Friday, March 22, 2013
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 06:36 PM.
Pirates' Rally Follows Solid Effort by Gomez
| Tampa Bay Rays at Pittsburgh Pirates | ||||||||||||
| Mar 22, 2013 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Tampa Bay (14-11) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh (11-14-1) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | X | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| W: Hughes, J (1-0, 0.96) L: De La Rosa (0-2, 9.45) S: Alderson | ||||||||||||
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Stefan Welch's three-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning helped the Pirates stun the Rays in a 6-4 comeback victory on Friday.
Welch, a member of Australia's World Baseball Classic team, connected off Kirby Yates on his first Grapefruit League at-bat. Welch was one of several players imported from the Pirates' Minor League camp for the game.
The rally began with Jeff Larish's two-out double off Dane de la Rosa. Lucas May drew a walk to bring up Welch.
Jared Hughes struck out two in a perfect eighth inning to earn the win, with Tim Alderson earning the save.
The Rays had previously attempted a comeback of their own. Run-scoring doubles by Luke Scott and Chris Gimenez capped a three-run go-ahead rally in the sixth. Ben Zobrist's leadoff homer touched off that scoring against left-hander Mike Zagurski.
Alex Cobb went 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs while walking three and striking out five.
John McDonald, the newest Pirates player, had snapped a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the fourth, and pinch-hitter Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly later in the inning had given the Pirates a 3-1 lead.
Jeanmar Gomez went four innings in his start and allowed three hits and a run.
Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead on Shelley Duncan's run-scoring infield grounder in the second, and Felix Pie tied it up for the Pirates with a run-scoring double in the third. Pie's eighth RBI also tied Andrew McCutchen for the team's spring lead.
Up next: Lefty Jeff Locke, in what suddenly appears to be a heated duel with veteran lefty Jonathan Sanchez for a spot in the rotation, will seek his third spring win on Saturday, when the Pirates visit Fort Myers for their rubber game against the Red Sox, live on MLB.TV. The teams have split four meetings heading into the 1:35 p.m. ET contest.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- John McDonald checked into the Pirates' clubhouse, checked out his incongruous No. 80 uniform and described what his role will be -- and why he is so well-suited for it.
Listening to the 38-year-old veteran was eerie. His words exactly echoed what manager Clint Hurdle had pined for last summer.
"It's an extremely tough job to do, to sit for a couple of weeks, and then go out and play defense in the eighth inning and be perfect," McDonald said. "But the challenge of that is something I think about all the time. And it's something I want."
With the 2013 Bucs, it is something McDonald will get. He has played 125-plus games at each infield position, save first base. Shortstop Clint Barmes needs a break, or third baseman Pedro Alvarez needs to sit out a nasty lefty? Page McDonald -- who will also be Mr. Double-Switch.
"My mindset is, it does not matter if you don't play me for a while. I want to go in when no one else wants to go in. I'm never sitting there worrying about the fact I'm not playing. It's OK by me. I'm in the big leagues, and there is no other place that you want to be, playing baseball. And trying to help my team win."
So when general manager Neal Huntington acquired McDonald a couple days ago from Arizona for a player to be named, Hurdle got the patient veteran he wanted to see on his bench. While acknowledging McDonald's persona, however, Hurdle knows that is not enough, and touched on it in his first conversation with him.
"All that other stuff is great," Hurdle said to McDonald. "But can you still play?"
That broke up McDonald, which was all Hurdle had wanted.
"Sometimes," the manager said, "you've just got to lighten the mood."
OK. But can the 38-year-old McDonald still play?
As good as he has, which might seem as light praise for someone who has not had more than 353 at-bats in any of his 14 seasons. But McDonald has always been the do-everything type. He is the latter-day Ducky Schofield, the 1960 Pirates hero who averaged 70 games in a 19-year career.
Since 2009, McDonald has committed a total of 11 errors while playing 272 games at four different positions.
Huntington -- Cleveland's farm director when McDonald broke in with the turn-of-the-century Indians -- portrayed in candid terms the appeal of McDonald, who has already forced Ivan De Jesus out of Major League camp and also has Josh Harrison's status in jeopardy.
"Josh and Ivan have done some good things in camp," Huntington said, "but they're nowhere near the defensive ability of John McDonald."
Knowing all spring there was no room for him in the D-backs' overcrowded infield, the New England native and resident is stoked that the inevitable move brought him closer to home.
