Liriano deal good start for Pirates

By Rob Rossi

http://triblive.com/sports

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014, 11:36 p.m.

 

Francisco Liriano: 23-18, 3.20 in two years with the Pirates. (Frank Victores/USA TODAY Sports)

On a day when news broke that the Pirates will re-sign starter Francisco Liriano for the cost of $39 million over three seasons, my thoughts turned to pitch framing. I wondered if the investment in Liriano could really pay off considering the Master Pitch Framer, catcher Russell Martin, has taken his talents to Toronto.

And this is how the Pirates finally arrived as an honest-to-goodness big league organization.

Owner Bob Nutting need not receive praise for authorizing general manager Neal Huntington to spend money at the annual winter meetings. Spending money is what contenders must do, and the Pirates are contenders.

They've played seven postseason games the past two years. They own a .562 winning percentage over that span. The National League's best everyday player, Andrew McCutchen, is their center fielder. One of baseball's most promising power pitchers, Gerrit Cole, is their ace-in-waiting. An elite manager, Clint Hurdle, commands their dugout. Huntington, a shrewd (and underrated) general manager, runs their operation, which is home to one of the game's top farm systems.

A lot of presumed World Series contenders don't bring what the Pirates will bring to spring training. Oh, and close to 6 million fans have spent two summers turning PNC Park into a Jolly Roger-waving home advantage.

Nutting was obligated to spend money this offseason. He knew it, pledged to do it, and then did it.

He should keep spending, too.

Despite retaining Liriano, which is not yet official, the Pirates are an inferior club to the one that was knocked out (literally and figuratively) of the wild-card playoff game by San Francisco in October.

Unless you believe Pedro Alvarez, who can't hit left-handers and has never regularly played the position, can fill a black hole at first base.

Unless you believe Josh Harrison is what he was in 2014 and not what he had been before a breakout campaign.

Unless you believe the front end of the bullpen is a dependable enough for the Pirates to make use of standout setup man Tony Watson and clutch closer Mark Melancon.

Unless you believe A.J. Burnett, who turns 38 on Jan. 3, is ideally cast as a third starter, or that Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke are dependable for the rotation.

Unless you believe Martin can be replaced.

I don't believe any of the above at the moment. But I do believe Alvarez and Harrison easily can prove me wrong, Huntington will find bullpen help, and miracle-working pitching coach Ray Searage might work magic with the starting staff.

Martin was irreplaceable, though. That is a fact, and one the Pirates acknowledged by extending him a four-year offer, which would have paid him until he was 35.

Fiction, perhaps, is that Martin's excellence in the art of pitch-framing helped transform Liriano from a pitcher only the Pirates wanted two years ago into one they paid handsomely to keep Tuesday.

“Framing is individual; the relationship between the pitcher and the catcher and the Xs and Os are more important,” Searage said.

“Pitch framing is not the end all.”

I'm buying what Searage was selling. Martin's pitch framing was measured to be worth about 19 runs for the Pirates last season, but also less than two full wins.

No wins are insignificant, even over a 162-game season, but the Pirates probably will miss Martin's penchant for hitting pitches more than the way he framed them. It's not like Toronto agreed to pay him $82 million over the next five years because Martin paints a pretty picture behind the plate. He can mash, so now he's looking at a future filled with ridiculous amounts of cash.

Paying $13 million to Liriano each of the next three seasons is not ridiculous for the Pirates. That is the going rate for a really good pitcher. It will be a bargain, even if as the Pirates must hope, Liriano spends most of this contract as the No. 2 starter behind Cole.

They should go after a No. 3 starter for next season and beyond, even if that would mean going well above the minimum $15 million that Trib Total Media's Rob Biertempfel reported would be added to the payroll.

Strength among starters is what will keep the Pirates from ceding their current standing as perennial wild-card favorite to the Reds, Brewers and the they-mean-business Cubs.

The Pirates were good. Keeping Liriano makes them better. They're still not ahead of where they were a few months ago.

World Series are won by clubs armed for success. The Pirates still need more arms.

Rob Rossi is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at rrossi@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RobRossi_Trib.

