In my premium column for Patreon subscribers, I looked at the cautious approach the Pirates are taking with Paul Skenes. I agree with the approach, but broke down how it could have limits that would call for him being up before the Super Two dates pass.
Nick Gonzales was taken seventh overall in the 2020 draft. He's dealt with swing and miss issues, which have kept him in Triple-A. In the early part of the season, he's showing positive overall improvements with his strikeout rates, while still having some underlying concerns about swing and miss.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the strongest pursuers for right-handed pitcher Matt Garza, according to David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. However, they've got company....
On a night that was hot, then rainy, then blustery, Travis Snider's swing was the real force of nature.
Snider didn't start against right-hander Matt...
This is the 4th and final article in a series of articles examining how small payroll teams have found success in recent years. The goal is to try and determine what methods were successful in an attempt for the Pirates to emulate them.
Every year some team does it. There's always at least one team that contends for a division title, or makes the playoffs, or even advances to the World Series on a payroll that dwells in the umbra of the Yankees' world. And then every fan and talking head wonders why their favorite team can't do the same thing. But if it were that easy, there wouldn't be a need for the gargantuan payrolls that exist in the game.
