The Bucs have sent a lot of guys packing over the past few seasons. Here's what some of them are up to:
-- Ed Price of AOL Fan House tweeted that long-ago Bucco Jason Kendall got his Brewer pink slip because he wanted $5M to come back. Kinda pricey for a guy who hit .241/2/43 in 2009.
-- Kendall's running mate, Brian Giles, is a free agent, too. He hit .191/2/23 last season, will turn 39 in January, and earned $9M in 2009. Wonder how much of a market there will be for him?
-- Steve Gilbert of MLB.com tweeted that the Diamond Backs inked reliever TJ Beam to a minor league deal with an invite to camp. He was 8-4 for Toronto's AAA Las Vegas club in 2009 after going 2-2-1 with a 4.14 ERA for the Pirates in 2008.
-- Dick Kaegel of MLB.com reports that the KC Royals signed 25 year-old catcher Steve Lerud, who was removed from the Buc's 40-man roster last month. His line at Altoona last season was .240/4/26.
-- Jay Bay turned down a deal believed to be worth $60M over four years from the Red Sox to dive into the free agent pond. He's looking, we hear, for 5 years and $80M. His bat has been awesome, though there are still questions about him hitting away from Fenway's Green Monster (and awesome lineup) and that dang glove.
-- Mike Gonzalez is now represented by Scott Boras in his free agent year. Gonzo, 31, posted a 2.42 ERA in 80 relief appearances last season, with a 5-4-10 slate. The Braves offered him arbitration, which is expected to net him $5-6M in 2010; he may turn it down.
-- Adam LaRoche ended up with the Braves, too. He wasn't offered arbitration, but Atlanta is still supposed to have interest in bringing him back in a less costly deal than the probable $8M he would have earned in front of a judge. LaRoche hit .325 with 12 homers and a .957 OPS in the 57 games he played for the Braves.
-- John Van Benschoten is a minor league free agent after pitching in the White Sox organization last year. Brad "Big Country" Eldred is in the same boat after playing in the Washington system (as is Daryle Ward). Ditto for JR House, who caught in the Royals minors. Bryan Bullington recently signed a minor league contract with Kansas City.
The entire list of minor-league free agents is available at Baseball America.
Hot Stove Notes:
-- The Rule 5 draft will be held Thursday, and Jen Langosch of MLB.com posts that her sources say the Bucs cleared a spot on their forty-man roster in anticipation of claiming a warm body. The player waived is infielder Luis Cruz, who hit .214 last season.
-- Tim Williams of Bucco Fans has put together a pretty comprehensive list of the top Rule 5 candidates available this year.
-- Jonathan Etkowicz of MLB Notebook has an article on the good fit between free agent RHP Justin Duchsherer and the Buccos.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Hot Stove Saturday
The Bucs are starting the hot stove season in style, making up in quantity what they may be lacking in quality with the players they're in on, to varying degrees. And Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette has been on top of his game, ferreting out many of the names. The players they're sniffing, as reported so far:
-- RHP Justin Duchscherer, who missed last year with hip and elbow surgery, along with a bout of clinical depression. But the 32 year-old was 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA for Oakland in 2008. One question: he wants very much to remain a rotation pitcher, which the Pirates are not supposed to be seeking. Maybe they see him as this year's Ben Sheets. The Red Sox are interested in him; the Rockies and White Sox have looked into him in the past. ( reported by DK)
-- RHP Jamey Wright, 35 later this month, had a 3-5 record and 4.33 ERA this year. He posted a strong groundball rate (59.1%). Wright earned $1.4M in 2009. KC is supposed to be after him to stay with the Royals. (tweeted by Bob Dutton of the KC Star)
-- LHP Noah Lowry, 29, started for San Francisco in 2003-07 and went 40-31 with a 4.03 ERA. He's been out since then with surgery on his left forearm in 2007, and more slicing and dicing in to remove a rib in 2008. Not much change that he'd return to the G-Men; he blames them for the long absence, saying they misdiagnosed his original injury. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners are also kicking his tires. ( reported by DK)
-- RHP J.J. Putz, 32, collected 76 saves in 2006-07, but only 17 during 2008-09 with Seattle and the Mets, with ERAs of 3.88 and 5.22. He had elbow problems last year, with surgery early on and then being shut down later in the year. The Mets declined his $9.1 million club option. Putz would like to close, but will accept a set-up role, too. The Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers also are checking him out. (reported by Jerry Krasnick of ESPN's Insider)
-- RHP Clay Hensley, 30, who pitched for the Padres and spent 2009 in AAA as a starter, has drawn some mild interest from the Bucs. (reported by DK)
-- RHP Kameron Loe, 28, spent last season in Japan after making 107 appearances for the Rangers in 2004-08, going 19-23 with a 4.77 ERA. He currently is pitching in Mexico. He's a Jeff Karstens type, a long man/spot starter. The Atlanta Braves, Dodgers and Athletics are among the others interested. (reported by DK)
-- OF Ricky Ankiel, 30, who hit .231/11/38 for the Cards last season. He's a good defensive outfielder with some boom in his bat, and is looked at as an insurance policy for Jose Tabata. His pursuit was confirmed by Frank Coonelly in his latest Hot Stove Chat. Pat Lackey at WHYGAVS posts where Ankiel may fit in the Bucco plans - or not.
-- The Bucs are also looking into Yankee OF/1B Xavier Nady and Oakland SS Bobby Crosby. Nady was injured in 2009, and Crosby, 30, who hit .223/8/31 and is one of the better glovemen in the league. Both would be fits for the Pirates in 2010; both are also Scott Boras clients. (reported by DK)
-- IF Jamey Carroll, 35, a 2B/3B utility guy from Cleveland, who hit .276 last year. Maybe Ramon Vazquez's position isn't etched in stone. Other teams in the hunt are the Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, A's, Rangers, Reds and Indians. (tweeted by Ed Price of AOL FanHouse)
-- 1B Hank Blalock, 28, hit .234/25/66 for Texas last year, and has some pop in his bat. (reported by DK)
-- While not impacting the MLB roster, the Pirates signed indy first baseman Chris Garcia. He turned 22 on November 25th, and was a 2007 draftee of the Angels (15th round). Garcia had a line of .332/.441/.455, but never advanced higher than Low Class A Orem. The lefty has a history of swinging a sweet stick, and it's sort of a mystery why the Angels gave up on him after just two seasons. The Pirates are thin at first base, so he's a logical addition. (reported by Charlie of the Buc's Dugout)
So what does that tell us as the suits go into Monday's winter meetings? Well, pretty much what we expected. They plan a cattle call for the bullpen, and not just for lefties. It is kind of a mild surprise that they're looking at starters like Duchsherer and Lowry, but they're both low-risk, high-reward guys, and you can never build too much competition or depth on the hill, especially if you're looking to move a couple of the current starters.
As for the position players, pretty much as expected. Find a corner outfield, first base type with some pop to serve as Jose Tabata's caddy or an insurance policy if he's ready later rather than sooner, bring in someone to keep Ronny Cedeno's feet to the fire (or put his butt on the bench; remember, they were in on JJ Hardy), and maybe take a peek at upgrading over Ramon Vazquez, though we don't see them eating his $2M contract.
And they're still looking to improve the minor league organization, scouring the waiver and free agent lists. They've improved the talent level, but are far from being deep at any position right now.
A word of caution - names getting tossed out don't mean much at this point; it's hard to tell who the Bucs are really interested in and who they're just touching base with in case the market for them softens.
