Pirates prove they are not remotely serious with Rowdy Tellez decision

The need for offense was glaring for a Pittsburgh Pirates team that ranked 22nd in runs scored last season. Getting ONeil Cruz back would help, but external additions were needed desperately. Unfortunately for Pirates fans, all Ben Cherington did was bring in Michael A. Taylor, Yasmani Grandal, and Rowdy Tellez. Hard to expect much offense when those are the moves being made.

Tellez in particular was brought in to play first base a majority of the time against right-handed pitching, and that signing just didn't make much sense. He hit just .215 last season with a .667 OPS and an 81 OPS+. Predictably, he's struggled this season as well.

The 29-year-old has slashed .178/.252/.234 with one home run and eight RBI in 40 games and 119 plate appearances. Especially with Tellez not being a great defender, he has to hit to be productive. He has not, and that has led to him having a -0.5 bWAR entering play on Tuesday.

Despite his struggles and the emergence of Connor Joe, another player who could play first base, the Pirates continued to start Tellez and refused to pinch hit for him in a big spot in the ninth. They won the game, but that won't happen often with him receiving consistent playing time. Their refusal to adapt shows that they're not at all serious.

Pirates continue to display incompetence with latest Rowdy Tellez decision

The Pirates had a rare offensive explosion in an 8-6 win against the Brewers on Monday. The team scored eight runs on 13 hits. Seven of the nine starts for Pittsburgh recorded at least one hit. Eight of the nine got on base at least once. Tellez, unsurprisingly, was the only one to do neither. He had a great chance to finally come through for this team in the ninth inning. Here is what Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said of the at-bat.

"Greg Brown was calling the game on television and mentioned what a huge at-bat it felt like for Tellez: 'Here might be a defining at-bat for Rowdy Tellez. It is to the point where the Pirates have been extremely patient with him. This is a moment for him and this team, right now. Infield in.'

He struck out. He had a runner at third, less than two outs, all the pressure on the other team, and he failed to put the ball in play. He went hitless in five at-bats in the game and continued to be a non-factor. Yes, they won, but continuing to trot out a negative player everyday while a strong bat is on the bench makes no sense.

Connor Joe leads the team in average (.292), OBP (.366), slugging (.500), OPS (.866), and RBI (20), yet he found himself on the bench on Monday. Tellez, inexcusably, has appeared in five more games than Joe who happens to be able to play first base.

The Pirates' refusal to spend money is one thing, but they're not even playing the best players that they have. Joe is way better than Tellez, yet Tellez appears in more games. Even a guy like Jake Lamb has been raking in the minor leagues.

Sometimes, even if it's tough to do, general managers need to admit mistakes. Tellez might have been one of their biggest offseason signings (which is depressing) but he's been a disaster. The team desperately needs offense, and they continue to run out a player who cannot seem to hit while they have much better options in their organization. Continuing to start Tellez just because they signed him over the offseason shows how unserious the Pirates organization is.