I received word from two different sources that Gregory Polanco will be getting the call to Pittsburgh on Thursday, and will be activated for Friday’s game. He is still in Indianapolis, and is expected to leave tomorrow for Pittsburgh.
Polanco has been destroying Triple-A pitching, and the only reason he is down is due to Super Two status. If he is called up on Friday, and remains in the majors the rest of the year, he will end the season with 115 days of service time. The projected cutoff at the end of this year is two years and 128 days. That cutoff has never been lower than two years and 122 days, which occurred after the 2013 and 2010 seasons.
With Polanco expected to join the team, that could signal the end for either Travis Snider or Jose Tabata. Both are in the starting lineup tonight against the Padres, but the Pirates would only have room for one of them with Polanco in the majors.
Calling Polanco up on Friday means that he will be activated in time for a big series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Currently the Pirates sit 6.5 games back from the Brewers in the NL Central race. They are closer in the Wild Card race, sitting two games back.
Polanco currently has a .351/.410/.547 line in 225 at-bats, with six home runs. He hasn’t struck out in his last seven games, spanning 28 at-bats. His performance this year has improved his prospect status, to the point where he is now considered one of the top three prospects in the game. In the last week, he has moved to the leadoff spot with Indianapolis, going 7-for-18 with a double and three stolen bases. He is expected to bat leadoff when he joins the Pirates.
UPDATE: Pirates officials are denying that Polanco is coming up on Friday. Meanwhile, several other trusted reporters are saying Polanco will be up:
Sources: Polanco heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow and expected to join #Pirates on Friday.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 4, 2014
Source confirms @timwilliamsP2 report: #Pirates bringing up Polanco. Will join team on Friday.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 4, 2014
Our sources also confirm @timwilliamsP2, report, that Polanco is indeed Pittsburgh bound. Tim will join us on postgame show tonight.
— Dan Zangrilli (@DanZangrilli) June 4, 2014
And now we wait for Friday.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
The FO probably doesn’t want a stated date out there for the arrival of GP as it will give any potential trade partners (assuming they’re trying to move someone to clear a spot) more leverage. It’s not that what they’re trying to do is some great mystery. But timing is a crucial element in negotiations and knowing there’s added time pressure on one side adds leverage to the other.
As long as FO has the delusion of trading Snider for more than an Islay’s chipped ham samich and a case of Iron Lites, Polanco’s promotion will be put on hold. Hate to DFA a guy that’s only been worthless for 2 years, right?
so perhaps when the Indians leave syracuse for lehigh valley… or leave lehigh valley for indianapolis, Polanco will get a drop off.
Wow, Colin Dunlap’s radio show is rather brutal right now. Keep fighting the good fight Tim. But as long as the Super 2 thing is at a good probability of being done, then I hope these reports are correct.
Don’t look now, but high-up’s in the Pirates org are saying they have no plans for Polanco coming up at any point this weekend….
Somebody tried to blame the ump for lirianos performance tonight,my reply”can’t really blame the ump for this one,liriano looked like he was trying to hit moving mosquitos.
God speed zim, tell clemente and pops we said hi.
Regarding tonight’s game, which Hurdle must have decided it wasn’t important to win by including Stewart, Snider, and Davis in the lineup at the same time – combined 0-11 and I think they stranded a combined 5 base runners.
When was the last time the Pirates lost a game, in which the opponent only had one hit? Liriano did what few MLB starting pitchers do – pitch 5 or more innings, and still throw more balls than strikes.
This was an ugly game, and it is a shame that Hurdle decide to only go with 5 hitters in the lineup and hamstring his team.
Sniders been in the lineup for two days, makes me think he is being shopped and potential trade partners need a look.
I was surprised Walker sat especially since he is 8 for 18 against Ian Kennedy.
Does anyone think Snider gets through waivers so we can send him to Indy?
I don’t see Houston passing on him.
–
I hate to loose anyone… especially one that seems to have a good attitude.
–
I like the sending Marte to DL for two weeks. If Polanco does not have a nice start
we can make a move or if someone is hurt we can do something.
–
I just want to keep winning!
–
I don’t see the astros either trading for or claiming snider,they already have one pirate castoff in the outfield,why would they want two?
Actually its two, you could see the Pressley, Grossman, Snider outfield. Yikes
Thanks, I forgot about him.
They might get something for Tabata because his average is better than Snider (albeit an empty .280). The more important question concerns Josh Harrison.
Harrison must continue to play everyday. He has turned the corner in the same way that Freddy Sanchez did back when Freddy was just a utility player (because idiot manager Jim Tracy insisted on having the .170 hitting Joe Randa start at 3b).
