- March 31, 1895 - OF Carson Bigbee was born. He played eleven years for Pittsburgh, his only MLB club, from 1916-26, and hit .287 lifetime. His best seasons where 1921-22, when he batted .323 and .350, scoring 213 runs over that span and leading the NL in singles both years.
- March 31, 2002 - “Operation Shutdown” OF Derek Bell was released, telling the media he would sail into the sunset on his yacht.
- March 31, 2003 - Pittsburgh helped the Reds christen Great American Ballpark. Cincy played second banana for the yard’s opening act; the Bucs won 10-0 behind homers from Reggie Sanders, Kenny Lofton and Jason Kendall.
- March 31, 2008 - In an Opening Day shootout at Turner Field, the Bucs beat the Braves 12-11 in 12 innings. Damaso Marte and Matt Capps blew a 9-4 ninth inning lead, capped by a fly ball dropping between Jason Bay and Nate McLouth with two outs to tie the score. Pittsburgh reclaimed the lead in the top of the 12th on a Xavier Nady three-run bomb, but Atlanta almost tied it again with two runs in their half before Franquelis Osario nailed down the save. The X-Man had four hits while McLouth, Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Doumit had three to prime a 17-hit attack.
- April 1, 1979 - The Pirate Parrot was “hatched” at Three Rivers Stadium as a response to the Phillie Phanatic, introduced the year before. The idea of a parrot came from Robert Lewis Stevenson’s pirate tale “Treasure Island.
- April 1, 1987 - St. Louis sent OF Andy Van Slyke‚ C Mike LaValliere‚ and P Mike Dunne to Pittsburgh in exchange for All-Star catcher Tony Pena. Van Slyke thought it was an April’s Fool joke when first told of the trade, and Pena cried at the press conference when the deal was announced.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Past Blasts: Bucco History 3/31-4/1
A little bit of past blasts:
2013 Pirates - The Pitchers
Yah, yah, the streak. If the Bucs are going to put that into their rear view mirror, the pitching is going to have make the difference. The Pirates have a lot of options, not so much coming out of camp but certainly within the next few weeks, when Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens and Jose Contreras will become available.
The key to the staff is that depth. There is no ace, so the Pirates will depend on workmanlike performances from one through five. They'll win their series because the bottom end of the rotation holds up their end of the deal and the bullpen is rock steady.
For their improved performance last season, according to Fangraphs, the Pirate starters still finished 22nd among MLB rotations in WAR in 2012, with a 61-64 record, 4.21 ERA (4.05 FIP) and a combined 8.1 WAR. The Cards were at 15.8, the Brewers at 14.1 and the Reds at 13.7, so the rotation is still considerably behind the Division's Big Three teams. Heck, even the Cubs came in with an 8.0 WAR, so the Buc staff has a way to go to catch up to the Central's standards.
The bullpen was, contrary to popular opinion, not a whole lot better, finishing 19th with an 18-19-45 slate, 3.36 ERA (3.73 FIP) and 2.3 WAR. But it was one of the better collections in the Central; the Reds were the NL's best relief corp with a 6.3 WAR, but the other Central clubs fell below the Bucs, and that helped the cause.
The final pitching WAR ratings were 20.1 for the Reds, 16.8 for the Cards, 15.3 for the Brewers, 10.4 for the Bucs and trailing the pack were the Cubs at 6.3. The Pirates have to close that gap to compete, and that will be the story of the season.
Starting Pitchers: AJ is the returning ace; he went 16-10 with a 3.51 ERA last year and provided the starters a little edginess on the bump. But he's 36, had a shaky spring and is expected to regress a little, with his ERA dropping into the 4.00 range. But he should still work a couple hundred solid innings for the staff.
Wandy Rodriguez could be the staff anchor this season. Like Neil Walker, he's Mr. Dependable; Wandy's worked 175-200 frames with a sub-4 ERA for years. But his K rate has dropped and he's never been a huge winner, usually racking up a dozen or so victories. He does keep you in games, though, had a good spring and should be comfortable with Pittsburgh now.
James McDonald is the Jekyll and Hyde of the staff. In the spring, he's had first inning problems before settling into a groove. We'll assume that this season, his 4.21 ERA will smooth out, and that should be worth 10-12 wins. A breakout year from him would help get the staff over the hump, but he hasn't shown that's in the cards yet this year.
Jonathan Sanchez won the fourth spot after a rocky start; we feel the lefty is a potential bounce back guy after a 2012 season from hell. He's healthy, and is another guy that projects to a 4+ ERA, never been a big inning eater and except for his 2010 breakout year, has never won 10+ games. But that year showed he has some potential, especially as a back-ender, so like J-Mac, we'll see which pitcher shows up on the hill.
Jeff Locke holds down the fort; he worked a steady spring. The lefty went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA. But an above-average walk rate and a low K rate hold him back, limiting him to a back-ender unless he gets more agressive.
And this staff won't be intact; by June, there could be wholesale changes. We mentioned in the lede the guys that are coming back. But how much they can improve the staff is a question; Cole has the stuff but no experience; Liriano's control issues have held him back, and Morton/Karstens have an injury history. Still, we think the staff can claim more than the 61 W's they earned in 2012.
The Bullpen: The question here is whether the Jason Grilli/Mark Melancon duo can match the Joel Hanrahna/Jason Grilli combo of 2012. Grilli may not have closed last year, but he faced the heart of the order plenty of times, greasing the skid for Hanny. Melancon had a bumpy start for Boston, but finished strong and has a solid late-inning resume. We're comfortable that they may not be as dominating as in 2012 but should be able to close out games effectively.
