The MLB Playoffs are just around the corner and the Pirates are in good position to make a run at the National League Central. If that does not pan out, they do hold the top spot in the NL Wild Card race.
With that in mind, PSN readers submitted their questions and for the first time, I will take them on in this mailbox.
Does Tyler Glasnow get called in before season’s end and if not does he see PNC Park before Jameson Taillon? – Chris Carter
At the end of the day, calling up Tyler Glasnow goes against everything general manager Neal Huntington believes in.
Glasnow needs to continue to develop his off speed pitches and throw those for strikes. The counter argument for that could be that Gerrit Cole never really developed his off speed pitches but the drawback is that he had to learn those with the major league club and with that came additional growing pains. Also consider that the Pirates have more starting pitching options now than they did in 2013.
What Glasnow has done based on the early numbers is encouraging, however, even he has said that he needs to stay in Triple-A and work on things.
There are those in the organization who want Glasnow to come up but I believe he will stay down.
As for Taillon, no real update has been given of late. He has been down and still has to rehab and if/when he does that he could start seeing time in Triple-A but to answer your question, barring a setback, Glasnow will be up first.
How confident are you in the bullpen? – Cheryl Shymoniak
As confident as I have been all season, Cheryl.
Antonio Bastardo and Arquimedes Caminero have shown inconsistencies this season. However, they have really shown tremendous growth for almost the past month. Bastardo has the rising fastball, which still will get guys out for strikes and Caminero has developed a sinker, so he is more of an out pitcher than a rely-on-your-velocity pitcher.
Manager Clint Hurdle is a bit concerned with the amount of games Jared Hughes has pitched and he is getting hit a bit more of late, but he has told me he is fine.
Joe Blanton has been a surprise for me. He has been getting strikeouts and working quickly. His earlier retirement is noted, but what a boost he has provided to this team.
Joakim Soria has been a bit up and down but he has gotten the job done and both Tony Watson and Mark Melancon are having great seasons with the latter having a career year.
The bullpen has long been a strength for this team under Hurdle.
Why is Aramis Ramirez still the starting third base option, wouldn’t he be better on the bench? – Jonathan Birchok
Well Jonathan, as Hurdle would say, his bat plays.
Ramirez probably was pressing a bit when he first came back to the team but he more often than not has hard-hitting contact and is a tougher out right now than Josh Harrison or Jordy Mercer.
Pretty much, it’s four guys for two spots. To me, Harrison’s offensive timing is not back yet and he can play 4-5 positions. Mercer is closer, but at this time projects more as a defensive replacement to get Ramirez’s inconsistent glove out in the mid-to-late innings.
Jung Ho Kang is playing a lot of games. He has exceeded all expectations, but this is the most games he’s played in his career, so he could tire, plus he is inconsistent handling off-speed pitches. At this point, he is the only guaranteed starter, in my eyes.
Hurdle did state Ramirez would miss the first game of the road trip, so he is technically the starter, but things can always rotate or change.
The good news that comes from this depth is that Brent Morel and Steve Lombardozzi are no longer legitimate bench options.
With J.A. Happ pitching well of late do you think Jeff Locke heads to the bullpen when A.J. Burnett comes back? – Larry Snyder
It is very easy to say that Larry, however, Hurdle may be one of the most loyal men in all of baseball; sometimes to a fault.
I think we’ve seen Locke’s ceiling and, though it is mired in inconsistency, he is a very serviceable fifth starter. He knows where he stands and last night once again showed what he is capable of.
Happ’s brilliance of late is known and it should be no surprise to anyone who saw him pitch the first half of this season.
The easy decision for the fans is Locke. He may best the second-most frustrating player in the fans eyes this season behind Pedro Alvarez. Hurdle, however, values loyalty and sometimes more so than results, so I could easily see Happ get the short end of the stick.
In their current forms, I believe Happ is the call to stay with Locke being moved to the bullpen.
Thank you so much for the questions and I look forward to doing this again soon!
Photo credit: Kevin Pataky/MiLB.com
