Official 2015 Pittsburgh Pirates Thread

[Smackdown625]

pumped for 8:07. my old man drove an hour to come watch with me.

props to pops

 

[Phuk Yo Couch!]

I'm nervous

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

why did they start volquez again?

 

[Dog Based Gremlin]

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

hey they had a good season,.if you would have told me halfway through the season they would have made the playoffs I would have been surprised....especially with the bullpen that I guess stabilized....still probably would have won the division with another arm which we could have easily traded for..

still there's a lot to like...if the ownership spends a little money () they have good young talent already in the pros and a good farm system...

thanks brehs for keeping this thread alive even when I didnt post in it for long stretches.

 

[STEVE]

 

[Captain Crunch]

Four things the Pirates need to do in the offseason

1. Extend Neil Walker, hometown kid and above average 2B, extend him.

2. Extend Gerrit Cole, he's played good in two seasons, and will get a ton in arb/FA.

3. Explore offers for Josh Harrison, his career year was a fluke, so see if you can get a quality 1B or SP for him on the trade market.

4. Sign Mark Reynolds, platoon Mark and Ike at 1B(Reynolds vs lefties and Ike vs righties)

 

[Smackdown625]

Pittsburgh Pirates Sign Pitcher A.J. Burnett To 1-Year Deal

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Pirates are bringing back a fan favorite.

The team announced this afternoon that they have agreed to a one-year deal with pitcher A.J. Burnett for the 2015 season.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports the deal is worth $8.5 million.

Burnett, 37, spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Burnett says this will be his last season and he wanted to end his career with the Pirates.

“I want to win a ring, and I want to win a ring in Pittsburgh,” Burnett said.

Burnett posted a 26-21 record and a 3.41 ERA while making 61 starts with the Pirates during his two seasons with the club (2012-2013) before pitching with Philadelphia in 2014.

Burnett, who made a National League high 34 starts while pitching 213.2 innings last season, ranks fourth among all Major League pitchers in starts since 2008 (227).

He says he feels healthy after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia.

He also said he had a good conversation with manager Clint Hurdle, and reached out to the Pirates about returning.

Burnett also said being snubbed for Game 5 of the 2013 NLDS is “water under the bridge.”

He has also won 10 or more games in nine of the last 10 seasons, including 16 in his first season with the Pirates.

In his 16 big league seasons, Burnett has won 155 games in 409 appearances (404 starts).

He will enter the 2015 season ranked fifth in career wins, fourth in career starts and fourth in career innings pitched (2567.1) among active pitchers.

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

signed liriano back 3 years 39 mil, AJ's back...

Traded for b*stardo from the phils which I dont really like. Hes wild.

Let Russell martin walk. But we werent coming close to the contract he got. Carchers are Chris Stewart and francisco cervelli.

Dumped Gabi Sanchez and Ike Davis


Is the plan Alvarez at first and Harrison at third?

Apparently the team still has some room to spend some money...looking at adding more arms - either bullpen or volquez....

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

polanco and marte looked good but need to take a step forward and need Harrison to prove it wasn't a fluke year.

We could have a decent team.

 

[Captain Crunch]

I think Alvarez is going to have a huge year at first, something like .320 OBP/30+HR/.470 SLG
I know Boras is his agent, but the Bucs should try to offer him a 3yr extension.

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

Signed Corey Hart

Been hurt the last two years. They love their platoons at first because they're too cheap to pay somebody.

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

Oh yeah Clint Barnes is finally off this team

Wish Volquez could have came back

How the roster is looking:

Cervelli C
Alvarez 1st
Walker 2nd
Mercer SS
Harrison 3rd
Marte L
McCutchen CF
Polanco RF

Pitchers:
Burnett
Liriano
Worley
Locke
Cole

Guess Melancon is closing

 

[Smackdown625]

Pirates to negotiate with SS Kang
PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates have won the rights to negotiate with South Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang.

Pittsburgh has a 30-day window to sign the 27-year-old, who hit .354 with 39 homers last season for the Nexen Heroes while being named the MVP of the Korean Baseball Organization.

"The Pirates are pleased to have secured the opportunity to attempt to add Kang, Jung Ho to our system and look forward to commencing discussions with the player and his representative in an effort to make that happen," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement.

If the Pirates reach an agreement with Kang, the Nexen Heroes would receive the posting fee for Kang's rights, reported to be $5,002,015 by Yonhap News Agency.

If the two sides don't come to terms, Kang's rights would remain with the Heroes.

The Pirates are searching for depth in the middle infield behind second baseman Neil Walker and shortstop Jordy Mercer.

Major League Baseball announced Monday that Pittsburgh submitted the high bid.

 

[King Theo]