Monthly Archives: January, 2010

Dejan posted some of his angrier mail items in yesterday's Q&A. Most of them look something like this: Q: IT IS VERY APPARENT THAT THE...

I understand that Pirate fans are angry and frustrated. It is easy to look at the annual 60-something win total combined with a bottom...

A few Pirates' friends and players are still involved in the winter league playoffs.... The Dominican League is taking Tuesday night off. �I'll be taking the rest of the week off -- I'll catch up with the rest of the playoffs in a few days. VENEZUELAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Navegantes del Magallanes 3, �Leones del Caracas 0 Caracas was held to just 3 hits as three Magallanes' pitchers combined for a shutout. �Starter Raul Valdes pitched 7 scoreless innings and allowed 2 hits and 4 walks, while striking out 4 batters. �One single and two walks, including a walk to C Carlos Maldonado, came in the 2nd inning, but Valdes got out of the bases-loaded mess with a strikeout to end the inning. �Another single and another walk to Maldonado put two runners on in the 4th, but again Valdes escaped the jam. �Valdes retired the side in the next 3 innings, and then was relieved by Jean Machi to begin the 8th. �Machi gave up a walk and a single, but got out of the inning with a timely double play. �Francisco Rodriguez earned a save with a 1-2-3 performance in the 9th inning. �Magallanes scored one run in three separate innings. �1B Yurendell de Caster started the fun in the 2nd inning with a single, but was thrown out at second base. �Another single, a stolen base, and a fielding error brought in the first run of the game. �A solo homer added another run in the 5th. �In the 8th, a single, a walk to DH Mike Ryan, and another single loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly brought in Magallanes' third run. PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Indios de Mayaguez 5, �Criollos de Caguas 4 Former Indy Indians CF Luis Matos and SS Luis Figueroa were both held hitless as Mayaguez took a 2 games to none lead in the championship series. �Los Indios scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning, loading the bases on three singles and then clearing them with a 3-RBI double by DH Randy Ruiz. �Caguas came right back with 3 runs of their own in the very next frame with a 3-run homer. �Mayaguez took the lead again in the bottom of the 5th, courtesy of another big double by Ruiz, this one for 2 runs. �Caguas managed one more run in the 7th on two singles, a sacrifice bunt, and an RBI ground out by Matos, but they couldn't get any further. MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Naranjeros de Hermosillo 7, �Venados de Mazatlan 2 Home runs were the order again -- this time it was 3 for Hermosillo and one for Mazatlan. �The first Hermosillo batter of the game homered to lead off the bottom of the 1st. �The bottom of the 2nd also began with a solo homer, and a single and a double added another run for Los Naranjeros. �Three singles and a fielding error contributed two more runs in the 3rd, to give Hermosillo a 5-0 lead. �The third homer of the game gave Los Naranjeros a run in the 6th, and a single and a double brought in �a run in the 7th. �Mazatlan scattered two singles and three walks over their first six innings, but didn't score until the 7th inning. �Their first run came on three consecutive walks and an RBI ground out. �Los Venados' only other run was a solo homer in the 8th by CF Ruben Rivera. �The best-of-7 series is now tied at 2 games each.

The Pirates’ bullpen is nearly set, and it seems likely that Javier Lopez will be the only left-handed reliever on the opening day roster....

