Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Royals

 

On the surface, there's not a ton fundamentally different between the Royals team that went deep last year and the Royals team that missed the playoffs this year. Both AL Central teams that made it this year rode huge waves of hot streaks, and the Royals couldn't really do that in the second half. The Royals were also without Cole Ragans for a lot of the season, and had a limited version of Seth Lugo. Plus, the Brady Singer for Jonathan India trade, which I could have told you was short-sighted to begin with, robbed them of a crucial workhorse. With the pitching depleted, not even the best closer in the AL could keep them in the divisional race. With no fault of Witt, Garcia or Bubic, the Royals stayed home this October. That doesn't mean the Quantaro era is through, and considering the young talent taking over it may just be taking off.

On the plus side, the Royals got another great season of offensive production from their captain, Salvador Perez. From the looks of things his ability to play great defense behind the plate is pretty much gone, and all that remains is an above average power bat to play DH everyday, which isn't a bad thing. This year marked Salvy's third 100+ RBI year [100 exactly], and his second year of 30 or more homers [30 exactly]. This season put him over not only the 300 homer mark but the 1000 RBI mark, both very good things, even if Perez isn't exactly a lock for the Hall of Fame.

2026 Prediction: So his contract is up, but I don't think Salvy has any desire to play somewhere other than KC, so I think they're gonna give him the Kershaw/Cutch track. Just keep re-upping, as long as you wanna play for. Next year won't exactly be a 100+ RBI year but he'll be relied upon as a power bat for sure.

Cole Ragan has been so good since coming over from Arlington that a mediocre season felt like a huge blow to the Royals' plans. And it's weird to say that about a year where Ragans still had 98 strikeouts in 13 games. He obviously can still outsmart batters, and he's still very dominant, but he had a 4.67 ERA this year, and whatever went wrong was clearly enough to sideline him for the rest of the season almost. The good news is that he was strong for his first few starts, and his September starts were a big part of why his ERA went below 5. But man that April-May stretch where he was clearly hurt wasn't fun.

2026 Prediction: As I write this, the Royals have been rumored to be shopping Ragans, potentially gauging Boston's interest considering that Jarren Duran might still need to be moved as well. I don't think Ragans will end up being moved though, and he'll have a stronger, fuller year for the Royals.

Kyle Isbel has been a steady, reliable outfield choice for the Royals for the last several years. In 135 games this year, Isbel hit .255 with 33 RBIs, but the offensive angle is not the takeaway, as he's such a great option in center field that it makes the team more well-rounded. Witt, Garcia, Isbel, Michael Massey to a degree- they're all excellent defenders that are helping the Royals stay in it and stay formidable. Yes, the power hitting helps too, but you can't outscore opponents if you don't have a Kyle Isbel.

2026 Prediction: The hope is that eventually they get someone who'll relegate Isbel to a Myles Straw-esque substitution, but I don't think that happens next year. Does more of the same.

Ever since coming back from his injuries in Cincinnati, Michael Lorenzen has made a name for himself as an underrated, durable starting option. In Anaheim, Detroit, Philadelphia, Texas and now Kansas City, Lorenzen has eaten innings, had nice starts and done exactly what's been asked of him. 2025 was something of a setback for Lorenzen, as he went 7-11 with a 4.64 ERA in 26 starts, but he still made 140 innings, and, miraculously, he led the team in strikeouts with 127, beating his nearest competition [Lugo and Wacha] by only one or two Ks. 

2026 Prediction: Why stop now? There's tons of teams that could use Lorenzen. Arizona maybe? Milwaukee? Baltimore? St. Louis? I think he'll have a better year for any of 'em. 

For the second year in a row, one of the most effective relief specialists for the Royals was Lucas Erceg. In a full year with this team, he doubled his output and wired in, with an 8-4 record, a 2.64 ERA and a 1.174 WHIP. He did miss a smidge of time midyear but still made 61 appearances. 

2026 Prediction: I think with Erceg the magic is more likely to keep going than fade off now. The Royals will be better next year, and Erceg will continue his strong work, complete with an averted close call in October.

It is the year 2025, the game is ruled by a guy who was at LSU like two years ago, the Royals called up Jac Caglianone, and Rich Hill, who is 45, still pitched in MLB games. The Royals had him on for two starts this year in between some roster moves, and Hill...well, Hill pitched like a 45-year-old man. Not everyone can be Philip Rivers. He had a 5 ERA over 9 innings, gave up 5 earned runs and lost both games. Yet he still struck out 4. 

