Tuesday, April 2, 2013
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
PITTSBURGH -- Brandon Inge couldn't be sure whether it made him misguided or a martyr -- but playing nearly a week in Spring Training with a broken right shoulder blade made him a Pirate, and validated his reputation as a gamer.
Inge, in town only to participate in Opening Day festivities at PNC Park before going on to Triple-A Indianapolis, confirmed that X-rays of the area where he had been hit by a March 14 pitch revealed a fracture "in a spot none of the medical people had ever seen before."
Still, the non-roster invitee to big league camp returned to action to play a couple more games before being shut down, presumably by duly impressed Pirates management.
"Yeah, they knew," Inge said in response to whether manager Clint Hurdle and staff were aware of his condition. "But it was a case of me wanting to give them a look of what I could do."
In retrospect, that helps explains general manager Neal Huntington's remark on March 24 that Inge "is as tough a guy as we have in camp."
"It feels fine now," Inge said Monday. "Woke up a couple of days ago, no pain. So it's healing quick. I hope to return here soon."
Inge, on the 15-day disabled list, will join Indianapolis on a rehab assignment.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Bob Nutting - Chairman of the Board
Robert (Bob) Nutting serves as Chairman of the Board of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bob assumed control of the club in January of 2007, thus becoming the sixth principal owner in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has served as Chairman of the Board and represented his family's interest in the club since 2003.
Upon assuming control of the organization, Nutting put a plan in place to overhaul the entire operation. In September of 2007, he appointed Frank Coonelly as the team's new president and, in-turn, Neal Huntington as the team's new general manager. Since that time the effort has been to build a strong foundation by investing in the core operations, while aggressively acquiring and developing talent.
Nutting further demonstrated his long-term commitment to the club by constructing the Pirates new training academy in the Dominican Republic. The new campus style training complex, which opened in April 2009 as one of the very best in Major League Baseball, will help the Pirates attract, retain and teach the best players, coaches and scouts in the Latin America region.
Nutting's family roots in the greater Pittsburgh region date back as long as the Pirates 123-year history. Under his leadership, the Pirates have made a commitment to making an even deeper positive impact in the community. In 2009, the Pirates and its newly formed philanthropic arm, Pirates Charities, assisted more than 2,000 community organizations. Also in 2009, Pirates Charities officially opened the new Pirates Charities Miracle League Field. The field, which is the first of its kind in the Pittsburgh region, is designed and dedicated to allow children with special needs to enjoy the game of baseball.
Nutting brings a long history of building successful organizations and a multi-generational commitment to the economic growth of the Pittsburgh region. He also serves as President and CEO of Ogden Newspapers, Inc., and Chairman of Seven Springs Mountain Resort; a four-season resort located 60 miles East of Pittsburgh.
Frank Coonelly - President
Frank Coonelly was named President of the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 13, 2007, and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization. In this role, Frank leads the Pirates' senior management group and is accountable for the organization's success both on and off the field.
Prior to joining the Pirates, Frank served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Labor in the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball where he negotiated and administered collective bargaining agreements with the Major League Baseball Players Association and the World Umpires Association. Frank led a staff of attorneys who represented the Commissioner and the 30 Clubs in the litigation and arbitration of labor disputes and provided contract and economic advice and counsel to the 30 clubs.
Coonelly practiced labor and employment law as a Partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius before joining the Commissioner's Office. A large part of Frank's practice consisted of the representation of Major League Baseball as outside labor counsel. In that role, Frank assisted the Commissioner of Baseball in collective bargaining and litigation matters. He also represented several individual Clubs, including the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves, in salary arbitration matters.
Neil Huntington - Senior Vice President & General Manager
Neal Huntington was named Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 25, 2007, thus becoming the 12th G.M. in the history of the club. In this role, he is responsible for the entire baseball operations department which includes overseeing the Major League club and scouting and player development systems.
Prior to joining the Pirates, Neal worked as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the 2007 American League Central Division champion Cleveland Indians. In his role as Special Assistant to the General Manager, Huntington served as an evaluator and advisor for Cleveland General Manager Mark Shapiro, providing recommendations regarding personnel, strategic planning and decision making. Neal also scouted major and minor league players and provided recommendations with respect to player evaluation, acquisition and retention. He also provided scouting evaluations on players within the Indians organization while doing advance scouting work for a portion of the Indians' opponents.
Huntington began his association with the Indians in 1998 as the Assistant Director of Minor League operations. In November of 1998, Neal took over as Cleveland's Director of Player Development. In that role he instilled a holistic developmental philosophy that focused on the systematic development of the person as well as the player. He also oversaw the Indians player development system, including Latin American Field Operations. After being promoted to the title of Assistant General Manager on November 1, 2001, Huntington assisted Shapiro in all areas of the day-to-day operation of the major league club, concentrating particularly in player evaluation, acquisition and retention.
Neal began his major league career in the Montreal Expos organization on June 1, 1992. He spent the 1994 campaign as the video advance scout for the Expos major league club and was then promoted to Assistant Director, Player Development after the 1994 season, where he assisted in all aspects of Montreal's Player Development system.
Greg Smith - Greg Smith - Director of Scouting
In 2008 Smith spearheaded the club's First-Year Player Draft efforts and selected Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez - who was rated by Baseball America as the "No. 1 prospect" in the draft - with the second pick overall. The Pirates signed 32 of their 50 picks from the 2008 draft and selected 33 players from the college ranks. Smith and his scouting staff followed up with another strong draft in 2009, signing each of the first 14 selections and 23 overall. College catcher Tony Sanchez, the club's first-round pick and fourth in the country, went on to hit .309 while playing at three different levels in his first professional season.
In addition to his duties as the Director of Scouting, Greg provides recommendations to General Manager Neal Huntington regarding personnel, strategic planning and decision making for the Baseball Operations department.
Smith is an 18-year scouting veteran, having spent 11 seasons with the Detroit organization, working the last three years (2005-07) as the club's special assignment scout.
Prior to 2005, Greg spent eight seasons (1997-2004) as Detroit's Director of Scouting where he oversaw the First-Year Player Draft and international scouting. He also simultaneously served as the Club's Director of Player Development from 2000-2002. Before joining the Tigers organization, Smith spent seven years (1990-96) as an area scout with the San Diego Padres, covering areas from Florida to Maryland.
Under Smith's guidance, the Tigers selected 2006 American League Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander with the second overall pick in the 2004 draft. Smith and his staff were rated by Baseball America as having the strongest draft of all 30 Major League clubs in 2002, a year in which the club selected outfielder Curtis Granderson in the third round and right-handed pitcher Joel Zumaya in the 11th round. Additionally, Greg was directly responsible for the signing of Jair Jurrjens as a non-drafted free agent out of Curacao. During Smith's tenure as Director of Scouting, the Tigers signed and developed over 40 players who reached the Major League level.
Smith spent seven years (1990-1996) as an area scout with the San Diego Padres before joining the Detroit organization. An outfielder/first baseman during his playing days, he signed with the Padres as a free agent on 6/7/88 and played three seasons in the minor leagues with Spokane (1988), Charleston, SC (1989) and Riverside (1990), a club managed by Bruce Bochy.
Kyle Stark - Director of Player Development
Kyle Stark is in his third season as Pittsburgh's Director of Player Development. He was named to his current post on November 7, 2007.
Stark is responsible for all aspects of the Player Development system, including the club's six affiliates in the United States as well as academies in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. The Pirates player development system is focused on helping all players reach their potential - personally, mentally, physically, and fundamentally - and develop as professionals. This is accomplished through a relentless, systematic, and cohesive approach involving structured, consistent, progression-oriented instruction throughout the organization and detailed, written development plans for all players.
In addition, he provides recommendations to General Manager Neal Huntington regarding personnel, strategic planning and decision making for the Baseball Operations department.
