Busy Day For The Pirates

Keeping Up With The Jones’

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed Brandon Jones off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.  Brandon Jones was DFA’ed when the Braves signed Eric Hinske.  A scouting report on Brandon Jones can be found here, and stats can be found here.

BTW Take:

Jones was dropped repeatedly by the Braves in the depth chart regardless of his readiness due to experienced players being brought into the organization.  He is an athletic and highly touted player much in the mold of many of the outfielders Huntington has acquired in his tenure.  His defense is above average and he is said to have an above average arm in the outfield.  His bat is said to be MLB ready.

While there was speculation a trade was imminent another roster move was made…

 

Steven Jackson DFA’ed

In a less than expected move, but not quite shocking, Steven Jackson was DFA’ed to make room for Jones on the 40 man roster.

BTW Take:

With the number of relievers, quality relievers at that, still available via free agency, moving Jackson off the 40 man roster should not be a surprise.  While Jackson will likely garner some attention, he has a good chance of clearing waivers when similar pitchers are still available and willing to agree to a minor league contract that does not tie up a 40 man roster slot.

When pitchers like Brian Bass and D.J. Carrasco sign minor league deals, the odds another team would take Jackson on a waiver claim seems much slimmer to me.

It is a gamble, but I would call it a calculated risk that Huntington is taking.

 

No Arbitration Hearing For Duke

The Pirates and Zach Duke avoided arbitration by agreeing to a 1 year contract valued at $4.3 M.

BTW Take:

No surprise on a 1 year deal as is customary when dealing with arbitration.  Duke was in his 2nd year of arbitration with one more remaining after this coming season. 

 

What Does This All Mean?  And Thanks For All The Fish.

I believe Jeff Clement will not be on the Opening Day roster with Pittsburgh.  It seems the recent moves point towards the Pirates wanting Clement to get a little more time playing first base in AAA before he takes the field for the Pirates at the MLB level.

With the number of outfielders on the roster, Garrett Jones can resume play at his natural position of first base.  The athleticism in the outfield with the additions of Ryan Church, Brandon Jones and rule 5 pick John Raynor.  Add those names with Young and Moss, and there isn’t much room on the 25 man roster for Clement, Garrett Jones and Steve Pearce.

It has been an interesting offseason so far, but I feel there is yet more to come after the Dotel signing is finalized.

Would the Pirates be daring enough, bold enough, even crazy enough to make a free agent signing that could spur them into the discussion for one of the most improved teams of the offseason?  Would the Pirates be willing to sign an ace?  Yes I am talking about Ben Sheets. 

Why would he sign with the Pirates and why would they try to sign him?

For Sheets:

First, the Pirates can guarantee Sheets has the chance to be on a contending team by years end.  If/when the Pirates are out of it come the trade deadline, they can move him to a contender.

Second, Sheets would have the opportunity to prove he is still ace quality and earn a large payday after the season while pitching in a less stressful environment for most of the season.  Think of it as a minor league rehab assignment while collecting a MLB paycheck and pitching against MLB hitters.

Third, if he led a staff that ended the longest losing season streak in pro sports history, he would automatically be enshrined in the Pirates Hall of Fame and become a legend in the city of Pittsburgh.

Forth, the opportunity to work with the legendary Dave Kerwin and stick it to the Brewers.

For the Pirates:

First, Sheets would provide a true ace on the staff and set up a very nice rotation of Sheets, Maholm, Ohlendorf and Duke. 

Second, it would add a player who could be traded at the deadline for a bounty of prospects or be kept and land a first round pick as a type A free agent.

Third, a signing of Sheets would raise the Pirates payroll and keep the dogs of the union and the commissioners office off the trail of not spending revenue sharing.  The Pirates do have a sizeable amount of cash still available under their self imposed salary cap they could use to lure Sheets to Pittsburgh.

Forth, it would give the fans a sense the Pirates want to win.

Will it happen, no.  Should it happen?  I believe yes.  It is a gamble considering his history of injury problems, but Huntington seems to be a gambling man based on his history of acquisitions.

