Bucs Make Minor Trade; Lose Out on Ohman

The Pirates today acquired minor-league left-handed reliever Shawn Nottingham from the Indians for a minor league player to be named later, reports the PBC Blog. Nottingham is 24 years old and has no experience above AA. In his minor league career, dating back to 2003, Nottingham has compiled a 4.48 ERA in 576 1/3 innings. Nothing special there. I don't really know anything about him, but I would guess that this move only improves the Pirates' depth in the minors, and maybe adds some balance to the AA roster. I don't see Nottingham having much, if any, impact in the majors, if he should ever reach that level.

Also today, the Pirates lost out on the Will Ohman sweepstakes, as Ohman agreed to a one-year minor league deal, plus an option for 2010, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though the Bucs had offered Ohman a major league contract, it appears that the West Coast location played into his decision, so says Dejan Kovacevic. This move is good news for Sean Burnett and Donnie Veal.

In game action, the Pirates defeated the Reds today 3-2, thanks to two out RBI singles in the 9th by Jeff Salazar and Jason Jaramillo. Ross Ohlendorf made the start and pitched well once again. In 5 1/3 innings, he allowed 1 run, 3 hits and 2 walks with 3 strike outs, raising his Spring ERA to 0.87.

Also, GM Neal Huntington shocked no one by announcing that left-hander Phil Dumatrait will start the year on the Disabled List. The estimate for his possible return to Pittsburgh is in 4 to 6 weeks.

McCutchen Sent Down

Today the Pirates reassigned outfielder Andrew McCutchen and infielder Brian Bixler to the minor league camp. Though he performed superbly, and is destined to lead the Pirates to the promised land, it is not a surprise that McCutchen was sent down. The club has stated that they want him to work on some other facets of his game, and if they wait a couple of months to bring him up, that pushes back his free agency eligibility. But, fear not, Andrew McCutchen will be in Pittsburgh this year.

The Bixler move actually surprised me a bit. With Andy Phillips missing most of the Spring with a back ailment, it seemed to come down to Bixler and Luis Cruz for the second infield bench spot. Though this does seem to signify that Cruz gets that spot, the Neal Huntington quote from the PBC Blog tells us it's not firm yet. Bixler certainly outplayed Cruz this Spring, hitting .352 with 3 steals in 54 at bats to Cruz's .205 in 39 at bats. They have both been primarily shortstops throughout their minor league careers. Comparing their career stats, the only notable differences are that Bixler steals a lot more bases but Cruz is a better contact hitter. Anyway, this all could be moot, as the Pirates might just be paving the way for Colorado's Jeff Baker to be had in a trade.

Also, there's a piece at the Post-Gazette on Freddy Sanchez, and how he wants to stay in Pittsburgh too. I'm a big Freddy fan, so I'm all for this.

And for those of us who like reading about prospects that are years away, there was a story on Gift Ngoepe on the official site. Ngoepe, whom the Pirates signed last October, hopes to become the first South African to play in the majors. And he recently played for South Africa in the World Baseball Classic.

Wilson Talks Extension, and Other News

The Official Site reported today that earlier this week shortstop Jack Wilson approached the Pirates about a possible contract extension. Wilson is in the final year of his current deal, though there is a team option for 2010 for $8.4 million, with a buyout of $500,000. Since Wilson has been involved in trade talks the past couple of years, and $8 mil is a bit much for the cost-conscious Pirates to pay for a light hitting middle infielder, the option is sure to be bought out. However, in his discussions, Wilson has stated that he would like to stay in Pittsburgh, and for less money than the option year would call for. Just how much less, I don't know. Also, Wilson implied that he's only asking about a 1 year extension, at least for now, since he hopes to spend much more time with his family before long, and may consider retiring as soon as after the 2010 season. So, since we're talking only a one year extension, it might be worth it. That would certainly depend on the dollar figure for that one year, and how much of a cut Wilson would be willing to take. If he'll play for $4 million or so, that's a fair deal. And it's not like Wilson is blocking any can't miss prospect at the moment. Maybe Brian Bixler can turn into a solid everyday shortstop, though, last year, he proved convincingly that he was not ready. Bixler has looked better this Spring, but I'd rather see him ease him into the starting role as a utility player. And Luis Cruz feels more like his cap could be utility player. Brian Friday, Chase D'Arnaud and Jordy Mercer are at least a couple of years away. If the money fits, I'm all for bringing Wilson back another year.

In Rule 5 News, the Pirates have taken Kyle Bloom back from the Detroit Tigers and reassigned him to AA. Bloom, a left-handed pitcher, struggled this Spring with Detroit. With the Pirates' Rule 5 pick Donnie Veal struggling a bit on his own for Pittsburgh, I'm starting to get the feeling that he might be returned to Chicago before long. By the way, Bloom is nothing special. he's a 26 year old, with a career minor league ERA of 4.25, and has never pitched above AA.

I watched the Pirates defeat Philadelphia 10-4 yesterday on the MLB Network. Ian Snell looked very good out there, aside from a rough 4th, where he allowed a mammoth home run to Ryan Howard, and followed that up with a walk and a hit batsman. Andrew McCutchen was the offensive star for the Bucs, going 5 for 5, with 3 doubles and a homer. Though the wind certainly played a factor in this game, possibly assisting McCutchen with his line, and carrying Howard's homer 500 feet. Still, it was a nice game to watch.

