A busy week for Pirates GM Niel Huntington got kick started earlier today when the Bucs shipped Jack Wilson, Ian Snell and cash to the Seattle Mariners for Jeff Clement, Ronnie Cedeno, Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin and Nathan Adcock. My first thought was Thank God. Anyone that knows me knows I was not a big Wilson backer. I loved his glove, but he is a an average major league player at best. With Snell, it was probably good to get rid of the baggage that comes along with him. He always has had the stuff, but he could never bring it out on a consistent basis. My second thought was "It looks like we got a lot for two average ball players."
The prize of the deal is Clement. He was the third overall pick in the 2005 draft and was rated the #1 overall prospect in the Seattle system after the 2006 and 2008 seasons. he is a catcher by trade, but has been seeing time at first base over the last two seasons. He has a nice bat and can hit for some power. In 92 games this season at AAA Tacoma, Clement hit .288 with 33 doubles, 14 homers and 68 RBI's. He has seen time with the Mariners and in a short stint hit .237 with 11 doubles, 7 homers and 26 RBI's. He has been assigned to AAA Indianapolis.
Cedeno will replace Wilson on the active roster and he is a similar player. A very solid glove guy with an below average bat and very little power. Sounds like Wilson. Cedeno is a solid professional though and will do all the little things a team needs. Pirates fans would remember him as a member of the Cubs, where it seemed the only team he could hit against was the Pirates.
Now a look at the 3 pitchers. Aaron Pribanic is a 22 year old right hander with a good fastball that hits the 93-95 mph range. He is said to have plus breaking stuff and throws a ton of ground balls. At A Clinton, he was 7-6 with a 3.21 ERA and has allowed only 1 homer all season, pitching in a hitters ball park. He represented the league in the All-Star game. He has been assigned to A West Virginia
Brett Lorin is also a 22 year old right hander. He is considered a strike out pitcher, currently with 87k to 22bb. His fastball is in the 90-92mph range, but is said to have a lot of life to it. he has an above average curve ball and also represented Clinton in the A All-Star game. He has also been assigned to West Virginia
Nathan Adcock is a 21 year old right hander who currently has a 3.31 era. Baseball America rated his curve ball as the best in the Seattle organization. He has been assigned to A Lynchburg.
It is a lot to get for a couple average at best major league players. that's why I am a fan of including cash in the deal. The return is worth it. The Bucs appear to be paying all but 400k of each players salary the rest of the season.
A couple comments on the deal include MLB's Jonathan Mayo, who says the Bucs got a "good haul" in the return and from Kevin Goldstein from baseball Prospectius who says "it's the best deal the Bucs have made in some time."
It won't be a popular move in Pittsburgh, as Wilson was one of the more popular players in this city over the last decade, but these kind of moves need to be made if this team will ever compete. You got a left handed power bat, a above average shortstop and 3 pitchers who are projected as MLB starters for Wilson and Snell. Wilson has missed over 175 games the last 4 seasons due to injury. That's over 1 full season. His production with the bat was really only there for one season and he could be a free agent at the end of the season if the Mariners don't pick up his option. it's another case of buying high and selling low. I'm all for that.
The only argument I'm hearing to the trade is that Jack is such a nice guy. I could care less how nice he is. Also remember that he was given an offer to stay. the offer was low, but it exceeded the production he has given and he rejected it. My philosophy has always been that nice guys don't win championships, talent does and Huntington is doing a fantastic job of adding talent to every level of the organization.
A fine job in my mind Huntington. Your not done yet though. You have more work to do. Make this a deadline that can help shape this team for the future. The Jack Wilson era is over and I couldn't be happier. While I will miss his glove, i won't miss him being a total baby and brat about everything. No longer do the Bucs have to cater to jack Wilson, and I bet the clubhouse will be a better place for it.
Keep doing it I say. Get rid of the losing culture entirely and turn the team over to the young guys. It's going to be a busy week for Huntington. I hear Freddy is next. maybe as early as tonight, following the game.
Showing posts with label Ian Snell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ian Snell. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Bucs Notebook 7-27- Trade Deadline Approching
Well, so much for playing decent baseball for ten games. The Bucs offense was damn offensive in the last two games to Arizona. Keeping up the trend of getting dominated by average and below average major league pitching, the Bucs were shutout in back to back games by the likes of Doug Davis and Max Scherzer (although I do think Scherzer will be an above average major league pitcher). The combined score in the two games 16-0. If you are keeping score at home, that's the 11th time we have been shutout already this season.
Davis is the type of crafty veteran who routinely keeps the free swing Bucs off balance and Scherzer, who has a history of reaching the 100 pitch limit by the fifth inning, made it look easy, throwing 109 pitches in 7 innings of work, 85 of them for strikes, easily his best outing of the season. It has amazed me, how the Bucs lineup has showed up to battle staff aces, with a high rate of success, but continue to drop the ball against pitchers the rest of the league do well against. They face Lincecum tonight, so things won't get any easier.
The trade deadline is rapidly approaching and I am almost sick of hearing about what the Bucs might do. I say deal them all. Get rid of anyone associated with the losing culture in Pittsburgh and turn the team over to the young guys. They won't be any worse as a ball club. The losing is like a cancer it will keep growing and poising the young guys minds. Other people close to the Pirates have also reported that the young guys want the veterans out as well. Saying the clubhouse could become divided. One anonymous Pirate even said the clubhouse has become Jack and Freddy and then everyone else. It's time to break up that marriage. So I say show Jack, Freddy, Capps, Snell and Grabow the door. Duke and Maholm are also not untouchable for me. However, we need to keep acquiring upside. Let's not get back into dealing just to deal.
