The 2023 Pittsburgh Pirates capped their first month with a 20-9 record. They would only win 56 more games after that. Something just fell out after that first month and this team wasn't the same, despite the heights they hit. And while it's simple enough to say 'oh, well Vince Velasquez was the lynchpin holding this team together', it's more complex than that. This Pirates team was good enough to be good in April, but not enough to stay good throughout the season. Some teams are like that. You've seen Mariners and Royals teams peak in April or May and then completely fall apart. The Pirates having their big April while still rebuilding and that's promising enough.
I have no idea when the Pirates will be fully competitive again, but sparks of this season point to the beginning of something.
The Pirates' Opening Day 2nd baseman was Ji-Hwan Bae, who'd played 10 games in 2022 and did very well. Bae was one of the contact stars during April, and while he did cool off over time, he was a pretty reliable infield piece, leading the team in stolen bases with 24, despite hitting .231. The Pirates have a lot of replacement-level youngsters filling big positions, and had people like Bae, Tucupita Marcano and, well, the guy that's up next, filling major positions. Bae has the better chance of all of those guys to start in the future.
2024 Prediction: Similar to Gerardo Perdomo, he'll come into his own given a full year under his belt, and next year will be a clearer picture of Bae's MLB skillset.
Speaking of replacement-level players in major positions, with Austin Hedges the defensive choice [who left halfway] and Endy Rodriguez coming in later, the most consistent catching option the Pirates had was Jason Delay. In 70 games, Delay hit .251 with 42 hits, 18 RBIs and slightly-below-average defensive catching play.
2024 Prediction: I think he will be better off as a backup, but the hope is that the youth options will keep him one.
Luis Ortiz had a very sharp come-up last year for the Pirates. This year he got another shot, though shortened by both injuries and time in Indy. In 18 games, Ortiz had a 4.78 ERA with 59 Ks. It's not terrific, but there's the wonder of what he'll look like with a fuller season and a better team.
2024 Prediction: Luis Ortiz is gonna have an insane first two months that will get a ton of eyes on him.
And now for some rookie call-ups.
Jared Triolo, of all the second-half call-ups, seemed to get the most done. In 54 games, the third-baseman hit .298 with 21 RBIs and 6 steals, which is a pretty well rounded start to one's career. Triolo's 2.1 WAR in 2 months was higher than all-but-FIVE Pirates. Just the big guns, Reynolds, Bednar, Hayes, Keller and Suwinski, and then a guy who was only here cause everybody else didn't work.
2024 Prediction: Even with Rowdy Tellez, Triolo has the best shot at 1st base next year, and I'd say he puts a lock on that.
Then we have 2021's #1 overall pick, Henry Davis, who, despite coming up as a catcher, fit into right field this year for the Buccos. As he's still just 23, he's still coming into his own, which explains why, despite 7 homers and 24 RBIs in 62 games, he couldn't hit for average and struggled defensively. Davis was once seen as the kind of foundational piece that the Orioles have now drafted two of in the past 5 years, and hopefully he still has some of the hitting energy that made him such a well-liked prospect.
2024 Prediction: The plan is to plug Davis in behind the plate, which will lead to a definite improvement, and one that makes his role in the coming Pirates teams a ton clearer.
And then the Pirates brought up another former catching prospect, Endy Rodriguez, though this one still caught games. Rodriguez is, by far I'd say, a defensive upgrade from Delay, and while he only hit .220 this year, he's shown signs of contact prowess that could be farmed in the future. And then, much like Ronny Mauricio, he gets injured in the fall leagues and is out for most of 2024. It's a good thing they've got another young catcher there, even if catching isn't his primary MLB position.
2025 Prediction: Becomes a huge piece of this dynasty, though I worry that Hayes, Keller, Cruz and Reynolds may be gone by then.
Coming Tomorrow- I don't have many left, but some of the guys that helped the Rangers win their first-ever World Series ring.
No comments:
Post a Comment