Pirates Finish 82-80… Now What Comes Next?

Yo, welcome to the north shore nine podcast presented by fan duel.

This is Bucco Brew powered by Defer coffee and tea I'm your host anthony dinardo with we got jim Rosati and jim Happy first monday of the off season ish Yeah,

crazy season's over Who knows who knows next time we see a pirates game but we do the mlb playoffs coming up.

So, there's still a little bit A little bit more baseball left to be played.

Just unfortunately, no pirates in the postseason.

No pirates.

Yeah, man.

It just feels so weird again with the season.

I thought it came quick.

This one, for some particular reason, just came super quick.

And now it's over and it's done.

It's sad.

There's no more postgames.

There's no more games to talk about.

It's it.

It's done.

It's over.

But, as it ends here, we look and the Phillies are the third place wildcard team and eighty eight wins.

That's what it took this year.

Eighty eight to do so.

Pirates do finish at eighty two.

So they do technically have a winning season.

So there's that for whatever it's worth.

But they were able to squeak out the eighty two wins this year, just slightly below our predictions.

Yeah, and I think that checks out too.

I think if a few more things would have gone right for this team, I think all of us would have been right where they were supposed to be.

It's just too many things didn't go right.

A lot of things went right this year.

And again, they had an eleven-win improvement over last season, but they didn't have enough things go right.

No, it was weird.

it was a weird season though, for sure.

Because I felt like they overachieved immensely in some areas and then greatly over, or I'm sorry, greatly underachieved in other areas.

again, we thought coming into this season, you thought the pitching was going to be really good.

the bullpen was definitely a shade below the starting pitching, but nothing to like worry about.

And the offense, we felt like, all you're going to do is become average.

And we felt like, they probably could be average.

They probably could be average.

And this offense exploded and this pitching, we saw what it was.

So it's weird because, ultimately they came right about where we thought they would be, but in a much different path.

Yeah.

they, if you would have told me at the beginning of the year that this team went eighty two and eighty, that would have been extremely believable based off of everything that they did,

the team that they put together.

Eighty-two and eighty sounded pretty much about right.

I think Fangraphs had the Pirates right around eighty wins.

maybe eighty one wins so like that the projection systems out there nailed it for the pirates this year I think zips had them at like seventy nine or eighty fan graphs

was at eighty or eighty one like so they were they were they were right around that mark so Yeah, it's over.

It was a fun season.

It was a frustrating season.

It was a stressful season, part of the first stressful season that we've had here on the podcast.

Yeah, it was one of the seasons of all time, DiNardo.

Yeah.

By the way, because I saw people trolling Fangraphs last night.

Actually, Fangraphs had them at eighty-four.

Because they had them second in the division above the Brewers, if you recall, at eighty-two wins.

Yeah, that worked out well.

So, yeah.

Again, think about this.

The Pirates finished sixth in MLB and runs scored.

I never would have believed that.

If you told me that at the beginning of the year, I never would have believed that.

You're joshing me.

Who are you from the future?

You're wrong.

But that's where they were.

And again, think about that.

If you were also told before the beginning of the year that the Pirates would finish sixth in runs scored, well, I'm booking my tickets to the World Series.

So, again, that's how odd this season was.

Not all things fell apart.

Not all things went wrong.

There was a lot of things that also went really right for them.

It's just when you combine them all, that's where they all equaled each other out, more or less.

And they became the team that you thought that they were going to be at the end of the day.

So, anyways, yeah, it's a win.

Season is over.

Obviously, the Diamondbacks finished above them and the Pirates in the NL standings.

I guess we should talk about, what this means for twenty twenty seven for whatever games that will be played in twenty twenty seven.

still, Jim, the one thing again, you can tear this team apart in ways you can, uplift them in many ways, regardless of however you feel this team.

From the get go.

Resilient.

And they felt the whole way through.

this team did fight.

This team did play the whole way through.

And they finished strong.

and there is at least something to say for the group of players about that.

Yeah, they...

I think for the first time in a long time, like we actually saw significant improvement too.

Like they were certainly resilient throughout the year.

And it was, it was evident every time they got kicked in the teeth.

Cause this was a five hundred ball club is what it turned out being right.

And all year long, it was as soon as they fell, a game below five hundred, they would they would win and they would get back and they would win two in a row and then go back a game and then they'd lose.

And then it was just back and forth, back and forth.

There was really just one prolonged stretch where it didn't it didn't go for him.

And that ultimately, led to their downfall because they did get hot at the end of the year like when september came they had an outstanding september but yeah they i think you got to give

them and this isn't saying we should be celebrating any of this but they made significant improvements this year

certain players made significant improvements this year.

I think a lot of players who we had questions about, we don't have as many questions about now.

You look at the rotation.

I keep going back to Jared Jones.

Like, Jared Jones, as much as we believed in Jared Jones, Jared Jones was a question mark heading into this year.

Right.

he had the electric stuff, the electric start to his career, but then he tapered off towards the end of that season.

And then he got hurt.

And I was like, well, who is he now?

No, nobody knows.

So him coming back and doing what he did was a big deal.

I think you've got less question marks about Bubba Chandler now.

I think you've got less question marks about Braxton Ashcraft now.

On the offensive side, I think you finally saw what Oneil Cruz is capable of doing when healthy.

It was a big bounce back year for Bryan Reynolds.

I don't think we had any question marks on Ryan O'Hearn really, but he ended up being everything that we needed him to be, if not more.

He's coming back.

Rafael Flores, in the time that we saw him, looked really good.

