WEBVTT - Pirates' Midseason Report Card 

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<v Speaker 1>What's up, everybody?

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome back to another episode of Bucco Territory, presented to

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<v Speaker 2>you by the Foul Territory Network. I'm noahile's joining me

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<v Speaker 2>on today's show. It is Platinum Key aka Mark Josh

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<v Speaker 2>Harrison is on vacation. How selfish of him become a

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<v Speaker 2>family vacation in the summertime and enjoy his time.

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<v Speaker 3>No, especially after he gave all of us fans like

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<v Speaker 3>every single one of his summers before. Yeah, I guess

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<v Speaker 3>he can take one or two.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>And also, you know, as a guy who literally bought

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<v Speaker 2>this SEC Champions Women's Golf t shirt on his vacation

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<v Speaker 2>where he just was Yeah, so Mark, I don't know

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<v Speaker 2>what we would do if you went on vacation.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, we'll figure it out. Yeah, my laptop travels.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you're you're also your vacations are to this.

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<v Speaker 3>I was gonna say it's the PNC Park. Yeah. I

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<v Speaker 3>was just sitting there thinking today. I was like, it's

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<v Speaker 3>been too long and it's been what like a week

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<v Speaker 3>and a half for two or something.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, so yeah, your airbnb is the Futon Yeah right

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<v Speaker 1>behind you.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, it's pretty comfy, so hy ricommend. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So pretty simple show today, the Pirates.

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<v Speaker 2>We're recording this Thursday evening after the Pirates just wrapped

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<v Speaker 2>up a series victory over the Seattle Mariners. They improved

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<v Speaker 2>to forty one and forty on the year, which marks

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<v Speaker 2>the exact halfway mark of the twenty twenty sixth season.

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<v Speaker 1>We did this at the end, I believe. Do we

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<v Speaker 1>do this? Yeah, we did this at the end of

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<v Speaker 1>the first quarter of the season.

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<v Speaker 2>We're so we're gonna do our mid term report card

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<v Speaker 2>for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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<v Speaker 1>I have the the.

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<v Speaker 2>First quarter report card pulled up so we can compare

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<v Speaker 2>and contrast our grades. But the way we're gonna do

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<v Speaker 2>this first segment of the show, this opening segment we're

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<v Speaker 2>gonna do starting pitching and bullpen. The second segment we'll

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<v Speaker 2>do catcher, infield and outfield, and then the last segment

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<v Speaker 2>will just be coaching and then our overall grade. So

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<v Speaker 2>that's where we're at. Mark, We'll start off a starting pitcher.

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<v Speaker 2>You tipped your hand to me before we started recording.

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<v Speaker 3>The one grade you know, Yeah, so you have.

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<v Speaker 1>The starting pitching in an A minus.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think just with how good Brax and Ashcraft

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<v Speaker 3>and Paul Skins have been It's really hard for me

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<v Speaker 3>to go below in a just with the two of

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<v Speaker 3>them included in this grade. Mitch Keller has been somewhat disappointing.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think we've seen the best of Mitch Keller

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<v Speaker 3>so far. Bubba Chandler got off to a slow start

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<v Speaker 3>and has started to really pick things up. Jared Jones

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<v Speaker 3>we've only seen very small sample size of and Karmen

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<v Speaker 3>Macginski looked good when he was in the rotation. So

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<v Speaker 3>I think a minus is probably a little optimistic. I'm

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<v Speaker 3>probably a little bit higher than you. But this is

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<v Speaker 3>a team that this starting pitching staff is really making

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<v Speaker 3>up for a lot of errors and made up for

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<v Speaker 3>like a lot of deficits with this team as well.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm trying to pull up here. I was gonna have

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<v Speaker 3>their fangrafs there get Yeah. They have the third best

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<v Speaker 3>or ninth best ERA in Major League Baseball right now,

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<v Speaker 3>ninth best whip, giving up the least home runs and

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<v Speaker 3>striking out the fifth most per nine, so top third

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<v Speaker 3>of Major League Baseball for this rotation, and I think

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<v Speaker 3>they there's a lot of room for improvement as well

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<v Speaker 3>as we see Bubbla Chandler taking a step forward, as

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<v Speaker 3>Jerry Jones gets back into the mix of things, as

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<v Speaker 3>Paul Skins kind of reverts back to what he should be.

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<v Speaker 3>I think right now he's getting a little unlucky with

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<v Speaker 3>the results, but under the hood, everything looks great. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm pretty content with the starting pitching. I don't think

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<v Speaker 3>that's been an issue for this team. So I went

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<v Speaker 3>a minus.

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<v Speaker 1>What about you, I'm a lot different than you.

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<v Speaker 2>I gave him a B minus, and I'm grading them

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<v Speaker 2>on I'm greeting the starting pitching harder than any other

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<v Speaker 2>element of this team, just because I know it can

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<v Speaker 2>be so much, right Yeah, Yeah, It's almost like the

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<v Speaker 2>starting pitching is taking an AP class and I'm grading

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<v Speaker 2>it there. Like I would say they have they they're

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<v Speaker 2>like at an I'd give them like an eighty two

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<v Speaker 2>percent on the season, which is like a B minus

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<v Speaker 2>C plus. Maybe maybe a little higher, like an eighty three,

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<v Speaker 2>but that's still that's like a B minus.

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<v Speaker 1>And like they're they're.

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<v Speaker 2>Definitely above average, and like they're they're an asset. Anything

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<v Speaker 2>above a C plus I think is an asset to

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<v Speaker 2>the team.

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<v Speaker 1>They've been an asset. But aside from Braxton.

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<v Speaker 2>I can't really pinpoint another starter that from Game one

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<v Speaker 2>to Game eighty one has exceeded or even met.

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<v Speaker 1>The expectations I've had.

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<v Speaker 2>And now there's different reasons for all of these guys.

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<v Speaker 2>Like Paul Schemes we've talked about on the show. I

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<v Speaker 2>think he's just been the victim of some really bad

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<v Speaker 2>fielding and that's kind of hindered his numbers a little bit.

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<v Speaker 2>But he's also not going as deep into the games

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<v Speaker 2>as I would like to see, which I think fielding

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<v Speaker 2>again plays a part, yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>But not all of it.

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<v Speaker 2>Mitch Keller's had a bad year for Mitch Keller standard,

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<v Speaker 2>especially in the front half of the year. Compared to

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<v Speaker 2>how he normally pitches in the first half of a season,

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<v Speaker 2>this has probably been one of his worst first half

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<v Speaker 2>since he became this established top end of the rotation

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<v Speaker 2>type pitcher. Derek Jones has been still a little too

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<v Speaker 2>early to judge. I think there's been some good, there's

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<v Speaker 2>been some bad. Carmen same thing, although I'm docking Carmen

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<v Speaker 2>points because of you know, his antics. Yeah, Bubba Chandler

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<v Speaker 2>wasn't good for a large majority of this first half,

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<v Speaker 2>but it's hard not to feel encouraged with what he's

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<v Speaker 2>done recently.

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<v Speaker 1>So overall, people are.

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<v Speaker 2>Gonna see the B minus if we make a graphic

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<v Speaker 2>for this, and they're gonna be like.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh, there's no again being hard on the Pirates.

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<v Speaker 2>But I am hard on this part pitching staff because

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<v Speaker 2>I know if it clicks and plays to the level

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<v Speaker 2>that it can, it can be something similar to what

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<v Speaker 2>the Seattle.

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<v Speaker 1>Mariners had last year.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, like a really really lethal rotation one through five

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<v Speaker 2>wherever if you fall in a series, these guys can

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<v Speaker 2>change a game.

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<v Speaker 1>They give you an advantage, and I.

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<v Speaker 2>Feel like for the most part, the starting pitchings kept

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<v Speaker 2>the Pirates in just about all of their games. I

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<v Speaker 2>feel like there's so much more for them to achieve.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't think they're a better rotation than they were

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<v Speaker 2>last year overall, and last year, you know, and the

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<v Speaker 2>goal was to be better. So that's why I give

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<v Speaker 2>them a B minus. We'll move on now to the bullpen,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'll keep this short. I'm giving them an F.