Pirates Cut Pearce, Diaz and Machado

The PBC Blog this morning reports that the Pirates have made three more cuts, leaving 37 players remaining in camp. Outfielder Steve Pearce and catcher Robinzon Diaz were optioned to AAA, while infielder Anderson Machado was reassigned to the minor league camp. Machado really had no chance to make the team this year as a backup infielder, especially with Brian Bixler playing so well. Pearce could have been a nice fit as a reserve outfielder. Though it feels like Pearce has been on the cusp of the majors forever, he probably could use some more seasoning in AAA. Pearce, in his career, has 508 AAA at bats, with an additional 290 at AA. So really he only has less than a season and a half worth of experience at the top 2 minor league levels, and he struggled a bit in AAA last year. Hopefully, Pearce can tear things up in Indianapolis, forcing the team to bring him back up. And lastly, Diaz's demotion means Jason Jaramillo will be the backup catcher to start the year. This decision must have been based entirely on catching skill, and not hitting, as Diaz has hit .423 this Spring, versus Jaramillo's .148. Anyway, I'm sure we'll see Diaz up with the Pirates at some point this season.

In last night's game, the Pirates lost 4-1 to the Blue Jays and Roy Halladay, who is already in mid season form. Virgil Vasquez, who is competing for the last rotation spot, made the start and allowed 3 runs off 5 hits and 3 walks with 1 strike out in 5 2/3 innings.

Today, the Pirates play the Phillies in a game televised by the MLB network. I'll be watching.

Pirates Express Interest in Baker, Ohman

With no one stepping up to earn the Pirates' coveted second reserve infielder spot on the Opening Day roster, the team has turned its attention to Colorado's Jeff Baker. The Rockies might not have a spot for the versatile Baker and could be looking to trade him. The Pirates are one of at least three teams, along with the Astros and Phillies, that has expressed interest. Baker could be a decent fit since he hits right-handed, has some pop (22 home runs in 538 career at bats) and can play a number of positions. He is only 27 and has not yet reached his first year of arbitration, which is why this move, if it comes to pass, would not upset me. I would actually prefer to see Brian Bixler or Luis Cruz make the team as a reserve infielder, but at least Baker is relatively young and the Pirates could keep him around for a few years, if he's useful. However, Baker does not have any major league experience at shortstop, leaving Ramon Vazquez as the only reserve who has played that position, assuming of course that Baker is acquired. But with Bixler and Cruz both on the 40-man roster, there are options available should an injury (or Jack Wilson trade) occur.

As for the bullpen, the Pirates continue to be in discussions with free agent lefty Will Ohman, who pitched very well for Atlanta last year. The PBC Blog today reported that the Pirates have even exchanged dollar figures with Ohman. With only Matt Capps, John Grabow and Tyler Yates assured jobs, and bullpen hopefuls Sean Burnett, Donnie Veal, Evan Meek and Craig Hansen struggling of late, the bullpen could use some help. If Ohman is signed, it may mean that the Pirates will go without a traditional long reliever, since they risk losing Burnett, Veal and Hansen if they do not make the Opening Day roster. Provided the starting pitching performs better than last year (with no Matt Morris or John Van Benschoten around, that seems likely), a long reliever might not be as crucial.

Strong Pitching Leads Bucs to Pair of Wins

The presumptive third and fourth starters in the Pirates' rotation continued their impressive Springs with superb outings the past two games. Monday, in the Pirates' 4-1 win over the Rays, Zach Duke pitched 5 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks to go along with 4 strike outs. He even picked a batter off first. Duke's ERA for the Spring is now 1.83. On Tuesday night, Ross Ohlendorf led the Pirates to a 5-2 win over Atlanta. Ohlendorf pitched 6 scoreless innings, surrendering 5 hits and no walks while striking out 3. Ohlendorf's Spring ERA is now 0.59, which is actually still a little higher than Paul Maholm's (0.46). I know, I know, they're just Spring stats. But it's impressive nonetheless.

The Pirates play the Rays again tonight, with Jeff Karstens getting the start.

In Defense of Nyjer Morgan

Pirates' outfielder Nyjer Morgan has appeared to be the front runner for the Opening Day left fielder spot since Spring began. And he's been given every chance as, through Monday's game, he leads the team in at-bats with 56. However, Morgan is hitting only .179, with 5 steals in 8 attempts. Not exactly impressive, but it is just Spring Training and it's important not to get too worked up over these stats, even though I myself often do. It would be great, sure, to see Morgan tearing things up this Spring and maybe he would be if he wasn't practically given the left field job out of the gate. Brandon Moss, the presumptive starting right fielder, is also struggling, hitting .138 during his injury-plagued Spring. I have no doubt that openly giving a starting spot to anyone other than an established incumbent is not a great idea. But that doesn't mean that Morgan, and Moss, should not be the starting corner outfielders come Opening Day.

I have read little hate for Brandon Moss throughout the various Pirate Blogs. Nyjer Morgan, on the other hand, appears to have very few fans. I've read numerous posts and comments on various sites by people clamoring for Craig Monroe or Eric Hinske to start over Morgan. Even today, whygavs' Pat Lackey, among the biggest Morgan haters, reads way too much into a quote by Morgan from the Post-Gazette, somehow interpreting it as a whole mess of arrogance. And Dejan Kovacevic, in last week's Q&A on the PBC Blog, opined that he "could see him (Monroe) starting the year in right field. And Eric Hinske in left." Granted, he is expressing his opinion about what the Pirates might do, but this is exactly the type of sentiment being expressed by so many Pirate fans right now. And I just don't get it.