2026 Prediction: I know logically he's probably done, but this man still probably thinks himself indestructible. He is, after all, a New England Patriots fan. Look, if the Pats miss the AFC Championship, he might decide there's still more to do. If Drake Maye isn't there yet, he can just keep holding out til he is. So uh...screw it, Sox invite him to camp, makes 4 starts, has one insane scoreless outing. Why not, man? 

Adam Frazier, who was a good depth infield piece for the Royals last year, made a return before the deadline after spending a bit more time in Pittsburgh and remembering why he was grateful that he left. In 56 games in KC, he made up for a slow spring and hit .283 with 4 homers and 23 RBIs. Frazier, despite his best efforts, has become one of the more in demand utility infield helpers in the game, and the Royals clearly know that.

2026 Prediction: Why do I feel like the Royals already re-upped him? If they haven't already, they really should, it's nice to have security for Michael Massey.

In a move that shocked a lot of people, especially me, the Giants traded Mike Yastrzemski to the Royals. All that goodwill, all he'd done for the team, gone. Yaz only did so much to help the Royals' similarly doomed stretch run, but in 50 games he hit .237 with 9 homers and 18 RBIs, amounting to an .839 OPS. Clearly this one panned out for them, in addition to boosting Yaz's free agency case.

2026 Prediction: It's not gonna initially feel like it, but the Braves made the absolute correct choice nabbing him. It'll kick in very late.

In exchange for catcher Freddy Fermin, who, as I'll explain, they may not have needed anyway, the Royals got two more depth starting options to plug in for injured aces. Stephen Kolek had a 4.18 ERA in San Diego this year, and while he only got 5 starts in Kansas City, they were very sharp starts. Kolek had a 1.91 ERA, a 0.758 WHIP, 21 Ks and a 1.1 WAR after that month of work.

2026 Prediction: I think of the two guys they got, Kolek has more of a chance of getting flexed to a long relief position, but he'll have some nice starts when needed.

Ryan Bergert, at 25, has the higher ceiling of the two, and looked like the better choice in San Diego, with a 2.78 ERA in 11 appearances, 7 being starts. His KC work was less sharp, with a 4.43 ERA and 39 Ks in 8 starts. Cumulatively it's a 3.66 ERA, 1.4 WAR, 73 K season, which isn't awful to be fair.

2026 Prediction: Big year. Makes all his starts, becomes a really strong third man in this rotation.

After a certain point this year, there was really no avoiding it. Jac Caglianone, one of the top prospects in baseball, needed to come up. Unfortunately, as ready as he was in triple-A, his perks weren't all immediately evident in the majors in 2025. In 62 games, Caglianone hit .157, with 7 homers and 18 RBIs. He is 22 years old, just getting the hang of things, and will be fine. Not everyone can be Bobby Witt and have a rookie year that still looks better than 98% of rookie years even if, for Witt, it's mediocre. 

2026 Prediction: It won't be a full smash, but I think for three months we're gonna see some high quality offensive performance from this guy. I just don't know if it'll be right out of camp.

Dealing Freddy Fermin away lampshaded the fact that the Royals had another option at catcher in the wings, and eventually Carter Jensen was deployed. In 20 games he bat exactly .300 with 3 homers and 13 RBIs, already showing promise as a contact bat in addition to fine catching skills. 

2026 Prediction: The Royals are going to sign a career backup, somebody like Elias Diaz or James McCann, as a security measure, but Jansen will be the starter and he'll be ASG-quality.

Coming Tomorrow- A lot of auxiliary members of a Tigers team that couldn't quite follow up on the promises of their 2024 run.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Royals

 

2024 was the year that, after several seasons of threatening to, the Kansas City Royals put together an intimidating, varied playoff-caliber team that chased off the Twins and made it to a tough, breakneck ALDS against the Yankees. They didn't win, and the Yanks didn't have too much trouble with them, but now that Bobby Witt, Cole Ragans, Lucas Erceg and Seth Lugo have gotten a taste of the postseason with this team, they're gonna want even more. And with the shifting of tides in this division, it is attainable.

M.J. Melendez, for a few years, has been a defensive liability for the Royals, both at catcher and in the outfield. But now, with a permanent outfield role, Melendez may have had his best season to date in the field. Yes, he had a -7 defensive WAR figure, but that's a step up from the norm. Melendez's plate numbers actually took a dive this year, as he only hit .206 with 44 RBIs and 17 homers. In the postseason, though, he was responsible for 2 RBIs and a crucial home run.

