All of the articles on Pirates Prospects this year will be my voice, with the exception of one: Roundtable. I wanted to find a way to give the fans a voice, but in a more structured way than just having a comment section for any anonymous person to comment on. If you go to the site’s Patreon page, you’ll see a Discuss membership option.
Every week on Roundtable, I’ll be inviting three members from this group to participate in a Q&A, which ultimately gives a voice to Pirates fans. There’s no shortage of my voice on this site, nor the focus of topics and opinions on those topics coming from me. The perspective I have is from being in the media covering the Pirates for over a decade.
This week, I’m joined by subscribers Bill Kline, Steve Enderle, and Jim Deweese. Bill is a top prospect supporter for the site, so we’ll start with him for the introductions on how these guys started following the Pirates.
Bill Kline: I went to my first Pirates game at the age of 2 in 1996 and have followed the team pretty much since childhood. I’m not sure I could pick just one moment that I enjoyed the most. Living near Altoona I was able to go to the exhibition games between the Pirates and Curve when they played. I was also at the combined no hitter by Rincon and Cordova though I wasn’t old enough to remember much from it. I was slightly older though for Kendall’s cycle game which I was also at. Looking more recently, the early 2010s playoff runs were enjoyable and also when I first started reading Pirates Prospects when looking up AJ Burnett rumors while in my high school library. McCutchen’s return last year at the home opener is something I won’t soon forget. Feeling that atmosphere having an almost playoff quality to it had me excited for when Buctober finally returns. Lastly, I am currently on a journey to see the Pirates in all 30 stadiums and am just over 1/3 of the way there. This leads me to the most recent event which would be Drew Maggie’s first hit down in DC. I’m excited to participate in these and excited see the future content from Pirates Prospects.
Steve Enderle: My first memory of the Pirates was following them in the 1966 pennant race. First game was in 1967 at Forbes Field as a 6th birthday present. Bonus was Steve Blass pitched.
My mom was good friends with a sister for one of the Pirates scouts in the 60’s. My brother has a signed ball from the 71 team. That year Arco gave away photographs of different Pirates. My sister did charcoal sketches from the photos and they were signed by the players. I have the Steve Blass and she had the Clemente and Stargell autographs.
I followed the 71 team and remember the nuns brought in a TV into the classroom to watch the World Series.
I moved to Virginia in the 70’s so I don’t get many opportunities to attend games but Pirates baseball is the remaining emotional conduit to the young boy who read every box score and stayed up way past bedtime listening to Bob Prince during one perfect summer.
Jim Deweese: Even though I grew up in Altoona, and fished the creek and lake at Lakemont Park, and rode the roller coaster outside the right field fence as a kid, I did not get to many games at Three Rivers (just wasn’t a lot of entertainment money available growing up).
2 times that I can remember…Once, I had just turned 13 years old the previous week, and they had a batting glove giveaway day, for kids 12 and younger
Another time, my dad bought me a “reserved” ticket for I think the princely of $8.25. He let me go by myself; I was probably about 10 so early 1972 or so, my seat was up pretty high, above 1st base in the HOT sun.
Even though I now live in Tennessee, I try to get to Atlanta or Cincinatti a couple of time a year. My 1st game in Atlanta, I chose to get seats just behind the Pirates ‘pen and got Nick Burdi to throw me a ball to give to the little girl (about 5 years old) next to me. That was fun.
Same game Acuna leads off with a home run to left–>coming straight to me, all of my inner 12 year old dreams were coming true! The ball smacked off the facade about 10 feet directly above my head. (I felt like Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football ) It was a Fox game, and you can see this big guy in a Stargell jersey, throw out his arms is disgust!
I am VERY cautiously optimistic about this year…go BUCS!
Tim Williams: Jim, you mention your cautious optimism. What part of this team makes you all the most optimistic? I’ll add that I’m typing this after receiving the news that Jared Jones made the Major League rotation. For me, watching Jones pitch in the rotation the entire year, with Paul Skenes on the way, makes this team entertaining to follow all year.
Jim: Bolder statement…
The pitching staff (IF it can make it to July with a no-worse than a 5-game sub .500 record)…makes the PLAYOFFS.
There are too many weak spots starting the season, but the depth will quickly bump some of the deadwood off the roster. Injury returns after All-Star break further lengthen the depth of the starters.