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<v Speaker 1>Yep, the bullpen is a failing grade.

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<v Speaker 2>They if the bullpen was just even, if the bullpen

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<v Speaker 2>could get a C minus mark.

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<v Speaker 1>This team would be This team would be where the

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<v Speaker 1>Saint Louis Cardinals.

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<v Speaker 3>Right easy they would be.

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<v Speaker 1>They would be at the top of the wild Card.

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<v Speaker 2>They would be six seven games over five hundred rather

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<v Speaker 2>than one they would be looking into I just wrote

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<v Speaker 2>a column saying they don't deserve to be buyers right

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<v Speaker 2>now until more like this current group shows it's capable

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<v Speaker 2>of being anything more than average. The Pirates have never

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<v Speaker 2>been more than five games over five hundred, They've never

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<v Speaker 2>fallen lower than two games under five hundred.

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<v Speaker 1>They've just kind of hovered in that.

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<v Speaker 2>Middle area, which is where they are now. And I

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<v Speaker 2>think if the bullpen had just been even close to

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<v Speaker 2>what we expected it to be, which wasn't even anything special.

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<v Speaker 2>We just expected to be an average bullpen. If it

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<v Speaker 2>was just an average bullpen, this would be a team

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<v Speaker 2>that would be getting tons more attention right now. But

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<v Speaker 2>the bullpen has held this team back. And unlike other

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<v Speaker 2>areas of the team, you could point out the poor

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<v Speaker 2>fielding right, but most of the guys who stink at

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<v Speaker 2>fielding are also hitting the absoluteness bringing value.

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<v Speaker 1>There's value right where.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just like the bullpen is just not given you much,

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<v Speaker 2>So I give it an f Do you have anything better.

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<v Speaker 1>Than enough on this mark.

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<v Speaker 3>I went D just because I'm me, but there's an

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<v Speaker 3>argument for F. I will say, as frustrating as this

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<v Speaker 3>bullpen has been, they're not the worst in baseball. They

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<v Speaker 3>have the nineteenth worst year or nineteenth best era, twentieth

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<v Speaker 3>with twentieth twenty fourth, walks per nine fifth, and k

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<v Speaker 3>per nine. So it's been bad, and it's been bad

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<v Speaker 3>at the worst times. But yeah, I think there's still

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<v Speaker 3>room for them to get a worst grade. So that's

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<v Speaker 3>why I kept it as a D because there's there's

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<v Speaker 3>it's always room to go down.

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<v Speaker 2>But I see where you're You're looking more like metrics

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<v Speaker 2>and I when I would do my report cards when

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<v Speaker 2>I was on the beat, that's how I would do.

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<v Speaker 1>I'd pull up fangrafts and compare and contract.

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<v Speaker 2>But I'm more I'm more grading this on the expectations

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<v Speaker 2>for this team and.

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<v Speaker 3>The assignment that they had, and.

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<v Speaker 2>It's like the starting pitching has been good, but I

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<v Speaker 2>know it can be better. The bullpen is the bullpen

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<v Speaker 2>has objectively failed this absolutely.

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<v Speaker 1>You're eighty one games.

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<v Speaker 2>So to compare in the first quarter, I had the

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<v Speaker 2>starting pitching at an A minus, as did Mark Mark

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<v Speaker 2>kept that great. I pushed it down to a B

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<v Speaker 2>minus at the midturn grade, and then my bullpen grade

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<v Speaker 2>was a C plus. Marx was a B minus. So

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<v Speaker 2>Mark dropped down to a D. I dropped down to

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<v Speaker 2>an F. Josh had an A and C for the

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<v Speaker 2>starting pitching in bullpen. So we're gonna take a quick

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<v Speaker 2>break when we come back. Catchers infield and outfield. Here

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<v Speaker 2>on Bucko Territory.

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<v Speaker 2>All Right, picking back up mid term grades for the Pirates,

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<v Speaker 2>we start with the catcher position now in the second segment.

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<v Speaker 1>Mark, I'll let you go first.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, this is one of the hardest ones for me

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<v Speaker 3>to assess, because I feel like it's changed pretty recently.

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<v Speaker 3>I think if you have asked just a few weeks

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<v Speaker 3>ago what the grade would be for Catcher, my grade

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<v Speaker 3>would be a lot worse than it is now. I

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<v Speaker 3>went C minus for Catchers, Okay, solely because I've so

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<v Speaker 3>so encouraged with what Endy Rodriguez has been doing. He's

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<v Speaker 3>up to zero point seven f wour on this season

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<v Speaker 3>right now. That's pretty impressive. Obviously. Henry Davis, we just

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<v Speaker 3>talked in detail about how his struggles have been super

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<v Speaker 3>frustrating and detrimental. And obviously Joey Bart just got traded

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<v Speaker 3>for a guy that was dfaide. So outside of Ndy,

0:11:19.040 --> 0:11:21.880
<v Speaker 3>things are really, really, really bad. And I get that.

0:11:22.080 --> 0:11:26.880
<v Speaker 3>But if any Rodriguez can step up and continue to

0:11:27.280 --> 0:11:31.640
<v Speaker 3>call games like he did on Wednesday night where we

0:11:31.720 --> 0:11:35.800
<v Speaker 3>saw Brax and Ashcraft and Karmen Majinski throw the highest

0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:39.040
<v Speaker 3>strike percentage of any Pirates game since they tracked it

0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:42.400
<v Speaker 3>starting I think two thousand, so the highest strike percentage

0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:44.760
<v Speaker 3>of any game in the last twenty seven years. With

0:11:45.040 --> 0:11:49.640
<v Speaker 3>Any Rodriguez calling the game, Pirates saying throw a ball

0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:53.480
<v Speaker 3>at all, like he looks like he can be the

0:11:53.520 --> 0:11:56.120
<v Speaker 3>starting catcher on this team. I think there's you can

0:11:56.480 --> 0:12:00.480
<v Speaker 3>still improve that. But yeah, I'm really encourag by end,

0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:02.400
<v Speaker 3>and that's why I went all the way up to

0:12:02.559 --> 0:12:04.760
<v Speaker 3>a C minus. What about you, I know you're gonna

0:12:04.880 --> 0:12:07.480
<v Speaker 3>probably not yeah, I mean, I mean.

0:12:07.400 --> 0:12:10.160
<v Speaker 1>You also saw Henry Davis get two hits today and you're.

0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:12.880
<v Speaker 3>Like, yeah, yeah, Homer, yeah, a nice little double.

0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:17.880
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I'm gonna I gave him a D in the

0:12:17.960 --> 0:12:18.520
<v Speaker 2>first quarter.

0:12:18.720 --> 0:12:19.560
<v Speaker 1>I'll stay with the D.

0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:22.800
<v Speaker 2>I was tempted to go F but they haven't been

0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:25.080
<v Speaker 2>as bad as the bullpen. I mean, Henry Davis has

0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:27.600
<v Speaker 2>been bad and Rodriguez has been good. We've just seen

0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:33.760
<v Speaker 2>less of ending, right, and Joey Bart was replacement level, I.

0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:34.640
<v Speaker 1>Guess while he was here.

0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:39.120
<v Speaker 2>It's not like I had high expectations for this group,

0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:42.280
<v Speaker 2>but like, it's just Henry Davis has just not been

0:12:43.200 --> 0:12:44.520
<v Speaker 2>even close to good enough.

0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:48.199
<v Speaker 3>Our expectations were low. And yeah, I still haven't gotten.

0:12:47.920 --> 0:12:50.600
<v Speaker 2>There and so right, so and and he's been fine,

0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:54.400
<v Speaker 2>and he's been good at certain points, but overall, I mean,

0:12:54.480 --> 0:12:55.520
<v Speaker 2>this is a this is.

0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:56.920
<v Speaker 1>A well below average catch.

0:12:57.120 --> 0:13:01.160
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and so that's why I stick with the D grade.

