Clint Hurdle had a media session today in Nashville at the Winter Meetings. The transcript of the session was just sent out via press release. Since the Neil Walker trade isn’t official yet, Hurdle couldn’t comment on it, but did have some comments on other subjects. Here are the highlights, with any of my notes in italics below the quotes.
On finding a third starter this week…
CLINT HURDLE: Well, you know, I think the urgency of a timetable right now, it can be overplayed. Spring Training doesn’t start until the middle of February. Players, whether they’re with teams or not, are going to work out and prepare because they know they’re going to end up in Spring Training possibly with somebody.
It is on our to do list, and we want to get a guy in that’s going to continue to make that the strongest rotation we can have heading into the Spring Training part of it.
We want to have some depth, as well. We believe we have some young men that are making progress and can be very well ready at some point in time next year, if not 2017.
But to bring a guy in — we’re looking at a bunch of different people, to bring a guy in with experience that can pitch innings, that can pitch well. It’s not just about innings, it’s about getting the opportunity to win ballgames.
It’s probably at the top of our to-do list.
Analysis: I don’t know if the addition of Niese really fills their need for a third starter, especially with rumors continuing about Scott Kazmir.
On how to improve a 98 win team…
CLINT HURDLE: We always have a debrief session after the season, and we’ve shared thoughts on the areas we are going to target moving into every year with Spring Training, and we’ll do the same then. Those are two that definitely got our attention, our record within the division. We have not had a clean April since I’ve been here. That is something that we’d like to change.
You know, do I believe we can improve in a couple different areas, also. I believe there’s different parts that defensively where we can improve and different parts where our base running can improve. We targeted pitchers’ hitting last year, and I got some people laughed at. Last year our pitchers won a game for us with the bat, and they never won a game for us the year before. Usually get out what you focus on and we have some areas that we need to get better at and we can get better at.
Analysis: The Pirates could see a big improvement with their infield defense now that Walker and Alvarez are gone. Alvarez was a disaster at first base, and Walker was strong offensively, but poor defensively at second. With the best ground ball rate year after year, this could end up being a big way to improve the team, although they’ll need to make up some offense.
On Josh Harrison’s role…
CLINT HURDLE: I think it’s TBA, and I’ll tell you why.
I think if you would have in-depth discussions with players that have that versatility, four or five positions, I think initially all of them will say, I’d really like to play one spot. And after they play one spot, they find out, that moving around thing took a big load off. Just kept moving around.
And Josh has felt himself at times, right field, left field, second base, he would get in a rhythm that played well. Sometimes when you sit at one spot and that one part of your game doesn’t work, it’s a little different. Okay, I know I’m playing third; I know I’m playing short. And when that bat doesn’t work, the challenge of moving around defensively, I just think it can provide a heightened awareness, it can drive a better focus at times.
So Josh is probably in both of those camps. I think we’ll see what’s best for the club and how we match up and set up. I don’t have any lack of confidence of putting him anywhere on the field defensively, the positions that he has comfort playing.
Analysis: With Jung-ho Kang injured, it would seem that Harrison would be the starting third baseman until Kang returned. It would also make sense for Harrison to be the second baseman until Alen Hanson is ready for the majors, although if Kang isn’t ready on Opening Day, then they’d need someone else at second or third.
On whether they’ve thought about moving Starling Marte to center…
CLINT HURDLE: Discussions with legs, no. I think when you look at Polanco when he ran up there for the one game last year you think about it, when Marte goes and he’s had a couple times when he’s played center, whether it be in Spring Training, whether we sparked offensively, it gets your attention.
I think you’ll watch the outfield continue to evolve and watch Andrew play; and whether that conversation comes at some point in time, you have to be an honest self-evaluator. And if it needs to happen, you’ll have that conversation.
Right now I’m not so sure he’s in the best spot for us based on the 81 games we play at home because I don’t know if we have another defender that can play left field, with the ability that he showed in left field, with the outs he was able to get in left field. Could have there be a day? There could be a day.
Analysis: If they want to improve defensively, they’d put Marte in center field.
On what Polanco showed in his first full season…
CLINT HURDLE: An improvement. I think it’s been a very good challenge for him. There’s been a lot asked of him. He’s a young player that’s been able to meet some demands on the fly at the Major League level, which is very challenging in and of itself.
I think we’ll continue to see growth. I think he’s becoming more comfortable with those long levers that he’s got, those legs and arms. The game is quicker at this level and I think he’s finding ways to shorten up his swing, shorten up his stroke, improve his sliding throughout last season, pitch selection.
A lot of growth, and I think there’s still more growth coming. I think he’s going to be a very good player, and I do think he’s going to be a player that can change the game in a number of different ways.
On whether they are comfortable with Morse at first base…
CLINT HURDLE: I think we still need to look for a partner there, and you can get partners and you get plays if somebody gets hurt and the guy can get the bulk of the time. But going in, I think we will continue to focus on finding a left-handed bat possibly and really a complement, as well.
Analysis: I like Morse, as I’ve noted here many times this off-season, but the Pirates would be foolish banking on him as the only option next year.
On whether Tony Watson could close…
CLINT HURDLE: You know, what he has shown, he’s pitched in as tough of situations as everybody out there, but the closer, and sometimes more so than the closer, just a different number of innings. Sometimes that different number of innings does play for guys. I don’t think that will be the case with Tony.
I believe the weaponry that he has is going to play in any inning. I believe that he’s shown and proven to himself that he can get the best hitters in the game out, and he’s done that. The track record speaks for itself. So I believe and have complete confidence that he would be a guy that we would look to give the ball to first in case we didn’t have a Mark Melancon closing for us.
On the need for a lefty reliever addition…
CLINT HURDLE: Neal has reached out to just about, well, all the left-handed relievers that are on the board. I think there’s a part of this off-season that you just go and you have got to wait. As names clear and certain different levels of guys get taken or paid or whatever, see what the market presents, see the price scale that gets thrown out there.
Antonio did a very good job for us last year, finished extremely strong. Having Watson back, we were able to — we’re going to be mindful of potential left-handed relief help. We signed a Minor League free agent, very interesting. We’ve got Bobby in the fold, as well. And again, this is December — what is it December 8? I lose track of days here. What are we, 9? December 9.
So, again, everybody — some people see this as the finish line, and there’s time in front of us. And sometimes you’ve got to have patience and sometimes it takes courage to have patience and see how things play out, who can be available.
Because a lot of positions, all of them think they are going to get paid — it’s kind of like musical chairs as you continue to move through the winter. Sometimes you need to get signed because grandma wants to know where you’re going to play next year so she can get down before Christmas.
On whether it is hard to have patience when other teams make moves…
CLINT HURDLE: I have patience. No, I don’t feel that way. We need to stay focused on what we need to do and how we need to do it. There are certain things in this game that you can control and there’s so many that you can’t. You can’t control how other teams spend their money. You can’t control how other teams decide to trade for players. We need to stay focused and we’ve been steadfast with our game plan and we believe in the process we use in the off-season to build our player acquisition.
Again, early starts, I don’t know if there will ever be a team that will win the Winter Meetings or the off-season part of it. We’ve shown the ability to be a pretty good team once the game starts to play.
Analysis: This definitely seems to be a fan-only problem. Most likely because there is a lack of knowledge about what is going on behind the scenes.
