Sunday, December 9, 2018

Weekend Notes: Winter Meeting Starts, Player News

As we go into the winter meeting:

  • Sad news: 2B Jose Castillo died Thursday at the age of 37 in an automobile accident in Venezuela that was apparently caused by a gang of highwaymen. Jose played with the Pirates between 2004-07. He also suited up for the Giants & Astros, and later played in the Japanese and Venezuelan Leagues.
RIP Jose 2003 Donruss Studio
  • Adam Berry of MLB.com takes a look at how the Bucs have done building the 2019 club so far and some potential future brick-laying as the winter meetings commence today.
  • What should the Bucs be shopping for at the meeting? A LH reliever for sure, prob a bridge man to soften the loss of Edgar Santana, a SS who can upgrade the spot w/o providing a block on Cole Tucker, and maybe another starter for depth. Whether Fran Cervelli remains a Bucco or not will also influence their roster sausage-making. Unless they drop someone, they'll not be in the Rule 5 grab bag; it requires an open 40-man roster spot and the Pirates have no vacancies for that port of refuge.
  • The Josh Harrison market, per Fancred's Jon Heyman, involves a handful of clubs. The rumor mill has been quiet on Jordy; he's part of a glut of depth infielders available. Some ex-Bucs still looking for landing spots are Charlie Morton, Neil Walker and Cutch.
  • Gerardo Gilberto of MiLB.com has the Pirates All-Organizational prospect squad, featuring Ke'Bryan Hayes.
  • RHP Casey Sadler signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this week. He debuted with the Bucs in 2015 after being drafted in 2010, then lost all of 2016 to TJ surgery and became a minor league free agent after this year, getting into two games for the Bucs while spending most of the year at Indy.

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