Monday, March 18, 2013
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- With 15 days and a language gap between appearances, Jason Grilli did not miss a beat -- or a chance to instill confidence in his ability to flourish as the Pirates' new closer.
Fresh from the World Baseball Classic hothouse, Grilli returned to the chill-out Grapefruit League on Monday, pitching one perfect inning in the Bucs' 4-3 comeback win over the Red Sox.
"Everything feels great," Grilli said after an inning in which no ball was hit out of the infield off him. "It was nice to be back in a game, facing hitters. That's who those guys standing there with bats were, right?"
Grilli had last pitched in a game on March 6, when he saved Italy's win over Mexico in the Classic. He had thrown only bullpen sessions since.
"Whether he was effective or ineffective, it was just good to have him back pitching," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He was sharp, had a good carry to his fastball and threw a couple of breaking balls with nice bite."
Grilli's interrupted Spring Training has consisted of five innings -- even including the one inning he pitched in the Classic. He agreed with his manager's assessment that he would not need, say, 20 innings to be ready for the regular season.
"I was throwing in the upper-90s in the Classic and showed I was able to throw 30 pitches in an inning," Grilli said, alluding to closing out the win over Mexico after the bases got loaded. "That wasn't ideal, but that was two innings worth of bullets and I was strong enough to do it. Now I'm just trying to get locked in, focused on what I'm supposed to do."
Grilli likes doing it for these guys -- who apparently like to have him do it.
"Seeing these guys and hearing them say they missed me," Grilli said with a broad grin, "I guess it means I'm liked around here a little bit, so that's good."
Posted on March 18, 2013 at 06:44 PM.
Sanchez's Seventh-Inning Homer Lifts Bucs
| Boston Red Sox at Pittsburgh Pirates | ||||||||||||
| Mar 18, 2013 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Boston (13-10) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh (10-13) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | x | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| W: Melancon (1-0, 1.29) L: Carpenter (0-2, 4.32) S: Morris | ||||||||||||
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Gaby Sanchez hit his team-leading fourth Grapefruit League home run as the Pirates rallied for a 4-3 win over the Red Sox at McKechnie Field on Monday afternoon.
Trailing, 2-1, in the seventh, Pittsburgh got a leadoff walk from Josh Harrison and then Sanchez crushed a Chris Carpenter offering over the left-field fence.
For his second straight start, James McDonald endured a shaky first inning and then settled into dominance. On Wednesday, he allowed three runs in the first to Toronto and then retired 14 of the last 17 batters he faced. In Monday's game, he gave up two runs on three first-inning hits and then held the Red Sox to one other hit over his final 4 1/3 frames.
The right-hander also notched six strikeouts and issued three free passes.
One day after Jon Lester hurled six perfect innings, Boston starter Clay Buchholz pitched one-hit ball for five innings on Monday. Buchholz gave up his first run of the spring, but he was extremely sharp for a fourth consecutive start, limiting the Pirates to a second-inning homer by Neil Walker. In 13 1/3 innings, the righty has allowed seven hits and a run.
For Walker, who was hampered by injuries the last six weeks of the 2012 season, the homer was his first since Aug. 12.
Ryan Lavarnway's two-run single off McDonald in the first gave Boston a quick 2-0 lead.
Jason Grilli, the Pirates' new closer who had been away participating in the World Baseball Classic with Italy, made his first Grapefruit League appearance since March 3. Grilli came on in the sixth and retired the side in order.
Michael McKenry tacked on an insurance run in the eighth when he hit a leadoff homer off Oscar Villarreal.
Up next: The Pirates have their second and final break in the Grapefruit League schedule on Tuesday and then resume play with a Wednesday visit to the Wonderful World of Disney for a 1:05 p.m. ET game against the Braves. The game will air live on MLB.TV. Kyle McPherson is due to make his fifth start off the Bucs' best outing of the spring, his five innings of four-hit shutout pitching on Thursday against the Phillies. Andrew McCutchen is expected back in the lineup to work on his .172 preseason average.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Gerrit Cole left disappointed. The Pirates watched him leave with anticipation.
Pittsburgh's premier prospect could not hide his disgruntlement Monday morning upon being informed he was one of six, including five pitchers, being sent to Minor League camp.
"I sort of knew [this was coming], but it's pretty disappointing. I pitched really well. I tried not to give them a whole lot of opportunity to make this decision," Cole said.
"We're excited about it. He showed up great here in camp," general manager Neal Huntington said. "There's still a checklist for him to work on, and we're very confident he will get it accomplished. He has the stuff you hope to build a rotation around."
Reassigned to Minor League camp along with Cole were fellow pitchers Brooks Brown, Kris Johnson and Kyle Waldrop, and catcher Ali Solis. Right-hander Phil Irwin was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis, leaving 49 players in camp, including 12 on non-roster invitations.
But, understandably, the others were subheads to the Cole headline.
The 2011 No. 1 Draft choice appeared in four games, including a start in the exhibition against Spain's World Baseball Classic team, and allowed 10 hits and four runs in 13 innings, with three walks and 13 strikeouts.
Huntington addressed the inevitable speculation that the move with Cole was made to delay his service-time clock. Players who begin their Major League careers prior to June reach each stage of salary leverage -- arbitration, then free agency -- a year sooner.
"Everybody is going to speculate why he is being sent out -- and they're wrong," Huntington said. "He's being sent out because in our minds he's not ready to compete, to be successful at the Major League level, to be one of those top-of-the-rotation starters, our goal for him."