Prior to joining Huntington's staff, Stark spent four years in Cleveland's Baseball Operations department, assisting in all areas of Scouting, Player Development and Major League Operations. In 2006 and 2007, Stark performed the baseball related duties of the Assistant Farm Director, oversaw the club's efforts in Pacific Rim Scouting, and coordinated the club's Advanced Scouting which included providing scouting reports on upcoming opponents.
Tyrone Brooks - Director of Baseball Operations
The 2010 season marks Tyrone Brooks' first year as a member of the Pirates Baseball Operations department. He was named to his current position on December 2.
In his current role, Brooks assists General Manager Neal Huntington in all aspects of Baseball Operations including rules compliance, arbitration preparation, transactions, budgeting and contract negotiations. He also provides recommendations regarding personnel, strategic planning and decision making for the Baseball Operations department.
Brooks spent the last three seasons (2007-09) as a Professional Scout with the Cleveland Indians, with an emphasis on the Pacific Coast League, Texas League and California League while giving secondary Major League coverage.
Prior to joining the Cleveland organization, he spent 11 years working with the Atlanta Braves, most recently as their Director of Baseball Administration in 2006. He originally joined the Braves as their Baseball Operations Trainee in May of 1996 through the club's Career Initiative Program. Brooks also served the Atlanta organization as a Baseball Operations Assistant, Area Scouting Supervisor, Assistant, Player Personnel and Director of Baseball Operations.
Brooks is currently on the Board of Directors of the Midwest Scouts Association and is a member of the Buck O'Neil Professional Scouts and Coaches Association.
Posted on April 1, 2013 at 07:54 PM.
by James Santelli / Piratesprospects.com
1. Will the Pirates produce an above-average offense?
Pedro Alvarez is, once again, one of the keys to the Pirates’ success. The last time the Bucs finished in the top half of the National League in runs scored was 2003, powered by Brian Giles (.430 OBP, .951 OPS), Reggie Sanders (.913 OPS, 31 HR) and Matt Stairs (.950 OPS), all of whom were in their 30′s and out of Pittsburgh by the following season.
This offense skews younger. The Bucs finished 10th in the NL in runs last year, which was hardly world-beating, but it was still their best ranking since 2008. Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker and Michael McKenry are all entering their prime years after strong hitting seasons, while Travis Snider, Jose Tabata and Starling Marte lead a 25-and-under crowd that can always improve.
Featuring so many young starters with their peak years still to come, this might finally be the team with an above-average offense. These guys want to say, “Suck it, Reggie Sanders!” which is something we all have dreamed of saying.
2. Can Jose Tabata or Travis Snider finally break out?
There are two very different outfielders who will platoon in right field. Snider is a lefty entering his sixth Major-League season from Washington state who was drafted as a first-rounder and remained highly touted thanks to his power potential.
Tabata is a righty going into his fourth MLB season from Venezuela, who arrived in the Yankees’ system as a 16-year-old with expectations of developing into a complete player.
But similarities link them, most significant being ranked as two of baseball’s top outfield prospects around the same time. While Snider is 25 and Tabata is 24, their careers are entering the put-up-or-get-sent-down phase. Tabata frustrated by retreating to the more free-swinging ways of his rookie year, rather than the more disciplined hitter that drew a strong 10.5% walk rate in 2011.
Snider has greater potential as a hitter and, as the newer addition to the organization, will likely have a longer leash. But both face the pressure of being a corner outfielder that needs to start hitting like one, as well as a depleting number of people who will excuse below-average play as a byproduct of youth.
3. Can Francisco Liriano be more than a pretty slider?
It is a damn good slider. Last year, the pitch had the highest whiff rate of Liriano’s career, and the biggest reason he had the highest swinging strike rate in all of baseball last year (minimum 100 innings). He also hit the strike zone with it at a career-high rate last year. The slider is not the problem.
But he still stunk overall, largely because he had the worst control in baseball (43% of pitches hit the strike zone). He couldn’t throw his changeup for strikes. His fastball, despite some return in velocity, still was not effective. It all ended with a 5.34 ERA on the season.
We shouldn’t expect any of his pitches to improve much, but two changes will do Liriano’s overall results some good. First, Russell Martin will help raise his called-strike rate as one of the best pitch-framing catchers in baseball.
Second, Liriano’s last good season was 2010, when he gave up the lowest percentage of home runs in the AL. That was the first season at Target Field, when fly balls died a solemn, American death before they could become homers. PNC Park can be a similar fly-ball graveyard for right-handed hitters. If Liriano can trust his new home to hold homers (the chart below shows how six of his home runs allowed last year would have hit the warning track at PNC) and Marte to track down other batted balls, his ERA will come back down to Earth.
4. Will the bullpen hold up without Joel Hanrahan?
The Pirates’ bullpen was pretty average last year: 9th in park-adjusted FIP, 10th in SIERA, but 3rd in win probability added. You can check out Tim’s more expansive piece on the bullpen, but after some expected regression from Tony Watson and Jared Hughes, the pitcher that will have a huge impact on the 2013 Pirates is Mark Melancon.
Let’s play the “Blind Player Game,” even though you probably hate it by now.
Pitcher A: 21% strikeouts, 8% walks, 2.78 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 0.61 HR/9, .286 BABIP
Pitcher B: 26% strikeouts, 14% walks, 2.72 ERA, 4.45 FIP, 1.21 HR/9, .225 BABIP
That’s pretty close, even given the weird fluctuations of bad homer luck/good BABIP luck of Pitcher B.
Pitcher A is Melancon in 2011, his last season in the NL when he closed for the Astros. Pitcher B is Hanrahan in 2012. You can’t wave away Melancon’s 6.20 ERA with the Red Sox last year, even if he was better in the last two months. Point is, Hanrahan is on the decline and losing a lot of his control. If there is a drop-off in the change from Melancon to Hanrahan, it won’t be a steep one. But it is irritating that the Pirates’ bullpen will remain average to below-average.
5. What will Andrew McCutchen do for an encore?
As long as he stays healthy, we pretty much know what McCutchen’s floor is as a hitter: .260 average, .360 OBP thanks to a 10% walk rate, 20 homers, 25 doubles and 20 steals. And that floor would still make for an above-average center fielder in a game in which it seems all of the center fielders are above average, with apologies to Lake Wobegon.
His ceiling… Well, have you seen the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul? That’s a pun, and a truly mediocre one. You’ve certainly seen the retired numbers at PNC Park: Ralph Kiner, Willie Stargell, Paul Waner, Roberto Clemente.
If I’m getting ahead of myself, maybe that’s the point. We’re still not certain what McCutchen is capable of, which is incredibly exciting. He took a leap from All-Star to offensive behemoth, especially terrorizing lefties who dared to challenge him. He won’t lead the league in hits again, since BABIP regression will take hold. But the power is real and spectacular.
Home Runs 400+ Feet (Source: ESPN Home Run Tracker)
2010: 8
2011: 12
2012: 17
If you’re doubting another 30-homer season, do it at your own risk.
6. Will Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon arrive and make an impact?
Don’t be a nincompoop about why Gerrit Cole is not on the roster. Of course he started the season in Triple-A. Do you want an extra month of 22-year-old Cole or an extra season of 28-year-old Cole?
That said, a further delay of his arbitration clock will keep Cole in Indianapolis until at least June. If he starts dominating Triple-A hitters (he only had two appearances above Double-A last year), I’ll start pounding my fists, demanding his upper-90s fastball with the Pirates. But it will most likely be June, and he will be more effective than Jeff Locke or Kyle McPherson will.
I still can’t envision Taillon at PNC Park until next year. He’s a year younger than Cole, still has command issues, and only threw 17 innings at Double-A last season. He is making his way, though.
7. Can they field well again?
Fielding was a strength of the Pirates last season, and it should be even better this time around. They were above average by most metrics, 5th in the NL in defensive efficiency (71.4 percent), 8th in Ultimate Zone Rating (0.4 UZR) and 4th in Revised Zone Rating (.838).
