Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Closer To Competing Than It Seems?

Are The Pittsburgh Pirates Closer To Competing Than It Seems?

[Music] Yo yo yo. Welcome to Bucka Brew powered by Defair Coffee and Tea. I’m your host Anthony Dinardo. With me, of course, as always, we have Jim Rosati in the house. How’s it going, Jim? Good morning. Happy Labor Day to you and everyone out there. That’s right. Happy day off, everyone. We got to sleep in a little bit today. 8 a.m. start instead of 7 a.m. Love it. Very nice. Very nice. Now, with that being said, the Pirates are off today, so there’s no game. So, we get to sleep in a little bit. We get to do this show and then just say, you know what, out of mind, out of sight. I’m not thinking Pittsburgh Pirates until tomorrow. Yeah. I’ll say this though. Absolute travesty that there’s no baseball today. It is. Maybe kind of. I don’t know. I don’t mind. Memorial Day, Labor Day, it’s the perfect opportunity for like a day game. And I mean I I I don’t know why we’re not playing. I mean I’m with you. It’s What’s MLB scheduling doing? There should All I’m saying is you know what for this one time this year I don’t hate it. There’s 13 games today. There’s 26 teams playing today. The Pirates are one of four who are not. How lucky we were. There’s no Pirates game. It’s Hopefully this is the last year that happens. Stop it, Rob. Make sure that happens next year. I haven’t checked the schedule. I know the schedule’s out. We could do so. Schedule is out. But again, there’s no Pirates game. But that’s that’s fine. That’s fine because you know what, Jim? We have something debuting today anyways at 7 o’clock. Now, if you’re a member, you can watch it now. So, as we always say on the on the shows, we appreciate our members. Shout out to our members. For 99 cents a month, you could be a member. So, members have early releases. We did have Justin Horowitz on the show. Talk to him, the director of amateur scouting. So, that show is actually out right now. Our members are able to watch it. They have been watching it. Uh, but for everyone else, the masses, 7 o’clock tonight, that’ll go live. So, you can you can listen to Justin Horowitz, who’s involved in all the drafts. He’s the one who drafted Connor Griffin. in Washington State. He’s the one who drafted, but he’s the one who was in charge of all the drafting, the scouting and stuff when they drafted Connor Griffin, they drafted Seth Hernandez. So, pretty good insight with him. So, you can do that instead of watching the the non-pirates game tonight. Yeah. No, it was it was a great interview. So, yeah, make sure you check that out tonight. There it is. So, I guess uh the Pirates did play this weekend, though. They played pretty good this weekend as well against a team that’s pretty pretty good, Jim. The Boston Red Sox in Boston away the Pittsburgh Pirates who are god awful away. Uh did play away. Uh Ryan faded them all three times. So therefore taking two out of three makes sense, right? Ryan’s FanDuel lock of the day. Uh it was basically fading the Pirates and the Pirates persevered as everyone’s wallets probably did if you continue to fade Ryan. And that’s another thing today as well. There’s no Ryan Fan FanDuel lock of the day. So again, sad. Sad. Can’t win any money. Yep. Yep. Gonna have just take a day off. Yeah. But uh but again, the the Red Sox lost two out of three. So good stuff from the Pirates. I felt like yesterday was uh could have been a better game, but ultimately, like you said, you won two out of three. Yeah. No, I mean it was um it was a fun series. The the Friday and Saturday games were great. Um especially after, you know, there was a little bit of a little bit of bad blood between the two fan bases heading into this this weekend with uh with Jared Kurabus, you know, taking a shot at the at the Pirates for for dfaing Andrew Heeney. Um you silly goose. I know my mentions were just full. I just muted the conversation after a while, but I I’d go back there and just check at it, check on it every now and then. And apparently a lot of baseball Twitter just thinks that the Pirates should because they’re a bad team, they should just play bad players. Like they they should just have no interest in even trying to win games. So, they were they they took offense to my comment about, you know, I don’t know, maybe maybe the Pirates shouldn’t pay Andrew Heene his performance bonuses. Maybe they shouldn’t play him anymore because he’s been pretty terrible. Um, and a lot of people took offense to that. And, uh, yeah, you know what? To those people, I say screw you because we didn’t have Andrew Heene to blow baseball games this weekend. Red Sox lose two out of three and I hope that hurts. Boom. I hope the Red Sox miss the playoffs now. Like, I didn’t really care much about the American League wild card race at this point, but I hope the Red Sox miss the playoffs now by one game. By one game. And then they can look back and say, “You know what? Those damn Pirates, if we hadn’t lost that series to them, if they had only kept Andrew Heene and paid him as bonuses, we would have made the playoffs.” So, you know what? There it is. Boston. There it is. There it is. Screw Boston. I mean, honestly, you know what? I don’t hate the Red Sox. I don’t think I’ve ever like really hated the Red Sox, but I hate Boston. I hate Boston. So, you know what? Like, good. Good. I’m with it. I’m on board now. Screw the Red Sox. Let’s go Yankees. Yeah, that’s the dilemma. Let’s go Blue Jays. Let’s go the Let’s go the IKF Blue Jays. Let’s go Blue Jays. Let’s go Mariners. And let’s go uh Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals. Yeah, like those guys. Boom. Boom. Love it. You know what? Let’s go Royals. Let’s go Royals. Catch the Catch the Red Sox. Let’s go Royals. Um, cool. I I appreciate that. But yeah, the Red Sox again, it was it was a fun series. It really was. I mean, obviously when the Pirates scored 10 runs and beat them 10 to three, that that’s that’s exciting. That’s going to make a good one. But ultimately, yeah, like I feel like Stefan on SNL has had everything. It had runs scored. It had pitch they I mean honestly like they they did they had good defense and then of course on Sunday they had very bad defense. But um yeah, like this series had everything and the Pirates victory two out of three. The Pirates have been playing better again. Like I understand this is the second half and this is meaningless. These don’t count. They’re not in it. There’s no pressure. Things still matter to a degree. I’m not trying to take this away and saying, “Okay, this is great stuff. This means next year is going to be great.” But ultimately, if they weren’t performing, this is even a worse sign. you know, if they’re still playing bad baseball, we’re light years away. Then, you know, like Donnie Kelly isn’t the answer, right? Like, at least maybe he’s the answer. At least they’re playing better and you can say, “Okay, maybe going to next year they’re not that far off and stuff, you know?” So, Brian Reynolds is is playing better again, right? Like Spencer Horwitz is playing good now. He’s playing really good actually uh for quite some time now. So like maybe maybe he is better than a lot of us were maybe anticipating that he could be you know um of course Jared Chiolo Jim is playing well but you know again like you’re seeing a lot of good play. The pitching is holding up even after those trades that were made for the most part at least the ones that matter. So they’re playing better baseball. I’ll give them that. And especially like since since the break and since August I mean they’re they’re winning b winning baseball in August. They took August as a winning month. That means a little bit. A little bit to me. Did they finish August with a winning record? Didn’t they? I think they had to win yesterday to finish with the winning record, but I could be I could be wrong. Um, yeah. So, they were 14 and 15 in August. Was it July? July they were 11 and 12. So they were one game under 500 each of the last two months. June they were 14. Gotcha. But uh All right. And they were close to winning month. Well, they’re they’re playing they’re playing watchable baseball. I mean, I think you