We're a little more concerned with the bridge guys. Jared Hughes continued to look like money in the bank this spring, but both Tony Watson and Chris Leroux were inconsistent at camp. Justin Wilson and Jeanmar Gomez were added to the staff. With them, the Pirates have two pitchers that can come in early without killing the pen, and we think Wilson, even with his control issues, can be the multi-role Brad Lincoln of 2013.
They also have a little depth behind them. Contreras and youngsters Bryan Morris, Kyle McPherson and Phil Irwin at Indy are capable and vets like Ryan Reid can step in when injuries and performance ring the bell.
The pitching last year seemed like up to the fans because it had been so poor in prior years, but it still has a lot of room to grow. This is a transitional period; Cole and Jameson Taillon, along with a group of mid-to-back level minor league arms, will take their place in Pittsburgh over the next couple of seasons or so.
If the Pirates, with their collection of decent but not elite pitching this year, can continue to rise toward the middle of the league pack statistically, they could well be a winning club this year. And it's been a long time since we've been able to say that.
But they also have enough questions that they could hang out in the bottom third of the MLB again, and that will lead to yet another "wait til next year" moment. As the pitching goes, so goes the season.
The key to the staff is that depth. There is no ace, so the Pirates will depend on workmanlike performances from one through five. They'll win their series because the bottom end of the rotation holds up their end of the deal and the bullpen is rock steady.
For their improved performance last season, according to Fangraphs, the Pirate starters still finished 22nd among MLB rotations in WAR in 2012, with a 61-64 record, 4.21 ERA (4.05 FIP) and a combined 8.1 WAR. The Cards were at 15.8, the Brewers at 14.1 and the Reds at 13.7, so the rotation is still considerably behind the Division's Big Three teams. Heck, even the Cubs came in with an 8.0 WAR, so the Buc staff has a way to go to catch up to the Central's standards.
The bullpen was, contrary to popular opinion, not a whole lot better, finishing 19th with an 18-19-45 slate, 3.36 ERA (3.73 FIP) and 2.3 WAR. But it was one of the better collections in the Central; the Reds were the NL's best relief corp with a 6.3 WAR, but the other Central clubs fell below the Bucs, and that helped the cause.
The final pitching WAR ratings were 20.1 for the Reds, 16.8 for the Cards, 15.3 for the Brewers, 10.4 for the Bucs and trailing the pack were the Cubs at 6.3. The Pirates have to close that gap to compete, and that will be the story of the season.
Starting Pitchers: AJ is the returning ace; he went 16-10 with a 3.51 ERA last year and provided the starters a little edginess on the bump. But he's 36, had a shaky spring and is expected to regress a little, with his ERA dropping into the 4.00 range. But he should still work a couple hundred solid innings for the staff.
Wandy Rodriguez could be the staff anchor this season. Like Neil Walker, he's Mr. Dependable; Wandy's worked 175-200 frames with a sub-4 ERA for years. But his K rate has dropped and he's never been a huge winner, usually racking up a dozen or so victories. He does keep you in games, though, had a good spring and should be comfortable with Pittsburgh now.
James McDonald is the Jekyll and Hyde of the staff. In the spring, he's had first inning problems before settling into a groove. We'll assume that this season, his 4.21 ERA will smooth out, and that should be worth 10-12 wins. A breakout year from him would help get the staff over the hump, but he hasn't shown that's in the cards yet this year.
Jonathan Sanchez won the fourth spot after a rocky start; we feel the lefty is a potential bounce back guy after a 2012 season from hell. He's healthy, and is another guy that projects to a 4+ ERA, never been a big inning eater and except for his 2010 breakout year, has never won 10+ games. But that year showed he has some potential, especially as a back-ender, so like J-Mac, we'll see which pitcher shows up on the hill.
Jeff Locke holds down the fort; he worked a steady spring. The lefty went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA. But an above-average walk rate and a low K rate hold him back, limiting him to a back-ender unless he gets more agressive.
And this staff won't be intact; by June, there could be wholesale changes. We mentioned in the lede the guys that are coming back. But how much they can improve the staff is a question; Cole has the stuff but no experience; Liriano's control issues have held him back, and Morton/Karstens have an injury history. Still, we think the staff can claim more than the 61 W's they earned in 2012.
The Bullpen: The question here is whether the Jason Grilli/Mark Melancon duo can match the Joel Hanrahna/Jason Grilli combo of 2012. Grilli may not have closed last year, but he faced the heart of the order plenty of times, greasing the skid for Hanny. Melancon had a bumpy start for Boston, but finished strong and has a solid late-inning resume. We're comfortable that they may not be as dominating as in 2012 but should be able to close out games effectively.
We're a little more concerned with the bridge guys. Jared Hughes continued to look like money in the bank this spring, but both Tony Watson and Chris Leroux were inconsistent at camp. Justin Wilson and Jeanmar Gomez were added to the staff. With them, the Pirates have two pitchers that can come in early without killing the pen, and we think Wilson, even with his control issues, can be the multi-role Brad Lincoln of 2013.
They also have a little depth behind them. Contreras and youngsters Bryan Morris, Kyle McPherson and Phil Irwin at Indy are capable and vets like Ryan Reid can step in when injuries and performance ring the bell.
The pitching last year seemed like up to the fans because it had been so poor in prior years, but it still has a lot of room to grow. This is a transitional period; Cole and Jameson Taillon, along with a group of mid-to-back level minor league arms, will take their place in Pittsburgh over the next couple of seasons or so.
If the Pirates, with their collection of decent but not elite pitching this year, can continue to rise toward the middle of the league pack statistically, they could well be a winning club this year. And it's been a long time since we've been able to say that.
