Bucs Win 4-3; Cumpton Gets TJ Surgery; Lineup & Notes

Andrew Lambo hit a pair of doubles (one well struck the opposite way, the other a carom off first base), scored twice and drove in another while Sean Rodriguez added two RBI to power the Bucs to a 4-3 win over Tampa yesterday. Frankie Liriano looked sharp again. The Rays plated their runs against Antonio Bastardo & Rob Scahill in the most frustrating of ways; each allowed a walk to score, one a two-out, bases empty free pass and the other to open an inning.

Andrew Lambo (photo: USAToday Sports)

Todays Game: The Pirates visit the Phillies at Bright House Field in Clearwater with a 1:05 start. Charlie Morton and Cole Hamels are slated to face one another. The game will be aired free via webcast on pirates.com (no radio).

The Lineup: Josh Harrison 3B, Francisco Cervelli C, Jordy Mercer SS, Neil Walker 2B, Jose Tabata LF, Gregory Polanco RF, Deibinson Romero 1B, Gorkys Hernandez CF, Charlie Morton P.
The Bench: Steve Lombardozzi, Elias Diaz, Pedro Florimon, Justin Sellers, Mel Rojas Jr., Willy Garcia, Stetson Allie, Keon Broxton, Alen Hansen, Wilkins Castillo, Gift Ngoepe, Sebastian Valle, Jose Osuna.
The Pitchers: Jeff Locke, John Holdzkom, Stolmy Pimentel, Brad Lincoln.

Good to see The Kid back; he sat yesterday because of a HBP on the knee. Kinda surprised at a Romero/Allie combo at first; we though Andrew Lambo would be getting more work there. But with cut-down time approaching, Clint may be giving the bubble boys a last go-around in the MLB camp.

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• Brandon Cumpton felt some elbow discomfort while throwing BP early in camp, and yesterday was the result - he had TJ surgery (Bill Brink story) performed by Dr. Andrews. Well, so much for the Bucs getting thru camp with just some bumps and bruises. Fortunately, they are still deep enough in back-enders to cover his loss. 
• Jesse Spector of TSN warns us NL'ers that the DH is on its way.
• Former Pirate JR House, who took off a year to QB at West Virginia, is now a minor league manager per MiLB.

Brandon Cumpton

We've talked about a couple of difference makers in the minors that could join the big team next summer. But there's a guy that was entirely off the radar last year who contributed to the Pirates playoff run, and he has a pretty good shot at showing up on the 2014 roster before Jameson Taillon and Gregory Polanco. Yep, we're talking Brandon Cumpton, who will turn 25 next month.

The righty was drafted out of Georgia Tech in the ninth round of the 2010 draft and got a cup of coffee with short season State College. He spent 2011 and 2012 climbing the ladder, moving from Bradenton in 2011, and from Bradenton to Altoona in 2012. His work was best described as workmanlike; nothing except a low walk percentage and decent ground ball rate really stood out.

He started 2013 with the Curve and was pretty well lit up in a couple of starts. But with Jeff Locke on the big team and Kyle McPherson and Phil Irwin both out for the year, the Indy rotation was thin and he was promoted, much more out of need than performance. And he took advantage of the chance with the Tribe.

Cumpton went 6-7 with a 3.32 ERA, and was solid enough that the Bucs called him up to make a couple of starts in June as AJ's replacement and twice more in July for one-and-done outings. Then he joined the team for the September run.

Brandon went 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA (SIERA 3.47, xFIP 3.40) in 30-2/3 IP, leaning heavily on his 91-92 MPH sinker. He's primarily a two seam/slider guy, with a show-me change he tosses about 10% of the time. Cumpton's not a big arm; he averaged 6.46 K per game, which syncs with his minor league line. But he only walked a batter per nine, and his 54% GB rate earned him gold stars from the Bucco staff.

He did toss a three hit, seven inning goose egg against the Reds, but that went against the norm. The first time around the order, he help opponents to a .151 BA; the second time around, it rose to .233 and the third time through the line up resulting in a pretty lusty .421. Add in that his fastball reportedly reached 95 in his handful of relief outings in the minors the past two years, and it all strongly suggests a career in the pen. Of course, it may also show the need for an effective third pitch since his bread-and-butter offerings aren't swing-and-miss stuff.

