OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

luckymann · 04-17-2023, 06:53 AM

Hoo boy, talk about white-knuckle rides - I reckon I've aged a decade in 6 weeks' play. Welcome to Expansion Era Baseball, I'm your host, Nik Hill...

We've pretty much had a bit of everything in these first 40-odd games (the signs were ominous something was afoot early after the Mets (!??) gave us an absolute flogging in our first series against them), and yet you mightn't think it looking at our metrics entering June as the good old Black and Gold Bucco Brigade just keeps getting it done regardless.

Looks remarkably like most of these recaps over the past decade, really - below average hitting, above average pitching, solid D around the d. The IL situation is your first hint of trouble. Pops is almost back with us after a three-week IL stint for a hammy twinge. Before that, he homered on debut and was utterly dominant:

Virdon isn't too far off a return either, but he has never really hit his straps in a secondary role for us and now finds himself getting squeezed out with Matty Alou joining big bro at the parent club and Pops the LF of choice. McBean looked sharp in AAA last year and did OK before going down - he will be missed.

Arriba has been back to his exhilarating best, while Maz has been his usual reliable self. Other than that we've been flat with the bat, especially in Pops' absence. Pagan has been a nice surprise in that roaming UT infield role.

I've spoken about Patata, but the numbers you see have been heavily skewed by a few major blowouts including a 0-11 shocker just a couple days ago by Pizarro. He is back in the spin after we scored Don Gross on a minors option deal and called him up to give us an extra left arm. We did manage to lock him down long-term, as we did with Warrior Friend - but they didn't come cheap, around $100k AAV per man. Last season's exits and the Maris move will cover them, but we have a big decision ahead of us with young Bob Miller. He is arb eligible again next year but that's it for team control and he knocked back a L/T deal at the max we can justify for a reliever, so I think that's him done for us and we will almost certainly look to move him on before he runs out of juice. Such a shame - he looks a ripper once he matures fully. Oh, and props to Bob Purkey, who has - along with a resurgent Johnny Pod - been our best arm to this point.

You can see what I mean with those blowouts: 7 games above 500 with an RD of +7. We have got our hands full this year - that top group in the NL is about as competitive as I remember it being. It is red hot up there. At the other end of the spectrum, the second wave of talent dilution sadly means the NL Expansion Clubs are copping it hard.

Monthly Award Winners

April

American League

Batter – Jerry Lynch (Twins): 403 / 10 HR / 29 RBI
Pitcher – Jim Bunning (Detroit): 4-1 / 2.97 / 35 K / 39.1 IP
Rookie – Pete Ward (Athletics): 318 / 4 HR / 17 RBI

National League

Batter – Bill White (Phillies): 430 / 4 HR / 14 RBI
Pitcher – Gary Peters (Giants): 4-0 / 1.06 / 27 K / 34 IP
Rookie – George Alusik (Mets): 406 / 4 HR / 15 RBI

May

American League

Batter – Mickey Mantle (Yankees): 298 / 6 HR / 20 RBI
Pitcher – Bennie Daniels (Athletics): 5-1 / 2.51 / 21 K / 43 IP
Rookie – Bobby Bolin (Orioles): 1-0 / 0.48 / 4 SV / 21 K / 18.2 IP

National League

Batter – Rocky Colavito (Cubs): 337 / 10 HR / 22 RBI
Pitcher Sandy Koufax (Dodgers): 5-0 / 2.53 / 61 K / 57 IP
Rookie – Ed Charles (Cubs): 378 / 6 HR / 16 RBI

News and Leaders

Milestones and Observations of Note

3500 hits: Stan Musial
2000 Hits: Nellie Fox
A knee injury knocks White Sox OF Dick Kokos out of the game until next year, as does a labrum tear to young Giants ace Gary Peters.