can say that like this this isn’t a team like this team hasn’t sucked since May, right? Right. I mean, you look at the like the monthly records, June 14 and 13, July 11 and 12, August 14 and 15. They’ve been they’ve been roughly a 500 team for three months now. Um, and you go back to even like the end of May where they were were around 500 as well under Don Kelly, he’s now he’s now he’s now Don Kelly has now managed 100 games and the Pirates are 49 and 51. Yep. Again, it’s not good enough. like 49 and 51 doesn’t get you anything. But you look at like the overall record 61 and 77 and then you look at Don Kelly 49 and 51 and you can at least 61 and 77 makes you look like oh man we are we’re pretty far away from getting anything accomplished here. 49 and 51. You can look at that and you can say, “Okay, let’s let’s look at Don Kelly on and you can again like I I think there are ways to get this team to where they um to where they they need to be to be competitive. I think it’s still going to take a lot of work. I think it’s going to take uh shrewd general manager skill to get it done. I think the general manager who’s currently employed does not have the capability to do so. Um, so like I like don’t don’t think this is me saying that like, oh, Ben Sherington’s close, right? I I don’t think that’s the case. Like I don’t think Ben Sherington is capable of putting together a team that’s that’s that’s going to to make the playoffs, but I think there are ways to make this team okay. Um, and so we’ll get into that today. Uh we we basically just wanted to to look at, hey, like 100 games in to the Don Kelly era, this team isn’t that bad on under Don Kelly. How do you make them a playoff contender? And uh yeah, we’re going to we’re going to take a crack at like what we would do if we were the GM of this team over the off season and what our at least what our offense would look like heading into 2026 and and how we get there. So yeah, I’m excited to to go over that a little bit. Yeah, I am too. Um and you know, a question in the chat, Big Jake, is Don Kelly supposed to be skipper for next year? you know, we did tease that and and that’s something again like he’s trying to prove himself. If Ben Sherington is around next year, I think there’s no doubt in my mind with at least I mean, there’s still a month to go, so there’s still testing involved. But the way it’s going right now, I think Don Kelly’s the the manager next year. If Ben Cherington’s back. If Ben Harrington’s not back, it’s not to say that Don Kelly isn’t the manager, but I think obviously his his odds go down. I mean, you have a new GM. He might decide he wants to blow things up. I mean, you know what, Don Kelly, you did do a good job. Don Don Kelly, you’re a touted around MLB, but I need a new voice. I need my guy. You know, again, I think the chances go down. He certainly can still be the manager next year, but I just think like ultimately the odds decrease of him coming back as the manager. Yeah. Um, who knows if he’s going to be manager or not. I mean, this is this is his I guess this is his audition, you know, and I think so far like it’s been it’s been good. He hasn’t done anything to show me that like he’s not capable of doing the job, I guess, is is kind of what I’m saying. He hasn’t done anything that’s like wowed me. Like he hasn’t he hasn’t turned this team around and made them like like he’s not 10 games over 500, right? Like he’s right around 500. So, he’s kind of in that position where it’s like, yeah, he hasn’t really done anything to tell me that he can’t do it, but he hasn’t really done anything to tell me that like he’s definitely the guy either. Yeah, I I’m with you. I look at it this way, too. It’s not like I’m not blown away and wowed by him. You know, earlier on, it was like, okay, there’s a lot of change, a lot of differences, like the way he was using the bullpen, stuff like that. And it hasn’t ultimately gone away completely. But what I’ll say is this. Don Kelly in his first 100 games, like you said, it’s been fine. Like I don’t think there’s been anything that’s overcritical or like oh my god what are you doing? You’re in over your head. Derek Shelton’s first 100 games I think it felt like what are you doing? You’re in over your head. It got better. You know I think of all of us we we felt Shelton’s tenure got better, right? He improved as a manager but early on again we’re at the point where it’s like are you trying to tank? You know like that’s how bad like the stuff that he was doing and stuff. So I guess in that comparison like with Don Kelly it’s almost like the offensive lineman like I don’t think we’re talking too much about him in that degree where Derek Shelton we really were early on. So like I’ll give him that. Yeah. I mean I I I don’t know what the Pirates record was. I guess we can kind of piece it together here. I’m curious on what the Pirates record was in the previous 100 games. So Oh, let’s just do some quick more. It’s early. It’s early. Luckily, I’ve got a little bit of my Defair coffee and tea in me, so I’m I’m a little bit awake and I got that extra hour. Go ahead and look for that because we’ll let everyone know, of course, that Defair is a family and employee owned and operated business. 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Jim is trying to search dates. He’s trying to do math at 8:00 on Labor Day and he can still remember that. So, super easy. Just go to defair do defair.com coffee. Um, buy whatever you want. Pop in that NS930 code and get yourself 30% off your first order. So Derek Shelton was 37 and 63 in his final 100 games. 37 and 63 in his final 100. And Don Kelly is 49 and 51. So there you go. That’s a what is that? A 12 game increase. It’s pathetic. That’s what it is. It’s pathetic. Sorry, Derek, but that’s pathetic. Yeah. 37 and 63. Yeah. Again, all three I just want to say is as we’re going to talk for, you know, next year, what we can do to change it. I just feel like the team’s in the same situation as they were last off season. You know, that’s why I think also like what you’re saying, they’re not that far away. I think they’re the same. They’re like, if this team can get two to three more bats, they could be a competitive team. Depending on what those two or three bats are leads to how competitive they can be, but ultimately I think they’re about two or three bats away. It’s the same situation coming in from last offseason to this season. Like I just feel like that I don’t look too much into the true overall record. I’m not trying to say Don Kelly in the new way like oh they’re a 500 team. I mean they got a lot of work like you said. Like I’m not content. I’m not satisfied with what’s happening. But I think was what’s happening under Don Kelly shows that’s probably closer to what they are and what what’s that what they’ve been the past two years. So it’s like they’re just kind of at the same team uh that was underperforming earlier on. New direction, new voice bringing that back. Yeah, I don’t think they’re all that far away. Still a lot of work, but not it’s not hopeless. Yeah, I’m with you. Um, I mean, you look at you look at the wild card standings right now and, you know, 533 winning percentage currently is getting you into getting you into the postseason. You know, over over 162 game season, that’s 86 wins. So, right now, an 86 win pace would get you in to the playoffs. And you know, you kind of look at what the Pirates have done over these last hundred games, you know, they’re at a 79 win pace, 80 win, let’s call it an 80 win 79 win pace. Say 79. Yeah. So, yeah, like I mean, if you look at it in that regard, they got to get they got to get seven G like find seven more wins in that schedule over the course of a year and they’re they’re they’re right there. Um, so yeah, I don’t think they’re necessarily like like I don’t think their entire team away. They but they need they definitely need some help. They definitely need some help. We we’ve seen how this team has looked with a competent offense the last seven, eight weeks. If they can just figure out a way to do that over the entire season, uh they can they can be dangerous with the pitching staff that they have. The pitching staff is good. Like you got to you