Prospect Stuff

[element1286]

Minor Moves: Pirates Acquire Keon Broxton: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

Not sure I get the move since the OF depth is already crowded. But it is another low risk move.

Interesting I guess, they must like something about him.

 

[thecrow124]

So on Monday Taillon went and had a second opinion on his elbow. The results of which may be the best guarded secret since the Diet Coke recipe. Taillon isn't talking, Huntington isn't talking, Pirates aren't commenting. Seems odd that they were all saying all the right stuff after the Pirates examined him, after the second look, nothing.

You can make of that whatever you want, just putting the info out there.

Minor league games started today as well, Indy and Altoona got rained out, WV is still playing, and Bradenton lost.

At Bradenton, Josh Bell went 2-5 with an RBI batting 4th. Jin-de Jhang went 2-3 with a walk and an RBI, he will be i nterresting because he was skipped over WV, which to me would indicate this is a make or break year for him, if he falters, he will get passed by McGuire, if he succeeds, he may be a better prospect than some outlets give him credit for.

WV is still in the third inning, so not much to tell. JaCoby Jones has a single and an RBI.

 

[element1286]

Prospect Watch: Keeping The Walks Down | FanGraphs Baseball

Good writeup on Orlando Castro from Bradenton.

 

[element1286]

Josh Bell having quite a season in A+, .324/.371/.518 line and terrific k rate in a pitchers league.

 

[sychmd]

could bell be a 1B,
or is he better as a trade for a 1B/3B of the future in 1-2 years.
how is bells defense in OF, arm.

we have meadows and several other good looking OF prospects already, but bell is a SH and a big target. hopefully young enough to learn a new position. does from a bright family so hopefully he has those genes as well.

 

[Darkstone42]

could bell be a 1B,
or is he better as a trade for a 1B/3B of the future in 1-2 years.
how is bells defense in OF, arm.

we have meadows and several other good looking OF prospects already, but bell is a SH and a big target. hopefully young enough to learn a new position. does from a bright family so hopefully he has those genes as well.

I don't think we have to worry too much about his position right now. You never know what could happen at the Major League level between now and when he's ready, so let's leave him as an outfielder. If his bat's good enough, we'll find a spot for him.

 

[element1286]

Pretty much anyone can play first base defensively, but the bat needs to be elite, not sure the bat plays at first yet, but he still has time.

The Pirates don't have many real prospects who strike out so little, and hit for a good average like he has shown the ability to do. Plus the power is developing.

 

[sychmd]

besides meadows, bell is our only real offensive threat in the next 4years (unless lamb regains his magic of lat year and can do it at the mlb level.
we have no room in the OF and he might be able to play in 16. it would be ashamed to wait till 16 to teach him, then mess his head up, lose his swing and be a defensive and offensive liability and take 2 years to straighten out.

 

[Darkstone42]

I guess Glassnow has been putting together some strong outings lately. That's a good thing.

 

[thecrow124]

I guess Glassnow has been putting together some strong outings lately. That's a good thing.

Strong is putting it mildly, he has given up one run in his last 5 starts. Just like last season he is way better than the level he is at. I realize he has some stuff to work on, but he needs to be working on it at Altoona.

 

[element1286]

.52 H/IP in his minor league career is crazy. I don't know if he gets promoted soon, seems the Pirates go year to year in A ball, but once you get to AA, you go as fast as your performance.

I could see him get promoted once he reaches 70 innings or at the end of the year for AA playoffs.

 

[thecrow124]

.52 H/IP in his minor league career is crazy. I don't know if he gets promoted soon, seems the Pirates go year to year in A ball, but once you get to AA, you go as fast as your performance.

I could see him get promoted once he reaches 70 innings or at the end of the year for AA playoffs.

Taillon and Kingham both got promoted from Bradenton to Altoona midseason about this time. That was what I was basing my guess off of, that and the fact that I am not really sure he is being challenged. His control seems to be better this year, but until he gets to a level where hitters can shrink the zone and umps call a tighter zone, I am just not sure how good his control is going to be.

 

[Darkstone42]

Keeping on the Glasnow theme, I think it's about time he gets promoted. 11 Ks in 6 IP in his start a week ago, 4 hits and 2 walks.

I don't think he's being especially challenged anymore. Let's give him some time to adjust to the jump to AA to finish out this season so he can hit the ground running next year.

 

[sychmd]

Keeping on the Glasnow theme, I think it's about time he gets promoted. 11 Ks in 6 IP in his start a week ago, 4 hits and 2 walks.

I don't think he's being especially challenged anymore. Let's give him some time to adjust to the jump to AA to finish out this season so he can hit the ground running next year.

agreed

 

[Darkstone42]

Pirates Pitch Inside More Than Any Organization, But is it Wrong? | Pirates Prospects

Apparently, the Bucs' minor leaguers hit more batters than anyone due to a heavy commitment to throwing inside. I like it. Apparently, Tony Larussa doesn't. Well, screw him.

 

[Darkstone42]

Well, this is amusing.

 

[sychmd]

throwing inside is a must.
if batters are too aggressive they will get hit more often as well.
aggressive pitchers with aggressive batters, thats the game.

especially important if you throw heat.
i believe this is coles major weakness, he needs to throw inside a lot more and he wouldn't give up as many hits and get a few more K's. he has such good control, that hitters really dig in at the plate with minimal fear even tho he throws 98.

living in philly, cole hamels has the same problem. he has great stuff, but throws everything over the plate or on the outer third, so batters just dig in, know the zone his pitches will usually be in, and swing away. he still has decent numbers, but not reflective of the "potential" or stuff that he really has.

he is also too mild-mannered and aid back and tries to be cute on the mound instead of that bulldog attitude and i am concerned gerrit cole might be that same southern calif style and mentality as well, although he did get feisty on a couple occasions. hopefully as he matures, becomes the ace, and demands his place amongst the leagues elite, that attitude will emerge, but it never did at UCLA and i am concerned it won't in the mlb either.

 

[Darkstone42]

There are a lot of folks arguing now that the Pirates shouldn't throw inside as much as they do unless their pitchers have elite control first. They say the Pirates should expect retaliatory intention HBPs because the Pirates are dangerous to play against due to their pitching philosophy, that it's irresponsible.

I call BS on that, of course. Have the Bucs injured anyone but Goldschmidt this season? Most of the hit by pitches I remember are curveballs to the thigh, which almost never result in injury. Just because more guys get hit doesn't mean more guys get injured.

An intentional HBP, on the other hand, is often targeted to a vulnerable spot and tends to be a fastball. Those just seem more intuitively dangerous to me. And I hate it when the Pirates do it. (Not just because of the danger, but also because it gives the other team a free baserunner.)

I love our organizational philosophy. It makes for better pitchers.

 

[sychmd]

throw inside.
if you don't like it, then get on base and force the action so the pitcher can't waste pitches or put on base runners. the pitcher needs to own the whole plate to be successful.

mob can cut down on the HBP and level of aggression of pitchers if they actually called the real strike zone instead of the 65% version they do with anything above the navel being a ball most of the time.
give the pitchers the whole strike zone and they wouldn't have to demand the cormners so much.

 

[calsnowskier]

I know he is a couple years removed from your org, but what was your thought on Hunter Strickland when you guys had him? Was he even on your radar at the time of the DFA?

Really not trying to rub dirt on the wound, I am just trying to get some background on him.

Thanks