-- RHP Justin Duchscherer, who missed last year with hip and elbow surgery, along with a bout of clinical depression. But the 32 year-old was 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA for Oakland in 2008. One question: he wants very much to remain a rotation pitcher, which the Pirates are not supposed to be seeking. Maybe they see him as this year's Ben Sheets. The Red Sox are interested in him; the Rockies and White Sox have looked into him in the past. ( reported by DK)
-- RHP Jamey Wright, 35 later this month, had a 3-5 record and 4.33 ERA this year. He posted a strong groundball rate (59.1%). Wright earned $1.4M in 2009. KC is supposed to be after him to stay with the Royals. (tweeted by Bob Dutton of the KC Star)
-- LHP Noah Lowry, 29, started for San Francisco in 2003-07 and went 40-31 with a 4.03 ERA. He's been out since then with surgery on his left forearm in 2007, and more slicing and dicing in to remove a rib in 2008. Not much change that he'd return to the G-Men; he blames them for the long absence, saying they misdiagnosed his original injury. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners are also kicking his tires. ( reported by DK)
-- RHP J.J. Putz, 32, collected 76 saves in 2006-07, but only 17 during 2008-09 with Seattle and the Mets, with ERAs of 3.88 and 5.22. He had elbow problems last year, with surgery early on and then being shut down later in the year. The Mets declined his $9.1 million club option. Putz would like to close, but will accept a set-up role, too. The Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers also are checking him out. (reported by Jerry Krasnick of ESPN's Insider)
-- RHP Clay Hensley, 30, who pitched for the Padres and spent 2009 in AAA as a starter, has drawn some mild interest from the Bucs. (reported by DK)
-- RHP Kameron Loe, 28, spent last season in Japan after making 107 appearances for the Rangers in 2004-08, going 19-23 with a 4.77 ERA. He currently is pitching in Mexico. He's a Jeff Karstens type, a long man/spot starter. The Atlanta Braves, Dodgers and Athletics are among the others interested. (reported by DK)
-- OF Ricky Ankiel, 30, who hit .231/11/38 for the Cards last season. He's a good defensive outfielder with some boom in his bat, and is looked at as an insurance policy for Jose Tabata. His pursuit was confirmed by Frank Coonelly in his latest Hot Stove Chat. Pat Lackey at WHYGAVS posts where Ankiel may fit in the Bucco plans - or not.
-- The Bucs are also looking into Yankee OF/1B Xavier Nady and Oakland SS Bobby Crosby. Nady was injured in 2009, and Crosby, 30, who hit .223/8/31 and is one of the better glovemen in the league. Both would be fits for the Pirates in 2010; both are also Scott Boras clients. (reported by DK)
-- IF Jamey Carroll, 35, a 2B/3B utility guy from Cleveland, who hit .276 last year. Maybe Ramon Vazquez's position isn't etched in stone. Other teams in the hunt are the Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, A's, Rangers, Reds and Indians. (tweeted by Ed Price of AOL FanHouse)
-- 1B Hank Blalock, 28, hit .234/25/66 for Texas last year, and has some pop in his bat. (reported by DK)
-- While not impacting the MLB roster, the Pirates signed indy first baseman Chris Garcia. He turned 22 on November 25th, and was a 2007 draftee of the Angels (15th round). Garcia had a line of .332/.441/.455, but never advanced higher than Low Class A Orem. The lefty has a history of swinging a sweet stick, and it's sort of a mystery why the Angels gave up on him after just two seasons. The Pirates are thin at first base, so he's a logical addition. (reported by Charlie of the Buc's Dugout)
So what does that tell us as the suits go into Monday's winter meetings? Well, pretty much what we expected. They plan a cattle call for the bullpen, and not just for lefties. It is kind of a mild surprise that they're looking at starters like Duchsherer and Lowry, but they're both low-risk, high-reward guys, and you can never build too much competition or depth on the hill, especially if you're looking to move a couple of the current starters.
As for the position players, pretty much as expected. Find a corner outfield, first base type with some pop to serve as Jose Tabata's caddy or an insurance policy if he's ready later rather than sooner, bring in someone to keep Ronny Cedeno's feet to the fire (or put his butt on the bench; remember, they were in on JJ Hardy), and maybe take a peek at upgrading over Ramon Vazquez, though we don't see them eating his $2M contract.
And they're still looking to improve the minor league organization, scouring the waiver and free agent lists. They've improved the talent level, but are far from being deep at any position right now.
A word of caution - names getting tossed out don't mean much at this point; it's hard to tell who the Bucs are really interested in and who they're just touching base with in case the market for them softens.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
#11 - Ron Uviedo
Ronald Javier Uviedo was born on October 7th, 1986 in Calabozo, Venezuela. The young righty, a 6-1, 165 pound strike-throwing machine, is in his second year on the 40-man roster, even though he hasn't seen Altoona yet.
Uviedo began his career with Seattle when he signed as an 18-year old in 2004. He spent two years in the Venezuelan Summer League as Mariner property.
The young Latino was knocked around his first season, compiling a 2-1 record and 5.81 ERA. But he reversed course in 2005 as a starter, leading the staff in innings with 62, going deeper into games than any other pitcher on the club (5 innings+), and posting the lowest hit rate (6.1/9 innings) on the team.
He finished 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA and 52 strikeouts, but Seattle wasn't impressed, and let his contract lapse. The Pirates shanghaied him from the Ms and reconverted him to a reliever in 2006. Uviedo ended up 2-0 with 11 saves in the VSL, with a 2.02 ERA and 44 Ks in 35-2/3 innings.
The Pirates moved him to short season State College in 2007, where he was 2-0 with 12 saves and a 3.92 ERA. Uviedo kept getting swings and misses there, too, striking out 26 in 20-1/3 innings of work. He also got a cup of joe at Lynchburg early in the year and then Hickory towards the end of the season, where he wasn't overwhelming but wasn't overmatched, either.
The 23-year old spent most of the 2008 season with A Hickory, where he made 33 appearances and put together a 3-1 slate with 5 saves and a 3.01 ERA for the Crawdads. He struck out 76 in 71-2/3 innings, with a 5:1 K/BB ratio.
Uviedo finished the season at High A Lynchburg, making seven appearances and pitching lights out. He had an ERA of 2.25, and gave up 5 hits and 5 walks in 16 innings, striking out a dozen batters. Opponents hit .094 off him, and his WHIP was 0.63. A small sample, but a very good one.
Then he went back to Venezuela, pitching in the Winter League. Uviedo was 2-2 with a 3.10 ERA and 19 Ks in 20-1/3 innings in his home setting.
Uviedo spent the entire 2009 season in Lynchburg's rotation, part of the Pirates' approach of making sure the best arms are eating some innings while they develop.
He wasn't expected to do more than stretch his arm out, but ended up a decent starter. Uviedo had a 3.18 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, a 7.7 K/9, a 4.5 K/BB, and an 0.8 HR/9 in his first 68 innings pitched with Lynchburg from April to mid-June.
Uviedo went down with shoulder tendinitis in mid-June, and missed about a month of action. He was clocked in his first two starts back, allowing seven runs in 9-1/3 innings pitched, obviously rusty and probably not physically ready for a starting gig yet.
He spent August piggybacking starts with Nathan Adcock, alternating between the first five innings and the last four innings of the game.
But once again, he moved into a his familiar closing role when R.J. Rodriguez left to join Puerto Rico’s national team in the World Cup of Baseball. In September, he notched three saves and a win in five appearances through the stretch and the Hillcats championship run, with one blown save.
The Pirates envision a young RHP that has a shot at being their closer in 2011-12. Uviedo throws a 94-95 heater with a sharp slider, and is always around the plate.
The good news about adding him to the rotation is that he got to work on developing a change-up, and he went to it often in 2009. It changed him from strictly a fly-ball/strikeout pitcher to a guy that developed an even grounder/fly split last season.
His one knock is that he's susceptible to the longball, but that's the M.O. of control pitchers. He has a serious knack for missing bats, a rare virtue in the Pirate system.
Uviedo should finally reach the Curve this season. They may plug him into the rotation, but his future is in the pen. His projection is as a back-end reliever, either closing or setting up.
(Next - #10 Donnie Veal)
Uviedo began his career with Seattle when he signed as an 18-year old in 2004. He spent two years in the Venezuelan Summer League as Mariner property.
The young Latino was knocked around his first season, compiling a 2-1 record and 5.81 ERA. But he reversed course in 2005 as a starter, leading the staff in innings with 62, going deeper into games than any other pitcher on the club (5 innings+), and posting the lowest hit rate (6.1/9 innings) on the team.
He finished 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA and 52 strikeouts, but Seattle wasn't impressed, and let his contract lapse. The Pirates shanghaied him from the Ms and reconverted him to a reliever in 2006. Uviedo ended up 2-0 with 11 saves in the VSL, with a 2.02 ERA and 44 Ks in 35-2/3 innings.
The Pirates moved him to short season State College in 2007, where he was 2-0 with 12 saves and a 3.92 ERA. Uviedo kept getting swings and misses there, too, striking out 26 in 20-1/3 innings of work. He also got a cup of joe at Lynchburg early in the year and then Hickory towards the end of the season, where he wasn't overwhelming but wasn't overmatched, either.
