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Pirates 2018

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Punxsutawney

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I figured I'd start the season thread amid the Corey Dickerson trade.

It's a great move, considering the Pirates did not have to give up much of anything.

It gives them a chance to have an overall better OF than they did last season, even without McCutchen, as Dickerson gives them solid power in RF and they should get a full season from Marte in CF.

I'm not really sure what to expect from Polanco. The kid has talent, but he does not seem to consistently have his head in the game, and whenever he starts to hit well, he seems to get hurt.
 
Dickerson is a pretty bad defensive player. but as far as dumpster dives go, you could do worse
 
swal75 said:
Dickerson is a pretty bad defensive player. but as far as dumpster dives go, you could do worse
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His defensive issues will be negated somewhat by the short right field at PNC Park, and him being left handed offensively is a huge plus for home games.

It helps reduce the loss of McCutchen, at least.
 
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I think this will be the year where we see game attendance sink badly.
 
Punxsutawney said:
His defensive issues will be negated somewhat by the short right field at PNC Park, and him being left handed offensively is a huge plus for home games.

It helps reduce the loss of McCutchen, at least.
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It's probably a neutral move on paper, and in the standings(cutch for dickerson). But the team is just not that much fun anymore.
 
This was a pleasant surprise after their recent signings of 2 past prime free agents (Nava & Saunders) in the last week.
 
Well he was an all star and cutch was poor in the field. I am shocked they traded for a young all star. Must have a pending suspension or something.
 
swal75 said:
It's probably a neutral move on paper, and in the standings(cutch for dickerson). But the team is just not that much fun anymore.
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I still think there's some exciting talent on the roster, but I get what you're saying.

Players like McCutchen and Cole were the reasons a lot of people went to the games.
 
jitter77 said:
Well he was an all star and cutch was poor in the field. I am shocked they traded for a young all star. Must have a pending suspension or something.
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Tampa offered him in trade talks and nobody bit and they were probably going to have to release him and eat his money but we traded them cash neutral junk and a minor prospect. Limited defensive outfielders just don't have much value across the league anymore. Not saying he's Adam Dunn but he's basically a -2 or so war defensive guy in the field if he plays more games there.


I'm not trying to be negative but this team is built to win about 75-82 games.

40:1 or 50:1 to win the NL pennant. 80:1 to 120:1 to win the WS. 14:1 to 16:1 to win the division.

Over/Under win total is 73 at -110.
 
The Pirates somehow getting an All Star OF in Corey Dickerson from the Rays for almost nothing changes things a lot I think. Not to slight Cutch at all but Dickerson is basically a mirror image of Cutch.....an All Star last year who hit .282 with 27 HR's and is pretty lousy in the field. So basically they replaced Cutch in every way except for the emotional aspect as Andrew being the face of the Franchise and so loved in the Burgh. I don't know how many more wins the acquisition of Dickerson gives them but it certainly makes me feel a little better than I did a few days ago. I don't know how the Rays let him go for so little but I feel like the Prates "Pirated" somebody else for once.

From some interviews I've seen so far this Spring, the players are also very impressed with Colin Moran already. Somebody....(maybe Harrison, but I can't remember for sure) predicted that Moran will be an All Star one day because of his sweet swing and power. If he has a good season, then who knows, they may will be much improved offensively from last season. Throw in Josh Bell coming into his 2nd season and having the look of a blooming star. I am really liking this kid. After his good rookie year I read that he was at spring camp 2 full weeks before anybody else got there working his butt off because he wants to be better this year. That bodes really well.

Then the big question remains the pitching with the absence of Cole, even though I wasn't the biggest Cole fan. Too many emotional blow ups on the mound which made his bad starts even worse. I don't know that will change.
 