Perhaps some Pirate fans see in Morgan a little bit of Chris Duffy, the former Pirate outfielder who fizzled quickly after an impressive debut. In 193 games over parts of 3 seasons, Duffy hit .269 with 41 stolen bases. Morgan, in 86 games over the past 2 seasons, has hit .296 with 16 steals. Of the two, though, Duffy was superior defensively. Now I'm not saying that I'm hoping for Morgan what we all hoped for from Duffy three years ago. I do realize that with Nate McLouth already here, and Andrew McCuthen and Jose Tabata on their way, Morgan probably does not stand much chance of being a starter in Pittsburgh for long. But that is exactly why we need to see him play every day now. We need to see if Morgan is capable of playing as a regular in the Majors. If he's not, we need to know. Also, though he is too old to be considered a prospect, Morgan does have at least two seasons remaining before he becomes arbitration eligible, which makes him a fairly attractive commodity to be had in a trade. If the Atlanta Braves, among other teams, were so enamored with Duffy just 2 years ago, I could certainly see Morgan fetching a nice return on the trade market if he has a productive few months this year. Granted, something similar could be said for Monroe, but I doubt the return would be as nice. If you were a GM, who would you rather acquire: a 29 year old outfielder, with plus speed, who has a .296 career average and won't be eligible for arbitration for a couple of years or so, or a 32 year old outfielder with some pop, marginal speed, a .253 career average, .301 career on-base-percentage, who will be a free agent at the end of the year? I think that's clear.

Aside from the trade, who makes the lineup better? That is actually debatable, since the Bucs do lack power. Well, they lack speed too. So, a lineup beginning with Morgan offers the potential for stolen bases, at the very least. Let's say Morgan starts in left this year and hits .290 with a .350 OBP. He steals 30 some bases too. Those numbers hew pretty closely to his career averages. With that kind of performance from Morgan, with Freddy Sanchez and McLouth following, Morgan could easily score 100 runs and be considered a very solid lead off hitter. Now, if Monroe is in left, that might force McLouth back to lead off, followed by Sanchez and everyone else moving up a spot. Monroe might hit 5th or 6th in this lineup. He will provide some protection for Adam LaRoche and a little extra pop in the middle of the lineup. Monroe's career numbers for a full season project to about a .253 average and 23 home runs. That's pretty decent, but hardly noteworthy. It also means that the team will have no speed, with McLouth stealing as many bases as everyone else combined. Little speed, fewer men on base, more power. That's not a fair trade off for me.

Though I just rambled on about the strengths and weaknesses of the 2009 lineup, with either Morgan or Monrow in left, in reality, whoever ends up getting the nod will have little impact on the Pirates' playoff chances this year. Miracles do happen, but this team has not had a winning record since 1992, nor won more than 68 games since 2004. Neither Morgan nor Monroe will change that on their own. The new Pirates' management team states that they want to build a strong sustainable franchise that can compete every year. They are trying to do just that, but they aren't there yet. They're still in the building phase. Craig Monroe has no long-term future with the Pirates. Nyjer Morgan might. That is the small, but crucial, difference here. The Pirates need to see what they have in Morgan. They need to see if he can be an ace lead off hitter, or a valuable 4th or 5th outfielder, or trade bait, or just not Major League material. There is much less upside in Monroe, and the same goes for Eric Hinske too. It's great for a young team to have a couple of solid veterans on the bench, but when those veterans wind up in the starting lineup too often, the youngsters have little opportunity to grow.

Maholm, Snell Offer Differing Results in Games Versus Reds

Paul Maholm was brilliant yet again in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Reds. He pitched 6 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and no walks while striking out 4 in the Pirates' 6-5 win. Maholm has not allowed a run in 15 2/3 consecutive Spring innings and his ERA for the Spring is 0.46. Hopefully he can carry this over into the regular season.

On Sunday, Ian Snell was roughed up by these very same Reds in a 6-0 loss. Snell allowed 6 runs off 9 hits and 2 walks in 4 1/3 innings before leaving with a blister on his foot. Apparently, the blister showed up in the second inning, in which Snell allowed 5 runs. Hopefully the blister was to blame for Snell's poor outing.

The Bucs play the Rays on Monday.

In injury news, bench hopeful Andy Phillips remains out with back soreness. He's scheduled for treatment Monday. Pitcher Phil Dumatrait is slowly coming along with his sore shoulder, though he will most likely start the season on the disabled list, according to the PBC blog. Also, reliever Evan Meek will rest for the next few days due to a tired shoulder. Hopefully all is well with him. Meek has pitched great this Spring and remains a contender for a bullpen spot.

Bad Pitching Dooms Bucs

The Pirates lost their Spring game today against the Boston Red Sox, by a score of 11-4. Though the Bucs' offense didn't do too much, leaving 10 on base and managing just 2 extra base hits, it was the pitching that made this game one-sided. Jeff Karstens, in a feeble attempt to claim the final starting rotation spot, allowed 4 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings. Rule 5 pick Donnie Veal followed by allowing 1 run on 4 walks, 1 hit batter and a wild pitch in 1 2/3 innings. Denny Bautista, who is fighting an uphill battle to make the team, allowed a run on 3 hits with 0(!) walks and 2 strike outs in 1 1/3 innings. Then came Sean Burnett, who has been pitching like he doesn't even want to make the team. Burnett allowed 3 runs on 3 hits in a single inning, raising his Spring ERA to 10.80. Oh, it's not over. Evan Meek, one of the more pleasant surprises of the Spring, gave up 2 runs on 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 wild pitches in 2/3 of an inning. Chris Bootcheck finished things off with by retiring the only batter he faced. Granted, the Red Sox used all regulars, with the exception of Kevin Youkilis, and the Pirates used a younger lineup, but still. 9 walks, 3 wild pitches, 2 hit batters?! Just an ugly game. Up next, the Bucs play the Reds on Saturday.

A Look at the Pirates' 2009 Starting Rotation

With 17 days until the 2009 season begins, the Pittsburgh Pirates' starting rotation looks to be about set. Before Spring Training even began, Paul Maholm was essentially told he was the one starting pitcher whose job was secure. Through 13 2/3 Spring innings, Maholm has been remarkable, allowing only 1 run on 7 hits and 1 walk. Maholm has earned, and will make, the Opening Day start on April 6 in St. Louis. Maholm has been progressing nicely as a big league starter, and I fully expect that to continue this year.

