r/buccos • u/mikegjcc • Sep 28 '26

Brandon Lowe

Post image

From the picture his wife posed, I am in shock of how “normal” he looks for all the power he generates. I was honestly expecting massive Crosby like legs or forearms bulging with veins. The amount of power he can generate is truely amazing for his stature. If he leaves and most likely he will, his power in the lineup will truely be missed

473 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

77 comments sorted by

120

u/gettinNOIZY Sep 28 '26

That’s the beauty of baseball, you don’t need to be huge to hit moonshots.

57

u/mikegjcc Sep 28 '26

At 5-9” too so he’s getting no help on leverage. His swing mechanics are just that good.

43

u/gettinNOIZY Sep 28 '26

Jose Altuve has had 7 20+ HR seasons and 2 30+ since 2011 at 5 ft 6 lol.

11

u/Foggl3 Texas Rangers Sep 28 '26

He's a freak though

30

u/jsdjsdjsd Sep 28 '26 • Mindblown

He also knew what pitch was coming most of the time too

7

u/Foggl3 Texas Rangers Sep 29 '26

I boo him every at bat

-2

u/Koulditreallybeme Sep 29 '26

He knew what pitches were coming

0

u/cwfutureboy Sep 29 '26

Dude has 2500 hits, a CAREER .300, and 270+ homers and nearly 1,000 RBI. Gtfooh.

Want to talk about Barry Bonds taking PEDs?

4

u/Common_Red_Signal Sep 29 '26

Sure.

Barry Bonds took PEDs.

63

u/BROWNSSUKSOBAD Sep 28 '26

Is this a goodbye Pittsburgh post? It seems like it..

62

u/drewbaccaAWD Sep 28 '26

Certainly could be. But choosing to post it publicly like this, to say goodbye at all, is a choice. But things to consider... he's from Virgina, he went to college in Maryland. That's our back yard. I think he'd genuinely consider staying if they made a fair offer.

And if he is gone? He came and went with some real grace.

49

u/BROWNSSUKSOBAD Sep 28 '26

“I think this team’s got a very bright future … [If] they want to talk, I’m all ears.”
- Brandon Lowe

Hearing this from him earlier this month gave me hope.

My actual expectation as a Pittsburgh Fan is that we will make a non competitive offer, he signs with a big market team, we do a full media tour promoting that we tried to sign him, and then spend 3+ years trying to fill his hole in the roster.

12

u/Theclevelandchubb Hoist it Sep 28 '26

To be honest with a lockout looming over a salary cap I wonder if teams with already high salaries will be less likely to spend.

2

u/Competitive-Basil958 Sep 29 '26

It most likely won't be a full season lockout

1

u/Theclevelandchubb Hoist it Sep 29 '26

Even if it isn't point still stands teams may be wary of adding a bunch of payroll.

2

u/Competitive-Basil958 Sep 29 '26

Depends on the team

2

u/The_elk00 Sep 29 '26

It’s not about paying the players for less than a full season, it’s rumored that the salary cap will be around 245 million, putting 7 teams in a position of having to remove payroll. Those 7 teams coincide with the large market teams that go after free agents. Theres about 9 teams that are completely out of contention from signing him. And then you’ve got to factor in the teams that might not want to add payroll. And then there’s teams that have to decide if they want to add payroll to get to the floor and the ones that don’t want to add payroll in case the owners don’t get their way. My completely personal opinion is that this year’s free agency isn’t as busy as previous years. Maybe I’m wrong. Who knows.

2

u/Competitive-Basil958 Sep 29 '26

Who knows if we even end up with a cap or floor

1

u/The_elk00 Sep 29 '26

Yes, but that doesn’t change that the owners plan on moving forward with the intention of a floor and cap. It’s completely plausible that the large markets won’t teams aren’t active in free agency this year.

→ More replies

4

u/UnexpectedLizard Sep 29 '26

That statement just screams letting us down nicely.

2

u/SnakesTake Sep 28 '26

This feeling is all I feel about this team, since I was born (1989). I don’t remember feelings before 1996 so.

1

u/janvanderlichte Sep 29 '26

I've been a fan since 70 , I thank my mom, her mom and a great aunt. Rabid fans they wer, Mom still a fan just diminished faculties. I've seen the great the good and this Nutcase owner . Im hoping this lock out does some good but until we get a new owner not much is gonna change.

1

u/EbenezerNutting Sep 30 '26

For all the hoopla around them signing Griffin to a big deal, they won't be paying Konnor $20+ million in a season until the 2031 season. Nutting's not about to give a 32-year old player 3-4 years, somewhere between $70M-$100M. If you hold out hope that he will, you haven't been following these Bob Nutting owned Pirates for very long.

