Another Sunday in the ballyard, and the Bucs drew first blood today. Garrett Jones lined a lead-off homer into the right field stands in the second to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead, and it wasn't even the best hit ball of the inning. Ryan Church drove a ball 400 feet plus, but to straightaway center, 420' away, for a loud out.
Jones picked up another RBI in the fourth, when he drove in Andrew McCutchen with a double that one-hopped the right field fence. McCutch had legged out an infield single to lead off the frame, and got to second on a balk call. But par for the course, Jones died at second.
It took seven inngs for the Tigers to get on the board, when Alex Avila took a two-out fastball that tailed over the plate over the 420' mark in center, making it 2-1.
Over the first seven frames, Armando Galarrago and Karstens put on a clinic for soft throwers, mixing speeds and locations while avoiding the heart of the plate, giving up the occasional knock and hard hit ball, but getting a bushelful of routine outs.
Galarraga left with two out in the eighth after another infield single by McCutch; Jimmy Leyland didn't want him to face Jones again. His line was 7-2/3 innings, two runs, six hits, and one walk; he didn't whiff a batter. (The last starter to go six innings or better without recording a K against the Pirates was the Reds' Homer Bailey in September of 2009).
Lefty Brad Thomas came in to match up against Jones, and made Leyland look like a genius when Jones tapped out to second to end the inning.
Carlos Guillen led off with an infield single, knocked down by Walker who couldn't get a good throw away, and JR called on DJ Carrasco to carry on in the eighth. Karstens left with 7 innings to his credit, with two runs given up on six hits, a walk, and three K's.
Two outs and a wild pitch later, JR called on Javier Lopez to go lefty-to-lefty against Johnny Damon, who had a pair of hits and a walk on the day. JR didn't look as smart as Leyland; Lopez walked Damon on five pitches, bringing up the dangerous Miguel Cabrera.
JR called on the big dawg, Octavio Dotel, to face Cabrera; they have a history. Dotel struck him out seven of the eleven times they've met. But not this time. He took a heater into the seats, and just like that the fat lady switched sides.
An infield single, a two-out walk...little things again.
The Pirates added a ninth inning run on a Dewey double, a bounce out, and a Delwyn Young sac fly just short of the track, but whether you lose by one or lose by a dozen, you still lose, this time by a 4-3 count.
It's sorta ironic that the two LOOGY's, each in for one hitter, ended up with the decisions; Thomas won for getting Jones to ground out, and Lopez took the loss for walking Damon.
For Pittsburgh, it was a season-high eighth loss in a row. They're off tomorrow, and Brad Lincoln will take on Freddy Garcia and the White Sox at PNC Tuesday.
-- Making his second rehab start at Indy, Charlie Morton went six innings and gave up three runs on seven hits, K'd six and walked one, losing 3-2 to Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He lost to Tim Redding, who's been around the block a few times himself.
-- Bradenton Marauder OF prospect Quincy Latimore had a big day in Saturday's Florida State League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. After finishing second in the Derby, the fourth-round pick from the 2007 draft went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base while hitting leadoff for the FSL South All-Stars. His South team won in ten innings 5-4; Lattimore scored the winning run.
Lefty Jeff Locke struck out one in a perfect inning of relief and teammate Noah Krol added a scoreless inning, allowing one walk.
-- A number of sources have already leaked word that the Pirates expect contract negotiations with their two top picks, pitchers Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie, to go to the wire, ala Pedro. Too bad; it would be nice to get the guys in the system, like they did with Tony Sanchez.
-- FSN announcer and old Bucco John Wehner felt right at home in Detroit. The Tiger dugout held all three of his old MLB skippers - Jimmy Leyland, Gene LaMont, and Lloyd McClendon. Leyland coached him at Pittsburgh and Florida, while LaMont and McClendon had him at the end of his Bucco career.
The Rock played eleven seasons in the show, from 1991-2001.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Make Your Breaks
Hey, the Pirates came out in their Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms tonight; maybe some of Negro Leaguers' legendary skill would rub off on them. It didn't; guess you need real Pittsburgh Crawfords for those suits to work their magic.
After an uneventful opening frame, the Tigers tried to hand the Pirates a big inning in the second, but the Buccos refused to cooperate. Garrett Jones singled, and while stealing second came around on a Ryan Church double that was blasted so well that Jones scored even after sliding into second.
Andy LaRoche hit a bleeder that the shortstop double-clutched for an infield single. Ronny Cedeno tried a safety squeeze with runners on the corners, but pushed the ball to the mound. The pitcher glanced at the runners, spun to first, and ate the horsehide when no one covered the bag. Bases juices with one away.
But Jason Jarmillo couldn't make the Detroit infield pay; he bounced into an almost predictable 4-6-3 DP.
Maholm gave up a pair of ground ball singles and walked a guy to open the second; he was 3-2 on four consecutive batters going back to the first. He got away with giving up just a run thanks to great play by Ryan Church and some bone-headed running by the Tigers.
Gerald Laird blasted a ball into right center, and Church ran it down before bouncing into the wall. Carlos Guillen, at second, took off for third and then ran back to the bag and tagged, only to be thrown out at third by the relay team of Church and Ronny Cedeno.
The next batter doubled, but Maholm limited the damage to one run. Still, 48 pitches after two innings is not a good omen.
The Bucs retook the lead in the fourth on Garrett Jones ninth homer; Dewey followed with a double that missed going yard by a foot or so, and three outs later was still standing on second. Opportunity knocks; the Pirates don't answer.
Maholm's lack of a punch-out pitch cost him the chance to go deep tonight; he had eleven and thirteen pitch at bats against him. That's two innings of work against two hitters.
He lasted six frames, giving up one run on eight hits, walking three, K'ing two, and stranding eight, twice getting DP balls with the bases loaded. He did what he does best; keeping the team in the game.
God knows why he bothered. Two huge blunders in the seventh, a mental error by Evan Meek and a physical one by Ryan Doumit, put the Tigers up 3-2. Meek gave up back to back singles to start the frame, putting runners on the corners.
He K'd the next hitter, and got a come-backer from the next. But rather than take the gimme DP and trot back to the dugout, he ran down the runner at third.
The following batter hit a one hopper to the left of the mound, Meek snagged it and threw to first - and through Doumit. Two runs scored on the day's second throw that Dewey missed, the first being a botched pick-off toss.
Jose Tabata gave the Bucs renewed life with a one-man show in the eighth. With one away, he lined a 99 MPH heater from Joel Zumaya into left center for a routine single, and legged it into a double. He then stole third by a mile, forcing the infield in. Neil Walker rolled one past it into right, and it was a tied game.
In the bottom of the eighth, Bobby Crosby came in to replace Dewey at first. And wouldn't you know that Jaramillo caught a foul ball between the legs?
Not only did he gut it out - he was almost in tears as he returned to the bench after the inning, and we can commiserate with the pain - but threw out a runner on a pitch-out. And hey, does anyone know who Pittsburgh's emergency catcher even is?
Joel Hanrahan pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, but was almost bit by the same bug that got Meek. He knocked down Austin Jackson's eighth inning leadoff grounder, and then flipped the ball over Crosby's head. Jackson stole second and went to third on a fly, but Hanrahan K'ed Brennan Boesch to send the game into extra frames.
Didn't last long, though. The Bucs were thwarted when McCutchen's drive was hauled down at the fence with Tabata aboard to end their tenth inning.
Brendan Donnelly came on to face Carlos Guillen in the bottom half of the frame, fell behind 2-0, and threw an 89 MPH heater right where a lefty likes it, thigh high and inside half. At least that's where Guillen liked it, as he roped it on the line over the right field wall to give Motown the walk-off 4-3 victory.
Hey, the Tigers had tons of opportunity they didn't cash in - Detroit was 2-for-14 with RISP - but in the end, the Bucs gave it away. It's been the tale of the first half of the season; maybe the second half, with new faces and an everyday lineup, the team can begin to find ways to win games instead of ways to lose them.
Jeff Karstens will face Armando Galarrago in the series-ender tomorrow afternoon.
-- Among the upcoming moves, don't be surprised if Eric Kratz, who's hitting .313 with five homers and 22 RBI for Indy and has a good defensive rep, doesn't get some consideration for a call up to take Jason Jaramillo's spot. Jamarillo hasn't been hitting a lick, and has two options left, though it would cost a move on the 40-man roster.
