Top 10 Starting Pitchers: American League

After already doing a top 10 list of starting pitchers for the NL, I also have compiled a list of the top 10 starting pitchers in the AL currently. Just like the NL list, this list has been made based on certain criteria, such as stats, the eye test, the pitcher's reputation, and other factors. Again, this is just my opinion, so don't hate. 

10) Danny Salazar RHP CLE: Salazar has been a breakout player in the AL over the last few years for the Tribe. He was a major reason why the Indians have ascended from cellar dwellers to quite possibly the best team in the AL Central, if not the entire AL. Salazar himself is a player that is getting better as the years go, and I think that continues. 

9) Jordan Zimmermann RHP DET: It is easy to dismiss Zimmermann because he has been hurt and not in the AL long, but I still believe he is a great pitcher and well deserving of a spot here. A healthy Zimmermann is a very dominant pitcher. 

8) Yu Darvish RHP TEX: Since coming to the states, Yu Darvish has been interesting. He's been incredible but hurt a lot. It's almost as if he is the Stephen Strasburg of the AL. Good when healthy but not healthy enough to be top 5. 

7) Chris Archer RHP TB: Chris Archer is super under appreciated, in my opinion. His stuff is incredible and he's been doing incredible things his whole career. Sure he hit a bump in the road a bit in 2016 but then fixed it. He's been durable and great for Tampa Bay.

6) Cole Hamels RHP TEX: Hamels is a veteran that has been around the block quite a few times. His reputation as an ace is certainly there, and he's been that his entire lengthy career. He had earned a spot as one of the top pitchers in this league for sure. So much so that sometimes we forget about him because we expect it. 

5) Jose Quintana LHP CHW: Quintana has ascended the last handful of years as one of the best in the AL but has been overshadowed by his old teammate Chris Sale. Jose Quintana will finally get the opportunity to be an ace for the White Sox, if he's not traded. 

4) David Price LHP BOS: Price signed a massive deal with the Red Sox but struggled a bit in 2016. However, his incredible track record and it all being in the AL still places him in a great spot amongst the best in the American League and pretty easily up there. 

3) Justin Verlander RHP DET: Just a few short years ago, we were putting Verlander in the Kershaw class, and we also did similar with Arrieta before finding out nobody is in the class that Kershaw is. But back to Verlander, he slipped up in 2015 and people were wondering was it the beginning of the end for him. However, he bounced back strongly and even garnered up the most first-place votes in the AL Cy Young vote in 2016 but lost in overall votes, thus losing it to Porcello in MLBs version of the electoral college. In any case, I think Verlander is back to stay. 

2) Corey Kluber RHP CLE: Kluber has been amongst the best pitchers for quite awhile now but his reputation got a massive boost for what he did in the 2016 playoffs for the Indians and how well he performed in adverse circumstances in the World Series to pitch as much as he did. He's an incredible pitcher that is now reaching the upper levels of best pitchers in the league. 

1) Chris Sale LHP BOS: Sale is the pedigree of the AL. He is "the guy" of that league, and there is no denying why. This dominate lefty that is in his late 20s arrived on the scene a few years ago and hasn't stopped dominating. He is an electric pitcher and has talents on the rubber most others wish they had and could only dream of. The Red Sox gave up a massive haul to get him in December, but to get an arguably top 5 pitcher in all of baseball, it's easy to see why such a trade for him would be made. 

This list is, again, based purely on my opinion and the criteria I set out that I felt was the most important. You are allowed to disagree, and healthy debate is always welcome. 

Re-visiting the Mark Melancon trade

In 2016 at trade deadline time, the Pirates were, for lack of a better term, a fringe contending team. This lead to some tough decision-making on the part of the Pirates as to whether to sell-off and go for next year or trade pieces to propel the team to the playoffs. In the end, the Pirates did a little bit of both. One of the tough trades made was the Mark Melancon trade. The Pirates sent 2 months of closer Mark Melancon for 5+ years of lefty reliever Felipe Rivero and big-arm lefty pitching prospect Taylor Hearn. The trade was highly scrutinized and criticized at the time because there were no "big-name prospects" coming back like Giolito, Lopez, Fedde, or Lopez, but looking back at the trade now, it's easy to see that the Pirates got immense value back in the trade and actually even won the trade by a landslide. 

