40 Man – Around The Corners

First
The options at 1st base are somewhat limited.  Steve Pearce had a chance last season to show he was capable of being an everyday MLB 1B, unfortunately his bat has yet to show above AAA.  His career BA is .237 in 378 PA’s with 8 HR’s. 

The next option is Jeff Clement, a converting catcher.  He has some experience, 28 games, playing 1B in the minors.  Hardly enough to consider him a seasoned player.  At the MLB level, he is a career .237 hitter with a limited sample size of 243 AB’s with 7 HR’s.

Comparing Pearce and Clement is like comparing two peas from the same pod.  Both have limited MLB at bats batting .237.  The HR numbers are very similar as well.  The only real difference?  Pearce has much more experience through the minors as a 1B.

Which leads me to who I am picking to start the season at 1B, not a shocker at all.  Garrett Jones and his .276 BA with 23 career home runs.  I want to emphasize start the season.

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.

Looking Ahead Is Interesting

The Pirates web site is running an article about Brian Bixler, Perry Hill calls him the most improved player on the team.  Hill has worked with Bixler this spring on getting into better position and shortening his arm movement on throws.  From what little I have seen of Bixler this spring, he is starting to look like the guy I saw in college games.

When the Pirates drafted him in the second round, I was quite happy.  I have always though he was the better prospect between he and Brent Lillibridge who was traded in the Adam LaRoche deal.

I have had discussions at The Buccos Forum about whether Bixler would be a good MLB shortstop.  I say he will be, most players struggle on their first trip to the majors.  One of the responses I received was that is true with the bat, but it shouldn’t be with the glove.

While that is somewhat true, Bixler developed some bad habits since turning pro.  Somewhere he picked up the idea it was better to get rid of the ball quick rather than having the good form he showed in college.  That bad habit led to many throws with his weight on his back foot, causing the ball to sail, thus so many throwing errors.

Reading the article had me thinking about what the Pirates may look like towards the end of 2009, especially after September call-ups.  Barring injury, the entire infield could have a distinctly different look as well as an overhaul in the outfield. 

Bixler and Ford could be playing up the middle. 

Pearce could be manning first, or Andy could be moved across the diamond to take the place of big brother.

Walker or Alvarez could be playing third, or either may have a first baseman's mitt on.   I fully expect Alvarez to destroy A ball pitching and be in Altoona quickly.  The way he has looked this spring, he could make Indy by July.

Tabata and McCutchen could be manning the corners in the outfield.

Bottom line, by the end of 2009, we could be seeing the Pirates team for the next three or more years taking the field.

That makes this 2009 season even more interesting in my book.

Which lead to the poll on the right asking, “Which Pirate will be the first to be traded?”

 

BTW March Madness:

The time is coming for March Madness. As in past years, BTW is running a March Madness Pool. I am working on a gift certificate deal that will go to the winner of the bracket.  More details to come, but it will be at least a $20 gift certificate if things pan out.  Join other BTW readers, The Buccos Forum regulars and random bloggers from around the interweb in an intense battle for March Madness Supremacy!!!

Here is the Link:

http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joinprivategroup_assign_te...

IF it requests a password: pirates

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. 

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.

Hall, A Tribute and Some Links

After a couple of difficult days at work Thursday and Friday, I needed a couple days to get my brain back to a semi-gelatinous form.  Thank God for Mondays....aack!  Nevertheless I am back at the keyboard to rant at BTW.

Hall:

To me there are certain criteria that make a Hall Of Famer.  Statistics do not always tell the tale.  There are those players that irregardless of their stats, you know they are destined to be inducted.

They are the players that simply stand out in a crowd.  They throw no hitters like no one else.  They are Nolan Ryan.

They are the player you don't want to face with runners on base.  They are Dave Winfield and Jim Rice, congratulations.

They are players you love to hate and would walk with the bases loaded in a 2 run game because you don't want them to beat you.  They are Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez.

They are guys with nicknames that symbolize their prominence.  They are Mr. October Reggie Jackson and Big Unit Randy Johnson.

They are players you never want on base.  They are Ricky Henderson, congratulations.

They are players who symbolize the city they represent.  They are Maz, Pops, Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn.

They are players who can carry a team with one arm.  They are Albert Pujols.

They are players you want on your team, but hate when they play for anyone else.  They are Pete Rose and Dave Parker.

They are players who throw complete games when your team needs it the most.  They are Bert Blyleven.

They are players who have the stats and a surgery named after them.  They are Tommy John.

They are players everyone should emulate and the world would be a better place.  They are Roberto Clemente.

Why can't the writers association simply sit back and see who deserves to be there without having to look at stats to justify why not to chose them?

 

A Tribute:

Normally I write about the Pittsburgh Pirates, but after the third quarter Sunday, I have to write something about the Steelers.  Here is my tribute to the 17 seconds San Diego had the ball in the third quarter Sunday.  I will type this entire paragraph in the time the Steelers allowed the Chargers to have the ball:

Wow, what a quarter of football.  You will never see something like that again.

(Sorry, I type slow, that took 18 seconds and I misspelled something and had to correct it.)

 

Links:

For anyone who missed this, I have to thank Dejan for the link and Tom Haudricourt for the laugh.

