THREE UP & THREE DOWN
1 Have to start with the job Ben Cherington and Co. did in the draft, selecting four of Baseball America’s top 32 drafteligible prospects. Absolutely incredible work. It’s also hilarious to think back before the draft, when the idea of going under slot at 1-1 and spreading money around was criticized. Best player available! How about smartest strategy next time? 2
Secondly, step back for a second and think big picture about what’s happening here. Yes, the major league team has its challenges. The Pirates also employ more scouts than any other MLB club — by a long shot — and have beefed up their analytics game under Cherington. It’s exactly what should be happening, and it’s exciting for the future. 3
Hope the Pirates give Rodolfo Castro, pictured above, more opportunities. Looks undaunted at the plate. Plenty of raw power — and it may be growing. Shortstop may not be his natural position, but I’d rather have Castro’s bat than Kevin Newman’s glove. Castro, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Nick Gonzales, Liover Peguero, Mason Martin … plus Oneil Cruz, Henry Davis and more. Should be fun, no?
1
Guessing I’m in the minority here, but I’ll be sad to see the seven-inning doubleheaders go. Always thought they provided a good change of pace. Teams like the Mets, who were turning them into split-doubleheaders, that’s a rotten thing to do to fans. But I always thought putting a faster-paced game in the middle of the day offered an easier hook to younger or more casual fans. 2
Something else learned in Denver involves a change to the current extra-innings rules, with no more runner on second starting in the 10th. Again, super traditionalists will be excited by this. I’m not. The baseball schedule is grueling enough. With travel, rain delays, etc., every little bit helps. A compromise would be to start with a runner on second in, say, the 11th or 12th. 3 Throwing more strikes was something Ben Cherington said he wanted to see his pitchers improve upon in 2021. Starting to worry about that. After averaging 3.53 walks per nine innings in April, that has shot up to 4.74 thus far in July. Overall, Pirates pitchers are walking 3.77 per nine, which ranks 25th. Last year they were last at 4.37.