Camp is a go...
Notes:
- Mitch Keller said his goal was to be this year's Opening Day pitcher. He kinda got his wish Saturday when he opened the Grapefruit League season against Toronto. The Bucs lost 9-7; the bright spots were that Mitch looked good (2 IP, 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 K) while Rodolfo Castro hit a granny and was sharp with the leather at 3B.
- OF Jack Suwinski is using a more upright and open batting stance in camp. He had 19 homers in 326 ABs last year; he also had a .202 BA and 30.6 K%, with his weaknesses being splits (he hits RHP 100+ points higher than LHP) and chasing pitches off the plate. Jack's also seeing time in center, with B-Rey playing in left.
- 3B/OF Michael Andujar is taking some reps at 1B (he looks kinda rocky in the pasture) as is jack-of-all-trades Endy Rodriguez while 2B Nick Gonzales is fielding hoppers at third base.
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| Braedon's Back - 2021 photo/Pirates |
- Braedon Ogle, 25, is back with the Bucs. The lefty was part of the Pirates system until traded to the Phils in 2021 in a minor league deal. He became a FA after the year and signed an NRI deal with his old homies.
- RHP Robert Stephenson has right arm discomfort, and the Pirates are limiting his early work load. He was off this week in a precautionary move. 1B Ji-Man Choi is also being treated with kid gloves after November surgery, although it's reported he's chomping at the bit to get into unrestricted activity. IF Termann Johnson strained his hammy - the Pirates can't keep first rounders healthy - and he's being shut down for 10-14 days, so he was moved to the minor league camp. Blake Cederline is 100% while Max Kranick is throwing four or five days a week off flat ground at 65-70'. Both pitchers are in minor league camp after returning from TJ surgery.
- A developing story is the sports broadcasting world: AT&T SportsNet is on thin ice with the televised rights market in transition, so it'll be a process to keep an eye on. Luke at Bucco Ball has the low down so far. And stuff will happen in a hurry - Warner Brothers Discovery, the owners of AT&T SportsNet, notified the team that they're leaving the regional sports network biz at the end of March, so the B-Rey contract and Cutch's return now have company in the Pirates chatter corners.
- And young Bucs included in Fangraphs Top 100 Prospects: #21 - IF Termarr Johnson; #22 - UTIL Endy Rodriguez; #38 - C Henry Davis; #77 - RHP Luis Ortiz and lurking at #108 - RHP Quinn Priester. ZiPS Top 100 Prospects only include two young Buccos, #9 - Rodriguez and #48 - Priester. It ranks 31 players who were outside of Fangraphs Top 100 list as ZiPS is based purely on data-driven measurements.
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| Endy's Trending - 2022 Bowman Blue |
- To the rescue: Ernie Withers of the Manatee C of C was shagging flies as a Pirates guest when he keeled over, the victim of a cardiac arrest. He picked a good spot to drop - Pittsburgh team medical director Dr. Pat DeMeo was there to give him CPR with team physician Dr. Todd Franco and sports medicine director Todd Tomcyzk also Johnny-on-the-Spot. They revived Withers, who was taken away to the local hospital by ambulance, alert and responsive, and recovered without complication.
- PNC Park will have a new piece of eye candy when the campaign opens - a new scoreboard is rising and will be ready for the season. It will be more than twice the size of the original. Other improvements include new stadium ribbon boards and the in-park sound system. Now as for the on-field product...
- The middle road - the Indianapolis Indians is partnering with the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana. The team’s name, which has been the Indianapolis Indians since 1902, will remain the same during the 2023 and 2024 seasons as the organization explores and activates programs with the Miami.
- OF Ben Gamel, 31, is in agreement with Tampa Bay on an NRI deal, pending his physical (spoiler alert: he passed).
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