After an uneventful opening frame, the Tigers tried to hand the Pirates a big inning in the second, but the Buccos refused to cooperate. Garrett Jones singled, and while stealing second came around on a Ryan Church double that was blasted so well that Jones scored even after sliding into second.
Andy LaRoche hit a bleeder that the shortstop double-clutched for an infield single. Ronny Cedeno tried a safety squeeze with runners on the corners, but pushed the ball to the mound. The pitcher glanced at the runners, spun to first, and ate the horsehide when no one covered the bag. Bases juices with one away.
But Jason Jarmillo couldn't make the Detroit infield pay; he bounced into an almost predictable 4-6-3 DP.
Maholm gave up a pair of ground ball singles and walked a guy to open the second; he was 3-2 on four consecutive batters going back to the first. He got away with giving up just a run thanks to great play by Ryan Church and some bone-headed running by the Tigers.
Gerald Laird blasted a ball into right center, and Church ran it down before bouncing into the wall. Carlos Guillen, at second, took off for third and then ran back to the bag and tagged, only to be thrown out at third by the relay team of Church and Ronny Cedeno.
The next batter doubled, but Maholm limited the damage to one run. Still, 48 pitches after two innings is not a good omen.
The Bucs retook the lead in the fourth on Garrett Jones ninth homer; Dewey followed with a double that missed going yard by a foot or so, and three outs later was still standing on second. Opportunity knocks; the Pirates don't answer.
Maholm's lack of a punch-out pitch cost him the chance to go deep tonight; he had eleven and thirteen pitch at bats against him. That's two innings of work against two hitters.
He lasted six frames, giving up one run on eight hits, walking three, K'ing two, and stranding eight, twice getting DP balls with the bases loaded. He did what he does best; keeping the team in the game.
God knows why he bothered. Two huge blunders in the seventh, a mental error by Evan Meek and a physical one by Ryan Doumit, put the Tigers up 3-2. Meek gave up back to back singles to start the frame, putting runners on the corners.
He K'd the next hitter, and got a come-backer from the next. But rather than take the gimme DP and trot back to the dugout, he ran down the runner at third.
The following batter hit a one hopper to the left of the mound, Meek snagged it and threw to first - and through Doumit. Two runs scored on the day's second throw that Dewey missed, the first being a botched pick-off toss.
Jose Tabata gave the Bucs renewed life with a one-man show in the eighth. With one away, he lined a 99 MPH heater from Joel Zumaya into left center for a routine single, and legged it into a double. He then stole third by a mile, forcing the infield in. Neil Walker rolled one past it into right, and it was a tied game.
In the bottom of the eighth, Bobby Crosby came in to replace Dewey at first. And wouldn't you know that Jaramillo caught a foul ball between the legs?
Not only did he gut it out - he was almost in tears as he returned to the bench after the inning, and we can commiserate with the pain - but threw out a runner on a pitch-out. And hey, does anyone know who Pittsburgh's emergency catcher even is?
Joel Hanrahan pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, but was almost bit by the same bug that got Meek. He knocked down Austin Jackson's eighth inning leadoff grounder, and then flipped the ball over Crosby's head. Jackson stole second and went to third on a fly, but Hanrahan K'ed Brennan Boesch to send the game into extra frames.
Didn't last long, though. The Bucs were thwarted when McCutchen's drive was hauled down at the fence with Tabata aboard to end their tenth inning.
Brendan Donnelly came on to face Carlos Guillen in the bottom half of the frame, fell behind 2-0, and threw an 89 MPH heater right where a lefty likes it, thigh high and inside half. At least that's where Guillen liked it, as he roped it on the line over the right field wall to give Motown the walk-off 4-3 victory.
Hey, the Tigers had tons of opportunity they didn't cash in - Detroit was 2-for-14 with RISP - but in the end, the Bucs gave it away. It's been the tale of the first half of the season; maybe the second half, with new faces and an everyday lineup, the team can begin to find ways to win games instead of ways to lose them.
Jeff Karstens will face Armando Galarrago in the series-ender tomorrow afternoon.
-- Among the upcoming moves, don't be surprised if Eric Kratz, who's hitting .313 with five homers and 22 RBI for Indy and has a good defensive rep, doesn't get some consideration for a call up to take Jason Jaramillo's spot. Jamarillo hasn't been hitting a lick, and has two options left, though it would cost a move on the 40-man roster.
Saturday Hit and Run
Some notes before the game:
-- Dewey is expected to return behind the plate during the next home stand, which begins on Tuesday. He may pull on the tools of ignorance tomorrow during the get-away matinee, but a couple of extra days to clear the cobwebs would be a better plan.
-- Steve Pearce is on track to begin his rehab next week, and to be back in Pittsburgh the week after that if his ankle cooperates.
-- The Pirates have given up 56 stolen bases in 66 tries going into tonight's game, an 85% success rate. Ryan Doumit has been the major offender, throwing out just 4 of 51 runners; Jason Jaramillo has gunned down six of fifteen, but his .185 average trumps his arm.
But we're not hanging Dewey out to dry; after all, he did have 31% and 27% throw-out rates in 2009-08. The biggest problem is the long deliveries of the staff. Pick-offs are nice (and the Pirates are decent at that aspect), but not worth much at stopping the running game.
A little deception and a quick release are the keys to giving the catcher a chance at throwing out a runner bent on larceny. It's hard to fault the catchers for falling into bad habits when the runners are off to the races on the first move.
Joe Kerrigan better get crackin' on his boys mastering the slide step unless he plans to watch every walk and single turn into a double. Again, just learn to play some fundamental baseball; there are a lot of little things that ultimately make a pro.
-- Chris Jakubauskas is beginning his rehab stint at Class A Bradenton.
-- Hey, guess who's number one on Baseball America's Prospect Hot Sheet list - yep, it's Pedro. As they say, "...we will find out soon enough how the slugger who has drawn comparisons to Willie Stargell fills out the middle of Pittsburgh's lineup."
-- Tony Sanchez returned to action with Class A Bradenton this week after sitting out for five games. He'd been held out of the lineup as a precautionary measure after being beaned by a pitch on June 3rd.
-- Michael Huang of The Sporting News graded the NL Central drafts; he gave the Bucs a C+. The Pirates haven't announced any signings yet; we assume they'll release who they've inked so far on Monday.
-- Dewey is expected to return behind the plate during the next home stand, which begins on Tuesday. He may pull on the tools of ignorance tomorrow during the get-away matinee, but a couple of extra days to clear the cobwebs would be a better plan.
-- Steve Pearce is on track to begin his rehab next week, and to be back in Pittsburgh the week after that if his ankle cooperates.
-- The Pirates have given up 56 stolen bases in 66 tries going into tonight's game, an 85% success rate. Ryan Doumit has been the major offender, throwing out just 4 of 51 runners; Jason Jaramillo has gunned down six of fifteen, but his .185 average trumps his arm.
But we're not hanging Dewey out to dry; after all, he did have 31% and 27% throw-out rates in 2009-08. The biggest problem is the long deliveries of the staff. Pick-offs are nice (and the Pirates are decent at that aspect), but not worth much at stopping the running game.
A little deception and a quick release are the keys to giving the catcher a chance at throwing out a runner bent on larceny. It's hard to fault the catchers for falling into bad habits when the runners are off to the races on the first move.
Joe Kerrigan better get crackin' on his boys mastering the slide step unless he plans to watch every walk and single turn into a double. Again, just learn to play some fundamental baseball; there are a lot of little things that ultimately make a pro.
-- Chris Jakubauskas is beginning his rehab stint at Class A Bradenton.
-- Hey, guess who's number one on Baseball America's Prospect Hot Sheet list - yep, it's Pedro. As they say, "...we will find out soon enough how the slugger who has drawn comparisons to Willie Stargell fills out the middle of Pittsburgh's lineup."
-- Tony Sanchez returned to action with Class A Bradenton this week after sitting out for five games. He'd been held out of the lineup as a precautionary measure after being beaned by a pitch on June 3rd.
-- Michael Huang of The Sporting News graded the NL Central drafts; he gave the Bucs a C+. The Pirates haven't announced any signings yet; we assume they'll release who they've inked so far on Monday.
