Justin Wilson, 25, was born in Anaheim and played his prep ball at Buchanan High School in Clovis, California, where he was a heavily scouted pitcher/first baseman. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Wilson in 37th round (1126th overall) of the 2005 draft after he finished playing for the Bears, but instead he opted to accept a Fresno State scholarship.
After his frosh year, when he pitched 25 innings and saw time as a bench hitter, he moved to the mound full-time as a sophomore in 2007, and went 8-5 with a 3.19 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 101-2/3 IP. Wilson led the Western Athletic Conference
in ERA and was named to the All-Conference team.
As a junior, he was 8-5/4.34. The Bulldogs were on a roll that year, and made a run at the national championship with Wilson picking up some late year and playoff slack when ace Tanner Scheppers went down with a bum shoulder.
In the third and deciding game of the 2008 College World Series, Wilson struck out nine, walked one and held Georgia to five hits in eight shutout innings to set up a 6-1 victory on three days rest. He was selected to the All-Tournament Team, leading all CWS pitchers in strikeouts (20) and innings pitched (20-1/3) and went 2-0 with a 2.21 ERA in three starts in Omaha.
The Pirates chose Wilson in the fifth round (144th overall) of the 2008 draft, maybe a bit of an overdraft as Baseball America considered him to be a 6th-to-10th round pick and didn't include him among their Top 200 draftable players. (The Bucs also selected his more highly touted teammate, the injured RHP Schleppers, in the second round but couldn't sign him).
Wilson played chicken with the Pirate negotiators pretty much to the wire, but
signed a couple of days before the deadline for $195,000, just about at slot value. With the late date and the innings he had worked in college, the Bucs decided to hold him out of competition that season. Without tossing a pro pitch, he was ranked the Pirates #29 prospect after the season by Baseball America.
In 2009, he was assigned to High A Lynchburg to begin his pro career, aggressively bypassing West Virginia. Wilson's ERA soared into the mid-sixes after a few weeks of play when he couldn't find the dish. But he settled in well during the last two months and playoffs, finishing 6-8/4.50 with very so-so peripherals.
The Buc FO continued to move him along a fast track, sending him to Altoona the following season. Wilson adjusted well, going 11-8/3.09 for the Curve with 134 whiffs in 142-2/3 innings. But he also walked 71, matching the prior year's line of a free pass every other inning. It cost Wilson some games as he was plagued not only by the walks, but also by high pitch counts that shortened even effective outings. Still, like Mae West, when he was good, he was very good, and he was selected as the Eastern League's Playoff MVP while BA ranked Wilson as the Pirates #15 prospect going into 2011.
He was promoted to Indianapolis in 2011, and Wilson started off en fuego, but the more experienced AAA hitters waited him out. He ended the year 1-8 with three saves and a 4.13 ERA; he had been so frustrating as a starter that the Pirates bumped him to the pen in August. The good news was that as a short man, his heater touched 99; the bad news was that he still wasn't throwing strikes. The Pirates added him to their 40 man roster after the season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, even though BA dropped him a couple of notches to the #17 prospect.
Wilson returned to Indy in 2012 and on some days was literally untouchable; he tossed two no-hitters for the Tribe. On April 29th against the Durham Bulls, Wilson pitched the first 7-1/3 innings of a combined no-hitter, closed out by Jose Diaz and Doug Slaten. Then on August 9th, the lefty tossed his second no-hitter, a rain-shortened, eight inning no-no against the Charlotte Knights.
Still, in early August, the Bucs talked about putting him in the bullpen to get him ready for a LOOGY (lefties hit .129 off him at Indy in 2012) or set-up role in Pittsburgh, but it was just talk. He started the next three games, but still got his call-up on August 20th, one day after the Pirates won a 19 inning arm-killer against the St. Louis Cardinals
Wilson made his major league debut the same day against the Padres, relieving Kyle McPherson, who had taken his own MLB bow a couple of innings earlier. Wilson struck out the side, alternating whiffs with a pair of singles. He and K-Mac were shipped back to Indy the next day as the Bucs reinstated Chad Qualls and called up Daniel McCutchen.
Then the Tribe put him in the pen, and his next four outings were as a reliever, including back-to-back appearances at the end of the month, his first ever consecutive day outings in the pro ranks.Wilson gave up a run on three hits in 4-1/3 innings of relief work, with a walk and eight K. He was called back to Pittsburgh on September 1st, finishing 9-6/3.78 at Indy, tossing 135-2/3 frames (25 of his 29 appearances were starts) with 138 K and 66 walks. His International League opponents hit just .189 off him (.129/LH, .214/RH).
He throws a fastball that averaged 94 in Pittsburgh and touched 96. But its strength is also its Achilles Heel - it moves so much that he has had career-long problems spotting it. He also tossed a slider, showing batters the usual power pitcher combo. The lefty works both sides of the plate. Wilson did have a 27% K rate for the Pirates, but also an 11% walk rate, 53% line drive rate and 13 of the 26 batters he worked against got aboard. He didn't exactly present a compelling case for himself in the few innings he threw, with a shiny 1.93 ERA but a more telling 2.786 WHIP in 4-2/3 frames.
The Pirates FO dangled him during the deadline as a closer-in-the making. After all, Hanny averaged 5+ walks per nine this season and still saved 36 games, as did John Axford, who iced 35 wins. Other wild child finishers like Tyler Clippard, Jose Valverde and Carlos Marmol aren't exactly considered among the elite, but the trio did save 87 games among them, so control isn't the end-all factor in the ninth inning.
But we think that's a back-burner option for Wilson. Even the brass emphasized that the late-year move to the pen was just to slot him into the Pirates immediate 2012 needs. He still has a couple of options left, and he's flashed some real ability as a starter, with the stuff to become a two or three rotation guy if he can harness his command. That's the big if, and Pittsburgh will likely start him out at Indy again in 2013 as part of the rotation to see if Wilson can find the light switch.
Showing posts with label justin wilson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label justin wilson. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Wilson To Indy Pen As Bucs Position Pitchers For Stretch Run
It wasn't really earthshattering stuff, but Clint Hurdle told the media before the game that Justin Wilson, who was part of Indianapolis' rotation, was being sent to the pen. The same thing happened last year and for the same reason - Wilson is a power arm with nice stuff, but just can't seem to get the rock over the dish.