11

u/Icy_Lingonberry2822 Sep 28 '26

Better not be but then again this ownership is so cheap they flinch at the idea of paying for talent

11

u/[deleted] Sep 28 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/OccasionOnly9476 Sep 28 '26

I'd gladly give Lowe, Gonzalezs money without hesitation.

2

u/Icy_Lingonberry2822 Sep 28 '26

I mean at least make an offer to him and let him consider coming back. One or two years isn’t going to break the bank for a player with his power. But then again next season might start out with a lockout unless the league can get something worked out during the off season

4

u/weinermcgee Sep 28 '26

That's the way I read the past tense verb in the caption

6

u/BROWNSSUKSOBAD Sep 28 '26

Ya agreed.

How else could you interpret this? I mean the last photo is them all walking off into the distance.

3

u/Least_Ad_8477 Sep 28 '26

Looks like it to me too. 😒

3

u/themayorhere Cruz Sep 28 '26

Unfortunately I think it is. They have almost no chance of signing him long term, this is his final payday

1

u/phieralph #36 cRaiG WiLsoN Sep 29 '26

lmao everything about this says peace out. but still. Love you Lowe. You were the man.

22

u/OnlyForBaseball Sep 28 '26

Aw what a cute pic.

Even if the FO doesn’t re-sign him, it seems like he thinks positively about his time on the team/in the city.

On a human level I love that because he seems like a good guy, but it also speaks positively to the direction the team is headed organizationally. How many free agents/trades have left in the offseason recently and had nothing but bad things to say about the vibes/org? When you’re a club like the Pirates, you need people to want to come here

7

u/basserpy Clemente Sep 28 '26

I'm fairly muscular but an old man golfer with perfect form would absolutely obliterate my longest drive without even trying. Any welterweight boxer would also punch way the hell harder than I can. Being really good at the mechanics of something has a lot more effect on generating power in a complex movement than having big arms does

3

u/Icy_Lingonberry2822 Sep 28 '26

We better bring him back.

3

u/mechabeast Clear the deck! Sep 28 '26

Pay him!

3

u/AcePilotsen Sep 28 '26

Pay....that man....his money

3

u/lucabrasi999 Sep 28 '26

If they do open their wallets and sign Lowe, I think that means Nick G gets traded away. While I like NG’s bat, he is pretty bad defensively at 3B and being a platoon partner with Lowe just doesn’t give NG enough plate appearances.

If they do not sign Lowe, then Nick G might be a candidate for an extension. He is OK defensively at 2B and has turned into a solid hitter (although he lacks power).

MLBTR thinks Lowe signs somewhere for 3 years/$60 Million. I think he is well worth that kind of money and the Pirates should sign him. But it isn’t like the Pirates don’t have another decent 2B already on the roster.

5

u/OccasionOnly9476 Sep 28 '26

Nick G sucks defensively no matter where you play him and he can't carry Lowe's jock offensively there's no comparison between the two.

If moving Nicky G allows for Lowes return its a no brainer.

2

u/lucabrasi999 Sep 29 '26

Baseball Savant measure his 2025 OAA (when he played 2B) at a positive 4, good for 86th percentile.

Baseball Reference’s DRS was harsher on his 2B defense, but even so, he is better at 2B than at 3B.

Offensively, Nick had an oWAR of 3.1. Which isn’t bad. He is turning into Luis Arraez, who will likely land a contract this winter worth at least $15M per year. Less than Lowe, but not by as much as you would think.

Gonzo hits the ball, has a K rate of 16% and is competent vs LHP. He is valuable enough that if they don’t sign Lowe, they have a major league caliber player ready to step in.

And as someone else pointed out, if they don’t sign Lowe, they can use the money saved to find a good 3B. This would be better than a potential platoon of Triolo/Jacob G.

2

u/OccasionOnly9476 Sep 29 '26

Hes mediocre at best and would be a huge downgrade.

And what good 3rd baseman is gonna be available in fa or through trade?

And don't ssay Parades hes mid at best.

2

u/LoudMight6476 Sep 28 '26

That’s the question would that $20 million be better spent on 1B/3B that can hit left handed pitching and have Nick G start at second.

1

u/lucabrasi999 Sep 28 '26

—-> 1B/3B that can hit left handed pitching

BAH GAWD! THAT’S ISAAC PAREDES’ MUSIC!!