Contreras, Gonzalez, Falter all look like early roster casualties to me, even if the FO hangs onto Roansy and Marco trying to salvage some trade value.
The pen has some serious depth being developed. I could see piggy-back/6-man rotations being a thing 1st half of the year.
The Pirates infield becomes a top 8 in all of baseball, and if Rowdy hits 22+ HRs… top 5
Henry Davis becomes better than a middle-pack catcher, and also has 10+ HRs by the All-Star game.
The outfield is middle of the pack offensively, but top 25% defensively.
Cutch ages rapidly
If all goes well, and I squint really hard, do I see 86 wins? I think so.
Bill: I think if we can make it through mid June then we’ll see some relief for the rotation in Skenes and possibly Priester as a 5th starter. Hopefully Mlodz’s injury doesn’t need TJ and he’s back at some point to help the pen. I will say I’m not as sold on Tellez and I think we see Triolo at first with either Peguero or Gonzalez up at second by the All Star Break. I’ll add in one more bold prediction with that being Solometo will be starting Pittsburgh by September. I’m excited to see him in Altoona this year and really think he’ll make that jump.
Steve: I think the Pirates will see upgraded production from catcher, second, shortstop and the outfield, and probably third base. First and right field will be similar to last year. I think that will lead to an additional 75 runs scored. If the pitching improves by 50 runs then August and September will be interesting.
Bill: It could definitely be interesting assuming everyone plays as expected. I’m excited to see the growth from Davis, Cruz, and now with Jones making the roster there’s definitely excitement to the season. Looking forward to Thursday.
Tim: I’ve got the Pirates in the 82-87 win range in the only prediction I’ve made. I think this is a team that finishes with a winning record, while pushing for a Wild Card spot. I could see scenarios (injuries, continued issues with inexperience in the majors, etc.) where they finish below .500, possibly in the mid-70s for wins. The starting pitching group is the biggest wild card that could sway the final results for me, but I think it’s a group that only gets better as the season continues. Now that the roster is set, how do you grade this offseason, and do you think the team did enough to put themselves in position to win?
Jim: Earlier, I said if I squinted, I could see 86 wins, but I also could see 76 as the floor.
Bullpen cracks early in the season cost 3 wins in April. I agree team is MUCH stronger after the All-Star break.
The offseason was a C-, until the Taylor signing bumped it to ALMOST a C+.
Team defense will put this team in the position to challenge for meaningful Buctober games (but think ultimately, miss the playoffs in 2024.
Bill: With the fact that players like Montgomery and Snell, we’re still available at the end of spring training and we’re looking at, possibly having Bailey falter in the rotation it’s hard to give anything higher than a C. I like the Perez signing I think that Gonzalez could be 50-50 and Grandal is good depth. McCutchen coming back is obviously going to be a win but I wish they would have done more at first base as well. I think Taylor will be above average, but at the same time I also think we could’ve gone with someone like Cody Bellinger. It will be interesting to see how German does if he’s able to make an impact in Pittsburgh. I’ll finish on it while it would’ve been nice to have seen them sign Bellinger or Snell. I also think that Chicago and San Francisco overpaid for those two guys as well.
Steve: I consider the offseason as above average. Here are the factors that lead me to that conclusion.
1. Extending Mitch Keller was very important. He is a quality starter who is still ascending.
2. Resources were placed into the bullpen. That was an efficient way to improve the pitching staff since purchasing decent starting pitching is cost prohibitive.
3. The position player acquisitions strengthened weaknesses of 2024. Moving Reynolds and Suwinski down the defensive spectrum could improve their offensive performances. Second base and all the outfield positions should be improved defensively.
4. I think Jones, Triolo and Davis will be multi-year players starters. In the past 5 years the Pirates have had 4 multi year players that came up and produced. This year could almost double that count.
5. There is more depth in Triple A. Last year’s team faded because the minors had no one capable of moving up in the first three months. This year they have players with some MLB success in many positions in Indianapolis who are still in the most productive portions of their careers.
The next step is to get star quality players in place. The farm system will need to produce enough talent to improve the major league roster and provide trade capital to fill in where the farm system can’t.
I’m optimistic that we will see a better second half than the first. Now if we could get another 1988 version of Barry Bonds I would lose any doubt.
Jim: 1st 3 weeks of the season is going to be a good barometer, if the starter pitch up, and not have to tax the (suddenly suspect) bullpen…a lot of good things are possible. Current pen make-up is scary.