0:13:01.320 --> 0:13:02.319
<v Speaker 2>I won't go any lower that.

0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:05.360
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, there's a reason why two of our trade targets

0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:10.240
<v Speaker 3>in the our episode previously were catchers. Cuz, yeah, this

0:13:10.240 --> 0:13:11.760
<v Speaker 3>this position group needs some help.

0:13:13.240 --> 0:13:17.960
<v Speaker 1>Infield. I'll start off here, mister tough grader. I'm giving

0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:19.320
<v Speaker 1>the infield in a I.

0:13:19.760 --> 0:13:21.240
<v Speaker 3>Was curious about this one.

0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:25.520
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I just I don't have a lot of bad

0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:26.080
<v Speaker 1>things to say.

0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:26.320
<v Speaker 7>Now.

0:13:26.360 --> 0:13:29.280
<v Speaker 2>There have been some bad defensive plays, like Spencer's made

0:13:29.320 --> 0:13:34.040
<v Speaker 2>some bad plays, Knicks made some bad plays. Connor made

0:13:34.040 --> 0:13:35.760
<v Speaker 2>one really bad play the one time when he like

0:13:35.840 --> 0:13:38.160
<v Speaker 2>spiked the ball, but like that was just one, one

0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:43.120
<v Speaker 2>literal mistake overall, man, and like Triolo has been kind

0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:43.760
<v Speaker 2>of I mean.

0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:44.040
<v Speaker 1>Not kind of.

0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:46.440
<v Speaker 2>He's been a week back, but like, I don't know

0:13:46.679 --> 0:13:48.840
<v Speaker 2>how much more you could have hoped to get from

0:13:48.840 --> 0:13:51.920
<v Speaker 2>this group. Low is the best offensive second basement in

0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:54.760
<v Speaker 2>the National Spencer Horowitz is one of the best leadoff

0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:58.960
<v Speaker 2>hitters in baseball right now. Connor Griffin, before he got injured,

0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:02.240
<v Speaker 2>was way better than I anticipated him being and I

0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:06.600
<v Speaker 2>thought he would be good. But the month of May, like, yeah,

0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:10.760
<v Speaker 2>he's he's play yeah, yeah, Like he's gonna have like

0:14:10.760 --> 0:14:13.080
<v Speaker 2>a three to four Warst season this year if he

0:14:13.120 --> 0:14:16.160
<v Speaker 2>can come back and stay healthy. And then Nick Gonzalez, Man,

0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:18.679
<v Speaker 2>I mean, he hasn't been amazing, but he hasn't been

0:14:19.000 --> 0:14:20.120
<v Speaker 2>a total liability.

0:14:20.160 --> 0:14:22.640
<v Speaker 1>Like I was super concerned about third.

0:14:22.400 --> 0:14:25.800
<v Speaker 2>Base, and I mean Nick York started it off well

0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:29.120
<v Speaker 2>and then Nick Gonzalez earned that spot.

0:14:29.240 --> 0:14:32.160
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, he took it from Triolo and York and he's

0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:32.520
<v Speaker 1>been good.

0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:36.040
<v Speaker 2>And they've got good contributions from like some bench guys too,

0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:38.760
<v Speaker 2>like Callahan as like a rotating piece. Has been a

0:14:38.840 --> 0:14:43.760
<v Speaker 2>nice little bump over the last couple of weeks overall. Yeah,

0:14:43.800 --> 0:14:48.840
<v Speaker 2>I can't remember a Pirates in field being this productive.

0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:51.760
<v Speaker 1>In a long time. Really. I mean, you'd have to

0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:52.800
<v Speaker 1>go back to when Josh.

0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:55.600
<v Speaker 2>Was playing, when they had you know, him and David

0:14:55.640 --> 0:14:58.400
<v Speaker 2>Freeze and Jordi Mercer and you know, or even the

0:14:58.440 --> 0:15:02.640
<v Speaker 2>teams before that when they were like a playoff team. Yeah,

0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:06.120
<v Speaker 2>I mean, they have three guys who are gonna be

0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:07.800
<v Speaker 2>like four war players in this infield.

0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:10.720
<v Speaker 1>I again, like we.

0:15:10.720 --> 0:15:13.880
<v Speaker 2>Could go back and look, but it would be my

0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:17.800
<v Speaker 2>guess at least a decade since that's been the reality

0:15:17.880 --> 0:15:18.960
<v Speaker 2>year in Pittsburgh where.

0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:22.120
<v Speaker 1>Three of your starting four infielders are four win players.

0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:25.360
<v Speaker 3>I mean first base alone, you look at that and

0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:29.240
<v Speaker 3>that's just such a massive, massive improvement from the past

0:15:29.280 --> 0:15:29.800
<v Speaker 3>few years.

0:15:29.840 --> 0:15:34.120
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, in second base too, I mean, loo, I

0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:34.800
<v Speaker 1>don't know, I mean.

0:15:34.760 --> 0:15:37.720
<v Speaker 2>Lao's probably not gonna be here for more than this season,

0:15:37.800 --> 0:15:41.760
<v Speaker 2>but like that, that's one of the best trades the Pirates.

0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:43.240
<v Speaker 3>Have made, and such a perfect fault.

0:15:44.000 --> 0:15:48.320
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he's been excellent, and he's been even better defensively

0:15:48.360 --> 0:15:52.800
<v Speaker 2>than I anticipated. Connor with the extension, with everything, you've

0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:56.040
<v Speaker 2>just you feel good when you look at that infield,

0:15:56.080 --> 0:16:00.120
<v Speaker 2>there have been very few times where you're just like,

0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:04.640
<v Speaker 2>who are they playing? Yeah, and that's been the case

0:16:04.680 --> 0:16:08.600
<v Speaker 2>for Pirates infield for a very long time. So I yeah,

0:16:08.680 --> 0:16:11.160
<v Speaker 2>I have no complaints, Mark, do you have anything different

0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:11.560
<v Speaker 2>to add?

0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.560
<v Speaker 3>I kind of do. Actually I went lower. I went

0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:20.240
<v Speaker 3>an yeah, solely because I think the defense has been

0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:25.480
<v Speaker 3>a little disappointing. Obviously that's gonna change with counter coming back,

0:16:26.680 --> 0:16:31.320
<v Speaker 3>because I just Triolo at shortstep is just mhm. And

0:16:31.520 --> 0:16:33.400
<v Speaker 3>I think Nick and Zalez has made a couple of

0:16:33.480 --> 0:16:37.720
<v Speaker 3>throws that have just really cost this team. But outside

0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:40.840
<v Speaker 3>of that, I mean it's been yeah, so so so good.

0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:46.600
<v Speaker 2>They're opposed to the next group, who I would argue

0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:52.440
<v Speaker 2>is probably even better offensively. Yeah, Like the hitting production

0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:55.640
<v Speaker 2>from the infield is here, and their defensive ineptitude is

0:16:55.720 --> 0:16:58.640
<v Speaker 2>here right whereas the outfield it's a little bit more

0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:01.200
<v Speaker 2>even probably not even that close, but you know what

0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:05.040
<v Speaker 2>I'm saying, where it's like they're pros so heavily outweigh

0:17:05.080 --> 0:17:05.600
<v Speaker 2>their consent.

0:17:05.720 --> 0:17:08.040
<v Speaker 1>And I also expected this to be a poorly fielding

0:17:08.240 --> 0:17:09.639
<v Speaker 1>right right infield.

0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:11.800
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Like I thought their defense was going to suck,

0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:15.040
<v Speaker 2>and it's it's hard for me to dock them a

0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:19.119
<v Speaker 2>ton with Triolo at shortstop because he's not a shortstop.

0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:19.520
<v Speaker 1>And we kind of knew this.

0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:23.720
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and I you know, sometimes when you're starting shortstop

0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:26.360
<v Speaker 2>gets hurt, you have to play someone out of position

0:17:26.520 --> 0:17:30.680
<v Speaker 2>for the time being. And but yeah, overall eighty one

0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:34.840
<v Speaker 2>games in, I could not imagine this infield being realistically

0:17:34.880 --> 0:17:36.040
<v Speaker 2>much better than what it has been.