He's averaging almost 5 walks/9 innings this year, just like last season. But this move doesn't seem so much a demotion as an opportunity for him to become a back-ender from the pen, or at least a LOOGY, something the Pirates could use about now with Brad Lincoln traded and Tony Watson as the only southpaw reliever.
As a starter, he was doing OK with all his peripheral stuff except for control. In 23 starts, he's 8-5/4.14 in 117-1/3 frames. Wilson has surrendered just 83 hits with a opponent BA of .197. He’s fanned 121 hitters (9.3/nine innings) but walked 63 (4.8/nine innings).
In 2011, Wilson had the same situation and worked nine games from the pen. The most noticeable difference was that his gas went from the low to the upper nineties, touching 99. We saw the same kind of velocity spike from Lincoln when he was able to let it all hang out as a reliever instead of pacing himself as a starter.
Wilson, who will turn 25 next week, was a fifth rounder out of Fresno State in 2008, but signed late after a strong CWS run. Maybe the bullpen will end up his niche, though he still holds more value as a starter. Farm director Kyle Stark told Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review that moving Wilson to bullpen is a "short-term ML depth move as opposed to what Justin Wilson can be long-term."
But at any rate, it shows the Pirates are ready to address any pitching needs internally if push comes to shove. RHP Chris Leroux (1-0/2.27), who has a sub-one ERA in his last three outings, will take Wilson's spot in the rotation, and he'll be stretched out if Pittsburgh needs a long man/spot starter in the coming weeks.
They also have righty Bryan Morris stashed at Indy if they're looking for a set-up guy. He's 2-2/2.57 with five saves and has punched out 63 batters in 67-1/3 frames. LHP pitcher Doug Slaten is available, too. He's been killing at Indy (3-1/1.25) and has big league experience as a middle man, though in a cup of coffee in Pittsburgh earlier this year he had problems with nibbling at the edges too much, walking eight in 13 IP.
Beside Leroux, the FO also has LHP Jeff Locke on the back burner if the call for another starter goes up. he's 9-5 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.224 WHIP, averaging 8 K and 3 BB per nine innings.
The Bucs tried to set their rotation at the deadline by grabbing the top mid-tier guy, Wandy Rodriguez, but didn't land any bullpen help except for middle man Chad Qualls. Now it appears that they're getting their minor league ducks in line for the short-term stretch run.
He's averaging almost 5 walks/9 innings this year, just like last season. But this move doesn't seem so much a demotion as an opportunity for him to become a back-ender from the pen, or at least a LOOGY, something the Pirates could use about now with Brad Lincoln traded and Tony Watson as the only southpaw reliever.
As a starter, he was doing OK with all his peripheral stuff except for control. In 23 starts, he's 8-5/4.14 in 117-1/3 frames. Wilson has surrendered just 83 hits with a opponent BA of .197. He’s fanned 121 hitters (9.3/nine innings) but walked 63 (4.8/nine innings).
In 2011, Wilson had the same situation and worked nine games from the pen. The most noticeable difference was that his gas went from the low to the upper nineties, touching 99. We saw the same kind of velocity spike from Lincoln when he was able to let it all hang out as a reliever instead of pacing himself as a starter.
Wilson, who will turn 25 next week, was a fifth rounder out of Fresno State in 2008, but signed late after a strong CWS run. Maybe the bullpen will end up his niche, though he still holds more value as a starter. Farm director Kyle Stark told Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review that moving Wilson to bullpen is a "short-term ML depth move as opposed to what Justin Wilson can be long-term."
But at any rate, it shows the Pirates are ready to address any pitching needs internally if push comes to shove. RHP Chris Leroux (1-0/2.27), who has a sub-one ERA in his last three outings, will take Wilson's spot in the rotation, and he'll be stretched out if Pittsburgh needs a long man/spot starter in the coming weeks.
They also have righty Bryan Morris stashed at Indy if they're looking for a set-up guy. He's 2-2/2.57 with five saves and has punched out 63 batters in 67-1/3 frames. LHP pitcher Doug Slaten is available, too. He's been killing at Indy (3-1/1.25) and has big league experience as a middle man, though in a cup of coffee in Pittsburgh earlier this year he had problems with nibbling at the edges too much, walking eight in 13 IP.
Beside Leroux, the FO also has LHP Jeff Locke on the back burner if the call for another starter goes up. he's 9-5 with a 2.66 ERA and 1.224 WHIP, averaging 8 K and 3 BB per nine innings.
The Bucs tried to set their rotation at the deadline by grabbing the top mid-tier guy, Wandy Rodriguez, but didn't land any bullpen help except for middle man Chad Qualls. Now it appears that they're getting their minor league ducks in line for the short-term stretch run.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Justin Wilson - The Bulldog That Signed
LHP Justin Wilson was a popular kid. Out of high school, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 37th round of the 2005 draft.
And no wonder. At Buchanan High, he was one of the most highly touted recruits in California's Orange County. Wilson was a pitcher and first baseman, and he hit .350 and tossed 131 strikeouts in his senior year. He was the 2005 Valley Player of the Year and named to the California All-Star team.
But he cast his lot with Fresno State instead of the local pros. Wilson, a junior, ended up carrying the Bulldogs' pitching burden after Tanner Scheppers, staff ace and the unsigned 2008 Pirate second rounder, went down in early May.
He led them to the College World Series, where he started and won the title game against Georgia, striking out nine batters and allowing one run on five hits in eight innings of work. Next stop, Pittsburgh.
The Pirates selected him in the 5th round of the 2008 draft, and it wasn't an easy signing. The Pirates thought he overpriced himself because of his CWS success. Baseball America didn't have Wilson among its top 200 draft prospects, and slotted him as a 6-10th round pick, so the suits had already reached a bit for his services.
But the club and Wilson worked out their differences, and Wilson signed late in the process for a $195K bonus. After all the debate, the bonus was right at slot value.
Wilson inked his deal too late to pitch in 2008 season, and opened in 2009 at High Class A Lynchburg, an aggressive posting by the Pirates and at least a level higher than expected.
Not surprisingly, the 22 year-old (his birthday is in August) got a rude welcome to the Carolina League. He had an ERA of 6.58 from April through June. Wilson couldn't find the dish, and the results were walks and gopher balls, never a good thing from a young pitcher.