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Martin leaving isn't the problem; not signing anyone else will be

By Mark Madden 

Special to The Beaver County Times 

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/

November 17, 2014

Photo: John Bazemore/The Associated Press

Pirate apologists were shouting it from atop Mt. Washington the minute catcher Russell Martin signed a five-year, $82 million contract with Toronto: You can't give Russell Martin a five-year contract!

Why not? Somebody did.

The Pirates never had a chance to keep Martin. He signed a two-year deal hoping to strike gold in free agency after a good run in Pittsburgh. When Martin started putting together a career season in 2014, his departure was guaranteed. Had Martin cooled off, the Pirates might have had a slim chance. But he didn’t.

Martin did get too much. Too long, too.

Had the Pirates signed Martin to the contract he got from Toronto, it would have become a millstone around their neck after a couple seasons.

But, from the Pirates’ perspective, the pact’s true worth wouldn’t involve what happens over its entirety. The value is found in having a chance to win during the next two years. That’s what you pay $82 mil for. Anything beyond is a bonus.

If you can’t afford to eat a bad contract for a few seasons, you can’t afford to own a big-league baseball team. You won’t win, either.

Bob Nutting can afford to own a big-league baseball team. He is MLB’s 10th richest owner. Nutting is a billionaire. Pirate revenue is through the roof.

Nutting could afford to sign Martin. Nutting chose not to.

Martin’s arm, pitch-framing and bedside manner with pitchers duly noted, he’s not the best bet offensively. This year’s numbers were way beyond Martin’s recent and career stats, and are not likely to be repeated. He only played 111 games. He’s 31, an old age at baseball’s most physically demanding position. In the American League, Martin can DH.

Not retaining Martin is understandable.

Not retaining anybody is the problem.

If Nutting takes the cash he could have used to sign Martin and pockets it, that confirms the reasonable perception that he sees the Pirates as purely a money-grab.

Nutting should take that cash and use it to keep Francisco Liriano.

Liriano won’t cost near as much, or demand near as long. If the Pirates keep Liriano, they have a solid top of the rotation even if Edinson Volquez walks: Liriano, Gerrit Cole and recycled hero A.J. Burnett.

Charlie Morton returns from hip surgery around June 1. The Pirates can patchwork with Vance Worley, Jeff Locke and Brandon Cumpton. Maybe they sign another reclamation project for pitching coach Ray Searage to resurrect. Maybe Jameson Taillon comes back strong from Tommy John surgery. Perhaps prospect Nick Kingham arrives by mid-season.

Liriano, Cole and Burnett would give the Pirates a solid base. Those three anchoring the rotation could help the Pirates legit contend for a third straight playoff spot.

Without Liriano, it’s a garbage rotation. Starting over, to a large degree.

If you own a sports team, you have got to be able to deal with a revolving door. But those going out can’t always be better than those coming in.

The return of Burnett is steeped in irony. It’s a good move by the Pirates. They got a good player at a position of need for a cheap price.

But, upon signing with the Pirates, Burnett fairly boasted about coming back for less money – just a year after he left for more money.

Fans blasted Burnett a year ago because he couldn’t be trusted to win the big game, or even pitch it. Now they can’t wait for Burnett to pitch the next big game.

The Pirates leaked that Burnett had a big blow-up with Manager Clint Hurdle when Hurdle bypassed Burnett to pitch Cole in Game 5 at St. Louis to climax the 2013 NL Division Series. Now Pirate management crows about what a positive influence Burnett is.

So many people did a quick 180 on Burnett, it would be a wonder if nobody got dizzy and passed out.

Burnett says he came back to win. But it’s very likely that the 2015 Pirates will be considerably worse on paper than the 2013 team, which he left, and the 2014 team, which really could have used him.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

Neal Huntington not satisfied until Pirates win World Series

By John Perrotto Times Baseball Correspondent

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/

November 16, 2014

Neal Huntington is not quite satisfied.

Huntington has transformed the Pirates from the laughingstock of baseball to an organization coming off back-to-back postseason appearances since being hired as the general manager late in the 2007 season.

The 20 consecutive losing seasons from 1993-12 have started to become a fading memory, and there is now an expectation inside the organization of not only winning but getting to the playoffs after winning the National League wild card in 2013 and 2014.