Esmerlyn Valdez, in the time that we saw him, looked really good.

He had his rough patches, but overall, good rookie year.

Again, he's a rookie.

Yeah.

Nick Gonzales had a nice season at the plate.

Not necessarily in the field, but nice season at the plate.

Finished above .300.

So, yeah, like I said, there were some significant steps forward taken this year.

both from a team standpoint like this was really the first time we saw players come up and like immediately contribute right off the bat like so like that's a

developmental win for this for this organization is that like they were able to plug-in holes with internal options that they developed.

That was a nice thing to see because we haven't seen something like that in a long time.

Lots of things to look at and say, you know what?

I like this.

I like this.

I like this.

There were some things that I didn't like, but I do have to give them some credit here because They did a lot of things good this

year.

Yeah.

Did you even bring up Mason Montgomery?

Didn't even bring up Mason Montgomery.

Yeah.

Or Konnor Griffin.

I didn't say Konnor Griffin's name either.

But yeah, man.

Mason Montgomery also.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

So, yes, there was certainly a lot of individual things that took place this year.

It makes you a lot more comfortable about twenty twenty seven.

Like, actually, I think it was here in the chat.

The commission says this is the first time in at least a decade.

The words I wouldn't hate running back.

This whole team obviously needs a few tweaks, but doesn't have to be substantial.

And I think that is truth.

it is truth.

Like last year, you needed to have a complete overhaul on the offense.

And in overhauling the offense, you had also hope that's what gets players that you are depending on back on track, like Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz and such, right?

And this year, you feel good about everyone that already exists.

They're the people that you need to be good.

You feel good about.

Paul Skenes might be the only player that fits into that category.

Much different way than I felt, you're thinking of Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz last year, but Paul Skenes is probably the only one that truly fits into that category.

And even that being said, it's not as if he was, everyone's worried about Paul Skenes and how the awful of the season he had, it was still above average.

like we're also talking about like Bryan Reynolds was bad last year.

Oneil Cruz was bad last year.

weren't above average hoping to become cy young or mvp type winners they were they're actually bad so honestly like even if you got this version of Paul Skenes next year you still feel comfortable with everything now of course you want him to take that step back

where he wasn't last year in the year before and be that dude again and i think that's there but what i'm alluding to is like if Bryan Reynolds and no Oneil Cruz were those guys this year you're not entertaining this type of a season

They had to become that player.

And most of the guys that you are depending on to do that are.

So going into next year, I do think that's the case here.

We don't know what's going to happen to Brandon Lowe.

If he comes back, that's a huge win.

If he doesn't, you're probably looking at Nick Gonzales at second.

That definitely exposes, third base.

regardless, you need to get a third baseman here.

You need, like, a lefty bullpen arm for sure.

And just some pieces.

Just some pieces.

And make sure you can alleviate that issue that, hey, injuries happen in baseball teams all the time.

All the time.

Injuries aren't an excuse because they happen to everybody.

Literally everybody.

So you just have to make sure you do enough to avoid that.

And you probably got yourself a playoff team next year.

there's definitely a path to getting there.

Right.

it's this season again, like so many things needed to go right for them to get to ultimately what would have been needed was eighty eight to eighty nine

wins.

Right.

To actually beat the Phillies.

So, yeah, it, that's even with all the bullpen issues, even with the injuries, even with Skenes like seven more wins is a lot.

It's a lot of, it's a lot of wins.

so even if everything had gone right, I don't know if this team even gets to eighty nine.

They're close maybe.

but yeah, at the end of the day, they got a lot better.

Still wasn't good enough.

All signs point now to everybody returning this year.

And, this is like, you don't get another chance though.

After year eight, like this is it.

I know that we went through this season, but like, you can't get another get eight, seven wins next year.

Yeah.

There's no, there's no other chance, right?

Like it's, you either make the post season next year or you're done.

Like when you, a slight improvement next year and still missing out is not going to cut it.

they have to, they have to get to the post season next year, but Jim, it was a season that was cut short.

It was wonky.

Now like COVID, anyone can get in and, we missed the playoffs by one, but maybe they do that COVID-sickness.

I don't care.

of us, twenty-two teams.

Just give us the play.

I don't care how it happens.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I don't know.

We'll see what ends up happening there, but yeah, there's no more excuses.

There's no more excuses for these guys.

This is it.

And I felt this way, two years ago, but here we are two years later.

Gotta say the same thing, apparently, because yeah, everybody's gonna be back.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Outside of that, anything else that you want to talk about here?

No, I agree, though, that this team doesn't need...

You don't need anything too major to happen here.

There is going to have to be internal improvement, like Zach says.

Guys are going to have to just continue to get better.

Brandon Lowe's a big what if I'm not holding my breath that Brandon Lowe comes back.

I think he had too good of a season that there are going to be other teams out there that you just quite simply cannot outbid his services for his services.

So it would be outstanding if they could get Lowe back.

But I just look back in the history of the world, everybody.

When was the last time that there was a highly regarded free agent out there and he signed with the Pirates?

Like, name one time.

It doesn't happen, right?

Like, if there's somebody who is as wanted as Brandon Lowe is going to be this offseason...

The Pirates can offer whatever they want.

One of the big boys are going to offer them more.

And they can go higher.

That's just how it is.

So I hate to put a damper on everybody's Monday, but I would put the chances of Brandon Lowe returning at less than five percent.

That's how I feel.

And again, that also probably has to happen.

with a Mitch Keller trade.

They're going to have to do something.

Bringing Brandon Lowe back is also part two of the process.