GM Neal Huntington and Manager John Russell made a point of saying this Spring that there will be competition for the remaining spots in the rotation, citing last year's pre-spring announcement of who the five pitchers would be, and the subsequent horrible performances turned in by most of them. However, since hopefuls Ian Snell and Zach Duke make hefty salaries (by Pirate's standards), and they have been fixtures in the Pirate's rotation for the past 3+ years, everyone kind of assumed they would make it, and they did.

Snell is coming off his worst pro season, but I'm hoping the presence of new pitching coach Joe Kerrigan will help him rediscover his success from 2007. If his performance for team Puerto Rico in the WBC is any indication, we could be in store for a nice bounce back year from Snell.

Duke exploded onto the scene in 2005, going 8-2 with a 1.81 ERA in 84 2/3 innings. The three years since have been a different story, with Duke going a combined 18-37, with an ERA of 4.82, and allowing an ungodly .359 opponent's average in 2007. Theories abound as to what happened here. Did hitters figure him out? Did former pitching coach Jim Colburn, who famously tweaked Duke's delivery in the Spring of 2006, cause such long-lasting damage to the pitcher? Was it a Gypsy curse? I really don't know. Once again, I am hoping that Kerrigan can work a little magic here. Duke has looked sharp so far this Spring, and his Spring numbers tend to have a correlation to his regular season stats.

The final two spots in the rotation are actually being decided by competition, and it looks like Ross Ohlendorf is the first to claim his prize. Ohlendorf is one of three pitchers (plus outfielder Jose Tabata) to come over in the Nady/Marte trade with the Yankees last summer. The other two, Jeff Karstens and Daniel McCutchen, are/were also in the rotation competition. Though he did not pitch all that well in the five starts he made last September, Ohlendorf does have more immediate upside than the other two ex-Yanks, so it's not a surprise to see him outperform them.

The final spot has come down to Karstens, Virgil Vasquez and Jason Davis. McCutchen is well thought of and will most likely make his big league debut later this year. Tom Gorzelanny, potential ace from 2007 and basket case last season, was optioned to AAA earlier this week, removing him from contention. Of the three remaining, I would assume Karstens will get the call. He made 9 starts for Pittsburgh last year, the most memorable of which was his near perfect game against Arizona. Davis is more of a journeyman type, who could help fill out the rotation at AAA or serve as the Pirate's long reliever, and Vasquez just doesn't have as much experience as Karstens or a connection to a blockbuster trade that the current management team wants to have been a success. That's not to say Karstens, if he makes the rotation, is undeserving of his spot, just that his tie to that trade works in his favor.

With a starting rotation of Maholm, Snell, Duke, Ohlendorf and Karstens, and viable starting options of Davis, Vasquez, Gorzelanny, McCutchen and Jimmy Barthmeier in the bullpen or at AAA, the overall availability of quality starting pitching the Pirates have in the upper levels of their franchise is very satisfactory. And with Brad Lincoln probably starting out in AA, and Bryan Morris in high A, more depth is on its way. Though the Bucs' starting pitching probably won't rank among the league's best this year, enough improvements have been made to where it will no longer be an embarrassment.

There's always the possibility that another starting pitcher could be signed before the season starts. The Pirates have talked with Pedro Martinez this off season, though his asking price appears to be too high. The Pirates have also talked with Odalis Perez. I don't see the addition of Perez helping the team much, if at all, this year, and his inclusion, at the expense of a young starter already on the team, could have a negative long-term effect.

A Few More Cuts; Plus Snell and Vazquez Return

Late Wednesday, the Pirates made three more cuts, optioning third baseman Neil Walker and pitcher Dave Davidson to AAA-Indianapolis and reassigning non-roster pitcher Brian Slocum to the minor league camp. Nothing shocking here. Of course, much like with Jose Tabata or Pedro Alvarez, it would have been nice to see these young players in action a little more, but that would have cost playing time for players with a legitimate chance of making the team. 40 players remain in camp.

With Puerto Rico losing to team USA Monday night in the WBC, pitcher Ian Snell and infielder Ramon Vazquez have returned to camp. Snell may start Sunday against the Reds, which would put him in line to pitch the second game of the regular season; no surprise there. Vazquez, who was the primary third baseman for team Puerto Rico, will probably see most of his Spring playing time at the hot corner, though, since he was signed as a utility infielder, I'm sure he'll appear at second and short as well.

In recent game news, the Pirates lost a pair of night games to start the week; Monday versus Tampa Bay and Tuesday against the Yankees. Monday's game was televised on the MLB Network, using the FSN Pittsburgh feed. Paul Maholm looked fantastic with 4 2/3 scoreless innings, but the relievers were abysmal. Still, it was nice to watch my team play. After getting trounced by the Yankees on Tuesday, the Bucs bounced back with an extra inning win against the Twins on Wednesday, led by another solid outing from Zach Duke. He allowed 2 runs and 5 hits in 5 innings. And, by the way, Duke is in line to start the third game of the regular season. Also, not a surprise. The Pirates are off today and return to action against the Red Sox on Friday.

Bucs Cut Gorzelanny

In a bit of a surprising move, today the Pirates optioned pitcher Tom Gorzelanny to AAA-Indianapolis. Gorzelanny was in the competition for the two remaining rotation spots, along with Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens and Virgil Vasquez. Gorzelanny pitched very well in 2007 but took a horrible step backward last year, including a mid season demotion to AAA. He came into camp this year in better shape, but didn't pitch especially well, allowing 7 runs, 8 hits and 5 walks in 9 innings. This move does surprise me a bit, since neither Vasquez nor Karstens had pitched all that well overall. Along with Paul Maholm, Ian Snell and Zach Duke, I was already conceding that Ohlendorf would earn the fourth spot, leaving the aforementioned three competing for the 5th. And I was kind of figuring that the Pirates actually would want Gorzelanny to win that last spot. Well, I guess not. Now, I suppose, I'm leaning toward Karstens. He pitched alright for the Bucs last year, though aside from his near perfect game, he was pretty average.