The Minnesota Twins apparently have Freedy Sanchez as #1 on their wish list. The Minnesota Star also reports the deal being talked about is Sanchez for Francisco Liriano straight up. If that's the case, it should have been done last week. Liriano is another young arm I would take a shot on. The second to third year after Tommy John Surgery, pitcher statistically are back to what they once were. Do that deal.
One other team I would look at is the Angels, who could add pieces to a run at the World Series. I know I mentioned Brandon Wood on here a lot, but Sean Rodriguez would be nice also. Rodriguez (24), a great glove guy that can also hit, currently has 23 homers and 75 RBI's at AAA Salt Lake. He can play both second and short. With Macier Izturis improved play as of late and Wood still in the minors, it could be a long road to get Rodriguez to the big leagues with the Angels. He is considered big league ready. Another guy I have has my eye on with the Angels, has been outfielder Terry Evans (27), who currently has hit 22 homers with 75 RBI's and 23 SB's at Salt Lake. Evans, while a bit older could still be a guy to look at. It would be a shame to not pursue a club like the Angels, who have a ton of young talent just sitting in the minors with no where to go.
It might be a perfect situation to eat some of the departing players contracts and bring in a better return. The franchise needs the talent.
The rest of the guys, as usual this time of year have tons of rumors attached to them. It's tough to even know which ones are true, so I won't include any. We will just have to wait and see for 4 more days.
Side Notes
-Not many notes today, but one thing I found funny. Argenis Diaz, the prospect in the Adam Laroche deal, who many have said is MLB ready defensively, made his 28th error of the season yesterday. That's way too many.
- Also Virgil Vasquez should probably be taken out of the rotation. He has lost his last 5 starts and has not pitched well in four of the five outings. Why not give Gorzallany another look as a starter? He also could be dealt though
Davis is the type of crafty veteran who routinely keeps the free swing Bucs off balance and Scherzer, who has a history of reaching the 100 pitch limit by the fifth inning, made it look easy, throwing 109 pitches in 7 innings of work, 85 of them for strikes, easily his best outing of the season. It has amazed me, how the Bucs lineup has showed up to battle staff aces, with a high rate of success, but continue to drop the ball against pitchers the rest of the league do well against. They face Lincecum tonight, so things won't get any easier.
The trade deadline is rapidly approaching and I am almost sick of hearing about what the Bucs might do. I say deal them all. Get rid of anyone associated with the losing culture in Pittsburgh and turn the team over to the young guys. They won't be any worse as a ball club. The losing is like a cancer it will keep growing and poising the young guys minds. Other people close to the Pirates have also reported that the young guys want the veterans out as well. Saying the clubhouse could become divided. One anonymous Pirate even said the clubhouse has become Jack and Freddy and then everyone else. It's time to break up that marriage. So I say show Jack, Freddy, Capps, Snell and Grabow the door. Duke and Maholm are also not untouchable for me. However, we need to keep acquiring upside. Let's not get back into dealing just to deal.
The Minnesota Twins apparently have Freedy Sanchez as #1 on their wish list. The Minnesota Star also reports the deal being talked about is Sanchez for Francisco Liriano straight up. If that's the case, it should have been done last week. Liriano is another young arm I would take a shot on. The second to third year after Tommy John Surgery, pitcher statistically are back to what they once were. Do that deal.
One other team I would look at is the Angels, who could add pieces to a run at the World Series. I know I mentioned Brandon Wood on here a lot, but Sean Rodriguez would be nice also. Rodriguez (24), a great glove guy that can also hit, currently has 23 homers and 75 RBI's at AAA Salt Lake. He can play both second and short. With Macier Izturis improved play as of late and Wood still in the minors, it could be a long road to get Rodriguez to the big leagues with the Angels. He is considered big league ready. Another guy I have has my eye on with the Angels, has been outfielder Terry Evans (27), who currently has hit 22 homers with 75 RBI's and 23 SB's at Salt Lake. Evans, while a bit older could still be a guy to look at. It would be a shame to not pursue a club like the Angels, who have a ton of young talent just sitting in the minors with no where to go.
It might be a perfect situation to eat some of the departing players contracts and bring in a better return. The franchise needs the talent.
The rest of the guys, as usual this time of year have tons of rumors attached to them. It's tough to even know which ones are true, so I won't include any. We will just have to wait and see for 4 more days.
Side Notes
-Not many notes today, but one thing I found funny. Argenis Diaz, the prospect in the Adam Laroche deal, who many have said is MLB ready defensively, made his 28th error of the season yesterday. That's way too many.
- Also Virgil Vasquez should probably be taken out of the rotation. He has lost his last 5 starts and has not pitched well in four of the five outings. Why not give Gorzallany another look as a starter? He also could be dealt though
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Freddy Sanchez Pack Your Bags
It appears, Pirates fans, that Freddy Sanchez has played his last game in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform. The ever popular second baseman, who has been nursing a sore back has been the subject of plenty of trade rumors in the last couple of days. It appears the Colorado Rockies have taken the lead in the Sanchez sweepstakes, with the San Francisco Giants still in the mix. he has pretty much been removed from the team and is awaiting a final deal. Sanchez will definitely not be in the lineup during the Philadelphia series.