0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:36.480
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

0:17:36.600 --> 0:17:40.640
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, we'll move on now to the outfield. That's crazy.

0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:44.600
<v Speaker 2>I have a higher grade than I know for context

0:17:44.840 --> 0:17:46.680
<v Speaker 2>infield grades. I had them at a B plus in

0:17:46.720 --> 0:17:48.639
<v Speaker 2>the first quarter. Mark had them at a minus. So

0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:51.520
<v Speaker 2>all right, I'm gonna go with the outfield now, I'll

0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:52.359
<v Speaker 2>start us off again.

0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:59.080
<v Speaker 1>I'll go with a B. Yeah, I think, I mean.

0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:05.159
<v Speaker 2>It's yeah, it's tough to great, but I mean I

0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:08.600
<v Speaker 2>will say their outfield defense hasn't been horror in the

0:18:08.680 --> 0:18:09.480
<v Speaker 2>last month.

0:18:09.720 --> 0:18:11.040
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, yeah, but I.

0:18:11.000 --> 0:18:16.120
<v Speaker 2>Mean Brian Reynolds takes this group to a higher letter grade.

0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:17.480
<v Speaker 1>Man, I mean, he's been good.

0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:23.159
<v Speaker 2>O'hearne is looks like a Russell Martin esque signing. O'Neil

0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:27.280
<v Speaker 2>Cruz was playing fantastic and mangum Mangham is a flawed

0:18:27.280 --> 0:18:30.800
<v Speaker 2>player in some areas. I wish you'd have a little

0:18:30.840 --> 0:18:33.680
<v Speaker 2>bit more patience than his approach at the plate. Sometimes

0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:38.200
<v Speaker 2>I think he over hustles and creates problems, but overall

0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:42.640
<v Speaker 2>he's a good fourth outfielder on a team, and when

0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:45.600
<v Speaker 2>a guy goes down like Cruse, you feel fine with

0:18:45.720 --> 0:18:48.920
<v Speaker 2>Jake Mancum being your center fielder for an extended stretch

0:18:49.080 --> 0:18:52.040
<v Speaker 2>and a guy who the team he helps the team

0:18:52.080 --> 0:18:56.440
<v Speaker 2>win games. So yeah, I'll go with the outfield as

0:18:56.440 --> 0:19:01.480
<v Speaker 2>a B mark I I I think again in comparison

0:19:01.560 --> 0:19:05.399
<v Speaker 2>to prior groups, and even as far as expectations, I

0:19:05.480 --> 0:19:11.280
<v Speaker 2>was concerned with how Loo and Reynolds would perform offensively,

0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:14.720
<v Speaker 2>not Low and Reynolds. Oh Her and Reynolds perform offensively

0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:17.919
<v Speaker 2>with the demand of being an everyday outfielder.

0:19:18.640 --> 0:19:19.360
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, and I.

0:19:19.320 --> 0:19:22.040
<v Speaker 1>Think both of them have been really good.

0:19:22.359 --> 0:19:25.439
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, yeah, I'm still stuck out there, but they're

0:19:25.560 --> 0:19:26.440
<v Speaker 2>killing the base fall.

0:19:26.520 --> 0:19:30.240
<v Speaker 3>Yeah. Yeah. I went as for the outfield because I

0:19:30.359 --> 0:19:33.720
<v Speaker 3>again I recognize the defensive woes, but we've seen a

0:19:33.880 --> 0:19:37.760
<v Speaker 3>vast improvement, especially with Jake Mangham getting more playing time. Yeah.

0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:41.520
<v Speaker 3>I think that's helped both Oharan and Reynolds as well,

0:19:42.640 --> 0:19:45.480
<v Speaker 3>just because Mangham can cover up a little bit more

0:19:45.520 --> 0:19:49.520
<v Speaker 3>of what they're not great at with their corner defense.

0:19:50.960 --> 0:19:55.359
<v Speaker 3>And yeah, I just Brian Reynolds is having just a

0:19:55.440 --> 0:19:58.800
<v Speaker 3>fantastic season. I think it's up to like three point

0:19:58.880 --> 0:20:02.879
<v Speaker 3>zero U. I think it's f war already. And just

0:20:03.640 --> 0:20:07.760
<v Speaker 3>that's crazy. Eighty one games through the year, he's played

0:20:07.800 --> 0:20:10.920
<v Speaker 3>every single game. Yes, I don't think he started every

0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:14.600
<v Speaker 3>single game, but he's played in every single game. Ryan

0:20:14.640 --> 0:20:18.439
<v Speaker 3>O'Hearn just perfect fit. And then yeah, Cruz, before he

0:20:18.520 --> 0:20:21.919
<v Speaker 3>got hurt, he was really taking a step forward on

0:20:21.960 --> 0:20:26.000
<v Speaker 3>pace for thirty thirty obviously has the strikeout issues are

0:20:26.480 --> 0:20:28.960
<v Speaker 3>still like an issue for him, and the defenses was

0:20:30.200 --> 0:20:33.440
<v Speaker 3>getting better, i'd like to say before he got hurt.

0:20:33.680 --> 0:20:37.199
<v Speaker 3>So yeah, I think this outfield group has kind of

0:20:37.480 --> 0:20:39.040
<v Speaker 3>exceeded my expectations.

0:20:39.320 --> 0:20:41.800
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and I'll even add in I like the supplemental help,

0:20:42.000 --> 0:20:44.480
<v Speaker 2>not that anyone is, Like I mean, Callahan has been

0:20:44.520 --> 0:20:47.280
<v Speaker 2>getting a lot of run in the outfield, and he's been,

0:20:47.359 --> 0:20:49.679
<v Speaker 2>like we said, he's been a good little joelt.

0:20:50.560 --> 0:20:53.200
<v Speaker 1>But even the fact that they were able.

0:20:52.920 --> 0:20:57.920
<v Speaker 2>To bring up Garcia and Valdez and in past Pirates teams,

0:20:58.320 --> 0:21:00.480
<v Speaker 2>like when those guys are coming up, it's like good luck.

0:21:00.520 --> 0:21:03.120
<v Speaker 1>We need you to bat like fifth and right. Yeah,

0:21:03.240 --> 0:21:04.800
<v Speaker 1>like the weight of the world's on your shoulders.

0:21:05.000 --> 0:21:07.720
<v Speaker 2>They've allowed them to come up and fail, and they've

0:21:07.720 --> 0:21:09.800
<v Speaker 2>had good moments, like Garcia has had a couple of

0:21:09.800 --> 0:21:12.520
<v Speaker 2>good games, Valdez had like, yeah, some really good moments

0:21:12.520 --> 0:21:15.240
<v Speaker 2>as well. But they've got their toes wet. They're both

0:21:15.320 --> 0:21:18.160
<v Speaker 2>gonna be guys who play an impact on this team

0:21:18.640 --> 0:21:22.080
<v Speaker 2>and years down the road. And this has been good

0:21:22.119 --> 0:21:24.960
<v Speaker 2>for them too, that they have this outfield depth where

0:21:25.880 --> 0:21:29.280
<v Speaker 2>they can get by without I mean, and we said

0:21:29.520 --> 0:21:32.119
<v Speaker 2>Cruise got hurt, Mangum I believe was hurt at some

0:21:32.160 --> 0:21:36.000
<v Speaker 2>point this year, and O'Hearn was hurt, and the outfield

0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:37.040
<v Speaker 2>for the most part has.

0:21:36.920 --> 0:21:39.399
<v Speaker 1>Been a net positive. So yeah, I'll go with a B.

0:21:39.760 --> 0:21:41.520
<v Speaker 1>I think I had them at a B minus mark

0:21:41.600 --> 0:21:42.040
<v Speaker 1>you had.

0:21:41.880 --> 0:21:46.040
<v Speaker 2>Them at a B plus in our first quarter grades.

0:21:46.160 --> 0:21:49.280
<v Speaker 2>So we're gonna take another quick break when we come back.