But they also have enough questions that they could hang out in the bottom third of the MLB again, and that will lead to yet another "wait til next year" moment. As the pitching goes, so goes the season.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Curve Beats Bucs; J-Mac & Tony Watson Rocked
OK, if there is anything more insignificant than a spring game, it's an exhibition against a minor league club in March when it's 45 degrees out. The pitching staffs were mixed up, and the big league club sprinkled a few minor league guys in the lineup. So the Buccos 8-6 loss to Altoona didn't matter much except to a Twitterer or two.
Here is what matters: James McDonald had another first inning from hell. He faced the entire Curve order and gave up four runs on three hits, three walks, and gave up two stolen sacks. Tony Watson went against Pittsburgh and lasted for two outs. He gave up four runs on three hits with a walk and a K.
Starling Marte continued to look sharp. He went 2-for-3 with a grand slam off Watson, launching a 3-2 heater down Broadway over the left field wall. Russell Martin and Travis Snider had a pair of knocks. The Bucs actually banged out 14 hits, but were 2-for-13 in RISP and stranded nine.
Andrew Lambo, Mel Rojas and Justin Howard had two hits apiece for Altoona. Lambo was pretty solid at the plate when he got into the spring games. The 24 year old's quest will be to get through a season in one piece to get back on the radar screen. The Curve drew eleven! walks, four served up by J-Mac and four more by Nathan Baker, who were the main wild children.
Baker gave up the other four runs to the AA club. Jason Grilli, Mark Melancon, Jared Hughes and Justin Wilson all put up zeroes in their inning of work.
Time for fun and games to end; the Bucs practice tomorrow and host the Cubbies Monday. And that one counts.
Here is what matters: James McDonald had another first inning from hell. He faced the entire Curve order and gave up four runs on three hits, three walks, and gave up two stolen sacks. Tony Watson went against Pittsburgh and lasted for two outs. He gave up four runs on three hits with a walk and a K.
Starling Marte continued to look sharp. He went 2-for-3 with a grand slam off Watson, launching a 3-2 heater down Broadway over the left field wall. Russell Martin and Travis Snider had a pair of knocks. The Bucs actually banged out 14 hits, but were 2-for-13 in RISP and stranded nine.
Andrew Lambo, Mel Rojas and Justin Howard had two hits apiece for Altoona. Lambo was pretty solid at the plate when he got into the spring games. The 24 year old's quest will be to get through a season in one piece to get back on the radar screen. The Curve drew eleven! walks, four served up by J-Mac and four more by Nathan Baker, who were the main wild children.
Baker gave up the other four runs to the AA club. Jason Grilli, Mark Melancon, Jared Hughes and Justin Wilson all put up zeroes in their inning of work.
Time for fun and games to end; the Bucs practice tomorrow and host the Cubbies Monday. And that one counts.
- Jack Moore of Fangraphs (and Disciples of Uecker blog) has a piece on Andrew McCutchen's "Controlled Aggression."
- Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports thinks that Clint Hurdle is one of the twelve MLB managers on thin ice this season.
- Zach Link of MLB Trade Rumors reviews the Pirates off-season moves and gives his team overview.
- Hey, it's just not the Bucs. Lyle Overbay made the Yankee squad after being cut by Boston.
- Steve Pearce made the Orioles club after clocking seven spring bombs.
- Nick Evans, who played at Indy last year, signed a minor league deal with Arizona.
- The Mariners released Ronny Paulino.
- The Curve drew 10,116 people for today's game, a team record.
- Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror points out that the Curve are now 2-0 all-time against the Pirates. They won the only other matchup 8-5 in 2000.
- Even though they beat them, the Pirates magnanimously extended the Curve's minor league working agreement through the 2018 season.
Bucs v Altoona & Saturday Stuff
Altoona hosts the Pirates in an exhibition contest set for 2PM at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Taking the hill for the Buccos in the matchup will be RHP James McDonald. He'll be working against some familiar faces.
Climbing the hill for Altoona will be Jason Grilli, who will be followed by Jared Hughes, Tony Watson and Justin Wilson, all three who pitched for the Curve on their road to Pittsburgh. In all, the MLB roster features ten Curve alums.The match is sold out, and The Fan 93.7 will air the game. It will in be televised in the Altoona area by Fox 8.
The Bucs will work out tomorrow at PNC Park in preparation for the Cub Opener on Monday. The practice will be open to the public from 1-3PM if you have a late Easter dinner and it doesn't get rained out; enter through the left field (Legacy Square) gate.
Climbing the hill for Altoona will be Jason Grilli, who will be followed by Jared Hughes, Tony Watson and Justin Wilson, all three who pitched for the Curve on their road to Pittsburgh. In all, the MLB roster features ten Curve alums.The match is sold out, and The Fan 93.7 will air the game. It will in be televised in the Altoona area by Fox 8.
The Bucs will work out tomorrow at PNC Park in preparation for the Cub Opener on Monday. The practice will be open to the public from 1-3PM if you have a late Easter dinner and it doesn't get rained out; enter through the left field (Legacy Square) gate.
- Tyler Blackwell of Rumbunter keeps the LHP Chris Capuano trade fires roaring, reporting that Pirate scouts watched him work during his last outing in a minor league game.
- Matt Eddy of Baseball America tweeted that RHP Jose Contreras and the Bucs worked a release-and-resign deal to keep in him the organization.
- The Pirates 40-man roster is finalized. It's almost certain that Francisco Liriano, Jeff Karstens, and Charlie Morton will join Chase d'Arnaud on the DL, so remove them from the active roster and the 25-man is set, too. (Ignore C Miguel Perez; he's a typo).