The 23-year old spent most of the 2008 season with A Hickory, where he made 33 appearances and put together a 3-1 slate with 5 saves and a 3.01 ERA for the Crawdads. He struck out 76 in 71-2/3 innings, with a 5:1 K/BB ratio.
Uviedo finished the season at High A Lynchburg, making seven appearances and pitching lights out. He had an ERA of 2.25, and gave up 5 hits and 5 walks in 16 innings, striking out a dozen batters. Opponents hit .094 off him, and his WHIP was 0.63. A small sample, but a very good one.
Then he went back to Venezuela, pitching in the Winter League. Uviedo was 2-2 with a 3.10 ERA and 19 Ks in 20-1/3 innings in his home setting.
Uviedo spent the entire 2009 season in Lynchburg's rotation, part of the Pirates' approach of making sure the best arms are eating some innings while they develop.
He wasn't expected to do more than stretch his arm out, but ended up a decent starter. Uviedo had a 3.18 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, a 7.7 K/9, a 4.5 K/BB, and an 0.8 HR/9 in his first 68 innings pitched with Lynchburg from April to mid-June.
Uviedo went down with shoulder tendinitis in mid-June, and missed about a month of action. He was clocked in his first two starts back, allowing seven runs in 9-1/3 innings pitched, obviously rusty and probably not physically ready for a starting gig yet.
He spent August piggybacking starts with Nathan Adcock, alternating between the first five innings and the last four innings of the game.
But once again, he moved into a his familiar closing role when R.J. Rodriguez left to join Puerto Rico’s national team in the World Cup of Baseball. In September, he notched three saves and a win in five appearances through the stretch and the Hillcats championship run, with one blown save.
The Pirates envision a young RHP that has a shot at being their closer in 2011-12. Uviedo throws a 94-95 heater with a sharp slider, and is always around the plate.
The good news about adding him to the rotation is that he got to work on developing a change-up, and he went to it often in 2009. It changed him from strictly a fly-ball/strikeout pitcher to a guy that developed an even grounder/fly split last season.
His one knock is that he's susceptible to the longball, but that's the M.O. of control pitchers. He has a serious knack for missing bats, a rare virtue in the Pirate system.
Uviedo should finally reach the Curve this season. They may plug him into the rotation, but his future is in the pen. His projection is as a back-end reliever, either closing or setting up.
(Next - #10 Donnie Veal)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
# 12 - Quinton Miller
The Bucs unveiled their new draft strategy in 2008, when instead of going after college guys that they knew would sign at slot or less, they began taking shots at high school kids that would demand the ranch to give up their scholarships but infuse the organization with young, upside talent.
Robert Quinton Miller, 20 as of Saturday, is the textbook example.
Born and raised in Medford, New Jersey, the righty was the ace of Shawnee High's staff. He lost much of his junior year due to either tendonitis or a shoulder impingement (both were cited in his reports), but still finished 5-1 with an ERA of 1.90. In 43 innings, he struck out 72 and walked eight.
Miller's senior year was just as impressive. He posted a 6-3 slate with a 2.13 ERA in 52-2/3 frames, with 85 whiffs and 14 free passes. It earned him the No. 52 schoolboy prospect ranking in the nation by Perfect Game USA and the Numero Uno player in the state of New Jersey. Baseball America rated Miller as the 158th best prospect in the 2008 draft.
North Carolina, a college baseball juggernaut, gave him a scholarship, and that scared away a lot of the MLB draftniks. He did let it be known that he could be had, though - for first or second round money.
The Pirates selected him in the 20th round, and the waiting game began. Miller spent the summer pitching for the wooden bat Cal Ripken Summer Collegian League. In mid-August, as the clock was ticking loudly, the Pirates freed up $900K for him after determining that Tanner Scheppers and Drew Gagnon weren't going to sign.
It was too late to assign him to a team, but the suits kept him busy, working him in the fall instructional league, followed by spring training, and then extended spring training. Pirate City became his new home away from home.
Miller made his pro debut in late June of 2009 with short-season State College, becoming the youngest player in the Spikes’ brief four-year history. He didn't stay there long; they jumped him to Class A West Virginia after two appearances.
As to be expected from a 19 year-old, his Power start was turbulent. But from the end of July on, Miller began to show his stuff. He surrendered two runs or fewer in five of his last six starts, and had a 2.70 ERA over that span. Overall, he finished 2-4 with a 4.47 ERA. In 56-1/3 innings, he struck out 40 and walked 25, and his opponent batting average was .245.
Miller had his issues, though. His control was poor, especially against lefties, and his splits were heavily tilted in their favor, too. His delivery also needed tuned - he has a bit of a cross-body release and he lands hard on his follow-through. But the rest of it is OK, and he needs some tinkering more than a major rebuild.
He's 6' 1" and 185 pounds, and not too surprisingly, the heater is his best pitch. It can touch 95, but he's maddeningly inconsistent with it, sometimes struggling to hit the high eighties. It's hoped that a more repeated straight-line release will cure that, and in fact, some scouts feel that he can add a couple more miles to it as he matures.
Miller's slider is already considered a plus pitch, and like every other young Pirate pitcher, his change-up is lagging. That's a pitch he'll eventually need to keep the lefties honest.
For a kid that's going to be 20 years old, he's in pretty good shape. Most Pirate prospect listings already rate him in the organization's Top Fifteen, and Miller is potentially a mid-to-top rotation guy down the road.
We expect, with his age and delivery issues, that he'll begin 2010 at West Virginia again. But we don't expect him to be there long.
(Next #11 - Ron Uviedo)
Robert Quinton Miller, 20 as of Saturday, is the textbook example.
Born and raised in Medford, New Jersey, the righty was the ace of Shawnee High's staff. He lost much of his junior year due to either tendonitis or a shoulder impingement (both were cited in his reports), but still finished 5-1 with an ERA of 1.90. In 43 innings, he struck out 72 and walked eight.
Miller's senior year was just as impressive. He posted a 6-3 slate with a 2.13 ERA in 52-2/3 frames, with 85 whiffs and 14 free passes. It earned him the No. 52 schoolboy prospect ranking in the nation by Perfect Game USA and the Numero Uno player in the state of New Jersey. Baseball America rated Miller as the 158th best prospect in the 2008 draft.
North Carolina, a college baseball juggernaut, gave him a scholarship, and that scared away a lot of the MLB draftniks. He did let it be known that he could be had, though - for first or second round money.
The Pirates selected him in the 20th round, and the waiting game began. Miller spent the summer pitching for the wooden bat Cal Ripken Summer Collegian League. In mid-August, as the clock was ticking loudly, the Pirates freed up $900K for him after determining that Tanner Scheppers and Drew Gagnon weren't going to sign.
It was too late to assign him to a team, but the suits kept him busy, working him in the fall instructional league, followed by spring training, and then extended spring training. Pirate City became his new home away from home.
Miller made his pro debut in late June of 2009 with short-season State College, becoming the youngest player in the Spikes’ brief four-year history. He didn't stay there long; they jumped him to Class A West Virginia after two appearances.
As to be expected from a 19 year-old, his Power start was turbulent. But from the end of July on, Miller began to show his stuff. He surrendered two runs or fewer in five of his last six starts, and had a 2.70 ERA over that span. Overall, he finished 2-4 with a 4.47 ERA. In 56-1/3 innings, he struck out 40 and walked 25, and his opponent batting average was .245.
Miller had his issues, though. His control was poor, especially against lefties, and his splits were heavily tilted in their favor, too. His delivery also needed tuned - he has a bit of a cross-body release and he lands hard on his follow-through. But the rest of it is OK, and he needs some tinkering more than a major rebuild.
He's 6' 1" and 185 pounds, and not too surprisingly, the heater is his best pitch. It can touch 95, but he's maddeningly inconsistent with it, sometimes struggling to hit the high eighties. It's hoped that a more repeated straight-line release will cure that, and in fact, some scouts feel that he can add a couple more miles to it as he matures.
Miller's slider is already considered a plus pitch, and like every other young Pirate pitcher, his change-up is lagging. That's a pitch he'll eventually need to keep the lefties honest.