 

Update: I forgot one Item

KDKA-FM as reported by the Post-Gazette.

Plenty Of Reasons

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic this season:

The Pirates starting pitchers are pitching well, pitching inside and going deep enough in the game to bypass a potentially weak middle of the bullpen.

The offense is showing they can score runs.

The defense has been solid and spectacular at times.

LaRoche’s can hit in April.  Adam is hitting .314 and Andy is hitting .250 after a very slow start.

The pitching staff has 4 shutouts.

Nyger Morgan has been phenomenal to date.

 

 

Now it is time to come back to reality…

Karstens pitches today.

Brandon Moss still has no RBI on his stat sheet.

Doumit’s MRI was inconclusive.  A CT scan is scheduled for Tuesday.

 

But for now, let’s enjoy a good start to the season and see what comes first.  A winning streak or a losing streak.

BTW News, Pirates 2009, New Young Buc

Ahhh!

Yesterday, my youngest son had surgery to remove adenoids and to have tubes put in his ears.  Everything went well and he is doing very well.  As a parent you have a tendency to be distracted when your child is about to have an operation, no matter how minor.  Just the thought of your child going under is a scary proposition, no matter how many times you have been through it.  Needless to say, holding him in the recovery room made a huge weight be lifted from my mind.

 

Pirates 2009:

While sitting in recovery holding Nicky as he slept, my mind started wandering back to baseball and the Pirates.  The 4-3 start to the 2009 season is a good thing, like that is breaking news. 

My biggest interest going forward is what will happen first.

You see, I have a belief that it is easier to stay above .500 than it is to get back to .500.  When trying to recover lost ground, teams always seem to press because of a tangible goal of .500.  When a team gets close, then fails, the pressure keeps building.

Failing to reach .500 for a young team, such as the Pirates, seems to always have a snowball affect, more like an avalanche.  When they get close but come a win or two away from the mark, as we have seen a few times in the last 16 years, the team seems to always have that losing streak right then.

A team that is over .500 can endure a losing streak and still not worry of a tangible goal they are failing to achieve, as long as they stay above .500.

So what I am looking for is what happens first.  Do the Pirates have a long winning streak or long losing streak?  If they can attain a long winning streak first, that will go a long way towards breaking the 16 year spiral we as fans have endured.

As for players so far, here are a few things I have noticed:

• Brandon Moss seems to be a little faster than last year, I have been impressed with the speed he has shown so far.  While not blazing speed, he has been impressive none the less.
• Staying with Moss, he has yet to earn a RBI.  A somewhat distressing fact.
• Was I wrong on Nyjer Morgan?  He has been a catalyst for this team with the bat and with his speed and toughness.  He is doing a lot of little things right that have plagued him in the past.  A couple example are breaking up a double play to keep the inning going just prior to Doumit's grand slam.  Another example was taking out the catcher on an excellent hip check from his youth.  While he didn't need to make contact, the play was closer than it appeared as the ball was on it's way home.
• Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson both look like they want to stay in Pittsburgh.  Each has been fantastic, maybe no more so than the fantastic double play they turned against the Reds.
• Zach Duke looks as if he has turned back the clock, or at least hit the same point that Maholm did a year and a half ago.  He seems to be trusting his pitches again and is pitching to all parts of the plate.
• With Maholm, Duke and Ohlendorf all pitching well, getting Snell to stay in a groove rather than grooving too many pitches will be a big hurdle for Russell and Kerrigan to clear.  If Snell finds himself again, the bullpen may not be an issue as they will not be used often.

I fear the warm and fuzzy sensation I have been having about the Pirates, too many times in has turned into a stomach virus the last 16 years.

 

New Young Buc:

The Pirates have acquired Delwyn Young from the Dodgers for two PTBNL.  Look for Luis Cruz to be demoted after Young arrives in Pittsburgh.  Young will likely be used as a utility player who can play outfield and most infield positions save 1B.

BTW Take:

Cruz was on the roster due to Bixler becoming a prospect again in spring training.   This move allows the Pirates to have a bat on the bench, rather than just a glove.  It doesn't make perfect sense, since Young has not played 2B in two years. 