They've got to be able to trade Mitch Keller, likely to even entertain it.

And then it comes down to, is it worth trading Mitch Keller at his lowest to basically get nothing out of Mitch Keller to also bring back Brandon Lowe?

Again, though, I will say this.

But also, like I said, you can...

You're going to be able to offer Brandon Lowe whatever you can, and someone's going to offer higher.

Quite likely, yeah.

But again, I do want to state this, as I said before.

Like, yes, I want Brandon Lowe back, but I don't think it's the end of the world situation if they don't.

there's other ways you can replace him.

And I think that you could do it correctly.

It's just, you have to do those things also.

like I mentioned, like I think if you bring in a right-handed bat in the outfield, and you're also bringing like a third baseman, like it can be done and you might be able to do it and better yourself than having Brent allow back.

It's just, you got to do those right things.

And again, you have to do stuff that would bring Brent allow back, but just in other ways.

And, you're giving that Brandon Lowe way a five percent chance.

And there's probably a five percent chance they do the other thing as well.

So, yeah, like that's the thing you run into here.

And right.

I'm not expecting to bring back Brandon Lowe, but I will say this.

It is awesome seeing the support that he's getting around this team and to bring Brandon Lowe back.

Now.

The guys that usually mean something into doing that.

typically have deaf ears, so I don't think that's going to really do much or change much.

But it is awesome seeing all the players giving the support they have to bring Brandon Lowe back.

It just shows what he means in that clubhouse.

Yeah, and we'll get more into what's next in terms of the roster at the end of this show, and then we'll dive more into Brandon Lowe there.

But yeah, I don't think there's a whole lot that needs to be done here.

I don't either.

Again, like for the first time in a long time, you can definitely say that.

There's not a whole lot.

They do have a very good core in place that you feel comfortable with.

It's just we need to make sure they take that next step.

Yep.

And get to the playoffs.

Yeah.

Is it Sporcle time?

Yeah.

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Got my new coffee this weekend, actually.

All right.

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right thanks alex for our yearly Sporcle quiz fifty three players though this year jim yeah this is so i think this is going to be

I don't know.

I feel, I said, I said this yesterday.

I feel confident.

I feel pretty confident.

I haven't looked at anything.

I tried.

I know there's some people in the discord who were talking about this last night.

I made sure to like totally avoid all of those conversations.

so I can come in this with a clear mind.

but yeah, as we do every single year on the Bucco Brew following the season, We are going to name every single Pittsburgh Pirate who played in the twenty

twenty six season and see if we can do it.

Fifty three players.

I feel like it's less than less than, years past.

Maybe not.

But I feel like last year was like sixty seven or something.

It was crazy.

Maybe it's.

Yeah, it's well, fifty three seems a little more doable.

Yeah.

But yeah, I'm excited.

I also switched over because I don't want to see any of the chat.

like feel free to help and yell out names but i'm not gonna look at the comments right now let me remove those maybe at the at the very end i'll switch over if we need any help but

but yeah let's try to let's try to do this without the chat for first off so yeah you ready let's do it let's do it okay

All right.

I think we start off just going position by position like we normally do.

Catcher.

So let's go Davis.

Let's go Bart.

Let's go Andy.

Let's go Flores.

And our boy Sean.

Sean Ross.

And did Christian Bethancourt ever play?

He was on the team, but he never played.

So Christian Bethancourt did not play.

That was the one catcher I was like, I'm not really sure.

Oh, okay.

Yep.

So catcher's done.

All right.

We got Horwitz.

We got O'Hearn.

Who else played first?

I guess like Nicky Yorke played first.

Triolo played first.

Jacob Gonzalez played first for a minute.

but that's probably about it.

Brandon Lowe, of course it's second.

Wow.

Gonzalez.

You hit all the other ones.

Oh, Nick Callihan.

Yes.

we hit Yorke Callihan.

Stop.

We'll go ahead and do Ronny Simon.

I think, I don't know if he played second, but Alika never came up.

I was thinking, too, he never got promoted.

He was in AAA the whole year until he got traded.

Yeah.

All right.

Third base.

We got Gonzalez.

We got Triolo.

Callihan.

Callihan.

Brannigan.

Oh, yep.

Brannigan.

Did... That's it.

Did Davis Wenzel ever get promoted?

Yes.

Well... Yes, he did.

Davis Wenzel.

Was he third base?

Yeah, he's infield.

Okay.

I think that's it, though.

I think that's it.

I do, too.

Shortstop, Griffin.

Conner.

And then everyone else we already named.

Yeah.

All right.

Outfield.

So we got Reynolds, Cruz.

Did you put O'Hearn?

I got O'Hearn in there, yeah.

You did.

Let's go ahead and throw Ozuna in there.

All right.

Mangum.

yeah Cook, Yorke you already said Yorke we said simon you said there's gotta be

more is that it oh the password oh shit yeah Who else?

Let's see.

Was there any dudes who played a random week?

I'm trying to remember.

This might be it.

I think it is.

We're at twenty-four.

Yeah, I think that's it.

I can't think of anybody else.

At least not right now.

Okay.

Pitchers.

Skenes.

Jones.

Keller.

Chandler.

Braxton.

Ashcraft.

That's basically the rotation.

We'll throw Mlodzinski in there.

Yeah.

Dotel, Kelly, Bachar.

Barco.

Barco.

Obviously, Mason Montgomery.

Montgomery, Soto, Sisk, Eisert, Weaver.

Santana.

Santana.

Mattson.

Ramirez.

Who's the Brandon Boudoir?

Yes.

I'm stuck.