In the spring, he'll get a look along with Jeanmar Gomez and Stolmy Pimentel as a back-ender/long man. Both of those guys are out of options, and Cumpton has a pair, which almost assures him a spot at Indy after camp breaks.

But he's got his name in the Pirate book now, and his development is on a path similar to Tony Watson, Justin Miller, Vin Mazzaro, Bryan Morris, Jared Hughes, Gomez and company. He'll start at Indy, but his progression looks like it will lead to a spot in the pen. And it could be sooner rather than later; our guess is that the last three spots will be pretty competitive.

Though team control issues work against him, the Bucs aren't going to sit on their hands during the off season, and the bullpen has some shiny bangles to dangle. In the past year, they've dealt Joel Hanrahan, Chris Resop, Vic Black and Duke Welker while allowing Chris Leroux to go to Japan, so Cumpton can look forward to an opening or two in camp if the Pirates stay true to form - and, of course, some new competition.

Brandon Cumpton: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Brandon Cumpton, 24, is one of those neat little stories that pops up during the course of a season. Called up to make his MLB debut just four days after Gerrit Cole, the righty kinda got lost in the media backwash, but he did a great job of keeping the Pirates afloat while their primary pitching staff was splashing in a whirlpool. And if you think not, look at these two lines:

Cumpton - 2 GS, 0-0, 3.60 ERA, 10.1 IP, 4 ER, 12 H, 1.400 WHIP, 7K
Cole - 2 GS, 2-0, 3.75 ERA, 12 IP, 5 ER, 14 H, 1.167 WHIP, 3K

We'd say he's held his own so far, even if their future tracks are destined to lead in different directions.

He was a pretty hot prospect from his teen days. Cumpton won Georgia state titles at Greenbrier HS as a pitcher/3B in 2006-07, (career 31-3/1.01 ERA and .415 with 10 HR/106 RBI) and was recognized as a Louisville Slugger High School All-America. The one thing he didn't get was drafted, but he did earn a ride to ACC powerhouse, Georgia Tech.

Things didn't exactly take off during his Yellowjacket career. He did go 9-3 as a junior, but in his last two seasons, his combined ERA was over five and he had a rough go of it in the regionals. Still, the Bucs saw unrealized upside, and picked Cumpton in the ninth round (267th overall pick) of 2010 draft, grabbing him before the White Sox, a club that also showed a strong interest in the RHP.

It took until August to reel him in for $124K - he still had some leverage as a junior, at least enough to bring in a six figure bonus. He was sent to State College, where he tossed a few innings to get his feet wet in the pros.

He started off the 2011 season in Low Class A West Virginia, and got clocked in his first few starts. After a visit to the pen, he returned to the rotation with a newfound dedication to using both sides of the plate, and it turned his season around. After righting his ship and going 7-4, he was promoted to High A Bradenton in mid season.

Cumpton did OK there, going 3-3/3.66 ERA, and got some notice. His fastball was sitting in the low nineties consistently and he tossed 133-1/3 innings, a fairly heavy workload for a lower level pitcher. Heck, he even led the organization (actually, he was tied with Sean Gallagher) in HBPs, bopping 15 batters in his zeal to pound the inside half of the dish, showing pretty good control otherwise. Baseball America ranked him as the Bucs #28 prospect after the season.

2012 saw him open in Class AA Altoona, where he continued his workhorse ways. Cumpton went 12-11/3.84 ERA, working 152-1/3. The downside was his K rate, which was under six per nine innings, and that stat usually serves as a talent indicator in the upper levels.

But on the plus side, he was putting up a nice groundball rate (3.65 to 1), something the Pirate FO has made a point of emphasis. Among Buc farm hands, he was first in innings pitched and second in wins. In the Arizona Fall League, he had a 2.57 ERA in 11 outings from the bullpen. Baseball America jumped him a couple of spots to #25 going into this season.

He started at Altoona in 2013 and was called up to Indy early in the season when Phil Irwin was promoted to the Pirates as a matter of necessity. Cumpton got to stay in AAA as Irwin went on the DL, and did well with the Tribe. His line was 4-4/3.31, with seven K & two walks/nine innings and a strong 3:1 ground-to-fly-ball ratio.

When AJ Burnett joined the injury parade and went on the disabled list, Cumpton got the call to come to Pittsburgh. He didn't exactly get a ringing endorsement (Clint Hurdle noted it was Brandon's day in the rotation and that Andy Oliver couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with a baseball, both big parts in the decision-making process) and even Cumpton admitted he was taken by surprise. He wasn't on the 40-man, but the Bucs easily cleared room by cutting ties with Mike Zagurski.