The winter league playoffs are all in their championship rounds now... with few Pirates' players and friends still hanging around. VENEZUELAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Leones del Caracas 10, �Navegantes del Magallanes 7 Magallanes scored in four of the first 5 innings -- one in the 1st, and then 2 runs in each of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings. �Caracas was quiet for the first three innings, but then started plugging away with 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th, one in the 5th, one in the 7th, and 2 in the 8th. �They tied it up at 7-7 on CF Gregor Blanco's solo homer in the bottom of the 9th.... immediately after which, Magallanes' catcher Robinson Chirinos, manager Carlos Garcia, and coach Gregorio Machado were all ejected by the first base umpire. �Magallanes put two runners on base in the top of the 10th, with a double and a walk, but left both on base. �Then in the bottom of the frame, a single, a force-out bunt, and an intentional walk put runners on first and second. �RF Jackson Melian was the hero, with a 3-run walk-off homer over the left field wall for the win. �That ties the series at 2 games each. DOMINICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Gigantes del Cibao 2, �Leones del Escogido 0 A pitching duel in the Dominican -- Escogido starter Nelson Figueroa pitched 7.1 innings and allowed only two unearned runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 4 strikeouts. �The runs came in the 7th, on a walk and a single, then a fielding error that allowed a run to score, followed by a grounder double play that let the second run in. �Victor Zambrano started for Los Gigantes and threw 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just 3 hits. �Three relief pitchers finished things up, allowing just 2 more hits. �I thought this was a best-of-7 series, but in fact it's a best-of-9, and Los Gigantes now lead 4 games to 3. PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Indios de Mayaguez 7, �Criollos de Caguas 6 Two late-inning rallies gave Mayaguez the win in the first game of the championship series. �Caguas started with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st, with two doubles, including one by SS Luis Figueroa, two walks, and a single. �A lead-off triple and a double added one run in the 4th. �Mayaguez came back with a run in the 4th on a double and a single, and one in the 5th on another double - single combination plus an RBI ground out. �They took a 4-3 lead in the 6th, with a third double-single combo plus a bunt and a throwing error. �In the bottom of the 8th, Caguas tied the score on CF Luis Matos' single, which was the third of the inning. �Figueroa rached base on a throwing error, bringing in another run to take the lead. �Matos advanced to third base on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch and Caguas had a 6-4 lead going into the top of the 9th. �But Mayaguez was not finished yet. �A single, a walk, and a triple brought in 2 runs in the top of the 9th to tie the game at 6-6. �Three singles gave Mayaguez the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th, and Caguas could not get anything going in the bottom of the inning. MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Venados de Mazatlan 8, �Naranjeros de Hermosillo 7 Four Hermosillo batters homered -- three solo homers (two in the 1st, one in the 2nd), and then a 2-run homer in the 4th -- to account for 5 of Los Naranjeros' runs. �They added two more runs in the 6th on a double, a hit batter, and a 2-RBI single. �Mazatlan also scored 2 runs on a double, a hit batter, and a 2-RBI single, in the 2nd inning. �Los Venados loaded the bases in the 3rd inning, but left all three runners stranded, and couldn't do much more until the 7th. �That's when they burst out for 4 runs on 4 singles and a walk, with the fourth run scoring on a wild pitch. �Mazatlan was down by one run going into the top of the 9th, when LF Jon Weber led off with a single, and CF Ruben Rivera homered to take the lead and the win. �Rogelios Noris pinch-ran in the 7th inning, then remained in the game as the DH, but struck out in his only plate appearance.