- The Pirates reacquired C Brian Jerolman for cash from the Indians in a depth move. He was the guy they claimed, waived and lost in a week's span last off season.
- Altoona's roster has been set, keyed by pitchers Jamison Taillon and Stolmy Pimentel. Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects has the lineups and rotations for the other full-season clubs.
- Bill Brink of the Post Gazette has his list of the Bucs Top Ten Prospects.
- March 30, 1952 - Deacon Phillippe passed away. The RHP tossed 12 seasons (1900-11) for the Bucs with a 168-92 record and 2.50 ERA, winning 20 games six times and never suffering through a losing season. He won three World Series games against Boston in 1903, beating Cy Young in the opener and tossing five complete games, winning three. Toward the end of his career, he worked six shutout innings in the 1909 Series against Detroit. In 1969, Pirates fans voted him as Pittsburgh's top all-time right handed pitcher.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Travel Day Bucco Bits
A couple of items while the Bucs bring it home:
- The Pirates don't have any time frame for Jeff Karstens' recovery. He'll start the season on the DL with right shoulder inflammation and won't hit the mound until it's cleared up. So far, no MRI, but one could be in his future. JK will join hurlers Francisco Liriano, Jose Contreras and Charlie Morton on the rehab circuit, along with IFs Brandon Inge and Chase d'Arnaud.
- The news isn't all bad. Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review reports that “There's been no health issues for Neil (Walker),” (Clint) Hurdle said. “No setbacks. There's nothing he hasn't been able to do on the field.”
- Quite a matchup at Altoona tomorrow - James McDonald takes on Jason Grilli! The teams will mix and match rosters during the Bucs last tune-up. The 2:05 game at PNG Field is sold out and a crowd of over 10,000 is expected.
- Tom Singer of MLB.com has the Bucs expected Opening Day lineup: LF: Starling Marte, C: Russell Martin, CF: Andrew McCutchen, 3B: Pedro Alvarez, 2B: Neil Walker, 1B: Gaby Sanchez, RF: Travis Snider, SS: Clint Barmes and RHP: A.J. Burnett.
- Matt Gagne of Sports Illustrated has his 2013 preview of the Pirates. He has the club finishing in fourth place with 76 wins.
- David Manel of Bucs Dugout breaks down the PECOTA numbers to take a look at the projected performance of the 2013 Bucco club and the division.
- Mike Sanserino of the Post Gazette has his NL Central preview.
- Mike Oz of Yahoo Sports "Big League Stew" blog also has his NL Central preview.
- CBS Sports blog "Eye on Baseball" has its 2013 MLB championship/playoff/award picks. The Bucs are conspicuously absent, except for Travis Snider, who was chosen by Dayne Perry as the surprise player of the year in the NL.
- Mike Waterloo of the Yinzers Pittsburgh Sporting News notes that "The Pirates rank 27th out of 30 teams in payroll this year at $66,289,524." Looks like up to us...
- If you've got tickets to the Opener - and we understand that just some scattered singles are left - come hungry.
- Wonder why the Bucs are worried about Gerrit Cole's clock starting too soon? Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander has agreed to a multi-year contract extension that could earn him $202 million over the next eight seasons, the richest contract ever for a pitcher. Just saying...
- So much for sneaking Clint Robinson through waivers. He was claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays.
- A couple of excellent veteran pitchers going the opposite way: Adam Wainwright of the Cards signed a 5 year, $97.5M contract extension, while the Mets two-time Cy Young winner Johann Santana has a career-threatening tear in his labrum and will miss at least the season.
The 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates - Position Players
They've broken camp and headed north. Now the question is: what does 2013 hold in store for the Pittsburgh Pirates?
Most pre-season predictions have them in the middle of the NL Central pack, looking at 80 victories or so. And we think 80-85 wins is achievable, if the pitching holds up. Our quick take on the position guys:
The lineup: The strength will be the middle of the order - Cutch, Pedro, Neil Walker and Garrett Jones/Gaby Sanchez. It's not the Angels, but provides a workable core. Cutch's average should regress and he'll never threaten to lead the league in stolen bases, but his power held up during the spring, his OBP stayed strong and he still runs the paths like a demon. He's the Pirates one indispensable guy.
Walker has been a model of consistency throughout his career, and .275/15/80 is a given.We're looking for Pedro to keep on cranking out bombs, and that should smooth over his projected .250 BA/180 K. Jones had a breakout year, and still should be good for another 20 long balls as a platoon guy. His alter ego, Sanchez, was the surprise of camp. He came to camp healthy and squared up on balls, so first base should be in good hands.
Pittsburgh is stronger in a couple of positions this season. Starling Marte was impressive in winter ball and camp. His strikeout rate is still sky-high for a leadoff guy, but he is establishing his eye (his spring OBP was .373) and base presence (4-of-6 stolen bases). He's a work in progress but could evolve with time into the top-of-the-order hitter the Pirates need.
Russell Martin and Travis Snider, even if they both hit .250, will fortify the back third of the order, a black hole last year. The only glaring gap is in the two hole, and filling that could have a domino effect on the whole lineup. JT is the natural fit, but he'll be watching a lot of innings from the pine while the Bucs find out what they have with Snider.
But the batting order should be more consistent throughout this season instead of being so middle-heavy, and that in turn will help even out the peaks and valleys the offense went through in 2012. It should be an average-to-slightly-above-average attack.
The bench: JT, Mike McKenry and Jones/Sanchez were locks coming into camp. Josh Harrison hung on to his spot and John McDonald was acquired to handle the infield glove position.
