wtf at first base

[Illinest]

mlb trade rumors reports that the Pirates pursuit of Lee has cooled off since they traded for McGehee.

That's it. Rant ON motherfuckers.
McGehee is abso-fucking-lutely NOT a 'solution' at first base. You want to call him a bounceback candidate? Fine. Insurance for Alvarez at third? Fine. Bench pickup? Fine. Platoon player? Fine.

But don't go telling your fans that Casey fucking McGehee is your solution at first base. Shit - he's not even half of a solution. Even as the weak half of a platoon with Jones we'd still be getting shit production from our firstbasemen. What the fuck is up with this shit for brains general manager?


OH and the worst part is that I would've been pissed if Derek Lee was their solution. Derek Lee isn't even a good solution, but at least he's a competent player who has an outside shot at a big year. I'm sitting here all week thinking "Gee I wonder if the Pirates are really going to get someone better than Lee or if Lee will be the new Overbay?"
I hate this shit. Even when my expectations for the team are low that ginger-haired con-man still finds a way to disappoint me. What kind of fucked up moron thinks that making a trade for a backup third-baseman is also the solution to the gaping chasm at first? I mean - Jesus-tittyfucking Christ you'd think he'd learn eventually. First base is the place where you put your guys who can hit the ball. It's not the place where you put contact-hitting vets whose career is almost done. It's not the place where you put failed catching prospects who never would've been a prospect in the first place if there wasn't some misplaced hope that he could stay behind the plate. It's not the place where you put fat converted third-basemen who sucked balls all of 2011 either. Shit. Even if by some miracle McGehee or Clement or Jones or whatever odd fucker just tears the cover off the ball I wouldn't take it as proof of that ginger fucks success. I'd say that he succeeded in spite of his stupid decision-making.


/rant

Ya know what? I hope I'm over-reacting. Really do. I hope ginger pulls something halfway encouraging out of his ass and we can all laugh at my expense.
But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[element1286]

I still don't know about Lee, he hit great as a Pirate in the limited time he was here, but he still has only put .774 and .771 OPSs in the past two seasons, which is medicore at best for a first basemen.

I'm not saying that I don't think he is an upgrade over what they have, but he provides no flexibility, because he has to play first base and he isn't going to come back if he isn't going to be the everyday first basemen.

To your second point, who is the upgrade? There was Pujols and Fielder, after that is Pena. There really isn't much out there, there aren't a multitude of .800+ OPS firstbasemen sitting out there without a job. If they don't get Lee or Pena, there isn't a way to upgrade.

 

[evolver115]

Well said. I think you could say a lot of the same things about their starting rotation.

Can Kevin Correia repeat his successful first half of 2011, or will he continue where he left off with his miserable second half of last season? Charlie Morton, James McDonald and Jeff Karstens all had career seasons, last year. All three pitched the most innings in one season in their careers, and Karstens shattered pretty much every relative pitching stat he has. Can any of these three continue their success? Of the three, only McDonald bested his first half numbers after the All-Star break.

I'd say McDonald and Morton have the greatest likelihood of continued success, but at the end of the day, are either of these two greater than a #3 in a pitching rotation? I'd have to say no. I also have my doubts that Kartens can continue to do what he did, last season, only because he really did have a career year. IMO, Jeff reached the ceiling of his abilities.

That leaves us with the oft-injured Eric Bedard. A very good sign by 'Ginger', but he has durability issues. He could turn out to be one of the best FA's signed to play here in years, or he could end up on the DL for two months, or more.

Starting pitching is everything in baseball. You gotta have a reliable and durable rotation if you hope to win. With Morton on the mend, and Correia left to rebuild his confidence, that leaves them with Bedard, McDonald and Karstens.

Excuse me if i'm not jumping for joy over their potential.

 

[thecrow124]

A platoon of McGehee and Jones is just as good as anything we could afford on the open market. Now going back to what I said at the end of last baseball season, I really REALLY wish they had thrown a buttload of money at Fielder, for a long period of time, because it seems like no one else wants to. I would have been very OK with giving him all of our offseason budget.

Now since that isn't happening, I say go out and sign Edwin Jackson, he is the best available player that still fits in our budgetary constraints.

 

[thedddd]

A platoon of McGehee and Jones is just as good as anything we could afford on the open market. Now going back to what I said at the end of last baseball season, I really REALLY wish they had thrown a buttload of money at Fielder, for a long period of time, because it seems like no one else wants to. I would have been very OK with giving him all of our offseason budget.

Now since that isn't happening, I say go out and sign Edwin Jackson, he is the best available player that still fits in our budgetary constraints.

Exactly...There is nothing out there that is an upgrade. Now could they have made a similar deal to the Reds for Alonso no, but finding a prospect like that might be the only way to upgrade.