In the infield, Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez are still bad (other than a laser-guided arm), Clint Barmes would be Gold Glove-caliber if they gave those out for fielding instead of hitting and number of highlight reels made, and Neil Walker is about average and still getting better.
The biggest improvements will be at catcher and left field. Russell Martin will actually throw some runners out, with help from his pitchers, and frame more called strikes. And a full season of Starling Marte in left field sure beats the number of innings Alex Presley and Jose Tabata got at the position last year.
8. How will Clint Hurdle infuriate us this year?
When I asked SI’s Joe Sheehan about Hurdle, he used the words “conservative” and “not innovative” to describe the Pirates’ skipper. That’s being kind. When Sheehan is meaner, he writes words like: “If someone knew everything about baseball but the scoring rule that defines the save, they would have thought that Clint Hurdle was throwing last night’s game.”
I am willing to give Hurdle the benefit of the doubt that he is a terrific motivator and teacher for a young team. His in-game tactical managing, though, makes me want to punch holes in drywall. He used guys like Juan Cruz and Jose Veras in too many high-leverage situations. He adores saves and closer mentality to the point of almost never using Hanrahan in extra innings on the road.
I’ll get to the bunts in the future, I’m sure.
What worries me most this season is that Jason Grilli is now the team’s best reliever but now also the closer. I’m petrified Grilli will almost entirely be used for three-out save situations instead of the best spots to help the Pirates win. That tactic alone will cost the Pirates games.
9. What moves will Neal Huntington make?
One of the best MLB season previews came from FanGraphs, which presented an apples-to-apples comparison of all 30 teams at every position based on computer projections. The results are not perfect, but they allow us to see that the Pirates’ weaknesses are first base, shortstop, right field, and overall pitching.
If the Pirates are buyers at the deadline again, some of those holes will be relatively easy to fill. Well, except shortstop. Some pitchers on potential non-contenders who are on the final year of contracts: Roy Halladay, Matt Garza, Jon Rauch, Brandon Lyon and Rafael Betancourt. Among position players are Carlos Pena, Justin Morneau, David DeJesus and let’s say Curtis Granderson to anger the Yankees fans.
10. Will Jonathan Sanchez and Jeff Locke effectively hold down the back of the rotation?
My dad asked me this question, and the response I can give is, “I doubt it. I’ll be counting down the days until Charlie Morton and Francisco Liriano are back.”
I can try to apply my Liriano Theory™ will get more called strikes with Russell Martin and fewer home runs allowed at PNC Park, but there is no there there. The control may be gone for good, and his pitches are more hittable than ever.
There is a bit more to believe in with Locke. He is still 25, even though it seems like he’s been in the system since the Bush administration. Locke had a steady season in Triple-A (2.48 ERA, 131 strikeouts, 43 walks in 141.2 innings), and is a perfectly “fifth starter” kind of fifth starter. He might earn some staying power in the rotation, but an eventual seat in the bullpen is more likely for 2013.
11. Can PNC Park come alive again?
One of the most exciting games I attended last season was the Drew Sutton walk-off game. Fans cheered, celebrated, even stayed to soak it in, partly because the win put the Pirates at the top of the Central on July 3.
Moments like that were about as close as we got to, “man, imagine this place if the Bucs made the playoffs.” There are a couple opportunities for that in the regular season, including two series against St. Louis (July 29-August 1 and August 30-September 1) and the last home series against Cincinnati.
Fans and writers alike rave about the atmosphere at San Francisco’s AT&T Park in September and October. I’ve seen enough games on the North Shore, hung out with enough folks like me that see a winning Pirates dream in their dreams… PNC Park would be a very special place to watch a contending baseball team.
12. What will Starling Marte do for an After-Partay?
If there’s a hangover to the “Marte Partay,” it’s this: Marte needs to put up much better than a .300 on-base percentage to fit as a leadoff hitter. Last year’s results won’t fly.
We know he will continue to steal bases well, man a great left field and throw out as many foolish Goldschmidts as he can. But at the plate, he ended up with the 8th-worst strikeout-to-walk ratio in the game (minimum 150 plate appearances), swinging at an Alfonso Soriano-esque 35% of pitches outside the strike zone.
That’s not what you want to see from your leadoff guy. Keep in mind that Marte is the second-youngest guy on this list (after Freddy Galvis), and he improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio in each of his final two minor league seasons. But it will take a while until Marte can be considered an effective leadoff hitter, and that will mean fewer runs for the Pirates early in games.
13. Who will surprise as a hitter this season?
Last year’s team saw 38 different players step up to the plate, including getting some unexpected pop from players like Casey McGehee, Drew Sutton and Brock Holt.
This year, I submit Jerry Sands, who arrived in the Joel Hanrahan trade and has not finished writing his book yet. We will learn a lot about Sands’ true power ability at Indianapolis as opposed to the Albuquerque Launching Pad. He’s still 25 years old, a huge guy at 6-foot-4, earning praise for his power even before that 2011 season that saw 29 homers for Albuquerque in 94 games. If Sands shows something, that is a potential right-handed weapon as a pinch-hitter.
14. Is there another Brad Lincoln lurking in the bullpen?
Even though he didn’t make the Blue Jays roster this spring, Pittsburgh fans won’t soon forget Lincoln’s dominance out of the Pirates’ bullpen (40 K, 8 BB, 2 ER in 35.2 innings last year), even if came with a dose of luck with runners on.
If you’re looking for another Lincoln-type surprise, it might come from Bryan Morris. Morris has shown pretty much everything he has to show in the minors (and at least one other person agrees), but it seems the Pirates are going to give him at least a few weeks in Indianapolis because he had an option. The move annoyed me, but Morris’ fastball-cutter combo is ready for high-leverage big league innings, and he will be pitching those before too long.
15. Will they collapse in the late summer again?
This was another question from my dad. Frankly, I don’t know. I thought last year’s team had learned from 2011, with players telling me as much, and that crew still fell apart. If the Pirates head into the All-Star break above .500 again this year, I’ll answer the question then.
Hold me to that. Until then, I’m punting.
16. Can a rotation of old guys carry the load?
If the first starting pitching move is to replace Locke with Liriano, the Pirates’ will have a rotation that averages 31.4 years old. I’ve talked enough in this piece about young guys potentially improving on offense, so seeing the opposite in the rotation is worrisome.
This is a clear negative for the Pirates, as pitchers tend to peak around age 28, and only McDonald and Liriano are in that range. Rodriguez and Burnett are both in their mid-30s, with the risk of wheels falling off or a growing affinity for Murder, She Wrote. The good news is both are durable, each with four straight seasons of 30+ starts. The Pirates need them to hang on to their youth. Quick, get them some Silly Bandz and a One Direction CD.
17. Which James McDonald will take the mound?
When I examined McDonald last August, several signals marked the righty’s downturn after the All-Star Break: his command got shakier, his fastballs were slower and more hittable and his slider was less dominant. But his curveball got more whiffs, and he had some bad luck with balls in play and home runs.
The final results were (crazy enough) exactly the same between 2011 and 2012: a 4.21 ERA in 171 innings, not to mention his 2012 FIP and xFIP were also 4.21. Expect J-Mac to improve slightly this year. If you put ERA aside, McDonald improved his results on all the relevant indicators of strikeouts, homers, hits, walks. It’s movement in the right direction, even if the direction is that of a solid No. 3 instead of the guy we thought was an All-Star snub.
18. Does this season teeter on Pedro Alvarez?
More than any other player, the production from Pedro Alvarez determines the Pirates’ ability to score runs. And I fully expect another successful season at the plate for him in the cleanup role.
His power is legit, and legitimately awesome to watch. Alvarez tied Alfonso Soriano for the second-most “no doubt” home runs in the NL with 10 (behind Mr. Moon Shot, Giancarlo Stanton). Even if he regresses a bit, since a 25% homer-to-fly-ball rate is high, he could easily knock on the door of 30 homers again.