Last Day Draft Bios
OK, OK, GW finally put down his remote and went to work. Here's the mini-scoop on draft picks 31-50; there are some big boys, two-way talents, and intriguing players in the bunch.
Round 31 - RHP Jason Townsend (University of Alabama Tuscaloosa) is 2-1 with a 6.25 ERA. He works out of Bama's bullpen, where he's notched 36 Ks in 36 innings and has a rep as a hard thrower.
Round 32 - IF Chase Lyles (Northwestern State) is a senior third baseman/shortstop. He hit .350 with seven home runs, 56 RBI, and 34 stolen bases.
Round 33 - LHP Justin Ennis (Louisiana State Shreveport) is a junior, and was a big fish in a small pond this season. Ennis was 12-0 with a 2.85 ERA and 92 Ks in 94-2/3 frames for the NAIA school
Round 34 - SS Kelson Brown (Linfield College) hit .433 with 72 RBI and 27 doubles for the NCAA-D3 school. The senior was named the Conference Player of the Year.
Round 35 - CF Andrew Muren (Cal State Northridge) hit .290 with three home runs, 21 RBI and 47 runs scored as a sophomore. He's a 6'-6" converted pitcher after tearing his labrum in 2009, so could have some upside as an OF.
Round 36 - RHP James Archibald (McLennan Community College) went 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 27 innings. He's also a strong stick and a two-way player; the Bucs like his arm.
Round 37 - C William Allen (Buchholz High, Florida, committed to Mississippi) hit .470 with 11 homers and 33 RBI, and is considered a strong defensive backstop.
Round 38 - RHP Alex Cox (Santiago High School, California, uncommitted) is a big guy, 6'-6", and went 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA for Santiago. He throws 88-90 mph and is a late bloomer; he was on the JV last season.
Round 39 - RHP Kevin Decker (College of Charleston) worked 81 innings and went 8-0 with a 3.78 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 17 games; eleven were starts. He became the first draftee to agree to terms; he'll report to Bradenton next week and probably start out at State College with an eye toward West Virginia.
Round 40 - RHP Harrison Cooney (Vero Beach High, Florida, uncommitted) was 7-1 with a 1.52 ERA in 50-2/3 innings, striking out 55. He pitched a no-hitter. Cooney only worked a partial season; he had to sit out part of the year as a transfer student.
Round 41 - RHP Bryton Trepagnier (East St. John High School, Louisiana, committed to Bossier Parish CC) is another big (6'-5") and raw two-way guy.
Round 42 - LHP Stephen Lumpkins (American University) didn't play college baseball, but hoops, as AU didn't have a nine. The 6'-8" player (notice a trend here?) played Legion ball and in the Cal Ripken League over the summer.
Round 43 - RHP Garrett Hicks (Yucaipa High, California, uncommitted) is 6'-8" and had problems with growth plate issues; he throws in the upper 80s and has a slider and split. He was 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA and an OBA of .093, and can miss some bats though he has control problems.
Round 44 - RHP Cory McGinnis (Shelton State CC, Alabama) pitched for Hampton in his prep days. He went 11-2 with a 3.93 ERA as a college freshman in 2010.
Round 45 - RHP Connor Sadzeck (Crystal Lake Central High, Illinois, committed to Oklahoma) is 6'-6" and went 6-4 with a 3.56 ERA and struck out 89 batters and walked 26 in 52-1/3 frames. He threw a no-hitter year in May.
Round 46 - C Ryan Wiggins (West Seattle High, leaning toward Lewis & Clark State) batted .452 with six home runs, 33 RBI and 31 runs scored in 21 games this season.
Round 47 - CF Nathan Sorenson (Texas High, committed to Oklahoma State) Athletic, but signed with OSU as a QB, not an OF, so not much chance of inking him.
Round 48 - LHP Dillon Haviland (South Fayette High, committed to Duke) He went 10-0 with a 0.51 ERA and 96 strikeouts and was selected as the WPIAL AA Pitcher of the Year. Throws an 89 MPH heater.
Round 49 - RHP Logan Pevny (West Milford High, New Jersey, uncommitted) is another two-way player. He went 3-2 with a 4.59 ERA and recorded 49 strikeouts in 32 innings while hitting .340 with eight homers and 34 RBI. Pevny throws in the upper eighties.
Round 50 - RHP Dusty Isaacs (Lebanon High, Ohio, committed to Georgia Tech) went 4-3 with a 2.09 ERA and struck out 69 batters in 56 innings. He's considered a top talent and will cost a bundle to sign; the last is not always least.
Round 31 - RHP Jason Townsend (University of Alabama Tuscaloosa) is 2-1 with a 6.25 ERA. He works out of Bama's bullpen, where he's notched 36 Ks in 36 innings and has a rep as a hard thrower.
Round 32 - IF Chase Lyles (Northwestern State) is a senior third baseman/shortstop. He hit .350 with seven home runs, 56 RBI, and 34 stolen bases.
Round 33 - LHP Justin Ennis (Louisiana State Shreveport) is a junior, and was a big fish in a small pond this season. Ennis was 12-0 with a 2.85 ERA and 92 Ks in 94-2/3 frames for the NAIA school
Round 34 - SS Kelson Brown (Linfield College) hit .433 with 72 RBI and 27 doubles for the NCAA-D3 school. The senior was named the Conference Player of the Year.
Round 35 - CF Andrew Muren (Cal State Northridge) hit .290 with three home runs, 21 RBI and 47 runs scored as a sophomore. He's a 6'-6" converted pitcher after tearing his labrum in 2009, so could have some upside as an OF.
Round 36 - RHP James Archibald (McLennan Community College) went 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 27 innings. He's also a strong stick and a two-way player; the Bucs like his arm.
Round 37 - C William Allen (Buchholz High, Florida, committed to Mississippi) hit .470 with 11 homers and 33 RBI, and is considered a strong defensive backstop.
Round 38 - RHP Alex Cox (Santiago High School, California, uncommitted) is a big guy, 6'-6", and went 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA for Santiago. He throws 88-90 mph and is a late bloomer; he was on the JV last season.
Round 39 - RHP Kevin Decker (College of Charleston) worked 81 innings and went 8-0 with a 3.78 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 17 games; eleven were starts. He became the first draftee to agree to terms; he'll report to Bradenton next week and probably start out at State College with an eye toward West Virginia.
Round 40 - RHP Harrison Cooney (Vero Beach High, Florida, uncommitted) was 7-1 with a 1.52 ERA in 50-2/3 innings, striking out 55. He pitched a no-hitter. Cooney only worked a partial season; he had to sit out part of the year as a transfer student.
Round 41 - RHP Bryton Trepagnier (East St. John High School, Louisiana, committed to Bossier Parish CC) is another big (6'-5") and raw two-way guy.
Round 42 - LHP Stephen Lumpkins (American University) didn't play college baseball, but hoops, as AU didn't have a nine. The 6'-8" player (notice a trend here?) played Legion ball and in the Cal Ripken League over the summer.
Round 43 - RHP Garrett Hicks (Yucaipa High, California, uncommitted) is 6'-8" and had problems with growth plate issues; he throws in the upper 80s and has a slider and split. He was 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA and an OBA of .093, and can miss some bats though he has control problems.
Round 44 - RHP Cory McGinnis (Shelton State CC, Alabama) pitched for Hampton in his prep days. He went 11-2 with a 3.93 ERA as a college freshman in 2010.
Round 45 - RHP Connor Sadzeck (Crystal Lake Central High, Illinois, committed to Oklahoma) is 6'-6" and went 6-4 with a 3.56 ERA and struck out 89 batters and walked 26 in 52-1/3 frames. He threw a no-hitter year in May.
Round 46 - C Ryan Wiggins (West Seattle High, leaning toward Lewis & Clark State) batted .452 with six home runs, 33 RBI and 31 runs scored in 21 games this season.
Round 47 - CF Nathan Sorenson (Texas High, committed to Oklahoma State) Athletic, but signed with OSU as a QB, not an OF, so not much chance of inking him.
Round 48 - LHP Dillon Haviland (South Fayette High, committed to Duke) He went 10-0 with a 0.51 ERA and 96 strikeouts and was selected as the WPIAL AA Pitcher of the Year. Throws an 89 MPH heater.