But he reversed course in the last two months, cobbling together an ERA of 2.61 and doing a solid job in his two playoff starts, as the Hillcats won the league crown. Say this for Wilson; his teams win.
He changes speeds well, and all of his pitches have great movement. He has average velocity on a fastball that hits 92-93 MPH regularly, a big curveball that often misses the plate, and a sharp slider that he controls pretty well. As with all Bucco hurlers, he's adding a change to his checklist.
With Wilson, his future is going to be a matter of throwing strikes; his walks and high pitch counts are his biggest stumbling blocks. His pitches have so much movement that he sometimes struggles with their location.
As he moves up the ladder, the more experience hitters will just sit back and watch his stuff slide off the plate. Getting into pitchers' counts is key for Wilson, allowing that liveliness to work for him instead of against him.
The Pirates pushed him aggressively last year, and we assume it'll be more of the same this season. He should start 2010 in Altoona.
(Next - #20 Jordy Mercer)
And no wonder. At Buchanan High, he was one of the most highly touted recruits in California's Orange County. Wilson was a pitcher and first baseman, and he hit .350 and tossed 131 strikeouts in his senior year. He was the 2005 Valley Player of the Year and named to the California All-Star team.
But he cast his lot with Fresno State instead of the local pros. Wilson, a junior, ended up carrying the Bulldogs' pitching burden after Tanner Scheppers, staff ace and the unsigned 2008 Pirate second rounder, went down in early May.
He led them to the College World Series, where he started and won the title game against Georgia, striking out nine batters and allowing one run on five hits in eight innings of work. Next stop, Pittsburgh.
The Pirates selected him in the 5th round of the 2008 draft, and it wasn't an easy signing. The Pirates thought he overpriced himself because of his CWS success. Baseball America didn't have Wilson among its top 200 draft prospects, and slotted him as a 6-10th round pick, so the suits had already reached a bit for his services.
But the club and Wilson worked out their differences, and Wilson signed late in the process for a $195K bonus. After all the debate, the bonus was right at slot value.
Wilson inked his deal too late to pitch in 2008 season, and opened in 2009 at High Class A Lynchburg, an aggressive posting by the Pirates and at least a level higher than expected.
Not surprisingly, the 22 year-old (his birthday is in August) got a rude welcome to the Carolina League. He had an ERA of 6.58 from April through June. Wilson couldn't find the dish, and the results were walks and gopher balls, never a good thing from a young pitcher.
But he reversed course in the last two months, cobbling together an ERA of 2.61 and doing a solid job in his two playoff starts, as the Hillcats won the league crown. Say this for Wilson; his teams win.
He changes speeds well, and all of his pitches have great movement. He has average velocity on a fastball that hits 92-93 MPH regularly, a big curveball that often misses the plate, and a sharp slider that he controls pretty well. As with all Bucco hurlers, he's adding a change to his checklist.
With Wilson, his future is going to be a matter of throwing strikes; his walks and high pitch counts are his biggest stumbling blocks. His pitches have so much movement that he sometimes struggles with their location.
As he moves up the ladder, the more experience hitters will just sit back and watch his stuff slide off the plate. Getting into pitchers' counts is key for Wilson, allowing that liveliness to work for him instead of against him.
The Pirates pushed him aggressively last year, and we assume it'll be more of the same this season. He should start 2010 in Altoona.
(Next - #20 Jordy Mercer)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
That's the Way
Now that's the kinda baseball we're talking about.
Paul Maholm kept the string of sweet pitching performances going, the Buc bats finally put together a big inning, and Jay Michaels, with a couple of tumbling catches, and Andy LaRoche, showing off a howitzer for an arm, keyed a strong defensive game as the Pirates won 5-2 tonight.
Maholm ran off eight innings of 7-hit ball, yielding only a pair of solo homers. 69 of his 96 pitches were strikes as he struck out 5 and didn't walk a soul, picking up his 8th win and dropping his ERA to 3.69.
Ol' Pirate Josh Fogg kept the Bucs off balance over the first four innings, but they got to him the second time around with a four run fifth inning. The big blows were a two run double by Ryan Doumit and a two run dinger by Michaels.
Brandon Moss drove one into the bullpen in the eighth, John Grabow pitched a perfect ninth for his third save, and Pittsburgh had a nice, workman-like win over the Reds.
Freddie Sanchez returned to the lineup, Adam LaRoche is expected back tomorrow after his third straight multi-hit game at Hickory, and the Bucs got LHP Justin Wilson, their fifth round pick, to sign on the dotted line.
Wilson will report to the GCL Bradenton Pirates, where he'll finish out what's left of the season. From there, he'll take part in the Pirate's fall instructional league. Wilson appeared in 23 games (19 starts) in his junior season at Fresno State and went 9-5 with a 4.14 ERA. He finished the year with 108 strikeouts.
Pedro Alvarez, Tanner Scheppers, Robert Grossman (6th round) and Andrew Gagnon (10th round) are the other top 10 picks still unsigned as the clock continues to tick.
After the game, Joey Bats was sent down to AAA to clear a spot for Adam LaRoche on the 25-man roster. There really wasn't any other logical choice, as he joins Gorzo and Ronny Paulino at the Indy home for wayward Pirates.
Speaking of wayward Pirates, the Giants DFA'ed Jose Castillo, 27, who hit .244 in 394 plate appearances for SF. He earned $650K.
On the minor league front: Indy won 1-0 behind the four hit pitching of RHP Ross Ohlendorf (3-3, 3.60 ERA). He went eighth innings, striking out three and walking one. Ohlendorf threw 100 pitches, 65 for strikes. It was Indy's second straight shutout victory.
The Tribe got its only run of the afternoon in the first when 3B Neil Walker (.236) drove in LF Nyjer Morgan (.294). They both had a pair of hits, as did SS Brian Bixler (.284) and C Candy Maldonado (.222), who had two doubles.
> Altoona lost 5-3. CF Jose Tabata (.257) was a one man wrecking crew, going 4-4 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored.
> Lynchburg was rained out.
> Hickory lost 17-11, giving up eight runs in the last two innings.