Sanchez's performance option will be reached this season by reaching 600 at bats, which will trigger his player option. The Bucs don't want to have to pay Sanchez the 8 plus million dollars he will be set to earn next season. If Colorado is the destination, I'm told the Bucs love Eric Young Jr. and so do I. this would make sense because the Bucs are thin up the middle throughout the organization.
Where ever the destination for Sanchez, Pirates GM Neil Huntington needs to cash in on this trade. Sanchez and reliever Matt Capps are the last two chips that can bring in a good return. Huntington can't miss with this deal. I am having a hard time figuring out why the Rocks would want Sanchez. Clint Barmes, the Rockies current second baseman has the same amount of extra base hits as Sanchez and is better defensively. One option could have the Rockies dealing Garrett Atkins for pitching and move Sanchez to third base.
This could also be an opportunity for the Bucs to package Ian Snell in a deal. After looking tremendous in two AAA starts, Snell may have a bit of trade value left and it would be a good opportunity to get rid of Snell's contract. The Rockies were one of the teams that had interest in Snell before his demotion.
With his third trade this month, Huntington assures himself to become the least popular person in the city of Pittsburgh, but it's a move the Pirates need to make to strengthen the organization.
Sanchez's performance option will be reached this season by reaching 600 at bats, which will trigger his player option. The Bucs don't want to have to pay Sanchez the 8 plus million dollars he will be set to earn next season. If Colorado is the destination, I'm told the Bucs love Eric Young Jr. and so do I. this would make sense because the Bucs are thin up the middle throughout the organization.
Where ever the destination for Sanchez, Pirates GM Neil Huntington needs to cash in on this trade. Sanchez and reliever Matt Capps are the last two chips that can bring in a good return. Huntington can't miss with this deal. I am having a hard time figuring out why the Rocks would want Sanchez. Clint Barmes, the Rockies current second baseman has the same amount of extra base hits as Sanchez and is better defensively. One option could have the Rockies dealing Garrett Atkins for pitching and move Sanchez to third base.
This could also be an opportunity for the Bucs to package Ian Snell in a deal. After looking tremendous in two AAA starts, Snell may have a bit of trade value left and it would be a good opportunity to get rid of Snell's contract. The Rockies were one of the teams that had interest in Snell before his demotion.
With his third trade this month, Huntington assures himself to become the least popular person in the city of Pittsburgh, but it's a move the Pirates need to make to strengthen the organization.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Bucco Notebook 7-6: Freddy and All-Star and More Trade Rumors
The Pirates lone representative in the 2009 MLB All-Star game will be second baseman Freddy Sanchez, marking the third time in the last four seasons that Sanchez has earned the honor. No real surprise here. Zach Duke pretty much pitched himself off the team his last two outings, so Sanchez was the only possible choice. Sanchez is hitting .316 and having a very solid season. He missed the Florida series with tightness in his back, but hopefully Sanchez will be fine to take part in the game.
Speaking of Sanchez, his name has popped up in a couple trade rumors as of late. Both the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants have expressed interest in Sanchez in the last week. The Giants have also expressed interest in Adam Laroche, but Sanchez is their top priority. Other Pirates names that have been floated out there as the trade deadline approaches within weeks have been Jack Wilson, Matt Capps and John Grabow.
Neil Huntington needs to be smart if and when he ships Sanchez. Freddy is probably the biggest chip left on the team that can help improve this team and MUST bring back good youngsters. There is nothing behind Sanchez and Wilson, so middle infield depth is a priority, preferably someone who can start with the big club next season. Capps can be had, and Huntington wants a power arm in return. One thing is for sure, the Bucs will definitely be receiving calls on all 5 players in the next few weeks.
One thing I think the Bucs should do is be willing to eat portions of each guys salary. Most teams will take on the contracts, but won't pony up top prospects in return. If the Pirates are willing to eat half of Sanchez and Wilson's salary, the return will likely be greater. Now I'm not suggesting to be stupid and pay money for no reason (Matt Morris anyone), but it can be used as a bargaining chip to acquire better players.
OTHER NOTES
-Garrett Jones has been fun to watch so far. Big time power and he has speed for a big guy. He has been up for four games and now is tied for the outfield lead in homers with 2.
- 10 out of 10 baseball experts agree that the Morgan, Burnett for Milledge and Hanrahan swap is a win for the Bucs. Selling high while buying low is a good formula for any GM.
-I love Joel Hanrahan's arm. Fastball anywhere for 94-98 with a nice slider. I'd like to see him rely on the fastball a little more and work the inner half of the plate, something Joe Kerrigan will be able to help him with.
-Any concern over Ross Ohlendorff's last outing? Fastball barely got to 90 and he had only 5 swings and misses the entire game vs. the Marlins. I hope it was just one start, because I like what Ohlendorff has given the team so far. He is a solid back end of the rotation guy.
-We still can't win on the road.
-Steve Pearce simply can't hit a breaking ball. He looks bad at the plate. it amazes me that this guy ever saw a fastball, even at AAA. I know a AAA breaking ball isn't a major league breaking ball, but his approach isn't very good.