“I’ll never totally happy until we’ve won the World Series and are back at it the next day trying to figure out how to win it again the next season,” Huntington said this past week during baseball’s GM meeting at Phoenix. “You can never be completely satisfied unless you’ve ended the season by winning the World Series.”

But, when pressed, Huntington admits he is happy about what has happened in the seventh years since he was hired away from the Indians' front office to replace Dave Littlefield.

The Pirates’ string of losing seasons at that point was on the verge of reaching 15, and Huntington inherited a major league roster with few trade chips of value and a farm system thin on talent beyond Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker.

It was not easy to rebuild an organization in dire need of one, and the Pirates did not show immediate improvement at the major league level, falling to 57-105 in 2010, Huntington’s third full year.

Yet, while Huntington methodically razed the organization and started over again, he never fell into the trap that many other GMs do of giving into temptation -- abandoning his plan in an effort to win now and increase his job security.

"I firmly believed in what we were doing and the people we had in our organization,” Huntington said. “I knew we were doing things the right way and it was going to take time. It’s not easy to be patient. Nobody wants to lose, but we had to go through that phase to get to where we are now.”

The Pirates are in an interesting spot this winter, though, with the potential loss of three key players as free agents.

Catcher Russell Martin is as good as gone because his price tag is skyrocketing. When one team inquired about him earlier this month, it was told the starting price was five years and $85 million -- the same contract catcher Brian McCann received from the Yankees last off-season as a free agent.

Two starting pitchers -- left-hander Francisco Liriano and right-hander Edinson Volquez -- are more attractive free agents than when they signed with the Pirates. They revived their careers under the tutelage of pitching coach Ray Searage and special assistant Jim Benedict.

While much has been made about what seems to be Martin’s inevitable departure, the losses of Liriano and Volqeuz would be significant after they combined to go 20-17 with a 3.19 ERA in 61 starts last season.

But Huntington has struck quickly in an effort to fill the holes after being criticized for not doing enough last off-season or during this past season to bolster his roster. The Pirates signed right-hander A.J. Burnett for one year and $8.5 million as a free agent on Friday after trading for Yankees backup catcher Francisco Cervelli a day earlier.

The Pirates are intrigued by the 28-year-old Cervelli, who had a .340 on-base percentage during his seven seasons on the Yankees’ bench and is noted for his ability as a receiver.

Burnett will slot into the rotation behind right-hander Gerrit Cole, and the Pirates have a number of internal options for the other spots, including left-hander Jeff Locke and right-handers Brandon Cumpton, Stolmy Pimentel, Casey Sadler and Vance Worley.

Despite going 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA in 34 starts for Philadelphia last season, the Pirates were encouraged by Burnett’s ground ball rate and the fact he pitched 213 2/3 innings despite playing through a sports hernia over the final five months.

The Pirates also have room in their budget to possibly re-sign either Volquez or add another starter from outside the organization. The chances of Liriano coming back appear slim because his agent has told teams he is looking for a contract of at least three years and a total value of $40 million.

“We have some solid internal options and the resources to go outside the organization if we had to,” Huntington said. “I feel we will have a very competitive rotation.”

And competitive is really what most fans want to see from the Pirates after two decades of losing.

The Pirates appear well positioned to be contenders for a while. They have a number of premium prospsects in their farm system, including right-handers Tyler Glasnow, Nick Kingham and Jameson Taillon, catcher Reese McGuire, first baseman/outfielder Josh Bell, middle infielder Alen Hanson and outfielder Austin Meadows.

“We have a good balance in our farm system, prospects that are close to be ready to help at the major league level and other who should be ready in a few year, and we’re not overloaded at any one position,” Huntington said. “It’s what we are going to need to be competitive on a yearly basis. We have to rely on scouting and player development to provide us a steady flow of players.

If nothing else, the Pirates showed this past season that they were not one-year wonders by going back to the playoffs. Yet, that has given Huntington a goal for 2015.

“Now we have to prove we aren’t just two-year wonders,” he said with a smile.

