Goodbye… for now.
- These playoffs man. They’ve been truly excellent. There have already been several instant classics and compelling storylines that I think dwarf what I found to be a relatively boring postseason last year.
- Has there been a crazier team in baseball this season than the Mets? They looked totally dead in the water by the end of May, then Grimace happened, ‘Omg’ followed, and the wins kept coming.
- Atlanta Braves RHP Jesse Chavez said before the season that this would “probably” be his final year pitching in the Major Leagues, well he sure looked like a guy who knew he was taking the mound for the final time during the Wild Card series that the Braves lost to the San Deigo Padres.
Just got around to screen recording it…
But yeah, this is the face of a man who knew it was it for him https://t.co/FEMcGeV2AP pic.twitter.com/pZlF8d0OLl
— Min Sub (Mitchell) (@MinSub4) October 11, 2024
- The 40-year-old who made his debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates “probably” wraps up a 17-year career with a 3.13 ERA season across 63.1 innings with Atlanta. He was one of just 8 players to appear in the Majors in 2024 who was also active in 2008. A true journeyman, Chavez played for the Pirates, Braves, Royals, Blue Jays, Athletics, Dodgers, Angels, Rangers, and Cubs.
- Love or hate his personality as a fan, Jazz Chisholm still feels like the one that got away to me at the deadline. There’s obviously a lot that goes into trades and while the Pirates were named as an interested party it’s possible that no matter what the Pirates offered within reason the Yankees would have had a package that appealed to the Marlins more. We’ll likely never know for certain. What I do know is this, I love his game. He’s a dynamic player who hurts you with power (24 home runs) and speed (40 steals) who is athletic enough to casually slide into a position he’s never played before at 3B and accumulate 7 OAA in 400.1 innings post trade deadline. Ouch.
- I really don’t want to see Billy Cook at 1B ever again. I don’t even want to hear it mentioned. It’s even more of a meme than calls for Jared Triolo to play there this last offseason were. Cook has shown nothing to prove he is capable of handling the offensive load at 1B like the Pirates need and it is a complete waste of his skill set as what I judge to be a solid or even better OF defender. He should be competing for a backup OF spot on the 2025 team.
- For similar but not quite as extreme reasons, I don’t understand Nick Yorke in the OF. He should be competing with Nick Gonzales for the 2B job.
- If it feels like I’m singling these guys out, that’s because I am. Expectations are (at least they should be) different heading into 2025 than they are at the end of yet another lost season. It’s all fine and dandy that these guys found spots on the field to get reps in when the games didn’t matter, but they have no business playing at those places in games that do unless they force the issue with the bats.
A shorter notebook this time around because I have some news to share. This will be my last article for Bucs Dugout and SB nation for the time being. I’m joining DK Pittsburgh Sports as a contributor to their Pirates coverage. I’m excited for both the opportunity and the challenge it represents. I hope you’ll continue to read my ramblings, wherever they are.
If this is really it for me here, then I have lot of people to thank. Jake, Austin, Jaiman, Jeremy and especially Darren. My first article here was the first time I ever wrote anything seriously. Thank you.