-Ian Snell makes me sick. Another good outing at AAA Indy. Complete game shutout. I really feel he still has good stuff, maybe the best on the team. He has to find away of bringing it out at the big league level. I wanted to find out how many full counts he has had at Indy. I'm sure it wasn't 3-2 on every single batter, like we are used to. If anything, maybe this will help get his trade value back up.
- Tough decision for the Bucs as Donnie Veal must be activated by Wednesday. The guys with options left have all been pitching well. Meek, Chavez, Jackson and Karstens. Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm leaning towards Meek.
-With Doumit coming back soon, there has been talk of moving Robinson Diaz to a backup infielder role. I hope he catches the ball better in the field than he does behind the plate, but the bat is very nice still.
- Congrats to former Bucco Tim Wakefield for making his first all-star team at age 75. Maybe it's like 43 but you get the point. Very classy guy and has done the job forever. Wakefield is having a great season and it's good he was recognized.
- Bucs get Mike Hampton tonight and if they have proved anything this season, it's that they can't hit the vetern lefty. Hampton has dominated them twice and the last time out got 17 out of 18 outs on the ground.
-No update on the Sano situation. It looks as if it will come down to the Bucs or Orioles. Both clubs are waiting out the MLB investigation on Sano's true age, which is expected to be concluded sometime this week. The Bucs better get him.
-Last Note is that Charlie Morton was flat out nasty earning his first Bucco win Friday vs the Fish. Fastball was hitting 96 with that nasty curve. One hit allowed through 6. If he didn't have to sit 45 minutes through a rain delay he probably would have kept pitching.
Speaking of Sanchez, his name has popped up in a couple trade rumors as of late. Both the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants have expressed interest in Sanchez in the last week. The Giants have also expressed interest in Adam Laroche, but Sanchez is their top priority. Other Pirates names that have been floated out there as the trade deadline approaches within weeks have been Jack Wilson, Matt Capps and John Grabow.
Neil Huntington needs to be smart if and when he ships Sanchez. Freddy is probably the biggest chip left on the team that can help improve this team and MUST bring back good youngsters. There is nothing behind Sanchez and Wilson, so middle infield depth is a priority, preferably someone who can start with the big club next season. Capps can be had, and Huntington wants a power arm in return. One thing is for sure, the Bucs will definitely be receiving calls on all 5 players in the next few weeks.
One thing I think the Bucs should do is be willing to eat portions of each guys salary. Most teams will take on the contracts, but won't pony up top prospects in return. If the Pirates are willing to eat half of Sanchez and Wilson's salary, the return will likely be greater. Now I'm not suggesting to be stupid and pay money for no reason (Matt Morris anyone), but it can be used as a bargaining chip to acquire better players.
OTHER NOTES
-Garrett Jones has been fun to watch so far. Big time power and he has speed for a big guy. He has been up for four games and now is tied for the outfield lead in homers with 2.
- 10 out of 10 baseball experts agree that the Morgan, Burnett for Milledge and Hanrahan swap is a win for the Bucs. Selling high while buying low is a good formula for any GM.
-I love Joel Hanrahan's arm. Fastball anywhere for 94-98 with a nice slider. I'd like to see him rely on the fastball a little more and work the inner half of the plate, something Joe Kerrigan will be able to help him with.
-Any concern over Ross Ohlendorff's last outing? Fastball barely got to 90 and he had only 5 swings and misses the entire game vs. the Marlins. I hope it was just one start, because I like what Ohlendorff has given the team so far. He is a solid back end of the rotation guy.
-We still can't win on the road.
-Steve Pearce simply can't hit a breaking ball. He looks bad at the plate. it amazes me that this guy ever saw a fastball, even at AAA. I know a AAA breaking ball isn't a major league breaking ball, but his approach isn't very good.
-Ian Snell makes me sick. Another good outing at AAA Indy. Complete game shutout. I really feel he still has good stuff, maybe the best on the team. He has to find away of bringing it out at the big league level. I wanted to find out how many full counts he has had at Indy. I'm sure it wasn't 3-2 on every single batter, like we are used to. If anything, maybe this will help get his trade value back up.
- Tough decision for the Bucs as Donnie Veal must be activated by Wednesday. The guys with options left have all been pitching well. Meek, Chavez, Jackson and Karstens. Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm leaning towards Meek.
-With Doumit coming back soon, there has been talk of moving Robinson Diaz to a backup infielder role. I hope he catches the ball better in the field than he does behind the plate, but the bat is very nice still.
- Congrats to former Bucco Tim Wakefield for making his first all-star team at age 75. Maybe it's like 43 but you get the point. Very classy guy and has done the job forever. Wakefield is having a great season and it's good he was recognized.
- Bucs get Mike Hampton tonight and if they have proved anything this season, it's that they can't hit the vetern lefty. Hampton has dominated them twice and the last time out got 17 out of 18 outs on the ground.
-No update on the Sano situation. It looks as if it will come down to the Bucs or Orioles. Both clubs are waiting out the MLB investigation on Sano's true age, which is expected to be concluded sometime this week. The Bucs better get him.
-Last Note is that Charlie Morton was flat out nasty earning his first Bucco win Friday vs the Fish. Fastball was hitting 96 with that nasty curve. One hit allowed through 6. If he didn't have to sit 45 minutes through a rain delay he probably would have kept pitching.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Bucs Notebook 6-29
I like what I have seen the last week from the Buccos. Getting ready to roll into July, the Bucs sit just five games out of both the division and the Wild Card races. Laugh all you want, but while being still four games under .500 still, the Bucs have caused some excitement. Tough loss on Sunday, but Grienke was dominant and they battled.
