Michael Sanserino's Pirates baseball chat transcript: 10.2.12

Tuesday, 02 October 2012 13:06

Written by Michael Sanserino

jayhawk67: Who do you believe will be the starting outfielders for 2013 and who will be the starter at 1st base?

Michael Sanserino: As of now, I believe Marte and McCutchen are lock-solid starters at left and center. I think Travis Snider has the inside track in right field, but Jose Tabata has played himself into an open competition in Spring Training. Alex Presley appears to be on the outside looking in.

At first, I still think the Pirates bring back Garrett Jones. He will get a big raise in arbitration this offseason, but I think its more likely than not that they bring him back.

Hunter: Would the Pirates really think about letting Jeff Karstens walk away in the off-season? After seeing what they spent on Correia and Bedard it would seem like an odd move.

Michael Sanserino: I think they certainly think about it -- and already are. Karstens is among the Pirates' best pitchers when he's healthy, but he struggled to stay healthy this season. He is due a raise in arbitration this offseason, and I could certainly see the Pirates taking a pass on Karstens.

Wexford Wag: What are the odds that all three; Karstens, Jones and Hanrahan still stay with the Pirates next year. Potentially, they are three big salary arbitration hits. Would we want to pay them big $ now knowing fully well this ball club can't win, with or without them, now and in the future?

Michael Sanserino: Odds are slim. I would put it at 15 percent that all three return. And, you are correct, money is the biggest concern.

Bsizzle: Who is mostly in charge of baserunning? And should that person be fired?

Michael Sanserino: Luis Silverio is the baserunning coach. The Pirates' job on the bases this season will certainly put his job in question. He also works with the Pirates' outfielders and has a strong relationship with the Latin American players, so that will be a consideration with his future.

Eric: Why doesn't Matt Curry get the recognition that a guy like Alex Dickerson is getting at 1b for the pirates..from the looks of it both have good potential in my eyes...am i missing something?

Michael Sanserino: Well, Alex Dickerson has that Indiana University pedigree, which can never be ignored (kidding, of course). Dickerson gets a lot of attention because of where he was drafted (third round). Curry was selected in the 37th round, so has always been a bit under the radar. That said, Curry's surprising production has turned heads in the organization. But Dickerson is more of a natural prospect.

Adam: Isn't it grounds for firing Huntington just seeing Moss, LaRoche and Ludwick - apparently all not good enough for Pittsburgh - helping teams get into the playoffs? That and watching Oakland, whose payroll is $8 million less than the Pirates', clinch a spot. 5 years, all losing seasons, with money not an excuse.

Michael Sanserino: You forgot Nate McLouth going nuts in Baltimore. I won't say that's grounds for Huntington getting fired. GMs pull plugs on underperforming players all the time, and those cuts are often cheered. A lot of those players never produce again. Some find the talent that made them major leaguers in the first place. That said, I believe Huntington was the most vulnerable person in the Pirates' front office this season -- not because what other teams did, but what the Pirates did and didn't do. A six-plus win improvement is nothing to ignore, but the way the Pirates got here is certainly troubling.

Guest: We seem to be fighting about this again today, your opinion: other than the Bucs in 2012, can you ever recall a team in contention trading a very valuable bullpen part for a prospect?

Michael Sanserino: I can't really, but that also doesn't explain Andrew McCutchen's quiet August and Jared Hughes'/Jason Grilli's late-season setbacks. The Lincoln trade is one piece in a system-wide collapse.

Alan Gifford: If the Pirates were still in the wild card hunt do you think all the negative press about the management would still have came out late?

Michael Sanserino: I don't, but that's not to say if reporters had the information it wouldn't be published. But I think if the Pirates were in the wild card hunt and still playing well, there would not be as much dissention.

JamesinNYC: Attendance was up over two million..."The Best Management Team in Baseball" has said if they come we will build it. Since people actually did this will they raise payroll substantially, and what do you think the range will be?

Michael Sanserino: Payroll will increase, substantially since the start of the 2012 season, but don't look for any big FA signings. Payroll will grow "organically." A lot of arbitration eligible guys, McCutchen's contract, Wandy's acquisition will all push payroll into the low- to mid-60s. I think the eventual cap is near $75 million.

Hunter: If the Pirates never traded Brad Lincoln how many more games would they have won?