Sunday's winter league playoff action.... just a few former Pirates and former Indy Indians/Pirates farmhands still participating, but we might as well see it through to the end. �The Mexican Pacific League championship series is tied at one game each (Venados de Mazatlan vs. Naranjeros de Hermosillo) and they have the day off. VENEZUELAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Leones del Caracas 5, �Navegantes del Magallanes 3 Magallanes confined their scoring to just one inning, with 3 runs in the 2nd. �Three singles, including one by 1B Yurendell de Caster loaded the bases with two outs. �A walk forced in one run, and an RBI single brought in two more runs. �Magallanes scattered just 4 hits over the remaining 7 innings, and did not have more than one base runner in any of those innings. �Caracas chipped away at that not-particularly-large lead, beginning with one run on a double, a single, and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 2nd. �A walk, a double, and an RBI ground out brought in one run in the 3rd. �C Carlos Maldonado tied the game with an RBI double in the 4th inning. �Maldonado led off the 7th with a single, and he was replaced by pinch-hitter (a good move, in case you've never seen Maldonado run). �A sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk, and a double complicated by a throwing error brought in the go-ahead run and one more for insurance, and Caracas had the win. �Magallanes leads the series 2 games to 1. PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Indios de Mayaguez 5, �Lobos de Arecibo 2 This is the game that was started on Saturday but had to be suspended due to rain after 4 innings. �Mayaguez had scored two runs in the 2nd inning. �Two singles and a stolen base put runners on the corners with no outs. �Then two fielders' choice plays, one back to the mound and the other to shortstop, both resulted in runners from third being tagged out at the plate. �After a walk, another single brought in the first run, then another walk forced in the second run. �A solo homer scored their third run in the 4th inning, and a 2-run homer in the 7th brought their total to 5 runs. �Arecibo also scored on a solo homer, which came in the 6th, and added one more in the 7th on a single, a double, and an RBI ground out. �The win advances Mayaguez to the championship round of the playoffs. Criollos de Caguas 3, �Gigantes de Carolina 1 Caguas needed just one run-scoring inning to put this game away and join Mayaguez in the championship series. �The first four batters of the 3rd reached base -- a fielding error and three singles, including one by CF Luis Matos, and an RBI single by Luis Figueroa. A sacrifice fly and another RBI single added two more runs. �It was all Caguas needed, but they didn't do much for the rest of the game anyway. �They stranded two runners in the 5th after two singles, and again in the 7th, on a walk by Figueroa and another single. �Meanwhile, Caguas' starter Andrew Baldwin (Mariners) pitched 8 innings and allowed one run on only 2 hits and one walk, while striking out 8 batters. �The run came in the 8th, when the lead-off batter doubled, then scored on two ground outs. �Saul Rivera (Cleveland Indians) relieved Baldwin for the 9th inning, and he got into a bases-loaded jam with a single, an error, and a walk. �But a grounder right to the third baseman, who stepped on third for the force out, ended the inning and the game without any further damage done. DOMINICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Leones del Escogido 5, �Gigantes del Cibao 4 Escogido avoided elimination for another day by cutting short a 9th-inning rally by Los Gigantes. �Los Gigantes had scored one run in the top of the 1st, but were not able to push a run across for the next 7 innings. �Escogido got to Los Gigantes' starter Brandon Duckworth (Phillies) in the 3rd inning, as they scored 4 runs on a double, a walk, and four singles. �They added another run in the 6th on a walk, a single, a throwing error, and an RBI ground out. �Juan Perez entered the game to finish the 6th with a strikeout, then pitched the 7th inning also. �In the 7th, he gave up a double, but that runner was caught trying to steal third base. �In the top of the 9th, Los Gigantes loaded the bases with a walk, a single, and a hit batter. �A triple by 2B Alexi Casilla (Twins) cleared the bases for 3 runs. �A hit batter put runners on the corners, but they were left there by a strikeout and a ground out to end the game. �The series is now tied at 3-3.

The Pirates’ bench has become very crowded this offseason. Neal Huntington selected John Raynor in the Rule 5 draft, claimed Brandon Jones...