Firstly, we'll start with Taylor Hearn. The consensus on Hearn is that he has a huge arm but needs work on control, like many youngsters in his situation. Before some circumstances in the Nationals organization, the left-hander was a rising prospect through a deep Nationals system. He came into the Pirates organization and was flat-out dominant, asserting himself once again as a breakout prospect to watch. He could easily be a top prospect in the Pirates organization very soon; sooner than we think, in fact. 

Now, to Rivero. Felipe Rivero is a lefty reliever with dominant stuff that people salivate over. He was, at one point, a projected option for the Nationals at closer. But instead the Nationals wanted to go experience to try to compete with the Cubs in the postseason, so they shipped him off to the Pirates and took the chance on losing him, even if he ends up being a top reliever and reaches his ceiling. Now, what makes Rivero so popular and coveted is his mix of pitches. He has a big-time fastball that sits 98-100 MPH, a fastball that ranks as the second fastest among lefties in the league (of course Chapman is first and we cannot dispute it). Then, he has a devastating changeup to boot. This changeup has been raved about by many to be one of the most dominant pitches in the entire league. This mixture of pitches from a lefty is absolutely insane, and it's no wonder why people salivate over this arsenal he has. Also, as a side note, Felipe Rivero has the tools and the pitch arsenal that Searage loves to work with, and we started to see the fruits of that partnership last year, and there's no reason to think he will not continue to improve. I wouldn't be shocked if Rivero became one of the best relief pitchers in the National League in a few short years or less. 

Essentially, the Pirates traded 2 months of a closer that was bound to walk in free agency on a team unlikely to make the playoffs into 5+ years of a reliever with immense talent and only getting better, as well as a rising pitching prospect with a huge arm that can end up reaching his limit with some refinement. When you re-visit the results of this trade, the Pirates did not get a top-of-the-line prospect or a big name back in return. However, they got two guys that carry with them a vast amount of talent and value, and the Pirates have the necessary tools and systems that can maximize each guys' value and help them reach their ceilings. I say that this was a very good deal for the Pirates.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitchers could be more in play for trades

The Tampa Bay Rays have recently acquired Dodgers top pitching prospect Jose De Leon in a trade. This puts them in a good position in the rotation with Archer, Odorizzi, Snell, De Leon, and Cobb, with many other guys behind them that can easily contribute. The Rays may not be in a position to compete fully in 2017 and have a good bit of starting pitching ready for the future. Therefore, the time may be now for the Rays to deal from their depth. Now, they've already dealt Drew Smyly, but they could very easily deal one more and still have a good stockpile of guys that can fill-in. That being said, it is worth wondering if the Pirates would be seriously interested in one of the guys the Rays have. I mean, there's been interest from the Pirates in the Rays starters in the past, so it's not too far off to think they'd look that way again. Let's take a look at the potential options the Pirates could look deeply into. 

1) Chris Archer: I've talked about Archer in the past, and how he'd be the guy I'd go after heavily. However, it is unrealistic to think that the Rays would even trade him at this point for anything that's not a legendary offer. So, don't expect Chris Archer in black and gold in 2017.

2) Jake Odorizzi: Odorizzi is a middle-rotation starter that would fill any rotation as he is bonafide and solid. He would look great in the middle of the rotation with Nova and would give the Pirates another solid, more veteran presence to fill in the rotation behind Cole and Taillon. However, he would also cost a lot to get and Newman would probably be placed in this deal. However, three years of Odorizzi makes a decision such as this intriguing to think about. 

3) Alex Cobb: Cobb is a very interesting case. He has been injured a lot and didn't look good in a brief amount of time in 2016. However, he is a good bounce back candidate with only one year left on his contract at a cheap rate financially. He would also take far less in prospect cost to acquire than the others, and the Pirates would likely be intrigued by his skills and bounce back chances and decide to take him as a low-risk, high-reward candidate. 

Any of these three guys would be nice adds for the Pirates, and outside of Archer, it wouldn't cost the Pirates a chunk of the farm system. I think getting Odorizzi or Cobb would be a very smart move for the Pirates to make because it wouldn't cost them a Glasnow, a Bell, or a Meadows, which is nice. However, as I said previously, going over the top for Archer would be a great move, as long as it wouldn't cost them their top 5 prospects, which it just might actually. Odorizzi would provide the Pirates with longer-term control and has been consistent, therefore he'd cost more to acquire. Cobb, on the other hand, while costing less to acquire, would come with less team control and many question marks. In the end, if the Pirates can't find a deal they like for any other starters, then they should look no further than the Rays, and I think the two teams would match up well on a trade here. 