Round 49 - RHP Logan Pevny (West Milford High, New Jersey, uncommitted) is another two-way player. He went 3-2 with a 4.59 ERA and recorded 49 strikeouts in 32 innings while hitting .340 with eight homers and 34 RBI. Pevny throws in the upper eighties.
Round 50 - RHP Dusty Isaacs (Lebanon High, Ohio, committed to Georgia Tech) went 4-3 with a 2.09 ERA and struck out 69 batters in 56 innings. He's considered a top talent and will cost a bundle to sign; the last is not always least.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright...
Justin Verlander and Ross Ohlendorf both started off like aces; the first runner didn't reach base safely until Aki Iwamura drew a walk in the third. And he become the first run when Andrew McCutchen doubled him home with two outs, thanks in part to Verlander.
With Aki at second, Jason Jarmillo hit a one hopper that the pitcher stabbed; Iwamura, on second, had committed to third. But Verlander never looked at him and took the out at first; the ensuing knock to left wouldn't have come near scoring Jaramillo from first. So hey, thanks. Pittsburgh needs all the help it can get.
The Tigers growled in their half; a lead off single was followed by a DP ball two-hopped to first, but it eluded Ryan Doumit and bounded into right to put runners on the corners. But Ohlie was up to the task; he struck out the next three hitters.
The Pirates came close in the fourth, when with two out and two on, Iwamura had one gloved at the fence in left center that was five feet short of going yard. But if there's one thing the Bucs have shown in abundance this year, it's warning track power.
Like Zach Duke last night, the fourth was a hill too high for Ohlendorf. After getting the first two batters, Brennan Boesch golfed an knee-high inside corner curve into the seats. Two doubles and a single later, it was 3-1. All three hits were on pitches that Ohlie left belt-high, and the Tigers made him pay.
It was more of the same in the fifth. With a runner on, McCutch bombed one towards the pole that slid foul at the last second; five more feet again. Pirate pitchers make mistakes and they turn into runs; opposing moundsmen escape with their errors more often than not.
In the sixth, the wheels fell off for Ohlie, and again with two outs. This time a Dewey misplay proved crucial. Boesch was picked off first easily, but Doumit didn't put the tag on him.
He eventually stole second and scored on a single - drilled right past Doumit (in his defense, the ball was spanked, but had a chance at being at least knocked down). Ramon Santiago then crushed a homer, and just like that, it was 6-1. All six runs scored with two away.
That was Ohlendorf's swan song. His line was six frames, six runs, ten hits, and six K's. The good news is that his velocity is coming back; he was 93-95 all night with the heat, but Ohlie just couldn't close out the innings.
And hey, we're not piling on Doumit. He shouldn't be in that spot, especially in an American League, DH game. If anything, work him in right where he isn't such a black hole and let Jones play first. It's little, inexplicable things like constantly playing guys out of position that lead to Keystone Kop antics in the field and gift runs that this team just can't overcome with its pitching or hitting.
The excitement in the seventh was thanks to a loud out set up by a combination of Coamerica's vast acreage and Austin Jackson's wheels, when he ran down a Ronny Cedeno shot that was 400' plus and snagged it with an over-the-shoulder grab. A web gem for sure.
The Bucs stirred in the eighth, chasing Verlander when McCutch doubled and Walker drew a base on balls. Doumit bounced into a DP, but Jones lined a single into center to score McCutchen and nick the lead to 6-2.
Dana Eveland cleaned up the last couple of innings. He's another soft throwing lefty who has to nibble around the plate and pitch to contact; he doesn't get many swings-and-misses. Jose Valverde closed the win out for Detroit, sending Pittsburgh to their sixth straight defeat.
The Pirates, despite their limited success at the dish - five hits, five walks - had a good approach tonight, aggressive in the strike zone and not fishing too much. But a fly-ball pitcher like Verlander and a roomy park like Coamerica can survive some hard hit balls, and they did.
One game within the was played by Walker and Tiger's utility man Don Kelly, born in Butler and a player at Mt. Lebanon High and Point Park, and also Walker's brother-in-law. They each robbed one another in the field, Kelly reaching into the stands to snag a foul off his in-law's bat and Walker returning the favor with a twisting, diving catch of a Kelly pop. Ah, sibling rivalries!
Paul Maholm will face Jeremy Bonderman on Saturday night.
-- JR used his ouija board for the lineup again - Jose Tabata's on the bench after two starts (his hammy is OK; he's just being protected against Verlander), Ryan Doumit is back at first, and Neil Walker slides over to third. Aki Iwamura gets a gig at second while Ryan Church DH's.
Listen, GW knows that the Bucs hit like a granny beer league club, and we can't really blame JR for loading up with lefties against Verlander (even though lefties only hit him a bit better than righties, .216 to .207). But geez, how much iffy play in the field can the pitching stand?
Couldn't JR have put Church or Delwyn Young in right and Jones at first while Doumit DH's? And maybe the range-challenged Iwamura could return to his glory days' hot corner spot and leave Walker at second if you're gonna jerk guys all over the lot. We're sorta lost as to why the starter, who needs the work, has to move for a bench guy.
Just saying...
-- Jen Langosch of MLB.com reports that when Pedro gets his call, Andy LaRoche will become a utility guy; he's already started taking grounders at second base.
-- The Pirates began a fifteen game set against the AL, playing Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Texas, and Oakland. The Sox and Indians are at PNC; the others on the road. The Bucs don't return to NL action until June 28th, against the Cubs at Wrigley.
-- Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette tweets that 2B Jimmy Negrich has been bumped up the ladder from Altoona to Indy.
-- Nate McLouth has been placed on the 15-day DL after a Wednesday collision with Jason Heyward; he's suffering from dizziness and being treated as if he has a concussion.
With Aki at second, Jason Jarmillo hit a one hopper that the pitcher stabbed; Iwamura, on second, had committed to third. But Verlander never looked at him and took the out at first; the ensuing knock to left wouldn't have come near scoring Jaramillo from first. So hey, thanks. Pittsburgh needs all the help it can get.
The Tigers growled in their half; a lead off single was followed by a DP ball two-hopped to first, but it eluded Ryan Doumit and bounded into right to put runners on the corners. But Ohlie was up to the task; he struck out the next three hitters.
The Pirates came close in the fourth, when with two out and two on, Iwamura had one gloved at the fence in left center that was five feet short of going yard. But if there's one thing the Bucs have shown in abundance this year, it's warning track power.
Like Zach Duke last night, the fourth was a hill too high for Ohlendorf. After getting the first two batters, Brennan Boesch golfed an knee-high inside corner curve into the seats. Two doubles and a single later, it was 3-1. All three hits were on pitches that Ohlie left belt-high, and the Tigers made him pay.
It was more of the same in the fifth. With a runner on, McCutch bombed one towards the pole that slid foul at the last second; five more feet again. Pirate pitchers make mistakes and they turn into runs; opposing moundsmen escape with their errors more often than not.
In the sixth, the wheels fell off for Ohlie, and again with two outs. This time a Dewey misplay proved crucial. Boesch was picked off first easily, but Doumit didn't put the tag on him.
He eventually stole second and scored on a single - drilled right past Doumit (in his defense, the ball was spanked, but had a chance at being at least knocked down). Ramon Santiago then crushed a homer, and just like that, it was 6-1. All six runs scored with two away.
That was Ohlendorf's swan song. His line was six frames, six runs, ten hits, and six K's. The good news is that his velocity is coming back; he was 93-95 all night with the heat, but Ohlie just couldn't close out the innings.
And hey, we're not piling on Doumit. He shouldn't be in that spot, especially in an American League, DH game. If anything, work him in right where he isn't such a black hole and let Jones play first. It's little, inexplicable things like constantly playing guys out of position that lead to Keystone Kop antics in the field and gift runs that this team just can't overcome with its pitching or hitting.
The excitement in the seventh was thanks to a loud out set up by a combination of Coamerica's vast acreage and Austin Jackson's wheels, when he ran down a Ronny Cedeno shot that was 400' plus and snagged it with an over-the-shoulder grab. A web gem for sure.