We're still not sure what kind of season to expect from Tabata. His spring was eminently so-so, and his lack of options was his ticket to Pittsburgh. McKenry provides the potential for an occasional bomb, as does whoever is sitting out 1B. Jones and Sanchez provide a touch of versatility as GI can play the pasture and Gaby got some innings at the hot corner. Josh is a dirt dog that can play multiple positions passably and hit .250 or so, even if he has the plate patience of an expectant father.
We don't have a problem with McDonald. Our problem is that there were young guys equally deserving of the spot in Jordy Mercer and Ivan DeJesus, so we think the Pirates fixed something that wasn't broke. But he is a better glove guy than either of them, and if that pair were sent down to get everyday work and evaluated as internal options for 2014's SS role, we can live with it. Hey, if we put up with Ramon Vazquez and Bobby Crosby...
The biggest hole on the bench is a lack of lefty bats. In the late innings, everyone will be facing RH relievers, and a portsider with some punch would be useful.
This year, they should have some real minor league depth when injuries or poor performance rear their ugly heads, as they will. Alex Presley and Felix Pie can certainly present cases that they outperformed JT as both hit .300 with .400 OBP's and are lefties. Mercer and DeJesus also had strong springs. All four have MLB resumes, so they won't be approaching showtime with stars in their eyes.
The gloves: The team should field fairly well. Pedro can catch balls just fine; his problem is launching lasers into the third row. Jones is adequate at first as long as he doesn't have to start a DP, and Sanchez is pretty accomplished at the bag. Barmes and McDonald are two of the premier leathermen at short, and Walker has improved by leaps and bounds every year at second; he's at least league-average now. But his size and a cranky back may not allow him to finish his career there.
The outfield is really strong; Cutch and Marte can run down balls that mere mortals would concede as doubles. Tabata looked like his 2010 self in the OF during camp, Snider is a bit above average and Jones can hold his own in front of the Clemente Wall. With Presley and Pie a call away, theses guys can go get it.
The catching should be an upgrade. Martin may not receive balls quite as well as Rod Barajas, but his rep as a framer (which we didn't notice too much in the spring, but then again, we only saw the TV games) should make up for that. His arm was all that; he tossed out 5-of-17 would-be stealers in the spring, a 29% rate, even if he did show show inconsistency by firing three balls into center field during the spring. McKenry is a step behind. He's an adequate or better guy at receiving pitches, but was 3-of-17 in stolen base tries, 18%, the same average he had for the Bucs in 2012.
On the path: The team is just average in speed. Cutch and Marte can fly, most of the guys are average, and Jones, Sanchez, & Pedro are the turtles. There are no real speed guys on the bench, though JT is above average and Harrison can run a little. But the team did a good job of getting the bases they deserved last season, and one of Clint Hurdle's strengths is pushing the running game.
But he won't have a lot of luck stealing bases; Marte showed improvement and should eventually become a threat, while Cutch has never quite shown the instinct for larceny. The rest of the roster consists of pick-your-spot guys.
Most pre-season predictions have them in the middle of the NL Central pack, looking at 80 victories or so. And we think 80-85 wins is achievable, if the pitching holds up. Our quick take on the position guys:
The lineup: The strength will be the middle of the order - Cutch, Pedro, Neil Walker and Garrett Jones/Gaby Sanchez. It's not the Angels, but provides a workable core. Cutch's average should regress and he'll never threaten to lead the league in stolen bases, but his power held up during the spring, his OBP stayed strong and he still runs the paths like a demon. He's the Pirates one indispensable guy.
Walker has been a model of consistency throughout his career, and .275/15/80 is a given.We're looking for Pedro to keep on cranking out bombs, and that should smooth over his projected .250 BA/180 K. Jones had a breakout year, and still should be good for another 20 long balls as a platoon guy. His alter ego, Sanchez, was the surprise of camp. He came to camp healthy and squared up on balls, so first base should be in good hands.
Pittsburgh is stronger in a couple of positions this season. Starling Marte was impressive in winter ball and camp. His strikeout rate is still sky-high for a leadoff guy, but he is establishing his eye (his spring OBP was .373) and base presence (4-of-6 stolen bases). He's a work in progress but could evolve with time into the top-of-the-order hitter the Pirates need.
Russell Martin and Travis Snider, even if they both hit .250, will fortify the back third of the order, a black hole last year. The only glaring gap is in the two hole, and filling that could have a domino effect on the whole lineup. JT is the natural fit, but he'll be watching a lot of innings from the pine while the Bucs find out what they have with Snider.
But the batting order should be more consistent throughout this season instead of being so middle-heavy, and that in turn will help even out the peaks and valleys the offense went through in 2012. It should be an average-to-slightly-above-average attack.
The bench: JT, Mike McKenry and Jones/Sanchez were locks coming into camp. Josh Harrison hung on to his spot and John McDonald was acquired to handle the infield glove position.
We're still not sure what kind of season to expect from Tabata. His spring was eminently so-so, and his lack of options was his ticket to Pittsburgh. McKenry provides the potential for an occasional bomb, as does whoever is sitting out 1B. Jones and Sanchez provide a touch of versatility as GI can play the pasture and Gaby got some innings at the hot corner. Josh is a dirt dog that can play multiple positions passably and hit .250 or so, even if he has the plate patience of an expectant father.
We don't have a problem with McDonald. Our problem is that there were young guys equally deserving of the spot in Jordy Mercer and Ivan DeJesus, so we think the Pirates fixed something that wasn't broke. But he is a better glove guy than either of them, and if that pair were sent down to get everyday work and evaluated as internal options for 2014's SS role, we can live with it. Hey, if we put up with Ramon Vazquez and Bobby Crosby...