Yes, the high strikeout rate will continue to be tough to watch. But Alvarez’s change in swing, which limited ground balls and pop-ups, and more aggressive approach last year should deliver another year of moon shots.
19. What kind of competition will the rest of the Central bring?
You can make fun of the Pirates all you want, say they are going to suck, have no sense of fundamentals or pitch worse than Charlie Brown with a blindfold on. (The Peanuts comics once had a character named Royanne Hobbs, which shows how Charles Schulz phoning in the names in his Age-71 season.)
The Pirates can look ugly as hell, but all that matters is finishing with one of the five-best records in the National League, so you have to compare them to the other teams.
The Reds will be tough to tame this year after 97 wins without even getting a full season from bat-swinging cyborg Joey Votto. I like the path the Cubs are on, and their new-look rotation should sparkle, but I don’t think the team will challenge this year.
That leaves the Cardinals and Brewers. I say the Cards take second place again this year, with one of the more complete and solid overall rosters in the NL. Milwaukee will smack dingers, but who knows if MLB will punish Ryan Braun at some point? That decision will have a bigger impact on the Pirates’ result in the division than you might expect. I expect the Bucs to finish third again.
20. How many wins will it take to make the playoffs?
Shoot for 89 wins, which would have been enough to obtain the NL’s second Wild Card berth (or a one-game playoff for it) in seven of the last eight seasons. The Cardinals made the playoffs with 88 wins, and that may not be out of the ordinary in future years.
Remember when the Pirates were only two games back of one of the Wild Card spots? As late as Sept. 15 last year? Well, that leads us to…
21. Will this be Losing Season Number 21?
The projection systems offer a holistic look at every team, and this is what a few say about the Pirates: 78 wins (CAIRO), 80 wins (PECOTA), 81 wins (Clay Davenport). But all those systems do is provide a clue, a rough number to keep in mind as an unbiased perspective.
No one should want an end to the losing streak more than me. I was born in 1992, and the last two years are as close as I have ever gotten to relevant baseball, following the standings day after day, seeing the postseason through the fog. It bears repeating a thousand times more: a winning season is not the goal, because a playoff spot is the goal. Anything less than playing past Game 162 is, indeed, less.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
PITTSBURGH -- As Spring Training was winding down, with everybody just waiting to leave Florida, Clint Hurdle finally saw what he had been waiting for: Russell Martin take his arm out of its holster.
"He made three throws the last two games of Spring Training you're not going to see anybody make any better -- anywhere, anytime, anyhow -- getting Ichiro [the Yankees' Suzuki] and a couple of other guys," Hurdle said.
As Pirates manager, Hurdle could never speak as enthusiastically about his catchers in 2012 when, certainly with the complicity of Pittsburgh pitchers, 174 of 193 runners stole successfully under their watch.
Martin, Rod Barajas' successor as the No. 1 catcher, has pride in his arm and throwing mechanics. Having missed two weeks early in Spring Training with a sore shoulder, it took him a while to regain calibers. He also is motivated by having inherited the spotlight from last season's problems.
"I keep hearing about this and that from last year. But it's a new year," Martin said. "I have confidence in my ability to get rid of the ball, and my arm strength, so hopefully the work we put into it as a pitching staff is going to make us more confident, and we won't even have a question any more."
Reining the opposition running game was a high camp priority. Hurdle is pleased with the effort put into it, and the results coming out of it.
"One of the takeaways [from Spring Training] has to be the attention to detail in this area," the manager said. "Guys have bought into it, and they now know it is a weapon that will make everybody better. I think we made good progress with it."
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Pittsburgh Pirates Depth Chart - 2013
- Catcher
- Russell Martin
- Michael McKenry
- First Base
- Garrett Jones
- Gaby Sanchez
- Second Base
- Neil Walker
- Josh Harrison
- Third Base
- Pedro Alvarez
- Josh Harrison
- Gaby Sanchez
- Shortstop
- Clint Barmes
- John McDonald
- Left Field
- Starling Marte
- Jose Tabata
- Center Field
- Andrew McCutchen
- Right Field
- Travis Snider
- Garrett Jones
- Jose Tabata
- Starting Pitcher
- A.J. Burnett
- Wandy Rodriguez
- James McDonald
- Jonathan Sanchez
- Jeff Locke
- Relief Pitcher
- Mark Melancon
- Tony Watson
- Jared Hughes
- Justin Wilson
- Chris Leroux
- Jeanmar Gomez
- Closer
- Jason Grilli
- Disabled List
- Brandon Inge: 15-day DL
- Jeff Karstens: 15-day DL
- Francisco Liriano: 15-day DL
- Charlie Morton: 15-day Dl
Tom Singer / MLB.com
PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates finalized their 25-man roster for the start of the 2013 season with several anticipated moves Sunday afternoon.
Placed on the 15-day disabled list were infielder Brandon Inge, who has a sore right scapula (shoulder blade) as a result of being hit by a pitch on March 14, and right-hander Jeff Karstens, who is recovering from shoulder inflammation.
Also added to the DL were left-hander Francisco Liriano (right humerus fracture) and righty Charlie Morton, recovering from Tommy John surgery that was performed last June.
Inge's disabled status is retroactive to March 26, making him eligible for activation on April 10. The others are retroactive to March 22 and will be eligible to return on Saturday.
| Injury Updates | ||
| Pos | Player | Injury Note |
| IF | Brandon Inge | Sore right scapula (shoulder blade): 15-day DL |
| 2B | Chase d'Arnaud | Partially torn left thumb ligament: 60-day DL |
| P | Francisco Liriano | Right humerus fracture: 15-day DL |
| P | Charlie Morton | Tommy John surgery: 15-day DL |
| P | Jeff Karstens | Shoulder: 15-day DL |
| P | Jose Contreras | Torn right UCL, flexor pronator tendon |
by Tom Bragg / Piratesprospects.com
It can be hard to find many “firsts” for a player that is entering his 15th season in the big leagues, but when A.J. Burnett takes the mound on Monday afternoon against the Chicago Cubs he’ll be having one of those moments — his first career Opening Day start.
Burnett, now in his second season in Pittsburgh, has spent time with the Marlins, Blue Jays and Yankees in addition to the Pirates but has never been handed the ball to start a season since his debut in 1999. Last season he appeared to be one of the favorites to start on Opening Day but a fractured orbital bone on a bunt attempt in Spring Training put an end to that.
Burnett spoke to the media Sunday afternoon at PNC Park prior to the team’s public workout and said that he has “no clue” what his emotions will be like when he’s on the mound against the Cubs.
“I imagine they’re going to be overwhelming,” he said. “I’m very excited to do this and be a part of Opening Day for the first time but I’m not going to know what’s up until I come out of the dugout and start warming up. I’m sure it’s going to be amazing. It’s been an amazing year for me here so I can only imagine what tomorrow is going to be like.”
Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle also spoke to the media on Sunday and said he thinks Burnett is excited to get his first Opening Day start but at the same time knows it is just one of 162 games.
“He’s our best pitcher. It’s Opening Day, it’ll be exciting,” Hurdle said. “It’s his first Opening Day start and he’s excited about that. I do think that a lot goes into Opening Day. At the end of the day it’s kind of good that it’s out of the way and you can move on to the volume of the season even though you’re cutting it down one game at a time. I’m happy for him because he’s getting the opportunity to do it for the first time and getting the opportunity to do it here. This is a city that’s embraced him and he’s embraced Pittsburgh.”
Burnett said he’s going to try to treat the game like it’s any other game but he won’t know how he’ll react until he’s on the mound.
“The thoughts that are going to run through me tonight then I’ll be straight for tomorrow,” he said. “When I go out to warm up tomorrow that’s when the goosebumps will come.”
by Tom Bragg / Piratesprospects.com
We’ve already touched on the platoons of Garrett Jones/Gaby Sanchez and Travis Snider/Jose Tabata in the previews of the infield and outfield, so for today’s preview of the bench players the focus will be on Michael McKenry, John McDonald and Josh Harrison.
