Posts by Jason Gindele

Jason Gindele
22 posts

The Best wRC+ Seasons in Pittsburgh Pirates History

Analysis
In 1990, Barry Bonds hit .301/.406/.565, with 104 runs, 114 RBI, 33 home runs and 53 stolen bases. He was the runaway MVP of the National League, led the Pirates to the division title and was considered by many to be the top player in all of baseball.  That supreme…

A Lump of Cole

Analysis
At this time last year, Cole Tucker was expected to compete for the starting shortstop role in Pittsburgh. But after struggling at Spring Training, Tucker wasn’t assigned to PNC Park or the alternate site. Instead, he stayed in Bradenton to work on his swing at extended Spring Training.  The focus…

Which Pirates Relievers Could Improve in 2022?

Analysis
Last season, the Pirates’ bullpen ranked 23rd in ERA (4.55) and 27th in WAR (1.1). In his review of the bullpen, Wilbur accurately characterized it as needing “a near-complete remaking.”  Much like when we looked at potential 2022 starters for the Pirates, we’ll take a gander at Expected Earned Run…

Gregory Polanco to Play in Japan

News
Former Pirate OF Gregory Polanco will get a cup of coffee in Japan, according to a report: Gregory Polanco is very close to reaching an agreement in the Japanese Baseball League. Pending physical, per @TenchyRodNYC.@z101digital @ZDeportes pic.twitter.com/ImHpPz5yez — Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) December 15, 2021 Polanco, 30, was released by the…

The Shirtless Fan at PNC Park Doesn’t Impact the Outcome of the Game

Analysis
The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is still kicking and just published a study that suggests that attendance has a low correlation with the game outcome.  They based this off the 2020 season, which had the unprecedented state of affairs of being played without fans due to the COVID-19…

xERA Agrees: The Pirates Rotation Needs Work

Analysis
Following the season, Wilbur took a good look at the Pirates’ starting rotation options for 2022, and summarized things succinctly: “The bottom line is, the Pirates need to seriously pare down this list and add a few more guys to it. The amount of flotsam is stunning.” Ben Cherington seems…

Nutting Sells Ski Resorts

News
Pirates owner Bob Nutting announced today that he and his family reached an agreement to sell their three ski resorts to Vail Resorts for $125 million — or roughly half the annual payroll of the New York Mets. The purchase includes the Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain ski…

Report: Pirates asked for Julio Rodriguez in return for Bryan Reynolds

News
The Pirates asked for top prospect OF Julio Rodriguez in return for Bryan Reynolds during the season, according to Ryan Divish, Mariners beat writer for the Seattle Times. “My bold prediction is that the Mariners go out of their way and find a way to acquire Bryan Reynolds of the…

The Dichotomy of Michael Perez and Eli Wilson: A wRC+ Season Recap

Analysis
There is no sugarcoating it: The Pirates offense was bad in 2021.  They were 23rd in on-base percentage, 24th in hits, 25th in batting average, 28th in OPS and 30th (dead last) in runs, total bases, home runs and slugging percentage.  And you can’t just blame Michael Perez. It was…
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