Burnett back with Pirates for $8.5M, 1-year deal

By Will Graves
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/pit/
November 14, 2014

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A.J. Burnett believes his right arm has one - and only one - season left in it. The pitcher has no intentions of letting it go to waste.

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4. Burnett declines player option; becomes free agent The Associated Press
5. A.J. Burnett declines player option with Phillies, becomes a free agent SB Nation

Spurning a chance to remain with floundering Philadelphia, Burnett agree to an $8.5 million, one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

''This is where I belong,'' Burnett said. ''There are certain feelings you get, certain gut things and this was a no-brainer for me.''

Burnett went 26-21 for the Pirates in 2012-13, helping the franchise return to the postseason in 2013 following a 21-year drought. He'll receive $4.25 million less from the Pirates than he would have gotten from the Phillies under the player option he declined.

''I didn't want to make it about money,'' Burnett said. ''I wanted to make it an opportunity if I can come back and make the team better.''

Pittsburgh attempted to re-sign Burnett last winter but he opted for a more lucrative deal with the Phillies.

It didn't quite work out.

Dealing with a hernia all season, Burnett went 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA in 34 starts. His 18 losses led the majors. He underwent surgery on Oct. 3 to repair the hernia and said he'll be ready when the Pirates report for spring training in February.

''I'm feeling good,'' Burnett said. ''I had relief the day I got out of that operation.''

Good enough to return for a 17th season. He'll do it in Pittsburgh instead of Philadelphia after he and the Phillies declined a $15 million mutual option, and the pitcher then turned down his player option. Shortly after the World Series ended, Burnett reached out to Pirates general manager Neal Huntington to see if there was any interest.

''I told him I'll pitch for you, I want to be in a place where I was really, really happy,'' Burnett said.

Burnett provided the Pirates with a jolt of legitimacy when he arrived in a trade from the New York Yankees before the 2012 season, though his final moments with the club were not his best. The Pirates started rookie Gerrit Cole over Burnett in Game 5 of the 2013 NL Division Series against St. Louis after the Cardinals roughed Burnett up in Game 1 of the series, and Burnett fumed.

He spoke with manager Clint Hurdle for more than 30 minutes before he signed to clear the air and insisted any lingering animosity is gone.

''If I had to do it all over again, I would handle it a little bit differently with (Hurdle),'' Burnett said.

Pittsburgh is searching for insurance in the starting rotation with Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez while also trying to bring back catcher Russell Martin. Huntington insists Burnett's return won't keep the Pirates from being as aggressive as they can be in the market.

''We still have interest in adding to our club,'' Huntington said. ''A.J. gives us another quality starter. That doesn't stop us from continuing to look to add other guys.''

Burnett served as a mentor to several members of Pittsburgh's young pitching staff, including Cole and left-hander Jeff Locke, who became an unlikely All-Star in 2013 thanks in large part to Burnett's guidance.

''Welcome back Batman,'' Locke tweeted shortly after the deal was announced.

Despite Burnett's mediocre numbers last season, Huntington is confident Burnett can regain the form she showed during his previous stint in Pittsburgh, where he worked with pitching coach Ray Searage to revitalize his career.

''We do feel the hernia hindered him some,'' Huntington said. ''We do believe there were other factors, some indicators that we still think there's a good pitcher here.''

One intent to help Pittsburgh, which fell to eventual World Series champion San Francisco in the wild card last month, get back to the World Series for the first time since 1979.

''This is where I want to finish my career,'' Burnett said. ''I want to win a ring and I want to win a ring in Pittsburgh.''

Acquiring Cervelli from Yankees cost Pirates a promising reliever in Wilson

By Travis Sawchik

http://triblive.com/sports/

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, 11:39 p.m.

Francisco Cervelli

Several major league talent evaluators who scouted the Pirates last season said they paid a hefty price to acquire an insurance plan at catcher.

The Pirates acquired Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli for reliever Justin Wilson on Wednesday. Cervelli is Plan B at catcher should free agent Russell Martin depart, which seems likely considering the number of large-market clubs interested in Martin in a thin market for catchers.

Wilson, 27, has a rare arm for a left-handed pitcher — his fastball averages 95 mph — and is under club control for four more seasons and isn't eligible for arbitration until after next season.