0:21:49.720 --> 0:21:54.720
<v Speaker 2>D H grade coaching grade overall grade Here on Bucko Territory.

0:21:55.840 --> 0:21:58.840
<v Speaker 7>This episode is brought to you by Fan Duel Baseball Fans.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, we picked back up with the DH grade.

0:23:03.200 --> 0:23:03.760
<v Speaker 1>It's easy.

0:23:04.000 --> 0:23:06.840
<v Speaker 2>I mean, it's an f and I don't want to

0:23:06.840 --> 0:23:09.280
<v Speaker 2>spend too much time on this because we've talked about

0:23:09.320 --> 0:23:11.800
<v Speaker 2>Marcelo Zuna probably more than any other player on the show.

0:23:12.200 --> 0:23:15.720
<v Speaker 1>But like you just go back and look at it.

0:23:15.760 --> 0:23:17.840
<v Speaker 1>And it's like that acquisition.

0:23:17.359 --> 0:23:21.439
<v Speaker 2>Screwed up so much, so much, because if you spend

0:23:21.480 --> 0:23:25.680
<v Speaker 2>that twelve million dollars on the bullpen, on another left

0:23:25.680 --> 0:23:29.720
<v Speaker 2>side infielder, on another outfielder, I'm literally not.

0:23:29.680 --> 0:23:33.080
<v Speaker 3>A start literally anything.

0:23:32.240 --> 0:23:35.840
<v Speaker 2>Else, literally anything else, even a better DH who can

0:23:35.920 --> 0:23:42.440
<v Speaker 2>like occasionally play in the field, they're a better team. Like, yeah, no,

0:23:43.119 --> 0:23:47.040
<v Speaker 2>I wouldn't work either, but but I'm just thinking out

0:23:47.080 --> 0:23:50.320
<v Speaker 2>loud here, like it's just like like the bullpen just

0:23:50.359 --> 0:23:51.280
<v Speaker 2>hasn't performed.

0:23:52.000 --> 0:23:54.200
<v Speaker 1>Ozuna has just brought them down.

0:23:54.359 --> 0:23:56.919
<v Speaker 2>He's like an anchor. He weighs them down. He just

0:23:57.000 --> 0:23:59.439
<v Speaker 2>makes them worse. And they're just kind of stuck with

0:23:59.520 --> 0:24:02.240
<v Speaker 2>this now. And I hate to like hone in on

0:24:02.320 --> 0:24:05.120
<v Speaker 2>this and hammer this home. But again, we're halfway through

0:24:05.119 --> 0:24:07.080
<v Speaker 2>the season and he's just been one of the worst

0:24:07.119 --> 0:24:09.200
<v Speaker 2>players in baseball from the very start.

0:24:09.280 --> 0:24:12.800
<v Speaker 1>He didn't know he didn't look good in spring. For

0:24:12.960 --> 0:24:14.040
<v Speaker 1>all the other good.

0:24:13.840 --> 0:24:16.199
<v Speaker 2>Moves they made, he almost like kind of undid the

0:24:16.240 --> 0:24:20.080
<v Speaker 2>momentum of some of them just by being this dad.

0:24:20.160 --> 0:24:23.520
<v Speaker 2>And it's just funny because I was like, Okay, well,

0:24:23.640 --> 0:24:26.560
<v Speaker 2>if we're grading the DH spot, could I give it

0:24:26.600 --> 0:24:30.000
<v Speaker 2>a better grade than a failing grade because you know

0:24:30.119 --> 0:24:34.479
<v Speaker 2>how other people prefer. Reality is literally every other person

0:24:34.520 --> 0:24:37.680
<v Speaker 2>you put at DH has just been better than Ozuna.

0:24:37.800 --> 0:24:40.400
<v Speaker 2>It could be Cruised, it could be Reynolds, it could

0:24:40.400 --> 0:24:43.919
<v Speaker 2>be O'Hearn, Connor Griffin.

0:24:43.600 --> 0:24:47.760
<v Speaker 1>Those two games like loo like, And that's.

0:24:47.600 --> 0:24:50.720
<v Speaker 2>Where it's I'm encouraged because if they eventually do cut

0:24:50.800 --> 0:24:55.199
<v Speaker 2>dait with this guy, that's such an opportunity where if

0:24:55.240 --> 0:24:57.640
<v Speaker 2>they if they get in a place where they can

0:24:57.920 --> 0:25:00.280
<v Speaker 2>make a big addition, you.

0:25:00.280 --> 0:25:01.320
<v Speaker 1>Have that revolving D.

0:25:01.440 --> 0:25:03.760
<v Speaker 2>I would love to see this team with a revolving

0:25:03.840 --> 0:25:08.199
<v Speaker 2>DH position where they could add another position player and

0:25:08.280 --> 0:25:10.440
<v Speaker 2>get really creative with their lineup.

0:25:10.119 --> 0:25:16.040
<v Speaker 3>Because if it's this roster, Yeah, did you give I went?

0:25:16.280 --> 0:25:19.400
<v Speaker 3>I went D minus solely because they've stopped playing Ozuna

0:25:19.560 --> 0:25:22.320
<v Speaker 3>so much and other people are playing so I felt

0:25:22.320 --> 0:25:24.280
<v Speaker 3>like I needed to recognize that. Yeah, I know, I

0:25:24.560 --> 0:25:25.320
<v Speaker 3>got your logic.

0:25:25.480 --> 0:25:28.600
<v Speaker 8>Yeah, yeah, because it's like, okay, well you should have

0:25:28.600 --> 0:25:32.840
<v Speaker 8>been doing this all year, right, Yeah, so exactly, this

0:25:32.920 --> 0:25:37.919
<v Speaker 8>is the hardest one to grew coaching, Mark, I'll let you.

0:25:37.920 --> 0:25:42.679
<v Speaker 3>Start, all right. I give Don Well all encompassing for coaching,

0:25:44.040 --> 0:25:45.879
<v Speaker 3>So I would give Don Kelly a B. But I

0:25:45.880 --> 0:25:48.320
<v Speaker 3>think this whole staff I would give probably like a

0:25:48.359 --> 0:25:53.680
<v Speaker 3>B minus C plus right around there, because obviously Bill

0:25:53.760 --> 0:25:57.600
<v Speaker 3>Murphy has been The results for Bill Murphy's staff, I

0:25:57.600 --> 0:26:01.439
<v Speaker 3>should say, have not been good, and when the staff

0:26:01.520 --> 0:26:05.399
<v Speaker 3>was so good last year and wanted to improve and

0:26:05.440 --> 0:26:09.200
<v Speaker 3>take a step forward, that's been extremely disappointing. I think

0:26:09.240 --> 0:26:12.080
<v Speaker 3>Don Kelly has done a great job with this clubhouse,

0:26:12.760 --> 0:26:15.639
<v Speaker 3>the cohesion. I think that these guys really seem like

0:26:15.640 --> 0:26:18.960
<v Speaker 3>their teammates and believe in each other and want each

0:26:18.960 --> 0:26:22.080
<v Speaker 3>other to succeed and are better with each other around.

0:26:22.760 --> 0:26:26.000
<v Speaker 3>Rather than just a bunch of twenty six individual ballplayers

0:26:26.040 --> 0:26:28.840
<v Speaker 3>all trying to improve their career. There, it feels like

0:26:28.840 --> 0:26:30.840
<v Speaker 3>they're trying to win for the team, most of them

0:26:31.320 --> 0:26:34.560
<v Speaker 3>at least, And so I think Don Kelly is done

0:26:34.680 --> 0:26:37.280
<v Speaker 3>a fantastic job of getting those guys to buy in,

0:26:37.760 --> 0:26:42.159
<v Speaker 3>believe in themselves, believe in this franchise. He's way easier

0:26:42.160 --> 0:26:45.520
<v Speaker 3>said than done. So perhaps to Don Kelly, he just

0:26:45.520 --> 0:26:49.119
<v Speaker 3>got as one hundred win as if we're recording this,

0:26:50.040 --> 0:26:53.200
<v Speaker 3>so yeah, But outside of that, I think like third

0:26:53.240 --> 0:26:57.960
<v Speaker 3>base coach, first base coach, no issues. But yeah, I

0:26:57.960 --> 0:27:00.919
<v Speaker 3>think just the pitching coach has been the big biggest concern.