The Bucs stirred in the eighth, chasing Verlander when McCutch doubled and Walker drew a base on balls. Doumit bounced into a DP, but Jones lined a single into center to score McCutchen and nick the lead to 6-2.
Dana Eveland cleaned up the last couple of innings. He's another soft throwing lefty who has to nibble around the plate and pitch to contact; he doesn't get many swings-and-misses. Jose Valverde closed the win out for Detroit, sending Pittsburgh to their sixth straight defeat.
The Pirates, despite their limited success at the dish - five hits, five walks - had a good approach tonight, aggressive in the strike zone and not fishing too much. But a fly-ball pitcher like Verlander and a roomy park like Coamerica can survive some hard hit balls, and they did.
One game within the was played by Walker and Tiger's utility man Don Kelly, born in Butler and a player at Mt. Lebanon High and Point Park, and also Walker's brother-in-law. They each robbed one another in the field, Kelly reaching into the stands to snag a foul off his in-law's bat and Walker returning the favor with a twisting, diving catch of a Kelly pop. Ah, sibling rivalries!
Paul Maholm will face Jeremy Bonderman on Saturday night.
-- JR used his ouija board for the lineup again - Jose Tabata's on the bench after two starts (his hammy is OK; he's just being protected against Verlander), Ryan Doumit is back at first, and Neil Walker slides over to third. Aki Iwamura gets a gig at second while Ryan Church DH's.
Listen, GW knows that the Bucs hit like a granny beer league club, and we can't really blame JR for loading up with lefties against Verlander (even though lefties only hit him a bit better than righties, .216 to .207). But geez, how much iffy play in the field can the pitching stand?
Couldn't JR have put Church or Delwyn Young in right and Jones at first while Doumit DH's? And maybe the range-challenged Iwamura could return to his glory days' hot corner spot and leave Walker at second if you're gonna jerk guys all over the lot. We're sorta lost as to why the starter, who needs the work, has to move for a bench guy.
Just saying...
-- Jen Langosch of MLB.com reports that when Pedro gets his call, Andy LaRoche will become a utility guy; he's already started taking grounders at second base.
-- The Pirates began a fifteen game set against the AL, playing Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Texas, and Oakland. The Sox and Indians are at PNC; the others on the road. The Bucs don't return to NL action until June 28th, against the Cubs at Wrigley.
-- Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette tweets that 2B Jimmy Negrich has been bumped up the ladder from Altoona to Indy.
-- Nate McLouth has been placed on the 15-day DL after a Wednesday collision with Jason Heyward; he's suffering from dizziness and being treated as if he has a concussion.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Time For the Second Season
Ah, even the baby Bucs can't play small ball. In a tightly pitched start, the Pirates had a chance to go ahead in the third when Jason Jaramillo led off with a double and was bunted to third by Zach Duke. But a one-hop chop by Jose Tabata and a pop into left by Neil Walker didn't do the trick.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth, when the Zachster, who had been cruising, started sputtering. He gave up two-strike solo homers to Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham, one on a curve down the middle and the other on a heater, same place. He escaped leaving the bases loaded during a 37-pitch frame after only 18 tosses in the first three.
Pittsburgh gift wrapped another Washington run in the fifth, when with two out, Dunn singled. He was picked off breaking to second, but was awarded the sack when Duke's throw went to Ryan Doumit, who was nowhere near the bag, a book rule balk. Usually, the runner is held in that situation, but JR chose to let him go, and it cost him.
A wide hopper to LaRoche was fielded cleanly, but the long throw acrtoss the diamond took a medium bounce, and brand-spanking-new first baseman Doumit couldn't come up with it as Dunn jogged home when the ball rolled softly into right.
The Bucs banged their bats in the sixth. Duke and Tabata hit back-to-back doubles to start the inning. walker singled Tabs to third, and a McCutchen sac fly brought him home. Jones walked, but Doumit flew out to the track and Bobby Crosby struck out swinging, no doubt spooked by a pair of bad called strikes by plate ump Lance Barksdale.
The Zachster came out for the sixth, and left without getting anyone out. he wlaked the first batter, and gave up a pair of ground ball singles to the next two hitters, the second on an 0-2 pitch; yep, a curve right down the middle. His line was five innings, giving up two earned runs, eight hits and three walks while whiffing two.
Evan Meek saved his bacon by retiring the Nats on six pitches. He got a soft liner that Walker turned into a DP and a slow hopper to second.
The last third of the game was homecoming week. Joel Hanrahan stranded a leadoff hit by striking out a pair in the seventh while lighting up the gun at 98, and Sean Burnett stopped his old teammates in the seventh and eighth.
There was a bit of excitement when with one on and two away Dewey took one to the wall, but the Nats were in their no doubles defensive set and a little jog took care of that blast. Burney, a Buc number one pick, faced two other Pirate first-rounders, Walker and McCutchen; he got them both on pop ups.
Brendan Donnelly broke up the reunion, and gave up a big insurance run. With a 1-2 count on Mike Morse, Jaramillo stood up for a high heater. He got it, just above the letters, and Morse bombed the 90 MPH offering into center, scattering the ground crew and making it 4-2 Nats.
Tyler Cippard came on in the ninth and struck out a pair of Pirates to notch his first save and washington's first series sweep of the season. For Pittsburgh, it was the fifth straight loss and sixth out of the last seven.
The Nats outhomered the Bucs 7-1 during the series; Duynn, Zimmerman, and Willingham looked like Murderers Row. Toss in a couple of gift runs, and hey, it's gonna be a long set of games.
And the gift runs have to be expected; the Pirates have put four guys at second, five at first, and four at third, and we're only ten days into June. Hopefully, with the young guys just about set for the second season, the Pirates can field a regular lineup and stem the bleeding.
If the suits have a sense of timing, we'd expect to see Pedro be called up on Tuesday, when the Pirates start their home stand against the White Sox with Brad Lincoln on the hill; that should pump up the gate. He's due; there's not much more Alvarez can prove at Indy.
Ross Ohlendorf will take on Justin Verlander tomorrow night in Detroit.
-- Ryan Doumit started at first tonight, joining the 2010 assembly line of Jeff Clement, Garrett Jones, Steve Pearce, and Bobby Crosby. He's being protected from a slight concussion suffered Sunday; you may recall he missed a handful of games in 2008 for the same reason.
-- Jack Taschner told Peter Jackel of the Racine Journal Times yesterday that he wouldn't accept a demotion to Indy and was surprised that the Bucs let him go. Pittsburgh DFA'ed him, so he'll either be traded or waived in the coming week.
-- Indianapolis announcer Scott McCauley tweeted that Brian Friday left Wednesday's Indy game with an unspecified right ankle injury, and it looks like he'll be out for a while.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth, when the Zachster, who had been cruising, started sputtering. He gave up two-strike solo homers to Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham, one on a curve down the middle and the other on a heater, same place. He escaped leaving the bases loaded during a 37-pitch frame after only 18 tosses in the first three.
Pittsburgh gift wrapped another Washington run in the fifth, when with two out, Dunn singled. He was picked off breaking to second, but was awarded the sack when Duke's throw went to Ryan Doumit, who was nowhere near the bag, a book rule balk. Usually, the runner is held in that situation, but JR chose to let him go, and it cost him.
A wide hopper to LaRoche was fielded cleanly, but the long throw acrtoss the diamond took a medium bounce, and brand-spanking-new first baseman Doumit couldn't come up with it as Dunn jogged home when the ball rolled softly into right.
The Bucs banged their bats in the sixth. Duke and Tabata hit back-to-back doubles to start the inning. walker singled Tabs to third, and a McCutchen sac fly brought him home. Jones walked, but Doumit flew out to the track and Bobby Crosby struck out swinging, no doubt spooked by a pair of bad called strikes by plate ump Lance Barksdale.
The Zachster came out for the sixth, and left without getting anyone out. he wlaked the first batter, and gave up a pair of ground ball singles to the next two hitters, the second on an 0-2 pitch; yep, a curve right down the middle. His line was five innings, giving up two earned runs, eight hits and three walks while whiffing two.
Evan Meek saved his bacon by retiring the Nats on six pitches. He got a soft liner that Walker turned into a DP and a slow hopper to second.