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Supersteeler said:
The Pirates somehow getting an All Star OF in Corey Dickerson from the Rays for almost nothing changes things a lot I think. Not to slight Cutch at all but Dickerson is basically a mirror image of Cutch.....an All Star last year who hit .282 with 27 HR's and is pretty lousy in the field. So basically they replaced Cutch in every way except for the emotional aspect as Andrew being the face of the Franchise and so loved in the Burgh. I don't know how many more wins the acquisition of Dickerson gives them but it certainly makes me feel a little better than I did a few days ago. I don't know how the Rays let him go for so little but I feel like the Prates "Pirated" somebody else for once.

From some interviews I've seen so far this Spring, the players are also very impressed with Colin Moran already. Somebody....(maybe Harrison, but I can't remember for sure) predicted that Moran will be an All Star one day because of his sweet swing and power. If he has a good season, then who knows, they may will be much improved offensively from last season. Throw in Josh Bell coming into his 2nd season and having the look of a blooming star. I am really liking this kid. After his good rookie year I read that he was at spring camp 2 full weeks before anybody else got there working his butt off because he wants to be better this year. That bodes really well.

Then the big question remains the pitching with the absence of Cole, even though I wasn't the biggest Cole fan. Too many emotional blow ups on the mound which made his bad starts even worse. I don't know that will change.
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Dickerson is probably a slight upgrade from a power perspective, but he's not McCutchen from a getting on base and speed standpoint. As I said earlier, getting Dickerson helps the Pirates have a better overall outfield with Marte taking over in CF.

I like Moran as well. I do not think he'll ever be a star, but he has enough talent to be a solid regular at 3B.

The biggest issue with the Pirates right now is that there is a lot of interesting talent among both the pitchers and position players, but pretty much all of it has question marks attached.

Overall, I have more confidence in the position players than the pitchers.
 
The Pirates season is depending on surprises like Polanco staying injury free and playing at All-Star level and Glasnow finding control
and pitching like a top-line starter. McCutchens defense had tailed off in Center, he would still be considered above average at either
corner spots.
 
I know this team is young and but it does have some talent. I think these guyscould develop some chemistry and make this season fun for a while. Then again, I could be totally wrong.
 
Buster said:
I know this team is young and but it does have some talent. I think these guyscould develop some chemistry and make this season fun for a while. Then again, I could be totally wrong.
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Talented yes. Young as well.
I still think Nutting always finds a way to ruin the Pirates.

Should be interesting. I typically don't follow baseball until after the all-star gam when games tend to have more meaning.

Being a younger generation fan. Still pissed about losing McCutchen, but it was bound to happen
 
MTC said:
I still think Nutting always finds a way to ruin the Pirates.
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You cannot own a small-market team, win consistently, AND turn a profit. Bob Nutting doesn't give a crap about winning, so.....
 
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Nothing to do with the players, but the Pirates got rid of the all-you-can-eat seats. Now you can pay a premium price for the right to purchase $5 food.
 
SteelerFan448 said:
Nothing to do with the players, but the Pirates got rid of the all-you-can-eat seats. Now you can pay a premium price for the right to purchase $5 food.
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I think you pay a lot more than $5 for food. I don't think $5 gets you a Coke.
 
Ron Burgundy said:
I think you pay a lot more than $5 for food. I don't think $5 gets you a Coke.
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http://triblive.com/lifestyles/food...ood-so-much-more-than-hot-dogs-and-beer-check

Previously, fans could purchase a one-price ticket and get all the popcorn, peanuts, soda, hot dogs and hamburgers they could eat. Now, the one-price admission of $30 to the newly named Pirates Cove includes unlimited peanuts, popcorn and soda, and discounted prices for smaller versions of other items, including $5 each for the kielbasa grinder, loaded pierogies or cheeseburger and $5.50 for a 12-ounce beer.

"We want to think of this as more of a value section," said Keith Petrie, general manager for Aramark. "We want to offer more food at a value price."
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So for $35 or $40 you could get all of that stuff for free. My brother and I would load up on food for the all-you-can-eat seats. Zero chance we'll sit in the "value section." That's some real BS.
 
The Pirates are dead to me.
 
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