Some items from around the division…
- The Pirates have said they intend to use Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow and Chad Kuhl as starters when the three young arms are promoted to the majors, though Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review notes that if all three are called up this season, the Bucs may not have enough rotation space. The Pirates have one starter likely to be shifted out (Juan Nicasio) and Sawchik figures Jon Niese’s recent good form has solidified his starting spot.
- This could leave Jeff Locke fighting for his job, though Sawchik hears from scouts that Locke has some trade value if the Pirates wanted to address their rotation surplus by making a deal. The six-year veteran has been a decent back-of-the-rotation arm for the Bucs over the last three seasons, capable of eating innings (a career-high 168 1/3 frames in 2015) and keeping the ball in the park (a career 50.7% grounder rate) while not recording many strikeouts. This season, however, Locke has not pitched very well, posting a 5.08 ERA, 5.6 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 and an even 50.0% grounder rate over 51 1/3 innings.
- Also from Sawchik’s piece, he opines that Rich Hill would make sense as a trade deadline target for the Pirates. Of course, given Hill’s strong performance and low cost (roughly $4MM still owed this season), the A’s lefty could be one of the deadline’s most sought-after trade chips. In Pittsburgh’s case, acquiring Hill could allow them to keep Glasnow or Kuhl in the minors until next season.
- If the Reds intend to trade Zack Cozart, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer suggests that the club should move the shortstop before the deadline rather than wait until the offseason. Anything can happen to lower a player’s value if you wait too long to make a trade, Buchanan argues, as the Reds discovered with Aroldis Chapman last year. Cozart’s value may be at an all-time high since, in addition to his usual excellent defense, he’s been an above-average (104 wRC+) shortstop bat for the last two seasons.
- At age 35, Ben Zobrist is on pace for the best season of his 11-year career and he has been one of the major reasons for the Cubs’ league-best record, Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. While it’s only two months into Zobrist’s four-year/$56MM contract, the big investment in a mid-30’s player has thus far worked out spectacularly well for the Cubs. Zobrist enters today’s play hitting .351/.451/.542 with seven homers and 36 runs scored; his OBP leads all qualified Major League hitters.
- In NL Central news from earlier today, the Cardinals’ punishment for the Astros computer breach scandal isn’t likely to be issued before June’s amateur draft.
Rich Hill is a lefty.
If the pirates call up Glasnow and Taillon to go with Cole and Liriano, wow thats gonna be a sick rotation to challenge the cubs for the division. But I am still not sleeping on the cards because they are always there.
No one is challenging the cubs. They haven’t even really played well yet!
I think two teams that could challenge the cubs is the giants and mets.
Agreed- from the start of the year those were the two teams that concerned me most, probably in that order
Mets no, Giants yes
Yea but I am not buying the giants, I don’t see them making another even year magic run, never know that the dodgers could come back and make a run for the nl west. And I think whoever finishes second in that division will miss the playoffs.
In the playoffs I think the Mets could stand a chance against the Cubs. In terms of runs allowed they’re the 3rd best pitching staff in the league. The Cubs are easily the better team but the playoffs are just who wins four games first.
I think the cubs can get over the hump this year , they added a couple players that they could of used last year, I think getting heyward for them was just a bonus, they really didnt need him. Almora is knocking on the door. they have plenty of depth in the farm to make a big trade at the deadline, If I am the cubs , I am looking to trade for Andrew Miller.
Well, being a pirate fan I hate to admit it, but if the Cubs don’t get torn apart by injuries, they’re my obvious World Series pick.
Somebody is headed for a big fall, and boy is is gonna be fun to watch.
You wrote that rich hill is a righty????!!!!???
Pretty amazing renaissance for Rich Hill, especially considering that 2007 was really the only relevant year of his ML career prior to last year. Now in his mid-thirties he could be the #1 arm at the trade deadline, and possibly even free agency coming up. Just crazy
Thats crazy and I thought that sonny gray or tyson ross would be the two best arms at the deadline to trade for.
Pienso que el único equipo en papel que puede competir con los Cubs son los Giants pero no creo que los Dodgers no puedan ganarles la serie a los Cubs.
the giants and mets are the two teams in my eyes
If the Pirates are ever going to deal Locke, this summer is the time. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who could effectively move to the bullpen: low K’s, not a LOOGY candidate. He is what he is, a back of the rotation starter, and pretty soon the Bucs won’t have any need for him. Trade him and maybe try to get a bullpen arm in return.
I’m not sure that eating innings is the best way to describe locke. He threw 131 in 2014 and then as you mentioned, 168 last year. Those numbers do not describe an innings eater to me.
For qualified pitchers in 2015, 168 innings saw Locke land at 72nd out of 78 qualifying pitchers for # of innings pitched.
Yes and you only need 162 ip to qualify so he barely qualified
Pirates should go to a 6 man rotation and keep the innings down for these guys if they feel the off days and schedule change to their rhythm wouldn’t be an issue
After Locke’s performance last night going for a complete game shut out facing one over the minimum.. his stats are greatly improved.
Now you can say an couple good starts doesn’t make a good pitcher, but you can also say a couple bad starts doesn’t make a bad pitcher either.
Locke was about 50/50 last year and a little better than that this year. Not the worst option for a back end guy.