Should the Pirates be buyers?

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

They were talking about this on the radio on my way in this morning. I initially dismissed it, but is it worth going all in while we have Skenes, Jones, Keller, Falter, etc.?

Personally, I would wait until next season (this offseason). Our bullpen is unreliable; Skenes and/or Jones probably have some innings cap; and our record just isn't good enough (we could make some moves and still miss the playoffs). Plus our starting catcher is out for the season - though I get it; you'll always have injuries.

But I'd have no issues with dealing prospects this offseason to get some guys who coincide with our Skenes/Jones/Keller window. Seven of our top top prospects are pitchers right now, so we'll need to clear some space anyway. I prefer to get multi-year guys and to spend some freaking money, but if Termarr Johnson/Anthony Solmeto/Bubba Chandler can be packaged for a good bat, I guess you do that, right?

 

[Pittnerski]

Whatever it takes to make the brawl primetime in September. I don’t care about the pirates

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

Depends where the Pirates are in mid July.

 

[Cap pitt]

Skenes is on a developmental team in a few years he won’t be a pirate, some big money market team will let him develop in pittsburgh. And they will come for him with big bucks

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

😂😂😂😂😂

Bob Nutting is the owner.

😂😂😂😂😂

 

[h2p_5150]

It's a moot discussion due to the team ownership but without a doubt yes. The Pirates have two stud pitchers and a third solid starter, all 3 young. It is only a matter of time before their elbows explode. The next 2-3 years are where they have to go all in. Get some bats.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

It's a moot discussion due to the team ownership but without a doubt yes. The Pirates have two stud pitchers and a third solid starter, all 3 young. It is only a matter of time before their elbows explode. The next 2-3 years are where they have to go all in. Get some bats.

I agree with this. I just don't want to do it this year if, for instance, it would be for some rent-a-player. But you kind of have to go all in while you have those three. Guys like Termarr Johnson are probably slightly outside the timeline.

 

[upj87]

It's a moot discussion due to the team ownership but without a doubt yes. The Pirates have two stud pitchers and a third solid starter, all 3 young. It is only a matter of time before their elbows explode. The next 2-3 years are where they have to go all in. Get some bats.

believe it or not, not all elbows explode...

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

believe it or not, not all elbows explode...

"Only" 35.3% of them do. So, if we're talking about three guys, the odds aren't in the Pirates' favor of it not happening.

 

[h2p_5150]

believe it or not, not all elbows explode...

The chances of all 3 elbows staying in tact over a 5 year period is really low. The chances Skenes and Jones are both here past their 2nd year of arbitration are even lower. They need to go for it now.

 

[jtownknowitall]

The Pirates should have been buying six months ago.

 

[HailToPitt725]

😂😂😂😂😂

Bob Nutting is the owner.

😂😂😂😂😂

Being buyers at the deadline is different than making off-season signings. They were buyers several times previously (2013-15, 2018) but they didn’t make the right moves. Should’ve gone all-in like the Royals did in 2015 and the Archer move was at the wrong time.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Depends where the Pirates are in mid July.

This. Also, it’s going to depend on how Temarr Johnson and Anthony Solometo look by then. Both have taken steps back in 2024 and could become expendable. I wouldn’t deal Bubba Chandler, though.

 

[Burgh15]

We've been trying to prospect approach for a long time. If there are perceived assets in the pipeline, I have no problem trying to get some actual MLB talent to make the team good now. The waiting game is old with the Pirates.

 

[WillyDavis33]

They suck so yes they should be buyers! They will not because that would mean spending money.

 

[Tucker99]

I wont pretend to know anything about the Pirates minor league system, or baseball anymore. But this ownership group is long overdue to invest in the on the field product. If they (the owners), would just give the illusion of investing, and if they missed on some signings, I wouldnt care, they are forever dumpster diving with their signings. I just want to see an effort to content for the playoffs. But it seems like there is always an excuse. Whether its attendance, which would go up if they had a couple names. Just look at the interest Skenes has generated. That stadium is the perfect setting, there certainly is interest in the team, they need to strike while the iron is hot.
And if they have to blow it up every 5-10 yrs, I get it, thats the price of doing business in a no cap league. But at least try!

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

I wont pretend to know anything about the Pirates minor league system, or baseball anymore. But this ownership group is long overdue to invest in the on the field product. If they (the owners), would just give the illusion of investing, and if they missed on some signings, I wouldnt care, they are forever dumpster diving with their signings. I just want to see an effort to content for the playoffs. But it seems like there is always an excuse. Whether its attendance, which would go up if they had a couple names. Just look at the interest Skenes has generated. That stadium is the perfect setting, there certainly is interest in the team, they need to strike while the iron is hot.
And if they have to blow it up every 5-10 yrs, I get it, thats the price of doing business in a no cap league. But at least try!

So going into these next few seasons.....you have two basically $25-30 million/year pitchers at $1 million per. You have a $20 million dollar SS at that price. You need to augment these guys with a proven big time bat, and probably two. At a $120 million payroll, you can field a team similar to the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves over these next 2-3 seasons. So you go for it.

 

[pittdan77]

So going into these next few seasons.....you have two basically $25-30 million/year pitchers at $1 million per. You have a $20 million dollar SS at that price. You need to augment these guys with a proven big time bat, and probably two. At a $120 million payroll, you can field a team similar to the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves over these next 2-3 seasons. So you go for it.

But how much revenue do they have to offset in order to do that? We're talking about the Pirates, here. Probably need to add 10,000 butts per game in the seats to get close to an attendance number to support that. That's a pretty tenuous investment for a franchise that could play it safe and still be in a pretend wild card hunt in September.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

So going into these next few seasons.....you have two basically $25-30 million/year pitchers at $1 million per. You have a $20 million dollar SS at that price. You need to augment these guys with a proven big time bat, and probably two. At a $120 million payroll, you can field a team similar to the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves over these next 2-3 seasons. So you go for it.

Yes, $120M is about the number that would make them legit contenders. Would be nice if they could achieve this via free agency and be able to keep most of the prospects in tact, but I'm sure they'll prefer to acquire some guys midseason and only pay pro-rated contract amounts... which will cost prospects.

 

[pittdan77]

Yes, $120M is about the number that would make them legit contenders. Would be nice if they could achieve this via free agency and be able to keep most of the prospects in tact, but I'm sure they'll prefer to acquire some guys midseason and only pay pro-rated contract amounts... which will cost prospects.

See, that's just it. They already are contenders. Yeah, they have a losing record and are 5-1/2 games out in the division but they're only a single game out of the wild card. Do you know how much traction they'll get out of that nonsense the rest of this summer? Why spend a dime when the goofy playoff rules let you suck and still be in it?