Also today, Jose Tabata was optioned to AA-Altoona. This move was no surprise. Tabata has remained in camp this long only because of the injuries to Eric Hinske and Brandon Moss. Now that the two of them are getting healthy, there is no need for another outfielder. Though, it must be stated, Tabata never looked out of place at the major league camp. He hit .407 with 5 RBIs in 11 games. His progression through the Pirates' system will apparently follow Andrew McCutchen's, since the Pirates want each of these two to play regularly in center field, no matter what lever they're at. So, expect Tabata to remain in Altoona at least until McCutchen is promoted to Pittsburgh. However, I'm assuming at some point next year, they may have to share the same outfield and that means one will need to play a corner. But I guess that'll be a nice problem to have.

Pirates Make Second Batch of Cuts

On Monday, the Pirates sent Pedro Alvarez, and seven others, to their minor league camp. Alvarez, of course, had no chance to make the team out of Spring Training this year, but I have to admit I would have loved to see him play a little more before being sent down. Alvarez was optioned, along with pitcher Ron Uviedo, to Class-A Lynchburg. I expect Alvarez to spend a couple of months there before being called up to AA-Altoona, maybe around early June, to finish the season. I doubt we'll see him in Pittsburgh this year.

Optioned to Altoona were pitcher Jeff Sues and catcher Steve Lerud. Jimmy Barthmeier was optioned to AAA-Indianapolis. The other 3 players sent down, pitchers Juan Mateo and Daniel McCutchen and second baseman Shelby Ford, are not on the 40 man roster, so they were just reassigned to the minor league camp. Barthmeier and McCutchen were long-shot contenders for the starting rotation for the big league club. I don't see Barthmeier ever being more than a depth guy in the organization, but McCutchen is pretty well thought of and he may end up being a fixture in the rotation before long.

45 players remain in camp.

Pedro Alvarez Hits First Pro Homer

The Pirates today rallied yet again, scoring 4 runs with two outs in the ninth, in their 7-7 tie with Tampa Bay. Pedro Alvarez walloped a pinch-hit three-run home run to draw the Bucs within a run and non-roster player Garrett Jones followed with a homer of his own to tie the game. The teams wound up playing to an 11 inning tie. Tom Gorzelanny made the start and, once again, had some struggles. He allowed 5 hits and 2 runs in his three innings of work. Jeff Karstens followed and pitched three scoreless innings, surrendering just 2 hits. Sean Burnett continued the recent trend of one Bucs' reliever getting shelled per game. He gave up 4 runs and 5 hits in one inning. Also, Andy LaRoche continued his hot hitting with his second homer of the Spring.

Today's game was a nice showing for the future of the Pirates. In addition to Alvarez's heroics, Jose Tabata, Andrew McCutchen and Brian Bixler each had 2 hits.

The Pirates play the Rays again on Monday.

The Pirates' Catchers

Ryan Doumit is firmly ensconced as the Pittsburgh Pirates' starting catcher for 2009 and beyond. There is no doubt there. The battle for the backup spot, however, is less clear. Jason Jaramillo (age 26) and Ronbinzon Diaz (25) are fighting for that honor this spring. Both were acquired in trades last year; Jaramillo from the Phillies for Ronny Paulino and Diaz from the Blue Jays for Jose Bautista. Both players are inexperienced at the major league level; Jaramillo having never appeared in a game and Diaz having recorded a mere 10 at-bats last year. In the minors last year, Jaramillo hit .266 with 8 home runs and 39 RBIs in 421 at-bats with the awesomely named AAA club of the Phillies, the LeHigh Valley Iron Pigs. Combining his totals from '08 with both the Blue Jays' and Pirates' AAA clubs, Diaz hit .255 with 1 home run and 16 RBIs in 145 at bats. So, clearly neither player projects to be much of an offensive force, though they both seem capable of holding their own against major league pitching, based on their Spring performances so far this year. They do look a little more formidable on defense though. Last year, Diaz threw out 39% of would-be base-stealers and did not commit an error. Jaramillo threw out 36%, though he did commit 16 errors. By comparison, last year Doumit threw out only 27% and committed 8 errors. Average numbers there. Since the starter is an offensive threat and is expected to play 80% of the games, a competent defensive catcher is needed to back him up, and the Pirates appear to have two options there.

Since both Jaramillo and Diaz are relatively young and capable choices, I'm of the opinion that it does not really matter who makes the team to start the year. The Pirates will choose one and send the other to AAA. If the one in the majors struggles, they can, and will, send him down and call the other up. What this does mean for the Pirates though is that they have some solid catching depth at the upper levels of their system. As we witnessed last year with the team's inability to fill out a starting rotation, depth is crucial. If Doumit gets hurt (it's happened before, a lot), the Pirates have two capable catchers available to fill the major league roster. Neither provides as much as Doumit, but, at the very least, there won't be a drop off in the quality of the catching. With all that being said, I would expect Jaramillo to make the Opening Day roster.

Game News: In Grapefruit League action, the Pirates lost today to the Yankees 13-10. Ross Ohlendorf started things off with 4 perfect innings, but the bullpen gave the game away, allowing all 13 runs in their 5 innings, with Craig Hansen the biggest culprit, allowing 5 in just a third of an inning. Yet again, the resilient Pirates battled back, scoring 7 runs in the final two innings. Nyjer Morgan, Ryan Doumit, Garrett Jones and Jeff Salazar all homered for Pittsburgh, and youngsters Jose Tabata and Pedro Alvarez each had 2 hits. The Pirates play the Rays on Sunday.