The biggest hole on the bench is a lack of lefty bats. In the late innings, everyone will be facing RH relievers, and a portsider with some punch would be useful.
This year, they should have some real minor league depth when injuries or poor performance rear their ugly heads, as they will. Alex Presley and Felix Pie can certainly present cases that they outperformed JT as both hit .300 with .400 OBP's and are lefties. Mercer and DeJesus also had strong springs. All four have MLB resumes, so they won't be approaching showtime with stars in their eyes.
The gloves: The team should field fairly well. Pedro can catch balls just fine; his problem is launching lasers into the third row. Jones is adequate at first as long as he doesn't have to start a DP, and Sanchez is pretty accomplished at the bag. Barmes and McDonald are two of the premier leathermen at short, and Walker has improved by leaps and bounds every year at second; he's at least league-average now. But his size and a cranky back may not allow him to finish his career there.
The outfield is really strong; Cutch and Marte can run down balls that mere mortals would concede as doubles. Tabata looked like his 2010 self in the OF during camp, Snider is a bit above average and Jones can hold his own in front of the Clemente Wall. With Presley and Pie a call away, theses guys can go get it.
The catching should be an upgrade. Martin may not receive balls quite as well as Rod Barajas, but his rep as a framer (which we didn't notice too much in the spring, but then again, we only saw the TV games) should make up for that. His arm was all that; he tossed out 5-of-17 would-be stealers in the spring, a 29% rate, even if he did show show inconsistency by firing three balls into center field during the spring. McKenry is a step behind. He's an adequate or better guy at receiving pitches, but was 3-of-17 in stolen base tries, 18%, the same average he had for the Bucs in 2012.
On the path: The team is just average in speed. Cutch and Marte can fly, most of the guys are average, and Jones, Sanchez, & Pedro are the turtles. There are no real speed guys on the bench, though JT is above average and Harrison can run a little. But the team did a good job of getting the bases they deserved last season, and one of Clint Hurdle's strengths is pushing the running game.
But he won't have a lot of luck stealing bases; Marte showed improvement and should eventually become a threat, while Cutch has never quite shown the instinct for larceny. The rest of the roster consists of pick-your-spot guys.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Bucs End On Upbeat Note; Edge Yankees 2-1
Jeff Locke and Hiroki Kuroda did a pretty good job of defining a pitchers duel this afternoon. Both hurlers went six shutout frames, with Locke surrendering four hits and whiffing three while Kuroda was almost untouchable, yielding a knock and striking out five. Neither issued a walk and neither was ever really in trouble.
The Bucs did their damage in the seventh against Boone Logan. Travis Snider walked and JT lined a shot off Logan's hip to put runners on first and second with no one away. David Aardsma came on (Logan said he was in one piece and OK; we'll see how he feels tomorrow) and promptly tossed a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Stephan Welch plated Snider and moved Tabata to third on a grounder to the right side.Jeff Larish singled him home, and that would be the sum of the Bucco attack. But it would hold up.
Mark Melancon worked a clean frame. Pittsburgh went down without much fuss in the eighth, and Justin Wilson took care of the New York side, giving up a walk and claiming a punch out. The Pirates had a chance to add on in the ninth, but left a couple of walks go to waste.
Minor leaguer Ethan Hollingsworth came on for the save. With one out, he served up a double and bopped a batter. A two-out double scored one and left Bronx Bombers on second and third, but Dan Johnson looked at a third strike to preserve the win for the good guys.
The Bucs finished the spring at 13-18, just about what they deserved considering that most of the camp was spent auditioning guys to fill in the fringes of the roster.
The Bucs did their damage in the seventh against Boone Logan. Travis Snider walked and JT lined a shot off Logan's hip to put runners on first and second with no one away. David Aardsma came on (Logan said he was in one piece and OK; we'll see how he feels tomorrow) and promptly tossed a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Stephan Welch plated Snider and moved Tabata to third on a grounder to the right side.Jeff Larish singled him home, and that would be the sum of the Bucco attack. But it would hold up.
Mark Melancon worked a clean frame. Pittsburgh went down without much fuss in the eighth, and Justin Wilson took care of the New York side, giving up a walk and claiming a punch out. The Pirates had a chance to add on in the ninth, but left a couple of walks go to waste.
Minor leaguer Ethan Hollingsworth came on for the save. With one out, he served up a double and bopped a batter. A two-out double scored one and left Bronx Bombers on second and third, but Dan Johnson looked at a third strike to preserve the win for the good guys.
The Bucs finished the spring at 13-18, just about what they deserved considering that most of the camp was spent auditioning guys to fill in the fringes of the roster.
- Baseball Prospectus gives the Bucs a 20% playoff chance in 2013.
- Charlie Wilmoth of Bucs Dugout and today moonlighting for Yahoo Sports, has a post on the Bucs fantasy baseball values.
- Mark Smith of Fangraphs compares the farm systems of the NL Central.
- Gaby Sanchez is the only man left standing after the Miami deal during the 2012 deadline. The Marlins have informed Gorkys Hernandez that he will not be making their Opening Day roster. Brock Holt didn't make Boston's roster; he was optioned to Pawtucket
Bucs v Yankees, Then Heading Home
The Bucs will break camp after taking one last Grapefruit League road trip to Tampa and George M. Steinbrenner Field to face off against the Yankees and Hiroki Kuroda. Jeff Locke makes the start for the Bucs with the pressure off for a bit. The game begins at 1:05 and won't be aired.
Lineup: Starling Marte LF, Garrett Jones RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Gaby Sanchez 1B, Neil Walker 2B, Russell Martin C, Clint Barmes SS and Jeff Locke P.