"I was pretty aware something would happen with too many middle infielders in Arizona, and when this opportunity came up as a possibility, I started to get excited right away," McDonald said. "Watching from the other side what this club did last year was fun. To be part of this franchise, the history of it ... it was fun just to walk in here and see the uniforms."
As for his own No. 80? McDonald wore No. 16 with the D-backs, and for seven years prior to that was No. 6 in Toronto.
"As long as I got a spot in the locker room, it's all good," said McDonald. "When you wear a Major League uniform, there are no negatives. I try to instill that in younger players, that they should appreciate putting on one of these 30 uniforms."
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Right-hander Bryan Morris was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday morning by the Pirates, who also reassigned to Minor League camp infielders Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Jared Goedert.
The moves left 37 players in the Bucs' camp, including an injured quartet not actively participating in preseason action.
De Jesus was one of four players acquired from Boston in the deal featuring former Pirates All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan, and he had a productive spring, batting .406 in 21 Grapefruit League games.
De Jesus' exploits in camp followed his batting title in the Puerto Rico Winter League, so he left with a growing list of credits.
The 25-year-old's exit prompt could not have been more obvious: The original lineup for Friday's game against Tampa Bay had him playing at shortstop, but that start instead went to newcomer John McDonald.
"He did a lot of good things to open some eyes," general manager Neal Huntington said of De Jesus. "As we told him, we got one of the better defensive infielders in the game to be a backup for us, and that impacted him."
De Jesus had been in camp on a non-roster invitation, as was Goedert, 27, who was signed as a Minor League free agent out of the Cleveland organization.
Morris, who is ranked as the Pirates' No. 14 overall prospect, was considered a top candidate to land a relief job, but despite a win and a save this spring, he dealt with inconsistency. He posted a 5.14 ERA in seven appearances.
The 25-year-old's main drawback, however, was having recently been given a fourth option, making him eligible for the Pirates to farm him out without fear of losing him to another team on a waiver claim.
"Yeah, options sometimes do come into play," Huntington conceded. "In Bryan's case, it allows him to get down and refine all his pitches, because when he does, he'll be a very good Major League pitcher for a long time. There's very little doubt he's going to help us at some point this season."
"I'm not far away," said Morris, who would not use the abundance of hurlers in camp, which limited his innings, as an excuse for his erratic pitching. "I have to go down there and put myself in a good position to get back up here with more time on the mound.
"When I did get opportunities, I wasn't as sharp as I should've been, and that's part of the game. My body just wasn't right with my mechanics. I hope I can get back to what I need to be doing."
The 37 players in camp include Chase d'Arnaud, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list following surgery Monday on his left thumb, and rehabbing pitchers Charlie Morton, Jose Contreras and Francisco Liriano.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 10:46 PM.
Sanchez Throws Five Scoreless in Bid for Rotation
| Pittsburgh Pirates at Baltimore Orioles | ||||||||||||
| Mar 21, 2013 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Pittsburgh (10-14-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Baltimore (15-6-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Pirates starter Jonathan Sanchez and the Orioles' Jake Arrieta swapped zeroes in an impressive pitching duel in a 10-inning, 0-0 tie on Thursday night at Ed Smith Stadium.
Sanchez, who can opt out of his contract on Sunday, cruised through his outing with four strikeouts. Third baseman Manny Machado had both of the Orioles' hits against Sanchez with a pair of singles. Sanchez issued a walk to Lew Ford in the second inning for Baltimore's only other baserunner through his five innings.
Starling Marte reached twice for the Pirates, with a leadoff double in the first and a fifth-inning walk, while Travis Snider doubled in the sixth off Ford's foot on a ball that he lost in the lights.
Pittsburgh's Gaby Sanchez was scratched before the game with an allergic reaction, with Brad Hawpe replacing him as the designated hitter.
Arrieta -- who is fighting for the Orioles' fifth rotation spot -- tossed six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts while Sanchez allowed just two hits over his five frames.
Last year's Opening Day starter, Arrieta extended his scoreless inning streak to 14 2/3 innings in the process, allowing six hits and two walks in an impressive outing. The 27-year-old, who also pitched in an exhibition game against Spain, has appeared in five spring games (four starts), allowing three earned runs on 13 hits and eight walks with 16 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings.
Orioles reliever Luis Ayala pitched a scoreless seventh.
Up next for the Pirates: Pittsburgh will face the Rays, who are playing a split-squad game, at 1:05 p.m. ET on Friday at McKechnie Field. Jeanmar Gomez will start against Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- The next visitor in the Pirates' Spring Training camp will be the Grim Reaper -- as old-timers referred to the annual rite of cutting players. Before the weekend is out, possibly two sets of trims will reduce the 49 players still in big-league camp.