Michael McKenry — Catcher
McKenry gives the Pirates a serviceable backup catcher behind Russell Martin after filling that role in 2012 and 2011 with Rod Barajas. He appeared in 81 games last season and 59 the year before (including once at third base), and in that time McKenry has only committed eight errors and allowed three passed balls.
At the plate McKenry does not bring much to the table. He has hit .222 and .233 in his two seasons in Pittsburgh but it is worth noting that his power numbers did improve from 2011 to 2012. Last year he had career-highs with 12 home runs in 275 plate appearances after accounting for just two home runs in 201 plate appearances the previous season.
The trouble with McKenry the last two seasons was when he saw extended time behind the plate. As a backup he’s been good enough to give you the option of giving the starter the day off every so often, but when he’s been the everyday guy he has left something to be desired. If the team thought McKenry could be the everyday catcher they wouldn’t have gone out and grabbed Russell Martin.
John McDonald — Infield
McDonald is a career “that guy” — meaning when he comes into a game or appears in the starting lineup the average fan sees his name and says “Who is that guy?”
He has consistently been a good defensive player during his 14-year, four team career. McDonald is kind of like McKenry in that if you’re better off to be in a position to bring him off the bench rather than having to rely on him as your starter. At 38 he is certainly not a long-term option but with Chase d’Arnaud currently doing a stint on the disabled list, the club was in need of a backup infielder on its bench.
Josh Harrison — Utility
Harrison came to the Pirates as a minor league prospects in the 2009 trade that sent Tom Gorzelanny to the Cubs. He’s spent parts of two seasons in the big leagues and played at all three outfield positions in addition to spending time at third base and second base in 2012 after primarily serving as a utility infielder in 2011.
As with McDonald and McKenry, Harrison is a good enough addition to the roster to serve as a backup option but, with his youth there is still time for him to develop his skills. He had seven stolen bases in 10 attempts last season and also seems like a candidate to pinch run for the Pirates, thought it is possible Harrison ends up back in Indianapolis when Brandon Inge returns from his injury.
**
- I mentioned above that we’ve been over the platoons in right field and first base, but not from the perspective of what they mean to the bench. When Sanchez and Tabata are in the lineup (which is highly likely against left-handed pitching) it will give the Pirates two left-handed bats off the bench in Snider and Jones. The lineup loses some pop against lefties but Snider and Jones appear to be better options as pinch-hitters than the counterparts who will be on the bench against right-handed pitching.
- A.J. Burnett and Clint Hurdle spoke to the media earlier today at PNC Park. When asked about facing the Cubs tomorrow, Burnett got a laugh from the group of reporters when he responded, “I don’t even know who is in their lineup yet.” I’ll have more from Burnett and Hurdle later today.
by Tim Williams / Piratesprospects.com
There’s a debate this year about whether the Pittsburgh Pirates have a quality bullpen. Some argue that the bullpen is very talented, with a lot of hard throwers who have put up quality ratios throughout their careers. Others point out the question marks. They believe in the “Proven Closer” theory, which discounts anything Jason Grilli has done. They don’t believe Mark Melancon will bounce back. They want the comfort of relievers with experience and results, rather than just talented relievers who aren’t established yet in the majors.
The Pirates do have a talented bullpen heading into the year. Jason Grilli hasn’t closed yet, but he was a dominant reliever the last two years. There’s no reason to think that will change. Mark Melancon is coming off a down year, but all of the secondary numbers suggest that was bad luck. Guys like Justin Wilson and Chris Leroux don’t have a lot of major league experience, but both have good stuff and strong ratios. And the big issue seems to be that relievers don’t have experience throwing in certain innings, which doesn’t seem like an issue at all, unless you believe there’s some magical attribute needed to have success in those specific innings.
“It shouldn’t be an issue at all, for anybody,” Ray Searage said on the subject. “Basically what you want to do is, you need to throw strikes, quality strikes. No matter where you are and what point in the game you still need to get three outs in that inning. That’s the mindset that they should have. It doesn’t matter whether you come in, in the sixth inning. It doesn’t matter whether you come in, in the eighth inning. You still gotta get three outs.”
Fortunately, the relievers the Pirates have also subscribe to this theory that you just need three outs no matter what inning you’re pitching in. That mindset starts with new closer, Jason Grilli.
Jason Grilli
Jason Grilli had a dominant season in 2012. He put up a 2.91 ERA in 58.2 innings, with the impressive part being his 90:22 K/BB ratio in that time span. The Pirates originally added Grilli as a minor league free agent in 2011. Any team who wanted him could have added him. He was with the Phillies’ Triple-A squad, and had a clause in his contract which forced the Phillies to either release him or add him to their major league team if another team made an offer. The Pirates made an offer, the Phillies didn’t match it, and Grilli joined Pittsburgh.
Perhaps that chance was why Grilli chose to sign with the Pirates this off-season for two years and $6.75 M. After the Joel Hanrahan trade, Grilli became the team’s closer. For those who only look at the numbers, and don’t believe that the ninth inning takes a special attribute, Grilli has what it takes to close. Grilli seems to fall into that category, believing that success in the eighth inning can carry over to success in the ninth inning.
“I love when people say you can’t do anything. I haven’t tried yet,” Grilli said. “And I think I’ve made a good claim to see why I’m capable of doing it. There’s no reason why…to me the eighth and ninth inning, it’s just a different number. That’s how I look at it. You’ve still got to get three outs, and I’ve done that many times over.”
If you’re only looking at the numbers, there’s no reason to think that Grilli will struggle as a closer. Last year only three qualified relievers had a better K/9 ratio. They were Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, and Antonio Bastardo. That’s good company to be in.
“I’m just going to go out there and give it hell just like I did last year,” Grilli said. “I think I’ve earned the stripes to, and obviously the organization sees a lot in me. You just don’t get handed a job like that without having some tenacity and some clout behind it.”
Mark Melancon
The Pirates added Mark Melancon as one of the key pieces in the Joel Hanrahan trade to the Boston Red Sox. A year ago, the Red Sox traded Jed Lowrie and a pitching prospect to get Melancon when he was coming off a big season with the Houston Astros. However, the reliever saw his numbers and value take a dive in Boston.
Ironically, Melancon looks very much like Hanrahan did when he came over in a trade in 2009. Hanrahan entered the 2009 season looking like a promising reliever. He struggled in the early part of the year and lost the closer’s role in Washington. A look at his advanced numbers showed that he was very unlucky that year. Almost immediately he saw a turnaround and became a dominant reliever again.
Melancon also had stats that looked unlucky. The highlight was a 22.2% HR/FB ratio. That was mostly due to five homers in two innings combined over his first four outings. He was sent to Triple-A, then came back after about two months. After his return to the majors he gave up just three homers in 41 innings.
“Coming out of Spring Training my curveball wasn’t quite as sharp as I wanted it to be,” Melancon said about the home runs. “I was up with my fastball. The last half I really had a good attitude going into games. A good level of energy. That kind of changed my approach going into the game a little bit.”
The Pirates have been working with Melancon on some minor adjustments to his mechanics. Specifically they’re focused on him getting his hands out of his glove sooner, and also working on his leg kick to allow him to get to his backside.
“There’s a couple of mechanical things that I’ve been working on, which have been great,” Melancon said. “Because the last couple of years I haven’t really touched my mechanics too much. Ray and Jim [Benedict] have been very good as far as with the knowledge part of it, and helping me pinpoint a few things that can really help.”
Melancon added a cutter in 2011, and gradually started using the pitch more often. According to PITCHf/x, he threw the cutter 41.3 percent of the time in 2012, while throwing his fastball 28.3 percent of the time. The latter was down from 59.9 percent in 2010. Some of that could be a charting error, since Melancon’s four seam can have some cutting movement. He also throws his cutter like a fastball, and it has similar velocity, so it could be easy to get the pitches mixed up.
