Bill Brink's Pirates chat transcript: 9.27.11

Tuesday, 27 September 2011 17:13

Written by Dan Gigler

jayhawk67: Do you think the Pirates will move Alvarez in the off season to 3rd? Could you see Walker then becoming the 3rd baseman?

Bill Brink: I'll hazard a guess you mean move Pedro to first, and I don't think so. His defense has gotten better at third base -- with room for more improvement. Walker has a 50-plus game errorless streak going right now and provides above-average production at the plate for second base.

They don't want to create a problem at two positions. They will leave Walker where he is and hope Pedro turns into the above-average offensive third baseman they think he can be.

I'll look up the avg. 2B offensive production and post it in a couple minutes.

Ken21: NH has mentioned that the Pirates will be willing to consider trading some of their prospects for major league players this offseason. Any ideas about WHICH prospects?

Bill Brink: Tough to tell at this point. Huntington describes the process as finding a suitor who values the prospect more than the Pirates do, so the prospect(s) in question depend on what other teams think of them. Some will be harder to get than others -- Marte, Grossman, McPherson, etc. -- and some -- Taillon -- may be near impossible, but if the Pirates feel they can get better value in return and that another team values a player more, no one is untradeable.

JamesinNYC: What is Alverez's plan for the offseason? Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers or just sit at home and get fatter? Hate to sound so jaded but he didn't exactly report last spring in great shape and Boras doesn't want him to play winter ball so I guess there is good reason to be annoyed as a fan.

Bill Brink: Spoke with him yesterday. He says he's going to relax through October, then start lifting in November through spring training. Remember, if he continues to take 150 swings a day he may not improve at all. Some time away could do him good.

Now. Don't take that to mean he'll down pizzas and watch Netflix and let himself go until November. Just a ballpark on when he starts in earnest.

Wild Bill: Hello Bill, with the departures that are coming for the Pirates in the offseason (Doumit, Snyder, Maholm, more?) who are the clubhouse leaders of this team for the 2012 season likely to be?

Bill Brink: McCutchen and Walker, because they play every day and play hard, are de facto leaders. So is Joel Hanrahan. The young pitchers speak very highly of his preparation and dedication and the catchers rave about his intensity.

Polka: Any rumors on the plan for shortstop 2012? I don't see Cedeno returning, so do they give d'Arnaut a shot, or go out a sign a free agent, possibly a big name (Rollins?)

Bill Brink: A quick (and not entirely comprehensive) list of FA SS available this offseason, courtesy of Cot's Contracts:

Adam Everett CLE
Rafael Furcal STL
Alex Gonzalez ATL
Cesar Izturis BAL
John McDonald TOR
Augie Ojeda ARI
Jose Reyes NYM
Nick Punto STL
Edgar Renteria CIN
Jose Reyes NYM
Jimmy Rollins PHI
Ramon Santiago DET
Jack Wilson SEA

Aside from top-tier talent like Reyes and Rollins, it's a touch thin. Cedeno's $3 million option, .250 average and improved defense could bring him back. But they are looking to improve that position and a trade for a shortstop would seem a likely way to do so.

They most likely will not bring in a big name like Rollins or Reyes -- too much money and the team is still not one piece away from contention.

sms: How quickly do we see the "dismantling" of this team after tomorrow's game....dismantling menaing the jettisoning of maholm, domit, ohlendorf....

Bill Brink: The moves will probably not occur until after the playoffs conclude, when they can talk with all 29 teams about who is available and who may want to trade.

Wild Bill: Chase D obvously must hit better to play more. Is his glove work in need of much more to be a threat to Cedeno?

Bill Brink: His glove work is closer than his bat. We were joking about this the other day: The plays he makes on the run, coming in to scoop a dribbler and throwing off one foot, hit Lee in the chest. The routine throws are an adventure, and he needs to improve putting away the routine plays, as Cedeno has done this season, before he can be a threat.

Pablo: Do you expect the entire coaching staff to return next season? If not, who do you see leaving...either voluntarily or not?

Bill Brink: I do not expect much, if any, turnover. Hurdle and Huntington both say they are very happy with the coaching staff. Hurdle works very closely with them, offering feedback on their performances and requiring them to evaluate his.

Wild Bill: How would you describe Hurdle's demeanor and leadership during the second half collapse?

Bill Brink: He has been even. He did not get too excited when they were in first place and is not depressed about where they are now. He is pleased with the strides the team made (15-win improvement is nothing to forget about, the pitching staff) and positive about the things he'd like to improve in the off-season and in spring (plate approach, base-running, outfield reads, etc.)

