Rude Awakening: Arbitration Will Force Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz to FACE Criticism

Pittsburgh Pirates face a critical arbitration deadline—could Oneil Cruz benefit from tough love in the boardroom? Gary Morgan explores whether arbitration’s cold hard facts might spark a turning point for the electrifying but inconsistent shortstop. The episode tackles arbitration strategy, roster decisions around Joey Bart, Dennis Santana, and Justin Lawrence, and what each player’s future could mean for the team’s trajectory.

NL Central over/under projections take center stage as Morgan sizes up the Brewers’ chances of repeating 97 wins, the Cubs’ rebuilt rotation featuring Edward Cabrera, and whether the Reds’ youthful core can finally grow together. The breakdown covers key moves, wild cards, and breakout candidates. Final segment: Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) might actually make baseball more watchable—will robot umps add drama or trigger a race for perfection? Don’t miss this incisive look at the Pirates’ offseason strategy and the changing MLB landscape.

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Pittsburgh Pirates, Pirates News, Oneil Cruz, NL Central, MLB Arbitration, ABS system, MLB Tech, Joey Bart, Dennis Santana, Justin Lawrence, Brandon Woodruff, Angel Zerpa, Akil Baddoo, Danny Jansen, Nick Mears, Isaac Collins, Contreras, Quinn Priester, Yellich, Kyle Tucker, Ian Happ, Suzuki, PCA, Edward Cabrera, Matthew Boyd, Emilio Pagan, Philip Ferguson, Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Brandon Lau, Ryan O’Hearn, Gregory Soto, Henry Davis, Brian Reynolds, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, MLB Over/Under, MLB Rumors, MLB News

2 comments

  1. If there is a next year with the Pirates for Oneil Cruz, he will have made major improvements in his game. It will take introspection and a lot of work on his part. And, yes, a haircut is the easiest and best place to start.

  2. I’d rather they leave the human ump less for the sentiment and more for the extra complexity it adds. Pitchers and catchers having to adjust to ump behavior adds a layer. Similar to having open domes in football. It adds an X factor. I want to minimize the ability to turn sports into linear math whenever possible.

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