got to say like the pitching staff is really really good. Um they just they got to score more runs. Plain and simple. Plain and simple. So we want to help build this team. Um before we do, just a couple like news and notes. We already talked about it. Isaiah Connor Fa was placed on he was placed on outright waiverss on Friday. Excuse me. A lot of people got confused. They thought that meant like he was gone. They just waved him. Um but the reason why the Pirates did that was, you know, it basically gave teams the weekend to claim Isaiah Connor Falefa so that um he would be eligible for postseason play. Now we can go back and say if we’re just going to give up Isaiah Connor Falefa for nothing at the end of August, why couldn’t we give him up for just anything at the end of July? I still have no idea why Isaiah Connor Falefa was not traded at the trade deadline. My only guess is that there was zero market for him like none whatsoever because otherwise other I mean it’s two things either there was zero market whatsoever or Ben Sherington is incompetent. We know that the second is true. Um, so right you don’t really it could be either or of those things. It could be both. Who knows? Um, but I don’t know. I don’t understand why he was here past the trade deadline. Um, he seemed like a candidate that teams would would want to have on their team. The only thing I can think of is someone not wanting to pay that much money for a utility infielder. But at the same time, like he I don’t know if it it’s two months of his salary. I mean, you’re probably paying 2 million bucks. I just I feel like there I feel like there would have been something there for him. But regardless, I don’t know if we’ll ever know. Uh but Isaiah Connor Falefa is now a Toronto Blue Jay. He was claimed yesterday. Uh so he is no longer on the team. Ryan Kriedler was called up to take his place. Um if you want to be really really uh if you want to feel bad about um you know a Pirates move, go look up Ryan Kriedler’s career statistics and and you’ll immediately feel feel pretty bad. It’s it’s not good. It’s very bad. Um, but Cam Deainy uh was called up too uh prior to uh yesterday’s game. He made his major league debut yesterday. Made a slick play at third base, drew a walk, didn’t get a hit. But um I know when we when we acquired him, you know, we the one thing that that I talked about was like he can feel like the dude the dude can feel the position and he can play shortstop. He was playing third base yesterday. I’m curious just to see how they plan on using him down the stretch. I mean, obviously with Jared Triolo playing the way he has at shortstop, I don’t really think you mess with that at all. At the same time, I’d like to see a little bit of Cam Dey just to like get a feel for him and who he is. Uh, so yeah, Deain is up here. Rosters are about to expand as well at September, which means you get two extra roster spots. The Pirates do have quite a few players like on the IIL who are, you know, pretty close to coming off of that injured list. So, I’m not really anticipating a lot of uh like new faces this September, but uh yeah, I we’re we’re about to see some September call-ups here, too. Yeah. Um I’m happy for Deainy. That was what’s kind of cool about that, too. Getting the call uh in Fenway. He’s a New Hampshire kid. Well, I guess we’re not really He’s a New Hampshire man. Uh so, he’s a man. 28 years old now. Yeah, he’s a New Hampshire man. So growing up obviously probably watching Red Sox games probably being up at Fenway as a fan you know to play there and actually get his first at bat you know there because again he he was called up for the the Royals for those like he was on the major league team he just never got to play so he had his opportunity to do so uh this weekend uh in Fenway so cool story for him but also let’s cool stories let’s worry about performance there’s also reason to want to see Deainy he’s interesting to some level so like for the next month hopefully he does stick around with Ike KF being gone. Uh, and maybe we do get to see a little bit of him. What what what can he provide? What does he maybe have for this 2026 season? So, so shout out to Deainy. Uh, and then yeah, probably going to see a good bit of him over the next month with IKF being gone and then I too, right? Like he gets to go now play for a contender. That’s why I know like a lot of people are still probably like, “Oh, they just want to pay you a salary. They’re probably cheap and this and that.” I’m sure there was a conversation. I’m sure it was like a, “Hey, I mean, I could be wrong because again, this is the team. They could just have done it willy-nilly, but a professional organization probably had a conversation with IAF and saying like, “Hey, you know what? Do you want to stay? Do you want to stick around or do you want to go play for, you know, a contender? We can go ahead and wave you. Today would be the last day to do so to get your play playoff eligible.” And I’m sure he’s going to say, “Yeah.” And okay, well, that said, it’s a win-win for both sides. Even if they didn’t have that conversation, it’s still a win-win. Would you rather be here in Pittsburgh watching all your friends play in the playoffs or would you rather be in the playoffs? This gave him an opportunity to be on a team to go play in the playoffs. So it it’s a win-win, right? The Pirates are sure they don’t have to pay him. More importantly, they play guys that matter potentially like a Deainy. Let’s find things out. And then I’s playing for a a real team and potentially going into the playoffs with the Blue Jays. So there’s that. But um cool. Let’s build a team, Jim. Let’s make 2026 great. What do you think? Yeah, let’s um let’s do it. So, and as far as there’s a question here as far as injury updates on Simon. Yeah, it’s not good. A separated shoulder. Yeah, dislocated shoulder for Ronnie Simon. So, I don’t expect him to be playing the rest of the year, right? But, I mean, if you’re looking at September call-ups, I wouldn’t be getting too excited. Like you’re probably looking at Kyle Nicholas getting activated from the bereavement list and then you’re probably looking at Jack Sinsky getting activated from the IIL. Like those are those are probably your your September callups that are happening soon. I do think we see Nick York though at some point this September. I would be surprised if we don’t see Nick York at all. I feel like I’d be surprised also. But you’re right. But ultimately again like the moves that were made was Deainy’s up here. So yeah, Jack returns but think of it this way. Deain is up here now. That’s your That’s your like September call, per se. Yeah. All right, let’s get into this. So, so, uh, when we were putting the show agenda together, we were like, “Hey, let’s go ahead and let’s build let’s build the 2026 Pirates.” Um, so I’ve got I’ve got my starting nine. I’ve got my bench. You’ve got your starting nine. You’ve got your bench. pitching wise, we’re not going to get into that, but I do want to put together like, hey, what what do we think this offense could look like next year? So, I’ll start with my team and then we’ll roll over to uh we’ll roll over to Dinardo’s team and we’ll we’ll kind of discuss them. But, um yeah, let’s let’s kick things off. Let’s kick things off with our catcher. Oh, why isn’t it working, Dinardo? Why isn’t it working, Jim? This was working last night. There we go. Okay, now I got it. Let’s try this again. Got a little little PowerPoint problem. All right. There we go. All right. I’m starting off with Henry Davis a catcher. Now, um it hasn’t been a good season for Henry Davis. I think this is definitely a position that you look to upgrade if there’s if like the right opportunity arises for for maybe bringing in a little bit better of a hitter. Um, but I think he’s shown enough defensively that he deserves like I I wouldn’t even say he deserves the spot, but there are a lot of other positions I think that are a lot more easily upgradable. So, I’m going with Henry Davis and catcher and I’m just hoping for internal improvement here. Like those those words like you Henry Davis needs to hit better than he’s than he’s hitting right now. Um, but Henry Davis is my catcher. A lot