0:27:01.000 --> 0:27:02.960
<v Speaker 3>I think Matt hag you could probably say it's been

0:27:04.040 --> 0:27:07.879
<v Speaker 3>pretty good. Yeah. I think it's hard to judge because

0:27:07.880 --> 0:27:11.159
<v Speaker 3>like you're seeing Lao and O'Hearn and Reynold. It's all

0:27:11.160 --> 0:27:14.679
<v Speaker 3>these like established veterans. It's exactly who I was going to.

0:27:14.760 --> 0:27:18.160
<v Speaker 3>It's I think Spencer Horwartz is someone that Matt Hay

0:27:18.160 --> 0:27:22.120
<v Speaker 3>can really say I helped with that a little bit,

0:27:22.320 --> 0:27:25.520
<v Speaker 3>but I helped, and so I think that's good. How'd

0:27:25.560 --> 0:27:26.720
<v Speaker 3>you grade the coaching staff?

0:27:27.400 --> 0:27:29.480
<v Speaker 1>I gave it a C. I think it's been average.

0:27:30.200 --> 0:27:32.480
<v Speaker 1>I'll start with Don Kelly first. Six.

0:27:32.560 --> 0:27:35.960
<v Speaker 2>First, what a lot of people who like aren't around

0:27:35.960 --> 0:27:38.239
<v Speaker 2>the team, Like I've had obviously.

0:27:39.640 --> 0:27:41.960
<v Speaker 1>Very good access to the Pirates.

0:27:41.640 --> 0:27:44.199
<v Speaker 2>And I talked to people who are in the front office,

0:27:44.240 --> 0:27:45.800
<v Speaker 2>who work for the team, who are around the team,

0:27:45.800 --> 0:27:48.320
<v Speaker 2>who are on the team, and you get a really

0:27:48.320 --> 0:27:51.320
<v Speaker 2>good idea of how things work day to day there.

0:27:52.400 --> 0:27:55.639
<v Speaker 2>This is not an easy organization to be the manager for.

0:27:56.119 --> 0:27:57.959
<v Speaker 2>You got to deal with a lot of headaches that

0:27:58.040 --> 0:28:02.320
<v Speaker 2>you probably don't have to deal with and other franchises,

0:28:02.480 --> 0:28:05.159
<v Speaker 2>that's just the reality of a lot of small market teams,

0:28:05.640 --> 0:28:08.840
<v Speaker 2>but especially a small market team where they don't have

0:28:08.880 --> 0:28:12.320
<v Speaker 2>a winning culture, they don't have a lot of success,

0:28:13.520 --> 0:28:17.359
<v Speaker 2>and yeah, like they're they're more known for their ineptitude

0:28:17.440 --> 0:28:21.960
<v Speaker 2>than anything else. Yeah, and so I give Don Kelly

0:28:22.000 --> 0:28:26.920
<v Speaker 2>a lot of credit for handling the things that don't

0:28:26.920 --> 0:28:30.000
<v Speaker 2>get out there, things that you know, rumors that I

0:28:30.040 --> 0:28:32.720
<v Speaker 2>hear and I'm like, it's not enough for me to report,

0:28:32.800 --> 0:28:35.560
<v Speaker 2>but just you just hear stories, You hear things, and

0:28:35.600 --> 0:28:38.560
<v Speaker 2>it's like and some of it's not even worth reporting,

0:28:38.640 --> 0:28:41.520
<v Speaker 2>but it's just small little things where it's like, you know,

0:28:42.000 --> 0:28:46.280
<v Speaker 2>you might think your boss is an idiot or isn't

0:28:46.280 --> 0:28:49.000
<v Speaker 2>doing good enough, but then like you really sit down

0:28:49.040 --> 0:28:50.680
<v Speaker 2>and you see what your boss goes.

0:28:50.440 --> 0:28:52.479
<v Speaker 1>Through every day, and you're like, you know what, I

0:28:52.480 --> 0:28:53.960
<v Speaker 1>can understand why.

0:28:54.800 --> 0:28:59.520
<v Speaker 2>He goes about certain things this way because there's a

0:28:59.520 --> 0:29:01.680
<v Speaker 2>lot going going on behind the scenes and it's and

0:29:01.720 --> 0:29:05.760
<v Speaker 2>I'm not suggesting it's like dysfunctional or there's drama or anything.

0:29:05.800 --> 0:29:11.000
<v Speaker 2>There's just a lot of moving pieces and it's yeah, yeah.

0:29:10.640 --> 0:29:13.120
<v Speaker 1>And it's it's it's just, uh, you know, the.

0:29:13.080 --> 0:29:17.120
<v Speaker 2>Pirates aren't always organized as a franchise. The messaging isn't

0:29:17.120 --> 0:29:20.240
<v Speaker 2>always on the same page. Don Kelly has to kind

0:29:20.240 --> 0:29:23.680
<v Speaker 2>of consider a multitude of factors every time he makes

0:29:23.680 --> 0:29:26.440
<v Speaker 2>a decision when it comes to building a lineup, when

0:29:26.480 --> 0:29:28.720
<v Speaker 2>it comes to who he plays, all that kind of stuff,

0:29:28.880 --> 0:29:31.000
<v Speaker 2>and I think, considering all the hoops that he has

0:29:31.080 --> 0:29:34.760
<v Speaker 2>to jump through, I admire the way he's gone about that.

0:29:34.800 --> 0:29:36.200
<v Speaker 1>I have a lot of respect for that, and I

0:29:36.200 --> 0:29:37.240
<v Speaker 1>think the players do too.

0:29:37.760 --> 0:29:41.880
<v Speaker 2>And he's made every decision I think, with the players

0:29:41.920 --> 0:29:45.680
<v Speaker 2>in mind, keeping that cohesion, keeping everyone in lockstep in

0:29:45.720 --> 0:29:48.880
<v Speaker 2>that clubhouse, And as someone who was around last year's

0:29:48.920 --> 0:29:51.800
<v Speaker 2>clubhouse where it was one of the worst team cultures

0:29:51.840 --> 0:29:55.840
<v Speaker 2>I've ever been around, from Little league all the way

0:29:55.880 --> 0:29:59.000
<v Speaker 2>up to professional sports, just to see that change overnight.

0:29:59.000 --> 0:30:02.840
<v Speaker 2>And obviously that comes players and credibility and winning. But

0:30:03.040 --> 0:30:05.960
<v Speaker 2>Don Kelly sets that tone and I give him credit there.

0:30:06.520 --> 0:30:08.840
<v Speaker 2>As far as his in game management, yeah, it hasn't

0:30:08.880 --> 0:30:12.240
<v Speaker 2>been amazing. I do think there are a lot of

0:30:12.240 --> 0:30:14.400
<v Speaker 2>times where I agree with some of the decisions Don

0:30:14.480 --> 0:30:18.680
<v Speaker 2>Kelly makes and they just immediately backfire. Like the other day,

0:30:19.080 --> 0:30:22.040
<v Speaker 2>I had no issue with him keeping Mitch Keller in

0:30:22.080 --> 0:30:25.800
<v Speaker 2>that game. And then, for of all people, Cole freaking

0:30:25.880 --> 0:30:28.360
<v Speaker 2>young Ka he grew up in Western.

0:30:30.840 --> 0:30:31.080
<v Speaker 1>Kids.

0:30:31.160 --> 0:30:37.080
<v Speaker 2>Seriously, I mean between Weatherholt, him Ian half like it's

0:30:37.200 --> 0:30:39.080
<v Speaker 2>like Don Kelly And the funny.

0:30:38.760 --> 0:30:41.800
<v Speaker 4>Part is knows all of these dudes because they all

0:30:41.880 --> 0:30:47.040
<v Speaker 4>grew up in Western Pa and they just are cruising him.