Random March Madness

Pitt was doing well enough in the tournament, I did not want to jinx them with my posting.  Call it my superstitious side, call it the baseball player in me reemerging.  Call it whatever you will, I had to step back from the keyboard for a couple days, and they won both.  The old rule, don't mess with a streak.

Unfortunately, I am back now.  On to the Madness...Random that is:

How's this for a 180:

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Jack Wilson have begun discussions for a contract extension.  Apparently Wilson has initiated the discussions.

BTW Take:

Did I miss something?  For the last few years Wilson has been making statements on how he would retire after his contract was up.  Now he is initiating discussions for an extension?  Personally, I would be a little annoyed with Wilson.  He has basically undermined trade discussions with his talk of retirement.  Now he wants to continue playing.  I can't blame the guy for wanting to stay in Pittsburgh, it is a great city to live in and I miss it dearly. 

Could there be more to it?

Might Wilson be looking at the team as actually being close in the next couple years?  Might he be showing faith in the direction Huntington is going?  Considering how well the rotation has done this spring.  Considering the stars of the Pirates future (McCutchen, Tabata, Alvarez) are very close.  Thinking Andy LaRoche is ready to show what he can do.  Might all those things add up to Wilson having faith in the direction?  Might he see an end to the humiliation, and end to the streak?

Maybe?  Or Jack is full of it and just wants another payday.  You decide.

 

WBC Should Be WBC:

I have an idea for the World Baseball Classic.  Change the name.  It should be the World Baseball Championship.  I want to see a true world champion determined.  No more of this country versus country crap.  Let's abbreviate it and take league champion versus league champion.  I want to see a true World Champion named.  MLB fans could cheer on their representative, Japanese League fans root for their representative.  I want to see who is the best of the best.  Make it a yearly event.  Make a true World Champion!

 

Rumor Update:

My last post was on a rumor of the Pirates hunting for someone for the rotation.  The next day the Ohman rumors started kicking up again.  Now they can be tied together.  If the Pirates can land Ohman, they will be trying to move Burnett to land a fifth starter off the waiver wire heap.  There are going to be quite a few casualties of the 25 man roster in coming days, the Pirates are scouring the wire for a target.

As a side note, I have heard Walkers name in some rumors surrounding the starting rotation, as trade bait not a position switch.

 

Wily Mo No Mo':

The Nationals released Wily Mo Pena.  Please Neal Huntington, look away from the shiny object like Wily Mo looks away from the ball on defense.

 

McCutchen, Tabata, Alvarez:

This spring, all three have shown they are nearly ready.  Look for Alvarez to finish the year in Indianapolis, he should fly through the system in quick order.  Tabata and McCutchen should be in Pittsburgh and soon. 

 

Left Field:

While Nyger Morgan is a fun and energetic guy, he does not belong on a MLB roster at this time.  It is a certainty that McCutchen will not be starting in left to start the season, more of a business of baseball thing than a baseball decision.  This leaves a few candidates for the starting job: Monroe, Salazar, Jones and Hinske.  A platoon may be in order for Monroe and Hinske.  But my money, if I were to bet, is still on Salazar.  Salazar can play better D than either Monroe or Hinske and is no slouch with the bat either.  Jones is the wildcard, I have liked what I have seen of him and he just seems to have that little something extra.  That something that it is hard to put a finger on.

 

Fifth Of Starter:

Ohlendorf has locked up the fourth starter sot in the rotation.  As mentioned earlier, the front office is not happy with the competition for the fifth starter spot and are looking to fill from outside the franchise. 

 

Jaramillo:

It was made official, Jaramillo was named backup to Doumit.  Diaz was sent to Indy.  I look at this more along the lines of wanting to get the better all around guy some more playing time.  Jaramillo is obviously better with a glove and arm, but Diaz has impressed with the bat.  If Doumit goes down for an extended period, look for Diaz to get called up and step into the starter role.

 

BTW:

It is great to be back writing again, I wish my superstition would have won Pitt the championship.  Anyhow, Jon with his beast of the east entry is leading a pitiful pack of prognosticators in the BTW Bracket Challenge.  It is not a pretty sight.