of these first few ones are kind of boring. Spencer Horus is my first baseman. I think he’s done enough to show that he’s your first baseman. Uh there’s you don’t really have any other options behind him. Uh you just invested quite a bit over him over the offseason when it comes to you traded a pitcher for him. Um Spencer Horitz is your starting first baseman. Second base is a position where I I would love to be able to upgrade, but I think when it comes to what’s out there, like there’s there there are more upgradable positions to to to have. Um, so Nick Gonzalez is going into 2026 as my starting second baseman. So So we’ve got Davis, we’ve got Horowitz, we’ve got Gonzalez. I do want to see Gonzalez hit a little bit better though. I this this offse this this this season I thought he was going to take that step forward like he did last year and he’s really just been the same type like of hitter offensively when it comes to his value. His approach I feel like has changed slightly like he’s you know his his Ks are are way down from from where they’ve been like when he was first called up. He’s you know Kaying less. He’s walking a little bit more. His average is up. his OBP is up, but like his slugging, 386 slugging. I just need a little bit more out of Nick Gonzalez. Um, I want to see him at least finish this season as an above average hitter because right now he’s he’s kind of the exact same as he was last year, right? Um, defensively too, man, it’s been it’s been rough for him defensively. Like listen, we talked about it yesterday on the postgame show, but work on just the routine plays over the off seasonason. Nick, you you got great range. You can get to a lot of balls that a lot of second baseman can’t get to, but I I need I need I need more reliability for my second baseman. Um, all right. So, this is where things switch up a little bit. Third base. Third base is kind of a black hole right now, depending on how you want to go about that situation. But um I’m going with a trade and I am making a trade with the New York Mets for Mark Ventos. I am making a trade with the New York Mets for Mark Vientos. Um the Mets kind of are a little spoiled here at at third base. Like they they’ve got a little bit of a log jam going on right now. uh you know between uh between Vientos, between Batty um you know they’ve got Ronnie Mauricio there too. So like I feel like like the Mets can afford to give up one of these guys and the Pirates have things that the Mets need which is which is pitching. So, I feel like this is a good match for an offseason trade. And Mark Ventos immediately becomes a pretty impactful hitter in your lineup. Um, I mean, just from like a power standpoint, last year in 111 games, he had 27 homers. He had a 132 weighted runs created plus. He’s got 15 homers this season. Uh, and like I said, he hasn’t even played he hasn’t played the full year either. He’s a guy who um like you would plug you could plug him into kind of the middle of that lineup and he gives you that power bat option that you need. He’s going to have four years of service time remaining after this season. Um but yeah, Mark Ventos is my my first offseason acquisition and I’m plugging him into third base. Don’t know exactly what that trade’s going to look like, but yeah, Mark Ventos. Nice. And this is where I can’t believe I did this, Donardo. I can’t believe I did this. What? What? What? We’re at shortstop position now, right? We’re at shortstop. We’re at shortstop. And I’m I’m starting the year with Jared Triello. And I can’t believe I’m doing this. I don’t feel great about this. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Sorry. Can you say that again? I said I don’t feel great about this. No, no, no, no, no. Before you said that, I said I don’t feel great about this, Dinardo, but I’m uh I’m starting Jared Triello with shortstop. H. And my go my my goal here is like hopefully hope I’m praying Conor Griffin is major league ready very soon. Very soon. Um I hate banking on prospects. I don’t like it. It’s a bad strategy. Um but when you’re the Pirates and you’ve got a limited budget, I don’t really know like I don’t really know what other route to go here without like raising payroll too much. So yeah, Veratriolo is my my shortstop um heading into 2026. I thought you’d maybe gloat a little bit more there. Oh, I don’t need to. I don’t need to gloat. When you’re just that good and that right, you just let your work show. Yeah. Left field though. This is my This is my big splash. This is my big splash. It’s another trade. Somebody who like we’ve there’s been chatter about him for a while now. Uh but Taylor Ward Taylor Ward’s going into his third arbitration season. He’s going to be making roughly $10 million or so. Um if I’m the Angels, I’m definitely like looking to move him because you’re he’s not really an extension candidate, I don’t think. So, if you’re the Angels going into the final year of control, what can I get for for Taylor Ward? I’m just going to assume he’s going to be shopped a little bit this off season. And again, you desperately need power. You desperately need offense. And I’m going Taylor Ward. Um he’s just been a pretty consistently good offensive player now for like 5 years. Uh you look over his last five years weighted runs created plus 110 136 108 112 117 home runs the last four years 23 14 25 he’s got 30 home runs this year right now. Um again you need power. The payroll is definitely uh like projected payroll. I’m probably using about a hundred million. Yeah, I’m I’m not going over that. Um but yeah, Taylor Ward, starting left fielder, figure out a way to make it happen. I think by adding Ward and Vientos to the lineup, you’re you’re immediately adding some much much needed power. Um yeah, I did. Yeah, Taylor Ward got hit yesterday, too. I was putting this together. Taylor Ward got taken out of the ball game. Um the Rosetti curse. Uh but apparently he’s okay. I heard he was okay. Um after this after this we’re going Cruz and center. We’re going Reynolds and right. Um no surprises there really. O’Neal Cruz needs to be better. I think in order for this team to to have a good season, O’Neal Cruz needs to be better. And Brian Reynolds needs to put together a full season of baseball. Um like he’s been he’s been hitting really well lately. uh he cannot be terrible like he was the beginning of of this season. But those are my that’s my excuse me, that’s my field. And then as far as designated hitter, I’m bringing Andrew McCussen back on another one-year deal. Uh maybe maybe in a little bit more limited of a of a playing time. Like you don’t necessarily need to play him every single day, but uh I’m bringing him back for his leadership. I’m bringing him back because he’s cuch and I’m bringing him back because he’s still a competent hitter and this is a team that still just doesn’t really have a whole lot of them. Like you couldn’t say that he’s not the best DH in the league and he’s he’s definitely not, but he’s basically I mean he’s he’s he’s 101 way to runs created plus. Like he’s a league average hitter right now. Um, he’s still he’s still doing it at his age and as long as he wants to be a pirate and as long as he’s capable of of playing baseball, like Cut is on my team. So, I’m bringing Cut back. Love it. My bench. Um, doing a couple things here. I am signing Michael Tacman as a free agent. He’s a guy who I’ve like targeted for a while as like a a bench bat. And I don’t understand why he doesn’t get a little bit more love. Like he first off, he um he can hit lefties, too. Like he’s a left-handed batter who can hit both sides. He’s got a career split. He he’s a career above. He’s an average hitter against lefties for his career. And he’s he’s hit righties really well, too. his last three seasons 109, 111, 118 when it comes to weighted runs created plus. This year he has a 771 ops. He’s like and he and he’s cheap like he he’s on a one-year $2 million deal this year. I don’t know how he I don’t know how the White Socks got this. I don’t know how the Pirates aren’t in on Tacman all the time. Like he seems like the type of player that they need to to be going after and they just don’t. That’s he he can hit. makes sense. He can hit. He’s a lefty bat. I