While I was out of action, a few bad days for the Pirates happened.  The potential ace of the staff had a setback and may be out of the mix, Pearce may be the power option for the Pirates, and the heart and soul of the team relocated.

Daniel McCutchen, the other McCutchen, will have a shot at making the rotation.  I have a feeling he will do all he can to get the nod and has the talent to live up to the spot he could earn.

And sympathies go out to another Family members family, teammates and friends.  Dave Roberts passed away Friday in West Virginia.     

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.

Trade, Sanchez, LaRoche, Pitching and Game 106

Vitals:

COLORADO ROCKIES (48-58)	RHP Valerio De Los Santos (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 2008 Debut
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (48-57)	RHP IAN SNELL (3-8, 6.10 ERA)
Game Time	7:05 EDT
XM	XM 185
TV	FSN

Trade Comment:

While I have said I like the trade of Marte and Nady and what the return is, I have not gone into why I liked the trade.  Finally I will attempt to put it into words.

What was the one thing that has plagued the Pirates this season?  Anyone would answer that as poor pitching.  More directly, the lack of options in the minors.  This trade brought in two pitchers with some major league experience.  The third pitcher, McCutchen, is one that has all the pitches to be successful and has climbed through the minors in 3 seasons.  McCutchen was drafted at age 23.  Don't take too much out of his first start for the Indians, he drove overnight to get to the game only to find out he would be starting that night.

Add in the fact an outfielder, Tabata, with nearly unlimited potential was in the deal.  The return helps the team now and in the future.

What did we give up in the deal?  An outfielder in  Nady that is in the midst of a career season unlikely to be replicated.  I like Nady, but in all honesty he is a .280 hitter with 15-20 HR power who could play 140 games for the team (knowing his luck with injuries).  He is a useful player on a contending team but he is not a star.  The Pirates will likely see similar numbers from Pearce with better power numbers and hopefully better health. 

Marte has been tabbed as a lefty specialist, although he has performed well against righties this year.  He is a quality reliever, but the Pirates need more quality arms in the system in general, something they did receive in this trade.

In all likelihood this trade has actually helped the team move forward this year and in the future by getting some young talent to Pittsburgh in Pearce and has added depth to a starting rotation that had no options in the Minors to speak of.

What is not to like?  The Yankees acquired a platoon player (for the Yankees) in Nady and a lefty specialist (for the Yankees) in Marte for one of their top position prospects and 3 useful arms.

Overall, I would say the deal is a good one for the Pirates in the long term and helps the Yankees this year and maybe next.

Sanchez and LaRoche Injured:

Doug Mientkiwicz and Chris Gomez will be starting at 1B and 2B tonight against Colorado after both Sanchez and LaRoche injured their backs in the finale against the Padres Sunday.

Maholm:

Paul Maholm matched up well against one of the better pitchers in the National League.  Maholm may not be an ace, but for now he is pitching like one.  Jeff Andrews deserves a lot of credit for his turn around this year, considering the flack he is taking for the performance of the other pitchers.  The flack he is receiving, I feel is unjust. 

Gorzy has hit a sophmore slump.  Both he and Snell were overused last season by Tracy.  This could have been a fun year for Pirates fans, if Tracy and crew knew how to handle a young staff last season.

Davis and Karstens:

Jason Davis has been added to the 25 man roster while JVB has been demoted to Indianapolis and has been placed in their Bullpen.

Jeff Karstens will be taking JVB's spot in the rotation and will start either Friday or Sunday in Chicago.

Links:

Dejan has an article worth reading on the remaining Pirates top 10 Draft picks.  It looks like well over 30 players from this draft could be signed by the August 15th deadline.

Visit the BTW Forum to discuss this post.

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

Nady and Marte Traded Part Duex, Pearce Recalled, Game 104

Vitals:

SAN DIEGO PADRES (39-65)	RHP JOSH BANKS (2-4, 3.51 ERA)
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (48-55)	RHP JOHN VAN BENSCHOTEN (1-2, 8.27 ERA)
Game Time	7:05 EDT
XM	XM 185
TV	FSN

Nady And Marte to Yankees:

Well, the trade has been finalized, and it looks much better today than yesterday.  Names change and so does the outlook of the future. 

The new players involved are:

Jeff Karstens 25, R/R, RHP

Daniel McCutchen 25, R/R, RHP

Ross Ohlendorf 25, R/R, RHP

Jose Tabata 19, R/R OF

Thanks to Eric for this link to the NY Post article.

No wonder I was receiving so many conflicting reports yesterday, apparently the deal was not done until early today according to Dejan at the PG.

Scout.com has an article up outlining the new players in the Pirates system.

BTW Take:

This deal looks much better, I'll have some scouting reports up later.  McCutchen was considered untouchable over the offseason when teams discussed trades with the Yankees.  Where I was happy with the deal yesterday, I am even more so now.  There are now some power starting pitchers in the Pirates future.

Pearce:

Steve Pearce was recalled today to fill the roster spot left open by Nady.  No official word on who will fill Marte's slot, likely Ohlendorf.

 

 

Visit the BTW Forum to discuss this post.

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