Justin Lawrence.

Lawrence.

That's a good one.

All right.

One, two, three, four, five.

Cam Sanders.

Oh, Sanders.

Murdock.

Yes.

Murdock.

Doval.

Did you say Doval?

Doval.

Good one.

Yates.

Yates.

Oh.

Meatball Ron.

meatball Ron Marin nas yo one two three four laughs Harrington never did right or did he did Harrington

is one yeah no he didn't Harrington never pitched we got Barco who else

Or Katie.

Oh, shoot.

Yes.

There's some C's and D's.

S or a T. Got Sisk, Skeen, Soto.

Got Santana.

All right, we're missing three nitty gritty time.

Who are we missing?

Trying to think of relievers.

relievers.

Oh, cargo pants.

cargo pants.

Yeah, the picture of the long hair.

Yeah, you do.

The TikTok.

Oh, Devenski.

Yes.

Devenski.

All right.

No, that's good.

That's a good pull.

All right.

Two more.

Shoot.

Come on.

Oh, my God.

I know it's going to be somebody that we shouldn't miss.

There's an obvious choice that we're missing.

I'm sure there is.

Shoot.

All right.

I'm trying to go through AAA pitchers.

i'm gonna cry all right do we want to go to the comments for help we have three and a half minutes still yeah but also be a very boring three and a half minutes to listen to right now all right i'm gonna switch over i'm gonna

switch over well then i'll switch over too all right we're Semien woods richardson someone's saying oh all right we're trying to

trying to do this i don't think anyone's said it zach says re-acquired reliever oh no we did a minor league

podcast on them Oh, Khristian Curtis.

Khristian Curtis.

Holy hell.

How did we forget Khristian Curtis?

We were there for his Major League debut.

I saw his Major League debut.

Damn it.

All right.

So now it's an SRT.

Well, we had Cam Sanders.

Reacquired reliever.

Wasn't Cam Sanders the Joey Bart trade?

Oh!

No, it was Hunter Stratton.

Yep.

Hunter Stratton.

Damn.

There we go.

Nailed it.

I feel like we did all right there.

Not like I knew that we were missing an obvious one, which was Curtis.

I'm a little disappointed here.

Those last two.

I'm not, but still like fifty one to fifty three, before we went to the comments and started getting.

Yeah.

no one gave any names, so that's good.

Yeah, I think we did have to have need to be led to the water.

So yeah, that's true.

Like we just needed a couple of hints for those two.

So that's always fun.

But like, here's the thing.

And as we saw.

And I think why we're confident was they're like mostly decent ballplayers.

They were, they were less, just less random.

Yeah.

Right.

And again, the fact that there wasn't this whole rash of injuries and such.

So it's like, you didn't have to also know, sixty seven players, like you had to pass.

Fifty three is a little more doable.

Yeah.

I'm mad that we missed, though.

I know.

We had Khristian Curtis on the show.

We had Khristian Curtis on the show with us back in March.

And you did that run there.

You said, don't tell Kelly.

I was like, that's all the AAA guys.

It wasn't.

Yeah, how do we get Murdock and not Curtis?

My bad.

I'm embarrassed.

I'm embarrassed.

Next year, we're going to do it.

The worst part is I know that Khristian Curtis' dad is an avid watcher, viewer, listener.

He's going to stop watching us.

Sorry, Mr. Curtis.

Sorry, Mr. Curtis.

I don't know how I missed it.

unbelievable i know next time you know what it's just it's a lot of names Devenski was a good one though yeah like i don't know if i would have gotten Devenski i would have

completely forgot about that i started i started like going back and trying to refresh and think about the beginning of the year because again like i know the reliever landscape was a little bit different And, thinking like who we thought about who's going to make the opening day roster.

Cause I think at least I was, I thought Devenski had a really good opportunity of making it, opposed to other people.

So I think that's why, but again, I couldn't remember him.

Like I remember interviewing him.

And then again, like the cargo shorts thing is we interviewed Devenski too.

Yeah.

Behind the scenes, we've talked about the whole cargo shorts.

Yes.

it's that is a topic that we never brought up on the podcast.

I don't think, but I think everybody's well aware of the Chris Devenski shenanigans that took place this season.

And, Yeah, maybe that's something, maybe next year.

Allegedly.

Maybe next year, one of the things that we work on as a podcast is getting into the more, let's get into more of the shenanigans, the off-the-field shenanigans that we haven't discussed.

I feel like we could have had a good segment on the Chris Devenski piece, and we passed it.

Probably.

You know what?

Yes, let's do that.

Yeah.

And there's nine TMZ.

Yeah.

My sister, actually, she always jokes that she wants to start a rival podcast and call it Nonsense Nine, where they just talk about just complete

nonsense.

And maybe we steal that from her, and we just make that a segment.

We make a Nonsense Nine segment where we talk about nonsense.

This would be peak in, like, Yeah, I think, yeah, Christy, if you're listening, I'm just going to steal that idea from you.

Sorry.

Boom.

That's how we get to the top, baby.

Anyways.

All right.

Well, there's that.

Want to move on to the next segment?

Let's do it.

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All right.

Well, we've already talked about Cherington returning.

We've already talked about Kelly, expected to be back.

Ben Cherington did speak to the media in Detroit this past weekend, talked about, a few things that the club needs to work on, obviously this off season.

And, He mentioned, better run prevention, particularly defensively.

And that was something that we talked about, especially in the first half of the year, a lot, because we were trying to figure out like what's wrong with Paul Skenes.

Cause you looked at a lot of the numbers and like, yeah, the velocity was down.