feel like he’d do well at PNC. And guess what? He can play center field, too. Like quite competently. He hasn’t been playing center with in Chicago is because they’ve got better options, but like he can play center field. So like I feel he’s just like the perfect fourth outfielder for for this team. So yeah, Michael Tachman, come on down. You are like my main fourth outfielder, lefty bat off of the bench. He’ll be 35 next year, by the way. Um, and then I’m also bringing back Tommy Fam. So, like between Fam and Tachman, I’m adding two veterans to my bench. Um, both of whom should be relatively inexpensive. Um, you know, Fam gets, you know, have Fam get some at bats against against some lefties. Um, have have TMAN get some at bats against some righties. like you you have two very competent outfielders that you can mix in if needed here um between between Fam and Tman. And I don’t know, it seems like Tommy Fam kind of likes it here. So, I think you could get him back. And again, he’s not going to cost very much. Uh I mean, he’s on a what, a $5 million deal this year, $4 million deal this year. I don’t see him getting a raise next year, you know, when he’s 38. Uh so, yeah, that’s uh that those are my two free agent signings for the bench. Uh, and then I’m also going, uh, Joey Bart as my backup catcher. I’m also trying to teach him first base. Uh, so he can platoon there as well when needed. Uh, and I I I decided on Nick York as my last bench option just because of the versatility. You can play a bunch of positions. Um, but you know, that’s what Yeah, that’s that’s my squad. That’s my squad. And I feel like you’ve added some power. You’ve added some stability on the bench. You’ve you I think you’ve raised your floor of your player here and that’s really like I said, you don’t need to you don’t need a an awesome offense here. You just need competent and I think this is a pretty competent lineup. Dinardo, I agree. When I look at this, I see competence. There’s no like glaring hole. Maybe I mean you still like Henry Davis you hope takes that next step which we both talked and I’ve said it also like if there’s one guy I’m going to bet on who can it is Henry Davis. There’s reasons to maybe think it can but we don’t know yet. But that’s really I think like the one glaring hole on this team right now because it’s clearly not Jared Triolo. Uh but yeah that’s that’s the whole and I think too if you look at this like Jared Trio is your eight hitter and Henry Davis is your nine hitter. Sure. And I and I think I think you can live with that. I I’m with you. Like you again you can live with that. And again with in this scenario also like Tillo’s there until Connor comes and you’re hoping Connor is at least right like a an everyday player to what ceiling we’ll find out. But again that’s why I am in on on Deriller being the shortstop that the stop gap. I’m I’m cool with this. Yeah. Like when I look at that sure eight and nine might have some issues but like it’s just eight and nine. We’re accustomed to four through nine and maybe okay maybe five through nine isn’t so bad now or I’m sure I’m sorry one through four is not so bad. Five through as a whole. So yeah, if it’s just two positions, I’m cool with that. So yeah, I like it. It’s competent. Yeah, competent lineup. All right, if you’re in the comments or you’re wa if you’re watching this now, you’re in the comments after the fact. Um tell me how I did. Am I delusional? Is it does this team suck? Is this possible? Like, is it possible to make this happen? I think this is I think this is possible. I think Bentos is a guy who could who could be traded. I think Ward is a guy who could be traded. And I think the free agent signings here are all very very reasonable. So, yeah, let me know how I did. That’s right. And uh and thanks to Pit City What with a 999 super saying talking bucks during Labor Day. Uh you got $10 more dollars towards your payroll for this. So, there we go. Thanks to Pit City What? He’s helping you complete this. So, yeah, this is definitely doable now. Appreciate it. Appreciate it. All right, let’s go to Dinardo’s team. So, are you able to open this in any certain order or does it have to be the same order you did yours in? It’s going to be the same order. Yeah. Okay. I don’t like that because my talking my talking tracks would be a little bit different, but I I can I can persevere through this. Okay. All right. So, I would hate to start with catcher because really that’s my last guy, but let’s we’re gonna start with catcher. Sorry. All right. So, I like I mentioned am believer in Henry Davis that he can potentially turn around, but we haven’t seen it yet. And you know what? 2026 is the year of the new GM. It’s the year of we need to do something. We have Paul Ske here for a finite amount of time. Who knows what 2027’s going to be. like we need to do something here. So Henry Davis, I appreciate what you’ve been doing. I still believe in you, right? Show me, but I need something there. I need my new Russ Martin. I need the glueless team. I need someone to come over who has a bit of an edge. JT Romeo has a bit of an edge, right? You don’t want to mess with JT Romeo. Don’t want to get in a fight with him. Don’t want to talk. You don’t want Right. I want that guy on my team. JT Romeo is going to be a catcher. Now, his hitting isn’t like what it used to be. Still above average. It’s still good. Still fine enough, especially for a catcher. His framing is not what he used to be, but you know what? You know what? He’s good at framing on. Not down low, not outside. Decently up high, which is good. He’s good at framing the inside. You know what, Jim? Let’s get the swagger back. Let’s get back to owning the inside. Right. Paul SK’s two seamer is looking really, really good. Let’s get JT Romeo again. somebody want to mess up. Let’s get an edge on this team. We kind of been talking about a little bit, you know, recently. Let’s get this team to have some bit of an edge. Let’s have some teams being afraid of the Pittsburgh Pirates again, right? Let’s get him with Jordan Kadina. Anyways, Koma Medina has been great on on getting guys catchers improved on on their on their framing and such. JT, we are going to make a statement this year. We need you to be part of it. And don’t you want to finish? I mean, Zack Willer’s, who knows what his future is on the Phillies. Don’t you want to come to Pittsburgh, finish out your career potentially or towards the end of your career with Paul Sk. Don’t you want to catch that guy? Don’t you want to be in history books because you know Paul’s going to be there? You know what, Uncle Larry, come help us out. Come, I need you to help me recruit. Get Get JT over here. We’re going to ghost and do some things. That’s my catcher for 2026. Um, I mean I 20 million 22 million maybe per. Yeah. No, not per total. I don’t think that’s enough. No. No, I don’t. Like I I think I think he’s definitely taking a step back from where he’s been, but I think he’s I think JT Rayomuto is getting 15 plus million annually. You want to say two for 30? Still a two and a half win catcher. You know, 230 might get it done. Okay, then we’ll stay we’ll stick with 230. Okay, that’s my catcher. The biggest free agent signing in Pirates history, I think. No, it still would technically be um Liano, right? What was Lana? 33 and a half. Was it 33? Okay. Okay. I like it though. I mean, I like I like Rayom Muto a lot. I I I feel like it’s going to be tough to get him to land him, but I I I I see the vision you’re going going with here. Let’s go to first base, Jim. And you know what? I’m with you. And also too, you know, you’re going to get realw is going to cost some money. You have to find some ways. You have to be creative. You can’t upgrade everything. Spencer Horowitz has come over and you know, the first part of the season, he was out. He was injured. He comes back, you know, late into the year. Uh, you saw some things and he struggled mightily and it’s like, oh boy, I don’t know what’s happening. Honestly, he’s been fantastic. You know, over his 100 something played appearances like almost like a 140 weight runs career plus. He’s got some power. He’s not going to be the the power guy. He’s not hitting 20 