Baseball Daily Dose: Daily Dose: Pirates In Peril
Thursday night was the NBA Draft and it brought back painful memories. I remember three years ago on draft night when Danny Ainge broke my heart by trading two of the greatest Celtics of all-time, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, to the Brooklyn Nets.
At the time, it felt like a punch to the gut. But now it all makes sense. Ainge correctly recognized that the Celtics’ six-year reign of dominance was over and opted for a swift rebuild. The Celtics aren’t a championship contender yet but they’re back in the mix as one of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference.
That story has nothing to do with baseball, but it’s a good lesson in knowing when to press the reset button. We see teams make this mistake all the time. For example, the Phillies kept their core of Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and Jimmy Rollins together for almost a decade. While I’m sure fans appreciated their loyalty, the stars overstayed their welcome, leaving the team a mess for years to come.
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The Pirates are approaching a similar crossroads. They’re not there yet, though. Even after losing 13 of their last 15 including a 5-3 defeat to the Giants on Thursday, Pittsburgh is still only five games out in the NL Wild Card. With 89 games remaining, the Pirates have plenty of time to right the ship. I just don’t think they will.
Let’s take a little inventory. Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte have both shined this season, but aside from them, what else can the Pirates hang their hat on? Superstar Andrew McCutchen has been mired in a season-long slump. Catching has been a nightmare with Francisco Cervelli sidelined (broken hand). The bullpen has been a revolving door. Even the starting rotation hasn’t lived up to expectations. In a division where the Cubs could push for 100 wins and the Cardinals are always a threat, it just doesn’t feel like the Pirates’ year.
But when will it be the Pirates’ year? The Cubs aren’t going anywhere. Neither are the Giants or Nationals. That puts the Pirates in a difficult position. They’re not far enough behind to throw in the towel but not close enough to seriously compete with the heavy hitters of the National League. Welcome to baseball purgatory.
The good news is the Pirates still have a month to ride this out. Maybe McCutchen will find his stroke and the team will rattle off a few victories, narrowing the gap in the NL Central. Maybe Francisco Liriano will stumble upon the fountain of youth and reenergize the starting rotation. The Pirates won 98 games last season with most of the same players they have now. A return to relevance wouldn’t be out of the question.
But if nothing changes in a month, the Pirates have to seriously think about going the Danny Ainge route and blowing it all up. Liriano is one name that has already surfaced in trade rumors. It feels like he’s been around forever but Liriano is still just 32 and teams always seem to covet left-handed starters.
Before this year, Liriano had posted an ERA below 3.40 in each of his previous three seasons. Maybe a change of scenery is all he needs. The Orioles, a team loaded with offensive talent but light on starting pitching, have already thrown their hat in the ring. The Pirates should think about unloading Liriano now before his trade stock gets any lower. Over his last five starts, he’s 0-4 with a pitiful 6.92 ERA. Of course, the opposite might be true as well. If Liriano can string together a few good outings, his trade value is bound to rise.
While most of his teammates have underachieved this year, closer Mark Melancon has put together another stellar season, converting 20-of-21 save opportunities with a blistering 1.59 ERA. Melancon may not throw as hard as other late-inning arms (his fastball averages 91.5 mph), but his pinpoint control (only eight walks this season) and devastating cutter continue to keep hitters off balance.
Melancon is in his walk year and the low-budget Pirates are unlikely to overspend on a reliever, no matter how dominant. With Melancon already on his way out, it makes sense for the Pirates to dangle him as trade bait. The Nationals were looking to beef up their pen even before Jonathan Papelbon went down with an intercostal strain. Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman seem to be their primary focus, but Melancon wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. The Cubs are also in the market for a top reliever, though the Pirates probably aren’t keen on doing business with a division rival.
Melancon and Liriano could probably bring back some interesting pieces but if the Pirates really want to make a splash, it wouldn’t hurt to gauge interest in Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen. It’s probably not ideal timing—Cole is on the disabled list with a strained triceps while McCutchen is in the midst of one of his worst seasons—but imagine the kind of prospects Pittsburgh could land in a trade of that magnitude. The farm would be set for years.