The pitching has been good enough to keep them in games and they have gotten just enough offense to win some games. Now as July comes, everyone will stop paying attention to the team as always, when Steelers camp begins, but Neil Huntington will have some difficult decisions to make. My advice to Neil is....... STICK TO THE PLAN. eighty percent of the young talent in the organization has been acquired within the last calender year, either by draft or trades.
I like to play GM from time to time and there is one move I would like to see the Bucs pursue. Although the Angels have been playing very well of late, here is a team that needs to make a few moves to seriously contend for the title. They're top four starters from last season have combined to make only 16 starts. They could use an arm, either a starter or bullpen arm and probably another bat.
I ship the Halos Matt Capps and Adam Laroche right now. In return, the Angeles have made known that shortstop Brandon Wood can be had. Two years ago, Wood was hands down the best prospect in the majors. The Angels just haven't found the room for Wood and Mike Scoscia just isn't gonna give a youngster major playing time on a team that's contending. Wood is a five tool talent that the Bucs should take a run at.
Include a young starter and maybe a first base prospect, the Angels have a wealth of both and this is a move the Bucs should try and pursue. The halos, might not want to take on a ton of salary, but it would make sense for both teams. Deal Capps while his value is high again and it's getting hot out, so that means so is Laroche. Adding Wood, gives the team more options to deal Jack Wilson as well.
OTHER NOTES
- Speaking of trades, Nyjer Morgan's name has been out there in a deal with the Nats. Main components of the deal was Morgan for Lastings Milledge. The deal apparently fell apart when the Bucs also asked for pitching prospect Craig Stamen. As much fun as Morgan is to watch, he is a 29 year old outfielder with no power and also is not part of the Bucs future. I'm not a big Milledge fan, mostly due to his attitude, but if the opportunity is there to acquire a five tool guy like Milledge, it would be hard to pass up.
- Matt Wieters is hitting around .270 with a couple of bombs. Here is an interesting note on the should be Pirates catcher. Wieters reached the majors after only 150 games in the minors. That's 75 games quicker than any other catcher in major league history.
-Andrew McCutchen went 0-4 his last 2 games of the KC series. The scouting report is out now. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts. My feeling is he will be fine. Don't panic, he wasn't going to hit .370 for his whole career. He is young and will experience several 2-20 stretches. Now it is up to him to adjust.
-Speaking of scouting reports, Virgil Vasquez was very good in his Bucco debut. he threw strikes and got a win. Part of that was due to there not being a scouting report out on him as well. We will see how he is throwing after 5 starts. Guys who come up from the minors generally have success their first couple of starts. Even JVB went six strong innings his first call up start against the Braves a few years back.
-Ryan Doumit will be back soon. It will be interesting to see which catcher stays up, Jaramillo or Diaz. Both have their positives and negatives to look at. My guess is JJ stays.
-Brandon Moss has heated up again. hitting close to .600 the last 10 days. Boy is he streaky. JR is using him well though and putting him in situations to succeed. it looks like it has become a straight platoon, with Delwyn Young playing against lefties. Either way, Moss is up around .270 after a horrid start. Whoever plays, they are getting production out of right field.
- Speaking of Moss, we got to start seeing some power and run production out of both he and Andy Laroche.
-Charlie Morton's first home start went well. Key stat NO WALKS. he should have gotten a win, but not too many guys get wins against Grienke.
-Ian Snell walked the first batter in his first AAA start and proceeded to strike out the next 13 in a row. Seventeen overall. This guy makes we want to puke. All of the sudden he is "Having Fun". After checking it out further, I discovered that the team he faced, the Toledo MudHens lead all professional baseball in strikeouts by a large margin. Even Tom Gorzelanny struck out 12 Mudhens the night before. So I'm not quite impressed just yet. Or yet maybe it was all that negativity in Pittsburgh. Hey Ian, if you strike out 17 in a Pittsburgh uniform, there won't be any negativity left for you.
- Big series vs. the Cubs. That's the 2 games under .500 Cubs. Since they can't win on the road, it would be nice to take this series at home. Nice match up tonight in Duke vs. Harden.
-I'm doing my Bucco farm report now so that should be posted later in the week. Let's go Bucs.
The pitching has been good enough to keep them in games and they have gotten just enough offense to win some games. Now as July comes, everyone will stop paying attention to the team as always, when Steelers camp begins, but Neil Huntington will have some difficult decisions to make. My advice to Neil is....... STICK TO THE PLAN. eighty percent of the young talent in the organization has been acquired within the last calender year, either by draft or trades.
I like to play GM from time to time and there is one move I would like to see the Bucs pursue. Although the Angels have been playing very well of late, here is a team that needs to make a few moves to seriously contend for the title. They're top four starters from last season have combined to make only 16 starts. They could use an arm, either a starter or bullpen arm and probably another bat.
I ship the Halos Matt Capps and Adam Laroche right now. In return, the Angeles have made known that shortstop Brandon Wood can be had. Two years ago, Wood was hands down the best prospect in the majors. The Angels just haven't found the room for Wood and Mike Scoscia just isn't gonna give a youngster major playing time on a team that's contending. Wood is a five tool talent that the Bucs should take a run at.