Jones is not only in the OF again, but is in the two hole for another day. He, Russell Martin, Neil Walker, Travis Snider and Jose Tabata have all spent time there; looks like that spot may become the Pirates' mix-and-match lineup position.
Pitchers: Jeff Locke and ?
Locke had a so-so spring, putting up a 3.38 ERA without any shiny peripherals. But he kept an even keel as the other starters took on water in the last week or two of camp, and became the Bucs' #5 starter by default, at least until the DL gives up its posse in the coming weeks.
The Pirates are off tomorrow and then play an exhibition at Altoona on Saturday.
Lineup: Starling Marte LF, Garrett Jones RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Gaby Sanchez 1B, Neil Walker 2B, Russell Martin C, Clint Barmes SS and Jeff Locke P.
Jones is not only in the OF again, but is in the two hole for another day. He, Russell Martin, Neil Walker, Travis Snider and Jose Tabata have all spent time there; looks like that spot may become the Pirates' mix-and-match lineup position.
Pitchers: Jeff Locke and ?
Locke had a so-so spring, putting up a 3.38 ERA without any shiny peripherals. But he kept an even keel as the other starters took on water in the last week or two of camp, and became the Bucs' #5 starter by default, at least until the DL gives up its posse in the coming weeks.
The Pirates are off tomorrow and then play an exhibition at Altoona on Saturday.
- ESPN finished its Top 500 MLB Players series. They're often ridiculously slotted, but hey...
- Happy birthday, Mark Melancon. The righty turned 28 today. And B-Day wishes to Avery Bryan Morris, too, as the Indy reliever hits 26.
- On this day in 1946 - Cum Posey, who owned the Homestead Grays from 1912-46, died in Mercy Hospital from cancer. He played until 1929 and managed until 1937. Posey was a big-time owner, and his teams played regularly in Forbes Field and Washington DC’s Griffith Stadium. The Grays won eight Negro League pennants and three World Series titles.
- And in 1972, Owen “Donie” Bush died in his hometown of Indianapolis (until 1996, the Indy ballyard was called Bush Field before a new downtown park, Victory Field, opened). He managed the Bucs briefly, from 1927-29, taking them to a World Series in 1927 against the Yankees’ “Murderers’ Row” club (and the Pirates got murdered; they were swept by the Bronx Bombers). But he’s probably best remembered for his feud with Hall-of-Fame OF Kiki Cuyler, whom he benched and then traded to the Cubs.
- BTW, curious about who really invented baseball? The History Channel has the 411.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Twins Rally For Late 7-4 Win; AJ's Last Spring?
Well, AJ's first frame went like a lot of other frames so far this spring. Bryan Buxton led off with a bouncer up the middle, stole second, went to third when Russell martin's throw went astray and scored on a groundout.
The Bucs tied it their half off Vance Worley. Garrett Jones, Cutch and Pedro singled to load the sacks with an out. The Kid grounded out to bring home Jones. Martin got plunked to juice them again with two away, but Travis Snider looked at strike three to close out the inning.
The Twinkies took the lead again in the second when a beaned batter and two-out double plated a run. The Bucs tried to answer again. Josh Harrison doubled and Starling Marte singled to put runners on the corners with one away, but Jones went down looking and Cutch flew out the opposite way. But they did get the equalizer a frame later when Pedro went yard to knot it at 2-2 after three.
The middle three innings went by without any further damage. AJ went just 3 IP, giving up 2 runs on four hits with 2 K; maybe the 55 degree weather had something to do with the quick hook. Jeanmar Gomez came on, and worked out of a fifth inning jam, stranding a pair and aided by a throw-out of a stealer by Martin.
There were a lot of moving parts that added up to a Twin run in the seventh. The first batter singled, but was erased when Martin nailed him trying to swipe second. Gomez walked Bruxton - note to Jeanmar; try not to walk leadoff guys - and he did swipe second.
The next guy whiffed, and Hurdle brought in Chris Leroux. A Bucco blast from the past, Eric Fryer, greeted him with a single through the right side. The throw home was late, and Martin's relay to second got away; Fryer ended up at third. Leroux reared back and got Antoan Richardson swinging to stop the dance.
He had no such luck in the eighth. A one-out knock scored ahead of Daniel Ortez, who got a fly into the jet stream for a Florida homer. And out later, it fell apart. A single, a boot by Pedro and a walk loaded the bases; Fryer exacted a little more "how do you like me now?" on the Bucs by lining a two-run single to right off reliever David Bromberg from the minor league side, and that was about all she wrote, making it 7-2.
Pittsburgh put up a couple of more in the ninth. With an out, Marte singled and Jones walked. A grounder moved them up 90', and Pedro's knock drove them both in to make it a slightly more respectable 7-4 loss.
The Bucs left 10 on base and committed three errors, so the loss was pretty much a team effort today. Jeff Locke takes the bump tomorrow afternoon against the Yankees at Tampa to close out the Grapefruit season.
The Bucs tied it their half off Vance Worley. Garrett Jones, Cutch and Pedro singled to load the sacks with an out. The Kid grounded out to bring home Jones. Martin got plunked to juice them again with two away, but Travis Snider looked at strike three to close out the inning.
The Twinkies took the lead again in the second when a beaned batter and two-out double plated a run. The Bucs tried to answer again. Josh Harrison doubled and Starling Marte singled to put runners on the corners with one away, but Jones went down looking and Cutch flew out the opposite way. But they did get the equalizer a frame later when Pedro went yard to knot it at 2-2 after three.