Top 10 Starting Pitchers: National League

I've decided to take a break from discussing the Pirates to talk about who I think are the top 10 starting pitchers in the National League. I've compiled the list based on statistics, the eye test, reputation, and recent success. I mixed, if you will, all these factors and more together to make a list of the top 10 starting pitchers in the National league currently, in my opinion of course (so don't hate). 

10) Carlos Martinez RHP STL: Carlos Martinez has become one of the top pitchers in the National League pretty quickly. Over the last two years, Carlos Martinez has really come into his own for the Cardinals, making him the undisputed ace of that staff and capable of going toe-to-toe with the best the league has to offer. The Cardinals have a special young pitcher on their hands. 

9) Jon Lester LHP CHC: Not that Jon Lester was ever bad, but he's seen his career hit a second wind in the Windy City. His two seasons with the Cubs so far have been well worth the hefty investment for the Cubs, and he quite possibly had the best year of his career for the Cubs in 2016, being a massive reason the team brought a World Series trophy back to Chicago. 

8) Stephen Strasburg RHP WSH: The Nationals operate a staff with two aces, and Strasburg is undoubtedly one of them. When healthy, he is amongst the very best in the entire league, but the issue is he has not been healthy enough to earn a spot in the top 4-5 of this list, even though the talent is certainly there. 

7) Johnny Cueto RHP SF: Cueto has been amongst the most consistently great pitchers in the NL with the Reds and Giants. His track record of success and the fact he is still going very strong was too inviting to leave off this list. 

6) Max Scherzer RHP WSH: Scherzer is the other Nationals ace and is the better and more durable one, in my opinion. The former Cy Young award winner has earned all the respect in the world in both the AL and NL. He's been very durable, as I said, and continues to put up strong season after strong season in the MLB and stands a good chance of doing something great each time he steps foot on the rubber. 

5) Jake Arrieta RHP CHC: If you had asked me last year where Arrieta stands, I would have put him 2nd or 3rd based on the historic run he was on. However, he took a minor step back in 2016, but he was still a very good pitcher. He certainly returned to earth though as others surpassed him in this list. 

4) Noah Syndergaard RHP NYM: Noah Syndergaard, nicknamed Thor, has electric stuff and all the capabilities you could ever want in a pitcher. He throws hard with nastiness galore. However, his track record isn't as long-standing as the three guys above him, and that's why he's only at number four, even though I think he will be the top or at worst the second best pitcher in the NL very soon. 

3) Madison Bumgarner LHP SF: 

We all know the lore of Madison Bumgarner. He just flat out dominates, especially when the playoffs come calling. Good luck generating any sort of offense against this elite lefty. 

2) Jacob deGrom RHP NYM:

Jacob just pure deGrominates (that's a pun), and while many believe Syndergaard is the ace of the Mets, I think deGrom is the actual ace and deserves more recognition than he gets. He's been more silently doing insanely impressive things on the mound the last few years and needs acknowledged more for just how impressive he really is. 

1) Clayton Kershaw: LHP LAD: Was there ever any doubt that Kershaw would be the best on this list? He's not just the best right now, but he has a good shot at being the best this generation has ever had. He's one of those talents in baseball that comes maybe once or twice in an entire lifetime. So, when we watch Kershaw pitch, we need to appreciate that we are watching not just the best pitcher in the league now, but potentially a top 5 or 10 pitcher of all-time. 

Again, this list is purely my own and you are free to disagree if you like because we don't all share the same opinions. I based this on factors I thought were the most vital, but some might have differing opinions on things like this, and that is okay. Anyway, I will have a list of top 10 AL pitchers coming soon, so stay tuned for that. 

Do the Pirates need another starting pitcher?

If the season started today, the Pirates rotation would shape out as Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Ivan Nova, Chad Kuhl, and likely Tyler Glasnow with Trevor Williams, Steven Brault, and Drew Hutchison behind them as depth. While the rotation doesn't look bad by any stretch on the surface, there are certainly some big underlying issues that make the rotation very unstable. Let's take a look at each starter and determine the question marks each one has. 