For a kid that's going to be 20 years old, he's in pretty good shape. Most Pirate prospect listings already rate him in the organization's Top Fifteen, and Miller is potentially a mid-to-top rotation guy down the road.
We expect, with his age and delivery issues, that he'll begin 2010 at West Virginia again. But we don't expect him to be there long.
(Next #11 - Ron Uviedo)
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
#13 - Bryan Morris
Avery Bryan Morris, the 6-3, 200 pound righty, was touted as the guy with the most upside in the Jay Bay deal, outshining Andy LaRoche and Brandon Moss in the scouts' eyes.
It hasn't exactly worked out that way yet, but hey, give it time. The kid's only 22 (he'll be 23 in March), and hopefully he'll get through 2010 in one piece and with a more polished delivery than the player the Bucs got in 2008.
A native of Wodbury, Tennessee, he threw for Tullahoma High, and pretty well, too - his first two games during his senior year were no-hitters. Tampa Bay noticed, and selected him in the third round of the 2005 draft. He passed on signing after a $1M bonus offer from the short-pocketed Rays was withdrawn.
Morris went off to Motlow State Community College, not exactly a powerhouse. He mowed down his overmatched foes and finished the year 10-1 with an 0.82 ERA. That's good work even if you're in a beer league, and he became the 29th rated prospect by Baseball America for the next draft.
He was a first round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006, taken with the 26th selection, a compensatory slot for losing Jeff Weaver. The Big Blue ponied up and inked him quickly for $1,325,000.
It was off to the Pioneer League's Ogden nine, where he went 4-5 with a 5.13 ERA in 79-2/3 innings of work. Morris ran up some startling numbers - 40 walks, somewhat balanced by 79 whiffs. He was bringing the heat at 96-97 MPH; he just wasn't sure where it was going.
Morris missed all of 2007 and early 2008 with Tommy John surgery. He recovered, and went to Class A Great Lakes in the Midwestern league, where he posted a 2-4 slate with a 3.20 ERA in 81-2/3 frames. His numbers came back to earth, with 72 strikeouts and 31 walks.
He entered 2008 as the #12 prospect in the Dodger farm system according to BA, and was generally ranked in the top 15 by the other services.
Then Morris came to Pittsburgh, and finished up with a cup of coffee at Hickory. He was shut down for the last month of the season due to bicep soreness, and then had offseason surgery correct a previous issue with his big toe.
With all that, he came ready to pitch in 2009. But just as the season was ready to kick off, he was bothered by shoulder inflammation and didn't come back until June 7th. Beginning to notice a trend?
It was not a good year for Morris, at least at the outset. He was ripped in June and July pitching for High A Lynchburg. After one dismal start, he ragged the ump and blew up in the dugout, managing to get himself suspended by the Buccos, who insist on good citizenship if not good pitching.
While serving his suspension, Morris went to Bradenton to work on his mechanics. Apparently, a light went on. He recorded four quality starts in his last six games for the Hillcats following his wrist slap, after having just one in his ten prior starts.
As for him being a head case, we think not. His eruption at Lynchburg is the only blot on his record, and we suspect frustration got the upper hand on him that day.
The Pirates are working on what they see as the core issue regarding his control issues and arm injuries, a funky, high effort delivery that finishes with him releasing the ball across his body.
That's the tinkering the Pirate pitching mechanics worked on correcting at Bradenton, trying to smooth out his motion and straightening his release angle. In a couple of interviews, Morris says his arm feels as good as it ever has, and the results after his visit to Pirate City seemed to bear fruit.
Morris also was one of the Pirate prospects that was fairly limited in digging into his pitching tool kit. He throws a low-90s fastball, touching 95, a plus curve, and a work-in-progress changeup with OK sink.
But the Bucco suits pretty much kept him throwing the heat, both because of his injury history and because that's how they start all their young pitchers off, by preaching fastball control.
For his future, well, a lot rides on whether his new and improved delivery proves repeatable and relieves the stress on his arm. Morris has just 228-1/3 professional innings under his belt, so he needs to get some game action.
If he holds up, he's projected to be a number 2 or 3 pitcher in a MLB rotation, and that's where the Pirates see his value.
If not, they could eventually swing him to the dark side and look at him as a closer; that fastball/curve combo for an inning could be his ticket to the show. But that's definitely Plan B; they much prefer him to pitch every fifth day.
Morris could begin the 2010 season with Altoona, if the Pirates promote him as aggressively as most of their pups. But with his lack of experience and arm woes, he could just as easily start at High A Bradenton until he shows he's ready to handle the jump. (EDIT - Morris will start 2010 in Altoona)
(Next - #12 Quinton Miller)
It hasn't exactly worked out that way yet, but hey, give it time. The kid's only 22 (he'll be 23 in March), and hopefully he'll get through 2010 in one piece and with a more polished delivery than the player the Bucs got in 2008.
A native of Wodbury, Tennessee, he threw for Tullahoma High, and pretty well, too - his first two games during his senior year were no-hitters. Tampa Bay noticed, and selected him in the third round of the 2005 draft. He passed on signing after a $1M bonus offer from the short-pocketed Rays was withdrawn.
Morris went off to Motlow State Community College, not exactly a powerhouse. He mowed down his overmatched foes and finished the year 10-1 with an 0.82 ERA. That's good work even if you're in a beer league, and he became the 29th rated prospect by Baseball America for the next draft.
He was a first round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006, taken with the 26th selection, a compensatory slot for losing Jeff Weaver. The Big Blue ponied up and inked him quickly for $1,325,000.
It was off to the Pioneer League's Ogden nine, where he went 4-5 with a 5.13 ERA in 79-2/3 innings of work. Morris ran up some startling numbers - 40 walks, somewhat balanced by 79 whiffs. He was bringing the heat at 96-97 MPH; he just wasn't sure where it was going.
Morris missed all of 2007 and early 2008 with Tommy John surgery. He recovered, and went to Class A Great Lakes in the Midwestern league, where he posted a 2-4 slate with a 3.20 ERA in 81-2/3 frames. His numbers came back to earth, with 72 strikeouts and 31 walks.
He entered 2008 as the #12 prospect in the Dodger farm system according to BA, and was generally ranked in the top 15 by the other services.
Then Morris came to Pittsburgh, and finished up with a cup of coffee at Hickory. He was shut down for the last month of the season due to bicep soreness, and then had offseason surgery correct a previous issue with his big toe.
With all that, he came ready to pitch in 2009. But just as the season was ready to kick off, he was bothered by shoulder inflammation and didn't come back until June 7th. Beginning to notice a trend?
It was not a good year for Morris, at least at the outset. He was ripped in June and July pitching for High A Lynchburg. After one dismal start, he ragged the ump and blew up in the dugout, managing to get himself suspended by the Buccos, who insist on good citizenship if not good pitching.
While serving his suspension, Morris went to Bradenton to work on his mechanics. Apparently, a light went on. He recorded four quality starts in his last six games for the Hillcats following his wrist slap, after having just one in his ten prior starts.
As for him being a head case, we think not. His eruption at Lynchburg is the only blot on his record, and we suspect frustration got the upper hand on him that day.
The Pirates are working on what they see as the core issue regarding his control issues and arm injuries, a funky, high effort delivery that finishes with him releasing the ball across his body.
That's the tinkering the Pirate pitching mechanics worked on correcting at Bradenton, trying to smooth out his motion and straightening his release angle. In a couple of interviews, Morris says his arm feels as good as it ever has, and the results after his visit to Pirate City seemed to bear fruit.
Morris also was one of the Pirate prospects that was fairly limited in digging into his pitching tool kit. He throws a low-90s fastball, touching 95, a plus curve, and a work-in-progress changeup with OK sink.
But the Bucco suits pretty much kept him throwing the heat, both because of his injury history and because that's how they start all their young pitchers off, by preaching fastball control.
For his future, well, a lot rides on whether his new and improved delivery proves repeatable and relieves the stress on his arm. Morris has just 228-1/3 professional innings under his belt, so he needs to get some game action.
If he holds up, he's projected to be a number 2 or 3 pitcher in a MLB rotation, and that's where the Pirates see his value.
If not, they could eventually swing him to the dark side and look at him as a closer; that fastball/curve combo for an inning could be his ticket to the show. But that's definitely Plan B; they much prefer him to pitch every fifth day.