RF Keanon Simon (.218) went 3-5 with a double, 3 runs scored, and an RBI. 3B Silvio Pena (.243) had two hits and a walk, scored twice and added an RBI. SS Jordy Mercer (.225) had 2 hits and drove in a pair. C Aeden McQueary (.114) was 2-4 with two runs and an RBI. DH Matt Hague (.329) had two hits.
Adam LaRoche was 2-3 in his third Crawdad appearance with a walk and 2 RBI. He'll rejoin Pittsburgh tomorrow after hitting .600 in rehab.
> State College broke out the bats tonight, but in an amazing come-from-ahead loss, gave up 7 runs in the ninth to lose 13-10. And we thought Pirate pre-trade pitching was bad!
DH Kyle Morgan (.162) went 2-2 with a walk and HR, his first, 3 runs and 3 RBI. 2B Chad Rice (.246) had two hits, a walk, a double, and 3 RBI. CF Ciro Rosero (.258) had two hits, a double, and 2 RBI. IF Chase D'Arnaud (.308) also had a pair of knocks, a double, and 2 runs. The Spikes smacked 6 doubles and a homer in the loss.
> Bradenton won 4-1 as three pitchers combined on the seven hit victory. RF Edward Garcia (.235) went 2-2 with a pair of walks, a run and an RBI. 3B Jarek Cunningham (.325) went 2-4 with an RBI and run scored. DH Craig Parry (.326) had a pair of hits and scored.
Seems like the Pirates sent all the bats to State College and Hickory and kept all the arms at Bradenton.
Paul Maholm kept the string of sweet pitching performances going, the Buc bats finally put together a big inning, and Jay Michaels, with a couple of tumbling catches, and Andy LaRoche, showing off a howitzer for an arm, keyed a strong defensive game as the Pirates won 5-2 tonight.
Maholm ran off eight innings of 7-hit ball, yielding only a pair of solo homers. 69 of his 96 pitches were strikes as he struck out 5 and didn't walk a soul, picking up his 8th win and dropping his ERA to 3.69.
Ol' Pirate Josh Fogg kept the Bucs off balance over the first four innings, but they got to him the second time around with a four run fifth inning. The big blows were a two run double by Ryan Doumit and a two run dinger by Michaels.
Brandon Moss drove one into the bullpen in the eighth, John Grabow pitched a perfect ninth for his third save, and Pittsburgh had a nice, workman-like win over the Reds.
Freddie Sanchez returned to the lineup, Adam LaRoche is expected back tomorrow after his third straight multi-hit game at Hickory, and the Bucs got LHP Justin Wilson, their fifth round pick, to sign on the dotted line.
Wilson will report to the GCL Bradenton Pirates, where he'll finish out what's left of the season. From there, he'll take part in the Pirate's fall instructional league. Wilson appeared in 23 games (19 starts) in his junior season at Fresno State and went 9-5 with a 4.14 ERA. He finished the year with 108 strikeouts.
Pedro Alvarez, Tanner Scheppers, Robert Grossman (6th round) and Andrew Gagnon (10th round) are the other top 10 picks still unsigned as the clock continues to tick.
After the game, Joey Bats was sent down to AAA to clear a spot for Adam LaRoche on the 25-man roster. There really wasn't any other logical choice, as he joins Gorzo and Ronny Paulino at the Indy home for wayward Pirates.
Speaking of wayward Pirates, the Giants DFA'ed Jose Castillo, 27, who hit .244 in 394 plate appearances for SF. He earned $650K.
On the minor league front: Indy won 1-0 behind the four hit pitching of RHP Ross Ohlendorf (3-3, 3.60 ERA). He went eighth innings, striking out three and walking one. Ohlendorf threw 100 pitches, 65 for strikes. It was Indy's second straight shutout victory.
The Tribe got its only run of the afternoon in the first when 3B Neil Walker (.236) drove in LF Nyjer Morgan (.294). They both had a pair of hits, as did SS Brian Bixler (.284) and C Candy Maldonado (.222), who had two doubles.
> Altoona lost 5-3. CF Jose Tabata (.257) was a one man wrecking crew, going 4-4 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored.
> Lynchburg was rained out.
> Hickory lost 17-11, giving up eight runs in the last two innings.
RF Keanon Simon (.218) went 3-5 with a double, 3 runs scored, and an RBI. 3B Silvio Pena (.243) had two hits and a walk, scored twice and added an RBI. SS Jordy Mercer (.225) had 2 hits and drove in a pair. C Aeden McQueary (.114) was 2-4 with two runs and an RBI. DH Matt Hague (.329) had two hits.
Adam LaRoche was 2-3 in his third Crawdad appearance with a walk and 2 RBI. He'll rejoin Pittsburgh tomorrow after hitting .600 in rehab.
> State College broke out the bats tonight, but in an amazing come-from-ahead loss, gave up 7 runs in the ninth to lose 13-10. And we thought Pirate pre-trade pitching was bad!
DH Kyle Morgan (.162) went 2-2 with a walk and HR, his first, 3 runs and 3 RBI. 2B Chad Rice (.246) had two hits, a walk, a double, and 3 RBI. CF Ciro Rosero (.258) had two hits, a double, and 2 RBI. IF Chase D'Arnaud (.308) also had a pair of knocks, a double, and 2 runs. The Spikes smacked 6 doubles and a homer in the loss.
> Bradenton won 4-1 as three pitchers combined on the seven hit victory. RF Edward Garcia (.235) went 2-2 with a pair of walks, a run and an RBI. 3B Jarek Cunningham (.325) went 2-4 with an RBI and run scored. DH Craig Parry (.326) had a pair of hits and scored.
Seems like the Pirates sent all the bats to State College and Hickory and kept all the arms at Bradenton.
Monday, June 30, 2008
We had 'em all the...oooops.
Second and third, one out, up by one in the ninth. Can't score. Junior goes yard in the bottom of the ninth. Walks off. *ouch*
On the Pirate front: Paul Meyer of the Post-Gazette and Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review both report that for the first time in 52 years, a Pirate pitcher will bat somewhere other than ninth.
Paul Maholm, starting against Cincinnati, will bat eighth, with Jack Wilson batting ninth. The GW rues the day Tony LaRussa joined the NL Central.
John Russell told the Trib: "That puts Jack in a situation where if he gets on, we've got the top of the order coming up. It just adds a little more offense and maybe gets a few more guys on base for Jason (Bay) and Ryan (Doumit)."