He stepped on the rubber to oppose Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw and thus became the first member of the 2010 Pirate draft class to reach the show. At first Cumpton looked like the Cy Young guy, striking out the side in his first MLB inning and claiming five K in his first two frames. Then the order batted around a second time, he stayed upstairs a little too much, and his day was cut short when he left with an out in the sixth. Still, he was charged with just three earned runs, and the Buc D wasn't at its most stellar behind him.

It showed the coaches enough that they decided to give him another start (which was not a given when he came up), this time against Homer Bailey. Cumpton was up to the task, leaving a 2-2 game to the bullpen after five frames. The youngster was fairly poised in his two outings, tossing 103 strikes out of his 166 pitches (62%) with 53% of his outs picked off the ground. He did a solid job at sticking his finger in the dike, but may soon be on his way back to Indy. The Bucs have a slew of off days ahead, and Jeanmar Gomez is almost ready to return, so his cameo is about to wrap. But it was a fruitful audition, we think.

His fastball was said to sit at 92 when he was called up, and that's about where it sat in Pittsburgh. He also throws a sinker, slider, and a show-me change. He has a couple of paths ahead of him.

Cumpton has been an inning-eater in the minors, and there's always a place at the back end of the staff for a guy that can go deep and keep a game in hand. With his low K rate, a back-ender is as far as he'll go as a starter. But that spot has value.

He's been reported to hit the mid-nineties in bursts from the bullpen, and that puts him in the Jared Hughes-Tony Watson-Vin Mazzaro mold of fastball/sinker/slider guys who were converted from starters to multi-inning bridge relievers, and there's value in that role, too.

Either way, Brandon Cumpton has made a good first impression. And if he's what the second or third tier of pitching talent in the Pirate system is like, the organization is in pretty good shape.
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And It's...Brandon Cumpton

Well, this was a bit of a surprise. With AJ out and on the 15-day DL, the Bucs needed a pitcher and fast. They had the three-headed relief trio of former starters of Bryan Morris, Justin Wilson and Vin Mazzaro, all of whom have gone multiple innings this campaign. But a bullpen that's already on the thin side would be diluted big time with a piggyback outing, so it was on to Plan B, a starter from Indy.

Andy Oliver was on the 40-man and had some nice hit and whiff numbers with MLB experience, but wasn't pitching deep into games and walking guys at an alarming rate. So it was Plan B+1, RHP Brandon Cumpton, 24, a 2010 ninth round draft pick out of Georgia Tech, that made the cut.

Cumpton will be the first 2010 draft pick to make it to Pittsburgh. That year featured the early selections of Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie and Nick Kingham, all HS guys, and JC player Mel Rojas. Georgia Tech's Cumpton was only the second college pick that year at nine, behind Oregon State's Tyler Waldren, who was chosen fifth.

He worked a little at State College in 2010 after singing, then went through both A levels in 2011. The righty started 2012 at Altoona, where he went 12-11/3.84 as a good control, pitch-to-contact guy. He began 2013 with the Curve, and despite being beat up in two starts (0-1, 7.45), was promoted to Indy in a case of need overriding performance.

And hey - he found his mojo in AAA. Cumpton put up a line of 4-4/3.31 with peripherals of 7.8 K/nine, 3.0 walks and a 1.24 WHIP. He's been especially strong the last nine starts, tossing one clunker but in the other eight outings, he surrendered two runs or less.

Cumpton is a three pitch guy, with a 91-92 MPH heater, a very good slider and a so-so change. He uses both sides of the plate with decent control and can get a swing-and-miss when needed, but prefers to work to contact. The 24 year old also keeps the ball in the yard (0.6 HR/nine lifetime). At his best, he throws strikes and lets his fielders do the heavy lifting.

He's certainly not one of the more highly touted guys in the organization, and his projection is as a back end rotation guy or maybe a power reliever; his fastball velocity goes up a few ticks when he's working out of the pen. And he's got a lot of arms ahead of him - Jameson Taillon, Luis Heredia, Nick Kingham, Tyler Glasnow, Kyle McPherson and Phil Irwin all jump to mind, with a couple others lurking among the mid-tier of prospects.