2025 Prediction: Between Kyle Isbel, Joey Wiemer, and arguably Dairon Blanco and Jonathan India, the Royals will have more above-average defensive options next year. I think they'll DH Melendez a lot, and his value will go up.

Prior to the season, the Royals invested in some replacement level veterans, who provided stability til the potential for homegrown players, or, more accurately, the addition of above-replacement-level veterans late in the season. Hunter Renfroe, in his sixth team since leaving the Padres, was excessively mediocre in Kansas City, hitting .229 with 52 RBIs and 15 home runs in 120 games, with no luck in the postseason either. 

2025 Prediction: The slightest improvement but I don't think he'll be starting for whoever signs him.

Similarly, the Royals got Adam Frazier to act as a placeholder infielder til Michael Massey was trusted again. The Orioles used Frazier this way last year til they were more confident in Gunnar Henderson. 2024 went similarly for Frazier, as he hit .202 with 22 RBIs and 4 homers in 104 games, while also providing decent defense at 2nd and in the outfield.

2025 Prediction: Yeah I think at this point Frazier's a career replacement-level depth infielder, so let's see...who isn't sure about the strength of their middle-infielder rookie? The Mets with Mauricio? The Tigers? If not the Guardians get 'im.

Dairon Blanco was the Royals' designated depth outfielder this year, brought in to pinch run and also sub in defensively. In 88 games, Blanco stole 31 bases [as many as Bobby Witt], and hit .258 with 13 RBIs and 4 homers. Blanco is a very handy guy to have around, and his speed will ensure he continues to be a part of these teams.

2025 Prediction: He starts a bit more and puts together a fuller all-around season.

The Royals were truly excellent at midyear pickups, not only having a terrific deadline but using the waiver deals and free agency to keep the team fresh. Michael Lorenzen was a key trade deadline deal, coming over from the Rangers after a strong start. Lorenzen, like in Philly last year, missed a few starts due to injuries, but was sharp when healthy, with a 1.57 ERA, 22 Ks and a 1.2 WAR in 7 starts. He also struck out 3 in the postseason, though he did walk away with a loss.

2025 Prediction: I think he stays in one place all next year, and he stays healthy. A competitor gets him as a low rotation piece and he gives them a really nice year.

And then, in addition to signing Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman, the Royals took a flyer on 40-year-old Yuli Gurriel, who hadn't played yet in 2024, as a replacement for the hurt Vinnie Pasquantino. Gurriel was above-average at 1st, and hit .241 with with 6 RBIs in 18 games. He also had 4 postseason hits, continuing his excellent October production.

2025 Prediction: I would assume he retires but something tells me he still wants to play. And a minor league deal did well enough for him last year, even if the Braves never brought him up.

Coming Tomorrow- The Detroit Tigers were counted out midway through the season. Then, inexplicably, they beat the Astros in a playoff series. 

Farm to Table

 

What's been so astounding about this Orioles team is how few of its big pieces came from other farm systems. It's really just Anthony Santander, Adam Frazier, Kyle Gibson, Kyle Bradish, Jorge Mateo, Yennier Cano and Ryan O'Hearn. That's basically it. And a handful of those guys, mostly the first three, will probably be gone after this year, and their departures won't exactly sink the team.

And on the inverse of that, all of Cedric Mullins, Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Grayson Rodriguez, John Means, Ramon Urias, Heston Kjerstad, Ryan Mountcastle, Austin Hays, and DL Hall are homegrown. Several of them, including Rutschman, Kjerstad, Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg are all first round picks, without even including the other 1st round pick that may be up next year at this rate. This is a homegrown, farm-developed core that is only rivaled by recent dynasties like the Cubs and Astros. And with this incredible 2023 season, the Orioles have launched themselves into the conversation and offered themselves up as one of the next great super teams. Rutschman, Mullins, Henderson and Hays, among others, all delivered this year, and it's a thrilling start to what could be a dynasty. The Orioles just need to make the right decisions, knowing that contracts are gonna start expiring and they won't be able to keep everybody. 

The trick will be employing a similar strategy to this year involving supplemental contracts. This strategy premiered last year, and the Orioles got a decent year out of veteran infielder Rougned Odor, as well as a pillar veteran starter year from Jordan Lyles. 2023 brought better versions of those types of contracts, as this is a better team. Adam Frazier has been an excellent utility infield option, being one of eight Orioles with 60 RBIs or more, and has been the primary second baseman despite several developing infield options. Kyle Gibson has been a sturdier version of Lyles, with a 14-9 record and 149 Ks, despite a 5 ERA. Gibson is not the best pitcher in this rotation, but he hasn't missed a start and has been a loyal innings eater despite not being as strong as his peak Minnesota/Texas years.