plus, maybe about 20ish maybe, but you’re not banking on that. But he’s just a solid hitter. He’s a guy that you want to have on this lineup if he’s performing uh to to close at least to this level, right? just he just plays good defense too. Mostly he’s he’s had some some laughs, but ultimately overall it’s been good. It’s been good. Something we haven’t had. So, you know what, Spencer Horowitz, I wasn’t a huge fan of the trade, but you show me enough that going into next year, you know, at least on the one side, the big side of the platoon, um I’m comfortable knowing that you’re in my lineup in there. So, Spencer Horowitz still my first base as well. I like it. Second base, I’m gonna stay with Nikki G also. Um It’s not great. It’s not terrible, you know. And again, we talked this team really just needs to have an average offense to to compete. They pro I mean, again, they’ve had like 97 weight runs created plus since the All-Star break. They’ve been about 500 in that sense. Like, they just have to really have about an average offense. He’s been average. Like essentially, he’s been average. The defense got to get better like you said. I think there’s still maybe a next step to at least be a little above average hitter for Nick Gonzalez, but to me, I don’t need to invest to upgrade the average guy, so I’m going to keep him. Next, Jim, the Pirates did something a little bit over a decade ago. They were good. You know what else they did in being good? They did something a lot of people I felt I felt didn’t think they could do. I didn’t personally think they could do. There was an international free agent that was coveted, Jung-Ho Gung, and the Pirates landed him. An international free agent. And you know, this year there’s an international free agent as well. Uh his name is, now bear with me because I’m going to butcher it. Munaaka Murokami is the Japanese free agent, third base power hitter. Kind of covered around as well that could fit in for this lineup very very well. But you know what? Let me tell you a little about him. He’s born on February 2nd. You know what February 2nd is? It’s Groundhog’s Day. It’s Groundhog’s Day. And every year um on February 2nd, people go to Punksatonyi to celebrate Groundhog’s Day. And Punksatonyi had a very famous uh baseball player born there. Billy Hunter born in Punksatonyi. You know who he signed with? The Dodgers. He signed with the Dodgers. But the Dodgers had a very very good player uh named Peewee on the team. They’re like, “You know what? We got Peewee Reese. We’re going to trade you.” So they traded Billy Hunter from Punksatani. We know the Dodgers are good. It’s going to come full circle because he’s from Punksatani, but ultimately he died this year on July 3rd. So, RIP Billy Hunter. You know what happens around July 3rd? It’s the Fourth of July, baby. It’s fireworks. Fireworks celebration. Zambellis. Zambelli fireworks night at Pittsburgh, right? Zambelli shoots over in Japan all the time, right? So, they’re going to go ahead and say, you know what, we need a big power third baseman. Um, Murakami, why don’t you come over and play for us? And he’s going to come over here and say, you know what, I see the vision you guys are doing, but there’s no Japanese players here. There’s no market here, guys. It’s going to come full circle. He’s going to go back to the Dodgers also. He’s going to take a U-turn, go back to Dodgers. Like, listen, they’re going to give me a a a $50 million deal over the next billion years. I get to play with all these my friends here. I’m going to stay there. The Dodgers are going to say, you know what? We want this. But now we have an extra third baseman and Max Muny. What are we going to do with him? That’s where the Pirates scoop in. One year left, $10 million. Let’s go and get Max. He hits for power. He gets on base, good enough defense. He’s a veteran. You’re talking about You brought in JT Romeo, a veteran who knows how to win. Now you’re bringing in Maxie, a veteran who knows how to win. Let’s do it, baby. Let’s add some fireworks to this lineup. Took you a long time to get there, but but you did. Oh, we’re getting there, baby. I you know what? I like this move. And and I feel like Max Munie is probably a guy you could um I said the one year left on his he’s gonna have a club option which I’d imagine the Dodgers will pick up. It’s 10 million bucks. It’s that’s not a lot for the type of production that he gives you. He has had injury issues the last two seasons. So like that’s your that’s really your only concern here is like can he play a full year. But when he’s healthy he breaks breaks. And I feel like you know lefty bat he’s built for PNC Park plays decent defense. Yeah, I’m I’m in on this. I’m in on this. I I I can get behind this. Yeah, there it is. Mic drop. Let’s go to short cuz you know who just hit the third home run in 11 games yesterday. Dang. Okay, Conor G. Griffin, he’s in double A now. Just tearing it up again. No, it’s small sample. We got to finish it out. Like I said, like I said, I I want to finish this out, but right now I’m on the edge of, you know what, you know how I am. I want guys to prove me something. I want to give them the opportunity, the chance. Conor Griffin’s been proving everything so far, marking, checking off all the boxes in his journey in in in the minors this year. And now with Altuna, he’s batting 318, 385, 544, the 930 OPS, three home runs in 11 games, five stolen bases in 11 games. Connor, I’m gonna give you the opportunity to open up on opening day. Go win that damn award. Cuz if there’s the the next guy I’m not betting against, I talked about Henry Davis before. It’s Connor Griffin. Go do it. Go do it. But you know what, Jim? If not, we have Jared Chiola, baby. You know, like if it’s going to be a month or so, we have Jared. I’m cool with that. But I’m going to give him the opportunity. Let’s go, Connor Griffin. Let’s do it, baby. 19 years old. Go make yourself a story. I’m not going to do you dirty like Andrew McCutchen. I’m gonna allow you to make the Hall of Fame instead of holding you back and be close. Hey, 19 year. He’s going to be 19 years old opening day, but he’s done nothing but perform every level you put him at. And I would be so hyped if Connor Griffin was the 2026 opening day shortstop. I would be hyped. I don’t know if happen but God would be hyped. I’d be hyped. I’d be hyped. Next. Boom. You’re making splashes. Left field. Jiren Durant. You know, Jim, I think we’re seeing the vision. I think so far we’re seeing a lineup that’s that’s certainly improved. We’re seeing some fireworks. You know, the Pirates not only need to be good, but I feel like let’s change the narrative. Let’s change the talk. Can we actually have a winter meetings where people are talking about the Pirates in a positive way? Can we have an offseason where the people are talking about the Pirates in a positive way? Like you have a new GM coming in, right, Jim? A new G. We have a new GM coming in. Let’s make a mark. Let’s have people talking about Pittsburgh outside of just Paul Ske. Let’s say, “Holy hell, look what the Pirates are doing. We’ve been talking non-stop that they’re cheap. We have the Jared Kurabases of the world, right? Talking talking ish on the Pirates. You know what? Let’s go steal from Jared Kurabus. Let’s go take from him. Let’s make Jared cry. Make him cry.” And all I’m saying is we’re talking about potential GMs. I mean, there’s there’s one guy who was um I don’t know, a big deal in scouting Jiren Jiren Durant and bringing him an over. Is that a potential future GM in the making? Is he going to trade for Jared Duran? Is this Mitch Keller deal going to make sense? It is. It makes a lot of sense. The the Red Sox we saw totally come up. Big story, but they still can use an actual guy who’s going to get them through the whole season. They can still use some pitching. They have a plethora of outfielders. Let’s bring Jared Duran over here to match up some money. Get Keller’s $18 million off the books. Bring Duran over for eight million. Oh, what’s eight and 10? 