But it's a golden opportunity for Cumpton. Jeanmar Gomez is just starting his rehab, which is more than can be said of AJ or Wandy, and J-Mac is getting whacked. He's not promised anything further than a Saturday trip to the hill - against Clayton Kershaw, yet - and Clint Hurdle told Tom Singer of MLB.com that "We'll give him the ball and see where he can take it. We'll take it one start at a time."

Can't ask for much more. Just ask Jeff Locke or Jeanmar Gomez what can happen when the stars align - or Jonathan Sanchez when they don't. It should be interesting.

Bucs Sign Three More - None Are Named Taillon Or Allie

The Bucs announced three more draft signings yesterday. They are:

RHP Nick Kingham, the club's fourth round selection; RHP Brandon Cumpton, the club's ninth round pick, and RHP Ryan Hafner, who was the club's 17th round selection. His signing was reported a couple of days ago, and is now official.

The 6'5" Kingham went 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 13 games this past season as a senior at Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas. He signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Oregon. Kingham got a bonus of $485,000. He throws at 90-92, touching 95, and has a quality change-up.

The 6'2" Cumpton posted a 9-3 record while making 15 starts as a junior for Georgia Tech this past season, although he's projected as a reliever who throws in the low-to-mid-nineties. He received a bonus of $124,500.

The 6'6" Hafner went 4-2 with 68 strikeouts and an ERA under 2.00 this past season at Lee's Summit West High School in Missouri, and was signed to Missouri State. His bonus was $450,000, the second largest among players selected after the tenth round. Hafner is "projectable," meaning he's a project; his heater is 87-90.

Kingham and Hafner were assigned to the GCL Pirates while Cumpton has been sent to the State College Spikes in the short season New York-Penn League.

The Pirates have now signed a total of 22 players from this year's draft. If there's one thing the signing bonuses suggest, it's that the Pirates aren't going to sign all their top ten picks. As in years past, they just allocate the budgeted money to inking Plan B draftees, and that's not a bad scheme.

(The bonus amounts were reported by Baseball America.)

Rounds 3-10

Hey, we'll get there eventually...

Third round - outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. (Wabash CC) is a switch-hitter, batted .398 with 19 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 71 RBI and 92 runs as a freshman and led the nation with 61 stolen bases in 64 attempts. Good arm, good defender, questionable bat.

Fourth round - RHP Nate Kingham (Sierra Vista High School, committed to Oregon) was 8-3 with 2.01 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 13 games this season. Throws in the low nineties, changeup is plus pitch, and expected to be an inning-eater.

Fifth round - RHP Tyler Waldron (Oregon State) was a back-end 2007 selection of the Florida Marlins. He went 4-6 with three saves, 56 strikeouts and a 5.90 ERA in 61 innings as a junior. Waldron throws a 90-94 MPH heater with sink and a slider, and was the Ducks' closer. He fell off this year, with a 5.90 ERA, but is well though of as a bullpen candidate.

Sixth round - RHP Jason Hursh (Texas Christian Academy, committed to Oklahoma State) was 9-1 with 2.32 ERA and 108 strikeouts in his senior year. Features a low ninties heater, but has command problems.

Seventh round - RHP Austin Kubitza (Heritage High in Colleyville, Texas, committed to Rice) went 4-1 with one save, a 1.79 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 39 innings who throws a low 90 fastball and slider. He's also a lefty outfielder who batted .356. He's expected to be a tough sign.

Eighth round - RHP Dace Kime (Defiance High, Ohio, committed to Louisville) was 7-0 with a 1.21 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 63-2/3 innings and hit .420 with 37 RBI. Kime has thrown two prep no-hitters. His secondary pitches aren't developed yet, and he may be hard to pry away from the Cardinals as he looks to improve his draft stock.

Ninth round - RHP Brandon Cumpton (Georgia Tech) went 9-3 with a 5.50 ERA in 15 starts in 2010. He has a mid-ninties fastball and a curve, but has trouble throwing either over the dish consistently. Cumpton is another guy projected for bullpen duty.

Tenth round - RHP Zack Weiss (Northwood High, committed to UCLA) went 7-5 with two saves and a 2.45 ERA with 82 Ks in 14 games (11 starts) covering 65-2/3 frames. Throws in the low nineties, but has yet to develop a secondary pitch. He's thought to have Top 100 talent, so he's another player who may be difficult to sign away from school without an overpay.