https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/a-very-early-look-at-the-2019-pirates-roster/ Ideas Involving Pittsburgh Sat, 02 Feb 2019 20:58:59 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.3 https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/a-very-early-look-at-the-2019-pirates-roster/#comment-14263 Fri, 14 Sep 2018 01:47:37 +0000 https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/?p=12302#comment-14263 I’d be shocked if Mercer came back. Newman is a first round pick that did his tour of duty in the minors. Time for him to play.

]]> https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/a-very-early-look-at-the-2019-pirates-roster/#comment-14261 Thu, 13 Sep 2018 14:07:35 +0000 https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/?p=12302#comment-14261 I think Mercer will be back to tutor Newman or still win the job. I look for Moroff to be gone or simply play at Indy. I would put Luplow on the 25 man roster since they need a fourth outfielder and right handed bat. He brings more upside than Moroff in my opinion and has nothing left to prove at AAA. Either he is ready or he is not a major league player.

]]> https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/a-very-early-look-at-the-2019-pirates-roster/#comment-14260 Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:57:03 +0000 https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/?p=12302#comment-14260 Yes, but as the post states, he hasn’t been able, by a combination of health and personal conduct, to see big league action in two years–and both his health and personal conduct have been long-term issues. I think the suggestion of declining his option and bringing him back for less money makes all the sense in the world.

]]> https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/a-very-early-look-at-the-2019-pirates-roster/#comment-14259 Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:51:35 +0000 https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/?p=12302#comment-14259 About the only quibble with this list, which I feel is all but spot-on, is possibly the inclusion of Moroff; if the Pirates don’t think Newman is ready to be the placeholder until Tucker is ready, I think there is a strong possibility of Mercer coming back on a one-year deal (I can’t believe anyone is going to give Mercer a multi-year contract), at which point Moroff is third in line in the utility infield pecking order. That said, there are a lot of moving parts in that scenario, so this list is pretty much a 40-for-40.

]]> https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/a-very-early-look-at-the-2019-pirates-roster/#comment-14258 Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:47:51 +0000 https://thepointofpittsburgh.com/?p=12302#comment-14258 We were all hoping Polanco would break .500 SLG this year. Kang slugged .516 two years ago and was ready to play SS for the Korean WBC team in 2017. A .500+ SLG SS upside? Letting him go without seeing what he can do when healthy would be very dumb. Especially for a mere $5M. Lumping him in with the other non-elite vets (Freese, Mercer, Serpico) would be a tragic mistake by management.

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