The last time a Pirate pitcher batted higher than ninth was Sept. 3, 1956. Bobby Bragan had his pitcher bat seventh for 20 straight games. The last Bucco hurler to bat from somewhere other than the bottom of the order was George "Red" Munger, who batted seventh, with Hank Foiles and Bill Mazeroski behind him.
> CF Nate McLouth was a late scratch from the Pirates' lineup tonight because of a sore left knee. Russell said he made the move because McLouth had fouled several pitches off his knee in recent days and also banged it up on a slide yesterday.
> Perhaps unnoticed, but a key to Ryan Doumit's mashing: his eye. The 27-year-old has struck out just 21 times in 156 at-bats this year compared to 59 Ks in 259 trips to the dish a season ago. His strikeout rate has fallen from 23.4% to 13.5%. Hit the ball more, get more hits. Pretty simple.
> The Pirates list John Van Benschoten as Wednesday's starter, with crossed fingers. If his right shoulder acts up, they'll turn to Yoslan Herrera or Bryan Bullington. Ah, nothing like the pitcher du jour.
> GM Neal Huntington has made 13 roster moves since Wednesday, beginning with the Denny Bautista trade, to keep fresh arms on tap. Busy dude - and we'd imagine Jeff Andrews has to look twice at the scorecard to figure who's in his bullpen on any given night.
> The Pirates pushed back Phil Dumatrait's return date back a couple of days to July 7. Ian Snell is still supposed to come back July 8, his first day off the DL.
> CF Chris Duffy, rehabbing at Altoona, must come off the DL Friday. He can still play in the minors, but the Pirates have to return him to a now full 40-man roster.
> Wonder if the Pirates nailed up a hoop to the bullpen? Denny Bautista is 6-7, Romulo Sanchez and TJ Beam are 6-5, and JVB is 6-4. Pretty good front line, hey? But can they pitch?
> Can the Pirate's improve on their first half of play? Only if the pitching shapes up. The Buc's starting ERA is over a run higher than the league norm. Even if Adam LaRoche and Freddie Sanchez find their strokes, you can't expect much more out of the attack. The fielding has been OK since Jack Splat's return.
So that leaves only one place to pick up the slack. Gorzo, Ian, are you ready to rumble through the dog days?
The Pirates, btw, are at 38-43, three games ahead of their record at the halfway point last season, when they were 35-46.
On the minor league front: Indy 3B Neil Walker hit his 13th home run, a three-run shot, in a 6-5 loss.
> At Altoona, 2B Shelby Ford hit his second home run of the year. It was the game winner as the Curve won 6-5 in 10 innings. He's batting .319 so far this season.
On the draft front: LHP Justin Wilson of Fresno State, the CWS champs, hopes to get his pro career started soon, now that the Bucs can talk turkey with him. They weren't allowed to negotiate with the fifth round pick while the college playoffs were still in progress.
Wilson, 8-5 with a 4.34 ERA, became Fresno State's ace after teammate Tanner Scheppers injured his shoulder, and was the winning pitcher in the 6-1 victory against Georgia that clinched the CWS.
He doesn't feel his workload in college will hinder him in getting back on the mound quickly. "I think I ended up with like 118 innings or 120, but my arm feels great and fresh and ready to play baseball," Wilson said to MLB.com. "I don't think there is a problem with me going out and playing a little bit more."
Scheppers is recovering from slight damage to the labrum in his shoulder and is expected to begin an independent throwing program early next month. Once the Pirates are convinced he is healthy, and they do think he will recover fully, talks will heat up.
No word on Pedro Alvarez, as both the Buc's and Boras have taken a vow of silence on the give and take going on with his contract.
On the Pirate front: Paul Meyer of the Post-Gazette and Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review both report that for the first time in 52 years, a Pirate pitcher will bat somewhere other than ninth.
Paul Maholm, starting against Cincinnati, will bat eighth, with Jack Wilson batting ninth. The GW rues the day Tony LaRussa joined the NL Central.
John Russell told the Trib: "That puts Jack in a situation where if he gets on, we've got the top of the order coming up. It just adds a little more offense and maybe gets a few more guys on base for Jason (Bay) and Ryan (Doumit)."
The last time a Pirate pitcher batted higher than ninth was Sept. 3, 1956. Bobby Bragan had his pitcher bat seventh for 20 straight games. The last Bucco hurler to bat from somewhere other than the bottom of the order was George "Red" Munger, who batted seventh, with Hank Foiles and Bill Mazeroski behind him.
> CF Nate McLouth was a late scratch from the Pirates' lineup tonight because of a sore left knee. Russell said he made the move because McLouth had fouled several pitches off his knee in recent days and also banged it up on a slide yesterday.
> Perhaps unnoticed, but a key to Ryan Doumit's mashing: his eye. The 27-year-old has struck out just 21 times in 156 at-bats this year compared to 59 Ks in 259 trips to the dish a season ago. His strikeout rate has fallen from 23.4% to 13.5%. Hit the ball more, get more hits. Pretty simple.
> The Pirates list John Van Benschoten as Wednesday's starter, with crossed fingers. If his right shoulder acts up, they'll turn to Yoslan Herrera or Bryan Bullington. Ah, nothing like the pitcher du jour.
> GM Neal Huntington has made 13 roster moves since Wednesday, beginning with the Denny Bautista trade, to keep fresh arms on tap. Busy dude - and we'd imagine Jeff Andrews has to look twice at the scorecard to figure who's in his bullpen on any given night.
> The Pirates pushed back Phil Dumatrait's return date back a couple of days to July 7. Ian Snell is still supposed to come back July 8, his first day off the DL.
> CF Chris Duffy, rehabbing at Altoona, must come off the DL Friday. He can still play in the minors, but the Pirates have to return him to a now full 40-man roster.
> Wonder if the Pirates nailed up a hoop to the bullpen? Denny Bautista is 6-7, Romulo Sanchez and TJ Beam are 6-5, and JVB is 6-4. Pretty good front line, hey? But can they pitch?
> Can the Pirate's improve on their first half of play? Only if the pitching shapes up. The Buc's starting ERA is over a run higher than the league norm. Even if Adam LaRoche and Freddie Sanchez find their strokes, you can't expect much more out of the attack. The fielding has been OK since Jack Splat's return.