And on top of those guys you've had lower-key pieces like Ryan O'Hearn and Aaron Hicks, who've both been surprisingly excellent lineup additions despite failing in previous markets. O'Hearn's another one of the 60 RBI guys, and is hitting .310, which is wild from a perennial one-dimensional power guy. Hicks is hitting .288 with 29 RBIs and 7 homers in 57 games, which isn't bad at all. It'll be better off for the Orioles to keep adding contracts like these rather than overhauling the team and putting a fork into the slow crawl of rookies. The hope is that the excellent pieces are gonna keep coming, even after Holliday, and that the development will continue to be well-run. I really hope this doesn't burn out after only a couple years, these guys deserve more than that.

But, of course, let's see how they do this postseason. I'd absolutely love them to go far, even if this is just what I assume is the beginning of their run.

Coming Tomorrow- The Braves were already really damn good. Then he came off the IL. 

Drought of Sight

 

I don't know whether if it's funny or sad that Adam Frazier had a 3.1 WAR in the first half of the 2021 season, and hasn't been able to match that mark in any other season with any other team. 

It sums up the Mariners' approach, even if it is working. Frazier, Robbie Ray and Jesse Winker were all brought to this team because solely of how well they did in 2021. Frazier was a contact machine in Pittsburgh, Ray won a Cy Young in Toronto and Winker was an All-Star in Cincinnati. Of the three, Robbie Ray is having the best season, mostly because he's Robbie Ray, but even then, going 11-8 with a 3.58 ERA is a step down from his 2021. But Winker's hitting around .220 and only has 90 hits, while Frazier is hitting .244 with 110 hits. These are disappointing numbers for players that, thankfully, are only around for another year or so. 

Thankfully, the players being locked up are the foundational ones that could pave the way for a competitive stretch for the Mariners. Obviously Julio Rodriguez will be there for the foreseeable future, and J.P. Crawford, Eugenio Suarez, Marco Gonzalez and for some strange reason Evan White [who has yet to even show up this season] are all there for a little while. And at the same time there's people like Chris Flexen and Luis Castillo who probably want to stick around. And all the kids who are under team control for a bit.

But the fact is that with all the Mariners have right now, including a healthy Mitch Haniger, an excellent defensive catcher at last with Cal Raleigh, a strong rotation with George Kirby now coming into his own, several depth options, a packed heart of the lineup and Julio now one of the biggest stars in the league...guys...they've got a great position on the wild card standings. I know we're a month out and September's always tough, but this team's looking really good.

So let's take it one step further. Say the Mariners do break their 21-year playoff drought and make it in as a wild card. Then what? They'll have done the thing that 20 previous Ms teams couldn't do, and they'll be facing somebody like Toronto or Tampa for a further playoff spot, and having to prove themselves. Will they be able to keep the momentum going? Could this team be the one that actually runs up the board in October? I see a ton of promise with this team, just in terms of how varied its pitching is alone, and I think they can outhit a lot of competitors, especially their wild card competitors. 

It's just a matter of if they can keep this momentum going the whole time and surprise people. And that will be tricky, especially as these are the Mariners we're talking about. But I'm optimistic. If I'm seriously thinking this could be their year, you never know where they're gonna go next.

Coming Tomorrow- An impressive defender for another wild card team. 

Fraz the White Flag

 

Let's not be coy, 2021 has been a career year for Adam Frazier. The guy started at 2nd in the All Star Game, led the league in hits and average for periods of time, has topped his career marks in hits, doubles, stolen bases and average, and will have a combined 4+ WAR by the end of the year. For a guy who started the season playing for the last-place Pirates, alongside Will Craig, Todd Frazier and Anthony Alford, that's really good.

What's really unfortunate, though, is how Adam Frazier is ending his 2021 season.

Not that his numbers are bad. He's hitting .273 with 47 hits in 51 games in San Diego, which isn't bad at all, and has been a contact success for a haven for contact hitters. But compared to his Pirates numbers, where he hit .324 with 125 hits in 98 games, they're kind of tame. And I'm not sure if it's more indicative of where Frazier has been in the last few months, or where the Padres have been. Because, like Frazier, the Padres have skidded to a halt after a strong first half. 