Don’t get your hopes up, though. GM Neal Huntington recently told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that a McCutchen trade is “not on our radar” while Jon Heyman of TodaysKnuckleBall.com was told there’s “zero chance” the Pirates will move Cole. Even if the Pirates don’t turn the corner by July 31, McCutchen and Cole are probably staying put.
It’s not all doom and gloom in Pittsburgh, though. Jameson Taillon was masterful in defeating the Mets last week, holding the reigning NL Champs to two hits over eight shutout innings. Now that his Tommy John surgery is behind him, the 24-year-old looks like he’s well on his way to becoming an ace. The Pirates also have a prodigy in the minor leagues in 22-year-old Tyler Glasnow. The 6’8” right-hander has made a mockery of Triple-A hitters this year, holding opponents to a .174 average with 100 strikeouts in 84 innings of work. He leads the International League in both strikeouts and ERA (1.61). Even if the Pirates aren’t hitting, their starting rotation should be in good shape for years to come.
If the Pirates do opt for a clean slate by trading away some of their stars, it would signal the end of an era that could have been so much more. The Pirates have made the playoffs three years in a row while averaging 93 wins during that span. But they’ve lost the Wild Card game in back-to-back seasons and have never made it past the Divisional Round. It reminds me of the A’s and Twins teams of the early 2000s that made the playoffs every year but were never a real threat to win it all. Pittsburgh fans were hoping for more, but at least the Steel City still has Sidney Crosby.
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Quick Hits: Adrian Sampson’s second MLB start was over before it began. The right-hander exited with elbow discomfort after only throwing two warmup pitches. Vidal Nuno replaced him and lasted 3 1/3 innings … Noah Syndergaard has been cleared to make his next start Monday against Washington. He left Wednesday’s game early due to elbow discomfort … Yoenis Cespedes took a seat Thursday after receiving a cortisone shot on Wednesday. He’s been battling a sprained wrist … Willson Contreras made his big league debut at first base Thursday. He filled in for Anthony Rizzo, who was out with back stiffness. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Contreras could also see time in the outfield … Trevor Plouffe exited Thursday’s game with a strained groin. The Twins ended up losing 7-3, snapping the Phillies’ nine-game losing streak … The Red Sox placed Chris Young on the disabled list after he left Thursday’s game with a strained right hamstring. Bryce Brentz is expected to fill his spot on the active roster … Travis Shaw wasn’t in the Red Sox’s starting lineup Thursday but he entered the game as a pinch-hitter and played the final few innings in left field. Shaw had been out with a shin contusion after fouling a ball off his leg earlier this week … Joey Votto didn’t start Thursday’s game because of the flu but he did return as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning. He struck out in his lone at-bat … The Royals released Omar Infante on Thursday. The veteran second baseman was designated for assignment last week … You’ve probably heard the rumors about Jose Reyes looking to reunite with the Mets. Well they’re more than just rumors. Newsday’s Marc Carig said he’d be “surprised at this point if Reyes ends up somewhere else.” If the Mets sign Reyes, they’ll likely send him to the minor leagues to learn how to play third base … Cuban infielder Yulieski Gurriel is set to work out with the Mets next week. The 32-year-old held a private workout for the Dodgers on Tuesday. Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said the team has done its “homework” on Gurriel but it’s unclear if the team plans to bring him in for a workout … Homer Bailey (Tommy John surgery) will begin a rehab assignment for Triple-A Louisville on Monday. Bailey is expected to throw about two innings on Monday and will likely need at least five starts before he’s cleared to return to the major leagues … Jon Gray plans to make his next start Monday against Toronto. Gray had his last start cut short because of shoulder fatigue … Brad Ziegler’s streak of 43 consecutive saves ended Thursday against the Rockies. Arizona scored a run in the ninth inning to give Ziegler his second win of the season … Starling Marte wasn’t in the Pirates’ starting lineup Thursday against San Francisco. He’s been limited to pinch-hitting since injuring his left foot on Tuesday … Ryan Vogelsong threw off the slope of the mound on Thursday. It’s the first time he’s done that since getting hit in the face by a pitch last month.