So that leaves only one place to pick up the slack. Gorzo, Ian, are you ready to rumble through the dog days?
The Pirates, btw, are at 38-43, three games ahead of their record at the halfway point last season, when they were 35-46.
On the minor league front: Indy 3B Neil Walker hit his 13th home run, a three-run shot, in a 6-5 loss.
> At Altoona, 2B Shelby Ford hit his second home run of the year. It was the game winner as the Curve won 6-5 in 10 innings. He's batting .319 so far this season.
On the draft front: LHP Justin Wilson of Fresno State, the CWS champs, hopes to get his pro career started soon, now that the Bucs can talk turkey with him. They weren't allowed to negotiate with the fifth round pick while the college playoffs were still in progress.
Wilson, 8-5 with a 4.34 ERA, became Fresno State's ace after teammate Tanner Scheppers injured his shoulder, and was the winning pitcher in the 6-1 victory against Georgia that clinched the CWS.
He doesn't feel his workload in college will hinder him in getting back on the mound quickly. "I think I ended up with like 118 innings or 120, but my arm feels great and fresh and ready to play baseball," Wilson said to MLB.com. "I don't think there is a problem with me going out and playing a little bit more."
Scheppers is recovering from slight damage to the labrum in his shoulder and is expected to begin an independent throwing program early next month. Once the Pirates are convinced he is healthy, and they do think he will recover fully, talks will heat up.
No word on Pedro Alvarez, as both the Buc's and Boras have taken a vow of silence on the give and take going on with his contract.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Draft day
The Rays took all the pressure off of Pittsburgh by selecting high school wunderkind Tim Beckham, letting Pedro Alvarez fall into the Pirate's lap. Pedro said he's happy to be a Buc. The Buc's are happy to get Pedro. Now what does Boras think...?
>Keith Law of ESPN on the choice: "The pick makes sense for the Pirates, who have had a hard time developing power hitters and don't have a lot in their system. If Alvarez moved to first base, he'd have a clear path to the majors there. Same thing at third base.
My only concern is that they didn't pick the best player on the board at this point. Justin Smoak would have made just as much if not more sense. But if everything clicks with Alvarez, the Pirates have a cleanup hitter for the next several years with 40-homer potential in the majors."
>"Pedro is a player we've done a lot of work on," Neal Huntington said shortly after the selection. "He has the potential of being a middle-of-the-lineup-type bat with the added potential of being a left-handed hitter at PNC Park. It's our belief that he will be a quality Major League third baseman."
>The selection of Alvarez marks just the third time in the last 11 seasons that the Pirates have taken a position player with their first-round pick. The last time the Bucs used their first pick to select a third baseman was in 1986, when they made Jeff King the No. 1 overall pick.
We'd like to tell you more, but for some reason they put the draft on hold after the comp picks. Tough to drum up interest when the suits take recess during prime time.
>Finally! And well worth the wait. The Bucs take Tanner Scheppers, a 6'4" RHP from Fresno State. Originally recruited as a shortstop, Scheppers is a tall and athletic right-hander.
He has good arm strength with an above average fastball (92-95 MPH and it's said it touches 99. His two seamer cuts & sinks), he has a good slider (87 MPH with a late break), and decent fastball command. He's new to pitching, so his delivery is a little mechanical and he's behind on things like holding runners.
His 2008 pitching line was 8-2 in 70-2/3 innings with a whopping 105 strike outs and a 3.19 ERA.
Schepper's an intriguing right-hander with a ton of upside. He may be a little raw because of his lack of experience - he showed just two pitches early in the season - but the above-average fastball and strong early results will be enough to keep scouts coming and keep him moving up draft charts. (MLB.com)
Scheppers suffered a stress fracture of his shoulder in the past week, according to MLB Trade Rumors. This injury likely dropped him out of the early first round, and rumors abound that it may be something more serious. The risk is increased, but now Scheppers will drop and could become a steal.
The Bucs are taking a chance here, but the upside, as they see it, overrides the risk. They're taking a shot at landing two top ten picks instead of playing it safe.
We like the thinking, assuming they've done their due diligence. But a word of warning - he's been ranked anywhere from 20-70 in the draft ratings since his injury became public, so caveat emptor.
Kinda interesting - usually pitchers that Pittsburgh draft wait until they're signed before their arm falls off. Scheppers is already ahead of the curve.
>This pick was kinda out there. The Bucs chose Oklahoma State SS Jordy Mercer, a 6'3" RH. He hit .330 with 14 HRs and 60 RBIs for the Cowboys, and was on the US National team last year.
Mercer booted 12 balls in 62 games at short. He's pitched some, too, although his 5.28 ERA doesn't bode well for a spot in the pen. The Dodgers originally drafted him in 2005, in the 26th round. He's recovered without a hitch from knee surgery in 2007.
>The fourth round pick is Pepperdine junior SS Chase D'Arnaud. He's 6'3", 210 lbs, and hit .314 with 11 HR's and 50 RBIs, along with 10 stolen sacks. D'Arnaud is another leather challenged infielder, committing 20 errors in 59 games. He projects as a 2B in the pros.
Looks like the suits are hoping for a little pop out of their infielders this year. Are you paying attention, Brian Bixler?
>Justin Wilson, LHP from Fresno State, was the fifth pick. The 6'2" junior didn't have a great 2008, going 7-4 with a 4.17 ERA and 83 Ks in 99-1/3 innings, but was probably selected on last year's performance.
He was 8-5 with a 3.19 ERA and 105 Ks in 101-1/3 innings. He mostly worked as a starter, though he saw a bit of time out of the pen, too. Wilson is a converted 1B, and has two years under his belt as a full-time pitcher. He throws average heat, 88-90 MPH, and has control issues.
>The grade so far? Well, Califonia is supposed to be the alpha hotbed of US baseball talent, and Pittsburgh rarely visited it during the Littlefield era. Huntington seems like he wants to make up for that slight all in one year.
And all the picks have some question marks, mainly regarding health. But it's a shallow draft, and the Pirates are rolling the dice that the guys will all end up OK. Their eye has been focused more on potential than production, so they have a group with a lot of upside but that could crash in flames, too.
But it's worth the risk - safe picks have gotten the club no where in the past decade.