0:30:47.040 --> 0:30:48.960
<v Speaker 4>But like, yeah, it's the Mitch Keller thing there.

0:30:49.000 --> 0:30:52.680
<v Speaker 2>And again there have been some decisions that I disagree

0:30:52.680 --> 0:30:53.760
<v Speaker 2>with and in real.

0:30:53.560 --> 0:30:55.640
<v Speaker 1>Time I'm like, why are you doing this? Uh?

0:30:55.640 --> 0:30:57.120
<v Speaker 2>But there are a lot of times where I'm like,

0:30:57.160 --> 0:30:59.120
<v Speaker 2>you know what, that is probably what I would have

0:30:59.160 --> 0:31:03.120
<v Speaker 2>done too, considering all factors at hand, and boyded it

0:31:03.240 --> 0:31:05.800
<v Speaker 2>just not where avoided it immediately blow up in his face,

0:31:06.240 --> 0:31:09.560
<v Speaker 2>and you can call that bad management. I think it's

0:31:09.600 --> 0:31:14.080
<v Speaker 2>just more like, hey man, this is the choice I've got. Yeah,

0:31:14.120 --> 0:31:15.280
<v Speaker 2>that's baseball, right.

0:31:15.720 --> 0:31:21.080
<v Speaker 1>So yeah, Kelly. I that's my thoughts on him.

0:31:21.360 --> 0:31:28.640
<v Speaker 2>Haig good, Murphy bad. I mean, at least for now anyway.

0:31:29.720 --> 0:31:32.000
<v Speaker 2>And then overall, yeah, I just think it's an average staff.

0:31:32.040 --> 0:31:34.520
<v Speaker 2>I don't think My big takeaway on this coaching staff

0:31:34.560 --> 0:31:37.840
<v Speaker 2>is I don't think it's made the team any better overall.

0:31:37.960 --> 0:31:40.880
<v Speaker 2>As a net, I don't think it's made much better.

0:31:41.240 --> 0:31:43.560
<v Speaker 2>I also don't think it's holding the team that like

0:31:43.600 --> 0:31:45.600
<v Speaker 2>there are a lot of people who believe, oh, if

0:31:45.640 --> 0:31:47.960
<v Speaker 2>you fire Don Kelly, this, it's like, no, I don't.

0:31:47.960 --> 0:31:50.520
<v Speaker 2>I don't think so like I think like, I don't

0:31:50.560 --> 0:31:53.959
<v Speaker 2>think like. It's it's a replacement level coaching staff right now.

0:31:53.960 --> 0:31:56.040
<v Speaker 1>Could it be better? Yes? Could it be a lot worse?

0:31:56.080 --> 0:31:58.880
<v Speaker 2>I think so too so, And ultimately, if you have

0:31:58.920 --> 0:32:01.800
<v Speaker 2>a replacement level coaching staff and good players, you should

0:32:01.800 --> 0:32:02.560
<v Speaker 2>have a decent team.

0:32:02.680 --> 0:32:07.360
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that's my view. So that's my great. See did

0:32:07.400 --> 0:32:08.200
<v Speaker 1>you give yours yet?

0:32:08.400 --> 0:32:12.520
<v Speaker 3>Yeah? I said, be minus. Yeah, yeah, but no, you're good.

0:32:12.640 --> 0:32:12.960
<v Speaker 3>You're good.

0:32:13.080 --> 0:32:13.800
<v Speaker 1>Been a long day.

0:32:14.240 --> 0:32:17.720
<v Speaker 2>And then overall, Mark, as we wrap it up, overall great.

0:32:17.840 --> 0:32:20.640
<v Speaker 2>On the Pittsburgh Pirates, what are you grading them through

0:32:20.680 --> 0:32:21.920
<v Speaker 2>eighty one games.

0:32:21.720 --> 0:32:24.120
<v Speaker 3>I'm going the same I gave Don Kelly and the

0:32:24.120 --> 0:32:28.680
<v Speaker 3>coaching staff B minus. I think they're slightly above average

0:32:28.720 --> 0:32:32.200
<v Speaker 3>this year for how well they performed. But like we

0:32:32.240 --> 0:32:35.520
<v Speaker 3>said earlier, this bullpen has cost at least probably like

0:32:35.560 --> 0:32:39.880
<v Speaker 3>five or six games where I think those shift in

0:32:39.880 --> 0:32:42.000
<v Speaker 3>their favor that great gets bumped up quite a bit.

0:32:42.440 --> 0:32:44.880
<v Speaker 3>But for how close this team has to play with

0:32:44.920 --> 0:32:48.120
<v Speaker 3>the margins with this wild card race, it's just been

0:32:48.680 --> 0:32:52.080
<v Speaker 3>a hair disappointing at times, overall good. I mean they

0:32:52.120 --> 0:32:55.480
<v Speaker 3>have a winning record halfway through the season. That that's

0:32:56.320 --> 0:32:59.160
<v Speaker 3>it feels fun to say as a Pirates fan. Yeah,

0:32:59.200 --> 0:33:01.840
<v Speaker 3>at the same time, we expected that from this team.

0:33:02.200 --> 0:33:05.160
<v Speaker 3>I think we, I personally expected just a little bit more.

0:33:05.760 --> 0:33:08.320
<v Speaker 3>I think they're basically on pace for your prediction of

0:33:08.360 --> 0:33:12.640
<v Speaker 3>like eighty two and eighty or whatever, and so yeah,

0:33:12.720 --> 0:33:17.040
<v Speaker 3>I mean, overall, slightly above average, but I think that

0:33:18.000 --> 0:33:19.720
<v Speaker 3>there was so much meat left on the bone still

0:33:19.720 --> 0:33:21.200
<v Speaker 3>with this team.

0:33:21.640 --> 0:33:24.320
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that's why I give a C plus. I mean

0:33:24.440 --> 0:33:27.080
<v Speaker 2>I wrote it the other day. It's they're the definition

0:33:27.160 --> 0:33:27.800
<v Speaker 2>of mediocre.

0:33:27.960 --> 0:33:28.200
<v Speaker 3>Yep.

0:33:28.360 --> 0:33:31.000
<v Speaker 2>Overall, Like you look at my report card, I have

0:33:32.320 --> 0:33:36.800
<v Speaker 2>you know, a couple of b's, an a couple of f's,

0:33:37.040 --> 0:33:39.120
<v Speaker 2>and then some c's, Like I think it averages out

0:33:39.160 --> 0:33:42.280
<v Speaker 2>to just being like a C. And that's I mean,

0:33:42.320 --> 0:33:45.200
<v Speaker 2>they're forty one and forty and so you now, if

0:33:45.200 --> 0:33:47.640
<v Speaker 2>you're grading it compared to last year's team, it's in.

0:33:47.720 --> 0:33:49.520
<v Speaker 1>A yeah, they're so much better.

0:33:49.640 --> 0:33:53.520
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, but I'm grading it compared to what they're trying

0:33:53.520 --> 0:33:56.200
<v Speaker 2>to do, which has reached the playoffs. And while they've

0:33:56.240 --> 0:33:59.120
<v Speaker 2>been better and they're still in the mix. The reality

0:33:59.200 --> 0:34:03.320
<v Speaker 2>is the National League really good this year, and being

0:34:04.920 --> 0:34:07.040
<v Speaker 2>a little better than average just isn't good enough. Like

0:34:07.080 --> 0:34:10.920
<v Speaker 2>I do think that this team's potential and overall body

0:34:10.920 --> 0:34:13.480
<v Speaker 2>of work is probably better than a forty one and

0:34:13.600 --> 0:34:16.080
<v Speaker 2>forty record. Yeah, but the reality is you are what

0:34:16.120 --> 0:34:18.960
<v Speaker 2>your record is, and they are one game over five

0:34:19.040 --> 0:34:20.959
<v Speaker 2>hundred right now. If they get healthy and get better,

0:34:21.040 --> 0:34:23.840
<v Speaker 2>that's great. If they make additions at the deadline, that's great.

0:34:24.120 --> 0:34:27.480
<v Speaker 2>But this is the Pirates we're talking about. Nothing is guaranteed.