There are a couple of interesting pieces on the Pirates' Official site about the organization's youngsters. One on the top ten prospects in the system (don't freak out; they're listed in alphabetical order) and the other just more of a general minor league/young player preview for the year.

With 3 in the 9th, Bucs Win Again

I know it's only Spring Training but I can't help getting excited when I see the Pirates rally for three runs in the 9th inning to pull off a come-from-behind victory. This is the sort of resiliency they showed often last year, and since they also rallied from 8 runs down against Boston the other day, maybe this is just the sort of trait this group of Pirates exhibit, in a general sort of way. The kind of trait that will be evident during the regular season, perhaps. I have to keep telling myself that it is still only March, and these games don't count, and I'm bound to be a little disappointed once the calendar changes, but I'm enjoying this nonetheless.

In today's game, roster hopeful Jeff Salazar clubbed the go-ahead three run home run with one out in the ninth, leading the Pirates to a 6-5 win. Granted, the homer was off fringe player Blaine Neal (I looked him up; he has not pitched in the majors since 2005). But a clutch hit is a clutch hit. Also, Steve Pearce and Brian Bixler each had 3 hits. Zach Duke made the start and pitched very well: 3 2/3 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 2 strike outs. Dave Davidson made his first Spring appearance since returned from his stint on team Canada in the WBC. Davidson stuck out the only batter he faced. The Phillies scored all of their runs today off Daniel McCutchen in an inning and a third. With Virgil Vasquez looking good all of the sudden, McCutchen's starting to slip in his bid for a rotation spot.

I have failed to mention Duke much this Spring. The memories of his impressive debut in 2005 have faded and I've grown to think of him more as the struggling hurler from the past couple of years. However, Duke has been great this Spring. He signed his first big contract this off-season and he's been virtually guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation to start the year. A pitcher with E.R.A.'s the past three regular seasons of 4.47 ('06), 5.53 ('07) and 4.82 ('08) should seem like he has to earn his way onto a big league roster. But Duke has stepped up so far with an E.R.A. of 1.86 through 9 2/3 innings. Because of this, I decided to check out Duke's Spring history. In 2005, Duke posted an E.R.A. of 3.75 in 12 innings. In '06, 7.96 in 26 innings, along with 44(!) hits allowed. In '07, his E.R.A. was 7.02 in 16 2/3 innings and last year it was 3.86 in 14 innings. The correlation between Duke's Spring and Regular Season performances is somewhat evident. Last year would appear to be an aberration, however, Duke did shave nearly 3/4 of a run off his E.R.A., and I would consider that progress. So, I'm feeling pretty good about the rotation for the year. I don't expect Duke to come close to repeating his performance in '05, but if he can keep his E.R.A. in the neighborhood of 4 or so, he would definitely have earned his spot.

Pirates' 30 in 30 Review

The MLB Network aired the Pittsburgh Pirates' edition of their 30 Clubs in 30 Days series over this past weekend. Though it came in with an estimated 105 million fewer viewers than the M.A.S.H. finale from 1983, it was at least more anticipated by yours truly. Granted, in 1983 I was most likely playing with my AT-AT, counting the days until the release of Return of the Jedi. Anyway, despite the constant changes in the scheduled time slot, and the dreaded appearance of the two analysts I was hoping would avoid this assignment, the show was quite entertaining and enjoyable.

Greg Amsinger hosted and was joined by (dreaded) analysts Mitch Williams and Dan Plesac, and former GM John Hart. Trenni Kusnierek also assisted with canned interviews from Florida. Now I didn't expect this group to offer unwarranted praise for the Pirates, but they were very fair and evenhanded. I have watched, at least in part, some other teams' episodes and the MLB crew does seem to treat them all rather equally, which is refreshing. That does make sense, of course, because the MLB owns the MLB Network and has a rooting interest in all MLB teams. Still, this is not the kind of treatment I'm accustomed to as a Pirate fan. I'm used to the Bucs never being televised nationally and being relegated to a one-highlight or line-score-only appearance during the 58th minute of SportsCenter. But not this time.

The group did discuss the obvious: the Pirates' long string of losing seasons and lack of ability to draft and develop impact players. They actually went a little easy on the recent history of disappointing first-round draft choices, praising Paul Maholm (deservedly) and failing to mention the Moskos/Wieters fiasco. Though they were all united in expressing optimism for Pedro Alvarez.

A handful of Bucs were interviewed for this show. Joe Kerrigan, Matt Capps, Nate McLouth, Ryan Doumit, Eric Hinske, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Maholm and John Russell all received some mike time. No love for veterans Jack Wilson or Freddy Sanchez, but that's okay.

Of course, at the end of the show, the studio group all discussed where the featured team will likely finish this coming season, and

SPOILER ALERT

they all (save Amsinger, who did not comment) agreed with Baseball America: The Pirates will finish last. That's okay. No surprise really. But they did all agree that the Pirates are headed in the right direction, so that's something, I guess.


In Grapefruit action, the Pirates defeated the Twins 6-4 today behind 3 home runs by Opening Day roster hopeful Craig Monroe. 2 of the 3 were off a legitimate big league talent, Scott Baker. Monroe now has 6 homers this Spring. With Brandon Moss hurting, this certainly increases Monroe's chances to make the team, though he was already looking pretty good. Virgil Vasquez made the start for Pittsburgh and pitched well, with three scoreless innings. Vasquez is still a contender for a starting rotation spot. Ryan Doumit and Nate McLouth also homered.

And yesterday, the Pirates played Toronto to a 2-2 tie in 11 innings. Paul Maholm matched Blue Jays starter Roy Halladay with 4 scoreless innings.

Through today, the Pirates' record in Grapefruit League action is 9-4-1. The Pirates play the Phillies on Friday.