Whatever the motive for his departure now, it is everyone's expectation that Cole's express will pull into the big league station at some point this season.
Asked whether he expected to be in the Majors later this year, Cole replied with a firm, "Yes."
"But that doesn't make me feel any better," he added. "I worked really hard this spring, and put together a lot of good outings, especially when I didn't have my stuff."
Huntington also referred to Cole's last start, against the Twins on Saturday, when he coped with baserunners in each of his four innings yet limited the damage to one run.
"A start against the Twins with half of their 'A' lineup in the middle of March is different from a start against a playoff-caliber team in the middle of May," the GM said. "He learned some valuable lessons here in Spring Training.
"We told Gerrit it feels like the Andrew McCutchen situation of a few years ago, with the checklist for him to work on."
That was a somewhat ironic comparison for Huntington to make, given that McCutchen was optioned after batting .318 in the Spring Training of 2009 -- and promoted for his big league debut on June 4 (in his case, the service-clock became irrelevant a year ago as the Pirates signed him to a long-term deal even before he became arbitration-eligible).
"They didn't really give me anything specific [to work on]," Cole said. "They give you the same old stuff: Just keep doing what you're doing, you'll tell us when you're ready."
Sunday, March 17, 2013
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Before an out was recorded in the first inning, New York Yankees runners had three stolen bases on their former catcher, Russell Martin, and wound up with four steals while he was in the game, an 11-9 Pirates loss at McKechnie Field.
Bases, however, may not have been the only things being stolen by the Yankees. At one point during Phil Irwin's start, Martin had a long mound conversation with the rookie about his signs getting picked up by runners on second.
"Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. Maybe [they were] picking up the location," said Martin, nonplussed. "We're going with really simple signs, right now. Teams practice the way they'll play during the season, and teams do do that. The only way for us to counter is just by being prepared, so it doesn't become an issue. So this is also the time for us to make adjustments."
In other words, an extension of the good, old, "That's what Spring Training is for," advisory.
As for the steals -- Eduardo Nunez had two, including a double steal with Brennan Boesch, and Melky Mesa had another -- Martin turned the other cheek, virtually gratefully.
"I'm glad they were running, because I finally got in some throwing," said Martin, who missed two weeks of catching activity with a sore shoulder. "They weren't running on me, they were running on the team.
"You can't be more confident than me behind the plate when it comes to throwing guys out. I know I have a really good arm, and I'm as quick as all get-out."
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Did left-hander Jeff Locke further his chances to land a spot in the Pirates' rotation by pitching in relief?
It certainly looked that way on Sunday, when Locke posted four scoreless innings in the middle of the Bucs' 11-9 loss to the New York Yankees.
The two-hit, one-walk performance was one of Locke's most effective of five spring outings, the other four having been starts.
"Well, we could start only one guy," manager Clint Hurdle said by way of explaining why Phil Irwin started the game on the mound and Locke started it in the bullpen. "And we wanted Phil to match up for the competition level [before subs overtook the Yanks' lineup]."
In his prior outing, Locke had been chased in the fourth by the Orioles, after allowing eight hits and two runs. But, remarkably, Hurdle said he did some things better in his last outing.
"He did have four three-ball counts [on Sunday]," said Hurdle. "As a staff, we've got to continue ramping up our first-pitch strikes. The last couple of games, we've pitched behind in the count more than we like to. [Jeff] is continuing to grow and learn."
Posted on March 17, 2013 at 05:19 PM.
Alvarez Shows Signs of Life at Plate in Bucs' Loss
| New York Yankees at Pittsburgh Pirates | ||||||||||||
| Mar 17, 2013 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| New York (9-14) | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh (9-13) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 2 |
| W: Nova (1-0, 3.21) L: Irwin (0-1, 6.97) S: Whitley | ||||||||||||
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Melky Mesa smoked a grand slam and Kevin Youkilis added three RBIs on Sunday as the Yankees downed the Pirates, 11-9, in Grapefruit League play.
A McKechnie Field-record crowd of 8,541 saw Ivan Nova (1-0) scatter six hits over five innings for the Yankees (9-14).
Youkillis drilled his third spring homer with a man on in the first, and doubled home a run in the second. Both blows came off Pirates starter Phil Irwin (0-1).
Irwin walked the first two men he faced in the third. Mike Zagurski relieved him with one out and also walked Dan Johnson to load the green-colored bases for Mesa, who unloaded them with a shot into the left-center bleachers.
The Pirates (9-13) broke through in the fourth on RBI doubles by Pedro Alvarez and Gaby Sanchez, with Travis Snider adding a sacrifice fly later in the inning to make it 8-3.
Alvarez went 2-for-2, with two doubles and a walk to raise his spring average to .172.
Clint Barmes added a solo homer, his second, in the fifth.
Up next: James McDonald hopes for a carryover from his last start -- he retired 14 of the last 17 Blue Jays he faced on Wednesday -- when he faces the Red Sox at McKechnie Field on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Posted on March 17, 2013 at 04:45 PM.
McKechnie Field, which is named after Pittsburgh native, former Bradenton resident and Hall of Fame manager Bill McKechnie, was originally built in 1923. It has been renovated several times over the years, including major upgrades in 2013, to become one of baseball's finest facilities.