 

In my Sportsocrocy  Mock Celebrity Bracket, I still have a good chance of winning.  I need a win out of Michigan St and North Carolina today and it is nearly locked up.

Pirates Win, Moss Injured

The Pirates get good pitching, poor base running, and an Adam LaRoche sighting.  The bigger news of the day was the injured thumb of right fielder Brandon Moss. 

Moss was injured in the second inning while attempting to catch a Michael Cuddyer triple to right.

Moss is scheduled for an MRI on the thumb Saturday night in Bradenton.

BTW Take:

Depending on the extent of the injury, remember what a damaged ligament did for Andy LaRoche last year, a position in right may have just opened up to start the season.  It could be interesting who would fill that spot.  McCutchen would be an interesting choice, he as made some good contact this spring, he just has nothing to show for it average wise.  The Pirates likely would go a different route, to save on service time with McCutchen.

Craig Monroe is likely on the team anyhow, for no other reason than having a right handed bat.

Jeff Salazar and Steve Pearce are the two players who could reap the greatest benefit if the injury sidelines Moss for any extended period of time.  Salazar is the better defender of all but McCutchen.  Pearce and Monroe are the bigger bats.  Pearce needs to work at first, to step in after Adam LaRoche is moved later in the season.  My money is on Salazar in a platoon with Monroe if Moss is to miss any significant time. 

LaWhiff

Ah, it truly is baseball season, almost.  After reading Dejan Kovacevic's piece on Steve Pearce in the Post-Gazette today, I casually started looking at spring stats for our 6-1 Pittsburgh Pirates.

I damn near choked at this stat line.

Avg - .167, OBP - .167, SLG - .167, Ab -12, SO -8, R- 0, RBI -0

Yes, it looks like Adam LaRoche is in Mid-May form.  Really, that is correct, EIGHT strike outs in 12 at bats.  He has two, count them, two hits.  Both were singles.  He has not drawn a base on balls.  The only time he has touched the plate is during his walk back to the dugout after striking out.  The bright spot, of the four balls he has put in play, fifty percent have been for base hits.

Now, rounding back to the Pearce article, HOW can the Pirates not find playing time for Pearce in Pittsburgh?  Especially early in the season during LaRoche's down time.

With so many unknown quantities coming into the year such as Morgan, Moss, Andy LaRoche, Ohlendorf, Karstens and half the bullpen.  In addition, at some point in the season we will likely see McCutchen and Tabata.  What would it hurt to add one more unknown to the list in Pearce?

If the Pirates can find a taker, and get anything of value in return, trading LaRoche early in the season or during spring may be the best move they could make.  This is a year of discovery for so many players.  Why not take the chance and see if Pearce is also ready for his shot?  

 

Five Questions:

In case you missed the Five Questions installment yesterday, I recommend you take the time to read it.  It is a very good read and well worth the time.  I must say, it is easier to ask questions and have someone else write the post for you.  Thanks Jen, that was a great series of answers. 

Notes From Bloggers In Bradenton

Jennifer Langosch from By Gosh, It’s Langosch and Pirates.com has some updates from reporting day on her blog.  Of note:

15 position players have already arrived.  She has exceptions listed if interested.

No word yet on visa problems.

Dumatrait threw three sessions of 25 throws from 150 feet.

Moss took some BP and said he was cleared to do everything he usually would do this time of year.  He will wear a knee brace during practice but not games.

She will have some updates over the weekend on both injuries.

BTW Take:

It is good to see so many position players already in camp.  Even better is the news on Moss, if he is already cleared to perform normal baseball duties, barring a setback, he will be ready for opening day.

Another bright spot is Dumatrait and his throwing session.  Apparently the recommended time off after his visit to Dr. Andrews has paid off well.

 

Chuck Finder from the Post-Gazette has a similar report, but also has some info on Pedro Alvarez being not in "shape shape, but baseball shape".

BTW Take:

Apparently baseball shape is round like a baseball.  Pedro needs to spend some of his unearned cash on some Nutri-System.  Maybe Mike Golic can get his a good deal or an endorsement deal.  Lord knows Pedro may have a problem coming up with enough cash to pay for the system.

