The Sky is Falling
It’s really unbelievable the shock wave that is running through the Pirates fan base all because they picked Moskos. Irate fan sites are lit up like a Christmas tree asking everything from new yellow t-shirts to be put on the market, to new protests to be formed.
It’s utterly hilarious.
I mean, it’s the end of the world as we know it all because, at worse case scenario, Moskos was selected a couple of picks before he would have gone.
Pl-eeeaseee..
Where are all these doomsayers every night when the bases are cranked and Wilson pops out? Or Paulino flubs another ball in the dirt? Or Sanchez fails to turn another double play?
Obviously not watching the games, that’s for sure.
After getting 282 327 emails today, it’s time to set the record straight:
1 — The rumor being floated around about the Pirates ownership not willing to spend the dollars for Weiters is BS, I just found out from a source extremely close to the org. The Pirates had no intention of drafting Weiters or Porcello.. ever.
Maybe the money BP talked about was a request for funding to play in China next year that was turned down? hehe
2 — I spoke with one NL crosschecker, one AL scout, and two retired scouts today and everyone of them said the same thing – great pick for the Bucs.. solid lefty. Everyone expects him to make a year’s worth of starts and then come up as a closer. One scout who saw him late said his velocity has been better lately – not worse.
To call Moskos an overdraft is ludicrous. If you want to question anything, start questioning why Friday was selected third. Now THAT was a serious overdraft which sent my head spinning.
Those that know me from pirateball.com know I have hammered this ownership group harder than anyone since 2002. But there are just some things that are down right silly to be fussin over, and the Bucs taking Moskos is certainly one of them — EVEN if he goes down needing TJ surgery one day.
He was a perfect pick for the Bucs and why I had him #2 on the odds chart based on all the conversations I had with folks in the industry. He’s a perfect fit.
Now, those of you who want to whine about the pick, go to one of the irate boards and cry your eyes out.. don’t do it here unless you whine about something that makes sense, like some of our current play.
I’ll say it again and then move on, good job Dave.
Now let’s go smack the Yankees around.
Pittsburgh Pirates - Bucco Blog 
Great job with the draft picks Jake. You were the only one close! Fabulous site. Keep up the good work.
I have to admit, I was disappointed when we didn’t take Weiters. But, if you look at the Pirates current situation, I would say that their number 1 weakness is relief pitching.
It actually makes sense to draft a relief pitcher that is a year or two away from the majors. The unfortunate thing is who knows if he will fill they need they hope he can.
Sunny, please enlighten me. I see no eye opening stats on this first round pick. He was 2nd team ACC, meaning at least one other pitcher was deemed better. He has been, basically, a reliever and crack talent appraiser Ed creech sees him as a reliever.
Please also explain to me how this guy will be a ML closer next year. The Pirates are known for their deliberate slowness with pitching projects. This clearly was a case of signability over ability.
“those of you who want to whine about the pick, go to one of the irate boards and cry your eyes out” reads like you’ve set too much fire in your kitchen and can’t stand the heat. If you’re going to write about, you’ve got to be prepared to take the heat.
None of the first three picks are a good fit for the Pirates. The second pick already has had labrum surgery.
In all fairness, you nailed the #4 pick overall. But to give DL hoorays for doing so, I feel like you’re only patting yourself on the back, not looking at what realistically helps this team.
Give me a break! A good draft pick at # 4! A relief pitcher when we have only two position players in the minors. Even if they were scared off by Boras with Weiters they could have taken Haywood or many other position players with the 4th pick. You can’t win if you don’t step up to the plate. Another pathetic effort by Littlefield and Nutting.
I think too many questions over the Moskos pick makes it a dubious one at best. The biggest question, can he hold up with that “maximum effort” delivery as the MLB scout summary stated. Of course all pitchers have risk involved, but this risk seems a bit much for a #4 pick
Sunny, I think the massive outcry of outrage is not necessarily targeted on Moskos, but the fact that for a team with MAYBE 4 legitimate position prospects and at least 8 quality arms this simply does not address a need. These guys that DL has acquired via trades like Rogers, Bayliss, Chavez need to come through as solid players from the pen. If they don’t, then that fact is just as damning to DL as this pick is. Is this pick an admittance of absolute failure on his trades which have almost exclusively brought nothing but relief prospects? You look at the minors and you have Walker, McCutchen, Bixler and Pierce as possible major league players (with none other than McCutchen projecting to be an impact player, and given his performance this year that may be in question). Outside of those guys you really have no depth anywhere. You have AA and AAA filled with career minor-league players. To use your first two draft picks on a position that is last on a list of needs is asanine, regardless of what type of pitcher Moskos becomes.
Now I want to ask for your opinion on something. Do you feel that the depth of pitching prospects is going to hurt the Pirates in the long run. This is the way I see it playing out. When we try to deal our pitching to acquire hitting, we will have to send of the cream of our crop. For example, if Burnett or JVB were pitching for another organization, they might be attractive prospects. But when the Pirates come to the table with thier 8 headed monster of prospects (Snell, Gorzy, Duke, Maholm, JVB, Bullington, Burnett, Lincoln, and now 9 if you include Moskos), there will be little to no interest in those bottom prospects due to the depth ahead of them. So where as Maholm may have netted a decent return for another team, GMs will look at our team and say “Maholm isn’t gonna get it done, we want (insert better prospect here).” Do you feel this is a legitmate concern?
Folks, I like picks #1 and #2 – they grade out fine for when we picked and the direction the org needs to keep going – pitching.
I understand Moskos has a max effort delivery.. since he’ll be closing it won’t matter.
And I understand we need bats. God knows I know that.
But I think I understand the economics of the game.
Any of the top 10 picks taken would have been fine for us – it’s what you do with them AFTER you get them that makes a difference (ie: look at Cutch struggling, Walker who wasn’t shifted until late, Lincoln who they forced to throw after his GA outing).
Would I have liked to see this org take more of a risk on say Weiters or Porcello or even Main? Sure. Who wouldn’t. But I didn’t sit in the war room and I didn’t read all the makeup sheets and projection reports. I asked around to those who have read them.
But I’m more concerned with who they hire as their pitching coordinator than anything, to be quite honest. We need a better development team from the coaches to the rovers to the director.
As for the pitching depth hurting us gangrl, no.. it will never hurt us, imo. You’re looking at 24/25 year olds at the major league level and now projecting them. Who knows where they will be in 4 years. Look at Snell – he didn’t have a prayer outside his straight heater until he got with Colborn AND he matured.
While there are lots of holes in this org (eg: scouting), development is the one piece we lack the most in.
Well in round 3 we picked another **** Wilson in the kid from Rice U. Small bat with improving defense basically the same scouting report then **** Wilson. Nice job Creech and Littlefield.