The centerpiece of the 2013 renovations was a 19,000 square foot boardwalk spanning the outfield. Updates also included new group areas with enhanced sight lines to the field, expanded restroom facilities, new concessions locations and an enlarged Fan Plaza. Massive palm trees now dot the landscape, augmenting the charm of the 90-year-old stadium. The Boardwalk Barbeque Area, located on the boardwalk in the right field area, gives groups of 25 or more the chance to enjoy an all-you-can eat pregame picnic in full view of the field. On the opposite side of the ballpark, the Left Field Party Deck features a high-end catering menu and an incredible vantage point to watch the game. In addition, every individual reserved seat was removed from the park, and 4,600 new, more comfortable seats were installed. And new covered bleachers with 570 seats were added in left field, expanding McKechnie Field's capacity to more than 8,500.
"This project speaks to the strength of our partnership with Bradenton and Manatee County," said Pirates Chairman of the Board Bob Nutting. "It is a partnership of that, I believe, is the strongest in Major League Baseball thanks to the local leadership of Mayor Poston, the City Council, the County Commission, Tourist Development Council, Bradenton Downtown Development Authority and, most importantly, the support of the Bradenton community."
In 2006, the city of Bradenton received a grant from the state of Florida to upgrade the Pirates' Spring Training facilities. The upgrades include lights and a new visitor's clubhouse at McKechnie Field and new offices, dormitories, renovations to the minor league clubhouse and a fifth practice field at the minor league complex.
McKechnie Field renovations from 1991-93 included new grounds, wide access ramps, concession stands, kiosks and improved sight lines, all while maintaining a ballpark's classic ambiance. The palm-tree lined park was integrated into the already 1920s Spanish-mission style by using masonry, stucco and structural steel materials. McKechnie Field was even pulled back from the street, allowing for the creation of a public plaza and walkway around the park. Inside McKechnie, fans moved closer to the field by expanding seating capacity from approximately 4,200 seats to more than 6,500 seats.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Posted on March 16, 2013 at 11:57 PM.
Top Prospect Cole Fans Four in Solid Outing
| Pittsburgh Pirates at Minnesota Twins | ||||||||||||
| Mar 16, 2013 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Pittsburgh (9-12) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Minnesota (11-10) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | x | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| W: Walters (2-0, 0.00) L: Johnson, K (1-2, 3.18) S: Perdomo | ||||||||||||
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Gerrit Cole, the Pirates' top prospect, and the Twins' Cole De Vries both posted strong outings on Saturday in a pitchers' duel eventually won by the Twins, 2-1.
Cole allowed five hits in four innings, allowing one run and striking out four batters.
"I didn't have a lot of stuff out there today," Cole said. "I had to go out there and compete. That's part of the game, still put your team in the best spot. I had to pitch a lot more today, without that good stuff."
De Vries, who entered Saturday's game having not given up an earned run in seven innings pitched this spring, saw that streak unravel in the top of the first inning when Alex Presley, who led off the game with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch, scored on a sacrifice fly from Gaby Sanchez to make it a 1-0 game for the visitors.
It was the only run charged to De Vries, who worked three innings of two-hit ball, striking out one and walking two in his latest audition for a spot in the Twins' starting rotation.
"I think you'd be an idiot if you didn't know that [there's a spot open on the starting rotation], so I'm going out there and competing every day like one of those spots is mine to lose," De Vries said. "I go out there and pack as much as I can and pitch my game. I feel like if I pitch my game, I'll be fine. I'll have one of those spots. We'll just see how it all shakes out."
Prior to Saturday's game, De Vries had given up just three hits all spring, one of which -- a single on March 9 -- came from Presley.
The Twins countered the Pirates' run in the bottom of the first inning as 23-year-old prospect Aaron Hicks scored on a Josh Willingham groundout to tie the game at 1. Hicks, who's currently fighting Darin Mastroianni for the starting center-field job, went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and two strikeouts.
The 1-1 score lasted until the eighth inning, when Brandon Boggs broke the deadlock with a run-scoring single.
Willingham went 2-for-3 with an RBI
Drew Butera, playing in his first game since returning Thursday from his foray with Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, went 0-for-4.
P.J. Walters pitched three innings for the Twins, walking two and striking out one to get the win for Minnesota.
Up next: The Pirates take on the Yankees at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fla. on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET, when Phil Irwin will make his first start of the spring. Ivan Nova will start for the Yankees.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
Wandy Rodriguez twirled a gem Saturday to help lead the Dominican Republic to a showdown with the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic Championship Round on Monday on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes at 9 p.m. ET.
Rodriguez tossed six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and walking two, in the Dominicans' 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico at Marlins Park in Miami.
The 34-year-old left-hander also struck out four. He threw 74 pitches, 49 for strikes.
The victory gives the Dominican Republic the top seed in Pool 2. The Dominicans now face the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Monday at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Puerto Rico will face Japan on Sunday in San Francisco.
Rodriguez allowed four of the six leadoff batters he faced to reach, but he faced little trouble outside of the third inning.
The biggest threat against the lefty came in the top of the third, when Puerto Rico's Carlos Rivera collected the game's first hit, a single. Irving Falu entered to pinch-run for Rivera and promptly stole second, then advanced to third when catcher Carlos Santana's throw went into the outfield.
With one out, Jesus Feliciano hit a grounder to shortstop Erick Aybar, who threw out Falu at home, as the Dominicans escaped the jam.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Posted on March 15, 2013 at 09:43 PM.
by Tom Singer / MLB.com
MIAMI -- Despite initial plans to the contrary, Pirates left-hander Wandy Rodriguez has been tabbed to start for the Dominican Republic on Saturday at Marlins Park at 1 p.m. ET, in the final game of Pool 2 in this year's World Baseball Classic, manager Tony Pena said on Friday.