That number includes 21 pitchers, including five non-roster invitees, several of whom could be reassigned and/or released even prior to Friday afternoon's game against the Rays.
If the tentative lineup for that game is any indication, moves affecting position players could soon follow. Whether by coincidence or by design, that lineup is comprised almost exclusively of players on the bubble:
Alex Presley CF; Jose Tabata LF; Felix Pie RF; Brandon Inge 2B; Brad Hawpe 1B; Josh Harrison 3B; Michael McKenry C; Ivan De Jesus SS; Jeanmar Gomez P.
Of interest, Inge and Hawpe both can opt out of their Minor League deals on Tuesday if not placed on the 40-man Major League roster. Left-hander Jonathan Sanchez,who started Thursday night's game against the Orioles, gets to make the same decision this Sunday.
After this weekend, the Bucs will have only six games remaining in Florida. They will break camp and head north next Thursday.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- John McDonald, the newest Pirate, wasn't yet in camp on Thursday. Safe to say, the veteran's reputation preceded him.
"He's a good teammate. Good attitude, hard worker," said A.J. Burnett, a teammate of McDonald's with the 2006-08 Toronto Blue Jays. "He brings a great glove to have around. My time with Johnny was good. He's a veteran guy who has been around both leagues, and brings a lot to the table."
Burnett's memories of the 14-year veteran may be a little faded, so it is notewrothy that his most recent manager described him in similar terms.
In fact, considering the D-backs spent much of the offseason chasing their manager's vision of a crew of hard-edged gamers, it was quite difficult for Kirk Gibson to see McDonald become the victim of infielder overcrowding.
Calling McDonald "the ultimate professional," Gibson said that if the Bucs were seeking a clubhouse mentor, they got the right man.
"Great leadership on and off the field," Gibson told MLB.com of the 38-year-old. "Really helped drive us to a different place as a team. Contributed a ton. I told him, 'I don't know how much longer you're going to play, but you have a great gift for the game and I know you have children, but please consider staying in the game after you're done playing.' I think he just has a great gift."
PITTSBURGH — On March 21, 2013, the world’s largest travel site, TripAdvisor, named PNC Park the top ballpark to visit in the United States.
The site announced the top 10 ballparks in the U.S. according to popularity, and Pittsburgh’s PNC Park was No. 1.
The site said, “Perched along the Allegheny River, this renowned ballpark features spectacular sights of the Steel City skyline and the beautiful Clemente Bridge. A unique two-level ballpark that opened in 2001, PNC Park provides an intimate setting and spectacular views and sightlines from anywhere in the stadium.”
A TripAdvisor traveler commented, “The views of the city from the ballpark are beautiful; great food and beer selections.”
The other parks to make TripAdvisor’s list were, in order, AT&T Park in San Francisco, Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Fenway Park in Boston, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Petco Park in San Diego, Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and Wrigley Field in Chicago.
“Nothing says Americana like a day out at the old ball game, and the TripAdvisor community has identified these popular stadiums as the finest,” said Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications at TripAdvisor. “From the architecture of the buildings, to the stunning views of the surroundings, to the local culinary delights, these parks provide travelers with baseball-rich experiences that will last a lifetime.”
Pedro Alvarez talks about the need for the Pirates to get off to a good start this year and keep the momentum going all season long
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
by Paul Hagen / MLB.com
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Right-hander Kyle McPherson is trying to become the Pirates' fifth starter. He didn't help his case by giving up eight earned runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Braves at Champion Stadium. He gave up 10 hits, including three doubles and a homer.
"He was trying to follow a game plan and that was problematic," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Command was up early. The execution part of the arsenal was really inconsistent. That's really kind of what went sideways on him, the execution part of everything."
Hurdle indicated that performance at this point of the spring weighs more heavily because the start of the regular season is a week-and-a-half away.
"You'd like to think that," he said. "You have to look at everything. That's a quality lineup over there. So it is what it is. It is late. We're trying to make decisions. And the one thing he did do, he did not back down. He kept firing and kept battling, which we expect all our men to do. At the same time, we've got to find ways to get outs and to execute with more consistency, especially as we're closing in on things."
McPherson, the Pirates' seventh-rated prospect according to MLB.com, remained upbeat after the 18-9 loss.
"I just went out there and tried to establish the fastball early," he said. "I just wound up giving up some of those ground balls you wish could be hit toward position players. But then again, that's just how the game is and you have to continue to go after the next hitter and battle on, pitch after pitch."