Include a young starter and maybe a first base prospect, the Angels have a wealth of both and this is a move the Bucs should try and pursue. The halos, might not want to take on a ton of salary, but it would make sense for both teams. Deal Capps while his value is high again and it's getting hot out, so that means so is Laroche. Adding Wood, gives the team more options to deal Jack Wilson as well.
OTHER NOTES
- Speaking of trades, Nyjer Morgan's name has been out there in a deal with the Nats. Main components of the deal was Morgan for Lastings Milledge. The deal apparently fell apart when the Bucs also asked for pitching prospect Craig Stamen. As much fun as Morgan is to watch, he is a 29 year old outfielder with no power and also is not part of the Bucs future. I'm not a big Milledge fan, mostly due to his attitude, but if the opportunity is there to acquire a five tool guy like Milledge, it would be hard to pass up.
- Matt Wieters is hitting around .270 with a couple of bombs. Here is an interesting note on the should be Pirates catcher. Wieters reached the majors after only 150 games in the minors. That's 75 games quicker than any other catcher in major league history.
-Andrew McCutchen went 0-4 his last 2 games of the KC series. The scouting report is out now. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts. My feeling is he will be fine. Don't panic, he wasn't going to hit .370 for his whole career. He is young and will experience several 2-20 stretches. Now it is up to him to adjust.
-Speaking of scouting reports, Virgil Vasquez was very good in his Bucco debut. he threw strikes and got a win. Part of that was due to there not being a scouting report out on him as well. We will see how he is throwing after 5 starts. Guys who come up from the minors generally have success their first couple of starts. Even JVB went six strong innings his first call up start against the Braves a few years back.
-Ryan Doumit will be back soon. It will be interesting to see which catcher stays up, Jaramillo or Diaz. Both have their positives and negatives to look at. My guess is JJ stays.
-Brandon Moss has heated up again. hitting close to .600 the last 10 days. Boy is he streaky. JR is using him well though and putting him in situations to succeed. it looks like it has become a straight platoon, with Delwyn Young playing against lefties. Either way, Moss is up around .270 after a horrid start. Whoever plays, they are getting production out of right field.
- Speaking of Moss, we got to start seeing some power and run production out of both he and Andy Laroche.
-Charlie Morton's first home start went well. Key stat NO WALKS. he should have gotten a win, but not too many guys get wins against Grienke.
-Ian Snell walked the first batter in his first AAA start and proceeded to strike out the next 13 in a row. Seventeen overall. This guy makes we want to puke. All of the sudden he is "Having Fun". After checking it out further, I discovered that the team he faced, the Toledo MudHens lead all professional baseball in strikeouts by a large margin. Even Tom Gorzelanny struck out 12 Mudhens the night before. So I'm not quite impressed just yet. Or yet maybe it was all that negativity in Pittsburgh. Hey Ian, if you strike out 17 in a Pittsburgh uniform, there won't be any negativity left for you.
- Big series vs. the Cubs. That's the 2 games under .500 Cubs. Since they can't win on the road, it would be nice to take this series at home. Nice match up tonight in Duke vs. Harden.
-I'm doing my Bucco farm report now so that should be posted later in the week. Let's go Bucs.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Bucco Notebook 6-26
Coming off a series win vs the Tribe, the Bucs can creep closer to .500 and the division lead with a series win, or hopefully sweep vs the Royals. That wasn't meant to be a joke, the Bucs, while in last are only six games out of first. While they won't win it, fans should pay a little attention to this team. This past week brought about three moves that give Pirates fans a cause for excitement in the future.
The first move was the promotion of Brad Lincoln to AAA Indianapolis. After mowing down hitters at AA Altoona, Lincoln looked very sharp in his AAA debut. Lincoln's record doesn't show his dominance as he is only 2-5, but the 2.20 ERA in over 81 IP is very encouraging. As is the less than a hit per inning and the 8k/2bb per 9IP. People inside the organization say Lincoln is ready, so he may get the call this season. Probably after the July 31st trading deadline.
The second move was the promotion of Pedro Alvarez to Altoona. The average will come up, but Pedro can flat out hit. He didn't waste any time connecting on his first AA homer. In 3 games with the Curve, Pedro has hit two homers and driven in five. So far in the minors, Alvarez is hitting .246 with 16 homers and 66 RBI's. A September call-up looks realistic at the moment. When was the last time that two Minor League promotions created a buzz in the Pirates organization the way Lincoln and Alvarez have.
The third move was just as popular. That involved Ian Snell being demoted to AAA (Thank God). I actually didn't go to the game on Friday because I couldn't watch Snell pitch anymore and after that performance, I'm glad I didn't. I would rather see a pitcher with lesser stuff, but with the guts to go after hitters than watch Snell baby his way around the strike zone any longer. Pirate fans are tired of the excuses and tired of Snell placing the blame on everyone except himself. Don't expect a deal, because he has absolutely no trade value. I for one hope Ian can figure it out, but chances are he will never pitch in Pittsburgh again.
Other Notes
- Virgil Vasquez gets the first shot at replacing Snell, but expect Jeff Karstens to wind back up in the rotation or Tom Gorzelanny to get another look- at least until Lincoln is deemed ready.
-Good crowds for the 3 games series against the Tribe.
-Andrew McCutchen is on his way to winning rookie of the year, as I predicted before the season began. He will put up better numbers than the guys ahead of him at the moment. The Rockies Dexter Fowler and the Cardinals Colby Rasmus.