A slow weekend.... people around here are just waiting for the football game on Sunday (Colts vs Jets). �Be sure to check out Dejan Kovacevic's story about Brad Lincoln in Sunday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Winter Leagues continue their playoffs, though the Venezuelan League has the night off. �Los Navegantes del Magallanes lead that series 2-0. DOMINICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Gigantes del Cibao 3, �Leones del Escogido 2 Los Gigantes took the lead in the series (3 games to 2) by holding Escogido to just 4 hits and 2 runs. �Los Gigantes loaded the bases in the 3rd inning, then scored on a 2-run double. �Two singles and an error gave them what turned out to be the winning run in the 5th. �Escogido's runs came in the 6th inning, when a batter reached on a wild pitch for strike three, then former Indy Indian (and Lousiville Bat) Kevin Barker homered. PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Criollos de Caguas 5, �Gigantes de Carolina 4 Caguas avoided elimination, despite being out-hit 15 - 7. �Carolina scored first, with 2 runs in the top of the 1st, aided by a throwing error by SS Luis Figueroa. But Carolina's starter Mario Santiago was having trouble with his control, walking 6 batters in just 2.1 innings before being removed. �In the 3rd, he walked the first three batters, including Figueroa. �One run came in on a sacrifice fly, then a double scored another run to tie the game, and Santiago was heading for the showers. �A ground out scored another run, and Caguas had the lead. �Caguas added another run in the 5th, when they loaded the bases on a walk and two singles, and then had a hit batter force in a run. �Carolina tied the score with a solo homer to lead off the 7th inning, then a run on two singles and a balk in the 8th. �Carolina threatened in the top of the 9th, but left two runners on base. �In the bottom of the 9th, Figueroa led off by reaching base on a throwing error by the Carolina shortstop. �He moved to second base on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on a single. �Another single up the middle, RF Edgardo Baez's third hit of the game, brought Figueroa in with the winning run. �The series is now tied at 3 games each. Indios de Mayaguez at Lobos de Arecibo This series is also tied at 3 games each, after Arecibo won two games on Friday to keep from being eliminated. �Unfortunately, Saturday's deciding game was interrupted by rain, with Mayaguez ahead 3-0 after 4 innings. �That game should be resumed on Sunday. MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Naranjeros de Hermosillo 4, �Venados de Mazatlan 2 Hermosillo's starter Travis Blackley was in control of almost everything, as he pitched 5.2 scoreless innings. �He did give up 2 of Mazatlan's LF Jon Weber's 4 hits, though. �Hermosillo got onto the scoreboard with a run in the 3rd on two singles and a sacrifice fly, then added 3 runs in the 6th on a solo homer, a single, a walk, and a huge throwing error by 3B Heber Gomez. �Gomez tried to atone by scoring a run in the 7th with a single and a stolen base; he scored on Weber's RBI single. �Weber also doubled in a run in the 9th, but it wasn't enough to catch up. �This series is tied at 1 game each.

And the playoffs continue in the winter leagues.... though few of the Pirates' players and friends are still involved. �The Dominican League took a break from their playoff schedule, with the series between Los Leones del Escogido and Los Gigantes del Cibao tied at 2 games each. PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Lobos de Arecibo 3, �Indios de Mayaguez 2 � (Game 1) Mayaguez was held to just 4 hits, and scored their runs on two solo homers. �Arecibo scored one run in the bottom of the 1st on a single, an error, and a sacrifice fly, then added two more in the 4th on a triple and two singles. Arecibo 3, �Mayaguez 0 Both teams put lots of runners on base, but couldn't get anyone across the plate until the top of the 9th -- extra innings for a double header. �In the top of the 9th, a single, two errors, and two singles scored 2 runs for Arecibo. �A walk and a 2-run single made it 4-0, and then Arecibo held off Mayaguez in the bottom of the 9th. �The two wins for Arecibo have tied the series at 3 games each. Gigantes de Carolina 6, �Criollos de Caguas 4 Carolina took a 3-2 lead in the 7-game series with this win. �Los Gigantes began the scoring with a double and three walks, forcing in a run in the 2nd inning. �They added 2 more in the 4th inning, and another 3 in the 6th on two walks, two singles, and a hit batter. �Caguas out-hit their opponents 11 to 8, led by SS Luis Figueroa, who singled three times and collected 2 RBI. �He singled in the 3rd inning rally, �had an RBI single in the 5th, and an RBI ground out following a triple in the 9th. �He also singled in the 1st but was caught stealing. VENEZUELAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Navegantes del Magallanes 12, �Leones del Caracas 10 Magallanes took a 2-game lead (to none) in the series with this slugfest. �The two teams combined for 32 hits, including 6 home runs. �C Carlos Maldonado homered for Caracas in the 4th inning, for two runs, to temporarily give Caracas a 4-3 lead. �Magallanes came back with 5 runs in the bottom of the 4th, and another 4 runs in the 6th. �Magallanes' 1B Yurendell de Caster hit a 2-RBI single in the 4th, and scored on a homer after being hit by a pitch in the 6th. �He also singled in the 3rd and the 8th but did not score. �DH Mike Ryan went o-for-2 with a walk for Magallanes. MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Los Venados de Mazatlan 5, �Los Naranjeros de Hermosillo 3 Hermosillo got the series off to a good start with 3 runs in the top of the 1st. �Their first four batters reached base safely (three singles and a walk), bringing in two runs, and another run scored on DH Humberto Cota's RBI ground out. �Mazatlan's pitching corps settled down after that inning, though, and despite scattering four more hits and one walk over the rest of the game, they did not let Hermosillo score again. �Mazatlan got going with a solo homer in the 3rd by RF Christian Quintero. �In the bottom of the 5th, Quintero led off with a single, and two more singles brought in two runs. �CF Ruben Rivera followed with a 2-run homer to give Mazatlan the go-ahead runs. �Hometown rookie Rogelios Noris did not get into the game.