“I don’t know about the numbers. They might be close to that,” Melancon said. “I know my four-seam tends to cut a little bit naturally. The cutter’s been a great pitch for me. I’m consistent with it, I can locate it, and it’s gotten me out of a lot of jams.”
“It definitely is a good pitch, and the curveball is a good pitch too, and his fastball is a good pitch,” Searage said about the cutter. “I’d rather not see him fall into just cutters. That’s what we’re working on right now, to make sure that he’s got the weapons that he has, that he’ll be able to use them at any given time in different situations depending on the hitter.”
The Pirates will be depending on a big season from Melancon. If his 2012 season was just a result of bad luck, then the Joel Hanrahan trade will look good. They will have replaced Hanrahan with a strong late inning reliever who is under control for four seasons, plus three other young players as a bonus. Looking at Melancon’s numbers — specifically the numbers after he returned from Triple-A — he may have already bounced back.
“The last half was really good. The last quarter was excellent,” Melancon said of his 2012 season. “If I can build on that and continue to do that, things are going to be good. And I know that I can do that. I showed it last year. And I changed a couple of things, and I’ve changed a couple more in this Spring Training.”
“He’s got all the tools. He’s got talent,” Searage said. “I think that with his pitches, he will be successful for us. He’s got a real good mindset right now. Good attitude. We’re going to continue to build on that.”
Jared Hughes
A few years ago, Jared Hughes was stuck in Altoona as a starter. He had thrown at the level for three straight years before moving to the bullpen in 2011 with Indianapolis. He made his major league debut in 2011 as a reliever, and one year later he led the bullpen in innings with 75.2. In the span of two years, Hughes has gone from a Double-A starter to the anchor of the middle innings in the major league bullpen. The change shouldn’t affect the right-handed reliever.
“The mindset, it stays the same,” Hughes said. “The experience or not, the big thing is just getting competitive.”
Getting competitive is something Hughes doesn’t have a problem with. When he takes the mound, he can be seen huffing and puffing, which combined with his 6′ 7″, 245 pound frame is an intense look.
“I approach everything in terms of pitching the same way, and that’s just getting aggressive,” Hughes said. “That was part of the switch a couple of years back was just flipping that mindset from ‘I’ve got to pace myself for nine’ to ‘I may only have one pitch today, so I better go out there and throw it as hard as I can.’ So it’s kind of the aggression and the competitiveness is what I base myself on.”
The right-hander worked over the off-season on throwing inside to left-handers, plus controlling the running game.
“I think the inside to lefties is that I’m predominately a sinker ball pitcher, and I have to make sure that they respect that side of the plate,” Hughes said. He noted that the approach had been working for him in the Spring, and he’s ready to carry it over to the season.
Grilli will close, and Melancon will handle most of the set-up duties, but Hughes could be called upon for late innings this year. That’s a role he’s ready for.
“I’m ready to go. Game on the line, I’m ready to rock and roll,” Hughes said. “But honestly, I just want to get in there and pitch.”
Tony Watson
Tony Watson is a similar story to Hughes. He was a starter in the minors, switched to relief and made his debut in 2011, and now he’s one of the most experienced arms in the bullpen. Last year Watson made 68 appearances, which was the most on the team. With Grilli and Melancon handling the late innings, Watson and Hughes will be expected to hold down the middle innings, with some late inning help.
“Grilli and Melancon have both pitched in the back innings of games. [Hughes] and I will just try to fill in where we can and some other guys will step up,” Watson said. “We’re excited. We’re ready to go.”
One issue for the left-hander coming into the season is that he’s been hit hard in Spring. Watson missed a few weeks with some minor soreness, but more importantly to work on some mechanical issues. One issue was throwing extension fastballs inside to right-handed hitters. After his return, the left-hander was hit hard in his first two outings. The struggles continued in the Spring Training game with Altoona, when he gave up a grand slam to Starling Marte. That will be something to watch early in the season, especially since Watson is being relied upon as the top left-hander and one of the most experienced relievers.
Chris Leroux
The Pirates originally claimed Leroux in September 2010 from the Yankees. In 2011 they worked on lowering his arm slot, and the early results looked promising. In his limited time in the majors with the Pirates, Leroux has combined for a 3.95 ERA in 41 innings, with an 8.2 K/9 and a 2.6 BB/9. Last year he had an inflated ERA, despite strong ratios across the board. That could have been due to a strained pectoral injury, which lowered his fastball velocity and forced him to use the slider more often.
“We’ve seen what he can do before his injury happened early last year,” Ray Searage said. “He’s come back and he’s still got the good sink and the good slider. And also the changeup that he uses occasionally.”
Leroux is back to using his fastball the majority of the time, rather than leaning more on the slider. He feels stronger than he did last year, and Searage said that the velocity has seen an increase.
“It has come up,” Searage said. “It’s not where it was before, but it has come up and that’s going to take time. Who knows? It might be there in May, it might be there in June. But overall we’re being patient.”
Justin Wilson
Wilson made a few appearances in September last year, but will get his first real shot at the majors out of the bullpen this year. The left-hander has struggled with his control in the minors, both as a starter and as a reliever. He’s countered the control issues with a high strikeout rate and a low BAA. Those numbers are a result of his stuff. Wilson throws a fastball that sits in the 94-96 MPH range, and pairs that with two good breaking pitches. He also throws a changeup well.
Normally when starters move to the bullpen they see an improvement. In Wilson’s case, he’s the same pitcher, just in shorter appearances. His control doesn’t improve in the move to relief, and that’s the one thing that holds him back. He has seen a velocity increase in the past as a reliever, but that didn’t show up last year. Because he has four pitches that he throws well, Wilson could be an option for multiple innings out of the bullpen.
Jeanmar Gomez
Gomez has been your typical fifth starter in the majors. In his career he has a 5.18 ERA in 206.2 innings, with a 4.9 K/9 and a 3.1 BB/9. He’s a sinkerball pitcher, with a ground ball rate that is well above average. He hasn’t pitched in relief a lot in his career, so it’s hard to say whether he’d see an improvement with his results with a move to the bullpen. His major league career is limited to seven innings in relief, giving up one run and striking out five. The Pirates have a good track record of taking guys like Gomez — who seemingly have very little value — and turning them in to quality relievers. That’s not necessarily a guarantee with Gomez, but he’s also the last guy in the bullpen, and the most likely to take the meaningless innings. Any improvement that comes from moving to relief would be a bonus.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
by Zach Links / MLBtraderumors.com
The Pirates were far from the most active team in baseball this winter, but they did make a few significant moves.
Major League Signings
- Francisco Liriano, SP: one year, $1MM. $8MM Vesting option for 2014.
- Jeff Karstens, P: one year, $2.5MM.
- Jason Grilli, RP: two years, $6.75MM.
- Russell Martin, C: two years, $17MM.
- Pedro Alvarez, 3B: one year, $700K. Club option exercised.
- Total Spend: $27.95MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
- Brandon Inge
- Felix Pie
- Jose Contreras
- Philippe Valiquette
- Kyle Waldrop
- Jeff Larish
Trades and Claims
- Acquired P Jeanmar Gomez from Indians for OF Quincy Latimore.
- Acquired OF Jerry Sands, RP Mark Melancon, IF Ivan de Jesus Jr. and P Stolmy Pimentel from Red Sox for RP Joel Hanrahan and IF Brock Holt.
- Acquired P Andrew Oliver from Tigers for C Ramon Cabrera.
- Acquired P Jhondaniel Medina from Orioles for IF Yamaico Navarro.
- Acquired P Zach Thornton from Athletics for P Chris Resop.
- Acquired P Vin Mazzaro and 1B Clint Robinson from Royals for P Luis Rico and P Luis Santos.
- Acquired P Zach Stewart from Red Sox for P Kyle Kaminska.
- Claimed P Chad Beck off waivers from Blue Jays.