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

04-17-2023, 06:53 AM	#1930
luckymann Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 12,772	The View from the Gangplank June 1, 1962 Hoo boy, talk about white-knuckle rides - I reckon I've aged a decade in 6 weeks' play. Welcome to Expansion Era Baseball, I'm your host, Nik Hill... We've pretty much had a bit of everything in these first 40-odd games (the signs were ominous something was afoot early after the Mets (!??) gave us an absolute flogging in our first series against them), and yet you mightn't think it looking at our metrics entering June as the good old Black and Gold Bucco Brigade just keeps getting it done regardless. Looks remarkably like most of these recaps over the past decade, really - below average hitting, above average pitching, solid D around the d. The IL situation is your first hint of trouble. Pops is almost back with us after a three-week IL stint for a hammy twinge. Before that, he homered on debut and was utterly dominant: Virdon isn't too far off a return either, but he has never really hit his straps in a secondary role for us and now finds himself getting squeezed out with Matty Alou joining big bro at the parent club and Pops the LF of choice. McBean looked sharp in AAA last year and did OK before going down - he will be missed. Arriba has been back to his exhilarating best, while Maz has been his usual reliable self. Other than that we've been flat with the bat, especially in Pops' absence. Pagan has been a nice surprise in that roaming UT infield role. I've spoken about Patata, but the numbers you see have been heavily skewed by a few major blowouts including a 0-11 shocker just a couple days ago by Pizarro. He is back in the spin after we scored Don Gross on a minors option deal and called him up to give us an extra left arm. We did manage to lock him down long-term, as we did with Warrior Friend - but they didn't come cheap, around $100k AAV per man. Last season's exits and the Maris move will cover them, but we have a big decision ahead of us with young Bob Miller. He is arb eligible again next year but that's it for team control and he knocked back a L/T deal at the max we can justify for a reliever, so I think that's him done for us and we will almost certainly look to move him on before he runs out of juice. Such a shame - he looks a ripper once he matures fully. Oh, and props to Bob Purkey, who has - along with a resurgent Johnny Pod - been our best arm to this point. You can see what I mean with those blowouts: 7 games above 500 with an RD of +7. We have got our hands full this year - that top group in the NL is about as competitive as I remember it being. It is red hot up there. At the other end of the spectrum, the second wave of talent dilution sadly means the NL Expansion Clubs are copping it hard. Monthly Award Winners April *American League* Batter – Jerry Lynch (Twins): 403 / 10 HR / 29 RBI Pitcher – Jim Bunning (Detroit): 4-1 / 2.97 / 35 K / 39.1 IP Rookie – Pete Ward (Athletics): 318 / 4 HR / 17 RBI *National League* Batter – Bill White (Phillies): 430 / 4 HR / 14 RBI Pitcher – Gary Peters (Giants): 4-0 / 1.06 / 27 K / 34 IP Rookie – George Alusik (Mets): 406 / 4 HR / 15 RBI May *American League* Batter – Mickey Mantle (Yankees): 298 / 6 HR / 20 RBI Pitcher – Bennie Daniels (Athletics): 5-1 / 2.51 / 21 K / 43 IP Rookie – Bobby Bolin (Orioles): 1-0 / 0.48 / 4 SV / 21 K / 18.2 IP *National League* Batter – Rocky Colavito (Cubs): 337 / 10 HR / 22 RBI Pitcher Sandy Koufax (Dodgers): 5-0 / 2.53 / 61 K / 57 IP Rookie – Ed Charles (Cubs): 378 / 6 HR / 16 RBI News and Leaders Milestones and Observations of Note 3500 hits: Stan Musial 2000 Hits: Nellie Fox A knee injury knocks White Sox OF Dick Kokos out of the game until next year, as does a labrum tear to young Giants ace Gary Peters. S+ HOME REPORTS HOME PIRATES HOME __________________ HISTORICAL DO-OVERS PIRATES A'S RED SOX DODGERS CUSTOM SAVES ECLIPSE LEAGUE MOON SHOT LEAGUE EVERYMAN LEAGUE GULF LEAGUE Last edited by luckymann; 04-17-2023 at 07:03 AM.