It's a lot of different factors. It's the Tatis thing, with his injuries, positional changes and tension sort of putting a haze over the team. It's also the pitching, as Snell, Lamet and Darvish have had shaky starts here and there. And it's also the fact that, as the Giants and Dodgers are both better NL West teams, the road to the postseason was never going to be an easy one for this Padres team, and it involved hanging to that last wild card spot for deal life. Unfortunately for them, the Reds, Phillies, and eventually Cardinals also wanted that spot, and as the Cardinals took off, the Padres stayed at the same speed, and lost focus. 

It's very sad, especially considering this team's epic start, and their insane moments in the first few months, mostly courtesy of Tatis, Machado, Cronenworth and Musgrove. And this team has enough depth where I'm not worried about their ability to compete for the next few years. But the fact that they ran out of steam this quickly, and couldn't even make it to the Dodgers rematch, is telling. And it's indicative of the fact that the Padres will have to make a lot more fixes before next season. Yes, getting Mike Clevinger back will help, but they also need to tighten the outfield, fix Tatis, get a few relievers that won't crap out, and work on beating those top two teams. 

Because if the entirety of this Padres team's prime is wasted on seasons where they're trapped under the Giants or Dodgers, then absolutely nothing is going to get done.

Coming Tonight: A relief asset for a team that's still trying to squeeze into a playoff spot that might not be theirs. 

2020 Topps Final Edition: Cards #253-261

 After this post, there's 7 more of these 2020 Final Edition posts left, meaning they'll be done by around the third week of June. And while I hope you guys have been enjoying these...man am I excited to nearly be done with this project? Like, remember back in the olden days of the blogosphere where Ben Henry and Dayf and those guys did a countdown of a franken-80s set called the 792, and by the end they were exhausted and sick of posting out of that.

...shit, have we reached the generation of bloggers who weren't here for Cardboard Junkie and Baseball Card Blog? WHY DO I FEEL SO DAMN OLD?? I'M 25, FOR anyway,

These are the next 9 cards in the set, let's roll 'em

Card #253- Adam Frazier ASG, Pittsburgh Pirates

Adam Frazier would have been the only Pittsburgh Pirate on the 2020 NL ASG roster, had the game happened. He wouldn't have been a starter, and would only be a reserve utility infielder type, but as one of the few impressive performances to come out of Pittsburgh last year, it's somewhat understandable. Frazier was, and still is, one of the trickiest contact players in the game, and could be a decent trade piece for any competitor. 

Card #254- Nick Vincent, Miami Marlins

Nick Vincent is one of those consistent reliever types that you don't hear much about because he always just does his job, plain and simple. After being a solid option for San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco and Philly, Vincent became one of the many relief arms enlisted into the Miami Marlins rotation. It was a slightly weightier season than Vincent was used to, with a 4.43 ERA and a 1-2 record. Vincent did pitch an inning of postseason baseball for the first time in his career, and got out of it without any runs, and with a strikeout. Vincent's currently waiting in the minor league system of the Rangers for another shot. 

Card #255- Pierce Johnson, San Diego Padres

Speaking of another shot, that is exactly what the Padres gave Pierce Johnson in 2020, after an impressive season playing for the Hanshin Tigers. The Padres saw what Johnson did as a relief specialist in Japan and expounded on that, using Johnson as a setup man and mop-up man, and Johnson got a 2.70 ERA and 27 Ks out of it. He also stymied the Cardinals in 3 playoff games against them, despite giving up a few crucial runs to the Dodgers in the NLCS. Johnson is still one of the more relied-upon relievers on the Padres right now, and I hope he continues his success. 

Card #256- Tejay Antone, Cincinnati Reds

After kicking around in the minors for about 5 years, Tejay Antone finally got a callup in Cincinnati. The Reds used him, as they previously had Michael Lorenzen, in a relief role that occasionally called for a start. Antone went 0-2 in 4 starts, with a 3.86 ERA and 18 Ks, while as a reliever he had a 1.89 ERA with 27 Ks. So...the Reds, therefore, decided to utilize Antone more out of the pen this season, which has resulted in him becoming the primary closing option thus far. So, well done Tejay, I suppose.

 

Card #257- Shane Bieber ASG, Cleveland Indians

This is gonna sound really obvious, but Shane Bieber would have started the 2020 ASG for the AL. Like...he was one of those rare pitchers who was the best pitcher in the league both at the halfway point AND after the season. Takes skill. But yeah, Bieber would get the start, and his 2nd ASG nod, and everybody would be pretty alright with that. Glad he's become one of the best arms in the league.