Yeah.

The crispness of his pitches was off the command seemed off, but like overall, like all the expected stats were there.

And so we were like, well, it's obviously the defense that it's the defense, obviously there was more to it than that, but the defense did play a part.

Like there's, there are multiple, there are multiple ways that you prevent runs from occurring, right?

One of them is through your pitching.

The other is through your defense and defensively.

They just, They weren't good enough this year, especially at the third base position.

They weren't good.

So definitely need to get better there.

He talked about just needing to get more consistency from the offense.

I took that as you can't just be completely garbage against left-handed pitching.

You need some right-handed hitters who can do something.

but he did say that he expects the coaching staff to remain intact.

He said that Don Kelly is clearly the right person to manage this team.

They are going to hire a scouting director, so Kevin Graves filled in for that this year, but they are going to get somebody there.

And then he did talk about Brandon Lowe, said that it would be a great outcome for them to be able to get him back.

But...

Yeah, I think we're all – I think the two of us are in agreement that as much as you need to do to try to bring Brandon Lowe back, I don't have a lot of faith in that occurring just from –

past history of the last thirty five years.

it's just it's going to be a tough thing unless we come back.

And I'm talking about from the for the current landscape of baseball.

Who knows what this is going to look like on the other side of the CBA?

It's possible that The owners get everything they want.

They get a salary cap.

They get expanded revenue sharing.

The next thing it's quite easy to resign Brandon Lowe because all of a sudden, you've got to spend a bunch of money to reach a salary floor.

There are a lot of things that go into that.

With Brandon Lowe in particular, I could see a big market team throwing a bag at them early this off season, like in November to just no matter what

happens on, he'd be like, Hey Brandon, let's make sure you're set.

Let's make sure you're set CBA, whatever happens, You're likely to get grandfathered into whatever ends up coming.

But yeah, let's go ahead and get this thing inked now.

So I could see that happening.

Well, I don't know how teams are going to operate this offseason, but we did see that a little bit back in twenty twenty one.

I feel like where names signed early.

So, yeah, who knows how that'll go?

But I don't know.

What do you think as far as like.

Obviously, Brandon Lowe is a priority, but biggest things to address this offseason.

Yeah.

And you know what?

Let me just say something here because while you're talking about it made me think.

I want to just let everyone know, I think the mentality right now is when we do talk, we're going to talk as baseball is operating the way it is.

Because I think, yeah, there's a possibility that if the salary cap, if this, if that.

But as of right now, we're just going to always talk like as baseball operates until we get closer and things may be like looking like, hey, it sounds like this really is going to happen.

Then we'll debate.

So like, yes, with that said, I anticipate baseball operating as is right now into next year that I don't foresee Brandon Lowe being back.

as we talked about now, of course, with Doval being claimed and he's gone, there's definitely not coming back.

There's no arbitration or whatnot.

payroll is going to be about ninety three million dollars as a floor with nothing being done next year which means if you're bringing Brandon Lowe back you're probably talking about it's you're at one ten and that's just with Brandon Lowe back right that's not these other things we're

talking about right now right so yeah I really don't really anticipate Brandon Lowe being back so with that said I think naturally Nick Gonzales goes to second so if Nick Gonzales that second

right That'll help him play up.

But you need a third baseman.

And yes, Murph Gray is there.

But same goes for any rookie.

And Murph Gray's also not Konnor Griffin.

That pedigree isn't really there.

So I'm not really anticipating going into...

I look at Murph Gray to some level Esmerlyn Valdez.

Less question marks.

I want to put that out there.

Less question marks.

I'm not comparing the two in that sense.

What I'm comparing is...

Esmerlyn Valdez giving production for this year is icing on the cake, but I shouldn't go into it expecting it because, for one, he's not right there.

Like, he's not a guy that I'm going to entertain that's going to be ready for day one.

He's going to be in the minors still.

He's going to come up.

And just like any rookie, when you come up, you're going to have your struggles.

So, like, if Murph Gray has two hundred to three hundred plate appearances next year, I wouldn't be shocked.

and in those two hundred to three hundred, like, even Konnor Griffin.

Like, Konnor Griffin had a ninety-eight wRC plus.

Like, he wasn't, like, he didn't come up here and just start hurting.

hitting and become a difference maker it's like i can see Murph Gray playing next year but he shouldn't be the answer next year so i would want to make sure i have some type of stop gap good like i'm not just a guy that

can just stand at third base a good player right so i want to get someone at third base next year and again i really believe the way that you replace brandon Lowe is going out there and getting a right-handed corner outfielder who has

some pop And to me, like, you're sitting where you are this year.

And this also allows people to maybe stay more healthy, like Ryan O'Hearn.

He doesn't have to play outfield all the time.

you can switch him up, put him in DH.

You have Horwitz there.

You can put Bryan Reynolds at DH sometimes, and that's where, O'Hearn goes to the outfield here and there occasionally, right, save his leg and stuff.

Like, I think that's the best-case scenario for this team is go out there and get a – legit-ish third baseman who probably has a year like that's a trade maybe that happens and you can do a trade too but maybe that's where you use the funds

that get a corner out foot or such that's why i think this team remains or could potentially even get better offensively because again when you add the right-handed hitter version of

Brandon Lowe that corner outfield to some level then you are evening this offense out some right making it more consistent in that sense so That's, I think, the two pieces, assuming Brent Brandon Lowe goes,

is corner outfielder, third baseman.

So let me ask you this.

So the corner outfielder that you're acquiring or wanting to acquire, are you talking about like an everyday guy?