I hope Harrison continues to lead off. They can bat Polanco somewhere else.
Who would have thought the bucs would get the 39th pick for morris,huntington is a pretty good gm, he makes some shrewd moves all while working within a very tight budget. So it would not surprise me if he got a serviceable player/ prospect fot snider.
Why do people keep saying they will put Marte on the DL?
There is nothing physically wrong with him.
A team can’t put someone on the DL just because they aren’t hitting.
I have heard no mention of Marte being hurt in any way. I listen to every game on the radio, I think I would have heard if he was hurt.
Yes, he is on the bench for the past two games, but not for being hurt – he just can’t hit right now. His timing is wayyyy off and he lacks patience.
Fake injuries happen all the time,how many strained pinkies do you think are real?lol
Have you been watching any games on Root? They were talking about Marte having a back problem for two weeks now.
No, I don’t have cable.
Try dish I’ve had them for 15 years, no problems,reasonable prices.( relatively speaking)
Don’t get me started on Comcast . . . .
Hurdle says Marte’s back is still bothering him. Marte has said so, too.
Hurdle said he is only on the bench to give him a breather and to get away from the game for a couple days. I listen to the Clint Hurdle Show each game, he didn’t say anything about Marte being hurt today or yesterday.
Where did you hear them say this?
This is one place:
http://onlybucs.net/forums/index.php?topic=13750.0
Okay, I guess it’s possible then. I would prefer they make that move over cutting anyone. He pinch hit tonight so it will interesting to see what move they make to get Polanco on the team.
Snider and tabata are in the lineup so potential trade partners can take a look at them, I would expect snider to be the one gone either by trade or dfa if for no other reason than his salary is the easier one to unload or eat.
Not sure i understand leadoff. He is more of a a Daryl Strawberry type. Good to have so many choices in spots 1-5: Harrison, Walker, Marte, Cutch, Martin, …..very exciting.
Top prospects with speed usually start off at leadoff, examples are cutch,marte.
Bonds, Granderson,
Barry Bonds started as a leadoff man also.
As expected, the Pirates are denying this. Their position is always that no player moves happen until they happen.
I wonder, also, if the Pirates are trying to work out a Tabata trade and don’t want Polanco’s call-up date to be completely known so teams don’t try to drive down the price even more knowing he’ll be released and be able to be had without giving up any players. Of course, only an idiot GM wouldn’t know that a Tabata trade was signaling the call-up of Polanco!
There could be several explanations like this. For instance, they may not be sure whether they want to DL Marte and are reluctant to have to ditch either Tabata or Snider until they decide. Biertempfel’s tweet said officials were saying there are no plans “in place.” I’m sure the official view is that there are no plans in place until a concurrent roster move is decided and everything is done and in writing, i.e., it ain’t over ’til it’s over.
Well first they’ll have get Marte hurt before they can put him on the DL.
People poking holes in this story left and right. Will be interesting to see what happens. Just another feather in the cap of independent journalism if it’s true.
I’m betting on Tim, no reservations whatsoever. The only way Polanco doesn’t get activated Friday is if the Pirates purposely change after the fact just to spite the people reporting it…and I don’t think they would stoop to such a thing.
Personally I would rather see Tabata stay vs Snider . If true it is a sooner call up than I expected . I figured no earlier than the second week of June .
Trade jose he is batting over .282 i know not much power but teams might give atleast something up. However idk about trading him due to his effectiveness as a fourth OF.
What in the world do you think we would get for Tabata? Nothing that would help the club as much as Tabata this year. A ‘C’ level prospect? An out of options reliever?
With three CF, don’t need a defensive replacement. Think we are getting a starting pitcher that what we have now?
Keep Tabs, he had a job and is OK at it. Cut Lunchbox
I mean it all depends do u consider Harrison your fourth of or not. If u do then cut Tabatas money and get maybe some bonus international money or something. Why not
thats not right at all how will gods gift to baseball aka Andrew Lambo ever get a “fair chance” now?
All hail Andrew Lambo!
Snider for sure. He’s never shown anything and they owe Tabata for two more years. Besides the fact Tabata has been better. Shame though is Harrison was starting to come into his own as a lead off hitter and now has no position. Maybe they can trade Pedro and start Polanco and Harrison 1 an 2.
For those who think Marte is going down when Polanco comes up, no way Jose!
Exactly! I do not understand people that post on this site. The guy is in a a slump. I guess Alvarez should definitely be sent down and why wasn’t Mercer sent down? Marte was hitting just under .270 a week and a half ago, he is in a slump so we should just send him down according to people here lol. I even seen one hero on here trying to make up a rumor on the guy.