The middle three innings went by without any further damage. AJ went just 3 IP, giving up 2 runs on four hits with 2 K; maybe the 55 degree weather had something to do with the quick hook. Jeanmar Gomez came on, and worked out of a fifth inning jam, stranding a pair and aided by a throw-out of a stealer by Martin.
There were a lot of moving parts that added up to a Twin run in the seventh. The first batter singled, but was erased when Martin nailed him trying to swipe second. Gomez walked Bruxton - note to Jeanmar; try not to walk leadoff guys - and he did swipe second.
The next guy whiffed, and Hurdle brought in Chris Leroux. A Bucco blast from the past, Eric Fryer, greeted him with a single through the right side. The throw home was late, and Martin's relay to second got away; Fryer ended up at third. Leroux reared back and got Antoan Richardson swinging to stop the dance.
He had no such luck in the eighth. A one-out knock scored ahead of Daniel Ortez, who got a fly into the jet stream for a Florida homer. And out later, it fell apart. A single, a boot by Pedro and a walk loaded the bases; Fryer exacted a little more "how do you like me now?" on the Bucs by lining a two-run single to right off reliever David Bromberg from the minor league side, and that was about all she wrote, making it 7-2.
Pittsburgh put up a couple of more in the ninth. With an out, Marte singled and Jones walked. A grounder moved them up 90', and Pedro's knock drove them both in to make it a slightly more respectable 7-4 loss.
The Bucs left 10 on base and committed three errors, so the loss was pretty much a team effort today. Jeff Locke takes the bump tomorrow afternoon against the Yankees at Tampa to close out the Grapefruit season.
- To keep it interesting, 36 year old AJ told Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review that he might hang 'em up after the season. He did add that if he comes back, it'll be as a Bucco.
- The Bucs #2 guy, Wandy Rodriguez, made a start at Pirate City this afternoon, tossing 6-2/3 innings against the Phillies’ AAA Lehigh Valley club at Pirate City. He gave up two runs on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts while delivering 94 pitches.
- The Pirates DFA'd Clint Robinson and Hunter Strickland to place Jonathan Sanchez and Brandon Inge onto the 40-man roster. So we're guessing that means Jeff Karstens, Francisco Liriano and Charlie Morton will all be on the 15 day DL rather than the 60. That either shows a lot of confidence in the medicos or not so much in the current rotation.
- Baseball America selected the Bucs organization as the seventh strongest in baseball.
- The Pirates set their spring attendance record this season by luring 93,433 fans for their 15 games at McKechnie Field, averaging over 6,200 warm fannies per contest.
Bucs v Twins
AJ Burnett takes the bump today against Twin Cities' Vance Worley in the final tune up of Opening Day pitchers. The game is the spring's last at McKechnie Field. It begins at 1:05 and isn't on the air.
Lineup: Starling Marte LF, Garrett Jones 1B, Andrew McCutchen CF, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Neil Walker 2B, Russell Martin C, Travis Snider RF, Clint Barmes SS and Josh Harrison DH.
Garrett Jones hitting second?
Pitchers: AJ Burnett and ?
AJ hasn't thrown against big-leaguers since March 9th. We're a little concerned because the FO kept auditioning back-end contenders while leaving AJ, Wandy and J-Mac on cruise control. We understand that the Three Amigos are vets, and hope their lack of live work doesn't bite them in April.
Tomorrow's game against the Yankees closes out the Grapefruit League. The Bucs finalized the roster this morning (see the post below), with options playing a role and a couple of DL designations coming into play. The official 25/40-man rosters are due on Sunday, March 31st.
The Pirates have Friday off, play an exhibition in Altoona Saturday, have a public workout on Easter from 1-3 at PNC and open at 1:35 on April 1st against the Cubbies.
Lineup: Starling Marte LF, Garrett Jones 1B, Andrew McCutchen CF, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Neil Walker 2B, Russell Martin C, Travis Snider RF, Clint Barmes SS and Josh Harrison DH.
Garrett Jones hitting second?
Pitchers: AJ Burnett and ?
AJ hasn't thrown against big-leaguers since March 9th. We're a little concerned because the FO kept auditioning back-end contenders while leaving AJ, Wandy and J-Mac on cruise control. We understand that the Three Amigos are vets, and hope their lack of live work doesn't bite them in April.
Tomorrow's game against the Yankees closes out the Grapefruit League. The Bucs finalized the roster this morning (see the post below), with options playing a role and a couple of DL designations coming into play. The official 25/40-man rosters are due on Sunday, March 31st.
The Pirates have Friday off, play an exhibition in Altoona Saturday, have a public workout on Easter from 1-3 at PNC and open at 1:35 on April 1st against the Cubbies.
- Fangraph's series on position rankings continued with the pitching. Dave Cameron pegs the Bucs rotation as #20 in the league, writing that "...there’s some interesting pitching in Pittsburgh’s future. It’s just not quite here yet." As for the bullpen; Jack Moore thinks it's thin, and ranks it 24th overall.
- Matthew Leach of MLB.com has his Central Division preview. He says the Reds and Cards are the class of the group, but gives both Pittsburgh and the Brew Crew a darkhorse's chance.
- Ryan Doumit is hitting .265 with 2 dingers for the Twins this spring, while Kevin Correia is 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA.
- We mentioned the TV schedule yesterday, but didn't include the MLB Network games:- April 13, vs. Cincinnati Reds, 7:05 p.m.- April 17, vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 7:05 p.m.- April 19, vs. Atlanta Braves, 7:05 p.m.- April 20, vs. Atlanta Braves, 7:05 p.m.and- April 22, at Philadelphia Phillies, 7:05 p.m.
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