Morris could begin the 2010 season with Altoona, if the Pirates promote him as aggressively as most of their pups. But with his lack of experience and arm woes, he could just as easily start at High A Bradenton until he shows he's ready to handle the jump. (EDIT - Morris will start 2010 in Altoona)
(Next - #12 Quinton Miller)
Hot Stove Stuff
Free agency opens and the Pirates are hot on the trail of...
-- Bob Dutton of the KC Star tweets that the Bucs are poking around 35 year-old reliever Jamey Wright. The righty was 3-5 with a 4.33 ERA last year for the Royals, and has 14 seasons in the show.
-- Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette writes that the Pirates are interested in free agent Justin Duchscherer of the A's. He didn't pitch last year between elbow and hip surgery plus clinical depression, but the 32 year-old was 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA as a starter for Oakland in 2008.
The right-hander is a Type B free agent, and Oakland will earn a sandwich pick in next year's draft if he declines arbitration and signs with another team. The Rockies and Red Sox are supposed to be kicking his tires, too.
-- Bob Dutton of the KC Star tweets that the Bucs are poking around 35 year-old reliever Jamey Wright. The righty was 3-5 with a 4.33 ERA last year for the Royals, and has 14 seasons in the show.
-- Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette writes that the Pirates are interested in free agent Justin Duchscherer of the A's. He didn't pitch last year between elbow and hip surgery plus clinical depression, but the 32 year-old was 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA as a starter for Oakland in 2008.
The right-hander is a Type B free agent, and Oakland will earn a sandwich pick in next year's draft if he declines arbitration and signs with another team. The Rockies and Red Sox are supposed to be kicking his tires, too.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wil Ledezma
Hey, GW isn't in the habit of cranking out column inches on non-roster pick ups; heck, we'd still be trying to catch up from last season. But lefty Wilfredo Jose Ledezma is the exception.
The Pirates have made no bones about looking for a left-handed hurler or two to add to the bullpen, and we know the propensity for the suits to dumpster-dive, believing that quantity is as good as quality. The guy was DFA'd by the Nats, after all.
The 28 year-old (he'll turn 29 in January) Venezuelan has had quite the career. First, the way he worked his way into a relief role is kinda telling.
Ledezma holds an all-time MLB record: the most consecutive starts of six innings or fewer. He made 31 straight starts with six or fewer innings between 2003-06 - and that's with just 40 career starts under his belt!
After getting yanked from one of those starts in 2006, Ledezma stomped into the dugout, tore his cap up, and began eating it. Yum! Saving up his meal money, we guess.
In 2007, while visiting home during the All-Star break, he threw his papers in the washing machine. The Braves had to briefly put him on the restricted list until he could get a replacement visa & passport.
Anyway, here's his baseball 411. The Red Sox signed him in 1998. Ledezma was a Rule 5 pick of the Tigers in 2002, made it through the 2003 season, and pitched for them until 2007, bouncing between the majors and the farm.
He was traded from the Tigers to the Atlanta Braves for Macay McBride on June 20th, 2007. Ledezma was DFA'd on July 29th. On July 31st, Ledezma was traded along with Will Startup to the San Diego Padres for reliever Royce Ring.
On August 29th, 2008, Ledezma was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was non-tendered following the 2008 season, and became a free agent.
In January, 2009, he signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals, made the opening day roster, and then was DFA'd in May and released in July. Toronto inked him in August, and in October, Ledezma was granted free agency. Hello, Pittsburgh!
BTW, Greg Smith was Detroit’s scouting boss when they grabbed Ledezma in 2002, and there's where the dots connect. He also throws 93 consistently, a bit of a shocker from a 6-3, 150 pound guy. Now if he could only find the dish...
His MLB line is 15-22 with a 5.17 ERA. In 160 games, he's gotten 40 starts and worked 370-2/3 frames with 255 whiffs and 183 free passes. Control is his issue, but that's never scared off a Bucco bird dog.
Ledezma's minor league stats are pretty strong, though. He went 30-19 in 113 games, with a 3.51 ERA, splitting his time between starting and the pen. In 425-2/3 innings, he had 421 Ks and 160 walks.
All in all, he should be a colorful addition to the Indy staff come April.
-- Jeff Karstens and Justin Thomas made it through waivers and were assigned to Indy, joining Virgil Vasquez.
The Pirates have made no bones about looking for a left-handed hurler or two to add to the bullpen, and we know the propensity for the suits to dumpster-dive, believing that quantity is as good as quality. The guy was DFA'd by the Nats, after all.
The 28 year-old (he'll turn 29 in January) Venezuelan has had quite the career. First, the way he worked his way into a relief role is kinda telling.
Ledezma holds an all-time MLB record: the most consecutive starts of six innings or fewer. He made 31 straight starts with six or fewer innings between 2003-06 - and that's with just 40 career starts under his belt!
After getting yanked from one of those starts in 2006, Ledezma stomped into the dugout, tore his cap up, and began eating it. Yum! Saving up his meal money, we guess.
In 2007, while visiting home during the All-Star break, he threw his papers in the washing machine. The Braves had to briefly put him on the restricted list until he could get a replacement visa & passport.
Anyway, here's his baseball 411. The Red Sox signed him in 1998. Ledezma was a Rule 5 pick of the Tigers in 2002, made it through the 2003 season, and pitched for them until 2007, bouncing between the majors and the farm.
He was traded from the Tigers to the Atlanta Braves for Macay McBride on June 20th, 2007. Ledezma was DFA'd on July 29th. On July 31st, Ledezma was traded along with Will Startup to the San Diego Padres for reliever Royce Ring.
On August 29th, 2008, Ledezma was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was non-tendered following the 2008 season, and became a free agent.
In January, 2009, he signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals, made the opening day roster, and then was DFA'd in May and released in July. Toronto inked him in August, and in October, Ledezma was granted free agency. Hello, Pittsburgh!
BTW, Greg Smith was Detroit’s scouting boss when they grabbed Ledezma in 2002, and there's where the dots connect. He also throws 93 consistently, a bit of a shocker from a 6-3, 150 pound guy. Now if he could only find the dish...
His MLB line is 15-22 with a 5.17 ERA. In 160 games, he's gotten 40 starts and worked 370-2/3 frames with 255 whiffs and 183 free passes. Control is his issue, but that's never scared off a Bucco bird dog.
Ledezma's minor league stats are pretty strong, though. He went 30-19 in 113 games, with a 3.51 ERA, splitting his time between starting and the pen. In 425-2/3 innings, he had 421 Ks and 160 walks.
All in all, he should be a colorful addition to the Indy staff come April.
-- Jeff Karstens and Justin Thomas made it through waivers and were assigned to Indy, joining Virgil Vasquez.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
#14 Jeff Locke
Jeffrey Alan Locke was part of the package that the Braves sent to the Pirates for Nate McLouth this past summer. The 22 year-old lefty (he just celebrated his birthday last week) is a highly touted arm, though his numbers have yet to approach his ballyhoo.
Rated as the #7 prospect in the Brave system by Baseball America coming into 2009, Locke was considered the number two lefty in their organization, behind only Cole Rohrbough.
Other teams knew of his upside; the Pirates had him on their wish list when the Braves made inquiries about Jay Bay in 2008, and during the last offseason, the Padres wanted him included in any potential Jake Peavy talks.
That's a lotta love for a New Hampshire kid that hasn't reached AA ball yet.
Born in New Concord, he pitched scholastically for A. Crosby Kennett High School. Going by the moniker of "The Redstone Rocket", (he hails from the Redstone neighborhood), the 6'2", 180 pound hurler was the first selection of the Braves in the second round in the 2006 draft.
He signed for $675K quickly enough to get some work with the GCL Braves. In 2007, he was moved to Danville of the Appalachian League.
Locke rolled through the Low A League, posting a 7-1 slate with a 2.66 ERA. He struck out 74 batters in 61 innings and walked just eight, with a WHIP of 0.918. The accolades rolled in.
He was rated the eighth-best prospect in the Braves farm system and the fifth-best prospect in the Appalachian League by Baseball America following the season, and named to their post-season All-Star team. The Braves picked him as the Danville Pitcher of the Year. Pretty heady stuff for a 19 year old.