18. Is that Durant? Is that Durant and Max Muny? Did you just trade Mitch Keller to get Durant and Max in this lineup? Is that not the riskreward I’ve been talking about? And why a trade of Mitch Keller makes sense? I’m going to do that all day. I’m going to bank on these younger arms. And I know there’s some risk there not having Mitch Keller, but to give me the opportunity to bring Durant and Max my lineup, I’m doing that, baby. Now the money’s even. I’ve just added Duran and Max into this lineup and I’m at the same basically payroll. So now that’s 11 million, 15 million for Real Muto. We can fit that in the book still. Jared Dran, come on over here, baby. We got ourselves some veterans. We got ourselves some guys that had to win. We got some guys that have a bit of an edge. This is where I think you’re delusional. I don’t think the Red Sox This is where Jiren Durant proving I’m great. I don’t think hire me as the GM. I don’t think Mitch Keller is landing anything close to Jiren Durant. Jiren Durant’s a borderline five war player. He’s he’s put up he’s put up over 10 war in the last two seasons. We’re making it happen. Mitch Keller’s not getting you that. Um, if you want Jiren Durant, you’ve probably got to give up um I don’t think you got to give up Bubba, but you’ve got to give up Seth Hernandez plus Florentino. Like, you’re gonna have to give up You’re gonna have to give up talent. Talent. Guess who’s doing that? The new GM, I guess, is doing that. I mean, Durant’s Durant’s really good. He’s really good. Fireworks, baby. People are buzzing about the 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates. Yeah, Ryan says here, “Your lineup’s definitely more exciting right now.” I just I I don’t know how realistic this is, but let’s continue. Let’s continue. I like it. Let’s continue. Let’s continue. Yes, of course. On O’Neal Cruz, center field. He’s got some protection now. Like, O’Neil, go do your thing. Go be great. We don’t need to rely on you. You’re not the entire offense. We don’t need you to win the game every time you’re up the bat. Go be you. Tonil Cruz and of course Brian Reynolds in right field. Like you said, that’s how it ends. It just makes sense. Those two have to be better. They have to be better. But what’s nice is those two don’t have to be the guy. There’s guys around them as well. This is a deep lineup. This is a deep lineup. um before where like my lineup had two holes in it at eight and nine. This um this doesn’t really have any holes. Again, I mean this team is this is a very good team. Is Nick Gonzalez the guy? He’s probably like your your eight nine hitter as well. You know, Connor Griffin, he’s he’s going to be he’s going to struggle at first, I’m sure. You know, like but this allows them to allows them. Yeah. I mean, in this lineup, Nick Gonzalez is your nine hitter, right? Let’s go to DH. All right. Again, it’s Cutch. Cut is helping me get my boy Real Muto. Cut is the face of Pittsburgh for this team. Cut. What I tell you? I don’t need to worry about upgrading Cutch. I need to worry about getting Cut from being the third best hitter on this lineup to seven, eight, and nine. That’s accomplished. That’s why it’s fine bringing Cut back because again, you’re not filling that for $5 million that production, but he’s going to have some days where, you know, like he’s not gonna be every day, right? You’re going to sit him a little bit more. That’s how you get the best version of Cut. And you can do so now as well because he’s not your third best hitter on this team. This allows Brian Reynolds have a day off and go to DH. This allows, you know, Cruz have a day off, go to DH. Um, he’s not going to be there every day, but he’s still the face. You’re going to do this for Cut. He’s going to be a good leader. He’s going to be a good clubhouse guy. He’s still going to be part of the lineup. He doesn’t have to be the guy anymore. He doesn’t have to be the third best hitter on the team. You can allow him to still be a $5 million, be a $5 million guy. He’s going to make more than $5 million. Still a good business move. Makes sense to me. Let’s go to this bench. Oh, we are bringing that edge, baby. Tommy fam, he’s coming back as well. Like you mentioned, it’s going to be $45 million again. He I think he wants to be here. We We kept him. He’s been working with his young guys. He’s talking favorably. We’re getting this edge on this team. People are not going to like this team. Tommy fam, we’re bringing you back. Very capable defensively. Give some insurance there. We can play it. We’re bringing Fam back. Run it back, baby. He can see the vision. Uh Nick York. Yeah, Nick York has some position flexibility. Again, I I’m spending some money around, so we got to find some ways that like you can’t just go get everybody. So, Nick York, I don’t love him. I don’t love him as an MLB player, but I’ll give him the opportunity as our 26th man, Nick York, who has position flexibility. Sure, why not? Henry Davis, again, I believe in you. Your your defense has been immaculately improved. It’s it’s outstanding. I feel like let’s take this off seasonason to work on that bat. Let’s get that bat there. Still want you on this club. If you’re a backup c if you’re just Paul’s personal catcher, sorry JT, but if that’s the case, maybe you’re not on the history books as much as we thought, but you’ll still be there sometimes. But if you have to be his personal catcher and you’re catching one day a week, two here and there, that’s fine. I I still need a backup catcher. Henry Davis, I still believe in you. You’re our backup catcher, baby. And let’s round this out. with Jared Chiolo obviously the the the platinum glove utility guy who is great. He’s our he’s our he’s our Jay. He’s he’s our Jay just a little bit differently but same value wise. He can play all over the place. He’s again Spencer Horwitz is a platoon. We need someone on the other side. Maybe maybe Nick York does that a little bit. Maybe you know Triel is there a little bit. Uh Henry Davis I don’t want to mess with. I don’t want you to learn first base. You’re just gonna learn how to hit. You’re just gonna learn how to hit this offseason. Maybe Brian Reynolds finds a a breaks out that first base glove a little bit here. There. So again, like this this has some flexibility here as well. You can move some guys around a bit. Um certainly a good lineup. And again, well, how are they going to pay for this? Well, if Mitch Keller come off the books, so essentially right now, if you look at Ethan, they’re they’re roughly about $61.1 million next year. When you trade off Mitch and you bring in Max and Duran, you’re basically about even. So add the 15, that’s at what, 76 million. Add Cut and Fam, it’s 86 million. Still got some money to play with. Still got monies to play with. We’re still under budget. We’re still under this this year. Sure. You need some veterans. Uh I’m sorry. You need some some levers probably maybe another $5 million rotation guy some depth right $86 million you can do it I made Bob Nutting happy I made MLB Networks happy and I made Jared Kurabas cry let’s run it baby I like it I like it if if um if whoever is the general manager can execute this. I mean, this lineup right here with the pitching staff we have is a good baseball team. It’s a good baseball team. Let’s go. All right. Again, if you’re watching or listening, drop your uh thoughts in the comments on which lineup did you like, which lineup’s more realistic. Um, I think I think mine’s maybe a little more realistic. Absolutely. But you know what? I wasn’t going realistic. I want to win. I think both lineups, your lineup is definitely more potent than mine. I I I will concede that. Um, your team is winning more games. Yeah, it is doable. It’s it it it is going to take a little bit more to execute it. So, yeah, go out there and do it. I just And that’s why like it had to go in reverse. Like the Mitch color trade needs to go first, right? Because you have to convince. Yeah. You know, but that’s the thing like once once you start making some of this happen, you know what you start to do? People around baseball, the fans, and you guys need to keep believing. You start believing. You start believing. And that’s what’s going to be most important. The fans are back. The city of Pittsburgh’s buzzing fireworks. Schedule the parade next November. There it is. Let’s do it. Pirates don’t play on Labor Day next week