And whether it's his influence or not, the team has stayed that way as well. They were not pleased during the 10-game losing streak, as can be expected, but stayed positive and competitive til the end.

Nage: Some stunningly awful stats were posted on the plus site about Alvarez' numbers with men on base. Think he'll reflect on his awful season and try doing something different with respect to his conditioning and his hitting? I understand the toe-tap may help his timing, but he's being awfully stubborn with not showing much or any urgency to correct his fundamental problems.

Bill Brink: The toe tap is only a small part of his workload. He's just as upset as the fans are over his production. He has been a slow starter at every level -- remember, he hit .306 and was the NL Player of the Month last September. I don't think his slow start ever ended this season after injuries and stints in the minors. I'm not ready to write him off as lazy or stubborn until I see what he does in the offseason and spring.

Ken21: Do you think that NH will try harder this offseason to acquire a significant bat, as opposed to someone who will likely be mediocre at best as Lysle Overbay was?

Bill Brink: Yes. He said the other day that veteran presence, when productive is huge, but they know that veteran presence that doesn't produce is no help. He saw both how much this club struggled at the plate and how big a boost Derrek Lee was, and I imagine he attempts to either/or re-sign Lee and get someone with a barrel, as Hurdle likes to say.

Dave: Hurdle got so much credit for the improved play of Pirates in first have of the season but since the Atlanta 19 inning game they have played like Russell was the manager. How does Hurdle escape criticism for the collapse?

Bill Brink: He doesn't, it ultimately falls on him. As a former hitting coach, the strikeouts and lack of offense reflect on him. The second half collapse was a deadly cocktail of escalating pitch counts and appearances for the relievers, starters pitching longer than they are used to, and the offense not driving in enough runs.

Polka: Does Ohlendorf win his arbitration case again?

sms: Is there hope for ohlendorf or is a reclamation project for some other team and perhaps a lurking voegelsong...

Bill Brink: I do not think the case goes to arbitration and if it does I don't believe Ohlendorf wins. He has the talent to pitch; he showed that two starts ago. Now he needs to find the consistency he has missed for a year and a half. I don't think you'll see him turn into Vogelsong, but who knows? Look at the Rick Ankiels and Jose Bautistas of the world.

Jeff King: I think if this team says no to Maholm and Doumit and/or Snyder they'd be making a big mistake. Granted, they have some faults but who will replace them?

Bill Brink: Good point. Would they pay less than $9.75 mil for a lefty innings eater? Would they pay less than $6.75 mil for a catcher? Doumit's option, where both years must be exercised at the same time, is tough to swallow. Catchers are tough to find, so it would not surprise me if one of them stayed.

JamesinNYC: Would like to say Congrats to Neil Walker for the improvement he has shown at 2B!!!

Bill Brink: Neil, hope you logged in today...

JamesinNYC: Anyone out there that had a down year that would be worth taking a shot at as a FA? See that Larry Corrigan (Pirates) one of the scouts is a FA is that a big deal?

Bill Brink: That may be a future blog post: which shortstops, catchers, first basemen and pitchers struggled this year but seem primed to bounce back and may make a good FA pickup? First base is thin, though I hear this Pujols guy is good and is a FA next season. Ramon Hernandez is interesting with Devin Mesoraco playing well.

And no, most staffs shake up somewhat near the end of the season and during the offseason.

sms: being this close to the season finale, where do the pirates stand in the draft & what names are out there we should be looking at...

Bill Brink: They're looking at the eighth or ninth pick right now but that could change in the next two days. Players in that area: Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU; David Dahl, HS OF, Brian Johnson, LHP/1B, Florida, Gavin Cecchini, HS SS

Larry: How does a guy like Ciriaco's salary work? That is, does he make major league minimum pro rated, and then go back to a minor league income, and then major league minimum again, etc.?

Bill Brink: Yes indeed. Hauled in some nice paychecks this season, Ciriaco did. Earned it again with a stolen base that set up a run last night.

Ken21: What kind (e.g., chats, blog, etc.) and how frequent will your Pirates coverage be during this offseason?

Bill Brink: All of the above and fairly frequent. We'll have daily posts, chats and Q&As, as well as coverage from the Arizona Fall League, the winter meetings, PirateFest and the minicamp in spring.

We will have coverage on arbitration/contract cases, free agency, and the like, and we'll have some fun with the playoffs as well. From time to time we'll have off-season features.

So stick around!

That's it for today. If I didn't get to your question, e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , I'll respond to almost anything. Check back here for coverage of today's game in rainy Milwaukee.