Comments on: Pirates Cut 11 Players, Including Jameson Taillon

By: jg941

jg941 — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:38:06 +0000

Yeah, I would have given another week or two of MLB reps to Sands, Robinson and maybe Black & Welker (though Tim said Welker had a shoulder tweak, so….), and I would have cleared some space first by sending down Harrison, Waldrop, Mazzaro instead.

And, frankly, I would also do a favor to Inge and Hawpe by releasing them immediately – I don’t think they are better back-ups than what we already have in any way, and it would give them a chance to get in front of a few other clubs before ST ends.

By: jg941

jg941 — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:29:17 +0000

Nah – Cole’s closer so he should stay and oppose MLB stuff ’til the last cut, coz he’ll be back in a few months. I think it’s OK for Taillon to get down and get more AA/AAA reps now, as he is coming up later.

That final round of cuts should include guys who have at least a reasonable shot at showing up on the MLB roster in 2013 (other than some random September call-ups), i.e. they should get more MLB ST reps.

Taillon is likely a September call-up at best or (for sure) Opening Day ’14 guy, so (believe it or not) it may actually be more important, in terms of Opening Day 2013 decision-making, to give some of his MLB ST time over the next couple of weeks here to (gulp) Sanchez, Gomez or maybe Oliver – to try to see if they have anything there – in the limited time they have left to make decisions.

Taillon’s an absolute given, and I can guarantee that neither he nor the Bucs view him exiting in the first round as anything negative at all.

By: leadoff

leadoff — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:43:59 +0000

Thanks for the reply, putting it the way you have makes a lot of sense, glad to hear that Taillon understands the situation.

By: Tim Williams

Tim Williams — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:41:27 +0000

Cut from major league camp. Optioned to Triple-A. They’re still on the 40-man.

By: PinchRunner

PinchRunner — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:40:01 +0000

Several of these players are on the 40-man. Are they cut from the 40-man or just optioned? I’m wondering if this opens up some opportunity for the non-roster invitees like Inge or Cole…

By: Tim Williams

Tim Williams — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:09:28 +0000

It actually would slow his progression to be with the major league team. Starters are getting extended and going 4-5 innings each outing. That creates fewer innings for other players. It makes no sense to keep Taillon up there. The only way to give him the innings he’d need is to take them away from someone who needs to get ready for the majors on Opening Day. Taillon will be going to Double-A, and will be a starter. He needs to get ready for that role, and the best place for him now is minor league camp.

Also, I just saw Taillon. His ego isn’t bruised. Players understand the situation and their realistic chances of making the team.

By: leadoff

leadoff — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:08:50 +0000

He knew he was going back to minor league camp as all of use also knew it, the post was about the timing of it.

By: Todd Smith

Todd Smith — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:05:50 +0000

Taillon has 3 games above the single A level. Of course he wasn’t going to make the team out of camp. That would be ridiculous.

I’m more surprised at Jerry Sands going so soon. I would have thought they would take a longer look at him for an option in one of the bench spots.

By: leadoff

leadoff — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:58:16 +0000

Why make any moves with Taillon at this time? does it slow his progression to be with the major league team for another couple of weeks? The Pirates get accused of nursing their players along, this is why. You would think Taillon would benefit by pitching against better players in the next couple of weeks, then I could see assigning him to the minors. I would think for his ego this is a blow to be one of the first cuts, the Pirates are saying no matter what you do you are not making this club and if we have players that are not better they are still going to make this club before you do.