Rodriguez will face the winner of Friday's elimination game between Team USA and Puerto Rico at 7 p.m. ET. Both games are available in the U.S. via MLB Network and ESPN Deportes.
The Dominican Republic has already cemented its place in the semifinals, either Sunday or Monday at AT&T Park in San Francisco, with a 3-1 victory over Team USA on Thursday night. Pena was considering saving Rodriguez for that single-elimination semifinal game, either against two-time defending Classic winner Japan or Kingdom of the Netherlands. Now Rodriguez will start on his regular five-day cycle.
"Yesterday I said I was not going to have Wandy Rodriguez pitch [on Saturday]," Pena said during his media session on Friday. "[Since then,] I sat down with William Castro, the pitching coach, and we determined to pitch Wandy Rodriguez tomorrow, because if we didn't, he was going to pitch with too many days of rest.
"So we want to keep the order the way it is, because what you have to understand is that we are in training, and those young men, no matter how much we want to win, we still have to think of them. We have to pitch them on their regular days, so they are in optimal condition."
Under those circumstances, although manager Joe Torre wouldn't officially commit, it's likely Team USA would start Rangers left-hander Derek Holland. He last threw for the Americans this past Sunday, when they won an elimination game against Canada at Chase Field to move into the second round. Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez said he'll start right-hander Fernando Cabrera, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since one relief appearance for the Red Sox, during the 2010 season.
For the second time in the last two Classics, the United States needs to defeat Puerto Rico in an elimination game to advance to the semifinals. In 2009, Team USA won on a walk-off two-run single by David Wright and advanced out of the Miami bracket, only to lose to Japan in the semifinals at Dodger Stadium.
The game on Saturday determines who will face Japan on Sunday or the Dutch on Monday in San Francisco. The winner will face the Dutch and have a day off on Sunday. The loser has a quick flight across country and must play Japan. The Dominican Republic is 5-0 and is the only undefeated team left in the tournament.
"Tomorrow's game will be very important, because that one gives you the seed where you're going to be, who you're going to face," Pena said. "I know that my players will be tired. I have played almost the same nine guys every single day. Probably tomorrow you will see a little bit of change in the lineup, where I might play two guys and give two other guys some time off because they need the time off. And we'll just go from there."
Rank 16: Tony Sanchez
The 2013 season is a big one for the former first-rounder out of Boston College. Sanchez looked as good as advertised at the start of his pro career, a defensive-minded backstop who could hit maybe a bit more than expected and get to the big leagues fairly quickly. He stalled a bit in Double-A, spending parts of two seasons there, before reaching Triple-A in 2012. His 2012 campaign was a bit of a bounce-back, where he showed some of the same line-drive hitting ability he had in the past, albeit without too much power. While he did commit 14 passed balls, he regained some of his focus defensively and threw out 29 percent of would-be basestealers across the two levels. The two-year deal Russell Martin signed gives Sanchez a little more time to smooth out some rough edges, but the Pirates are hoping he’s moving in the right direction.
ETA: 2014
Rank 17: Victor Black
The Pirates knew Black had tremendous arm strength. That is, after all, why they drafted him out of Dallas Baptist in the first place. But the right-hander had trouble staying healthy at first, missing nearly all of his first full season and not getting a lot of mound time in 2011. Moved to the bullpen that year, Black really took off with the push to Double-A in 2012, where he struck out 12.75 per nine innings. His fastball can be plus, into the mid-90s with sink, and he combines it with a hard slider that could be a Major League average pitch. Black's control, however, hasn't been as solid. Though his walk rate did drop in 2012, he had trouble throwing strikes during his Arizona Fall League stint. If Black can find the strike zone with more consistency, he has the stuff to pitch out of the back end of the bullpen.
ETA: 2013
Rank 18: Willy Garcia
A few things stand out about this young outfielder from the Dominican Republic. One is his tall, muscular and athletic frame. Another is his raw power. And a third is his throwing arm. Garcia was pushed to full-season ball in 2012 and played all year there at age 19. He showed some now power and finished third in the system in RBIs. Garcia also showed a penchant for striking out without drawing many walks, and after a solid first half, he really tailed off. He played both outfield corners, and while his defensive skills may be better suited to left, his arm strength plays well from right field. If Garcia can become a better hitter, he'll be able to tap into that raw power more and fit the right-field profile even better.
ETA: 2015
Rank 19: Tyler Glasnow
The Pirates have been very cautious with Glasnow, keeping him from making his professional debut until a year after he was drafted. The wait may have been worth it, as the big right-hander looked very good in the Gulf Coast League. He has the makings of two plus pitches, with a fastball touching the mid-90s and a curve that can be an out pitch at times. Glasnow's changeup is well below average right now, but there's hope he can develop it with time and experience. With his size, he'll always have to work hard on his delivery to keep his command solid. He's the classic high-risk, high-reward draftee. Glanow has a long way to go, but so far, the signs of progress have been encouraging.