next year again. But I thought they did. I I I could have swore. Somebody in the comments said they don’t. Yeah, maybe they don’t. Doesn’t matter. They’re playing October baseball. That’s true. That’s all that matters. Yep. Good stuff. Fun exercise. Um, like I said, put uh why don’t go ahead and drop in the comments who who’s your who’s your give me your give me your 13 position players for next year. Just comment 13 position players. Um see uh see see what kind of lineups we can put together. Let’s do it. All right, Dinardo Dodger series coming up again off off today. Dodger series coming up. Majinsky versus Kershaw. Ashcraft versus Otani. Skins versus Snell. Um kind of I would too bad they couldn’t line up Skins versus Otani. That would have been really really cool. Uh but this is this this will be a fun series. If you’re going if you’re heading out to PNC Park, you get to see you get to see probably three to four future Hall of Fame starting pitchers this week, right? That’s kind of incredible. Um, I mean, let’s actually, yeah, three to four. Let’s call it three to four. There’s There’s two for sure. There’s one who’s well on his way if he just stays healthy, and then another one’s going to be, you know, borderline. But yeah, fun weekend to go to the park. It’s always fun to face the Dodgers. I I don’t know. Like, I like I kind of like how this lines up. Majinsky in a bullpen in a bullpen game. if they do the thing with him where they did last time where they just let him go three innings, they don’t push it too far, we’ve seen him have success in that role. Um, Ashcraft has been just absolutely dominant uh in his time in the rotation. And then Skins versus Snell, I mean, that’s just that’s that’s a fun matchup. So, I I’m looking forward to this week. The Dodgers are obviously a very very good baseball team. Uh they come into this game, what are they? 77. What’s the Dodgers record? 70 78 and 59. They’re in first place in the NL West. Two games up ahead of the Padres’s. Yeah. I mean, again, it’s always fun facing them, though. Always fun facing the Dodgers. So, let’s win two out of three here. June, why not? 2nd. No, not 2022. Pirates sweep the Dodgers. Why not us? Yeah, why not us? And you guys need to keep believing. Let’s go for the sweep, baby. Who cares? Hall of Famers. Um, but no, and honestly, um, Bubba, I would imagine, is going to line up to pitch in this this series. Also not going to be a starter, but he should also pitch. Bubba will pitch again. Just another reason. Go ahead. Trade Mitch. trade Mitch. I love Mitch, but this team needs to do something. This team needs to get creative. And uh if you are gonna I’ll say but also again like realistically if if you’re going to entertain that like you need guys to step up, at least you’re seeing that happen so far. Still a small sample, but if that’s going to be something that you’re going to entertain and do, which could potentially help your lineup, you need guys to step up and be good pitchers. And so far, like you said with Ashcraft, he looks really good. So far with Bubba, you’re seeing the talent come out as well. Um, so yeah, they’re gonna see some some good pitching on both sides. Honestly, it’s Let’s Let’s find out what happens. You know what? At home. Yeah. You know what else we’ll see? We’ll see the talent display from Catcher University. We’ve got Henry Davis, Will Smith, Dalton Rushing. Three catchers this series. Ardo from the University of Louisville. That’s probably You know what? I’d argue that that has never happened before. I’ll bet in the history of Major League Baseball, it’s never happened where three different catchers have started in the series, all from the same school. I hate you. We’re probably We’re about to see history. We’re about to see Major League Baseball, University of Louisville history this week. I hate people from Louisville. Like just they’re just inexcusable. They’re just awful. I mean, you are an awful person. Henry Davis, again, I believe in him, but he’s been awful. Dalton rushing I have on my we talked about the Strat League. I traded for Dalton Rushing. I traded for Dalton Rushing. He has been awful. Like nothing that came from Louisville has satisfied my life. Nothing. Not one person. So, hold on. Hold on. And my uncle went to Kentucky. I don’t know if I ever told you that. No. No, you didn’t. So, yeah. Screw Boston and screw Louisville. That’s the title of the show. How about your Miami Dolphins? Let’s not talk about them. Sam Madison. Let’s not talk about them. I don’t Sam Madison Miami Dolphins. Devonte Parker. Come on. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Devonte Parker. Very also very good. Let’s go back. Sam Madison. Sam. There you go. Yeah. Anyways. Anyways, um yeah, Catcher University on full display this week. And we’re the one with the the catch who has the locker named after him. Yeah, that’s true. The Henry Davis locker room. That poor man spent real money on that. I’m just I I’ll I’ll bet this will be the first time that that’s ever happened, though. I can’t imagine it’s ever happened before. Catchers from the same school starting in the same series. There’s no way this ever happened. Yeah. And they’re the only catchers from Louisville in the major leagues, too, right? Like Yeah, that’s those three. Every catcher that graduated from Louisville that’s in the major leagues right now is going to play in the series. Yep. And it’s three of them. You put on a graphic. You know what? That’s Yeah, Cody, where we at? Let’s get on that. According to Jim Muse. All right, we done. Yeah, let’s get out of here. All right, happy Labor Day, everyone. Power have a day off. Go enjoy the rest of your day until 7 o’clock. Tune back in. We’ll have Justin Horowitz on, the the the director of amateur scouting. Uh it’s about a 30-minute show. It’s really insightful. It was it was really good. Um so yeah, so listen to that and then at 7:30 be on your way again to enjoy the rest of your night. Does that sound like a deal? Sounds like a deal. Uh if you really want to watch it and don’t want to wait for 99 cents, you can be a member and then you can watch it right now. So just join. Just become a member and you can watch it right now. You could do that, too. You could. All right, we’re out. We love you all. Appreciate y’all. Bye-bye. See you guys. If you Oh, if you want to bet on football today, use FanDuel. Who’s playing today? There’s a big game today. I don’t know. There’s a There’s a college game on today. I haven’t I forget. Yeah, there you go. There you go. Do that. All right, we’re out. Bye-bye. All right, that wraps up this episode of Northshore 9. Thanks so much for tuning in. Whether you’re listening on the podcast or catching us on YouTube, if you enjoyed the show, please give this video a thumbs up and don’t forget to hit that subscribe button if you haven’t already. It really helps us grow. And if you’re listening on the podcast, a quick review goes a long way in helping others find the show. Plus, be sure to tell a friend about us. There’s always room for more here in the NS9 community. And for those looking to support us a little more, consider joining our Patreon. become an MVP member and get exclusive perks while helping us continue to bring you more of the Pirates content you love. Thanks again for all your support and let’s go Bucks. [Music] [Music]

The latest Bucco Brew dives into whether the Pittsburgh Pirates are closer to competing than many realize. Jim and DiNardo break down the state of the roster, from the young core’s development to the impact of recent moves, while also questioning if the front office has done enough to push the team toward contention. The guys touch on pitching depth, offensive inconsistencies, and what needs to change for the Pirates to take the next step.

It’s a lively back-and-forth that mixes analysis with fan perspective, giving Bucs fans plenty to think about heading into the stretch run.

Watch the full discussion and join the conversation on whether this team is building toward real success or still spinning its wheels.

The Pirates sit at 49-51 after 100 games in the Don Kelly Era. Are they closer to competing than it looks like?

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