tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post2154866985247687763..comments2023-10-10T12:46:47.186-04:00Comments on The Green Weenie: Pirates by Position: First BaseUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-61947132804341101562009-10-13T14:51:18.256-04:002009-10-13T14:51:18.256-04:00Yah, Will, I think a platoon system of some sort i...Yah, Will, I think a platoon system of some sort is called for until the corners get sorted out. JR doesn't seem to be that big a fan of platooning guys, though, so we'll see. <br /><br />And I was a little surprised myself at the dearth of 1B'men in the system; the suits have pretty well ignored the position so far, and it's one you'd think there would be quite a few prospects.Ron Ieracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08784507810080514099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-89200646377090789472009-10-13T14:32:47.843-04:002009-10-13T14:32:47.843-04:00'Twould seem that the one thing Pearce can do ...'Twould seem that the one thing Pearce can do passably well at the big league level is hit lefthanders. Given that Neal Huntington almost certainly won't give up on Brandon Moss (due to political reasons, ie, trying to make the Jason Bay trade look better), the solution is obvious: platoon Jones and Pearce at first base, with Brandon Moss getting some AB's in RF when Jones is playing first. Moss could also pick up some playing time by spelling Lastings Milledge from time to time in left. <br /><br /><br />I would personally much rather see us bring in a "best of the rest" type of free agent---Rick Ankiel or a similar player---but I also think Moss is at least a bit better than he showed this season because he was coming off very serious knee surgery and I don't know that we saw the best he can do. Trouble there is, he might never be what he could have been with that severe a surgery; lots of guys have seen their careers end once they have a microfracture operation, and it's usually the last resort. <br /><br /><br />I don't believe in Pearce and have seen enough to draw that conclusion, but if we're going to tread water for another year while our first wave of kids gets here (Alvarez, Tabata, D. McCutchen, B. Lincoln, maybe 1 or 2 others), what the hey. We could always bring in a veteran 1B-OF righthanded stick, and there are plenty of those kicking around in the dumpster every offseason, but shortstop and the bullpen are more pressing needs, and if the front office moves boldly to address those needs this offseason, I can live with a 1B platoon for one more season. <br /><br /><br />Of course, the situation in the minors is quite depressing---as you documented, Ron---which is also why the door was open for a scrapheap pickup like Garrett Jones in the first place.WilliamJPellashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12774466220683142262noreply@blogger.com