ETA: 2016
Rank 20: Dilson Herrera
Some international prospects come to the United States and are, at least initially, overwhelmed. Not so for Herrera, who made his U.S. debut in 2012 and was among the Gulf Coast League leaders in a host of offensive categories. While he's not the biggest guy in the world, he's shown he can really hit and projects to be an above-average hitter in the future, with more power than you'd expect from a guy his size. A well-above-average runner, the Colombian infielder should be able steal bases consistently, and that speed should also help him with his range as he continues to get used to playing second base, having shifted from playing third in the Dominican Summer League in 2011 after signing.
ETA: 2016
Rank 11: Alex Dickerson
The Pirates were hoping they were getting an advanced hitter when they nabbed Dickerson out of Indiana University, and if his first year and change in the organization is any indication, they may be right. The left-handed hitter has shown some natural hitting ability, leading the system in RBIs while finishing third in the system in hits and fourth in batting average in 2012. He was named the Florida State League's Player of the Year in his first full season, and his bat has a chance to play as he advances. That's because he has a good understanding of the strike zone and makes good adjustments. He should be an acceptable defender at first, and just how much his power develops will determine whether he's an everyday first baseman at the highest level, with many feeling it will come in time and his left-handed swing will play very well in PNC Park.
ETA: 2014
Rank 12: Andrew Oliver
When the Tigers drafted this Oklahoma State lefty, the hope was that he’d be a quick riser to the big leagues. That came to pass, as Oliver made two starts for Detroit in his first year of pro ball. He made two more the following season, in 2011, but had not been able to establish himself in the big leagues before being dealt to the Pirates in December 2012. He’s still a big, strong and relatively young southpaw with pretty good stuff. His fastball can touch 94-95 mph, though arm strength has never been the issue. He’ll throw a Major League average slider and changeup, though his secondary stuff has been inconsistent at times. His biggest issue, though, has been his command, with his walk rate increasing each of the last two years. Oliver did get in some relief work at the end of the 2012 season, something to consider as he begins his Pirates career.
ETA: 2013
Rank 13: Nick Kingham
Since signing him with an over-slot deal in 2010, the Pirates didn't hesitate to challenge Kingham a bit, sending him to the New York-Penn League for his debut, largely against much older competition. Then he spent the 2012 season in full-season ball at age 20 and while his overall numbers were mixed, he finished very strongly, with a 1.68 ERA over his final nine starts. The big right-hander could have three above-average-or-better pitches and above-average command when all is said and done. Kingham will touch 95 mph with his fastball, with plenty of movement. His changeup has deceptive sink, and it's been his best secondary offering in the past. His curve may have caught up, and the power breaking ball might be just as good down the road. The Pirates were very aggressive in going after high-ceiling high school arms in the past few Drafts and Kingham has the chance to be one of the best from that effort.
ETA: 2015
Rank 14: Bryan Morris
Morris is the only player still with the organization from the Jason Bay trade, and he's finally ready to contribute at the big league level. The key has been the 2011 move to the bullpen, where his power repertoire plays up in shorter stints. Morris' fastball will touch 95 mph, with a ton of sink to generate a lot of ground balls. He throws two breaking balls, but the power slider is the better option as he doesn't command his downer curve consistently. Command and control was a big reason why the move to relieving made sense, and he'll have to continue to locate better to have an impactful role in the big league bullpen.
ETA: 2013
Rank 15: Clay Holmes
The 2011 Draft may always be known for Gerrit Cole and Josh Bell in Pittsburgh, but it shouldn't be forgotten that Clay Holmes came later in that Draft and the Pirates convinced him to sign with a seven-figure bonus as well. It could be money well spent, as he projects to have four pitches that are Major League average or better. Holmes' fastball has the chance to be a plus pitch, and he uses his height to throw downhill. When he keeps his fastball down in the zone, he does elicit ground-ball outs. Holmes' secondary stuff remains a work in progress, but his curve, slider and changeup all have the chance to be average. Like with many young pitchers, he needs to improve his command, and with his size, maintaining his mechanics will be key. As long as the Pirates are patient, though, the payoff could be substantial.
ETA: 2016
Rank 6: Josh Bell
The excitement of signing Bell away from what appeared to be an unbreakable commitment to the University of Texas came to a crashing halt when he tore his left meniscus just 15 games into his professional career. With youth and a very advanced bat on his side, he should be able to get going again, assuming health. Bell is a switch-hitter with a natural ability to hit from both sides of the plate. He should hit for average and above-average power when all is said and done, the kind of bat that will fit nicely into the middle of the lineup. Bell was settling into right field as a pro before the injury, and he has the tools to be an above-average defender with a strong arm, not to mention the offensive tools, to profile well there.
ETA: 2015
Rank 7: Kyle McPherson
It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Just ask McPherson, who began the 2012 season on the shelf with shoulder inflammation. But he ended it in Pittsburgh, making 10 appearances, mostly in relief. The big right-hander has a three-pitch mix that could help him fit very nicely in the middle of a big league rotation. He’ll throw his fastball with some sink and tail and commands the pitch very well. His sinking changeup is a Major League average pitch. He’ll flash an average biting curve as well. He’s very competitive and goes right after hitters, which lets his stuff play up a bit, something that could help him should he land a rotation job soon.
ETA: 2013
Rank 8:Barrett Barnes
Barnes is the top 2012 draftee signed by the Pirates and the sandwich round selection had a solid pro debut until a stress fracture in his left ankle ended his New York-Penn League season after 38 games. Strong and athletic, there are some very good raw tools to work with. He has a good amount of raw power, and the hope is he'll develop into a solid enough all-around hitter to tap into it regularly. Barnes has above-average speed and should be more efficient on the basepaths as he learns how to read pitchers and get better jumps. His speed helps him have solid range, and while some see an eventual move to a corner, there's the chance he can stay in center field, where he played in college and during his pro debut.