Card #258- Corey Knebel, Milwaukee Brewers

This exclusion was kinda odd to me. Corey Knebel has been a pretty prevalent reliever since his ASG nod 2017, and while he did miss all of 2019 due to injuries, Topps should have welcomed him back with a card. But alas, twas not the case. 2020 was incidentally a weak year for Knebel in Milwaukee, and ultimately his final year there. In 15 games, he had a 6.08 ERA and only 15 Ks. The Brewers let Knebel loose after the fact, and he's found a new home in LA. 

Card #259- Matt Wieters, St. Louis Cardinals

Another puzzling omission, but if you remember that not putting Matt Wieters in flagship was Topps' whole thing for 7 years, it makes a lot more sense. Wieters' 2nd year as the primary backup catcher in St. Louis was not as productive as his first. In 19 games, he hit .200 with only 4 RBIs, and was a replacement-level catcher at best. Wieters didn't sign anywhere this season, but he looks to be a part of the US Olympic team for this summer. 

Card #260- Andres Gimenez, New York Mets

Of all the rookies in this set, Andres Gimenez is the one who suffered most from not having a 2020 flagship card, as his 2021 has been starkly different. Gimenez was brought up as a new infield option at 2nd and short, and for 49 games he made a name for himself as a strong hitter with great defensive abilities. His .263 average, 31 hits and 13 RBIs made him a strong contender for NL Rookie of the Year, despite coming in 7th, and his numbers would have made him a strong candidate for starting 2nd Baseman in the wake of Cano's suspension. But...the Mets wanted to use him as a trade piece in order to attract Francisco Lindor, in a trade that honestly hasn't really gone well for either party yet. 

Card #261- Gerrit Cole ASG, New York Yankees

Like Bieber, a no brainer. Cole was one of the best pitchers in the AL last year, he got right into the groove of things as a Yankee, and would have definitely made the AL ASG team last year. He will likely make the squad this year as well, so it's not an entirely big loss. I'm just...insanely glad that this guy is on my team in his prime, and I hope his prime lasts as long as possible. 

Friday, the next 9 cards in the set go up. We hit our third multiple of 90, and a lot of very interesting rookies.

No Surprises in Pittsburgh

 The NL Central has evened out, and the Pirates have taken their rightful place. 

The Pirates are one of those last place teams that does have some mighty fine materials but only in a finite amount. Like, they still have one of the best young contact hitters in the game in Bryan Reynolds, one of the most versatile infield pieces in Adam Frazier, one of the best relief assets in Richard Rodriguez, a hard-hitting catcher in Jacob Stallings, and one of the most impressive cheap arms in J.T. Brubaker. Other than that, though? It's not certain.

Like, I'm gonna assume that a few of these pieces leave at the deadline. Rodriguez seems like an easy guess for trade bait, same with Frazier honestly, and one of the other 3 younger pieces could get snatched for all I know [or maybe someone like Tyler Anderson who's only on a one-year deal]. What is this team after that? What identity does this team have then?

Like, let's examine what's been shifting lately. The Pirates just called up Will Craig, their 2016 1st rounder, to play 1st base in Colin Moran's absence, and he's already doing pretty well, with a homer and 2 RBIs in his first 9 games. Earlier this year they had Miguel Yajure start a few games, he did well and has since been called back down. Mitch Keller and Wil Crowe are both up in the rotation and either struggling or doing just okay. The rest of this team is either veterans or contract deals. The experiment of actually having prospects try and move this team ended when Ke'Bryan Hayes got injured.

The plan for the Pirates seems to be to continue to just kinda keep cruising and not really worry about anything this year. But...they've been playing to lose for a few years now, and nothing's really come of it. How much longer are they gonna have to bottom feed in order to actually get something going? 

Coming Tomorrow- Sometimes, a true home run hitter has to come from absolutely nowhere in order to be everywhere. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Pirates

 

After a decade of routinely being the worst team in baseball...and then a decade of competing...the Pirates are back....to, uh, being the worst team in baseball.

Yeah. The Bucs won 19 games this year, lost 41. Literally one player had a WAR over 1, and it's a guy who only played for 24 games [Ke'Bryan Hayes, if it's not obvious]. Everyone else, including marquee guys like Gregory Polanco had disappointing, underwhelming seasons. Polanco was once the youthful, speedy outfield bat, and this year he hit .153 with a club-leading 65 strikeouts. It's a season that has to make Pittsburgh fans wonder if he's worth the risk going forward.