Cervelli, 28, is versatile, but he also has missed nearly as many games to injury (199) and as he's played in (250) during his major league career. Plus, he served a 50-game Biogenesis suspension for PED use in 2013.

“Winning teams in this day and age have to have two (quality) left-handed relievers,” said an American League scout who spoke on a condition of anonymity. “I like Wilson a lot. … It's a big blow to their pen.”

While Wilson (career 2.99 ERA, 8.3 strikeouts, 3.9 walks per nine innings) has battled inconsistency with his command, he has also hit 100 mph from the left side, a feat perhaps matched only by Reds closer Aroldis Chapman in recent years.

Said one National League scout: “There's not many like him.”

The Pirates were in a tough spot. Catcher was their most glaring need entering the offseason, and beyond Martin, there are no starting-caliber, free agent catchers. The scout said he doubted the Pirates had confidence in Chris Stewart to hold up as a No. 1 catcher.

“(The price) also speaks to the catching crop,” the AL scout said. “If you get a (catcher) capable of playing a significant amount of games, you're going to have to give up something of value. … (Cervelli) hasn't been healthy to know what he's about. We don't know what he can be.”

Cervelli is an excellent pitch-framing catcher. It's pitch-framing that, for the most part, led the Pirates to Martin and Stewart as undervalued players. It's also pitch-framing that undoubtedly helped Pirates turn around pitchers Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez.

Cervelli has thrown out 27 percent of base stealers, which is league average. Martin has thrown out 32 percent. Cervelli has a career .278 batting average and .348 on-base percentage. He is eligible for arbitration and made $700,000 last season.

ESPN analyst Dan Symborski's projection system has Cervelli being an above-average catcher with regular playing time, if he stays healthy.

“If he holds up,” Symborski wrote on his Twitter account. “Pirates may have a very solidly average catcher.”

And the Pirates need at least that at the position if they're losing an All-Star performer in Martin.

“(Cervelli is) a quality all-around defender with some history of offensive production,” Pirates GM Neal Huntington said. “(Cervelli) gives us a viable alternative should Russ choose to sign elsewhere.”

Travis Sawchik is a staff writerfor Trib Total Media. Reach him at tsawchik@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Sawchik_Trib.

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McCutchen's campaign worthy of NL MVP repeat

By Tom Singer / MLB.com | @Tom_Singer | November 12, 2014 

Sep 25, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) hits a two run single in the eighth inning of their game against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A year ago, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle predicted Andrew McCutchen's National League MVP Award because the center fielder was "the baddest dude in the league," someone you didn't want to mess with in a dark alley or on a well-lit diamond.

Well, in 2014 McCutchen was "worse." His statistical production was eerily identical -- albeit in 11 fewer games and 35 fewer at-bats, due to his first career stint on the disabled list. But his entitlement to a second straight MVP Award derives from the strictest definition of "valuable," which McCutchen certainly was in his return from the DL.

McCutchen incurred a rib fracture from an all-out swing in Arizona the day after having been drilled in the spine by a Randall Delgado fastball. The Pirates put a minimizing spin on the injury by specifying it as "an avulsion fracture," which involves cartilage and not bone, but a rib is a rib. McCutchen returned from the injury after the minimum 15 DL days -- to the amazement and inspiration of his teammates, who at the time were scuffling. The Bucs were 5-9 during McCutchen's absence and were 64-61 when he returned -- then went 24-13 the rest of the way.

That's the "when" of McCutchen's return. Here's the "how:" After an 0-for-8 in his first two tentative comeback games, he hit .344 to the wire, with an on-base percentage of .430 and an OPS of 1.024.

That is how you lead a team into October nirvana. That is how you earn an MVP Award.

The award recognizes a body of work, but for a more focused glimpse of McCutchen's value to the Pirates, consider how he brought them into the All-Star break.

Reposing in fourth place and anxious to enter the break on a high, the Bucs were in Cincinnati. They blew an early four-run lead during the Reds' five-run sixth, and still trailed, 5-4, entering the ninth -- three outs from a crushing defeat that would have dropped them within two games of .500.

McCutchen led off the ninth with a home run, deep into Great American Ball Park's left-field stands.