In 2008, Locke moved up one more rung, to Class A Rome in the Sally League. He went 5-12 with a 4.06 ERA, but his peripherals were still decent. Locke more than doubled his workload, going 139-2/3 innings, with 113 Ks and 38 walks, with a 1.314 WHIP. As a younger guy, he stood his ground, and BA ranked him as the #14 prospect in the South Atlantic League.
He entered 2009 as the Braves #7 overall prospect, and was promoted one more step, to High A Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League. Locke hit his first bump in the road there.
Struggling with his control, he was 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA in 10 starts. The ability to miss bats still showed, as he collected 43 whiffs in 45-2/3 innings, but his command disappeared, as he walked 26 guys and ran up a WHIP of 1.599.
Then, on June 3rd, the Braves traded Locke to the Pirates along with Charlie Morton and Gorkys Hernández in exchange for Nate McLouth. The Bucs assigned him to the Lynchburg Hillcats, also in the Carolina League.
Locke pitched better with the change of scenery, going 4-4 with a 4.08 ERA, and his command returned. His K's dropped to 56 in 81-2/3 innings, but his walks were cut down to 18, just about two free passes per nine innings.
He's still raw, and the Pirates are tinkering with his mechanics. It's also probable that they had him throwing more heaters rather than mixing his stuff; the first commandment for young pitchers in the Buc organization is developing fastball command before working on the soft stuff.
Locke throws a sinking fastball in the 91-94 MPH range, has a plus curve that he delivers in the mid-70's, and is working on a change up. He keeps his pitches down, and has had very good groundball and home run rates throughout his career.
One red flag was his .360 opponent's ball-in-play average in 2009. That's high, and could be rooted in any one of several areas: command issues, a high ratio of fastballs per Pirate instructions, or a leather-challenged infield at Lynchburg. It's most likely a combination of the three, but still bears watching.
The other problem is repeating his delivery, and that's the mechanical issue the Pirate staff is working on now. It's not an unusual problem, especially with guys that were drafted straight out of high school. That may have been his bugaboo at Myrtle Beach, as an erratic motion leads to control problems.
He's been young at every level he's worked, and is still honing his craft. Locke's projection is as a number 2 or 3 man in a MLB rotation, and he's still on track to reach the show by 2012-13. But like virtually all high school draftees, it takes a little longer to get it together, and continued improvement is never a sure thing.
Locke has been on a level-per-year track, and we expect that to continue in 2010 with him moving up to Altoona.
(Next - #13 Bryan Morris)
Rated as the #7 prospect in the Brave system by Baseball America coming into 2009, Locke was considered the number two lefty in their organization, behind only Cole Rohrbough.
Other teams knew of his upside; the Pirates had him on their wish list when the Braves made inquiries about Jay Bay in 2008, and during the last offseason, the Padres wanted him included in any potential Jake Peavy talks.
That's a lotta love for a New Hampshire kid that hasn't reached AA ball yet.
Born in New Concord, he pitched scholastically for A. Crosby Kennett High School. Going by the moniker of "The Redstone Rocket", (he hails from the Redstone neighborhood), the 6'2", 180 pound hurler was the first selection of the Braves in the second round in the 2006 draft.
He signed for $675K quickly enough to get some work with the GCL Braves. In 2007, he was moved to Danville of the Appalachian League.
Locke rolled through the Low A League, posting a 7-1 slate with a 2.66 ERA. He struck out 74 batters in 61 innings and walked just eight, with a WHIP of 0.918. The accolades rolled in.
He was rated the eighth-best prospect in the Braves farm system and the fifth-best prospect in the Appalachian League by Baseball America following the season, and named to their post-season All-Star team. The Braves picked him as the Danville Pitcher of the Year. Pretty heady stuff for a 19 year old.
In 2008, Locke moved up one more rung, to Class A Rome in the Sally League. He went 5-12 with a 4.06 ERA, but his peripherals were still decent. Locke more than doubled his workload, going 139-2/3 innings, with 113 Ks and 38 walks, with a 1.314 WHIP. As a younger guy, he stood his ground, and BA ranked him as the #14 prospect in the South Atlantic League.
He entered 2009 as the Braves #7 overall prospect, and was promoted one more step, to High A Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League. Locke hit his first bump in the road there.
Struggling with his control, he was 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA in 10 starts. The ability to miss bats still showed, as he collected 43 whiffs in 45-2/3 innings, but his command disappeared, as he walked 26 guys and ran up a WHIP of 1.599.
Then, on June 3rd, the Braves traded Locke to the Pirates along with Charlie Morton and Gorkys Hernández in exchange for Nate McLouth. The Bucs assigned him to the Lynchburg Hillcats, also in the Carolina League.
Locke pitched better with the change of scenery, going 4-4 with a 4.08 ERA, and his command returned. His K's dropped to 56 in 81-2/3 innings, but his walks were cut down to 18, just about two free passes per nine innings.
He's still raw, and the Pirates are tinkering with his mechanics. It's also probable that they had him throwing more heaters rather than mixing his stuff; the first commandment for young pitchers in the Buc organization is developing fastball command before working on the soft stuff.
Locke throws a sinking fastball in the 91-94 MPH range, has a plus curve that he delivers in the mid-70's, and is working on a change up. He keeps his pitches down, and has had very good groundball and home run rates throughout his career.
One red flag was his .360 opponent's ball-in-play average in 2009. That's high, and could be rooted in any one of several areas: command issues, a high ratio of fastballs per Pirate instructions, or a leather-challenged infield at Lynchburg. It's most likely a combination of the three, but still bears watching.
The other problem is repeating his delivery, and that's the mechanical issue the Pirate staff is working on now. It's not an unusual problem, especially with guys that were drafted straight out of high school. That may have been his bugaboo at Myrtle Beach, as an erratic motion leads to control problems.
He's been young at every level he's worked, and is still honing his craft. Locke's projection is as a number 2 or 3 man in a MLB rotation, and he's still on track to reach the show by 2012-13. But like virtually all high school draftees, it takes a little longer to get it together, and continued improvement is never a sure thing.
Locke has been on a level-per-year track, and we expect that to continue in 2010 with him moving up to Altoona.
(Next - #13 Bryan Morris)
Saturday, November 28, 2009
#15 - Neil Walker
Neil Walker is the Pittsburgh Kid. Born and raised in Gibsonia, the son of former major league pitcher Tom Walker, he was a record-breaker at Pine-Richland High.
Walker graduated in 2004 as a star catcher on the Ram's baseball team and an outstanding wide receiver for the football team. And we mean he was all that.
He was a three-year starter at receiver. As a senior, Walker had 68 grabs for 1,128 yards and led Pine-Richland win the WPIAL Class AAA title. He played in what many consider the greatest championship game in state history, a 39-38 double overtime loss to Manheim Central that was played in a snowstorm.
Walker was an Associated Press First-Team All-State selection as a senior and was a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gridiron "Fabulous 22" two-time selection as a junior and senior.
Fuhgedaboutit in baseball. Walker hit better than .500 three years in a row. As a junior in the 2003, he played in the junior Pan-Am Cup. Walker was the DH for Team USA and batted .310 with a slugging percentage of .483.
Walker capped it with a brilliant senior season, hitting .657 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. He had 9 doubles, a triple and scored 41 runs. He struck out twice all season. The catcher's slugging percentage was 1.403.
He was lights out in the postseason, too, hitting .765 in five games, and guess what - the Rams won the WPIAL baseball championship, too. He was a two-time Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Male Athlete of the Year.
Walker also played for Jim Leyland's Beaver Valley Baseball Club. Geez, how hometown can you get? Well, how about getting drafted in the first round by the Pirates?
In 2004, they made him their top selection, 11th overall. He inked a deal for $1,950,000, and was off to the rookie league Bradenton team. Walker hit .271 there and was named the 5th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League. Late in the year, he moved up to the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters and batted .313.
Promoted to the Hickory Crawdads in 2005, Walker hit .301 with 12 homers, 33 doubles, and 68 RBI. He made the South Atlantic League All-Star team as catcher, and got a cup of coffee in High A Lynchburg.
But a couple of holes were beginning to pop up in his game. He only drew 20 walks and committed 22 passed balls in 79 games.
The Pirates decided to try converting Walker to third base, partly due to his defense and partly because of the presence of catching prospects Ryan Doumit and Ronny Paulino in the system. He began playing third in the 2005 Arizona Fall League, and showed he was athletic enough to handle the hot corner.