-Heads up play from Jack Wilson realizing the wheel play was on and taking third in the ninth last night. Heads up because it worked. If he gets gunned we are all ripping him right now. I like the aggressiveness though.
-Speaking of McCutchen, he looks like he has been here for years. Rookies don't have the poise at the plate and carry themselves the way that Cutch does. The at bat to draw the bases loaded, game tying walk last night was spectacular. Especially after starting 0-2 in the count.
-13 game hit streak for McCutchen and has hit in 18 of 20 career games. The 18 RBI's out of the leadoff spot is also very impressive. He is hands down the best player to come through the Pirates system since Bonds. I've been trying to think of others, but other than Aramis Rameriz, there just isn't much to choose from, which says a lot about how the Pirates have been run the last 15 years. they have had a couple of very good players: Rameriz, Kendall, Mclouth, etc., but none with the potential to be great.
- Love the move from Pirates management to DFA Craig Monroe. I especially love the timing, the day after dogging it in the field and not running out a ground ball. Especially with a young team, they don't need that in the clubhouse. Stick with the young guys for now.
-Steve Pearce got the call to take Monroe's place. He was having another good year in AAA but until he can adjust to a major league breaking ball, Pearce may be nothing more than a AAAA player. He made a huge blunder in right the other day, but he does have power and if he figures it out could be a nice bench player and a short term stop gap at first base when Adan Laroche gets dealt.
-Good to see John Russell get his money's worth last night when he got tossed. JR gets criticized for not showing emotion, but I think he has been good for the team. He picked his spot and it was a good, long argument and the team responded with a win.
-How awful is this team on the road? The 14-26 record doesn't even begin to sum it up. The 19-13 record at home is nice, as is the 13-7 mark against the NL East. Even worse than the road record though is the awful 10-21 mark against the NL Central. To eventually be a good team, you have to take care of business on the road and inside your own division.
-All star weekend could be worth paying attention to. Both Alvarez and Lincoln have been selected for the Futures game and Zach Duke and Freddy Sanchez are making cases for the MLB all star game. Likely only one gets the nod, but there is an outside chance both could go.
-No updates on the Sano situation. This is one I would really like the Bucs to win. Go head to head with he big boys and come out of it with the player you want. There have been questions on weather he is really 16 years old and I say Who cares? It looks like the Bucs, Yanks, Twins, Orioles and Cardinals are the top suitors. The race for the super prospect Sano is one the Bucs need to win.
The first move was the promotion of Brad Lincoln to AAA Indianapolis. After mowing down hitters at AA Altoona, Lincoln looked very sharp in his AAA debut. Lincoln's record doesn't show his dominance as he is only 2-5, but the 2.20 ERA in over 81 IP is very encouraging. As is the less than a hit per inning and the 8k/2bb per 9IP. People inside the organization say Lincoln is ready, so he may get the call this season. Probably after the July 31st trading deadline.
The second move was the promotion of Pedro Alvarez to Altoona. The average will come up, but Pedro can flat out hit. He didn't waste any time connecting on his first AA homer. In 3 games with the Curve, Pedro has hit two homers and driven in five. So far in the minors, Alvarez is hitting .246 with 16 homers and 66 RBI's. A September call-up looks realistic at the moment. When was the last time that two Minor League promotions created a buzz in the Pirates organization the way Lincoln and Alvarez have.
The third move was just as popular. That involved Ian Snell being demoted to AAA (Thank God). I actually didn't go to the game on Friday because I couldn't watch Snell pitch anymore and after that performance, I'm glad I didn't. I would rather see a pitcher with lesser stuff, but with the guts to go after hitters than watch Snell baby his way around the strike zone any longer. Pirate fans are tired of the excuses and tired of Snell placing the blame on everyone except himself. Don't expect a deal, because he has absolutely no trade value. I for one hope Ian can figure it out, but chances are he will never pitch in Pittsburgh again.
Other Notes
- Virgil Vasquez gets the first shot at replacing Snell, but expect Jeff Karstens to wind back up in the rotation or Tom Gorzelanny to get another look- at least until Lincoln is deemed ready.
-Good crowds for the 3 games series against the Tribe.
-Andrew McCutchen is on his way to winning rookie of the year, as I predicted before the season began. He will put up better numbers than the guys ahead of him at the moment. The Rockies Dexter Fowler and the Cardinals Colby Rasmus.
-Heads up play from Jack Wilson realizing the wheel play was on and taking third in the ninth last night. Heads up because it worked. If he gets gunned we are all ripping him right now. I like the aggressiveness though.
-Speaking of McCutchen, he looks like he has been here for years. Rookies don't have the poise at the plate and carry themselves the way that Cutch does. The at bat to draw the bases loaded, game tying walk last night was spectacular. Especially after starting 0-2 in the count.
-13 game hit streak for McCutchen and has hit in 18 of 20 career games. The 18 RBI's out of the leadoff spot is also very impressive. He is hands down the best player to come through the Pirates system since Bonds. I've been trying to think of others, but other than Aramis Rameriz, there just isn't much to choose from, which says a lot about how the Pirates have been run the last 15 years. they have had a couple of very good players: Rameriz, Kendall, Mclouth, etc., but none with the potential to be great.
- Love the move from Pirates management to DFA Craig Monroe. I especially love the timing, the day after dogging it in the field and not running out a ground ball. Especially with a young team, they don't need that in the clubhouse. Stick with the young guys for now.
