Monthly Archives: February, 2010

Looking at a couple of relievers today.... RJ (Richard Jose) Rodriguez was a nice surprise in Lynchburg in 2009. �The right-handed reliever from Miami had been in the Padres' organization for three seasons, but was released during spring training of last year. �The Pirates signed him to a minor league contract and assigned Rodriguez to the Hillcats. �It turned out to be a good pick-up: �Rodriguez led the Carolina League with 27 saves. �May was his toughest month, with "only" 3 saves and 6 runs allowed in 10 innings. �He saved 7 games in April and again in August/September, plus 5 games each in June and July. �June was his best month, as he did not allow an earned run in 9.2 innings (9 relief appearances). �Rodriguez also struggled a bit in August/September despite the 7 saves, as his ERA for the month rose again, to 4.76 (6 runs in 11.1 innings). �Overall, Rodriguez pitched 49.2 innings and earned a 6-3 record with a 3.08 ERA. �He walked 27 batters over the season, and the walks paralleled the earned runs -- 10 walks in May, only 2 in June, creeping up to 7 walks in August/September. �He also struck out 41 batters, though those did not necessarily correllate with other struggles -- his high month in strikeouts was also May, with 10. �Rodriguez was named to the Carolina League All-Star teams in both the mid- and post- seasons. �Rodriguez did not join the Hillcats in their playoff run, because he was busy relieving for the Puerto Rican team in the World Cup tournament in Europe. �He appeared in a total of 6 games for Team Puerto Rico, earning 4 saves. �He pitched 7 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits (in 22 at-bats, holding batters to a .091 average), 4 walks, and 5 strikeouts. �When the World Cup was over, Rodriguez was still not done. �He reported to��