The Pirates number game
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Join Coach Dave Gray for a Next Point Wins book signing at Play It Again Sports in Cranberry on Saturday, February 21st, tomorrow from 1 to 4. Support U Sports. 10% of sales will support the Assisted Goals Foundation, an organization that provides scholarships to help kids in the game of hoppy. Shop, meet Coach Dave, and help give back. Details. at 937thefan.com. That is tomorrow. Play it again, Sports and Cranberry, 1-4 to meet Coach Dave Gray and his next Point Wins book signing. All right, Sean. It's time for a 2026 spring training edition of the numbers game.
How about this music, huh?
Incredible music.
Yeah, thank you.
I'm glad that you found it.
It's my favorite song.
No flags on the play. It is appropriate music, I'd like to say. It works for our Bucko baseball segment. Sean, I have a number for you. Yes. 28th. The Pirates ranked 28th in batting average last season at 231. They did add Ryan O'Hearn, who is not a huge power bat to 17 home runs last year. But O'Hearn is somebody that should be able to help the Pirates bring up their batting average as a team. 281 is what he hit last season.
0-1-6 is my number. 0-1-6. That is the difference in career OPS between Andrew McCutcheon, 822 career OPS on base plus slugging, And Marcel Ozuna, the guy who's replacing him, .806. So just a .016 difference. Basically negligible. The guys, for all intents and purposes, have almost an identical career OPS.
Sean, that's like Starling Marte hitting a leadoff home run to begin his MLB career. That's an incredible number for you to be able to start the numbers game. Got to start strong. 1,422. The Pirates struck out 1,422 times last season. The sixth worst in all of baseball. And they added Marcelo Zuna, who's another high strikeout guy, but Brandon Lau and Ryan O'Hearn, who should be able to help the cause in that regard. I'll give you one more number before you give one, Sean. Yes, doubling up. 117. The Pirates only hit 117 home runs last season. Way last in baseball. The Pirates had 31 fewer than the next closest team. Do you know who the next closest team was?
Would that be the Marlins?
No, in their own division. The St. Louis Cardinals with 148 home runs. They were second to last. The Pirates only hit 117 home runs.
Yes. Your number. Well, it's a guy that can hit home runs, but had a miserable 2025. It is 0.3. That is O'Neal Cruz's war in 2025, according to baseball reference. That's it? Yes. So we have a lot of very knowledgeable listeners out there. We know that.
Yeah.
War is not based on league average. It is replacement level, which is basically find any guy that's a fringe major leaguer, bring them up from the minor leagues, a 4A player, if you will. That's basically replacement level.
So you could throw... Insert random Pirates outfielder from years past that wasn't any good.
What is the Pirates' batting average ranking for last season?
Interesting you say that. Here we go. I want to put some context on the .3 war for Cruz last year. There was a guy in a Pirates uniform who had a better war at .5. Alexander Canario had a higher wins above replacement last year than O'Neal Cruz did.
Sean, that is another incredible number. Sean, I'm going to give you a number that's nice. 69. The Pirates added 69 home runs. Hello, Pony. Did you know this, Pony? The Pirates added 69 home runs in Brandon Lau with 31, Marcelo Zuno with 21, and Ryan O'Hearn with 17 from last season. The Pirates as a team only hit 117 a year ago. Pretty decent number there.
He's moving pomp.
Now he's joining the show. We're doing the Pirates numbers game.
I just want to say, speaking of Brandon Lau, he's coming on with us today. At 315. What a shameless plug. I can't hear you, Sean, because I don't have headphones on. What's the first thing you want to ask, Mr. Lowe? I have no idea yet. Why? What do you want me to ask him? Do you have anything on the top of your head from the numbers game that sticks out?
Not entirely. A numbers game-related question for him? Does he think that it will be better hitting over the Clemente wall, despite it being 21 feet high, than previous ballparks that he's played in?
Like Steinbrenner Field.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:02–3:54
2
What is the Pirates' batting average ranking for last season?
3:54–5:13
3
How does Marcel Ozuna's OPS compare to Andrew McCutcheon's?
5:13–6:26
4
What were the Pirates' strikeout numbers last season?
6:26–7:56
5
How many home runs did the Pirates hit last season?
7:56–11:05
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from The Pomp And Joe Show
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