I would be that “hero”. And I do know a writer who covers the Bucs. And the words “clubhouse diva” have been spoken.
Clubhouse diva……he doesn’t speak english, and he’s a dirt farmer from dominica……i somehow doubt 1 year of reasonable success has him as a diva. Cutch would squash that
Money does do some strange things to people, I mean look at me, I don’t have any and my wife still says I’m a other end of a donkey.
why does this response not have 4,000 likes?
Your cousin Larry doesn’t count
@bucsws – “And I do know a writer who covers the Bucs”
Not impressed.
Good for you. Think I care?
I know people too and I hear he is nothing but a hard worker. I guess time will tell.
Will confess that I am a bit surprised that the FO is taking the chance on this – thought they might…
1. Want him to open on the road
2. Have a little more cushion for Super 2 risk.
So I was thinking next Friday – in Miami would be a good bet…
Will be interesting to see how they manage the roster – I would not be surprised if they try and DL Marte and still work on trades for Tabata and/or Snider – won’t get much – but anything is better than nothing….
There really is no risk of super two at 115 days
yeah why give up the sell outs everyday this weekend when u could play him in miami, imagine if lambo got a chance they would fill the roof for those games
Lambo wasn’t going to fill any seats.
And I believe Friday and Saturday’s games are already near sellouts, so there’s not a ton of financial upside.
I was being sarcastic about lambo
The way some here believe every prospect will be a Godsend, one can never tell. But I am happy you were being sarcastic.
How many top five prospects in the last 5 years have done anything significant? Go!
Price, Heyward, Bumgarner, Trout, Stanton, Machado, Gerrit Cole, Julio Teheran, Bryce Harper. Wil Myers, Shelby Miller, must I go on?
lol i know right i laugh when i see how lambo is the second coming of pops
Finally we get to see the Great Polanco in MLB action. Time to find out whether he is closer to the next Barry Bonds or Chad Hermansen.
Did Hermansen ever reach the majors? Speaking of busts, remember JJ Davis, Jermaine Allensworth, Shon Walker, and Charles Peterson??
Allensworth wasn’t a bust- he actually was a capable outfielder, and never was supposed to be amazing.
Considering he was a first round pick, I would categorize him as a bust….
Yeah, Hermansen played in 189 games over 6 seasons in the majors for 4 different teams. I had completely forgotten that the Pirates had traded him for Darren Lewis and that Lewis refused to go to the Pirates and just retired!
I’m not predicting a HOF bust, but it better be the former or something went very wrong
I wouldn’t be surpriSed if Marte is sent down for an attitude adjustment.
I wouldn’t say attitude, but I would say he has had some noticeable lapses in concentration. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was sent out or, if NH can find an excuse, added to the DL.
attitude?
What attitude? You guys talk like the guy is a cancer in the clubhouse all of a sudden but there is absolutely zero evidence of that except for one guy on here trying to stir the pot. Relax it’s a minor slump, happens to everyone
He’s not a guy who constantly gives 100%, which is always concerning, particularly during a slump. That being said, that’s different from a serious attitude problem
Can you give me some examples of when he blatanly doesn’t give 100%? I’m failing to remember a time other than the cardinals series early in the year when he had a triple that should have been an inside the park job. I would agree with you if he wasn’t running grounders out or was lazy in left but I haven’t seen any of that.
Did you not see him almost collide with ‘Cutch the other day, after not listening when he was called off?
DL more likely.
I’m excited to see him on the big club, but I’m equally interested in what they will do with Snider and Tabata. It would be nice to get something of value in return, if possible.
I like Snider as LH PH, could they look to demote Tabata to AAA? I doubt anybody would claim him off of waivers because of his contract, but I wasn’t sure how the $ would work if Tabata choose FA (or even if he can)?
Snider kills us every time he’s in the lineup. I can’t wait to see him demoted.
both out of options
I ask because Harrison and Tabata are redundant off the bench while Snider is at least LH
Well, first of all, how do you keep a guy who is batting barely above .200, over a guy batting .287? Also, Tabata is actually hitting RH pitching better than Snider is. I like Tabata better as a hitter, with greater upside. As much as I like Snider’s blue collar hustle, his play and performance do not justify keeping him. If healthy, Chris Dickerson would be a better choice. I doubt if Snider will fetch much – he has failed time and time again when given opportunities to start and play regularly.
Billy Beane will sign him.
I had figured Monday. Boy this is exciting news, if true.