 

Donate:

I will be walking in the MDA Stride and Ride locally. Please sponsor me in my Stride and Ride Walk for MDA at https://www.joinmda.org/srcoralvilleia09/dharr18. Every dollar is appreciated.

 

BTW Break:

I may not have a post up tomorrow, we will be celebrating Nicky and Alex’s birthday.  If I do post, it will be a late night special, after the sugar ebb has worn off on the boys and they pass out.  Oh, it might be nice to spend some “quality” time with my wife on the Hallmark Holiday of Valentines Day.  I can’t wait for March 14th, that is a holiday I can get behind.  (Link not safe for kids)

Andy LaRoche IS The Future Of The Pittsburgh Pirates.

When it pertains to 2009 performance, who would you say is the most important player on the Pirates current roster as it pertains to the future look of the team?

Quite possibly, that player is Andy LaRoche.

Depending on LaRoche’s progress and his ability to establish himself as the everyday third baseman for the Pirates many players could be affected as to their future with the team.

Let us take a look at how these players futures could change if Andy LaRoche does establish himself as a Major League third baseman:

Pedro Alvarez - With LaRoche established as the Pirates third baseman, the 2008 first round selection of the Pirates could be moved to first base.  Look for Alvarez to play some first base in A ball and more as he progresses through the system in 2009.  The more he plays first, the more likely Andy LaRoche has established himself as the Pirates third baseman of the present and future.

Adam LaRoche - Big brother Adam, regardless of his production in April and May, will likely be traded before the trade deadline.  If he does make it through to the end of 2009, he will become a free agent.  I look for Huntington to move him when his value is his highest, right after he starts heating up in June.

Neil Walker - Walker, who was moved from catcher to third, should expect to move to a corner outfield spot.  He is the most athletic of the Pirates third base prospects and started to show some of the power expected from him in 2008.  I'd expect Walker to move to right field, as he has a strong arm and right field is the easier position for 81 games a year playing at PNC Park.  Another possibility is second base.

Andrew McCutchen - Prior to McLouth establishing himself in center, McCutchen was looked at as the next Pirates center fielder.  After Bay was traded, McCutchen was looked at as the Pirates next left fielder.  With Walker likely tabbed for right field and Tabata likely slated for left field, McCutchen is once again the Pirates center fielder of the future.  He may arrive as a left fielder until...

Nate McLouth - With long term contract talks stalled, look for McLouth to be traded at the deadline, or in the offseason, if LaRoche has established himself at third.  McCutchen would then slide over from left field with Nyger Morgan moving back into left...

Jose Tabata - Morgan would likely man left field until Tabata was deemed ready for the jump.  Look for Tabata to be a call up, if he is ready, at the trade deadline.  Also, look for the McLouth trade to happen only when Tabata is ready.

Brandon Moss - Moss, acquired in the Bay trade, will man right field until Walker is ready and seasoned.  If Moss establishes himself as an everyday player, Walker gets relegated to super sub status or forces Walker to play second base.

Freddy Sanchez - Second is the only other position that Walker could potentially play.  Depending on Sanchez's health and if he regains his stroke that earned him a batting title, second may be a reach for the near term for Walker.  At the same time, Sanchez could be shopped on the open market.

Nyger Morgan - Nyger will be the filler player.  Until a player is ready, he will see significant playing time.  He will remain as the Pirates 5th outfielder for the foreseeable future.  His speed is what will keep him on the roster.  His bat and poor routes to the ball on defense is what will keep him as a reserve at best.

By my count, that is nine players whose fortunes could change if Andy LaRoche establishes himself as the everyday Pirates third baseman.  There are easily more scenarios that could plan out, but these are the most likely.  The performance of Morgan, Moss, Walker and Sanchez will determine their roles.  The timing of moves pertaining to McCutchen and Tabata depend on their development speed and when they are deemed ready.  Another factor is how well Walker can adjust to yet another position, but he would still be making that move if Alvarez is kept as a third baseman.

