Andrew McCutchen

[UPitt '89]

This move is about OF range, not OF arm.

McCutchen's range is among the worst in baseball in CF... so moving him to right makes sense, since 81 games will be played in a small right field.

You definitely NORMALLY want your weakest OF arm in LF, but the range impact is more important than the arm impact statistically. So you set up your OF to be optimal for range over arm strength.

Marte in CF and Polanco in LF makes sense at PNC Park. McCutchen, unfortunately, has become the outfielder that Pittsburgh must "hide" defensively.... and at PNC Park, that means RF.

 

[NTOP]

That's where he's going. Marte to center - which is LONG overdue, and Polanco to left.

That is crazy. Can you imagine Gregory "dazed & confused" and the Notch? Cutch has lost quite a bit of speed, so a move to left is fine. He might end up as a DH in a year or two. For a long time, the most fun in MLB was Cutch running the bases. No more.

 

[Swervin27]

That is crazy. Can you imagine Gregory "dazed & confused" and the Notch? Cutch has lost quite a bit of speed, so a move to left is fine. He might end up as a DH in a year or two. For a long time, the most fun in MLB was Cutch running the bases. No more.

that's why I question this move.. Left field at pnc park is huge, palanco is so awkward out there, flip flop cutch and marte is fine but polanco to left is just head scratching..

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

That is crazy. Can you imagine Gregory "dazed & confused" and the Notch? Cutch has lost quite a bit of speed, so a move to left is fine. He might end up as a DH in a year or two. For a long time, the most fun in MLB was Cutch running the bases. No more.

Some guys just drop off suddenly.

A few years ago I ended up at a Dick's Sporting Goods and it happened to be on a day the Pirates were doing some event there. I remember being struck by how small he was. I wonder if he's just beat up.

 

[Swervin27]

Some guys just drop off suddenly.

A few years ago I ended up at a Dick's Sporting Goods and it happened to be on a day the Pirates were doing some event there. I remember being struck by how small he was. I wonder if he's just beat up.

that was very noticeable to me too. He actually looks thinner to me where you'd expect the evolution of his career for him to gain size.. Maybe lose that speed but become more of a power hitter.. The last year or two, he really looked downright thin.. Think he needs to re-shape his body, put on some mass, maybe sacrifice his avg a bit and become that "power" hitter.. I don't know, I am kind of using the Barry Bonds development with him, minus the ridiculous amount of steroids. Barry was a similar type player in late 80's, better base stealer of course, good range, weak ass arm. You could see the transition from contact hitter to power hitter, even before the steroids got over the top.. In '89, '90, and '91 BB was jacking 30+ HRs while batting 5th I believe, I was hoping Cutch could become that type player.

 

[President Stache]

You guys over estimate palancos defense. Much more to it than a strong arm. Guy takes horrible angles and looks awkward. You can hide it a bit in right, those deficiencies would be highlighted in left and abused in center.

Once again, you want your strongest, most accurate arm in left.

You are insane. You said several things in this thread, and at first, it is like, 'Ok, he just doesnt know baseball', but have to say a few things.

First, I agree Polanco takes poor angles, and isnt the best 'glove guy'. SOOOOOO... in PNC tiny right field, put him there, makes a mistake its one base, in left its a inside the park homer.

second, Polanco has the best arm on the team, and is lefty. should be in RF. No question really, he is a RF.

Marte in center is fine, I dont mind, other than he is a gold glove type LF, so moving him doesnt make me super happy.

Cutch... obviously lost a step, isnt as good a fielder as he used to be, but he still has wheels, and should play in the PNC left field. Also, the weakest arm should be in left, anyone saying anything else isnt basing on facts.

Bottom line: WE HAVE THREE GOOD OFs. We are moving all around this year. Simple move, and best move is swap cutch and Marte. I think Cutch will have a better year this year regardless at the plate, he is just due to, but I dislike screwing around with Polanco who could be 30/100/30 guy this year.

 

[Swervin27]

You are insane. You said several things in this thread, and at first, it is like, 'Ok, he just doesnt know baseball', but have to say a few things.

First, I agree Polanco takes poor angles, and isnt the best 'glove guy'. SOOOOOO... in PNC tiny right field, put him there, makes a mistake its one base, in left its a inside the park homer.

second, Polanco has the best arm on the team, and is lefty. should be in RF. No question really, he is a RF.