1) Gerrit Cole: When healthy, Gerrit Cole is a top starter in the NL. However, 2016 proved that a pitcher's health is fickle for even the best of pitchers. Gerrit Cole was hurt multiple times in 2016 and was unable to get any sort of rhythm going because of it. While it has been stated that he will be ready to go to start spring training, there is always going to be skepticism over how he will return off of injury or if these more minor injuries are a prelude to a more major injury that could cause him to miss a year or two instead of a month or two. And for the Pirates, they can ill-afford their ace being hurt, ineffective, or both, as was proven last season. 

2) Jameson Taillon: While Taillon had a great stretch in his first stint in the MLB, one must remember that he's been injury-prone in the past. This proneness to injury and the fact that he's a young pitcher might make the Pirates more careful with him throughout the 2017 season to keep him around the whole season instead of having to shut him down in September and losing a major asset. Plus, there is always the chance he gets hurt again, which would be devastating. Also, there is this weird sophomore slump thing in baseball that could certainly happen to Taillon if he's not careful. 

3) Ivan Nova: Nova was great for the Pirates in his time in 2016 and earned 3 more years with the team because of it. While he pitched well, some things don't add up. His super low walk rate won't keep up as that'll return to more realistic levels, he still gets hit hard and may not benefit from as much "good luck", and I could certainly see the home run numbers at least spike a bit. I don't expect Nova to be fantastic, but he will be a solid starter. However, I don't think he will be great enough, by himself, to make the rotation stable in the middle. 

4) Chad Kuhl: Kuhl is an intriguing case. He pitched well enough to earn a rotation spot in 2017, but he has some issues. Firstly, he kind of slowed down late in the season, showing off his youthfulness and fatigue of not having that kind of workload before. That doesn't make too many people confident in his ability to handle a 180-200 inning workload this year either. There's also the case where he has troubles against lefties. He lacks an out pitch vs lefties and that might be an issue as teams can stack the deck with lefties against him when he starts, similar to what teams did against Nicasio last year. Plus, his strikeout and ground ball rates didn't exactly back him up as being a super redeeming quality of a starting pitcher in the MLB. All his qualities point to him being a bullpen pitcher, and he is a massive question mark in 2017. 

5) Tyler Glasnow: Glasnow, while being a super prospect, is very unpolished. He showed that in his short amount of MLB time in 2016. While he is still working his way to being a great pitcher, I don't think him at his current state is good enough to be in an MLB rotation for a team that wants to contend. He may be ready at some point, but I don't believe Opening Day is that time. He also would get played the cautious card by the Pirates because he's a young arm that hasn't handled a big league workload yet or even came anywhere close to sniffing that mark. 

6) The depth: The depth of Brault, Williams, and Hutchison, and eventually Kingham is good, but it is what it is, just depth. Sure, they can spot start every now and again to get some guys breaks, especially the other youngsters, but each of the depth starters have their own issues. While I believe in what Trevor Williams can do and Kingham can still end up being very good, I am not big on Brault or Hutchison because I think they are both 6 or 7 starters or bullpen arms at their peak at this point. However, Brault does represent a lefty option for the rotation that the Pirates do not currently possess. But on the other hand, Brault lacks the necessary pitches in his arsenal to be a starting pitcher in the MLB and didn't instill confidence in many in his couple of MLB starts. 

Overall, the Pirates are riding with a rotation filled with righties who are young and unproven, injury-prone, or are middle-of-the-road, average rotation arms at best, or a combo of two or all three of these. The rotation is also filled with a ton of ifs and while every rotation has ifs, the Pirates rotation seems to have more than many others. Leaning on young guys, a guy that was good for two months with the Pirates that you hope continues it, and an ace coming off injuries might not be the best strategy. 

Now, I know I'm being maybe a bit tough on the Pirates and looking at it as if everything is bad. It's not. These pitchers all have great qualities, and there are always surprises. However, I just find it very difficult to be ultra confident in the rotation in its current state. The Pirates would benefit from adding a quality, veteran starter that can eat them up innings while being effective. I know it's not the best market to find a guy like that, but the Pirates need to try their hardest because this rotation may not be goo enough on its own. 

Which current MLB player does Josh Bell compare to?

Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects reported that Josh Bell has slimmed down from about 250 LBS to about 220-230 and intends to stay around there. One of the guys that influenced the decision was, surprisingly or not surprisingly, Reds' 1st baseman Joey Votto. This got me thinking about a comparison of Josh Bell to Joey Votto based on skills and tools. Today, I am going to dive in and look at this interesting comparison. 

Firstly, let's look at Joey Votto. The Reds' first baseman has power but, besides one outlier year when he hit 37 homers, he normally sits around 22-29 homers per year, but we can use 25-30 as a benchmark estimate. It's not terrible at all, but he's no thumper, especially considering he's a lefty batter that plays 81 games a year in Great American Ball Park. But that isn't what makes Votto so special. What makes him special is his plate discipline and eye for the strike zone. Rarely does Votto chase terrible pitches, and he is capable of hitting the ball to all parts of the field. He knows the strike zone better than many umpires do. This has been seen by not only watching him play, but the fact that his walk rate is super high every year and has consistently put up on-base percentage numbers in the upper .300s to lower .400s, a very impressive number. If he doesn't see the pitches he wants, he will gladly take 1st base. It's an integral part of his game, and he is great at it.

Now, let's take Bell. In the minor leagues, Bell showed off-again, on-again power, but many project he will develop some sort of power to the ring of 15-20 homers a year at the least, which seems fair. However, one thing Bell has shown in the minors and in his little time in the majors is the plate discipline and an eye for the strike zone, the very same traits that Votto excels at. Josh Bell has shown off a good walk rate and a high on-base percentage as well, and just like Votto, can spray the ball to all parts of the field as well. 

However, the defensive differences are certainly there. Votto is an excellent defender while Bell hasn't shown that. However, Bell hasn't been at the 1st base position long in comparison as he was initially an outfielder. So it's hard to get a read on how that part of their games may stack up just yet. Bell will still develop as a defender at that position. 

Will Josh Bell be like Joey Votto? I would guess no because Votto is special and one of a kind. However, the similarity of skills and tools are undoubtedly there. 

Pirate may extend Jordy Mercer but what could it mean?

The guys at Rum Bunter reported yesterday that the Pirates were discussing an extension with shortstop Jordy Mercer. This news was quickly confirmed by Rob Biertempfel. The talks are reportedly in the early stages with no real numbers out there, but both sides seem to be interested. This deal could be accelerated in spring training, similar to the Harrison and Polanco extensions the last few years. 

Jordy Mercer has never been a player that earns much in arbitration because he isn't considered anywhere close to being a great player, which is fine. However, he is above average defensively and is coming off his best season with the bat. Overall, Jordy Mercer is a very serviceable or even a solid player, and we can't overstate the importance of that at the shortstop position in the MLB. 

A Jordy Mercer extension would likely buy out his remaining arbitration years plus probably one more year and an option or two, based on the Pirates normal extension formula. It could wind up as a 3 year deal with 1 or 2 club options, which would make sense given how they've handled previous extensions. Now, it's always hard to come up with a money figure, but if I had to guess, a 3 year, $17M figure with an option or two set at $7-8M each may make sense, though it could be slightly higher or lower. 

Now, there would be some other dominoes that could fall if Jordy Mercer is extended. One of these dominoes is the Quintana trade. One guy that has likely been discussed extensively in this trade is top shortstop prospect Kevin Newman. Newman was drafted in the first round of the 2015 and has not slowed down. The projection for him is that he could be in the majors as early as late 2017 to mid-2018 season. However, if they extend Mercer through 2019 or 2020, they won't have an immediate need for Newman and could make him expendable, and it could pave the way for the arrival of the other Pirates high-end shortstop prospect Cole Tucker. Of course, the trade of Kevin Newman in a deal for Quintana would probably come before the Mercer extension, but if they are confident they can extend Mercer, they'll deal Newman.

In the end, we know that Jordy Mercer isn't a world-beater and likely never will be. However, he is a solid major league player with an average bat at worst and above-average defense for a position where defense is much more important than offense. If Pirates can lock Jordy Mercer into a value-based extension that won't kill them in payroll, which it shouldn't, I say it'd be a good move for a guy like him that you know will be consistent and solid. Also if it gives them the flexibility to deal a guy like Newman to help get a frontline starter like Quintana, there's even more incentive there. Overall, I could certainly see an extension of Mercer, especially if Kevin Newman is traded. 