I want to see the upper level pitchers continue to develop, and I feel they will. I would like to see 2 of the top 6 not named Jones pitching meaningful MLB innings this year. (Chandler, Solometo, Barco?) I could also see some of the top tier pitching traded for a veteran 1st base thumper.
I am almost as intrigued to see what Chen, Shim, and Mueth produce this year.
I have a several of dark horse candidates I would love to see develop into serious names to consider for 1st base… Polanco, Blanco, Forrester, Bowen, Nunez (faded almost to oblivion) maybe others. This seems to be the area of most pressing need for a bat. (not sure Rowdy rules…).
Tim: What prospect in the system are you most looking forward to following this year? Aside from Paul Skenes?
Bill: The prospect I want to see and follow would be Lonnie White Jr. Having been limited by injuries so far I think he’s primed to see a breakout of sorts if he can stay healthy and why he received that above slot deal. In an ideal situation he reaches Indianapolis this season with quality production though I think making it to Altoona would be good as well.
Steve: Termarr Johnson is the prospect I want to see. I wonder how much he will improve this year with strike zone control. Jack Nicklaus said that young golfers should try to gain power and then add control. If Termarr follows that path we could see a premier second baseman develop this year.
Jim: I would have to say Hunter Barco (as well as Harrington).
Tim: Prediction Time… How many wins will the Pirates have in 2024?
Jim: 81
Bill: I would put them in the 80-85 win range. If everyone remains relatively healthy with little to no regression then that is certainly achievable. The biggest factor I think that will influence this is when we see a surge in wins. If it’s early enough that they’re buyers at the deadline then that could possibly get bumped closer to 90. If it’s not until later in the season then I think that’s where we’ll see the 80-85 range.
Steve: 83 wins. I think the range is 78 – 86 wins.
Tim: Who will lead the team in home runs, and how many?
Jim: Oneil Cruz, 27
Bill: I think Oneil Cruz is gonna be the popular answer here and I’ll put him at 30. Some names that could challenge him though would be Suwinski in the 25-30 range and if given a full season with the team we know Tellez has mid 20s potential.
Steve: Jack Suwinski with 29 homers.
Tim: Who leads the team in pitcher wins, and how many?
Jim: Mitch Keller, 12 (honorable mention to Perez, 15 if not traded)
Bill: I think the leader in wins will be dependent on team performance in the season. I will say I predict Perez to be the pitcher with the most wins but the question is if he finishes the season in Pittsburgh. Taking a safer bet, Keller at 12 wins will be my prediction.
Steve: Mitch Keller with 13 wins and hopefully no games with over 110 pitches.
Tim: When do you think Paul Skenes arrives?
Jim: 5/24/24 – (explosively on Fireworks Night)
Bill: This really is the million dollar question isn’t it? There’s three paths I think we could see Skenes take to Pittsburgh. The first would be he completely dominated AAA through a couple starts working 5-6 innings each. In this scenario, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s up for the Boston series in the end of April. The second would be where he is good but still see some struggles. He wasn’t lights out in Altoona last year which could have been due to fatigue or the higher competition level or a combination of factors. If he’s good but not great I would put him in Pittsburgh around either May 10 for the Cubs series or May 21 for the Giants series. Lastly, if he struggles out the gate, low innings, ERA 4+, high walk rate, etc we probably won’t see him until late June early July at the earliest. I would see Priester’s debut being the template for that. I think that is the least likely outcome however with most likely being that late May one. I will also say that baring an injury forcing their hand, I think it’s a guarantee he makes his debut in Pittsburgh.
Steve: Paul Skenes arrives on May 16th.
Tim: How many strikeouts does Jared Jones get in his MLB debut against the Marlins?
Jim: 5 in 5 innings
Bill: 27 with a perfect game would be ideal right? In all honesty I think Jones has all the tools to be successful in the majors and is ready. That being said it’s still your major league debut and there can be some butterflies with that. Miami has a decent lineup with some guys known to be tough outs. All things considered I’m going to say 8 strikeouts for him.
Steve: Jared Jones gets 6 K’s.
Thank you to Bill, Steve, and Jim for their time and their thoughts on the upcoming Pittsburgh Pirates season! Join the site on Patreon to participate in future Roundtable discussions.