2021 Prediction: Above-Mendoza-line number, but he's gonna be overshadowed by Reynolds and Hayes and will be on the bench by September.

Bryan Reynolds was poised for great things after his solid rookie year last year, and even he hit under .200, with a .189 average and 19 RBIs in 55 games, a poor sophomore statement. I do think Reynolds has a future of running this team, but he needs to put this season behind him as soon as he can.

2021 Prediction: Back to regular stats, but will do so in a way that stands out from the majority of the team. Not sure if it's too soon for trade talks, but it's an intriguing idea.

Adam Frazier at least had another strong year, covering the starting 2nd base position, and hitting .230 with a [sigh] CLUB LEADING 23 RBIs. He also led the team in hits with 48. For better or worse, Adam Frazier was one of the most consistent members of this team.

2021 Prediction: Another strong year, but I predict that Frazier will be one of many Pirates that changes hands at the deadline.

This statement says all you need to know about the Pirates this year- The Pirates' #1 starter and technical staff ace, Trevor Williams, who started a club-high 11 games....had a 2-8 record, a 6.18 ERA, and a 1.572 WHIP. And he has already been cut in preparation for the offseason. That says it all.

2021 Prediction: I do think someone will pick him up, but I don't know if his chances at a starting position or full roster longevity are especially high.

At the very least, the Pirates had some strong starters behind Williams and Joe Musgrove. Steven Brault may have been the best arm on the team, with a 3.38 ERA in 11 games, and 38 strikeouts. Brault has been pretty damn good when he's been healthy, and hopefully he'll continue the good work.

2021 Prediction: Doesn't make it to March before the Bucs trade him for prospects to a contender. He'll have a prime year. 

Chad Kuhl, after missing last year due to an injury, was back in full force for 2020. Kuhl had a 4.27 ERA in 9 starts, and 44 Ks. Not bad at all.

2021 Prediction: Will have an impressive start that, notice a theme here, will lead to opponents calling about his availability.

One of the bigger rotation surprises was J.T. Brubaker, a minor league regular for the Pirates who finally made his way to the majors, and started 9 games with a 4.94 ERA and 48 strikeouts, being the smallest name with the most surprising punch in Pittsburgh.

2021 Prediction: Similar numbers. In the Bucs rotations to follow, I expect Brubaker to be steadily mediocre.

Meanwhile, despite starting about as many games as he did in 2019, Mitch Keller still gave a mighty impression this year, with a 2.91 ERA and 16 Ks in 5 starts. The Pirates are convinced Keller is gonna be a powerful ace for them soon, and while I'm slightly less convinced, I'm taking any good stats this early as a good sign. 

2021 Prediction: Right as Keller starts having the breakthrough year the fans have been waiting for, he gets injured. 

Speaking of getting injured at the moment of a breakthrough, Phillip Evans, the former Mets prospect, was having a fantastic season at third, batting .359 with 9 RBIs in 11 games, some of the more impressive numbers of the early, barely-any-wins era of this team. Then, he gets injured in a scary collision and is out for the rest of the season. It's unfortunate, but...without it, Ke'Bryan Hayes never gets called up.

2021 Prediction: If he plays at all next season, it'll be off the bench.

Coming Tomorrow- Oh, what a mighty season the Rangers could have had if anything had gone according to plan...

Frazier Strain

I was not prepared for how many games the Pirates were going to lose this year.

Like, I knew they'd be disappointing and be a 4th-5th level talent that wouldn't come close to the big 3 in the NL Central, but...this is just humiliating for them. Even with some genuinely good pieces, an intact lineup, and some great arms...this Pirates team has lost 75 games.

I'll give the Pirates this: only one member of the team has more than 100 strikeouts, and it's Josh Bell, who's still having a star-making, 100-RBI/31-homer season that will get the rest of the league to pay attention to him. This is also the last season of Starling Marte's contract, and he's had a pretty good year, with 22 homers and a .288 average. Plus, Jose Osuna's been hot off the bench, the Reynolds/Newman combo has been wonderful in keeping the rookie class strong this year, And you still have guys like Adam Frazier and Colin Moran who can quietly get hits and RBIs without people saying much about them.

