DK's Daily Shot of Pirates: Half and half

Halfway to being good at the halfway point.
#LetsGoBucs #PittsburghPirates #MLB
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[@99baji99]

If you have this kind of pitching right now, and you don't try to win right now, you don't know what the hell you're doing right now.

[@MarkCunningham-of7kj]

Facts!!!

[@kelseywhitlatch173]

I’ve been Impressed with Bart and when he hit that 3 run bomb last night all I could think was, “I hope you title this episode, Joey Bart not the bat we wanted but the bat we needed.”

[@byronnelson7580]

Now is the time to improve this team with some hitters, so make some trades and make a serious run for the postseason.

[@graysonbuza1074]

Brent Rooker!

[@stevesouthwood3380]

Where would this offense be without Reynolds? What this guy has been with little to no protection in the lineup is amazing.

[@jasonjlynch2941]

J1Q: Will any of the front office or field management be replaced if we collapse in the 2nd half? At the very least, can get a Wally Backman, Sandy Alomar Jr. or Tom Prince to set a new tone.

[@chrisrobinson8339]

I feel like we can finally be good again. Let's go Pirates.

[@RonHeichel]

I'm not worried about the upcoming schedule. This team has shown they play to the level of the competition. In other words they play well and win against good teams. A solid outfield bat and keeping haines as far away from him as possible is pretty much what this team needs to really contend.

[@evankoren1018]

Let’s go Buccs!

[@brucehamilton7702]

Morning DK!! I agree, 2 bats would be great but my question is who do they trade, send down, etc to make room for those potential 2 bats? Management I hope sees how close they are right now and that they need just a little more!!

[@Cityofchamps94]

The time is now... you push every button, all in, now. It's been 45 years. When the Penguins drafted a generational superstar in Crosby, they began building and got better every year after. This team's biggest moment, the infamous Cueto chant, was over a decade ago. If the Pirates don't do something immediately, showing promise of being not just a playoff contender, but a world series contender in the near to distantly soon future, it's no wonder why Paul Skenes might not want to stick around, & I wouldn't blame him either. A generational, superstar pitcher deserves a real shot at winning. If the Penguins hadn't won a championship and showed no promise of doing so, I highly doubt Crosby would have had any intention of sticking around from even his last contract negotiation. The only reason he is, is because his legacy is secure.

[@sikwilly45]

You touched on it before, DK. This is a resilient bunch. This is a tremendous pitching rotation and everyone else goes out and battles every day. They just need a little help. Have your team's back and get them some help, Mr. Cherrington. They've earned it. And replace Andy Haines while you're at it.

[@Hiddenshadow76]

I don't know why people call this year 5 of the rebuild. 2020 was a Covid year in which very little of the players actually met face to face with the managers and other coaches before the season started. It was also essentially 1/3 of a season where the games started in July. Now, with that said, in year 4 of the rebuild which appears almost over, the team still appears to be underachieving specifically on offense, and largely, I believe management and coaches are the responsibility parties. If Cherington's organizational hitting philosophy is the problem preventing this team from reaching the next level, then it doesn't matter if Shelton and Haines don't leave because they are just preaching what the GM wants. If it turns out Cherington has been flexible this whole time about how the team runs things, then yes, maybe coaching is the problem. But as has been the case for a while, it appears to me Cherington is unable to develop players he drafts very quickly who aren't stars. A lot of these decent players on the hitting side have come from other teams. Meanwhile, the pitching side has seemed to be the opposite. Keller, Skenes, Jones, Ortiz, Ashcraft, and maybe others look to be future pieces pitching wise. Can't say the same batting wise. Maybe it's a case where the players work their buts off to make the impossible happen in the next 5 or 6 years, but it's the professional league. It's hard to build a winning culture with desire alone, even if the pitching is talented. We'll see where this goes in the second half, but I need to see them start beating harder teams before I start feeling really confident in the direction this team is going. They started that with the end of the Mets series and the last 2 series but it needs to continue going forward. Ideally, they go 7-5 in the next 4 series but that's a tough ask against Philly, St Louis, Arizona, and Houston.