Six of the first seven Braves hitters reached on hits and pitching coach Ray Searage made an early trip to the mound.
"He just came out there and told me to slow the game down a little bit, continue to execute pitches," McPherson said. "Keep a narrow focus on the task at hand. You just have to continue to pound the zone, mix up your pitches and stay aggressive. That's what I think I did. Right, wrong or indifferent you're going to give up ground-ball hits. Then again, you're going to go out there and get the best plays made. So you've just got to take them as they come and keep moving forward."
The 25-year-old McPherson is 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA this spring. His primary competition for the rotation is Jeff Locke, who is 2-1, 3.12.
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 08:00 PM.
McCutchen's Second Home Run of Spring Not Enough as Braves Drub Pirates 18-9
| Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves | ||||||||||||
| Mar 20, 2013 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Pittsburgh (10-14) | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 16 | 3 |
| Atlanta (15-11) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | X | 18 | 21 | 2 |
| W: Minor (2-0, 5.50) L: McPherson (0-2, 8.31) | ||||||||||||
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Freddie Freeman and Andrelton Simmons each hit a pair of home runs, and the Braves' potent offense once again erupted in Wednesday afternoon's 18-9 win over the Pirates at Champion Stadium.
The Braves, who hit five home runs, scored 17 runs in their last game, a win over the Phillies on Monday.
Freeman highlighted his 4-for-4 performance with a pair of two-run shots. Simmons hit a three-run blast, a solo shot and doubled in his first Grapefruit League game since leaving for the World Baseball Classic on Feb. 23.
Freeman finished a triple shy of the cycle and leads the Grapefruit League with seven home runs. The Braves first baseman hit an opposite-field home run off the left-center field scoreboard in the second inning and then capped his productive afternoon by sending a Vin Mazzaro pitch over the right-field wall in the fifth.
Simmons, who helped the Netherlands reach the Classic semifinals, drilled a solo home run off Pirates starter Kyle McPherson in the fourth, and his three-run shot came off Mazzaro in the fifth. The Braves shortstop started a five-run first inning with a double off the center-field wall.
Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor capped the scoring in the first with an RBI double, but experienced his shakiest outing of the spring. He allowed five runs on 10 hits and three walks and lasted only four innings. He recorded five strikeouts -- three against Starling Marte -- and benefited from two Pirates being tagged out at the plate.
The Pirates pulled within 7-5 with a four-run third inning highlighted by Andrew McCutchen's two-run home run. Michael McKenry and McPherson capped the inning's scoring with consecutive RBI singles.
McKenry drove in three runs, Alex Presley drove in two and Brandon Inge went 2-for-5.
Up Next: Left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, a non-roster invitee, will start against the Orioles in a 7:05 p.m. ET game at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on Thursday. Sanchez is 1-1, with a 7.56 ERA in five appearances (two starts) in Grapefruit League play.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Pirates have acquired infielder John McDonald from the D-backs for a player to be named later or cash considerations, general manager Neal Huntington announced Wednesday.
The move comes two days after Chase d'Arnaud, who was expected to make the team as a backup shortstop, had surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left thumb. To make room for McDonald on the 40-man roster, d'Arnaud was placed on the 60-day disabled list.
The 38-year-old McDonald played 70 games for Arizona last season at shortstop, second base and third base, and had a .996 fielding percentage, making only one error in 469 chances. He hit .249 with six home runs and 22 RBIs.
"He's obviously a very accomplished defensive player. Veteran presence. Quality guy on and off the field that provides us with some depth and stability," Huntington said. "At a spot where we all of a sudden didn't have a lot of depth and stability.
"First and foremost, we liked the defense. We liked the player a lot. Secondly, he comes with some experience. He's been through the battles of a Major League season and we expect he's going to give us some versatility off the bench and we can rest [starting shortstop] Clint Barmes when appropriate. He provides us some organizational depth at a position where there's not a lot of industry depth."
McDonald will make $1.5 million this year and can be a free agent at the end of the season.
Injury Update
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Chase d'Arnaud, who appeared on track to make the Pirates' Opening Day roster, had surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left thumb on Monday at the Cleveland Clinic. He is expected to be out 5-8 weeks.
"I kind of knew when I went [to the clinic] that I was going to have the surgery. It really [stinks]. I worked hard this offseason, so the timing of this is really annoying," d'Arnaud told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Tribune-Review.
d'Arnaud suffered the injury during a baserunning drill last Saturday. At first, it was believed he wasn't seriously injured. However, an MRI later revealed the tear. He'll be re-evaluated on April 1.