The pitching is...alright now. There have been some injuries, but Joe Musgrove, Steven Brault, Dario Agrazal and Trevor Williams are still pretty reliable. Felipe Vazquez has 22 saves and Francisco Liriano has a 3.64 ERA off the pen, so that's gotta count for something. No, the pitching's kinda tanking because it's too spotty, and there are too many holes left by injuries and inefficiency. They've been saving space for this kid Mitch Keller, who's yet to really prove why he's such a beloved prospect. There still seems to be a ton of problems that a year-end clean sweep might not even solve.

I don't think the Bucs are at the point where it'll be like the mid-2000s where they'll just be in 5th every year without trying. I honestly think they have a shot to try and compete if the bulk of this team returns, and if the rest is refurbished. There's a lot that could succeed with this team, and I just hope everything does in Pittsburgh.

Coming Tomorrow- I think we thought he'd be out of baseball by last June, but...after a comeback with Milwaukee and a HUGE return to form in Houston, he's here to stay.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2018: Pirates

Success was fleeting for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018. In an instant, the team went from fourth to chasing second...then first...then back to fourth. With the number of competitive teams in the NL Central, it's upsetting, if predictable, to see a solid, inoffensive team like the Bucs get rocked by surging teams like St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee. It's not to say the team's done competing, but as all four competitors in that division are suiting up this offseason, I think it'll be very difficult for them to stand out next year.

At least they have Gregory Polanco, who had another sharp season in the outfield, with a team high 81 RBIs, and 117 hits. Also, I absolutely love that custom.

 Josh Harrison was stopped by injury this year, which led to some good playing time from Adam Frazier, but when he was healthy he wasn't bad. 86 hits in 97 games isn't bad. It does look like he'll be looking for a new team this year, which is sad, but hopefully he'll keep his numbers steady.

 It does mean Adam Frazier is looking at a starting position, though, which...as the superior hitter and defensive player of the two 2nd basemen the Bucs had this year, isn't a bad deal. He's also versatile as hell, which definitely helps, and hit .280 this year.

 Colin Moran was one of two surprisingly powerful acquisitions from Houston in the Gerrit Cole deal. Moran was the starting third baseman this year, hitting .277 in 144 games, with 115 hits. He's also brought some outstanding facial hair to the team.

 Ivan Nova's numbers dipped from his impressive first few years in Pittsburgh, but he still kept his record to 0-0, with 115 strikeouts. In a year where Trevor Williams and Jameson Taillon held the fort, it's not alarming. It proved the team will be alright with him heading to Chicago next year.

 Luckily Joe Musgrove and his hard-throwing nineteen games were there to hold up the back end of the rotation, with a 4.06 ERA. He's not completely controlled, but he is a wicked little fireballer who could bloom next year for them.

And Keone Kela, a stowaway from Texas who came to town in August, did...alright in Pittsburgh. Not Rangers good, but alright. He had 15 innings of setup ball, and pitched a 2.53 ERA. Not bad, but...you had Kyle Crick onhand as setup man. You didn't really...need Keone Kela, sadly.

Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of the Rangers...uh, Kela got out at the right time. As did, like, everyone else.

The One Guy Named Frazier That Doesn't Play for the Yankees

...and his name ain't 'Joe'.

While I'm sad that the Pirates weren't really able to do a great deal this season, thanks to a lack of a solid core, I am excited that some of the youth movement is beginning to bloom, thanks to Josh Bell's fantastic rookie season, and a similarly great sophomore effort from Adam Frazier.

And look, while this Pirates team isn't great, we are NOWHERE NEAR the amount of sheer ineptitude that they hit in the 2000s. Back then, whenever someone became anything resembling a star, they were sent out of Pittsburgh on a rail. Now, people like Gerrit Cole, Andrew McCutchen and Jameson Taillon can bloom into great star players and hold onto the team without it turning into an every-man-for-himself situation, like in 2009.

I'm not entirely sure if this team's going to look any better for 2018, though. I assume the feeding frenzy in St. Louis will have begun after the inevitable departure of Yadier Molina, and it will be tough for the Brewers to sustain what they've kept this year, so...that could leave a hole for an improved Pirates roster to step in. It just takes some reestablishment of the core, and letting a few older, more injury-prone people out. But I'm still not sure if this rebuilding process will work by next year.

I am pulling for these guys, because I've spent a nice amount of time in Pittsburgh, but practicality is going to have to take a backseat in order for a comeback to happen next year.

Coming Tomorrow- A man with his name struck fear into the hearts of Yankee fans 20 summers ago. Now...the new holder of the name is trying to bring a team that's been gutted, scraped and dulled into a postseason that will most likely not be kind to them.