The Pirates now have righty reliever Octavio Dotel on board, and ready to be their closer. �In order to free up a space on the 40-man roster, reliever Anthony Claggett was designated for assignment. �Claggett, another righty reliever, was claimed off waivers from the Yankees in late September. �He appeared in one game for the Pirates, against the Reds on Oct 3rd. �He got a ground out and a line out, then gave up a homer to Joey Votto and a single to Brandon Phillips, then ended the inning with another ground out. �If Claggett can survive through waivers, he can still compete for a spot in the Pirates' bullpen, or be assigned to Indianapolis. Other recent signings involving former Pirates and Pirates' farmhands: SS Ray Chang (Lynchburg and Altoona) signed with the Red Sox. �OF/1B�Jamie Romak (Lynchburg and Altoona) signed with the Royals. �C Pedro Lopez (Altoona and Indianapolis) signed with the Nationals. �RHP Denny Bautista (Indianapolis and Pittsburgh) signed with the Giants. �C Michel Hernandez (Indianapolis 2008) signed with the Orioles. Some winter league playoff action: DOMINICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Leones del Escogido 3, �Gigantes del Cibao 2 Escogido scored one run in the bottom of the 1st on three singles, then added a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning. �That was all Los Leones would get, but it was enough. �Los Gigantes scored one run in the 4th on a walk, a single, and an RBI ground out, and one more in the 7th on two singles and a double. �The series is now tied at 2 games each. PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Gigantes del Carolina 7, �Criollos de Caguas 3 Carolina homered in the top of the 1st to get things started, then continued adding one or two runs at a time, scattering their 7 runs throughout the game. �Caguas SS Luis Figueroa hit the first of four singles in the bottom of the 1st, and two runs came in. �Los Criollos held a brief lead again in the bottom of the 4th, on a single and a double, but while Carolina kept going, Caguas could not. �The series is also tied at 2 games each. Indios de Mayaguez 7, �Lobos de Arecibo 1 �(Game 1) Arecibo took a slim one run lead in the bottom of the 1st on a triple and an RBI ground out. �Pitching ruled after that, and Arecibo was held to just one more hit, though they held the lead until the top of the 6th. �That was when Mayaguez exploded for 7 runs -- 4 singles, 2 doubles, a hit batter, and a sacrifice fly. Indios de Mayaguez 3, �Lobos de Arecibo 2 (Game 2) Mayaguez recorded 12 hits (they had 11 in the first game), and held Arecibo to just 5 hits. �Five singles gave Mayaguez 2 runs in the 2nd, and three more singles plus a walk added another run in the 3rd. �Arecibo scored one run on a single and a double in the top of the 3rd, and their only other run came on a solo homer in the 6th. �Mayaguez leads the series 3 games to 1. VENEZUELAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Navegantes del Magallanes 9, �Leones de Caracas 6 Magallanes went wild for the first three innings to begin the championship series. �Four runs came in during the bottom of the 1st, on four singles, including one by 1B Yurendell de Caster, and two doubles, including one by LF Mike Ryan (two RBI). �Ryan also singled in the 2nd -- one of three singles, added to a double for three more runs. �A walk and two doubles contributed two more runs in the 3rd inning. �Caracas put a runner on base in all but two innings, but could not get any of them across the plate. �C Carlos Maldonado went 0-for-2 with a walk.

Neal Huntington has added several quality relievers recently, namely D.J. Carrasco, Brendan Donnelly and Octavio Dotel. In just over a week, the Pirates’...

The Pirates have officially announced the signing of Octavio Dotel, as he passed his physical today. It is a one-year deal, with a...