The game proceeded ominously. The Pirates walked a tightrope, making the Reds strand five runners in the ninth and 10th innings while doing nothing themselves. Every batter since McCutchen's tying shot had been retired. It felt like a dead team walking.

"Just keep the game going long enough to get McCutchen up again," someone said in the press box.

With two outs in the 11th, McCutchen lost a ball even deeper into the left-field stands. The Bucs won, 6-5, and floated into the break -- and came out of it with eight wins in their first 11 games.

McCutchen's 2013 NL MVP Award was regarded as unique confirmation of his spiritual leadership, as he won it despite a modest total of 84 RBIs while five NL hitters on playoff teams drove in 100-plus.

McCutchen stands even taller in the 2014 MVP field. While he encored with 83 RBIs, the only playoff player in triple figures in a down season for offense was the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez, and we know he's not in the picture because he is not a finalist.

Gonzalez got lost in the shadow of teammate Clayton Kershaw, the two-time NL Cy Young Award-winning left-hander who is a finalist. The third finalist is Giancarlo Stanton.

We are thus presented with an intriguing MVP election that, his other virtues aside, leads to McCutchen's second coronation, also by the process of elimination.

Historically, MVP campaigns have always had two subplots:

• Pitchers do not deserve them. Forty-six years after Bob Gibson became the last NL pitcher chosen as the MVP, that rules out Kershaw.

• Players on losing teams don't rate, either. That takes care of Stanton, whose Marlins went 77-85.

McCutchen held up flawlessly in his job and in his role. If those two truisms also hold up, he'll have to make room in the new home he is building for a second NL MVP Award.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/101213126/andrew-mccutchens-campaign-worthy-of-nl-mvp-repeat

McCutchen's MVP candidacy not as easy to determine this time

By John Perrotto Times Sports Correspondent 

http://www.timesonline.com/sports

November 13, 2014

It was much simpler to determine Andrew McCutchen’s chances of winning the National League’s Most Valuable Player award last year.

The Pirates center fielder and the other two finalists -- Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina -- were all position players. Thus, it was easier to compare the statistics of the trio and impact each had on his team.

However, adding a pitcher into the equation this year makes comparing the finalists problematic. It is difficult to determine exactly what Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw’s dominant season meant in comparison to those of McCutchen and Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton.

---

RELATED: Pirates may eye more pitching reclamation projects

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That, in turn, makes it difficult to predict exactly what the 30-person panel of Baseball Writers Association of America members were thinking when they turned in their MVP ballots Sept. 29, the day after the regular season ended.

The winner will be announced Thursday night.

Kershaw easily had the best season of any pitcher in the major leagues as he topped the NL in wins while going 21-3 with an NL-leading 1.77 ERA in 27 starts. Among other his other league-best figures were a 0.86 WHIP (walks-plus-hits per nine innings) and 10.85 strikeouts per nine innings.

Kershaw also helped the Dodgers win the NL West title.

McCutchen hit .314 with 25 home runs, 83 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 146 games while leading the league with a .410 on-base percentage, a .952 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) and a 168 OPS-plus (meaning he was 68 percent better than league average).

Stanton topped the NL with 37 home runs and drove in 105 runs in 145 games to go with a .288 batting average, a league-best .555 slugging percentage, a .950 OPS and a 160 OPS-plus.

A strong case can be made for either player but McCutchen is likely to get the edge because he helped the Pirates win the first NL wild card while the Marlins finished 11 games out of a playoff spot.

A metric called Wins Above Replacement (WAR) was been developed in recent years that quantifies a player’s season into one number, telling how many wins he provided his team above that of a replacement player, such a journeyman playing at the Class AAA level.

Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com have versions of WAR that are considered the best in the industry. Kershaw outpointed McCutchen in both instances, 8.0-6.9 with Baseball-Reference and 7.2-6.8 with FanGraphs.

Thus, the MVP will almost certainly divided by how many voters are in the old school camp and how many are new school.

Most old school writers believe pitchers should not win the MVP because they do not play every day. Hence, the NL hasn’t had a pitcher as MVP since the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson in 1968. Those voters were fare more likely to vote for McCutchen.