ETA: 2015
Rank 9: Justin Wilson
Since coming from Fresno State's College World Series-winning team, Wilson has moved a level at a time, making his big league debut in 2012. He's been a starter for nearly all of his career, but he was quite effective in a bullpen role when he got to Pittsburgh. He has an above-average fastball as a starter, with good life, and he's shown even more velocity at times when he's taken some time coming out of the bullpen. Wilson throws both a slider and curve, with both being potential Major League average pitches. The same can be said for his changeup, though consistency has been elusive as he's struggled with command. His best ticket to a full-time gig in the big leagues might be by moving to the bullpen permanently.
ETA: 2013
Rank 10: Wyatt Mathisen
Mathisen didn’t catch all that much in high school, but a catcher is exactly what the Pirates drafted him to be. The Texas prep product, who played elsewhere out of need for his high school team, has some intriguing skills behind the plate. He has a strong arm and is agile and athletic enough to develop strong all-around defensive skills, even if it takes a little longer because of his relative inexperience. He has some good raw power that he will grow into from the right side of the plate, and with a fairly good approach, he should hit for average as well. Plus, he runs well for a catcher. Patience might be the key, but the end result could be a solid all-around everyday catcher.
ETA: 2016
Rank 1: Gerrit Cole
Pitchers who are No. 1 overall picks are supposed to have front-line starter potential, and Cole definitely has that. The UCLA product is big and strong with the frame to be a power pitcher who tops a rotation. His fastball is plus plus, up to 98 mph with ease, with a ton of life. Cole's slider is also a plus, a hard breaking ball that gets swings and misses. His curve and changeup, also thrown hard, aren't quite as good as the fastball-slider combination, but both might be above-average pitches. The only time he gets in trouble is when he leaves pitches up in the zone a bit, but he has the weapons to escape trouble. Cole reached Triple-A in his first full season of pro ball and seeing him in Pittsburgh in 2013 seems completely reasonable to expect.
ETA: 2013
Rank 2: Jameson Taillon
Pitchers who are No. 1 overall picks are supposed to have front-line starter potential, and Cole definitely has that. The UCLA product is big and strong with the frame to be a power pitcher who tops a rotation. His fastball is plus plus, up to 98 mph with ease, with a ton of life. Cole's slider is also a plus, a hard breaking ball that gets swings and misses. His curve and changeup, also thrown hard, aren't quite as good as the fastball-slider combination, but both might be above-average pitches. The only time he gets in trouble is when he leaves pitches up in the zone a bit, but he has the weapons to escape trouble. Cole reached Triple-A in his first full season of pro ball and seeing him in Pittsburgh in 2013 seems completely reasonable to expect.
ETA: 2014
Rank 3: Alen Hanson
Hanson had put up solid numbers in rookie ball, then surprised some when he made the full-season West Virginia Power out of Spring Training in 2012. All he did there was lead the circuit in total bases while finishing in the top 10 in a host of offensive categories. Hanson makes consistent contact and can drive the ball to all fields and will use an inside-out swing as well. An outstanding bunter, he also has the strength to show occasional home run power. He has very good speed and is still learning how to use it to his benefit on the basepaths. Defensively, he has the range and the hands to stay at shortstop, but his arm has been erratic. Hanson will stay at shortstop for now, and more people believe he can stay there than they did before his full-season debut, but some feel he'll eventually move over to second base.
ETA: 2015
Rank 4: Gregory Polanco
There were few prospects in all of the Minor Leagues who broke out more than Polanco did in 2012. The speedy center fielder topped the system in stolen bases and finished second in a host of other offensive categories. He has the chance to be a true five-tooler on the field. With a long, lean frame, he’s an aggressive swinger who started to learn the values of plate discipline, making him a much more dangerous hitter. He should hit for average and at least a little power. His plus speed will make him a long-term basestealing threat and an outstanding defensive outfielder.
ETA: 2015
Rank 5: Luis Heredia
Since signing out of Mexico, Heredia has been challenged with assignments that put him way ahead of the curve. In 2012, he was the youngest pitcher in the New York-Penn League and more than held his own. Pitching downhill from his 6-foot-6 frame, Heredia's fastball touches 95 mph and should be a consistently plus pitch. His secondary stuff has the chance to be plus as well, from his hard curve to his changeup. Heredia has a better feel for pitching than most teenagers and he gets high marks for his makekup and mound presence. The combination of size, stuff, pitchability and work ethic all point to the potential as a front-line starter.
ETA: 2015
Posted on March 15, 2013 at 07:21 PM.
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Eventually, those five-alarm migraines passed. Eventually, the shock wore off. Eventually last winter, when the Pittsburgh Pirates awoke from their second straight late-season nightmare, it began to dawn on them:
For 110 games last season, they were a hell of a team.
"You know," said their gritty second baseman Neil Walker, "when you're going through it, when you're getting dragged through the mud and nothing seems to go your way, it seems like nothing could get worse. But then, when the season ends and you take a couple of weeks and you start to think about it, you try to pull the positives out of the season. And you realize there were some special things that happened."
Not as special as it could have been, of course. Not as special as it would have been if they had just finished what they started. But let's remind you where the Pirates were two-thirds of the way through last season:
• They were 16 games over .500 -- for the first time in 20 years.