 

[magnumo]

Superior rant, Illinest. (I say that because you expressed just about all the thoughts which have been going through my mind about this off-season to date.)

On one hand, if everything goes right for the Pirates, they COULD improve over 2011.

On the other, if most of the "if's" don't work out (which seems to be the way it works for the Pirates), 2012 may be another disaster.

We'll know we have a chance when more of the if's start working out. I'm a firm believer in "making one's own luck." In other words, a team which suffers from continuous and ongoing "bad luck" is a team which is not well managed.

 

[evolver115]

A platoon of McGehee and Jones is just as good as anything we could afford on the open market.

I think you are absolutely right about that. There isn't a FA 1st baseman available they can afford that would match what Jones and McGehee should be able to achieve.

I do have a fairly big fear about McGehee, though. He was fortunate to hit where he did during his big year in 2010, when he slugged 23 home runs, with 104 RBI's. Milwaukee is a pretty decent hitter's park, and it didn't hurt for him to hit 5th behind Braun and Fielder, either.

PNC park is not a right-handed hitter's park. And there isn't as much protection that will be hitting in front of McGehee. I really hope his last season isn't a true reflection of his ability, because 2011 saw a lot of major league pitchers figure him out.

 

[Illinest]

First - i did say it was a rant.

Pena and lee are both better options than a jones mcgehee platoon. Reason being pena and lee are pretty consistent everyday performers with a chance to have a bounceback season. If you platoon two guys and one of them gets hurt, or sucks, then the other platoon guy is going to get exposed. If one goes down they both go down in other words. Platoons are best when one guy is clearly capable of playing every day and the other guy is there as a complement. Platooning two weak guys in the hope that theyll be greater than either individual is a low percentage plan.
Beyond that - lee and pena are only the unimaginative choices. Neil can make trades too. A trade is probably the right choice in this situation too. I wont speculate as to who might be available or for what but i know that blocked prospects get moved all the time. Why not to us?

 

[element1286]

Beyond that - lee and pena are only the unimaginative choices. Neil can make trades too. A trade is probably the right choice in this situation too. I wont speculate as to who might be available or for what but i know that blocked prospects get moved all the time. Why not to us?

1000% behind you there.

 

[thecrow124]

I think you are absolutely right about that. There isn't a FA 1st baseman available they can afford that would match what Jones and McGehee should be able to achieve.

I do have a fairly big fear about McGehee, though. He was fortunate to hit where he did during his big year in 2010, when he slugged 23 home runs, with 104 RBI's. Milwaukee is a pretty decent hitter's park, and it didn't hurt for him to hit 5th behind Braun and Fielder, either.

PNC park is not a right-handed hitter's park. And there isn't as much protection that will be hitting in front of McGehee. I really hope his last season isn't a true reflection of his ability, because 2011 saw a lot of major league pitchers figure him out.

I am not overly concerned about McGehee's power, he is not a dead pull hitter and a lot of his HR's go to right center. I also don't think he has 20 HR potential in our line-up, but then again the only person I do think has that kind of power is McCutchen. Alvarez may have the power to do it, but is so completely lost that he is of no use. Maybe he should bat 8th and see if pitchers would pitch around his potential power and walk him a ton.

 

[sychmd]

On one hand, if everything goes right for the Pirates, they COULD improve over 2011.

On the other, if most of the "if's" don't work out (which seems to be the way it works for the Pirates), 2012 may be another disaster.

We'll know we have a chance when more of the if's start working out. I'm a firm believer in "making one's own luck." In other words, a team which suffers from continuous and ongoing "bad luck" is a team which is not well managed.

2012 will be about if's as any new year is for every team. sometimes the if's work and sometimes they fall flat. most often, somewhere in between. what any team is looking at is the probability of the if's happening at particular levels of success.

it seems over the last couple years, the pirates are bringing in if's that have a better probability of having decent levels of success than the options of the previous years. this year seems again like higher probability of more of our players having better years than the ones we lined up in those positions last year, both at the beginning of the year, and who we had at the end of the year.

look at indianapolis colts - they thought 100% probability peyton would have an average peyton year.
look at the phillies last year - all stars everywhere except C and the ebest starting staff of all time. not even in the final four.
our if's are getting better, but not sure if our mangement/player development is good enough to maximize probability of the if-ness that each of our better players have.

 

[steelparrot]

There is a fat firstbaseman putting everyone else in a holding pattern, including possible trades.

Lee and Pena arent going to sign with anyone until he signs somewhere.

 

[thedddd]

Morales just re-upped for less than 3 million. Super cheap and would like to see an effort on a trade discussion. Just my wishful thinking.

 

[magnumo]

We're seeing more and more messages in the media indicating that the Pirates are finished dealing for this off-season. If that turns out to be true, I will be very unhappy.