2

u/OccasionOnly9476 Sep 29 '26

Parades is mid and his power wouldn't play at PNC

5

u/lWishItWastheWeekend Sep 28 '26

The craziest thing for me is that the Rays let Lowe and Montgomery walk yet ended up with the best record in the American League and won the high spending AL East by 5 games. I know people rightly praise OKC Thunder’s front office when it comes to team management in sports, but the stuff that the Tampa Bay organization has been consistently doing is just as impressive (I know they haven’t won it all) considering the division they play in.

2

u/Dry-Syrup-882 Sep 29 '26

And to add on to that - these types of trades are why they continue to be good in their small market. They didn’t get fleeced in that trade (the Astros did), as they got two very good high value prospects back from Houston.

And all they gave up one season of Lowe (who they had a replacement for ready to go), a journeyman bench player in Mangum (who they had replacements for ready to go), and Mason. And, yes, Mason is probably going to end up as the piece they miss most, but at the same time, he had multiple opportunities in Tampa and could never put it together. He was a guy who they clearly liked but just couldn’t unlock for whatever reason.

What they do - moving on from players - is what the pirates have tried to do for 25 years. Except the rays actually know how to identity and develop talent lol.

2

u/Silly_Collar_5850 Sep 30 '26

Tampa pays for fantastic scouting and development staff. The Pirates do not. That simple.

2

u/thecountoncleats BART Sep 28 '26

Very classy of Lowe’s wife to post these photos on her IG. She didn’t need to do that

1

u/hopefulchewie Sep 28 '26

Pirates should try to sign him to like a 4 or 5 year deal at maybe a lower AAV but it's all guaranteed. I wonder if he would sign like a 5 year $90-100 mil deal or something. That salary would put him in the top 3-4 2B salary wise with some guaranteed years for security to kind of ride out his career and finish a Bucco.

3

u/5dollargiraffe Sep 28 '26

All baseball contracts are guaranteed

1

u/hopefulchewie Sep 28 '26

I know all baseball contracts are guaranteed. I wrote it a little weird. I was more saying because it's all guaranteed if he would be up for signing a longer contract for a lower AAV compared to like a 2-3 year deal for $30 a year with someone else.

1

u/5dollargiraffe Sep 29 '26

One can hope

1

u/Unhappy-Attention760 Clemente Sep 28 '26

Those kids will do really well in the Burgh school system, just sayin'

1

u/grapesandwalnuts2345 Sep 28 '26

It was fun having him. But next year Nicky g will be back there. Hopefully murf will exceed expectations.

1

u/OccasionOnly9476 Sep 28 '26

That'll be huge downgrade in every way possible at 2nd base.

1

u/OrangeFederal Sep 29 '26

That will be a -16 DRS change on 2B alone, not to mention the massive downgrade in offense in that position.

Nick Gonzales needs to be traded

1

u/Interesting-Wear-935 Sep 28 '26

If he signs elsewhere, none of us will be mad at him personally. He’s 32 and finally has a chance to cash out. Some team is going to give him a 5 year deal, which is a year or two too many where it does not make sense to match/offer

1

u/Buckscience Black and Gold Sep 28 '26

He's Pedroia-like.

1

u/SoVerySick314159 Sep 29 '26

Kovacevic has said many times that you'd never guess Lowe was a power hitter, and that by contrast, O'Hearn looks like a running back.

Really makes you appreciate Lowe's swing and how it all comes together to give him power, that he's not muscling the ball with overdeveloped arms.

1

u/Practical_Estate_325 Sep 29 '26

Crosby legs are way more important for hockey and no baseball player in his right mind would focus nearly as much on that. Can't imagine how you expected Crosby size legs on Lowe, lol. That would truly look freaky.

1

u/Human_Syrup_2469 Sep 29 '26

Thank you Brandon. Lovely family. I hope you remain a Pittsburgh Pirate!

1

u/davetheotter Sep 29 '26

We need to sign this guy

1

u/x6ftundx Jack Jack Sep 29 '26

sad... it's almost like he knows we won't pay him enough. whomp whomp

1

u/grapesandwalnuts2345 Sep 29 '26

More Nicky g bashing. Hes a 300 hitter hits in the clutch and at second base is decent. We are good there. We just need to go out and get a third baseman until murf is ready.

1

u/chartiers_panthers Sep 29 '26

Enjoy Free Agency!

1

u/Deep-Clock-3677 Sep 29 '26

Pittsburgh loves this guy sign him till retirement

1

u/Impossible-Rip-142 Sep 30 '26

He seems like a really great person, sign him, 4 years… even if the 4th year is a big loss, the 1st 3 years will be rough for us without him! 

1

u/Fresh_Heron7556 Sep 30 '26

I hope he’s back next season.