Markets for Tyson Ross and Jose Quintana are tightly connected

The market for Tyson Ross and Jose Quintana have gotten a lot of clarity recently. It's been reported that the market for Ross is heating up, and he should sign very soon. And the Jose Quintana sweepstakes may end soon (or might not) as Pirates, Astros, Yankees, maybe others are still in on him. However, the markets for these two players are more intertwined than we could imagine.

Firstly, Jose Quintana is the best pitcher left available, free agent or otherwise. He's a player that White Sox can afford to hold onto, even though I don't see it. So, White Sox will likely trade him, and only one team can acquire him. Therefore, what do the other teams do about their starvation for a top-of-the-rotation starter? Enter Tyson Ross. 

Tyson Ross, before his injury, was becoming one of the better starting pitchers in the National League. He is very capable of doing it again after the injury, especially if he goes to a place good at rehabbing pitchers. Ross could easily find a niche and return to his ace-like form, even if he is only had for a very-short term in comparison to Quintana. He could easily be a backup plan if a team misses out on Quintana. 

There is also the case where Ross could sign before a Quintana trade, which I see as more plausible. A team could see themselves as either out on Quintana because they were unwilling to pay the lofty price or just didn't have the pieces to get such a trade done. Therefore, they look harder at Tyson Ross and try harder to get a deal done for him to fill their need, and it may leave one less team in the bidding for Jose Quintana. 

How does this affect the Pirates? Well, Pirates have been linked to Tyson Ross and heavily on Jose Quintana. Pirates could very well be looking at both fronts and seeing which one is a better situation for them currently and having to make a move based on many factors and then get aggressive on the one front they choose, which could also be the case for teams like the Rangers, Astros, or even the Nationals or Cubs. 

Overall, these two markets are joint at the hip, in my opinion. I think the Quintana market will heat up even more once Tyson Ross signs as that will fill one team's starvation for a potential top arm and clear out the market for Quintana even more. It'll certainly be intriguing to see how these two markets shake each other out. 

49ers Head Coach and General Manager News

49ers are once again in a search for some changes this offseason. This time, the changes will be not just head coach but also a GM. Here is a rundown of the news so far regarding the searches. 

49ers are "heavily interested" in Bills interim HC Anthony Lynn, who they interviewed last year. Lynn is a big HC candidate this year but figures to stick with the Bills after testing the market, barring a shock. 

49ers have interest in Seahawks personnel men Trent Kirchner and Scott Fitterer for GM job, as well as ESPN analyst Louis Riddick.

49ers have requested to interview Patriots OC Josh McDaniels for HC job and Patriots Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio for GM job. 49ers reportedly would love to have a GM/HC combo with an already good working relationship, so this interest makes sense. 

49ers have requested to interview Chiefs Director of Football Operations Chris Ballard for GM job.

49ers have interest in Vikings Assistant GM George Paton for GM opening.

Other HC candidates on 49ers radar are Seahawks OL coach Tom Cable, Dolphins DC Vance Joseph, and Jaguars Interim HC Doug Marrone. 

49ers have received permission to interview Patriots OC Josh McDaniels.

49ers have asked for an interview with Bills Interim HC Anthony Lynn, who they interviewed for same job last year. 

Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan will interview for 49ers HC opening.

Chiefs Director of Football Operations Chris Ballard won't interview for 49ers GM opening. Elects to stay with Chiefs.

49ers to intereview Packers Executive Eliot Wolf for GM opening on Thursday in Green Bay.

49ers to interview Packers Director of College Scouting Brian Gutekunst for GM opening.

49ers to interview ESPN Analyst Louis Riddick for GM job. Riddick has worked in NFL front offices before and recently said on ESPN that the 49ers job was attractive.

There's reportedly word around the league that Louis Riddick could be paired with Josh McDaniels as GM/HC pairing. 49ers scheduled to meet with both of them.

Dolphins Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph to meet with 49ers about HC gig.

49ers request permission to interview Redskins OC Sean McVay for HC job.

49ers will interview Colts Executive Jimmy Raye III for GM vacancy.

49ers have scheduled an interview with Vikings Assistant GM George Paton for GM job.

49ers set to meet with Bills Interim HC Anthony Lynn for HC job.

49ers want to interview Panthers Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott for HC job.

Josh McDaniels is reportedly the top coaching candidate for 49ers but they'd need to answer "major questions" to convince him to leave New England. 49ers also want a GM powerful enough to with work with McDaniels.