General manager Neal Huntington said losing d'Arnaud helped trigger Wednesday's trade that brought infielder John McDonald from Arizona.
"Jordy Mercer has done everything we could have asked him to do here in Spring Training, and now he'll shift the competition focus to make the club as an extra guy, corner utility guy," Huntington said of the player on the 40-man roster who was expected to fill d'Arnaud's role. "Yeah, without the injury to Chase we're probably not as motivated to make this type of move. But with the injury to Chase, and as shallow as the shortstop position is in the industry and for us at the upper levels of the organization -- we have some young guys we're excited about in the future -- but shortstop is a position where you have to take care of the baseball."
The 26-year-old d'Arnaud made his Major League debut in 2011 and was a September callup last season. In seven Grapefruit League games this spring, he was hitting .214.
by Tracy Ringolsby
PITTSBURGH -- Neil Walker understands the plight of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He has lived it.
More than being the second baseman for the Pirates, he's a Pittsburgh native. He grew up a Bucs fan.
Walker was 7 years old on Oct. 14, 1992, when Atlanta rallied in the bottom of the ninth in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on a two-out, two-run Francisco Cabrera pinch-hit single, with Sid Bream sliding into home ahead of a Barry Bonds throw to the plate to cap a 3-2 Braves win over the Pirates.
"I was so upset after that game," Walker said. "So close, and then ... "
Little did Walker, or anybody else, realize what was ahead for the Pirates, a team which won three consecutive NL East titles from 1990-92, but never advanced to the World Series. Pittsburgh hasn't posted a winning record, much less won a division title, since.
The 20 consecutive losing seasons is the longest streak in the history of North American professional team sports. And Walker has been an active part of each of the last four. He made his big league debut in September 2009, and he has been the Pirates' starting second baseman the last three years
And Walker wants to be part of the Pittsburgh team that starts the upward trend for the Pirates to regain that status.
The franchise played its first NL game on April 30, 1887, and is one of the oldest clubs in professional baseball. Forty Hall of Famers have had ties to the team. And despite the struggles of the past 20 years, the Bucs' all-time winning percentage is .503. Pittsburgh has won five World Series championships.
The Pirates, however, have not been to the postseason since 1992, the longest drought in the NL and second longest in the big leagues. Kansas City hasn't played a playoff game since '85.
Pittsburgh lost 105 games during Walker's rookie season in 2010, the third most in franchise history, and is a combined 208-278 in his three full years in the big leagues.
The Bucs' first-round Draft choice and the 11th player taken overall in 2004, Walker's ties to the team run deeper than his playing career.
"Three Rivers [Stadium] was my second home," Walker said of the Pirates' home prior to the opening of PNC Park in 2001. "My dad is a member of the Pirate alumni."
Tom Walker was a right-handed pitcher who played in the big leagues from 1972-77 with Montreal, Detroit, St. Louis and the California Angels. He finished his career in '78 with Pittsburgh's Triple-A team, and early in his career, played winter ball in Puerto Rico with Bucs legend Roberto Clemente, who talked him out of accompanying Clemente on that fatal flight of mercy on Dec. 31, 1972.
"I'm aware," Neil Walker said of the Pirates' storied history that has been overshadowed by two decades of failure. "I know about Clemente, Willie Stargell and 'Maz.'"
"Maz," as Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski is known, worked with Walker on making the transition to second base. Signed as a catcher, Walker didn't move to the infield until his fourth year in pro ball.
"Regardless of what has happened the last 20 years, the Pirates are one of the best organizations in the history of baseball," Walker said.
And while outsiders talk about the late-season fades the Pirates have suffered in the past two years, Walker sees them as providing promise for the future. The Bucs were in first place as late as July 25, 2011, but won only 19 of their final 62 games, slipping below .500 for good at 54-55 on Aug. 3 that season. A year ago, Pittsburgh led the NL Central as late as July 18, was a season-best 16 games above .500 on Aug, 8, but lost 36 of its final 52 games
What frustrated Walker is the Pirates lost 24 of the final 35 games. He started only six of those games because of a lower back problem that was the focus of his offseason workouts.
"This game can throw you curves," Walker said.
Pittsburgh, however, continued to rework its roster, looking to add depth. In addition to the July 24 acquisition of lefty Wandy Rodriguez from Houston last season, the offseason additions included left-handed starting pitcher Francisco Liriano, right-handed reliever Mark Melancon and catcher Russell Martin.