The last third of the game was homecoming week. Joel Hanrahan stranded a leadoff hit by striking out a pair in the seventh while lighting up the gun at 98, and Sean Burnett stopped his old teammates in the seventh and eighth.
There was a bit of excitement when with one on and two away Dewey took one to the wall, but the Nats were in their no doubles defensive set and a little jog took care of that blast. Burney, a Buc number one pick, faced two other Pirate first-rounders, Walker and McCutchen; he got them both on pop ups.
Brendan Donnelly broke up the reunion, and gave up a big insurance run. With a 1-2 count on Mike Morse, Jaramillo stood up for a high heater. He got it, just above the letters, and Morse bombed the 90 MPH offering into center, scattering the ground crew and making it 4-2 Nats.
Tyler Cippard came on in the ninth and struck out a pair of Pirates to notch his first save and washington's first series sweep of the season. For Pittsburgh, it was the fifth straight loss and sixth out of the last seven.
The Nats outhomered the Bucs 7-1 during the series; Duynn, Zimmerman, and Willingham looked like Murderers Row. Toss in a couple of gift runs, and hey, it's gonna be a long set of games.
And the gift runs have to be expected; the Pirates have put four guys at second, five at first, and four at third, and we're only ten days into June. Hopefully, with the young guys just about set for the second season, the Pirates can field a regular lineup and stem the bleeding.
If the suits have a sense of timing, we'd expect to see Pedro be called up on Tuesday, when the Pirates start their home stand against the White Sox with Brad Lincoln on the hill; that should pump up the gate. He's due; there's not much more Alvarez can prove at Indy.
Ross Ohlendorf will take on Justin Verlander tomorrow night in Detroit.
-- Ryan Doumit started at first tonight, joining the 2010 assembly line of Jeff Clement, Garrett Jones, Steve Pearce, and Bobby Crosby. He's being protected from a slight concussion suffered Sunday; you may recall he missed a handful of games in 2008 for the same reason.
-- Jack Taschner told Peter Jackel of the Racine Journal Times yesterday that he wouldn't accept a demotion to Indy and was surprised that the Bucs let him go. Pittsburgh DFA'ed him, so he'll either be traded or waived in the coming week.
-- Indianapolis announcer Scott McCauley tweeted that Brian Friday left Wednesday's Indy game with an unspecified right ankle injury, and it looks like he'll be out for a while.
The Last Day
The draft is done; the Pirates took 32 pitchers (27 right-handers and five lefties; 20 were from high school), 8 infielders, three catchers, and 7 outfielders by GW's count. Twenty six of the fifty players selected overall were high school players.
We can't really complain about the pitcher/fielder ratio, as there is no such thing as too much pitching. But GW would have liked to see some bats scattered among the earlier picks to balance the other side of the equation.
If they sign their top two picks, Jameson Tailland and Stetson Allie, along with a couple of high school arms and the usual cast of suspects, it will go down as another good draft for Huntington and company based on its promise.
Yesterday's selections:
Round 31 - RHP Jason Townsend (University of Alabama Tuscaloosa)
Round 32 - IF Chase Lyles (Northwestern State)
Round 33 - LHP Justin Ennis (Louisiana State Shreveport)
Round 34 - SS Kelson Brown (Linfield College)
Round 35 - CF Andrew Muren (Cal State Northridge)
Round 36 - RHP James Archibald (McLennan Community College)
Round 37 - C William Allen (Buchholz High)
Round 38 - RHP Alex Cox (Santiago High School)
Round 39 - RHP Kevin Decker (College of Charleston)
Round 40 - RHP Harrison Cooney (Vero Beach High, Florida)
Round 41 - RHP Bryton Trepagnier (East St. John High School, Louisiana)
Round 42 - LHP Stephen Lumpkins (American University)
Round 43 - RHP Garrett Hicks (Yucaipa High, California)
Round 44 - RHP Cory McGinnis (Shelton State Community College, Alabama) pitched for Hampton in his prep days.
Round 45 - RHP Connor Sadzeck (Crystal Lake Central High, Illinois)
Round 46 - C Ryan Wiggins (West Seattle High)
Round 47 - CF Nathan Sorenson (Texas High)
Round 48 - LHP Dillon Haviland (South Fayette High) is a local kid who's committed to Duke.
Round 49 - RHP Logan Pevny (West Milford High, New Jersey)
Round 50 - RHP Dusty Isaacs (Lebanon High, Ohio)
(We'll get their bios as they sign)
We can't really complain about the pitcher/fielder ratio, as there is no such thing as too much pitching. But GW would have liked to see some bats scattered among the earlier picks to balance the other side of the equation.
If they sign their top two picks, Jameson Tailland and Stetson Allie, along with a couple of high school arms and the usual cast of suspects, it will go down as another good draft for Huntington and company based on its promise.
Yesterday's selections:
Round 31 - RHP Jason Townsend (University of Alabama Tuscaloosa)
Round 32 - IF Chase Lyles (Northwestern State)
Round 33 - LHP Justin Ennis (Louisiana State Shreveport)
Round 34 - SS Kelson Brown (Linfield College)
Round 35 - CF Andrew Muren (Cal State Northridge)
Round 36 - RHP James Archibald (McLennan Community College)
Round 37 - C William Allen (Buchholz High)
Round 38 - RHP Alex Cox (Santiago High School)
Round 39 - RHP Kevin Decker (College of Charleston)
Round 40 - RHP Harrison Cooney (Vero Beach High, Florida)
Round 41 - RHP Bryton Trepagnier (East St. John High School, Louisiana)
Round 42 - LHP Stephen Lumpkins (American University)
Round 43 - RHP Garrett Hicks (Yucaipa High, California)
Round 44 - RHP Cory McGinnis (Shelton State Community College, Alabama) pitched for Hampton in his prep days.
Round 45 - RHP Connor Sadzeck (Crystal Lake Central High, Illinois)
Round 46 - C Ryan Wiggins (West Seattle High)
Round 47 - CF Nathan Sorenson (Texas High)
Round 48 - LHP Dillon Haviland (South Fayette High) is a local kid who's committed to Duke.
Round 49 - RHP Logan Pevny (West Milford High, New Jersey)
Round 50 - RHP Dusty Isaacs (Lebanon High, Ohio)
(We'll get their bios as they sign)
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
New Faces, Same Results
Ah, the new age Bucs got off to the same ol' start. Jose Tabata singled in his first MLB at-bat off the shortstop's glove, and Neil Walker got a gift single when he bunted and was called safe (he wasn't). But Andrew McCutchen whiffed, Garrett Jones popped out, Andy LaRoche worked a 3-2 walk, and Lastings Milledge fouled out to first to end the frame. Three stranded in the first ten minutes.
Not so for the Nats. After getting the first two outs on flies, he walked the next guy, and threw a heater down the middle to Adam Dunn. Well, we all know the end of that story; Dunn parked it into the right center seats. Another fly out ended the inning. A two-out walk didn't bite Washington, but it sure did Lincoln.
Lincoln collected a couple of firsts in the second inning; his first hit, a liner through the shortstop hole, and his first K against mound opponent John Lannan.
The Pirates fared better the second time around. With one away, McCutch walked and Jones singled, then they executed a double steal. Good thing, too - LaRoche bounced what would have been a routine DP ball to short, but it turned into an RBI.
Milledge and Ronny Cedeno came up with two out singles to plate another pair (the runners each moved up a base on plays to the plate; Nyjer Morgan's arm isn't any stronger in DC than it was in Pittsburgh), and suddenly it was 3-2 Buccos.
After Lincoln 1-2-3'ed the Nats, Tabata led off with a swinging bunt single, stole second, and came in on Walker's single. He stole second and went on to third on a wayward toss, but was stranded when Jones, with the infield in, struck out on a hanger and LaRoche bounced out. Lots of chances gone to waste so far for Pittsburgh.
The Nats got three in their half of the fourth, helped greatly by tough plays not made by the Pirates.
LaRoche had a hard shot go off his glove as he twisted away from it, Milledge missed a dying liner that he misread as it sliced slightly away from him, and a squib shot by the pitcher spun past Cedeno. They were all ruled hits, and all were catchable balls. And just as quickly, it was 5-4 Nats.