49ers set to interview Seahawks Assistant Head Coach Tom Cable for HC job.


49ers to interview Seahawks Executives Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner for GM vacancy.

49ers request to interview Panthers DC Sean McDermott for HC opening.

49ers set to interview with Panthers DC Sean McDermott for HC opening.

49ers to interview Panthers Assistant GM Brandon Beane for GM job. There is an obvious connection to Sean McDermott here.

49ers to interview Redskins OC Sean McVay for HC job.

Josh McDaniels' preferred team to coach would be 49ers if he leaves Patriots. The idea of a "clean slate" and 49ers rich history provides attraction to the 49ers for him. 49ers will interview McDaniels on Sunday where things may become clearer.

49ers did not receive interview with Patriots' Nick Caserio for GM job.

Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan likely to land Rams or 49ers HC job if he lands one.

49ers to interview Cardinals' VP of Player Personnel Terry McDonough for GM job. Former 49ers HC Mike Nolan recently stated that he is the best person for the job.

After Josh McDaniels and Tom Cable have withdrawn from HC running, the 49ers are "honing in" on Kyle Shanahan as HC and intend to offer him the job when Falcons season is done. Shanahan is likely to meet next week with team to discuss GMs.

The 49ers GM search reportedly seems to be down to 4 guys, Brian Gutekunst, Eliot Wolf, George Paton, and Terry McDonough. Gutekunst is considered the favorite at this time. 

5 Bold Predictions for 2017 Pittsburgh Pirates

Every year in baseball, crazy things that we don't expect to happen end up happening in baseball. There is no such thing as a ho-hum baseball season. Over the course of 162 and maybe even more, we see the unexpected happen. Today, I am going to come up with five bold predictions I have for the 2017 Pirates season.

1) Jung Ho Kang will have a 30 HR year:

When healthy, Jung Ho Kang is a massive power threat and has shown that ability in spurts. I think this is the year that Kang puts it all together at once and hits the 30 homer plateau, providing a massive boost for the Pirates lineup. 

2) Pirates get an unexpected boost by a rookie pitcher: 

Jameson Taillon and Chad Kuhl should be good in the rotation, but what if I told you they'd get a boost from another rookie and it isn't Glasnow? Yep, I think Trevor Williams specifically will give the Pirates a rotation boost at some point in the summer, giving the Pirates an edge they previously thought they wouldn't have. 

3) Andrew McCutchen finishes top 10 in NL MVP voting: 

This may be really bold after McCutchen just had his worst year ever and might look fried, but if I know McCutchen, I know he's more determined than ever to get right. He should be motivated by nearly being dealt away and playing in the WBC should help his issues of getting going late. I expect a big season for him. 

4) Harrison will lose starting job at 2B:

Over the past few years, Josh Harrison has declined rapidly in offense but is still great defensively. The extension he was given is starting to look bad as he is expensive for what he is. Pirates may find a way to trade him, but if he stays on the Pirates, I think he loses everyday job at 2B by July, if not sooner. Hanson, Frazier, Moroff present younger options that could do similar things and are much cheaper if they are able to get rid of Harrison and his contract. Hanson may be the most likely to step into this role and do a nice job. 

5) Pirates reach playoffs: 

Many are writing off the Pirates already, as usual. However, if you look up and down the Pirates roster, it's actually a good one. Injuries killed them last year as they were without 3-4 key players at almost any given time and some players didn't perform to their previous marks. I'm shocked they won 78 considering all of it. They are way closer to the 98-win team in 2015 than the 78-win team a year ago, and the additions they've brought so far and the young guys providing a boost should get this team back to a position to reach the playoffs. Overall, the roster is good and not even finished yet, and it is very comparable to the rest of the teams that will go after the wildcard such as the Cardinals, Mets, Marlins, and Rockies. If mostly healthy, this Pirates team can very well compete and a big addition or two could certainly get them within sneezing distance of the Cubs. As of now with the current roster, I expect the Pirates to win about 86-88 games, which isn't far off from the projections and in many years is more than good enough for a wildcard spot. 

These are the five bold predictions I have about the 2017 Pirates. I could very well be wrong on these. That's why they are bold. However, I have no doubt that we will see things we didn't expect to see in the 2017 season for the Pirates. It should be fun, and I am excited to watch it unfold.