But he injured a ligament in his left wrist on November 9 in the AFL and got the knife, missing the early part of the 2006 campaign. He still wasn't at full strength when he returned to Lynchburg, still a catcher, in late May, and it showed.
He picked it up in late July and August, and hit .271 for the Hillcats, then was promoted in mid-August to the Altoona Curve, where he played just 10 games while battling a nagging illness.
Walker was converted to a full-time third baseman during 2007 spring training. He stayed at Altoona and hit .288 with 13 homers, 30 doubles, 66 RBI and 77 runs for the 2007 Curve, but led the team with 25 errors at his new position.
Promoted to the Indianapolis Indians in mid-August, he hit .203 in 69 at-bats.
In 2008, Walker hit a disappointing .242/16/80 for Indianapolis, and that year began to raise some doubt on his "can't miss" prospect tag. His OBP was a dismal .280, as his lack of discipline at the plate took its toll in AAA. Walker had a 20% strike-out rate and only a 5% walk rate. On the other hand, he was selected the league's top fielding third baseman.
He did a little better in 2009, upping his average to .264, his OBP to .311, and he banged 14 round-trippers and plated 66 runners in 356 at-bats, missing several weeks because of a sprained ligament in his left knee and a broken finger. Walker also improved incrementally on his walk and K rates, walking 7% of the time and whiffing 17%.
Walker spent most of 2009 in AAA, but got a September call-up to the Pirates. He collected his first MLB hit in his second start on September 6th against Jason Motte of the St. Louis Cardinals. The 24 year-old didn't exactly tear it up in Pittsburgh, though, hitting .194 with one double and 11 Ks in 36 at-bats.
The Pittsburgh Kid's star has fallen dramatically. In 2005, Walker was rated the Pirates' #2 prospect by Baseball America, then moved up to #1 the following year. He was #2 again in 2007 and 2008, and fell to #6 in 2009.
Why the drop? His performance just doesn't match up to his pedigree. In six pro seasons, Walker's career average is .269 with an OBP of .317, and he's only taken 65 balls yard, not very much production from a first-round, middle-of-the-order hopeful. While his strikeout rate of 17% isn't excessively high, his plate discipline needs a lot of work; he's still very much a hacker at the dish. And, of course, the prospect pool has gotten a bit deeper in the past two years.
On the other hand, he's switched positions without a peep, and made the transition to third base pretty well. And he never did get much chance to get comfortable and show his stuff in September, probably because his call-up coincided with Andy LaRoche finally finding his stroke.
But it has to be in his head that he's behind LaRoche and Pedro Alvarez, and for the conspiracy fans...
"I'm a young guy, and I feel like I can play at the major league level," Walker told Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette in August. "And if Pittsburgh isn't the place I make it, I'm confident there is somewhere that I will make it. I just really don't know what the future is for me with this organization."
"I just look at it like this: In any situation, in any business, new bosses come in and want their guys and are more comfortable with people they see as their guys. That's the situation I feel like I'm in. I'm not one of their guys."
Whether that's so or not - and Neal Huntington has said on the record that he thinks Walker has the ability to be an everyday player - what is clear is that Neil Walker's future in the organization is reaching critical mass, and he needs to explode. He's on the 40-man roster, but still has two options left, so we expect him to start out 2010 at Indianapolis.
And that will be interesting. With Alvarez zooming up the charts, where will Walker play long-term? They could groom him for a utility role, along with about a zillion other high-level players in the organization.
There's always the outside chance that he'll move back behind the plate with Robby Diaz gone, where his bat projects better, although the brass have given no indication that they plan on that move.
The Pittsburgh Kid has become the Pittsburgh Puzzle.
(Next - #14 Jeff Locke)
Walker graduated in 2004 as a star catcher on the Ram's baseball team and an outstanding wide receiver for the football team. And we mean he was all that.
He was a three-year starter at receiver. As a senior, Walker had 68 grabs for 1,128 yards and led Pine-Richland win the WPIAL Class AAA title. He played in what many consider the greatest championship game in state history, a 39-38 double overtime loss to Manheim Central that was played in a snowstorm.
Walker was an Associated Press First-Team All-State selection as a senior and was a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gridiron "Fabulous 22" two-time selection as a junior and senior.
Fuhgedaboutit in baseball. Walker hit better than .500 three years in a row. As a junior in the 2003, he played in the junior Pan-Am Cup. Walker was the DH for Team USA and batted .310 with a slugging percentage of .483.
Walker capped it with a brilliant senior season, hitting .657 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. He had 9 doubles, a triple and scored 41 runs. He struck out twice all season. The catcher's slugging percentage was 1.403.
He was lights out in the postseason, too, hitting .765 in five games, and guess what - the Rams won the WPIAL baseball championship, too. He was a two-time Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Male Athlete of the Year.
Walker also played for Jim Leyland's Beaver Valley Baseball Club. Geez, how hometown can you get? Well, how about getting drafted in the first round by the Pirates?
In 2004, they made him their top selection, 11th overall. He inked a deal for $1,950,000, and was off to the rookie league Bradenton team. Walker hit .271 there and was named the 5th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League. Late in the year, he moved up to the short-season Williamsport Crosscutters and batted .313.
Promoted to the Hickory Crawdads in 2005, Walker hit .301 with 12 homers, 33 doubles, and 68 RBI. He made the South Atlantic League All-Star team as catcher, and got a cup of coffee in High A Lynchburg.
But a couple of holes were beginning to pop up in his game. He only drew 20 walks and committed 22 passed balls in 79 games.
The Pirates decided to try converting Walker to third base, partly due to his defense and partly because of the presence of catching prospects Ryan Doumit and Ronny Paulino in the system. He began playing third in the 2005 Arizona Fall League, and showed he was athletic enough to handle the hot corner.
But he injured a ligament in his left wrist on November 9 in the AFL and got the knife, missing the early part of the 2006 campaign. He still wasn't at full strength when he returned to Lynchburg, still a catcher, in late May, and it showed.
He picked it up in late July and August, and hit .271 for the Hillcats, then was promoted in mid-August to the Altoona Curve, where he played just 10 games while battling a nagging illness.
Walker was converted to a full-time third baseman during 2007 spring training. He stayed at Altoona and hit .288 with 13 homers, 30 doubles, 66 RBI and 77 runs for the 2007 Curve, but led the team with 25 errors at his new position.
Promoted to the Indianapolis Indians in mid-August, he hit .203 in 69 at-bats.
In 2008, Walker hit a disappointing .242/16/80 for Indianapolis, and that year began to raise some doubt on his "can't miss" prospect tag. His OBP was a dismal .280, as his lack of discipline at the plate took its toll in AAA. Walker had a 20% strike-out rate and only a 5% walk rate. On the other hand, he was selected the league's top fielding third baseman.
He did a little better in 2009, upping his average to .264, his OBP to .311, and he banged 14 round-trippers and plated 66 runners in 356 at-bats, missing several weeks because of a sprained ligament in his left knee and a broken finger. Walker also improved incrementally on his walk and K rates, walking 7% of the time and whiffing 17%.
Walker spent most of 2009 in AAA, but got a September call-up to the Pirates. He collected his first MLB hit in his second start on September 6th against Jason Motte of the St. Louis Cardinals. The 24 year-old didn't exactly tear it up in Pittsburgh, though, hitting .194 with one double and 11 Ks in 36 at-bats.
The Pittsburgh Kid's star has fallen dramatically. In 2005, Walker was rated the Pirates' #2 prospect by Baseball America, then moved up to #1 the following year. He was #2 again in 2007 and 2008, and fell to #6 in 2009.
Why the drop? His performance just doesn't match up to his pedigree. In six pro seasons, Walker's career average is .269 with an OBP of .317, and he's only taken 65 balls yard, not very much production from a first-round, middle-of-the-order hopeful. While his strikeout rate of 17% isn't excessively high, his plate discipline needs a lot of work; he's still very much a hacker at the dish. And, of course, the prospect pool has gotten a bit deeper in the past two years.
On the other hand, he's switched positions without a peep, and made the transition to third base pretty well. And he never did get much chance to get comfortable and show his stuff in September, probably because his call-up coincided with Andy LaRoche finally finding his stroke.
But it has to be in his head that he's behind LaRoche and Pedro Alvarez, and for the conspiracy fans...