0:34:27.560 --> 0:34:31.000
<v Speaker 2>Health is not guaranteed. They just lost Spencer Horowitz. We

0:34:31.080 --> 0:34:33.120
<v Speaker 2>don't know even if you buy at the deadline. The

0:34:33.160 --> 0:34:36.680
<v Speaker 2>last time this team bought it the deadline.

0:34:36.200 --> 0:34:37.480
<v Speaker 1>It couldn't have gone worse.

0:34:37.719 --> 0:34:41.359
<v Speaker 2>Like with the transactions, with the results that immediately.

0:34:40.840 --> 0:34:43.440
<v Speaker 1>Followed, all of it went horribly.

0:34:43.880 --> 0:34:46.560
<v Speaker 2>So it's not just to assume, oh, they're gonna make

0:34:46.600 --> 0:34:48.120
<v Speaker 2>a trade and it'll take it to the next level.

0:34:48.280 --> 0:34:51.520
<v Speaker 2>Who's to say this trade's gonna work right if whenever

0:34:51.600 --> 0:34:54.440
<v Speaker 2>it does come So I just think, yeah, it's an

0:34:54.520 --> 0:34:57.759
<v Speaker 2>average team right now, one that does certain things well,

0:34:57.840 --> 0:35:00.239
<v Speaker 2>one that certain things they struggle with.

0:35:01.040 --> 0:35:03.279
<v Speaker 1>So I give it a C plus with the potential

0:35:03.320 --> 0:35:04.000
<v Speaker 1>of being a.

0:35:03.920 --> 0:35:08.600
<v Speaker 3>B team, and I think that's a great grade for

0:35:08.640 --> 0:35:12.240
<v Speaker 3>the Pirates to be for them with down counter Griffin

0:35:12.719 --> 0:35:15.439
<v Speaker 3>down on Cruz. You know, we've had injuries to We've

0:35:15.560 --> 0:35:18.239
<v Speaker 3>mentioned a couple of people already this year, and that's

0:35:18.280 --> 0:35:21.560
<v Speaker 3>part of the game. But when you're still in the

0:35:21.600 --> 0:35:23.799
<v Speaker 3>thick of things with two of your best players down,

0:35:24.719 --> 0:35:27.239
<v Speaker 3>I'm I'm encouraged by how the first half has gone.

0:35:28.160 --> 0:35:32.800
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I am too. I just think, uh yeah, I

0:35:33.000 --> 0:35:33.719
<v Speaker 1>think if you would have.

0:35:33.719 --> 0:35:36.040
<v Speaker 2>Asked a lot of Pirates fans, if you would have

0:35:36.040 --> 0:35:38.280
<v Speaker 2>won it to him and said, hey, here's how Reynolds

0:35:38.280 --> 0:35:41.400
<v Speaker 2>is playing, Here's how Cruz played, Here's how Lao was

0:35:41.440 --> 0:35:45.600
<v Speaker 2>performing in O'Hearn, Here's what the record is halfway through

0:35:45.640 --> 0:35:46.080
<v Speaker 2>the season.

0:35:46.280 --> 0:35:47.759
<v Speaker 1>Here's where you are in the standings.

0:35:47.960 --> 0:35:48.200
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

0:35:49.160 --> 0:35:50.680
<v Speaker 1>I think a lot of people would have taken it.

0:35:50.760 --> 0:35:55.200
<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, absolutely, And honestly, it's like you mentioned, Mark,

0:35:55.239 --> 0:35:57.200
<v Speaker 2>this is pretty much exactly how I envisioned this.

0:35:58.040 --> 0:36:00.840
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, they're just a little bit better than average.

0:36:00.880 --> 0:36:01.880
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

0:36:02.040 --> 0:36:04.640
<v Speaker 2>I want to remind everyone to hit that subscribe button

0:36:04.800 --> 0:36:07.080
<v Speaker 2>if they haven't already. We're on a mission to three

0:36:07.080 --> 0:36:09.960
<v Speaker 2>thousand subs. Can't get there without your help. We appreciate

0:36:10.000 --> 0:36:12.279
<v Speaker 2>everyone's support, and if you want to support the show

0:36:12.320 --> 0:36:14.920
<v Speaker 2>even further ahead to the Bucko Territory team story, we

0:36:14.960 --> 0:36:17.200
<v Speaker 2>can get all of your Bucko Territory murk. You've got

0:36:17.200 --> 0:36:21.120
<v Speaker 2>T shirts, hoodies, jim bags, coffee mugs, bucket hats, and

0:36:21.200 --> 0:36:23.360
<v Speaker 2>everything else you can think.

0:36:23.160 --> 0:36:25.680
<v Speaker 1>Of, uh to support the show, support the.

0:36:25.640 --> 0:36:27.960
<v Speaker 2>Pirates mark any final thoughts as we wrap up another

0:36:28.000 --> 0:36:29.400
<v Speaker 2>week here on Bucket Territory.

0:36:29.560 --> 0:36:33.279
<v Speaker 3>So excited to get Connor Griffin back from injury. He

0:36:33.400 --> 0:36:36.840
<v Speaker 3>was back in Pittsburgh on Thursday, had his rehab start

0:36:36.880 --> 0:36:41.560
<v Speaker 3>in Altoona Wednesday, hit a home run triple h. Yeah.

0:36:41.600 --> 0:36:43.799
<v Speaker 3>I'm just I'm so ready to see him back. I've

0:36:44.120 --> 0:36:47.239
<v Speaker 3>really missed watching him play. This team is just so

0:36:47.320 --> 0:36:49.440
<v Speaker 3>much more fun to watch when when he's out there.

0:36:49.480 --> 0:36:52.040
<v Speaker 3>So I can't wait. What about you?

0:36:52.120 --> 0:36:56.799
<v Speaker 1>It'll be fun. Do I have any parting thoughts? No,

0:36:57.200 --> 0:37:01.680
<v Speaker 1>not really. Hope Josh is having fun on vacation exactly.

0:37:01.719 --> 0:37:04.160
<v Speaker 1>We all are enjoying the show. I'll just say this.

0:37:04.920 --> 0:37:09.960
<v Speaker 2>We are entering a very fun time in the baseball calendar.

0:37:10.600 --> 0:37:14.319
<v Speaker 1>July is he coming? Where? You have the draft coming up?

0:37:14.440 --> 0:37:18.320
<v Speaker 2>We have the All Star break, we have the trade deadline.

0:37:18.680 --> 0:37:22.879
<v Speaker 1>This is real and the Pirates are a part of it.

0:37:22.960 --> 0:37:24.839
<v Speaker 1>They're in there apart they're in it.

0:37:25.080 --> 0:37:27.319
<v Speaker 2>They're probably not as in it as they should be,

0:37:27.840 --> 0:37:32.200
<v Speaker 2>but they're in it. And honestly, I think again every

0:37:32.280 --> 0:37:36.839
<v Speaker 2>fan for this team would have signed up for this

0:37:37.280 --> 0:37:40.200
<v Speaker 2>at the beginning of the year. This is Things could

0:37:40.239 --> 0:37:45.399
<v Speaker 2>be so much worse and it really fun. Stretch ahead

0:37:46.120 --> 0:37:48.960
<v Speaker 2>over the next two three months to see how everything

0:37:49.040 --> 0:37:51.239
<v Speaker 2>unfolds in the next eighty one games, and we'll be

0:37:51.239 --> 0:37:52.319
<v Speaker 2>there to document it all.

0:37:52.760 --> 0:37:54.439
<v Speaker 1>He's Platinum Key aka Mark.

0:37:54.520 --> 0:37:56.680
<v Speaker 2>I'm Noah Hayle, signing off saying thanks for tuning in

0:37:56.680 --> 0:37:59.400
<v Speaker 2>to another episode of Bucko Territory, presented to you by

0:37:59.440 --> 0:38:00.480
<v Speaker 2>the foul tare Time R Network.

0:38:00.520 --> 0:38:00.839
<v Speaker 1>Take care