Are you talking about just someone who can mash lefties from a platoon standpoint?

Because the reason why I'm hesitant on adding like, the reason why I'm a little hesitant on adding like a corner outfielder just because I still believe, like, I believe in Spencer Horwitz, right?

Obviously, Ryan O'Hearn.

I believe in Esmerlyn Valdez, too.

Like, Valdez is a starting outfielder for me.

And then you got Reynolds.

So it's like, I think if you bring in another guy where it's like, you got to give this person six hundred plate appearances, then it gets a little, just a little...

There's a lot of congestion out there in the outfield.

If you're bringing in just someone who can hit lefties and you're not looking to play them every day, that person is going to be a little bit cheaper also as opposed to a premier

corner outfield bat.

I guess just more clarification there.

Are you looking for a starting right fielder essentially or a starting left fielder?

i guess like let me ask you if you talk about that's merlin Esmerlyn Valdez is the guy that hits lefties cruz hits lefties reynolds hits lefties like i don't think you really need a guy like a small side of the platoon in the outfield

like i think you need the guy who's gonna hit righties okay so are you put so you're pushing but i guess or what's out of the lineup like is that what you're doing there

if you're looking at the roster.

Versus lefties.

Not that either of them are great options versus lefties.

That's the thing.

But also, I guess, here's where I'm at also.

This year they didn't do it.

I talked about this at some level.

This year they didn't do it, and I understand why.

It makes sense.

It's rookie year.

Get them comfortable.

But Esmerlyn Valdez can play first base.

Maybe Esmerlyn Valdez is your option here and there.

first base next year versus lefties and that's where this outfielder comes in like i truly would want almost like an everyday outfielder for this ball club but one who is absolutely right-handed i'm

gonna go the dh can rotate in many different ways this gives you certain certainly different options and it evens you a lot yeah i think you go out there and you find a right-handed bat who can play

outfield but like isn't maybe you're in someone that you want every day like someone who can maybe either like play some strong defense but can also hit lefties like someone in that mold and

i'm not saying like go out there and get this guy but i'm looking at like a Jose Siri type guy, right?

Like someone where it's, Hey, you know what?

He can, he can hit.

He can.

if you look at Jose series career, that's just the first name that popped into my head.

Okay.

I don't know.

But like Siri hasn't really been able to hit at all.

So let's go ahead and say no to that.

But like, I'm thinking like a righty, a righty fourth outfielder who can play defense and hit lefties.

Like that's, I'd be, I'd be good with getting that.

I'd be good.

I don't, I don't need to, I guess I don't need to get a start.

To me, that's not like the Brandon Lowe replacement.

Again, like my mind and focus is like, if Brandon Lowe's not coming back, how can we get them?

Cause again, like also corner outfielders a lot cheaper, like, You might not get thirty five home runs, but like if you give me like twenty five, and that's what it production sense.

like it's a less premium position.

There's a little more pop on the corners.

Like I think you get that at a value, opposed to Brandon Lowe.

And that's why I'm going there like.

But you're but you're pushing someone off the team if you're doing that.

Like there's being pushed off the team, Billy Cook.

No, you're pushing Valdez or Horwitz off the team at that point.

Not necessarily off the team, but you're taking at-bats away from those guys.

Right?

you can say, if you're like, you know what, we need to upgrade from Horwitz.

I understand that.

If it's like, hey, you know what?

But both options aren't that strong versus lefties.

Like, if you're going to sit... Right.

But O'Hearn and Horwitz aren't.

But you play lefties.

Forty times a year.

We're talking about one hundred and twenty games.

That you're.

Yeah.

Because like here's like if you go out there and you get a corner outfielder.

Where do you play Spencer Horwitz?

First.

Where do you play O'Hearn?

DH.

Where do you play Reynolds?

Left field.

Where do you play Valdez?

Maybe that's the day he sits.

Is Valdez a complete finished product right now?

I don't know.

he had major struggles.

And I'm not here to poo-poo on Valdez.

I love Valdez.

But also, like, I'm not sure if I'm completely ready to do that.

And Jim, again, like, things tend to work themselves out, too,?

Like, right now, if Valdez is...

But again, like, that's why I think doing this, right?

Like, you free up the DH spot, and that's where everyone can still rotate and get their at-bats.

Like, you're not bringing in Marcell Ozuna again.

like, DH is now open.

So, versus lefties, Valdez is absolutely in, and the fact that he has played, and maybe that's something that works on the ball, you certainly, maybe Pencilman is like, he's maybe the first baseman versus lefties.

he has that possibility.

You open up the door to say, okay, now you will, of course, play first base again this year, on the major league level.

he played at one, did he play an inning there too?

Something, but regardless, like...

I don't know if he played first this year at all, but yeah, he has played at the Penn State.

Yeah, and they said that's not going to happen, and I understand why, and I was cool with it for this year.

But I think next year you open that door back up because the two first basemen that you do have struggle versus lefties.

Valdez crushes lefties.

Okay.

I'm going to say something different then.

I don't think they...

If you get an outfielder, I think you're more upgrading the Billy Cook roster spot.

You're looking at Billy Cook and saying, okay, how do I get a guy in here who can actually mash lefties to take this roster spot so that I can feel comfortable putting him in

there.

plus times a season I can, if I feel comfortable pinch hitting him, the other games late in the game against the left-handed pitcher.

So I think I'm looking for someone like that in the outfield.

if I'm looking to replace Brandon Lowe, I know that it's a market that the Pirates haven't had a ton of success in,

but it seems like a market where the value of guys has been low recently.