Pittsburgh came right back to tie it, featuring the good, bad, and ugly of Milledge. He led off with a double, then failed to tag on a blast to the right center field fence by Cedeno and then was almost was doubled off on a soft liner by Jason Jaramillo. But Lincoln helped his own cause by driving him in with a two-down hopper off the pitcher's knee that ricocheted into shallow left.
Lincoln left after six with a line of five runs, seven hits, two walks and three K's. It's obvious he's still a work in progress; his off speed stuff wasn't catching the plate often, and his heater caught too much of it. We'll see how he adjusts after riding the bike around the block a couple of times.
The ability to execute a little small ball separated the two teams in the seventh. Milledge led off with a single, and Cedeno on the hit-and-run flew out instead of putting it on the ground. Jaramillo followed with a DP roller. Reverse cedeno and Jaramillo's balls, and you have a run.
For the Nats, Christian Guzman led off with a single, was bunted to second, and scored when a ball cormed of DJ Carrasco's foot into right field, scoring the go-ahead run for Washington.
The Nats played bitty ball again in the eighth to add an insurance run. brendan Donnelly walked the first hitter, who was hit-and-run to third, and scored an out later when Donnelly threw an 0-2 pitch right down the middle and saw it turn into a sac fly. Matt Capps made it hold up in the ninth.
In spite of the five runs, twelve hits, five walks, and four stolen bases, the Pirates left twelve runners in scoring position. Wonder if we have anyone left at Indy who could help that stat...?
Two quick notes: Tabata left the game late, and the word was he had a hammy cramp, so he should be OK. That's good news; Tabata had two hits, a walk, a run, and stole a base in his debut. And Lastings Milledge looked pretty good in right field; three guys who can cover some acreage is a nice sight.
The Pirates official site lists Paul Maholm squaring off against Livan Hernandez tomorrow. Maybe the rotation is still in a bit of confusion, or maybe the Zachster is getting a little longer vacation than originally anticipated. Saturday and Sunday's pitchers for Pittsburgh against Detroit are TBA. Wait and see, eh?
-- With the mound shake up, Jeff Karstens will stay in the rotation and Dana Eveland goes to the pen. As reported earlier in the day, Jack Taschner was DFA'ed, so they're replacing a lefty with a lefty. And it doesn't look like Charlie Morton is a thought yet; he was rocked last night in Indy, and didn't make it through the fourth.
-- Now that the draft is done, eyes are turning to the trade market. Two Pirates whose names have been tossed out there are those of Ryan Doumit and Garrett Jones. GW stresses that they haven't been associated with any specific team, and it's not even known if the suits are shopping them, but be advised silly season is about to start...
And don't be surprised if Lastings Milledge, Andy LaRoche, and any number of bullpen arms are mentioned as part of the mix in the next couple of weeks when the rumors will really start to fly. Hey, what fun is June and July if the team isn't broken up?
Not so for the Nats. After getting the first two outs on flies, he walked the next guy, and threw a heater down the middle to Adam Dunn. Well, we all know the end of that story; Dunn parked it into the right center seats. Another fly out ended the inning. A two-out walk didn't bite Washington, but it sure did Lincoln.
Lincoln collected a couple of firsts in the second inning; his first hit, a liner through the shortstop hole, and his first K against mound opponent John Lannan.
The Pirates fared better the second time around. With one away, McCutch walked and Jones singled, then they executed a double steal. Good thing, too - LaRoche bounced what would have been a routine DP ball to short, but it turned into an RBI.
Milledge and Ronny Cedeno came up with two out singles to plate another pair (the runners each moved up a base on plays to the plate; Nyjer Morgan's arm isn't any stronger in DC than it was in Pittsburgh), and suddenly it was 3-2 Buccos.
After Lincoln 1-2-3'ed the Nats, Tabata led off with a swinging bunt single, stole second, and came in on Walker's single. He stole second and went on to third on a wayward toss, but was stranded when Jones, with the infield in, struck out on a hanger and LaRoche bounced out. Lots of chances gone to waste so far for Pittsburgh.
The Nats got three in their half of the fourth, helped greatly by tough plays not made by the Pirates.
LaRoche had a hard shot go off his glove as he twisted away from it, Milledge missed a dying liner that he misread as it sliced slightly away from him, and a squib shot by the pitcher spun past Cedeno. They were all ruled hits, and all were catchable balls. And just as quickly, it was 5-4 Nats.
Pittsburgh came right back to tie it, featuring the good, bad, and ugly of Milledge. He led off with a double, then failed to tag on a blast to the right center field fence by Cedeno and then was almost was doubled off on a soft liner by Jason Jaramillo. But Lincoln helped his own cause by driving him in with a two-down hopper off the pitcher's knee that ricocheted into shallow left.
Lincoln left after six with a line of five runs, seven hits, two walks and three K's. It's obvious he's still a work in progress; his off speed stuff wasn't catching the plate often, and his heater caught too much of it. We'll see how he adjusts after riding the bike around the block a couple of times.
The ability to execute a little small ball separated the two teams in the seventh. Milledge led off with a single, and Cedeno on the hit-and-run flew out instead of putting it on the ground. Jaramillo followed with a DP roller. Reverse cedeno and Jaramillo's balls, and you have a run.
For the Nats, Christian Guzman led off with a single, was bunted to second, and scored when a ball cormed of DJ Carrasco's foot into right field, scoring the go-ahead run for Washington.
The Nats played bitty ball again in the eighth to add an insurance run. brendan Donnelly walked the first hitter, who was hit-and-run to third, and scored an out later when Donnelly threw an 0-2 pitch right down the middle and saw it turn into a sac fly. Matt Capps made it hold up in the ninth.
In spite of the five runs, twelve hits, five walks, and four stolen bases, the Pirates left twelve runners in scoring position. Wonder if we have anyone left at Indy who could help that stat...?
Two quick notes: Tabata left the game late, and the word was he had a hammy cramp, so he should be OK. That's good news; Tabata had two hits, a walk, a run, and stole a base in his debut. And Lastings Milledge looked pretty good in right field; three guys who can cover some acreage is a nice sight.
The Pirates official site lists Paul Maholm squaring off against Livan Hernandez tomorrow. Maybe the rotation is still in a bit of confusion, or maybe the Zachster is getting a little longer vacation than originally anticipated. Saturday and Sunday's pitchers for Pittsburgh against Detroit are TBA. Wait and see, eh?
-- With the mound shake up, Jeff Karstens will stay in the rotation and Dana Eveland goes to the pen. As reported earlier in the day, Jack Taschner was DFA'ed, so they're replacing a lefty with a lefty. And it doesn't look like Charlie Morton is a thought yet; he was rocked last night in Indy, and didn't make it through the fourth.
-- Now that the draft is done, eyes are turning to the trade market. Two Pirates whose names have been tossed out there are those of Ryan Doumit and Garrett Jones. GW stresses that they haven't been associated with any specific team, and it's not even known if the suits are shopping them, but be advised silly season is about to start...
And don't be surprised if Lastings Milledge, Andy LaRoche, and any number of bullpen arms are mentioned as part of the mix in the next couple of weeks when the rumors will really start to fly. Hey, what fun is June and July if the team isn't broken up?
Rounds 21-30
Slowly but surely, one day down, another to go...
21st round - CF Dale Carey (Wheeler High School, Georgia, committed to Miami) hit .338/3/13 in HS. He's thought to be potentially a five-tooler.
22nd round - 2B Adalberto Santos (Oregon State)followed a strong junior season by hitting .336/10/36 with 20 stolen bases as a senior. He should be quick to sign and get into the system.
23rd round - 1B Jared Lakind (Cypress Woods High, Texas, committed to Arkansas) throws 90 as a LHP, but is thought of more highly as stick and first baseman.
24th round - 1B Justin Howard (New Mexico) is one of four prospects on the team; he hit .456/10/72 in 2010. The lefty doesn't have a lot of power and may be better off as a DH.
25th round - RHP Casey Sadler (Western Oklahoma State College) throws between 88-93 MPH, and uses a standard four pitch mix. He was 10-1 with a 4.01 ERA, striking out 81 in 74 innings. Sadler's weakness is the long ball; the 19 year-old gave up 11 last season.
26th round - RHP Brandon Pierce (Gunter High School, Texas, committed to Nebraska) was 9-2 with a 2.00 ERA in 70 innings, giving up 30 hits and striking out 133 batters. His bread and butter is a mid ninties heater.