- Claimed C Ali Solis off waivers from Padres.
Notable Losses
- Rod Barajas
- Joel Hanrahan
- Zach Stewart
- Ramon Cabrera
- Brock Holt
- Quincy Latimore
- Kevin Correia
- Chad Qualls
- Chris Resop
- Luis Santos
Needs Addressed
Last season, Rod Barajas started 98 games behind the plate for the Pirates, hitting .206/.283/.343 and posting his worst OPS in nearly a decade. His defensive play wasn't particularly strong either and one has to assume that Pittsburgh didn't spend too much time deliberating over his $3.5MM option for 2013. Instead, the Bucs got a significant upgrade behind the plate in Russell Martin. Martin's two-year, $17MM deal is the largest free agent contract signed during GM Neal Huntington's tenure in Pittsburgh and the Pirates expect to get their money's worth out of the three-time All-Star. Two years ago, the Dodgers non-tendered Martin after an underwhelming couple of years and replaced him with the cheaper Barajas. Since then, the 30-year-old has gotten back on track with the Yankees, posting a .224/.317/.405 slash line with 39 homers across two seasons.
It took a while to get everything hammered out but the Pirates ultimately inked Francisco Liriano to help fortify the rotation. The two sides originally agreed to a two-year deal in mid-December, but the Pirates backed out after Liriano broke his non-pitching arm at his home in the Dominican Republic. Everything finally got wrapped up in February, with language in the new deal that protects the team in case Liriano's arm puts him on the DL again.
The Pirates are highly unlikely to get the 2006 version of the left-hander, but they'll be doing cartwheels if Liriano can give them something in the neighborhood of his 2010 campaign. Liriano posted a 3.62 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in that season, but it's the only year out of the last four that he's had a sub-5.00 ERA. Thanks to the arm injury, Liriano's season won't get underway until May.
The club's other needs were taken care of with more affordable contracts. The Pirates signed Jonathan Sanchez to a minor league deal in February and he's now penciled in as the club's No. 4 starter due to Gerrit Cole being in Triple-A, Liriano's aforementioned injury, and Jeff Karstens' shoulder issues. Huntington also added some name players on non-guaranteed deals, including Brandon Inge, who will break camp with the club. Inge, 36 in May, can provide support off the bench for Pedro Alvarez at third and overall infield depth.
Questions Remaining
If all of the Pirates starters were healthy, they'd be entering the 2013 season with a rotation of A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, James McDonald, Karstens, and Liriano. However, the back of the rotation will instead feature Sanchez (8.07 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 7.4 BB/9 in 2012) and Kyle McPherson/Jeff Locke in the No. 5 spot. Burnett and Rodriguez are both solid, but the rest of the rotation will be chock full of question marks until the summer when they're back at full strength. They could use some reinforcements to help tide them over and they're keeping a close eye on the Dodgers' Chris Capuano as the season nears.
The PIrates were a lackluster defensive team in 2012 and were ranked in the lower-third of the majors. Substituting Barajas' arm with Martin's (24% of runners caught stealing vs. 6%) should help keep everyone honest but they'll need more improvement than that to make signficant strides.
Deal of Note
The Pirates have a great deal of confidence in Jason Grilli so it only made sense for them to flip Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox in December. The swap allowed Pittsburgh to deal from an area of strength and add first baseman/outfielder Jerry Sands, infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr., reliever Mark Melancon, and right-hander Stolmy Pimentel to the organization. Sands, who was a prized prospect in the Dodgers system before being shipped to Boston in the blockbuster deal, has impressive power and the PIrates obviously believe that the 25-year-old has a high ceiling.
Over the last two years with the PIrates, Grilli has looked like a brand new pitcher, posting a 2.76 ERA with 12.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. The 36-year-old was one of the better available relievers this winter and figures to slot in nicely as the Bucs' closer. Unlike other closing options, Grilli didn't require a three-year pact and his two-year, $6.75MM deal amounts to less than Hanrahan will earn in 2013 alone. However, it's worth noting that Grilli has limited experience in the role, finishing just 15 games across the last two seasons.
Overview
The Pirates certainly have promise for the future with the likes of Cole, Jameson Taillon, Alen Hanson, Gregory Polanco, and Luis Heredia in the fold. However, the 2013 Bucs don't appear to be world beaters. However, they do have the talent to win 82 games and snap their 20 year losing streak. After all, they came just three games shy of hitting that mark even after their late season collapse in 2012.
Manager Clint Hurdle believes that his club has improved across the board, even if most of that improvement comes in the way of the younger players having another year of experience under their belt. It's hard to see the Pirates finding their way into the playoffs, but they can certainly crack the .500 mark.
Posted on March 30, 2013 at 11:17 PM.
Win: Justin Wilson
Loss: Nathan Baker
Save: Jason Townsend
TOG: 3:17
Attendance: 10,116
CURVE, Pa. - A historic day in the history of the Altoona Curve franchise took place on Saturday when the Curve welcomed in their parent club for a second exhibition game in 13 years and it even resulted in an, 8-6, Curve win. 10,116 fans saw the Curve best the Pirates with both clubs using a mixture of both Curve and Pirates players. The previous record-attendance at Peoples Natural Gas Field came in 2006 when Altoona hosted the Eastern League All-Star Game and 9,308 fans watched the stars of tomorrow.
Fireworks went off before the game even started when the two sides announced that they had renewed their Player Development Contract (PDC) for another four seasons, meaning the two teams will remain affiliates through the 2018 season. Once the 2018 season rolls around, the Curve and Pirates will have been affiliated with one another for 20 consecutive seasons.
The affiliation extension was only the first major announcement of the day as the Curve and Eastern League announced that the 2014 All-Star Game would be returning to Altoona on July 16, 2014. It will be the second time the Curve host the Eastern League's version of the mid-summer classic and it will be the first time since the 2006 season.
As for the game itself, Altoona hopped out to an early 4-0 lead on Pirates righty James McDonald. Mel Rojas, Jr. singled to start the game, moved to second on a Matt Curry walk and subsequently scored on Andrew Lambo's RBI-single through the right side. With runners at the corners and less than two down, Adalberto Santos offered up a sacrifice fly to bring Curry in and run the lead to 2-0.
After an Alex Dickerson walk, Carlos Paulino delivered a two-run double to right that had Altoona up by four.
The lead remained until the second when former Curve center fielder Starling Marte blasted a grand slam off of Tony Watson, who was pitching for the Curve in the game, to tie the game at four.
That's where it stayed until Altoona plated four runs in the fifth inning to take a lead it would not relinquish. Nathan Baker, who is a member of the 2013 Curve roster, entered the game in relief for Pittsburgh and walked the bases loaded. All three walked batters eventually came around to score in a four-running inning highlighted by RBI-singles from Justin Howard and Rojas.
The four-run lead would suffice for Altoona as Pittsburgh only scored twice the rest of the way. For the Pirates, Marte finished the day 2-for-3 with his grand slam and four RBI. Russell Martin and Travis Snider also had a pair of hits for Pittsburgh.
On the Altoona side of the diamond, Rojas, Lambo and Howard all each had a pair of hits with Lambo driving in two of Altoona's eight runs.
Posted on March 30, 2013 at 07:04 PM.
ALTOONA, Pa. - The Pittsburgh Pirates and Altoona Curve have extended their Player Development Contract (PDC) through the 2018 season, the two sides announced today prior to the Pirates-Curve Exhibition Game in Altoona. The announcement was made by Curve owner Bob Lozinak, Curve General Manager Rob Egan, Pirates President Frank Coonelly and Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington in front of a standing-room only, capacity-crowd at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Altoona, which at the end of its previous agreement would have already become the longest-standing Pirates affiliate in the modern era, will strengthen its hold on that mark having been affiliated with the Pirates for 20 consecutive seasons at the end of the newest agreement (1999-2018). When the newest extension reaches its 20th season, the Curve will join an exclusive club of minor league teams that have been affiliated with their parent organization for 20 or more consecutive seasons. Of the 160 affiliated teams in MiLB., 26 teams currently have an affiliation with their parent club that is 20 or more years.