And that's going to Japan.

You got Teruaki Sato, who's going to be posted this year.

Now the difference is he's a left-handed bat, but he's a third baseman.

ton of power and we saw with Okamoto we saw with Murakami that these guys

didn't you got him at a deal you got a deal on these guys now maybe that changes because they came they everyone saw what Murakami did this year because i think everybody was just like scared shitless about

Murakami and his strikeout rates and that it wouldn't translate well guess what it translated so maybe the market will get a little hotter this next year but sato seems like a guy who would be a pretty good fit

i think he had over forty homers this year in japan he's twenty seven years old yeah hit three fifteen three ninety two six twenty thirty seven homers this year forty homers last year so like

he's a guy who i think like that's if you're looking to replace Brandon Lowe's production i think that's i think that's your guy and if the market

stays similar to what it's been the last few years.

Like the pirates could assign Murakami this year.

Like that was a possibility.

The money, like if they didn't sign Ozuna, they probably, they probably could have figured out a way to get Murakami.

So like, yeah, let's do something weird.

That's how you replace Brandon Lowe.

It's a lefty bat, but go ahead and get a righty outfielder, fourth outfielder to address that other stuff.

But, Yeah, go out there and make a splash in the international free agent market.

Well, I think what's interesting about that is I never thought about it until right now.

That's going to happen after the CBA.

That's going to be a weird situation.

Because it's not going to happen before.

December second.

done yeah they're usually posted in December and what is it like you have thirty to forty five days or something like that right so that's interesting also is whoever this is

going to be when that's resolved that would open up and then it would sign so you would know what you're getting into so I guess like you're talking about this like there's a chance the Pirates could

they would fall in that situation where it's like well we got to spend money a lot of teams are going to be in that situation I guess when he would be posted too.

So that's also interesting.

It's not a situation where it's like, he will be signed whatever the new rules are for.

So that's, yeah, that's just interesting.

You talk about, like who knows what the value is at that point in time for him because it's a whole new ball game.

Yeah, I think you kick the tires there, and I think you're pretty seriously considering that.

And I love Murph Gray.

I think Murph Gray could potentially be at the third baseman of the future, but you can't bank on Murph Gray.

I think you go out there and you get, like Zach says, you go out there and you get Randal Grichuk as a fourth outfielder.

That solves your lefty pitcher problem.

And then you go out there and you get teruaki sato and that's your brandon Lowe replacement Nick Gonzales slides over to second sato's at third and then lefty reliever here

maybe acquire a lefty starter but yeah that's how i would approach this i think i think there are ways to I think there are ways,

and don't take this as in it's going to be easy to replace Brandon Lowe because it's not.

That's going to be a very difficult thing to do.

How do you make up those thirty-five home runs and five war?

In order to replace Brandon Lowe successfully, Konnor Griffin has to take a big step forward and basically take a lot of that production.

And I think if Oneil Cruz is healthy for his whole season, he can pick up some of that too.

So they're going to need Cruz and Griffin to stay healthy.

And I think they can take some of that production that Brandon Lowe had.

But yeah, I think I wouldn't mind dabbling a little bit in this international market because it seems like those guys aren't getting paid.

Respect.

yeah they're not they're not getting the they're not getting the respect they deserve i feel like and we're getting a more and more of a of a sample size like these guys are for the most part they're coming over here and they're hitting like if you're a

premier hitter in japan for the most part you're coming over here and you're hitting yeah and like i think the biggest thing is with murakami like

There is a lot of, and I was one of them, I want to stay away.

I don't know if that's going to translate over here.

And it did.

So it was like, when you see guys like him coming over and it's still translating, it does make you feel more at ease.

Does the game still play?

Was he the same guy who was in Japan?

No, but he was still a dude over here.

?

Yeah.

The strikeouts were still a major part.

Batting average was, Not great.

Low, right?

Yeah.

But that's what you would expect.

Like him coming over here and translating.

Right.

You know what I'm saying?

Like it was still a lot better than I assumed.

It wasn't like a one ninety hitter hitting twenty home runs.

No, it wasn't like the old version of Joey Gallo before we got DFA.

This is a guy who actually produced.

And like you mentioned, if he was a pirate this year.

A lot better baseball team.

So, with a guy that you even thought like, oh, this ain't going to translate.

And there's a lot of speculation on him if he can be a major league player.

And he did what he did.

I think it does make you feel a little easier about that transition from there to here.

And then, hey, maybe the Pirates can get a nice quote.

I am Japanese.

Yeah, there you go.

Let's, yeah, that's what we need.

That was just fantastic.

That was good.

Oh, moments.

But yeah, there you go.

Sign a player from Japan, make the post season.

There it is.

Unless it's, we won't look at the, but you got to be within the borders of the United States.

You've got to be in America.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's the difference.

Yeah.

Toronto didn't understand that.

So I should have signed Pittsburgh.

There you go.

no, but I said, I think there's there will be moves to be made.

Depending on what happens with the CBA, there could be a lot of moves to be made.

If not, you're going to have to get a little bit more creative.

Like we said at the beginning of the show, I don't think there's a whole lot you got to do, though.

I think you got to address left-handed pitching issue.

I would like to see something happen at third base.

I would like a left-handed starting pitcher, especially if you're going to deal Keller.

And you need a Gregory Soto replacement.

Outside that, I feel good.

And it could be Gregory Soto.

I would be completely fine.

I would actually love bringing Gregory Soto back.

Not only because I think he's actually a good pitcher, but I also want to see Tyler's reaction.