Andy LaRoche, in 2009, is the key to the look of the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates, at least in my eyes.  At the least, the view of six positions could change if Andy LaRoche is the real deal.

 

If Andy Fails:

If Andy LaRoche struggles and fails, the scenarios all change.

Pedro Alvarez – Still would be considered the Pirates third baseman of the future, Walker is the only one stopping him from claiming the position.

Adam LaRoche – The Pirates could look to sign a long term deal to keep Adam in the black and gold.  If it does not work out, there is always …

Neil Walker – Could still be viewed as a potential candidate for third or first.  His position switch could add yet another position being first base.  You could effectively take outfield off the list since the outfield would already be four deep.  Super-sub could once again be his destination depending on Adam LaRoche.

Steve Pearce – Yet another name thrown in the mix, he plays first and right.  He could be the first baseman of the future, if he can get his bat working at the MLB level.

Brandon Moss – Depending on his performance, he could keep the right field job without much in the line of competition  until Tabata is ready at which time he slides into the fourth outfielder role.

Nate McLouth – His trade scenario is significantly changed.  McLouth would own an outfield spot as long as he is on the roster.

Jose Tabata – Rather than looking for a job in left, right now becomes his destination and he is likely kept in AAA a little longer to better prepare himself.

Andrew McCutchen – His roll becomes a left fielder as long as McLouth is still on the roster.

Freddy Sanchez – Could still be shopped, but the need to find a position for Walker is subsided and forcing Walker to a job at second is minimized.

Nyger Morgan – When Tabat, McCutchen and McLouth are the starting outfielders and Moss is the fourth outfielder, Morgan has little value on the team and become trade bait or an organizational player.

 

If you ask Neal Huntington, he would prefer to have these issues as opposed to constantly looking for players to fill out the roster.  Problems that would be created by Andy LaRoche succeeding are the problems GM’s love to have. 

Here’s to hoping Andy LaRoche succeeds and gives Neal Huntington headaches of a good nature in 2009 and beyond.

 

Addition:

Something I thought of after I submitted the post.  Anyone trying to project a lineup beyond 2009 needs to look no further than their outlook for Andy LaRoche.  I hope I am not putting any additional pressure on Andy, so Andy please forgive me if I do.  I am hoping someday a site will be called “Where Have You Gone Andy LaRoche” because you have earned a place in Pirates lore.

Sorry Pat for snagging a naming idea.  I have also finally updated your link.

 

Discussion:

Over at The Buccos Forum we have a discussion going on this topic.

http://www.thebuccosforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1234117540

 

Donate:

I will be walking in the MDA Stride and Ride locally. Please sponsor me in my Stride and Ride Walk for MDA at https://www.joinmda.org/srcoralvilleia09/dharr18. Every dollar is appreciated.

Info To Help Round Out The 25 Man Roster

Here are the Pittsburgh Pirates who are out of options in 2009:

Phil Dumatrait

Sean Burnett

Craig Hansen

Tyler Yates

Andy LaRoche

Brandon Moss

We already know LaRoche and Moss are heading north.  Dumatrait will probably start the year on the DL, thus earning some time in Indy.  Hansen, Yates and Burnett will eat up 3 of the bullpen slots.

 

Keep this post tucked aside as you try to put together your 25 man roster.

 

Donate:

I will be walking in the MDA Stride and Ride locally. Please sponsor me in my Stride and Ride Walk for MDA at https://www.joinmda.org/srcoralvilleia09/dharr18. Every dollar is appreciated.

 

Slide Note:

Hopefully I will have another few minutes or the rest of the Huntington interview done tomorrow.

Salary Cap And More.

Many of the following links are courtesy of http://www.ballbug.com/:

 

Nady Out:

The Yankees are shopping Xavier Nady.  The Yankees have targeted two pitcher, Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang.  The Reds however are hesitant to trade either for a player set to be a free agent after 2009.