Most new school writers believe WAR is the tell-all statistic and were far more likely to vote for Kershaw.

We will find out which camp wins out -- and if McCutchen can win a second straight MVP award -- on Thursday night.

Pirates don't need Alvarez at first base

By Rob Rossi

http://triblive.com/sports/

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, 11:42 p.m.

 

Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Even as the summer sun lit their pathway toward fall baseball, the Pirates faced a hard winter. It also happens to be one of the most important in franchise history.

The franchise player knows that better than anybody. There is no other way to interpret Andrew McCutchen telling the Trib's Rob Biertempfel that the Pirates need “an everyday first baseman.”

A player of McCutchen's standing — and make no mistake, he is every bit as important on and off the field to the Pirates as Sidney Crosby is on and off the ice to the Penguins — only goes on the record with that kind of statement if he is on the same page with management or is trying to send a message to management.

There is no indication McCutchen and the Pirates aren't on the same page.

There is every indication McCutchen and the Pirates have read the writing on the wall, have come around to accept that lynchpin catcher Russell Martin will not return, and have looked at the black hole that is first base to make up for the loss of Martin's bat.

There is no doubt in my mind McCutchen was sending a message in his interview. Just give another look at what else he said regarding first base:

“The big ballclubs, the good ballclubs have an every day first baseman,” McCutchen said. “The platooning is not going to work for us. We need somebody who can be confident over there, knowing he's going to play every day, regardless of whether he's struggling or not. We need a complete lineup.”

Allow me to translate:

McCutchen's view of a “big/good ballclub” differs greatly from mine, probably yours, and certainly most people in baseball. He wouldn't be wrong, especially if his objective is to play for a pennant. The Pirates are 3-4 over the last two postseasons. They are 1-2 with a chance to win at home and advance. The clubs that beat them each went to the World Series.

I'm OK with McCutchen thinking only a series victory, if not a World Series appearance, is “big” or “good” enough for the Pirates.

I'm also OK with McCutchen throwing Gaby Sanchez and Ike Davis under the bus, though that surely wasn't his intent. Still, the Sanchez-Davis platoon at first was a clear bleak spot for the Pirates last season. Those two players combined for 17 home runs. Pedro Alvarez, who barely played in the second half, hit 18.

The Pirates should non-tender Sanchez and Davis, freeing each to find work in another major league city. Now that Pittsburgh is one where a contender plays, this city is no place for Sanchez or Davis to play regularly.

Now, I brought up Alvarez for a reason, and not just the obvious, which is that nobody knows if he can play third base given his throwing struggles, or even if the Pirates would want him at that position, given Josh Harrison's emergence last season.

Go back again and read that quote from McCutchen, especially the part about the Pirates needing a first baseman who “knows he's going to play every day, regardless of whether he's struggling or not.”

He could have been hinting at Alvarez, the one player who could return to form and fix a lot of the lineup problems that the loss of Martin would create. Adding a 30 home run/100 RBI left-handed hitter to the middle of the lineup would please manager Clint Hurdle — he with the new hip — almost as much as being able to jog to the mound to make a pitching change.

I sure hope McCutchen wasn't talking about Alvarez, though.

The Pirates would be better off moving on from Alvarez, even though his trade value is at an all-time low, and try to find an actual first baseman — one who can hit right- and left-handed pitching — with a trade.

Alvarez did once hit 30 home runs in back-to-back seasons, but he also is coming off a summer during which he forgot how to throw to first, never caught fire or carried the offense and finished with a foot injury.

Big men get bigger as they age. Alvarez is listed at 235 pounds and will turn 28 in February. He is expected to make at least $5 million in arbitration, and that is a lot of money for the Pirates to pay to a wild-card player.

As a former No. 2 overall pick, Alvarez should be more than a wild-card player, a platoon player or a bench player by now. He should be a franchise player.

The Pirates are lucky to have one of those in McCutchen, and he knows what they need. He said it.

What he never said is that the Pirates need Alvarez to be their “everyday first baseman.”

McCutchen could have made an endorsement last week. Instead, he made a plea for help.

That's all I need to know about the Alvarez-to-first base idea.

Rob Rossi is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at rrossi@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RobRossi_Trib.

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