Michael Sanserino: Somewhere between 0 and 40. Impossible to say.

Eric: Any ideas what the pirates will be looking for in free agency..and who's available that we could afford?

Michael Sanserino: A starter, bullpen arms, catcher and infield depth. That's a decent sized shopping list, but I think a starter and a catcher are the biggest priorities. The available names aren't really overwhelming: Joe Saunders, Edwin Jackson (again), Hiroki Kuroda, Brandon McCarthy. At catcher, the market is pretty deep this offseason.

Adam: If you were Bob Nutting, what and who would you change after this season to end the streak? Clint Hurdle: "Doing the same things and expecting different results is the definition of insanity."

Michael Sanserino: I'm not Bob Nutting, and it's not really my place to offer that analysis. That's what our columnists are for, and both have opined on the topic.

Hunter: Speaking of the battle for outfield spots next year do you think Gaby Sanchez could play himself into a starting role pushing Jones back to the outfield or can we just expect him in a platoon role again?

Michael Sanserino: Sanchez is an interesting case. He is arbitration eligible and I don't think it's guaranteed he will return. He has been spotty since joining the team at the deadline. If he does return, he will most likely platoon.

Adam: What did not see in Bautista, LaRoche and Moss that others were able to develop into serious MLB talent? And what does he see in Snider and Sanchez that others did not? They aren't getting hits, let alone extra-base hits.

Michael Sanserino: Do you know how many teams passed on all of those players before they caught fire? LaRoche played for three teams after leaving the Pirates until he caught on in D.C. A lot of teams whiffed with Bautista, who bloomed late. And Moss hit .228 in Pittsburgh. There are a lot of areas where people can criticize this management group. I don't think this is one of them.

Jeff: Yanks and Astros giving Bucs money to help pay for AJ and Wandy.

Michael Sanserino: Correct. Pirates still took on a lot of salary in those deals.

Bill: Do the Pirates bring back Resop in 2013?

Michael Sanserino: I think so. He is affordable and consistent. He's not the best bullpen arm, but he fills his role well.

Jeff: Yanks and Astros paying part of AJ and Wandy's salary. With his OWN money, does Nutting finally kick up payroll to 70-75 million range to at least get close to Mil and Cincy?

Michael Sanserino: Ah, sorry Jeff. Didn't see the rest of this Q. I believe payroll will eventually get there, but not yet. If they go to 75 now, there is little room for growth (and a lot of young players are going to command raises through arbitration moving forward). I think payroll will be in the low- to mid-60s in 2013 and eventually grow to 75.

Hunter: With the improvement in attendance and the loss of salaries from players like Correia and Bedard can the PBC really risk the PR hit of not giving raises and keeping guys like Jones, Karstens, and Hanrahan?

Michael Sanserino: Losing all three is not an option, but I think from a perception standpoint, the Pirates could certainly part with one or two. The front office, for better or worse, has never made decisions to appease the fanbase.

Michael Sanserino: Need to wrap things up, and still a lot of questions in the system. Lightning round!

Gillen4: Rod Barajas - think he retires after this season?

Michael Sanserino: No.

Hunter: Any chance the Pirates keep Charlie Morton? For all the arbitration questions out there will they actually keep someone that may not contribute anything in the majors until 2014?

Michael Sanserino: Yes. A decent chance.

Gillen4: Is Pedro's long term future at 1B, or does that arm keep him at 3B?

Michael Sanserino: Most likely at third.

robshelb: Many reasons for the collapse and the (again) losing season. But Michael, if you were forced to pick one thing that was the difference between a winning and a losing record, what would that be ??

Michael Sanserino: Consistency of pitching.

Mr. Money Bags: Will the Pirates win out against the Braves to put a cherry on top of this pity season sundae?

Michael Sanserino: If they finish one game shy of a .500 record, that would be a kick in the backside, no?

Gillen4: Hughes closing last night a sign of something for the future?

Michael Sanserino: According to Hurdle, no. Hanrahan and Grilli were unavailable.

Adam: Have you seen the Philadelphia video "It Could Be Worse, We Could Be Pirates Fans"? http://www.theschoolphilly.com/video-it-could-be-worse-we-could-be-pirates-fans/

Michael Sanserino: Have not, but I'll give it a look. Have to get going. If I didn't get to your questions, feel free to email me ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Michael Sanserino: Thanks, and have a great week.