DK’s Daily Shot of Pirates: The death of hitting

15 comments

1. From listening to prior episodes over the last year, sounds like they have a strong focus on increasing the pitch count for opposing pitchers. Choking up, getting a 2 strike single, and having another guy at bat also increases the pitch count. Choking up and fouling off numerous pitches increases pitch counts.

   I know many now think of a K as just another out, no worse than any other kind of out. I disagree. That would only be true if fielders never made errors.

   Swinging for the fences w/2 outs HAS to increase the chances of getting an out. You only get 27 outs. You'd think they'd be doing their best to decrease the odds of using up one of those outs in most situations.

2. Definitely, Bednar needed a stint on the IL. You don't throw a guy out there, who tweaked his lat. He never had time to fully recover, and I say, he tried to compensate in other ways on the mound, which hurt his command mightily.
   As for Dickerson, he won his only Gold Glove with the Pirates. His limited time with the Bucs, he was, a bat tactician. You just don't see guys like that anymore, that adjust mid at bat, to shorten their stroke to put the ball in play. Yet the FO sent him to Philly, because they felt he was going to make too much the next season. Ridiculous stuff.

3. It seems like everybody who loves and understands baseball, recognizes the complete failure that the Pirates are. in terms of their analytical hitting approach. Why has this not sunk in to those who are responsible. how many years does their data points stretch out to for them to get this desired outcome? better yet what is their desired outcome? What are they looking to achieve with this approach? Is it broken down to each individual player. Have these questions been asked? Have they provide this data or is it some sort of secret?

4. Decline in quality of the product is like the elephant in the room that almost never gets discussed in any sport anymore. Baseball is much less entertaining to watch. The complexities of the game on the field have been dumbed down because of three true outcome approach. Clocks and Manfred runners killed whatever was left of the romanticism in the game. It is an unhealthy future for the sport.

5. Recently, I've been thinking about the concept of "inflection points."

   I also just read an article about the subject, but it referred to the topic in a very different context. A specific paragraph really hit home, however, and it became a lightbulb moment for me:

   "The 'edge of chaos,' an expression coined by physicist Norman Packard in 1988, is where creativity and innovation happen. On one side is staid order— the status quo. On the other side is total havoc. Stuff happens in the turbulence where they meet, where change in pressure spits off cyclones and twisters."

   The Pirates could be approaching a critical inflection point during the 2025 season. Perhaps "the edge of chaos" for the Pirates will emerge if the starting rotation is having an excellent season, yet the hitters still aren't hitting– because Ben Cherington simply didn't bother to acquire the necessary impact bat(s). In addition, if the Pirates also aren't adjusting and making contact at the plate, and they aren't advancing regularly on the base paths (i.e. they're not stealing much), it will quickly become apparent how the new season is going to go. Again.

   Hopefully, the combination of these factors could push the envelope to a place that it's never been pushed before in relation to ownership and management. Perhaps the status quo will finally turn into "total havoc." Maybe there will be some internal disagreements due to the experience and philosophies of the recently hired coaches. "Stuff could happen in the turbulence" that may eventually lead to one or more positive outcomes.

   The handling of David Bednar was an utter disaster last season, and it was painful to watch how his year unfolded. A large number of various player difficulties have emerged every season so far, and the mood of the team at times has been very unsettling (at least to me). Changes are desperately needed.

6. Chapman was an able replacement for Bednar out of spring training last season. There was no good reason to rush Bednar back. Hopefully, he can return to form, DK.

7. I guess if theres a hitting coach i could see having an old school flair, it's Matt Hague

8. Speaking of the death of hitting, the pirates havent drafted an above average hitter, defined by wrc+ >= 101, since Austin Meadows in 2013

9. Today's segment begs the question, would Tony Gwynn make it to the majors in todays game? I don't think so and that's sad.

10. I can't help but remember the organ player at Truist Park playing "My ding-a-ling" when he came up to bat for us when I went to the game…lol. Good player. Congrats on retirement.

11. Remember the mashers and slashers who wore black and gold in the 1960s and 1970s? Yeah, me, too.

12. Stargell Clemente parker Hebner oliver madlock Easler we had some great ones but our new front office is too cheap or is allelrgic to ppwer hitters

13. Thank you DK, Base hits in the gaps, it's what wins games. Another good one DK

14. Dk I play in a band and we use the opening groove of this daily shot as a warmup during practice

15. I started following the Pirates right before they traded for Matty Alou who choked up every at bat. He hit over .330 4 years in a row winning the batting title in 1966, He had 746 total plate appearances in 1969 and struck out 35 times! He played 15 years and struck out 377 times. A lot of current players do that in 2 years now. He was a pure contact hitter, something the Pirates do not have which explains why they are one of the worst teams with runners in scoring position. I can't tell you how many times the last several years they have had the bases loaded with no outs or second and third no outs and I know that they won't score any runs. It is so hard to watch their futility with runners on base.