Pirates preview – June 24th, 2016

♦ June 24, 2016 ♦ Leave a comment

You can count on one thing, the LAD will probably see a bit of Sean Rodriquez who fills in everywhere. Sean has played at least one game at every position except catcher.

Earlier we talked about the Pirates June swoon. Now let’s focus on the actual team the Dodgers will be playing the next four games.

The Pirates still have a lot weapons but just about all of them are hitters. Eric Stephen broke down the pitching matchups, so let’s concentrate on the hitters.

Catcher – Starting catcher Francisco Cervelli went on the DL June 11th with a broken hamate bone in his left hand.  The Pirates are 2 – 9 since he was put on the DL. Replacing Cervelli is long-time backup catcher Chris Stewart, the AJ Ellis of the Pirates.  Backing up Stewart now is Eric Kratz who also fills in as a pitcher when asked.

1st Base – John Jaso has started fifty-five games for the Pirates. He never starts against LHP,  which means his mediocre performance against RHP is not what the Pirates were hoping for. Jaso has always been a part-time player only eclipsing 400 plate appearance once, way back in 2010,  but the Pirated decided he’s a semi full-time 1st baseman. Jaso has hit enough that the Pirates have made him the de facto leadoff hitter against RHP. If Jaso had hit like he had in any of his previous seasons this might have been an excellent plan, but as it is, Jaso is just middling along with a pedestrian Triple State Line of .278/ .352 / .408 and an OPS+ of 106. Jaso has slumped badly in June, and maybe in danger of losing at-bats  to David Freeze who is having his best offensive season since he was an all-star with the Cardinals in 2012. In June, Freeze has an almost .900 OPS, and for the season is crushing LHP to the tune of a .988 OPS.

2nd Base – Josh Harrison was a one-time utility player who exploded into prominence with a full season OPS+ of 133 far above anything he’d done previously as a utility player. That performance netted him an all-star berth, and he even finished 9th in the MVP voting. The Pirates were misled and gave him the starting 3rd base job in 2015. That didn’t work out so well, so they doubled down and gave him the starting second base job in 2016. Josh started out OK but is having trouble hitting his weight in June. How bad? How about a .516 OPS in June.

ShortStop – Jody Mercer is actually hitting in June with a .762 OPS. Mercer has always earned his keep by crushing LHP, why that allows him to be a full-time SS I’m not sure, because he’s below average against RHP, and that is what he see’s most of the time.
Career against LHP – .879 / against RHP – .635
2016 against LHP – .959 / against RHP – .639

Clearly, baseball needs more left-handed hitting shortstops. The Dodgers should get on that.

3rd Base – Jung Ho Kang missed all of April, and the start of May recovering from the surgery that ended his 2015 season, but is now entrenched as the Pirate starting 3rd baseman. The Korean national has had little problem with major league pitching, now posting a career OPS+ of 133.  Kang has a wRC+ of 138 which for context is actually one point better than Nolan Arenado four better than Kris Bryant.

Right Field – Gregory Polanco was supposed to be the next big thing back in the summer of 2014 but instead the then twenty-two struggled most of the season. His 2015 wasn’t much better but it was an improvement. Sometimes patience is rewarded, and in 2016 you could make an argument that so far in 2016, Polanco is the best RF in the National League. His wRC+ of 140 sits on top of everyone. The defense metrics suggest he’s an outstanding defensive right fielder.  Left handed defensive star, power, speed, and on-base skills. Sign me the hell up.

Left Field – Much like Polanco, Starling Marte came into the league with a lot of ballyhoos. The difference is that it only took one year before Marte started living up to the hype. He’s already twenty-seven now and has been one of the better left fielders for four years.  Marte is having his best season, but is a bit dinged up and his status for the series is up in the air. He did play against the Giants, but went hitless in the four-game series, and was relegated to  pinch-hitting the last two games.

Center Field – for the past four years you could argue that  Andrew McCutchen  was the best player in the NL.  He finished 3rd,1st, 3rd, and 5th in the last four years of MVP voting. That time may have passed. Andrew is only 29 but at this moment in time,  he’s probably not even the best outfielder on his team.  The plus .400 OBP is now .315. The plus .500 slug% is now .401.  He is fighting injuries and paying the price. Strangest part of this is that now you are hearing rumors that with Pirates free falling they might trade the franchise. I’ll believe that when I see it.

OF – Reserve Matt Joyce has done an excellent job whenever called upon. He will usually feast upon right-hand pitching so Baez beware.

Lineup stats courtesy of baseball reference:

Pos Name Age PA HR BA OBP SLG OPS
C Chris Stewart 34 91 1 0.205 0.319 0.282 0.601
1B John Jaso* 32 251 4 0.278 0.352 0.408 0.76
2B Josh Harrison 28 271 3 0.287 0.315 0.394 0.709
SS Jordy Mercer 29 280 3 0.273 0.355 0.355 0.71
3B Jung Ho Kang 29 146 10 0.267 0.329 0.557 0.886
1st/3rd David Freese 33 227 6 0.292 0.37 0.45 0.821
LF Starling Marte 27 270 6 0.328 0.37 0.494 0.864
CF Andrew McCutchen 29 308 10 0.238 0.315 0.401 0.716
RF Gregory Polanco* 24 300 10 0.298 0.378 0.519 0.897
UT Sean Rodriguez 31 147 6 0.25 0.322 0.47 0.792
OF Matthew Joyce* 31 125 7 0.287 0.424 0.574 0.998
C Erik Kratz 36 23 1 0.043 0.043 0.174 0.217
C Francisco Cervelli (15-day dl) 30 201 0 0.257 0.373 0.293 0.667

 

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