Snell Looks Sharp, as Puerto Rico Advances

I was able to watch the first 5 innings or so of the WBC first round match-up between Puerto Rico and the Netherlands tonight. The Pirates' Ian Snell, pitching for Puerto Rico, looked pretty sharp in four innings of work. He allowed 1 run, 3 hits, 1 walk with 5 strikeouts. Snell allowed all three hits and the run in the second inning, though the lead off hit he allowed was misplayed into a double by left fielder Bernie Williams. He then allowed a sharp single down the right field line by ex-Buc Yurendell DeCaster that brought home the run. The next batter reached on a seeing-eye single up the middle before Snell got out of the jam with a double-play and a strike out. Snell opened the fourth by walking another former Pirate, and sausage assailant, Randall Simon, but was able to recover and retire the next three hitters. He ended up throwing only 50 pitches in his four innings. Snell looked very good though he did leave a few fastballs up, but you can get away with that when the opposing team can't find a better cleanup hitter than Simon. Still, it was nice to see him pitch well and I have high hopes for him for this season and beyond.


Speaking of pitching, the Pirates lost their Grapefruit League match-up against Boston today. The final score: 15-14. Most of the damage was done against Tom Gorzelanny, Chris Bootcheck, Brian Slocum and Juan Mateo. The other 4 Pirate pitchers fared much better. At least the offense was working as Jose Tabata returned to action with 3 hits and 4 RBIs. Nyjer Morgan, Garrett Jones, Neil Walker and Robinzon Diaz each had 2 hits. The Pirates were down by 8 early and battled back to force extra innings. The resiliency was nice to see. Up next, the Pirates' first day off of the Spring.

First Four Cuts

The Pirates today made their first cuts of the Spring. Reliever Romulo Sanchez was optioned to AAA. Pitcher Daniel Haigwood, infielder Pedro Lopez and catcher Miguel Perez were sent to the minor league camp. None of these four players were expected to make the major league team to start the year. More cuts are expected next week.

Pirates Lose Prospect Cunningham for Season

Minor League infielder Jarek Cunningham, the Pirates' 18th round pick in last year's draft, will miss the entire 2009 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Baseball America ranked Cunningham as the 13th best prospect in the Pirates' system, though that's like saying Money Talks is the third best Brett Ratner movie. It is a tough loss for the organization even though he's still a few years away from Pittsburgh, best case. When I saw the headline (Pirates Prospect to Miss All of 2009) I panicked, fearing Jose Tabata was the prospect. So, all things considered, reading it was Cunningham was a bit of a relief.

Speaking of Tabata (right shoulder), he could return to action early this week, though probably as a DH initially.

And, things are looking up for Brandon Moss (thumb) as his injury may only be a bruise. But he's flying back to Pittsburgh to see a hand specialist Monday and more information will follow, I'm sure.

In game news, the Pirates defeated Houston today, 11-4. Ross Ohlendorf pitched into the 4th and allowed 1 earned run on 6 hits. Donnie Veal ran into his first trouble of the Spring in the 5th, as he walked 4, threw a wild pitch and balked. Control was, and still is, the primary concern with him. Hopefully he can bounce back from this poor outing and give the Bucs' management some more to think about. Anyway, after Veal allowed 2 runs in the 5th to give the Astros the lead, his team responded with 4 scoreless innings by the pitching staff and 8 more runs by the offense. Freddy Sanchez, Craig Monroe and Garrett Jones all homered and the hit-machine himself, Andy LaRoche, went 2 for 2, with 2 walks and a HBP. His Spring average is up to an even .600 as LaRoche tries to make us all forget about last summer.

On Monday, the Pirates take on the Red Sox, and try to improve upon their 8-3 Spring record.

Bucs Defeat Twins, Improve to 7-3 in Spring

The Pirates routed the Twins today, 10-1, in a Grapefruit League match-up. Zach Duke started and went 3 innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 run. Daniel McCutchen, Craig Hansen, Chris Bootcheck, Tyler Yates and Juan Mateo followed holding the Twins to 2 hits and 2 walks in 6 scoreless innings. Adam LaRoche hit his first homer of the spring and was one of 11 different Pirates to each have at least one hit. The Pirates play the Astros on Sunday.

Injury Update: Outfielder Brandon Moss left today's game with a sprained right thumb. Finger injuries can linger, so let's hope the forthcoming MRI offers some hope.

Steve Pearce remains of out action due to a sore calf. He is taking batting practice but has yet to be cleared for running or fielding exercises. Before the injury, he was already on the bubble to make the Opening Day roster. The lack of game action for him could mean he's out of the running.

MLB Network update: Okay, so it looks the Pirate edition of 30 Clubs in 30 Days will debut at 6:30 tonight, instead of 6 pm, which I mentioned the other day, or 11 pm, which I mentioned weeks ago. My cable menu still says 6, and the MLB Net website still says 6, but on the channel earlier today, they said 6:30. So, I'm going with 6:30.

30 Clubs in 30 Days Schedule Update

I just checked the MLB Network's site and it appears that the Pirate edition will premiere at 6pm Eastern on Saturday, March 7. I previously mentioned that it would debut at 11 pm, so either I misread the schedule or the MLB Network read my impassioned post on the matter and were compelled to change it. Either way, don't forget to watch it. If you miss the 6pm, it's on again at 11:30 pm, then Sunday at 5 am and 8 am, and Monday at 8 am. Or, you know, just record it and watch it at your leisure.

A Look at the Pirates' '09 Bullpen

After today's extra-inning loss to the Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates stand at 6-2 in Grapefruit League play, plus an exhibition victory over the Netherlands WBC team. I have tried, somewhat spuriously, to claim that a winning Spring Training record could portend that a winning regular season is in the immediate future. However, what is true is that now is the time for those players battling for a roster spot to prove their mettle. While maybe 80% of the Bucs' eventual Opening Day roster is essentially set, there are a few interesting spots up for grabs. Today, let's take a look at the bullpen, and how it might look come April 6.