Now. ...
"The last two years have not ended the way we want," said Walker. "We played a lot of good baseball, but did not get done what we needed to get done.
"Our motto this year is, 'Finish every pitch. Finish every at-bat. Finish every inning.'"
And if it all goes the way Walker hopes, the Pirates will finish the two decades of failure.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pedro Alvarez is not a March hitter. If he had to earn a job in Spring Training, he wouldn't have one. That's just the way it is with some players, especially those with some tenure who are comfortable with preparing for the season while oblivious to preseason stats.
Also while looking at the big picture, the Pirates are likewise getting comfortable with the idea Alvarez could fulfill one of the team's biggest hopes for 2013 -- that he can grow into the everyday cleanup hitter.
Alvarez is batting .161, characteristic of his spring. What is not typical of him are the six strikeouts in 31 at-bats, a true indication of the solid contact he has been making.
"For me," manager Clint Hurdle said, "it started in Kissimmee [Friday, against the Astros]. He had three good at-bats, and even the one time he struck out against a left-hander, he was on every pitch, with good timing. He's taking good, aggressive swings."
Hurdle will always tinker with his lineup, moving around even regulars depending on the sort of pitcher the team faces and the type of offensive approach is needed. He often cites how successful Tony La Russa was with his forever fluid Cardinals lineups.
The one player Hurdle would like to plant and leave alone, though, is Alvarez in the four-hole.
"We'll be best served when he puts his foot down and takes ownership of that spot," Hurdle said. "You'd like to find a guy you can put in there and leave alone, and Pedro is definitely one we're considering.
"I definitely think he's got much more confidence now than going into last season, and we can anticipate him building upon the productive way he got through some great challenges he faced last year."
Hurdle referenced what had to be the most impressive aspect of Alvarez's 2012: In mid-June -- interestingly, at the end of a failed month-long trial at cleanup -- he was batting .189, with eight homers and 25 RBIs; from that point on to the end of the season, he was a .274-hitter, with 22 homers and 60 RBIs.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle and general manager Neal Huntington could be excused if they awoke in a cold sweat Wednesday morning.
The realization that they were 12 days, and nine games, from Opening Day could be unsettling. There are still 43 players in the Major League camp. But the "problem" isn't quantity, but the quality that renders several looming decisions as arduous.
Those final dozen preseason days will be extremely busy for Huntington, who doubtless is in conversation with multiple teams about deals that could ease some of the congestion in his camp.
Some tough calls -- such as having more deserving candidates than vacancies on the pitching staff -- could be foreseen. Others may have blindsided the staff, which, obviously, calls them "good problems to have."
For instance, Ivan De Jesus' solid play -- nine hits in his last 19 at-bats have lifted his average to .400 -- is complicating the battle for two reserve infielder spots. Incumbents Jordy Mercer (.368) and Josh Harrison (.286) have also been productive -- and the latter has also dazzled with the glove.
Brandon Inge, the sentimental favorite entering Spring Training, has not yet been a factor.
The outfield crunch appeared somewhat eased when Jose Tabata, who'd gotten off to a torrid start, cooled. Tabata, however, may still have the inside track to one of two backup jobs because the three other prime candidates are all left-handed hitters.
Good luck choosing there, since all three are performing well: Alex Presley (.297) has provided the spark atop the lineup that he couldn't last season, Felix Pie (.281) also adds speed in the field and Brad Hawpe has a clock ticking toward a March 24 opt-out clause.
Hawpe's performance has not been compelling -- five hits and 15 strikeouts in 32 at-bats -- but his swing still is. His experience would make him the ideal man to bring off the bench when the Pirates need a long ball; however, there is little room for such a specialist on a modern 25-man roster squeezed by a 12-man pitching staff.
Hawpe does have a long home run -- but Pie has two of them, and also shares the team lead with seven RBIs.
KHarmo88
55
2,118 Forum Posts
537 Blog Entries
641 News/Blog Comments
1 Reader Score Votes
48 Friends
63 Chalkboard Messages
142 Screenshots
37 Videos
248,362 Arena Visits
More
KHarmo88's Friends
Recent Visitors
The last 10 visitor(s) to this Arena were:
KHarmo88's Arena has had 248,362 visits
- c.morecake2304
- Deegeezy
- dfsJunkie
- hearndt
- InspireOthers14
- jct32
- joshrmlb
- Kodii Rockets
- MoneyMan17
- NateX1612
KHarmo88's Arena has had 248,362 visits
Working...