[@jerryyeager1307]

The goal is to get into the playoffs and win ! Another bat or two wouldn't hurt. Beating the teams that are better is that goal ! Now is the time that makes all the difference in the world. Thanks DK Great show

[@alyw1988]

Why did they pull Mitch early

[@DCPGHfan]

I'm VERY proud of the Pirate players for getting to the .500 mark before the All-Star break. I've taken time off recently from watching the games because the in-game management, bullpen management, and specific lineups didn't really appear to demonstrate a burning desire to actually win some recent series that were winnable (i.e. Braves, Cardinals, Mets). However, I've still been checking the scores, and I watch the postgame player interviews when the Pirates win a game. To me, the players have seemed noticeably different in their past several postgame interviews. They seem more confident, they mention the playoffs more frequently, and they certainly give the impression that they believe they're playing better baseball with more consistency now-- and well enough that they deserve to be in the conversation regarding the postseason. I could be wrong about this, but it almost seems as if the players have made a conscious decision among themselves that they're going to do everything in their power to win as many games as possible this season despite the shaky managerial and coaching structures that surround them. (I've also been vocal here about the glaring dysfunction of Pirates ownership as well as the FO.) If the players have decided to work even harder on their game in combination with a high level of confidence in Skenes and the rest of the Pirates pitching staff, this could mean that they're legimately turning an important corner at a critical juncture. Winning 6 out of the last 7 games is no small feat. However it's also statistically clear even now that the Pirates still need more offense if making the playoffs this year is the goal. It definitely appears to be the current goal of the Pirate players, and this is EXACTLY the time that Cherington should absolutely honor that goal. He should outwardly and immediately show his personal support through the acquisition of hitting talent from the outside the organization. Now is not the time to passively screw around and HOPE that existing Pirate players "simply hit better" for the remainder of the season. That type of inaction would be the exact opposite of having his players' backs. With Skenes on board, along with all of the publicity and attention that he's continually generating, Cherington will not only be on a hotter seat in MLB, but his moves (or lack of moves) will be under a microscope this season and beyond. In addition, Pirate fans are now enjoying -- and are very excited by -- Pirates baseball more than ever. I hope they won't let Cherington (or Nutting) off the hook this time around. I've been ambivalent for quite awhile about the Pirates and the playoffs in 2024, simply because I don't believe the players are surrounded by the right people talent-wise to obtain the proper support as a contender in the postseason. However, if the players want to contend this year and they're striving hard to do it despite minimal help, I'll definitely be on their side and I'll enthusiastically cheer them on.

[@scottgetty5547]

Not one change or trade or call up will happen. NADA, ZIPP, NORT

[@SportsSharp412]

Call up what? Everything is here, even Priester

[@deniscunningham3059]

Even if the Pirates stand pat, Suwinski's got to get better. He can't get any worse!

[@pato6672]

Hard to believe how much he's regressed this year. We need a new hitting coach to shake things up. Too many automatic outs on this team.

[@MarkCunningham-of7kj]

Our pitching staff is PLAYOFF CALIBER right now, fans are coming out to the ballpark to see the Bucs right now, we need to get some more offense RIGHT FREAKING NOW! BTW Good Morning DK and Dali

[@dennygc5874]

I think its fair to say, any chance Henry Davis had at being a catcher for the Pirates has been crushed by Bart like he had runners on. Henry should be the bat we are looking for, but the catching stole his focus. Does that make Davis tradebait or a right fielder? We have enough catcher with Endy and Bart. ❤️🔥🍻

[@pato6672]

Hope Davis goes outside the organization this off season for hitting instruction. He could be our DH in the future if he improves.

[@harryiglesias]

Man, DK...how can you go into the supporting cast and not mention in depth LL (Ladies Love) Ortíz?

