Who is the most important Pirate this season?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Welcome back to Pomp and Joe. Time to talk a little baseball. The Pirates are in Bradenton. You going this year, Bob?
Unfortunately not. I always like it down there just to get a look at the weather change, what it does to you. And maybe get a round of golfing. Well, I used to do that a little bit. It's hard to do it when you're working, that's for sure.
You can always try, but... And you can always succeed.
Not really. In television, we used to go down, and you'd have to be... They start early in the morning, like 8 o'clock.
Yeah.
Then you go to 8 to noon or whatever you do. Then we're live 4, 5, 6, and the whole day's gone.
Yeah, that's true. That's a different ballgame. You raised an interesting question, Bob, and we're going to hear from Paul Skeens momentarily. Limits? What do you have, like three or four Skeens clips or so?
I have a bunch of Skeens clips, even more than that.
That's incongruent. But Bob raised a good question. Other than Skeens, who's the most important pirate? Who is the most important pirate player? Bob, why don't you go first with your own question?
Well, I'm going to, of the people that we know, because I don't think Connor Griffin's certainty is going to be on this team. Once he does get here, as things go on.
Well, wait, I was going to say him.
Okay, you can, but are you guaranteed we're going to see him? No. I'm going to say O'Neal Cruz, and this is the guy to me who has the biggest upside that we have not yet seen. I think with a bunch of guys around him who are better hitters, he'll become a better hitter. I think the potential is so enormous, and he hasn't really lived up to it. His batting average dropped all the way to the near 200 mark. It's got to be better. He's got to get on base. He started last year like he was going to steal 60 bases. He is, to me... The most potential upside there is, and if he can tap into that, man, that lineup becomes awfully dangerous, I think, to any pitcher.
I mean, that's a great point. Where would you bat him?
That's a good question, too.
I said seventh. Take the pressure off, at least at the start of the year.
I mean, I'm intrigued with leading off every now and then with him just to see what happens. Do you even play him against lefties? I don't. Do you, Limits? I think I'm going to have to do that a little bit to see if he can make adjustments necessary.
Yeah, I would give him an opportunity. I wouldn't take him out every single time they play a lefty, especially if he's on a hot streak. I stick with him.
Who is the most important Pirate player this season?
I think they have enough options where you don't really have to stick with him. And, well, let me just check this to make sure I'm accurate. He was a little better. He was actually a little better last year.
I'll take that back.
I mean, he wasn't good, but he did have a 420 slug. I think the more you play him. 686 OPS and six homers and 143 at-bats. You're right, and I'm wrong. I would play him against lefties. You've got to give him that opportunity, I think.
And hopefully this is the year he jumps to a point where they can legitimately think that he is a difference maker. And it's his best interest to do it too. There's money out there to be made if he becomes that. There was a time we were talking about signing him long term. Remember those days?
Yeah, just last year at the beginning of the year we were talking about that.
We don't know. Hopefully he forces them into thinking that way.
He's 27 now. So, I mean, at his very worst, he had, what, 20 home runs last year and stole 38 bases. That's at his very worst, I think. It's the old story, though, Bob. You can be as talented as anybody on the planet, but it's the old breaking ball.
What are O'Neal Cruz's strengths and weaknesses?
The old breaking ball that ruined many of us in Little League and dissuaded us from ever playing again. Can you hit a breaking ball? Isn't that the ultimate question with him, Limits?
Well, yeah, especially if it's a left-on-left matchup and it's a slider going his way or a curveball. You know, he's gotten better, but isn't where he needs to be, even against right-handers.
I mean, if he just played against right-handers, listen to this, Bob.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–2:25
2
Who is the most important Pirate player this season?
2:25–3:33
3
What are O'Neal Cruz's strengths and weaknesses?
3:33–5:01
4
Where should O'Neal Cruz be positioned in the batting order?
5:01–5:44
5
How do the Pirates handle player matchups against lefties?
5:44–17:44
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from The Pomp And Joe Show
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