You know what?

No, I'm bored of that.

No, I guess I'll put it this way.

Soto, two-year deal.

I agree, Soto.

Him coming back, being in a role that he should be in, I think he'll excel a lot.

But again, he was good this year.

He had a really bad stretch.

Outside of that stretch, on both sides of the sandwich, he was good.

He was good.

So I would absolutely bring him back.

If he came back, I'd be fine with it, right?

But I do think, there's a way that you probably find someone with a little more upside and a little cheaper that helps you out in some sense.

But at any rate, yeah, like you said, it's not it's not much.

There's probably going to be have to be like one solid offensive player bringing in someone that you feel like really comfortable with and then parts.

And then I would still entertain some type of well, again, Depends on what happens with Mitch.

But even if Mitch stays, I would still probably try to bring in some type of starter to some level.

I don't know.

That's tough on me.

Yeah, I think if Mitch is here, then I don't know if you need to address it, to be honest.

i know it's one it's like you're you could like yeah i think if mitch is here i don't think you need i don't think you need another starter but if you if you trade mitch which is something that you will likely

need to do if you want to go out there and acquire brandon Lowe or teruaki soto sato like if those are the you're gonna have to free up some money

keller is the easiest way to do it yeah All right.

Is that it for our first Bucco Brew of the off season?

I think that is our first Bucco Brew of the off season.

Just a couple, a couple of things to say before we wrap up.

Shout out Kirby Yates.

Kirby Yates got his, they talked about Saturday on the post game show, but his final major league appearance was his first major league start.

Yeah.

But he announced his retirement after the game.

Had some good words to say, too, about the Pirates organization, about how he didn't really want to get traded.

He'd heard stuff coming here and that everything that he experienced while he was here was good.

Now, I don't know what else he's going to say, but he didn't have to say that.

He didn't have to say that.

He could have just kept that in.

But it was fun to watch Kirby Yates for the last two months.

He was someone who...

who I predicted one of my first nailed deadline because Ben actually did what we wanted him to do a little bit this deadline.

So I hit on some of those PowerPoints.

But yeah, Kirby Yates, good solid two months to end his career.

Oneil Cruz left the game Saturday with a knee injury.

Everything is good there.

Apparently no structural damage, so he should be fine.

Bryan Reynolds played in all one hundred and sixty two games this year.

First time that's happened for the Pirates since Jason Bay.

I think a while ago.

Yeah, that's it.

I want to say a few more things, actually, just real quick.

He brought that up because also for one, the whole Kirby thing was just an awesome moment.

And it was just a Verlander's day, but also Detroit giving some love to him as well, his send-off.

Really cool moment for Kirby Yates also.

But going back to the comments that you talked about, it was nice hearing him talk about that.

for one, it's just like he didn't want to get traded, but coming here, playing for something re-energized him a little bit.

But then he also did have some nice words about Pittsburgh and the organization.

And I want to compound that with the fact that, yes, also Ryan O'Hearn was ten plate appearances away.

And they ensured that he got that hundred thousand dollar bonus.

Go back to the whole rowdy thing, right?

Go back to, like, Pittsburgh was the laughingstock because of what they were doing to these players, and that's just bad business.

So maybe it took longer than it should have to realize it, but, like, they're doing those things now.

This is what attracts players.

Like, when you have Kirby Yates talking to his homies that he knows from other places, and it's like, no, guys, actually, I know you've heard this, but actually, Pittsburgh's not so bad.

Ryan O'Hearn's talking, like, That maybe is what gets guys here,?

So, like, it's nice that they're maybe waking up and realizing, like, hey, saving ten thousand dollars, the end game isn't worth it.

So, yeah, it was cool that Kirby Yates had that perspective, and Ryan O'Hearn truly has that perspective now, too.

They didn't have to do that for him.

They batted him leadoff.

They batted him leadoff to make sure that he could get it.

That means something.

That means something.

And players see that.

So, anyways, yeah, kudos.

for doing that for Ryan O'Hearn also.

Yeah.

I think Ethan, I think Ethan just caught that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He got, he got his four hundred and fifty plate appearances.

So yeah, that was good.

cause back to back years, the pirates got caught in that between rowdy and IKF, they got caught in that.

yeah.

And IKF has not had anything good to say about the pirates.

Avoiding that situation was a good thing this year.

And you know what?

They saved a hundred grand by DFA Doval.

So they basically just gave Doval a hundred grand to O'Hearn.

Thank you, San Francisco.

Which did you see?

Did you see Doval's first appearance?

One, two, three.

Like the middle of the order.

Yeah.

He struck out like three hall of famers.

Yeah.

so of course that happened yeah of course and he's all excited about being back in san fran and wearing fifty seven again and hey if it works out for him good for him yeah all right let's get out of here for real yep like the

video subscribe if you haven't already download the app download the app download the app download the app say it one more time download the app Yeah, download the app.

I'm excited.

And, yeah, appreciate everybody following along.

I said it's the end of the year, but we're not going to stop.

So we'll be here every Monday at seven a.m.

We'll be doing NS nine lives every week.

Alex will be doing his off beats every Monday through Friday.

So, yeah, we're going to we're going to have you covered.

Yeah, there's a lot in store.

We're just stupid people.

We really are just like the absolute stupidest or the worst.

yeah oh well anyways yeah we'll be back we'll see you guys we'll listen to alex's offbeat right now it's out there and we'll be back i guess wednesday

huh wednesday it's weird to say wow all right bye-bye see you guys All right, that wraps up this episode of North Shore Nine.

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