Marte in center is fine, I dont mind, other than he is a gold glove type LF, so moving him doesnt make me super happy.

Cutch... obviously lost a step, isnt as good a fielder as he used to be, but he still has wheels, and should play in the PNC left field. Also, the weakest arm should be in left, anyone saying anything else isnt basing on facts.

Bottom line: WE HAVE THREE GOOD OFs. We are moving all around this year. Simple move, and best move is swap cutch and Marte. I think Cutch will have a better year this year regardless at the plate, he is just due to, but I dislike screwing around with Polanco who could be 30/100/30 guy this year.

stache, you were about to tell me why I am insane then you post everything that I said and agree with.. I know polanco has the strongest arm but very inaccurate, something that I believe will fix itself with more opportunities..

We kind of disagree with the left field arm thing but my point is, it seems to me that the left fielder has so many more opportunities than right field. People mention that throw from right field to 3rd base and my question is, how often in a season is that even relevant.. I recall Marte having a ton of opportunities to showcase that arm in left where I don't recall nearly as many from polanco.

 

[Cap pitt]

It is a longer throw to third, but not a longer throw to home. The throw to home from left and right field is equivalent.

Right, but right field has to throw to 3rd too and that's much longer of a throw then left field to 3rd

 

[Cap pitt]

Palonco made some very nice throws to home, threw several runners out at the plate, cutch would never have thrown anyone out at the plate, when cutch is in center, with a guy on 2nd and a base hit up the middle, the guy on 2nd scores automatically because of the weak throw

 

[pittdan77]

Honestly, it's not like the pitching is going to keep too many balls inside the yard so it probably won't matter if anyone is standing out there or not. All three of those guys will need to produce at the plate just about every night to keep the Pirates in the "everybody crappy team has a chance" wildcard discussion.

 

[Swervin27]

Palonco made some very nice throws to home, threw several runners out at the plate, cutch would never have thrown anyone out at the plate, when cutch is in center, with a guy on 2nd and a base hit up the middle, the guy on 2nd scores automatically because of the weak throw

that is an interesting angle here. the benefit of Marte holding runners from tagging up from 2nd to 3rd.

 

[UPitt '89]

that is an interesting angle here. the benefit of Marte holding runners from tagging up from 2nd to 3rd.

If PNC had normal dimensions, McCutchen's move would be to left instead of right.

While arm strength and accuracy are important, they are statistically LESS important than range..... an outfielder will save or cost many more runs with his range than with his arm.

So as long as the Pirates continue to play half their games in PNC Park, you put the worst range outfielder in RF and live with the arm deficiencies.

 

[Swervin27]

If PNC had normal dimensions, McCutchen's move would be to left instead of right.

While arm strength and accuracy are important, they are statistically LESS important than range..... an outfielder will save or cost many more runs with his range than with his arm.

So as long as the Pirates continue to play half their games in PNC Park, you put the worst range outfielder in RF and live with the arm deficiencies.

that's sort of my argument on why you keep polanco in right.. the more research I do here to defend my assumptions, well lets just say it isn't working out. this dumb ass cybermetric stat sh*t is proving me wrong. oh well, i'll raise the white flag and admit defeat..

A link basically proving scientifically that im full of it.. I SAID GOOD DAY

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/213016168/statcast-shows-pirates-outfielders-strengths/

 

[levance2]

So as long as the Pirates continue to play half their games in PNC Park, you put the worst range outfielder in RF and live with the arm deficiencies.

Amen.

 

[Cap pitt]

Some of you are saying cutch to right field because of the spacious left field at pnc for 81 games, what do you do with cutch on the road games, should be if (cutch is not traded) cutch in left, marte in center and polanco in right, because of the shorter throw to 3rd base from left field, right field has longer throws to 3rd and to home, cutch does not have that arm no matter how big the outfield is

 

[NTOP]

Some guys just drop off suddenly.

A few years ago I ended up at a Dick's Sporting Goods and it happened to be on a day the Pirates were doing some event there. I remember being struck by how small he was. I wonder if he's just beat up.

He's got a thicker lower body...eventually, that slows guys down. Bat speed still seems good, though. He's 5-9, tops. Ripped, but not a power guy.