-Steve Pearce got the call to take Monroe's place. He was having another good year in AAA but until he can adjust to a major league breaking ball, Pearce may be nothing more than a AAAA player. He made a huge blunder in right the other day, but he does have power and if he figures it out could be a nice bench player and a short term stop gap at first base when Adan Laroche gets dealt.
-Good to see John Russell get his money's worth last night when he got tossed. JR gets criticized for not showing emotion, but I think he has been good for the team. He picked his spot and it was a good, long argument and the team responded with a win.
-How awful is this team on the road? The 14-26 record doesn't even begin to sum it up. The 19-13 record at home is nice, as is the 13-7 mark against the NL East. Even worse than the road record though is the awful 10-21 mark against the NL Central. To eventually be a good team, you have to take care of business on the road and inside your own division.
-All star weekend could be worth paying attention to. Both Alvarez and Lincoln have been selected for the Futures game and Zach Duke and Freddy Sanchez are making cases for the MLB all star game. Likely only one gets the nod, but there is an outside chance both could go.
-No updates on the Sano situation. This is one I would really like the Bucs to win. Go head to head with he big boys and come out of it with the player you want. There have been questions on weather he is really 16 years old and I say Who cares? It looks like the Bucs, Yanks, Twins, Orioles and Cardinals are the top suitors. The race for the super prospect Sano is one the Bucs need to win.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Bucs Notebook- A Winning April
With April almost winding down, one thing is assured, the Pittsburgh Pirates will have a winning month of April. yeah, I know its early, but it's worth noting because it doesn't happen often. Taking a look at this team, even with three of their best players injured, these guys aren't so bad.
After losing Ryan Doumit and Jack Wilson to the disabled list and Nate McClouth to an injury, all the Pirates did was take 5 of 6 from two first place teams in the Marlins and Padres. I know that's not the same as beating maybe the Phillies, Mets or Dodgers, but this same Bucco team a year ago would have been lucky to split the 6 games.
Now if they could only find out a way to beat the Brewers and Cubs, then we may have something bigger to talk about.
Bucco's Notes
- The starting pitching has been excellent. Maholm, Duke, Snell and Ohlendorf have given quality starts almost every time out. Karstens got roughed up a bit last night, but if he can win 10 games, then the pitching should be fine.
- Other than last night, the bullpen has been even better. The Bucs have the best team ERA in the majors and the bullpen has been good. What I like most is the development of Evan Meek and Jessie Chavez. It has been a really long time since the Bucs have had a couple power arms like these guys in the pen. Once they learn a bit more, the pen could become a strength for the team.
- The Laroche brothers. It's April and Adam is hitting .300 with 5HR and 14 RBI, leading the team in both homers and RBI's. Andy on the other hand has rebounded with an 11 game hit streak after opening the season without a hit for the first two weeks. He is suddenly hitting a respectable .263. The key has been that Russell has kept him in the lineup everyday.
- The catching position suddenly isn't that bad. Jason Jaramillo and Robinson Diaz will do just fine until Doumit heals up.
-Freddy Sanchez may be healthy again. He's swinging the stick pretty well. I feel having Nyjer Morgan on base so much has helped Sanchez a ton. Sanchez hits the ball the other way better than anyone on the team. He has taken advantage of teams having to hold Morgan on.
- Speaking of Morgan, having a good leadoff hitter is very important to teams and as long as he keeps getting on base at this rate, the Pirates can score some runs without the threat of the long ball. I used to bash him in the past, but he has won me over.
After losing Ryan Doumit and Jack Wilson to the disabled list and Nate McClouth to an injury, all the Pirates did was take 5 of 6 from two first place teams in the Marlins and Padres. I know that's not the same as beating maybe the Phillies, Mets or Dodgers, but this same Bucco team a year ago would have been lucky to split the 6 games.
Now if they could only find out a way to beat the Brewers and Cubs, then we may have something bigger to talk about.
Bucco's Notes
- The starting pitching has been excellent. Maholm, Duke, Snell and Ohlendorf have given quality starts almost every time out. Karstens got roughed up a bit last night, but if he can win 10 games, then the pitching should be fine.
- Other than last night, the bullpen has been even better. The Bucs have the best team ERA in the majors and the bullpen has been good. What I like most is the development of Evan Meek and Jessie Chavez. It has been a really long time since the Bucs have had a couple power arms like these guys in the pen. Once they learn a bit more, the pen could become a strength for the team.
- The Laroche brothers. It's April and Adam is hitting .300 with 5HR and 14 RBI, leading the team in both homers and RBI's. Andy on the other hand has rebounded with an 11 game hit streak after opening the season without a hit for the first two weeks. He is suddenly hitting a respectable .263. The key has been that Russell has kept him in the lineup everyday.
- The catching position suddenly isn't that bad. Jason Jaramillo and Robinson Diaz will do just fine until Doumit heals up.
-Freddy Sanchez may be healthy again. He's swinging the stick pretty well. I feel having Nyjer Morgan on base so much has helped Sanchez a ton. Sanchez hits the ball the other way better than anyone on the team. He has taken advantage of teams having to hold Morgan on.
- Speaking of Morgan, having a good leadoff hitter is very important to teams and as long as he keeps getting on base at this rate, the Pirates can score some runs without the threat of the long ball. I used to bash him in the past, but he has won me over.
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