BTW Take:

The Pirates looked for prospects for Nady, and got a slew of mid-tier prospects and Jose Tabata.  The Yankees are looking for established starting pitching in return.  Don't look for the Pirates to be in the discussion, unless Duke can land Nady or Nady is released from pinstripes.  It is kind of funny how the economics of baseball works.  The Yankees buy, buy, buy while other teams try to build from within.  The only need the Yankees have for a farm system is so they have players to trade that do not make $20M a season.

It is hard for me not to expect MLB to confront the union in 2011 for a salary cap.

 

Segway...

 

Salary Cap:

In the PG's Hot Stove Report Dejan states what seems the obvious.  The Pirates are in favor of a salary cap.  Coonelly is quoted in the article.

BTW Take:

See, told ya so...

 

Losing Chic?:

Squawking Baseball has a nice piece up entitled "Has Losing Become Chic?"

BTW Take:

Interestingly enough, the Pirates are a key portion of the article, as well as the Devil Rays.  They make a good point of having to be bad to be good in smaller markets.  I don't necessarily agree.  After 16 seasons of losing the Pirates should already have started a decade of dominance rather than another rebuilding project.

 

The Buccos Forum:

We have a few good discussion topics started at The Buccos Forum. 

First is a discussion on what Pirate players could be sleepers.  My three players I see as being potential break through players are Walker, Bixler and Salazar.  Drop in and give your opinions.

The second topic is on who the odd man out will be between Moss and Morgan.  There is a poll involved in the discussion, so make sure you vote and defend your decision.  I wish there was a choice for both being the odd man out, but my selection is Morgan.  The only reason I can see him getting a significant amount of playing time would be to showcase him in an eventual trade.  Hopefully he can hit enough to outshine his poor angles he takes on defense.  His speed is enticing, until he runs and slides past the bag.  Also, I see the Pirates making a major play at Baldelli with McCutchen getting an early season call up.  Likely that sends Moss to the bench and Morgan back to Indianapolis. 

Non-Tendered and Possible Pirate Targets

Here is a link to the non-tendered players:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=3766373

 

The three guys I'd like to see as possible targets are:

Willy Taveras -The Pirates have gone a long time without a speedy leadoff guy.  I don't count Duffy in this since he never really established himself in MLB.  Plopping Taveras in CF with McLouth in LF and Moss in RF makes a decent offensive outfield.  Defense could be poor though.  This would also buy a little more time for McCutchen in Indy.

Aaron Miles - IF the Pirates are actually looking at moving Sanchez, this is a good target for them.  The other option is getting Miles and sending Freddy back to 3B.

Tkashi Saito - If his new age medicine works, this is a guy who would solidify the late innings in Pittsburgh.  Saito in the 8th, Capps in the 9th.  That should take some strain off the starters from having to go 7 to feel safe with a lead.

With a first 3 in the Lineup of Taveras, Miles and McLouth the team is in good shape for small ball and good speed at the top of the order.  Sanchez could also bat second if he played 3B. 

If McCutchen can take away an outfield spot, Taveras could slide to left and McLouth moves to right.  While the team would lack power, it could be a very aggressive lineup on the base paths.  I am thinking along the line of St. Louis in the Coleman days.

If Huntington was sincere in saying McCutchen will be on the roster at some point in the season, a possible lineup of the following could produce some RBI chances and a few interesting games.

Lineup:
McCutchen, CF
Taveras, LF
Sanchez, 3B
Doumit, C
McLouth, RF
LaRoche, 1B
Miles, 2B
Wilson, SS
Pitcher, P

Just a drunken thought, that's all.

New Name for Left Field

Open thread, although they are all open...

 

Make your nomination in the comments or the forum to rename the left field bleachers now that Bay is traded:

 

My nomination is....

The Moss Pit

 

I'll get some voting up for the ones I think are the best.

 

Visit the BTW Forum to discuss this post.

Register for the forum here:
http://forum.bucstradewinds.net/index.cgi?action=register

BTW QA

A question from Rick:
How do you see the Bucs OF shaping up next year? With McClouth, McCutchen, Moss and Pearce, someone seems to be on the outside looking in. I'm betting Pearce gets the shaft again. What say you?