OK guys, look up the other draftees yourself. We're going out to play with the tomatoes in the backyard and catch the end of the Pirate game. See ya tomorrow.
On the draft front: Who dey gonna pick? The gurus say:
>Baseball America - Pedro Alvarez appears to be the first, second and third choice of the Pirates in the No. 2 hole. At the very least, taking Alvarez would signal to skeptical Bucs fans that the new bosses, team president Frank Coonelly and GM Neal Huntington, aren’t the same as the old bosses. The Alvarez-to-Pittsburgh talk is so strong, most sources don’t really know what Pittsburgh’s backup plan could be, other than Cliff Stoudt.
>MLB.com - Pittsburgh Pirates: Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Vanderbilt. No change here, with the Pirates still in line to make some waves by taking Alvarez. They'll still consider Posey and perhaps even Matusz if they feel they need to go with the top college pitcher.
>Baseball Prospectus - The Pirates are in a bit of a pickle with this selection. The Rays are good because they’ve done great things with their picks; the Pirates are faltering because they have failed with theirs.
In 2006, they selected Brad Lincoln in front of Clayton Kershaw and Tim Lincecum. In 2005, they nabbed Andrew McCutcheon — a fine prospect in his own right — but one pick later the Reds selected Jay Bruce. In 2002, with the first overall pick, they decided on Bryan Bullington over B.J. Upton.
Many of those decisions were based on money, and while new team president Frank Coonelly was previously charged with enforcing MLB’s silly slotting system for the draft, the Pirates insist that they are playing it cheap no longer. That seemingly would make Alvarez the obvious pick here, but his price might be too high, even for the Pirates, who are concerned with some holes in his swing and his ability to stay at third base long-term.
Tim Beckham is more risky, but should come at a more reasonable price, and many believe he’s a superior prospect to Alvarez by any measurement.
Selection: Tim Beckham, SS, Griffin HS (GA)
>CBS Sports - The Pirates are supposedly thinking about picking Pedro Alvarez, to prove that they are willing to spend cash on a player. Alvarez is a great prospect, but broke a bone his hamate bone before the season started and hasn't been himself this season.
I think this injury, plus the fact that Alvarez will eventually be a 1st baseman (in my opinion due to his below average speed and average arm). I think there's enough risk here that the Pirates will back off.
So, enough about who they won't take. I expect they'll go for one of three players (along w/ Alvarez being an outside possibility): Posey (if he's available), Tim Beckham, a high school SS, or Brian Matusz, a lefty out of Univ of San Diego. The Pirates are the worst in the majors in pitching.
Update: The same information is out there regarding Alvarez and the Pirates willingness to take him. I can't say I'm any more convinced now than I was then.
Pick: Brian Matusz, LHP, Junior, San Diego
Stats: 2.05 ERA (16th), 10 wins (7th), 12.48 k/9 (5th), 7.67 H/9 (75th), 1.58 BB/9 (113th) Alternate Pick: Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Vanderbilt.
>Dejan Kovacevic of the Post-Gazette - There are strong indications, internally and externally, that the Pirates favor Vanderbilt University third baseman Pedro Alvarez. According to multiple sources, they already have placed feelers with Boras to set the stage for drafting him.
Lotta opinions out there, but only one counts. We'll find out soon enough who the Bucs like.
>Pirate first rounders: 2007: Daniel Moskos, LHP, Clemson; 2006: Brad Lincoln, RHP, Houston; 2005: Andrew McCutcheon, CF, Fort Meade HS; 2004: Neil Walker, C, Pine-Richland HS; 2003: Paul Maholm, LHP, Mississippi State; 2002: Bryan Bullington, RHP, Ball State; 2001: John VanBenschoten, 1B-OF, Kent State; 2000: Sean Burnett, LHP, Weelington HS.
>Local high schoolers waiting for the phone to ring: Zak Sinclair, pitcher, West Allegheny; Plum pitcher Scott McGough; Seneca Valley pitcher Cory Mazzoni and Peters Township catcher Jordan Jankowski. They all have D1 scholarships sitting in their pockets if the round they're selected in isn't to their liking.
>Keith Law of ESPN on the choice: "The pick makes sense for the Pirates, who have had a hard time developing power hitters and don't have a lot in their system. If Alvarez moved to first base, he'd have a clear path to the majors there. Same thing at third base.
My only concern is that they didn't pick the best player on the board at this point. Justin Smoak would have made just as much if not more sense. But if everything clicks with Alvarez, the Pirates have a cleanup hitter for the next several years with 40-homer potential in the majors."
>"Pedro is a player we've done a lot of work on," Neal Huntington said shortly after the selection. "He has the potential of being a middle-of-the-lineup-type bat with the added potential of being a left-handed hitter at PNC Park. It's our belief that he will be a quality Major League third baseman."
>The selection of Alvarez marks just the third time in the last 11 seasons that the Pirates have taken a position player with their first-round pick. The last time the Bucs used their first pick to select a third baseman was in 1986, when they made Jeff King the No. 1 overall pick.
We'd like to tell you more, but for some reason they put the draft on hold after the comp picks. Tough to drum up interest when the suits take recess during prime time.
>Finally! And well worth the wait. The Bucs take Tanner Scheppers, a 6'4" RHP from Fresno State. Originally recruited as a shortstop, Scheppers is a tall and athletic right-hander.
He has good arm strength with an above average fastball (92-95 MPH and it's said it touches 99. His two seamer cuts & sinks), he has a good slider (87 MPH with a late break), and decent fastball command. He's new to pitching, so his delivery is a little mechanical and he's behind on things like holding runners.
His 2008 pitching line was 8-2 in 70-2/3 innings with a whopping 105 strike outs and a 3.19 ERA.
Schepper's an intriguing right-hander with a ton of upside. He may be a little raw because of his lack of experience - he showed just two pitches early in the season - but the above-average fastball and strong early results will be enough to keep scouts coming and keep him moving up draft charts. (MLB.com)
Scheppers suffered a stress fracture of his shoulder in the past week, according to MLB Trade Rumors. This injury likely dropped him out of the early first round, and rumors abound that it may be something more serious. The risk is increased, but now Scheppers will drop and could become a steal.
The Bucs are taking a chance here, but the upside, as they see it, overrides the risk. They're taking a shot at landing two top ten picks instead of playing it safe.