"We're excited to extended our affiliation with the Major League club the fans of our region have been passionate about long before the Curve came into being," said Curve Owner Bob Lozinak. "Beginning our 15th season, the roots of the Pirates-Curve relationship are stronger than ever and we're so pleased to see so many of our former players making an impact in Pittsburgh. We're grateful to the Pirates' ownership and management for their commitment to the Curve as further evidenced by their participation in today's exhibition game in Altoona. We look forward to many, many more years as a proud affiliate."
Prior to the Curve-Pirates affiliation, the longest affiliation the Pirates ever had with a minor league affiliate since 1950 was 15 seasons with the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League from 1995-2009. Coming in a close third was the 14-year run between the Bucs and the Triple-A Columbus Jets from 1957-1970.
"We are extremely pleased to continue our terrific, long-term partnership with the Curve," said Pirates President Frank Coonelly. "The Curve represent what we feel is the perfect minor league affiliation for the Pirates in many ways, including the strong ownership group, excellent management team, a great ballpark and, most importantly, the best fans in all of minor league baseball."
Altoona opens up its regular season at 6:35 p.m. on April 4 in Erie where they will take on the SeaWolves (AA - Detroit) in the first of four games. The Curve open the home portion of their schedule at 6:30 p.m. on BOpening Night, April 11 at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona will honor the life of beloved bat boy Bo Forney, who passed away earlier this year, during its home opener. Game-used memorabilia from today's Pirates-Curve Exhibition, along with other items, will be auctioned off during BOpening Night with all proceeds benefitting the American Heart Association.
The first 5,000 fans into the ballpark on BOpening Night will receive a 2013 Magnet Schedule courtesy of Capital Contractors. It's also a Thirsty ThursdayTM presented by Rocky 104.9 with $2 16 oz. Bud Light drafts and half-priced 22 oz. sodas. Members of the Silver Steamers Club presented by Homewood Retirement Centers in Martinsburg & Everett will enjoy their first game of the season on April 11 as well.
by Cash Kruth / MLB.com
A new season is upon us.
And for the Cubs and Pirates, that once again means new hope for two organizations and fan bases in need of positive years.
In Pittsburgh, where the two teams open the 2013 season at 1:35 p.m. ET on Monday at PNC Park, the Pirates are again in search for the winning season that has eluded them for two decades.
For Chicago, now in the second year under the guidance of president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and manager Dale Sveum, it means staying the course in a long-term rebuilding plan that started at the low of 101 losses in 2012.
But while the future is always in mind for Epstein and Co., the goal at the outset of 2013 remains the same for the Cubs as it does the game's other 29 teams: make the postseason.
"Any time you don't compete for the division or one playoff spot, the Wild Card or whatever, it's disappointing," Sveum said. "It doesn't matter if you win 92 and go home or lose 105 -- both teams are going home, whether one won 90 or one lost. It's always disappointing [to not make the postseason] because it's such a long season, 162 games, Spring Training. Anything is disappointing if you don't make the playoffs."
There is reason for optimism in Wrigleyville. The Cubs have a solid infield core of hit machine Starlin Castro at shortstop, a potential star at first base in Anthony Rizzo and a Gold Glove winner in second baseman Darwin Barney. Veteran left fielder Alfonso Soriano is coming off a season in which he drove in a career-high 108 runs and new acquisitions such as Nate Schierholtz and Scott Hairston look to help an offense that finished last season 14th in the National League in scoring.
A handful of signings bolstered the starting rotation, led by right-hander Edwin Jackson, and Opening Day pitcher Jeff Samardzija is ready to be fully unleashed after an impressive first season as a starter.
"This team has a totally different attitude this year," Samardzija said. "To see our lineup from top to bottom, and guys playing the game the right way and having a team approach, I think it's going to pay off huge for us. You've got guys like [center fielder David] DeJesus and Schierholtz who come out and play the game every day. They don't complain, they work hard and that's what it's all about. Now we need to go out and find ways to win games."
That's also what the Pirates are looking to continue to do. They improved from 57 wins in 2010 to 72 in 2011, then won 79 a year ago. Yet 2012 boasted Pittsburgh's second consecutive second-half swoon, as the Pirates once again finished in fourth place. But, players say, that is in the past.
Optimism abounds, as it should, with one of the game's best in Andrew McCutchen, power at third base in Pedro Alvarez and the steady-when-healthy Neil Walker at second and Opening Day starter A.J. Burnett leading the pitching staff.
"We're not going to answer any more last-year questions," Burnett said. "We have to get over the fact that it happened. This year is about to start."
And here it is.
Cubs: The Bench Bunch
Quality reserve players are key for any Major League team, but especially those in the Senior Circuit. Sveum is thrilled with the versatility on his bench, which includes Brent Lillibridge, Hairston, Dave Sappelt, Dioner Navarro, and, likely, Steve Clevenger.
"We have guys who don't strike out on the bench, we've got guys who put the ball in play, guys who hit the ball out of the ballpark -- they're two-way players," Sveum said before the club left Mesa, Ariz. "If Clevenger makes the team, you can pinch-hit for Navarro, pinch-hit for [Welington] Castillo. If Castillo is playing, you can use Navarro and Clevenger as pinch-hitters. It's a very versatile bench and for a National League team, it's nice for me to have all that kind of versatility."
• It's a fresh new season, but the Cubs certainly enter 2013 banged up. Right-handers Matt Garza, Scott Baker and Arodys Vizcaino and third baseman Ian Stewart will open the year on the disabled list.
Pirates: Burnett Excited for First Opening Day Start
Burnett has pitched in many big games in his career, such as the 2009 World Series while with the Yankees. But getting Monday's Opening Day start after his bounce-back 2012 has the righty eager to begin the season, both for himself and his teammates.
"I can't wait. To get to start it off is really exciting," Burnett said. "We're very anxious, have been anxious for a while. It's been a long spring, but there's a bunch of good, positive vibes heading north.
"Now we play games that mean something. It's time to go."
• Infielder Josh Harrison claimed the final bench spot, with the expectation that Brandon Inge (right shoulder blade) will open the season on the DL.
Worth Noting
• Samardzija is opening 2013 where his '12 ended. The young right-hander was shut down following his Sept. 8 start in Pittsburgh, but he certainly went out on a high note, striking out nine in a complete-game win. Samardzija also held the Pirates to one hit in eight shutout innings in a July 23 victory at PNC Park.
• Burnett was 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA in three starts against the Cubs last season, including twirling a complete-game one-hitter on July 31.
Pirates closer Jason Grilli is excited to get the opportunity to anchor the Pirates bullpen and provide leadership in the closer role
by Tim Williams / Piratesprospects.com
The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded for another minor league catcher. This time it’s Troy Snitker, who was acquired from Atlanta for cash considerations a few days ago. So I guess technically, Brian Jeroloman is the “another catcher” since Snitker was added first.
I saw Snitker this morning at Pirate City. He was mostly spending time in the bullpen, warming up pitchers. He was drafted by Atlanta in the 19th round of the 2011 draft. He’s spent most of the last two years in rookie ball, combining for a .230/.317/.372 line in 183 at-bats. He made a few appearances in low-A and high-A, but only for a combined four games. Snitker will stay in extended Spring Training, meaning he’ll probably be depth for the games down here before the short-season leagues start.
I’ve mentioned this a few times in the last week, but the Pirates have been short on position players in the extended Spring Training group. Prior to this move they had four catchers, and if you’ve ever been to Pirate City, you’d see that there’s a need for more than this. Today, for example, there were three catchers warming pitchers up in the bullpen, not to mention the four catchers who were playing in the games. There will be less of a need when the full season teams break, but there will still be a need for catchers.
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