I've been thinking about that, for most of the 10 hour drive to WV.
I can see one of two things happening:
McCutchen spends another year seasoning in Indianapolis, he has been quite streaky this year.

or...

Pearce is moved back to first. McCutchen takes over in left with Moss moving to right. I have a hunch that Huntington will try to move Adam LaRoche over the winter. He and Andy should savor their time together this season.


And one from Eric:
When is someone in this Organization going to understand NO MITT Doumit is NOT A CATCHER!!!!!!!!!

He missed 3 pitches last night & costs the Pitchers who knows how many strikes by not knowing how to catch pitches or Is incapable of doing it.

Doumit's struggles last night were more to do with Hererra crossing him up than Doumit not being able to play catcher.
One thing with Hererra, he has a ton of movement on his pitches, so much so he rarely knows where they are going. I think this movement stems from his loss of velocity since he left Cuba. If he ever regains that speed, he will regain some of his control.


Only 5 days until I head back to Iowa...Then back to normal posting with pregame vitals.

ESPN Analysts: "WOW!", Bay Traded to Boston.

The Pirates have traded Jason Bay for Brandon Moss, Craig Hansen, Andy LaRoche and Avery Bryan Morris in a three team deal with the Dodgers and Red Sox. 

 

Scouting reports from Sox Prospects:

Craig Hansen: Age 24

Hansen's fastball has historically topped out in the high 90s, and he consistently hit the mid-90s. In 2008, he's been sitting more around 92 mph.  He also possesses an excellent high-80s slider, which has been somewhat of a mystery -- sometimes its absolutely dominant and other times it just isn't there.   A fierce competitor who has struggled with adversity early in his professional career.  Seems to have the tools to be a successful major league closer, just needs to work on his confidence and composure on the mound.  Struggles with getting behind early in counts.  When he gets first pitch strikes, he can be dominant. Had surgery in December 2007 to correct sleep apnea.  All in all,  if Hansen can get his slider going on a regular basis, he is an MLB-caliber reliever.

Baseball Cube Stats

Brandon Moss: Age 24

Athletic outfielder with a very strong arm.  Excellent approach at the plate - good swing with a refined power and on base ability.  Hits to all fields.  Slightly above average speed for a right fielder. Solid in the field.  Tough competitor.  Fantastic teammate and individual who takes joy in playing the game.  Moss possesses a good mental approach to the game, able to evaluate his mistakes while still not harping on them.  Moss began a transition to becoming a part-time 1B in late 2007, and he's handled it rather smoothly.

Baseball Cube Stats 

 

Andy LaRoche: Age 24

Batted a combined .315 (136-for-432) with 27 doubles, 19 home runs and 81 RBI in 127 games at Double-A Jacksonville (62) and Triple-A Las Vegas (55). Had 19 multiple-hit games at Las Vegas, hitting safely in 40 of 55 games.

Baseball Cube stats

Avery Bryan Morris: Age 21

Not sure if this is the right guy or not.  And another Link.  Drafted in 2006

The 6-3, 200-pound RHP has a plus fastball and a power curve. Moreover, the freshman recorded 122 Ks in 88 IP (12.48 K/9) and induced nine groundouts (and only two flyouts) in that Hiwasee shutout last month. He was drafted in the third round by the Devil Rays out of high school last June. The two sides supposedly agreed on a $1.3 million bonus that greatly exceeded the slot money, but the deal was never consummated due to an inability on the part of ownership to pull the trigger. Morris chose to attend Motlow State and join his Dad, who is the assistant coach, for one year.

Baseball Cube stats

 

BTW Take:

I am quite impressed with the players bio's I have seen.  Huntington seems to gone above and beyond on this deal. 

The shocking thing is Andy LaRoche in the deal when Alvarez was drafted by the Pirates in the first round.  Alvarez can play 1B also, so Andy and Adam may not have a large window of opportunity to play together on the same team.  Then again, this may entice Adam to resign with the Pirates.

Moss may report directly to the Pirates, rather than McCutchen as originally expected when Bay was rumored to be traded.

 

More Later...

Almost forgot...The Pirates now have a stocked minor league system.  Nice Job Neal Huntington.