• They had a better record than the team that would go on to win the World Series -- the Giants.
• They had a better record than the Cardinals, Orioles, Rays, Angels and the other team that played in the World Series -- the Tigers.
And then … hoo boy. For the second season in a row, the Buccos stumbled into a cliff dive they never saw coming.
Of the last 52 games they played, they lost 36. Somehow or other. When the days on the schedule ran out on them, they became, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the first team in history to finish with a losing record after being at least 16 games over .500 after 108 games.
The. Very. First. Ever.
But five months later, as the Bradenton palm leaves flap in the breeze, these guys are ready to try again. And as they sort through it now, as they try to figure out which were the real Pirates, they keep coming back to this:
When you play that well for that long, it can't be a fluke. Can it?
"We know it was real," said their oratorically inspired manager Clint Hurdle. "We could see it, hear it, touch it, feel it. We beat good pitchers. We beat good teams. We won series. But again, we have an understanding after two seasons of 162, that [your record after] 162 is what's real."
Well, the next set of 162 awaits in a couple of weeks. And the projections we've seen don't paint a rosy portrait of the Pirates' chances to pull the plug on the longest streak of losing seasons (20) in American professional sports history.
But if you look back at those first 110 games, you know it isn't impossible either. So here they come: Five Reasons This Could Be the Year in Pittsburgh:
1: They Learn Their Lessons
When you endure the torture this team just endured, you're supposed to learn from it, right? The Pirates are convinced that something good can come of this.
"They say that when you go through something like that, it makes you stronger," said A.J. Burnett. "And it’s true."
But when the men who run this team took a long, analytical look at what happened, they determined it was going to take more than just newfound inner strength to address what went wrong. So they've spent the last month focusing on stuff like ...
• Better at-bats: Hurdle and new hitting coach Jay Bell have spoken a lot this spring about the mental side of hitting and the need -- for a team that finished 27th in the major leagues in on-base percentage but struck out more than all but two teams in baseball -- to have better at-bats. "With the number of strikeouts we had," Hurdle said, "we basically allowed the other team to play catch for three innings a game."
• Controlling the running game: When you've just allowed the most stolen bases in baseball (154) and thrown out the fewest base stealers (only 19 of 173, or 11 percent), it's time for changes. So in comes Russell Martin, he of the 30 percent career caught-stealing ratio, in place of Rod Barajas (just 6 percent last year). But the Pirates have also, in the manager's words, "stapled the pitchers to the catchers" and asked their pitchers to work extensively on holding runners, varying their patterns and working on their pickoff moves. The result: They've already picked off more runners this spring (eight) than all last season (five).
• More innings from the rotation: You can't practice inning-eating in spring training, but you can stress "more command of both sides of the plate," Hurdle said, so that a team whose starters finished 21st in innings pitched could get those pitchers deeper into the game. That would "allow us to use our bullpen when we want to instead of when we have to," Hurdle said.
• Better baserunning: Although the Pirates graded out as a decent baserunning team last season (10th in the big leagues, according to Baseball Info Solutions), they were thrown out in 42 percent of their stolen-base attempts, the worst rate in baseball. They also had an offense that finished third-to-last in the majors in OBP and had the sixth-lowest team batting average. So they have to maximize their opportunities. Hence lots of emphasis this spring on "better ownership of the basepaths," the manager said.
This is all basic stuff, but that's the whole point. It's not about asking these players to do things they've never done. It's about doing things they've always done with better attention to detail. And that's one big lesson of 2012 for this team.
"Nobody volunteers to go to the front of the adversity line," said Hurdle. "I should know. I've had my fair share. But the most meaningful lessons you learn in life are from adversity.”
2: The Catcher
No one pretends that Martin is a modern-day Johnny Bench -- or even a modern-day Tony Pena. But he is the Pirates' most important offseason addition, and not just because he figures to help this team do a better job of slowing the running game.
"Russell," said Burnett, of his old catcher in the Bronx, "is going to have a big impact."
OK, so Martin hit .211/.311/.403 last year with the Yankees. But you know those 21 home runs he launched? No Pirates catcher has ever hit 21 home runs in a season. Not Pena. Not Jason Kendall. Not even Jim Pagliaroni.
But even if that home run total drops, as you would expect because of the move to PNC Park, Martin brings a certain energy and presence to the job that this team -- and, especially, this pitching staff -- greatly needs.
"I just want to bring my experience a little bit," Martin said. "I've had a lot of great players I've been around. I've learned a lot from those players. I've seen the work ethic. I've seen the day-in, day-out grind. I've seen the same approach from some really great players. And over the years, I've caught some great pitchers, and I've acquired, I think, a general knowledge of pitchers. … So I really think that's going to be my strength -- being able to work with pitchers.”
Martin blew up his status as one of Canada's favorite sons by skipping the World Baseball Classic to stay in camp and get in sync with a new pitching staff. But his energy and dedication haven't gone unappreciated by a team that will pay him $17 million over the next two seasons.
"We're better behind the plate because of Russell Martin," Hurdle said. "He's veteran leadership that can play. You can go get a lot of veteran guys, but if they're not able to play, that doesn't help you one bit. He can play. He's been in meaningful games. He's played in two major markets. He's got a slow heartbeat. He's got tremendous passion and energy for the game. And he came here to be a difference-maker.”
3: The Rotation
Without better work from a rotation that finished 11th in the league in both ERA and quality starts last season, this isn't going to be The Year. Period.