[@robertlong7033]

Pirates long standing team slogan...."Average is the new good"!

[@GregoryMartin-qi6kv]

DK let’s face it - regulars that continue to play batting less than 0.200 is an abomination.

[@bnzz58]

Falter, Gonzalez, Perez, Chapman, Taylor, Grandal, Suwinski, Bae, Priester, Peguerro along with prospects not named Chandler, Ashcraft, Harrington should be available to bring in at least one or possibly two proven bats. Like what I'm seeing from Palacious. Him and Joe platoon in rf. Need a centerfielder and 1st baseman to platoon with Rowdy

[@Odd1006]

I agree with all of those except Gonzales. Need to keep that dude.

[@bnzz58]

@@Odd1006 Marco Gonzalez not Nick

[@hamiljohn]

Glass is half full! Hitting, still putrid. Kinda proves pitching is everything.

[@jrm2054]

Not everyone is Skenes and Jones. They take time to get to their potential that's how I see Ortiz and Preister. Both have had struggles like Mitch and I think going to the pen and just experience is helping them. I still see both as starters but they need time to become what they can be. If the team is ready to go all in and they don't fit the timeline that's fine but Keller has shown what can be with patience. Ortiz is showing it now and Preister seems to be on track.

[@user-ul9kj7yb8c]

Why do the pirates see value in bunting runners over in the 10 th but not in the first and second with 2 on and nobody out? It’s not like we have 300 hitters waiting to break the game open! Sooo frustrating !

[@michaelbobrick9367]

A lot of "somethings" to work with for pitchers, now GMBC must go get a hitter to help the offense!

[@koodenblaz2070]

I'd rather see DK's massive twitter blocklist instead of the epstein black book. What deep insecurity leads to such hypersensitivity?

[@daveduke2371]

Jones and Skenes will be shut down before any of this matters.. That’s the reason to punt on this season.

[@daveshipley2774]

Welp DK they officially became mediocre. I haven't had hope after the All Star game for the Pirates in almost a decade. But they're playing good Ball

[@baxatakbaxatak2014]

I don’t trust Shelton at all. At this point, any winning just keeps him, Haines, and Cherington safe and possibly extended. None of them know what they’re doing.

[@gregwilliams3120]

I thought something might shake out during their stay on the southside of Chicago. The biggest seller at the deadline with all their hardware on display. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. After enduring a first half of remarkable promise, and excruciating mediocrity, The Buccos finally reaching .500 feels like summitting Everest. Now, how to successfully navigate the dangerous trek down? God bless the All Star Game. I need a break.

[@jasonjlynch2941]

2nd half lineup should be... DH McCutchen CF Reynolds SS Cruz 1B Tellez/Rendon 2B Gonzalez C Bart 3B Hayes LF Pillar RF Palacios/Joe TRADE 1: Quinn Priester and Liover Peguero to the Los Angeles Angels for Kevin Pillar and Hunter Strickland TRADE 2: Termarr Johnson and Jared Triolo to the Washington Nationals for Jesse Winker and Tanner Law

[@kelseywhitlatch173]

@@jasonjlynch2941 with Conner Joe's bat I'd argue he needs to be in the lineup daily

[@kelseywhitlatch173]

@@jasonjlynch2941 and if anything getting traded it would be the massive amount of over flow at pitcher. Go watch the futures all star game and you might think differently about trading the guys you mentioned

[@graysonbuza1074]

​@@kelseywhitlatch173yeah trading Johnson for a rental in Winker would be insanely dumb lol

[@MarkCunningham-of7kj]

Hmmm, very interesting

[@stevesouthwood3380]

With Hayes bad back and Cruz fielding issues, I think you have to keep Triolo for his glove. Also, I don't think you want Reynolds in CF. He's pretty much all the offense they have and you don't want to wear him out.

[@baxatakbaxatak2014]

I don’t trust Shelton/Haines/Cherington to come out of the break hot. Pirates won’t win anything of substance with them.