"I'm a young guy, and I feel like I can play at the major league level," Walker told Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette in August. "And if Pittsburgh isn't the place I make it, I'm confident there is somewhere that I will make it. I just really don't know what the future is for me with this organization."
"I just look at it like this: In any situation, in any business, new bosses come in and want their guys and are more comfortable with people they see as their guys. That's the situation I feel like I'm in. I'm not one of their guys."
Whether that's so or not - and Neal Huntington has said on the record that he thinks Walker has the ability to be an everyday player - what is clear is that Neil Walker's future in the organization is reaching critical mass, and he needs to explode. He's on the 40-man roster, but still has two options left, so we expect him to start out 2010 at Indianapolis.
And that will be interesting. With Alvarez zooming up the charts, where will Walker play long-term? They could groom him for a utility role, along with about a zillion other high-level players in the organization.
There's always the outside chance that he'll move back behind the plate with Robby Diaz gone, where his bat projects better, although the brass have given no indication that they plan on that move.
The Pittsburgh Kid has become the Pittsburgh Puzzle.
(Next - #14 Jeff Locke)
Friday, November 27, 2009
#16 - Brian Friday
Brian Friday came to the Bucs in 2007, as the third round pick of the draft from Rice. He fit the mold of Littlefield-era shortstops, speedy, good glove, and contact hitter.
The 23 year-old (he'll be 24 next month) was born in Houston, Texas, where he was a stalwart of the Episcopal High squad, graduating with a .420 batting average.
It was off to the Owls, where he started 36 games as a true freshman.
In 2006 he was named All-America by Baseball America (first team), the College Baseball Foundation and Rosenblatt Report (second team), and Collegiate Baseball (third team), beside being All Conference USA. Friday hit .353, and was part of 40 of Rice's 60 DPs that season.
He was strong again in his junior year of 2007, as he compiled a .336 batting average with a .418 OBP in 280 at-bats, and left for the pro ranks after earning trips to the College World Series twice in his three seasons.
Friday signed early enough (in mid-July for $355K) to get some quality time at State College, where he hit .295 in 156 at-bats with the Spikes. In 2008, he advanced to High A Lynchburg, where he batted .287 in 80 games, missing much of the latter part of the season with a cranky back.
But he did make the All-Star team, and Baseball America named him as the Pirates #14 minor-league prospect.
The suits kept him on a fast track, moving him along to AA Altoona, where they hoped he'd eventually bloom into Jack Wilson's replacement.
He started off afire, but an inner ear infection laid him low in the early part of the year. It took him a couple of months after his return to get back into the swing of things, but from July on, he hit at a .275 clip, more in line with his career numbers. Friday was an All-Star again in 2009 for the Curve.
After the season, the Bucs sent him to get him some work in the Arizona Fall League, where he was among five shortstops on Scottsdale's roster. They were hoping to get him some reps at second, but a slow start at the dish relegated him to part-time duty. He only got 49 at-bats, and hit .245 for the Scorpions while watching Chase d'Arnaud burst onto the scene.
Friday, who is 5-11, 180 pounds, won't ever be a middle-of-the-order guy. He projects like most Pirate middle infielders, either at the top or bottom of the line up.
He has the ability to be a two hitter. He's patient, got an OK eye, works a count, put together a .362 OBP, makes contact, and has 9% walk rate in the minors. Friday also has decent wheels, but that's never translated into stolen bases. He's just 29-49 in three seasons, a 59% success rate.
In the field, Friday has an above average arm and has major league range, particularly on balls hit up the middle. His biggest knock is that he's not aggressive enough attacking balls; he sometimes lays back and gets eaten up by the extra hop. As a result, he booted 25 balls and had a .948 fielding average, certainly not MLB caliber play. That may be why they're auditioning him at second.
One other problem that he has is self-inflicted. Friday gets down on himself after a bad play or game, sometimes carrying it with him instead of letting it go. As he matures, hopefully he'll turn his quest for perfection into an asset rather than a reason to beat himself up.
We expect to see Friday at Indy this year, especially with the posse of young Turk infielders ticketed for Altoona. He'll spend a lot of his time there flopping infield positions, alternating with Argenis Diaz at short and Luis Cruz at second. Brian Bixler, unless he makes the big club or gets pink-slipped, probably will be groomed as a utility guy/oufielder at Indy. It'll be a crowd.
Friday has his work cut out for him, with some players with MLB time ahead of him and a pack of puppies nipping at his heels at the lower levels.
He needs to put together a healthy season. When Friday's right, he offers a potential .270-.275 MLB bat that can move guys up, and can cover enough ground in the infield. A good season at Indy can give him some breathing room in the race to Pittsburgh, and allow the Pirates to let the pups get some innings without the rushing them to the show.
His progress has been steady and fairly consistent, and though he's still young, it's time for him to step up. The competition is closing in on him.
(Next - #15 Neil Walker)
The 23 year-old (he'll be 24 next month) was born in Houston, Texas, where he was a stalwart of the Episcopal High squad, graduating with a .420 batting average.
It was off to the Owls, where he started 36 games as a true freshman.
In 2006 he was named All-America by Baseball America (first team), the College Baseball Foundation and Rosenblatt Report (second team), and Collegiate Baseball (third team), beside being All Conference USA. Friday hit .353, and was part of 40 of Rice's 60 DPs that season.
He was strong again in his junior year of 2007, as he compiled a .336 batting average with a .418 OBP in 280 at-bats, and left for the pro ranks after earning trips to the College World Series twice in his three seasons.
Friday signed early enough (in mid-July for $355K) to get some quality time at State College, where he hit .295 in 156 at-bats with the Spikes. In 2008, he advanced to High A Lynchburg, where he batted .287 in 80 games, missing much of the latter part of the season with a cranky back.
But he did make the All-Star team, and Baseball America named him as the Pirates #14 minor-league prospect.
The suits kept him on a fast track, moving him along to AA Altoona, where they hoped he'd eventually bloom into Jack Wilson's replacement.
He started off afire, but an inner ear infection laid him low in the early part of the year. It took him a couple of months after his return to get back into the swing of things, but from July on, he hit at a .275 clip, more in line with his career numbers. Friday was an All-Star again in 2009 for the Curve.
After the season, the Bucs sent him to get him some work in the Arizona Fall League, where he was among five shortstops on Scottsdale's roster. They were hoping to get him some reps at second, but a slow start at the dish relegated him to part-time duty. He only got 49 at-bats, and hit .245 for the Scorpions while watching Chase d'Arnaud burst onto the scene.
Friday, who is 5-11, 180 pounds, won't ever be a middle-of-the-order guy. He projects like most Pirate middle infielders, either at the top or bottom of the line up.
He has the ability to be a two hitter. He's patient, got an OK eye, works a count, put together a .362 OBP, makes contact, and has 9% walk rate in the minors. Friday also has decent wheels, but that's never translated into stolen bases. He's just 29-49 in three seasons, a 59% success rate.
In the field, Friday has an above average arm and has major league range, particularly on balls hit up the middle. His biggest knock is that he's not aggressive enough attacking balls; he sometimes lays back and gets eaten up by the extra hop. As a result, he booted 25 balls and had a .948 fielding average, certainly not MLB caliber play. That may be why they're auditioning him at second.
One other problem that he has is self-inflicted. Friday gets down on himself after a bad play or game, sometimes carrying it with him instead of letting it go. As he matures, hopefully he'll turn his quest for perfection into an asset rather than a reason to beat himself up.
We expect to see Friday at Indy this year, especially with the posse of young Turk infielders ticketed for Altoona. He'll spend a lot of his time there flopping infield positions, alternating with Argenis Diaz at short and Luis Cruz at second. Brian Bixler, unless he makes the big club or gets pink-slipped, probably will be groomed as a utility guy/oufielder at Indy. It'll be a crowd.
Friday has his work cut out for him, with some players with MLB time ahead of him and a pack of puppies nipping at his heels at the lower levels.
He needs to put together a healthy season. When Friday's right, he offers a potential .270-.275 MLB bat that can move guys up, and can cover enough ground in the infield. A good season at Indy can give him some breathing room in the race to Pittsburgh, and allow the Pirates to let the pups get some innings without the rushing them to the show.
His progress has been steady and fairly consistent, and though he's still young, it's time for him to step up. The competition is closing in on him.
(Next - #15 Neil Walker)
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