We like the thinking, assuming they've done their due diligence. But a word of warning - he's been ranked anywhere from 20-70 in the draft ratings since his injury became public, so caveat emptor.
Kinda interesting - usually pitchers that Pittsburgh draft wait until they're signed before their arm falls off. Scheppers is already ahead of the curve.
>This pick was kinda out there. The Bucs chose Oklahoma State SS Jordy Mercer, a 6'3" RH. He hit .330 with 14 HRs and 60 RBIs for the Cowboys, and was on the US National team last year.
Mercer booted 12 balls in 62 games at short. He's pitched some, too, although his 5.28 ERA doesn't bode well for a spot in the pen. The Dodgers originally drafted him in 2005, in the 26th round. He's recovered without a hitch from knee surgery in 2007.
>The fourth round pick is Pepperdine junior SS Chase D'Arnaud. He's 6'3", 210 lbs, and hit .314 with 11 HR's and 50 RBIs, along with 10 stolen sacks. D'Arnaud is another leather challenged infielder, committing 20 errors in 59 games. He projects as a 2B in the pros.
Looks like the suits are hoping for a little pop out of their infielders this year. Are you paying attention, Brian Bixler?
>Justin Wilson, LHP from Fresno State, was the fifth pick. The 6'2" junior didn't have a great 2008, going 7-4 with a 4.17 ERA and 83 Ks in 99-1/3 innings, but was probably selected on last year's performance.
He was 8-5 with a 3.19 ERA and 105 Ks in 101-1/3 innings. He mostly worked as a starter, though he saw a bit of time out of the pen, too. Wilson is a converted 1B, and has two years under his belt as a full-time pitcher. He throws average heat, 88-90 MPH, and has control issues.
>The grade so far? Well, Califonia is supposed to be the alpha hotbed of US baseball talent, and Pittsburgh rarely visited it during the Littlefield era. Huntington seems like he wants to make up for that slight all in one year.
And all the picks have some question marks, mainly regarding health. But it's a shallow draft, and the Pirates are rolling the dice that the guys will all end up OK. Their eye has been focused more on potential than production, so they have a group with a lot of upside but that could crash in flames, too.
But it's worth the risk - safe picks have gotten the club no where in the past decade.
OK guys, look up the other draftees yourself. We're going out to play with the tomatoes in the backyard and catch the end of the Pirate game. See ya tomorrow.
On the draft front: Who dey gonna pick? The gurus say:
>Baseball America - Pedro Alvarez appears to be the first, second and third choice of the Pirates in the No. 2 hole. At the very least, taking Alvarez would signal to skeptical Bucs fans that the new bosses, team president Frank Coonelly and GM Neal Huntington, aren’t the same as the old bosses. The Alvarez-to-Pittsburgh talk is so strong, most sources don’t really know what Pittsburgh’s backup plan could be, other than Cliff Stoudt.
>MLB.com - Pittsburgh Pirates: Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Vanderbilt. No change here, with the Pirates still in line to make some waves by taking Alvarez. They'll still consider Posey and perhaps even Matusz if they feel they need to go with the top college pitcher.
>Baseball Prospectus - The Pirates are in a bit of a pickle with this selection. The Rays are good because they’ve done great things with their picks; the Pirates are faltering because they have failed with theirs.
In 2006, they selected Brad Lincoln in front of Clayton Kershaw and Tim Lincecum. In 2005, they nabbed Andrew McCutcheon — a fine prospect in his own right — but one pick later the Reds selected Jay Bruce. In 2002, with the first overall pick, they decided on Bryan Bullington over B.J. Upton.
Many of those decisions were based on money, and while new team president Frank Coonelly was previously charged with enforcing MLB’s silly slotting system for the draft, the Pirates insist that they are playing it cheap no longer. That seemingly would make Alvarez the obvious pick here, but his price might be too high, even for the Pirates, who are concerned with some holes in his swing and his ability to stay at third base long-term.
Tim Beckham is more risky, but should come at a more reasonable price, and many believe he’s a superior prospect to Alvarez by any measurement.
Selection: Tim Beckham, SS, Griffin HS (GA)
>CBS Sports - The Pirates are supposedly thinking about picking Pedro Alvarez, to prove that they are willing to spend cash on a player. Alvarez is a great prospect, but broke a bone his hamate bone before the season started and hasn't been himself this season.
I think this injury, plus the fact that Alvarez will eventually be a 1st baseman (in my opinion due to his below average speed and average arm). I think there's enough risk here that the Pirates will back off.
So, enough about who they won't take. I expect they'll go for one of three players (along w/ Alvarez being an outside possibility): Posey (if he's available), Tim Beckham, a high school SS, or Brian Matusz, a lefty out of Univ of San Diego. The Pirates are the worst in the majors in pitching.
Update: The same information is out there regarding Alvarez and the Pirates willingness to take him. I can't say I'm any more convinced now than I was then.
Pick: Brian Matusz, LHP, Junior, San Diego
Stats: 2.05 ERA (16th), 10 wins (7th), 12.48 k/9 (5th), 7.67 H/9 (75th), 1.58 BB/9 (113th) Alternate Pick: Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Vanderbilt.
>Dejan Kovacevic of the Post-Gazette - There are strong indications, internally and externally, that the Pirates favor Vanderbilt University third baseman Pedro Alvarez. According to multiple sources, they already have placed feelers with Boras to set the stage for drafting him.
Lotta opinions out there, but only one counts. We'll find out soon enough who the Bucs like.
>Pirate first rounders: 2007: Daniel Moskos, LHP, Clemson; 2006: Brad Lincoln, RHP, Houston; 2005: Andrew McCutcheon, CF, Fort Meade HS; 2004: Neil Walker, C, Pine-Richland HS; 2003: Paul Maholm, LHP, Mississippi State; 2002: Bryan Bullington, RHP, Ball State; 2001: John VanBenschoten, 1B-OF, Kent State; 2000: Sean Burnett, LHP, Weelington HS.
>Local high schoolers waiting for the phone to ring: Zak Sinclair, pitcher, West Allegheny; Plum pitcher Scott McGough; Seneca Valley pitcher Cory Mazzoni and Peters Township catcher Jordan Jankowski. They all have D1 scholarships sitting in their pockets if the round they're selected in isn't to their liking.
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