There are three Pirate relievers who are signed to major league contracts valuing over $1 million apiece. They are closer Matt Capps, lefthander John Grabow and righthander Tyler Yates. None of those three are in any real danger of being released or reassigned to the minors. Barring a trade, all three will make the team.

There are three other players who must make the major league team or the Pirates might lose them. Both Sean Burnett and Craig Hansen are out of minor league options so the Pirates would have to place them on waivers in order to send them down. Burnett pitched fairly well last year and I would imagine the Pirates hope he could eventually become a quality late inning guy. Hansen is one of the four players the Pirates received last summer in the Jason Bay trade. Though his major league numbers thus far in his young career are nothing to get excited about, the Pirates like the potential this hard-thrower has, and there is no way they would risk losing an important piece of the big trade so quickly. Donnie Veal was acquired in last fall's Rule 5 draft from the Chicago Cubs. Veal must make the team and stay on the 25 man active roster (or major league disabled list) the entire season or he must be offered back to the Cubs. The Pirates got around this last year with Evan Meek, but that doesn't always work out. Veal has no experience higher than AA, so it would be a bit of a risk carrying someone like that for the full season. However, Veal has pitched exceptionally well so far this spring. Control was the primary concern with him, but he has walked only one batter in four scoreless innings to this point.

With 6 spots essentially spoken for, this leaves but one left. None of the 6 aforementioned relievers profiles as a long relief pitcher, so the final spot will be taken by someone who fits that role. And that may end up being one of the losers in the battle for a rotation spot. I'm not sure Phil Dumatrait is healthy enough yet to get into the rotation battle, so he could be in the mix here. Chris Bootcheck is a non-roster player in camp who has pitched very well so far. For him to make the club however, another player may be exposed to waivers. Evan Meek has also pitched great, but he's more of an inning or two reliever. If there weren't such a risk in losing Veal or Hansen, he could have a good shot. Denny Bautista is in the mix too, but his talent is replaceable and he might even take an assignment to AAA to start the year. So, I'm leaning toward Dumatrait for this last spot, though if his health is an issue, Jeff Karstens could get the call as I don't really see him making the rotation unless Tom Gorzelanny can't get himself figured out.

Things could still change. There is a month until the season starts and I would not be surprised to see Grabow traded. If that happens, Burnett moves up to the top lefty reliever slot and it greatly increases the odds of Meek or Bootcheck making the team.

'09 Bullpen, says I: Matt Capps, John Grabow, Tyler Yates, Sean Burnett, Craig Hansen, Donnie Veal, Phil Dumatrait (if hurt, then Karstens)

Bucs' Domination Knows No Bounds

The Pirates defeated the WBC Netherlands team today, by a score of 5-4. Though this game does not count in the Grapefruit League standings, it does bring the Bucs' overall Spring record to 6-1. The Pirates gave most of their regulars the day off for this one. A little slap in the face for the Dutch, I'd say. Craig Monroe and Andy Phillips were the only position players used who even have an outside chance at making the big league club to start the season. The Bucs play the Twins tomorrow.

Injury News: Utility man Luis Cruz aggravated a hip injury. He is not expected to miss much time. And outfield prospect Jose Tabata has some mild rotator cuff inflammation. He's expected to rest through the weekend. (info courtesy of PBC Blog)

Relief pitcher John Grabow has been added to the United State's team for the WBC. He is replacing Brian Fuentes of the Angels, who has some personal matters to attend to. Apparently, Grabow only gets to stay on the team until Fuentes returns.

The Pirates Win Again, but Does it Matter?

The Pirates defeated the Reds today in a Spring Training match up in Bradenton, FL, by a score of 2-1. For those of us keeping track, this makes the Pirates 5-1 thus far. Though Spring Training has no direct bearing on the regular season, it is very nice to see the Bucs pitch so well in the early going. Zach Duke started today and pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and 0 walks. After Daniel McCutchen gave up 1 run, 3 hits and a walk in his two innings, 5 Pirates relievers allowed the Reds a combined 3 hits and a walk in 5 scoreless innings. Jason Jaramillo, who is competing for the backup catcher job, threw out two would-be base stealers. The offense didn't do much, aside from scoring the eventual winning run in the 8th, but not much offense was needed today. The Pirates take on the Netherlands World Baseball Classic team tomorrow.


As a Pirate fan, I can't help but cling to every morsel of good news that comes my way. Now I know that the Pirate's impressive Spring Training record thus far doesn't really mean anything, but I felt compelled nonetheless to do a little research on the matter. I compared Spring Training records versus regular season records for all teams over the last six years with the hope of spotting a trend. Granted a strong Spring start does not guarantee a strong Spring finish, so winning percentages could certainly change.

From 2003 through 2008, 91 teams had winning records in Spring Training. Of those 91, 53 would go on to post winning records in the subsequent regular season. That equates to 58%. Focusing only on the Grapefruit League, in which the Pirates play, the percentage improves to 61%. Also, in 2003, Kansas City had the best record in Spring Training and they ended up with a winning record for that year, which is quite rare for the Royals. Just last year, Tampa Bay had the best Spring record and they went to the World Series. However, only half of the past 6 World Champions had winning Springs the same year. Even the Pirates had 2 winning Springs over the past 6 years, and we know how many winning seasons followed. While this little experiment has proven inconclusive, it certainly does appear true that, more often than not, winning teams start winning before the games count.


In other news, the Post-Gazette reported today that outfield prospect Jose Tabata has some sort of shoulder injury. An MRI is scheduled and more information should be available tomorrow. My fingers are crossed.