 3b in Pittsburgh when they can be the back-up in a bigger market.
Yes.....the problem we are facing is the same problem we were looking at coming into the season. Right now 2 out of the 3 positions we have prospects, serious prospects at.....are sitting in AAA with our major leaguers struggling. The only reason i can think of why the team hasn't pulled the trigger in bringing up Neil Walker and steven pearce is well....because they are currently struggling somewhat as well. I think when they pull out of it, and they will....bautista and laroche are going to become memories. Early in the season, Russell has been letting the starting pitchers stretch themselves out, which I personally love, we have to get these guys back to the point where they can pitche somewhat effectively into the 7th and 8th inning.....not 6 and yank like ever since the mcclendon era began. pitchers have to pitch to build arm strength, plain and simple. If we keep Meek, god forbid, we need to hide him, and hiding him with effective starting pitching that goes late into games is really the only way it's going to work. And on Burnett....at this point you have time, forget this relief crap and get him back in AAA as a starter, the way Morris has struggled, and with bullington and van benschoten both struggling in their past MLB chances, Burnett could be the 5th starter on this team, and if not.....bring him up now, there are 3 or 4 pitchers who are underperforming in that bullpen, not just meek, although meek is lousy, he has youth as an excuse. I'm sure we can find someone to send down for a pitcher who's allowed two runs since pitchers/catchers reported 2 months ago.
samebday, I too like the stretching out of the bullpen arms. I think either JVB or Burnett would be a huge upgrade every 5th day as opposed to Mistake Morris.
X, I didn't know that it would only cost $100,000 for Meek. If this is true, then what are we waiting for. Buy him, and send him to Indy and bring up the most deserving pitcher (which is obvious)
X, I didn't know that it would only cost $100,000 for Meek. If this is true, then what are we waiting for. Buy him, and send him to Indy and bring up the most deserving pitcher (which is obvious)
He is a rule 5 guy. He is costing us 100,00 to keep him. He has to stay with the big league club the entire year or he goes back to Tampa and we get 25,000 from them for him. So he can't be sent down if management believes that he can be an assett to us in the future.
I stated my opinions on Morris in another thread so I will stay off that soapbox here....cut him.....
LaRoche isn't going anywhere. Bautista will not be our starting 3b by the end of the season, Neil Walker will be there. As for Pearce, he will not be a 1b in the bigs, he will play RF or LF. The first really good offer that really makes sense for us as an organization involving Bay or Nady, probably Nady is more likely, will send them out of town and Pearce will be in the lineup in the outfield. I think this will happen before the end of the year.
I personally think that we should trade both of them, move McLouth to left and go with an outfield of McLouth, McCutcheon, and Pearce.Our lineup should look like this:
McLouth
Sanchez
Pearce
Doumit
LaRoche
Walker
McCutcheon
Wilson
Get some prospects to help rebuild our farm system for Nady and Bay. If we can do the same thing with Jack Wilson at the trade deadline, go for it. I like all three of these guys but this team needs so many parts to be competetive, we need to make some major moves over the next year.
We also must draft well. Who cares who the agent is......draft the best player available.
Yes I total agree. I give Russell 3 or 4 of our loses this year. He leaves pitchers in way too long, unless they are have a good start, then he pulls them. I was thinking the same thing last night. Having the pitcher bat then going to the pen.
I seem to remember an extra inning game where Capps was rolling then he pinch hit for him with a pitcher. I think Zack Duke.
Doumit should play everyday and we have 3 pitchers in the pen who should never see the field.
I think one thing everybody is forgetting is that it's only April. John Russell has only been a MLB manager for 23 games (including 4/25/08) and Neal Huntington is in his first off-season and season as a general manager. Give them time before judging them. It's only April, the season doesn't end until the end of September.
