A week ago, Neal Huntington explained how trades can be tough, if not impossible, to make in April or May. Prices are general sky high, Huntington argued. Value is hard to find.
Two days into June, the Pirates general manager might be softening his tone.
While nobody expects Huntington to start throwing around money like the Boston Red Sox or Los Angeles Dodgers, he soon could have a reasonable opportunity to help the Pirates.
With Corey Dickerson and Jung Ho Kang close to their respective returns, Huntington could flip a position player for a pitcher, a spot the Pirates should probably address with two members of their starting rotation on the shelf.
“That’s a potential scenario that could play out for us,” Huntington said Sunday afternoon on his radio show, which airs on the 93.7 FM The Fan. “There has to be value seen on both sides to come an agreement and there happens to be a match, then it’s certainly something that we will explore and hope that there will be something. We’ll work to see if there is something.”
If/when Dickerson comes back, the Pirates could be looking to rotate five outfielders among three spots: Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Bryan Reynolds, Dickerson and Melky Cabrera.
None of the five would be best served by extended time on the bench, and Polanco is probably the only one who would currently deserve it, if then.
Dickerson is a defending Gold Glove winner and hit .300 last year. Marte, with multiple hits in four of his past five game, isn’t sitting down for long. Reynolds leads all MLB rookies with a .350 average, and Cabrera isn’t far behind at .331.
Conversely, pitching has been a problem spot, and Huntington addressed that on his radio show, too.
The GM blamed himself for underperformance in that department — the Pirates had an MLB-worst 6.19 ERA in May — but credited the Pirates (28-30) for punching above their weight.
Soon, Huntington intimated, he might have to do something to reward his club’s ability to stay afloat.
“Despite all the challenges, despite the struggles, despite the not-great decisions or just flat bad decisions by me that haven’t worked out, this club is [two games] under .500,” Huntington said. “It’s fighting. We’ve got some guys who are in the process of getting healthy. We’ve got some guys who are getting ready to come up and help this team. Just the continued fight in this club is something to appreciate and love. I’ve got to find a way to get some reinforcements here.”
The area where Huntington would like a mulligan is middle relief, and he seemed to attribute that to some of the Pirates’ wonky numbers — seven losses by eight or more runs, a run differential of minus-71 in those games and losing 12 of 13 to the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks.
“The weakest part of any team is your middle relief,” Huntington said. “We’ve struggled there. I haven’t done a good job in getting the right guys at the right times from the right spots. It’s hurt us. There’s no doubt about it. … Our run differential is not good.”
OK, fine, go ahead
Among the other topics Huntington tackled was the possibility that Josh Bell could wind up in the Home Run Derby.
Assuming Bell takes part in the MLB All-Star Game in Cleveland in early July, there’s a good chance Bell — who ranks second among all players in average exit velocity at 94.6 mph — could have an opportunity to swing away at Progressive Field.
Huntington would be OK with that, but he’s probably not going to pitch to Bell or anything like that.
“This where we’ll be a good team player,” Huntington said. “If it’s good for the promotion of the game, we’ll be supportive of it. At the same time, we wouldn’t be all that upset if he was able to play in the game and wasn’t chosen [for the Home Run Derby].”
Huntington did say that if Bell’s selected to play in the game there’s a very good chance he’ll be asked to perform double duty.
“If he’s in the All-Star Game, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be asked to be part of the home run hitters’ showcase,” Huntington said.
Taking it slow
Huntington said the Pirates will not rush things pertaining to Francisco Cervelli, who is on the injured list with concussion symptoms for at least the sixth time since 2011.
The Pirates have never rushed Cervelli in the past, Huntington made sure to say. But they’re going to make extra sure that Cervelli is OK this time around before he tries to play again.
“He’s still working through being symptom-free and now beginning baseball activities and conditioning,” Huntington said. “Those are all positive signs.
“Cervy’s gonna fight us on it, but we’re going to take our time on this one.”
Around the horn
Huntington offered what sounded like a ho-hum assessment of Mitch Keller’s MLB debut. Keller allowed six runs in four innings, though he did finish strong. Asked by host Greg Brown whether younger players this week stepped up to seize an opportunity — a category has to include Keller — Huntington responded, “Not to a level that we feel all that much different from a week ago.” … Huntington said Jordan Lyles had more of a cramp in his left hamstring than a strain when he excited his last start after just four innings, hence why he was able to start again Sunday.
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: June 2, 2019, 7:36 p.m.