So it was ominous that the first reaction of one scout who has covered the Pirates this spring was: "I don't see it. I don't see them getting to .500, especially with Houston leaving the division. I don't see the starting pitching to make that happen."
But let's look at this another way: This rotation can get better. Easily.
For one thing, it will have a full season of Wandy Rodriguez, the Pirates' big trade-deadline acquisition last July. Rodriguez may not be a top-of-the-rotation hammer, but he's a guy with 95 career starts against the other National League Central teams, a guy who has ripped off four straight seasons of double-digit wins and a sub-4.00 ERA for mediocre teams and a fellow who, at the very least, ought to be an upgrade over, say, Erik Bedard.
Then there's James McDonald, a microcosm of this team's whole season last year. He went 9-3, 2.37, before the All-Star break -- and 3-5, 7.52, afterward. If he gives them 30 starts of that first-half James McDonald, they would have an All-Star on their hands.
"In the first half, he was able to keep things simple," Hurdle said. "But then the league punched back, and he might have adjusted too much. You know, sometimes the enemy of 'good' is 'great.' One of the messages I share with young players, that I learned the hard way, is: You want to be great? Just be good for a long time. Try being good today. Then be good tomorrow, then be good for a week, then be good for a year, and OK, you're onto something.”
But this rotation's potential for greatness lies with two of Keith Law's top eight pitching prospects in baseball -- Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon. The Pirates need at least one of them to make an impact between now and September.
Taillon, coming off an eye-popping start for Team Canada against the USA last week, has already been sent out and is likely bound for Double-A. But Cole, the first player picked in the country in the 2011 draft, remains in camp. And some scouts think he's already one of this team's five best starters.
He's a long shot to make the club, but at some point, he's positioned to force his way into the big leagues, on the way to True Acehood. Taillon might not be far behind.
"They're every bit as good as what people say they are," said Walker. "I don’t think it's going to be long before those guys are making an impact on our team. And that's something that we've been missing, is those impact players in the minor leagues who come up and really help us."
4: The Lineup
You start with one of the best players in baseball -- Andrew McCutchen. He finished third in the MVP voting. Had the season been cooperative enough to end in August, he would have won the whole thing. But even he can get better, as his .244/.348/.426 slash line over the last 50 games would attest.
In the big picture, McCutchen says, "I had a real good year, the best year I ever had. But of course, there's still some room for improvement. And that's the good thing about the game. You can always improve in different areas."
But where this team goes from here is mostly about McCutchen's supporting cast. And there is upside in two of his co-stars in particular -- Walker, if he can stay healthy, and gifted left fielder Starling Marte, who begins his first full season in Pittsburgh after spending the last couple of months of last season in the big leagues.
Marte still has a lot of work to do on plate discipline (50 strikeouts and eight walks after his call-up) and handling the breaking ball. But he's a do-it-all, power/speed/leather-working talent with star-power upside.
"He's got the skill set that you need," Hurdle said. "It's about understanding the game now. He's got the foundation, I think, that builds that understanding. Now he needs to just understand what his strengths are and how he can use them with more consistency."
And then there's Walker, one of this clubhouse's most vocal leaders and one of baseball's most underrated second basemen. It's hard not to notice that the Pirates went 62-49 in the first 111 games he played in last year (during which Walker was a .294/.358/.460 hitter).
But it was right about then that a herniated disc in Walker's back began to act up. And it's no coincidence his team went just 15-33 the rest of the way, with Walker missing 30 of those games and hitting only .180/.231/.197 in that stretch.
"It was a helpless feeling, really, when things started to spiral those last five weeks and I wasn't able to help," said Walker, who grew up a Pirates fan and admits to crying the night Sid Bream rumbled home to keep Pittsburgh out of the 1992 World Series. "That was as frustrating as it gets, because you can't really be a leader from the training-room table."
5: The Mentalists
The scars of last year -- and the year before, for that matter -- won't ever fully heal. But this is a team fully aware of where it was last August, what it had a shot to accomplish and what business it left unfinished.
And -- you'll be shocked to learn this -- these guys have heard enough about those 20 straight seasons on the wrong side of Mount .500 to last 162 lifetimes.
"It's an incredible weight," said Burnett. "I can only imagine what these fans are going through. We talk about it all the time. Not just if we'd have gone to the playoffs, but what if we'd finished .500? We'd be freaking legends, just for that. But there's got to be a point made that it goes beyond that. It goes beyond .500, beyond having a winning season. We're all here for October."
"If our goal is to finish over .500, that's not a real good goal," said Walker. "In all actuality, that should have been ended last year. And we know that."
To help them push forward, it's no accident that this team brought in a couple of guys with big personalities who have played in October -- Martin for one, former Tigers and A's super-utility man Brandon Inge for another. Inge, in particular, has preached all spring about the mental side of what he experienced in Oakland last season.
In Oakland last season, "We didn't care about tomorrow, or who we were playing or where we were going," Inge said. "We wanted to beat the team we were playing tonight. Everyone wants to look forward, but that's where you get off track."
And it's where he believes the 2012 Pirates got off track. But when he was asked if he saw a team around him this spring that could live out That Story, Inge replied: "I know from Oakland that any team can be That Story."
Well, in Bradenton this spring, they don't see why That Team can't be them.
"It's just time for us to put it together," Neil Walker said. "That's the thing. It's time for us, as players and as men, to find a way to get it done."
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