27th round - RHP Kevin Kleis (Grossmont College) was 1-2 in college with a 4.29 ERA. He only worked 16-1/3 innings, with 13 Ks and 7 walks. Our guess is that the Pirates are intrigued by his 6-8, 225 pound frame and that he's only 18.
28th round - SS Zack Powers (Armwood High School, Florida,committed to Florida) hit .411 last year with 3 HR and 18 RBI. The Gators recruited the 18 year-old as a 3rd baseman; the Bucs as a SS. He also pitched 60 innings with an 1.51 ERA, but his future is in the infield.
29th round - RHP Garret Levsen of Sonora High, Point Loma U) is not one of the top ranked California pitchers. He was 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA, and is probably in the Plan B mix, if the top guns stay in school.
30th round - C Matthew Skirving (Eastern Michigan University) hit .259/6/28 this year, but is a season removed from a .348/16/64 season. Skirving bats lefty, a good thing for a catcher, and should provide some depth if he doesn't live up to his 2009 campaign.
21st round - CF Dale Carey (Wheeler High School, Georgia, committed to Miami) hit .338/3/13 in HS. He's thought to be potentially a five-tooler.
22nd round - 2B Adalberto Santos (Oregon State)followed a strong junior season by hitting .336/10/36 with 20 stolen bases as a senior. He should be quick to sign and get into the system.
23rd round - 1B Jared Lakind (Cypress Woods High, Texas, committed to Arkansas) throws 90 as a LHP, but is thought of more highly as stick and first baseman.
24th round - 1B Justin Howard (New Mexico) is one of four prospects on the team; he hit .456/10/72 in 2010. The lefty doesn't have a lot of power and may be better off as a DH.
25th round - RHP Casey Sadler (Western Oklahoma State College) throws between 88-93 MPH, and uses a standard four pitch mix. He was 10-1 with a 4.01 ERA, striking out 81 in 74 innings. Sadler's weakness is the long ball; the 19 year-old gave up 11 last season.
26th round - RHP Brandon Pierce (Gunter High School, Texas, committed to Nebraska) was 9-2 with a 2.00 ERA in 70 innings, giving up 30 hits and striking out 133 batters. His bread and butter is a mid ninties heater.
27th round - RHP Kevin Kleis (Grossmont College) was 1-2 in college with a 4.29 ERA. He only worked 16-1/3 innings, with 13 Ks and 7 walks. Our guess is that the Pirates are intrigued by his 6-8, 225 pound frame and that he's only 18.
28th round - SS Zack Powers (Armwood High School, Florida,committed to Florida) hit .411 last year with 3 HR and 18 RBI. The Gators recruited the 18 year-old as a 3rd baseman; the Bucs as a SS. He also pitched 60 innings with an 1.51 ERA, but his future is in the infield.
29th round - RHP Garret Levsen of Sonora High, Point Loma U) is not one of the top ranked California pitchers. He was 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA, and is probably in the Plan B mix, if the top guns stay in school.
30th round - C Matthew Skirving (Eastern Michigan University) hit .259/6/28 this year, but is a season removed from a .348/16/64 season. Skirving bats lefty, a good thing for a catcher, and should provide some depth if he doesn't live up to his 2009 campaign.
Rounds 11-20
We keep chipping away...
11th round - LF Daniel Grovatt (Virginia) hit .289 with eight home runs and 56 RBI as a junior. He's a lefty three-hole hitter for a strong Virginia team, and has a .324 career average over three seasons.
12th round - RHP Vincent Payne (Cypress College) was 1-3 with 18 strikeouts and a 7.58 ERA. He made 14 appearances, four as a starter. Not sure what they see in Payne; he's walked 22 batters and given up 23 hits in 19 innings while striking out 18 with a WHIP of 2.37.
13th round - LHP Chris Kirsch (Marple Newtown High School, Pennsylvania, uncommitte ) was 5-4 with a 1.35 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 26-2/3 innings. Has a straight curve that he needs to control. Should be one of the easier high school kids to sign; he has talent but is a project.
14th round - RHP Bryce Weidman (Southwestern Oregon CC) had 4-6 record with one save, a 2.20 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 82 Ks in 82 innings. He has a 90 MPH heater and a good but undependable curve.
15th round - SS Drew Maggi (Arizona State) hit .343 with 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 37 RBI and 34 stolen bases in 58 games as a sophomore. The sophomore has good wheels, could move to center, and is a top-of-the-order type hitter.
16th round - 1B Matthew Curry (TCU) batted .353 with 26 doubles, 17 home runs and 59 RBI in 60 games. He's a senior, so should be signed easily enough. First base is an organizational soft spot, so he's a solid pick here.
17th round - RHP Ryan Hafner (Lee's Summit West High, Missouri, committed to Missouri State) throws 87-90 MPH and doesn't have a dependable second itch yet. The 6-6, 215-pound hurler went 5-2 with a 2.02 ERA as a junior. He struck out 63 batters and allowed 28 hits in 45 innings in his junior year; can't find his 2010 stats. He has a high-eighties, low nineties heater and work-in-progress curve.
18th round - OF Chase Wentz (LSU Shreveport) hit .348 with 10 doubles, 11 triples, six homers and 56 RBI in 55 games. He has good wheels, a strong arm - he threw out a dozen runners this year - and is another top-of-the-order candidate.
19th round - LHP Kent Emmanuel of Woodstock High, Georgia, committed to North Carolina) was 6-1 with a 0.92 ERA as a senior with 114 strikeouts and 23 hits in 58-2/3 innings. He features a mid-to-high eighties fastball with a lot of movement.
20th round - OF Justin Bencsko (Villanova) hit .356 with 31 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 50 games. The 22 year-old looks like a depth player.
11th round - LF Daniel Grovatt (Virginia) hit .289 with eight home runs and 56 RBI as a junior. He's a lefty three-hole hitter for a strong Virginia team, and has a .324 career average over three seasons.
12th round - RHP Vincent Payne (Cypress College) was 1-3 with 18 strikeouts and a 7.58 ERA. He made 14 appearances, four as a starter. Not sure what they see in Payne; he's walked 22 batters and given up 23 hits in 19 innings while striking out 18 with a WHIP of 2.37.
13th round - LHP Chris Kirsch (Marple Newtown High School, Pennsylvania, uncommitte ) was 5-4 with a 1.35 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 26-2/3 innings. Has a straight curve that he needs to control. Should be one of the easier high school kids to sign; he has talent but is a project.
14th round - RHP Bryce Weidman (Southwestern Oregon CC) had 4-6 record with one save, a 2.20 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 82 Ks in 82 innings. He has a 90 MPH heater and a good but undependable curve.
15th round - SS Drew Maggi (Arizona State) hit .343 with 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 37 RBI and 34 stolen bases in 58 games as a sophomore. The sophomore has good wheels, could move to center, and is a top-of-the-order type hitter.
16th round - 1B Matthew Curry (TCU) batted .353 with 26 doubles, 17 home runs and 59 RBI in 60 games. He's a senior, so should be signed easily enough. First base is an organizational soft spot, so he's a solid pick here.
17th round - RHP Ryan Hafner (Lee's Summit West High, Missouri, committed to Missouri State) throws 87-90 MPH and doesn't have a dependable second itch yet. The 6-6, 215-pound hurler went 5-2 with a 2.02 ERA as a junior. He struck out 63 batters and allowed 28 hits in 45 innings in his junior year; can't find his 2010 stats. He has a high-eighties, low nineties heater and work-in-progress curve.
18th round - OF Chase Wentz (LSU Shreveport) hit .348 with 10 doubles, 11 triples, six homers and 56 RBI in 55 games. He has good wheels, a strong arm - he threw out a dozen runners this year - and is another top-of-the-order candidate.
19th round - LHP Kent Emmanuel of Woodstock High, Georgia, committed to North Carolina) was 6-1 with a 0.92 ERA as a senior with 114 strikeouts and 23 hits in 58-2/3 innings. He features a mid-to-high eighties fastball with a lot of movement.
20th round - OF Justin Bencsko (Villanova) hit .356 with 31 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 50 games. The 22 year-old looks like a depth player.
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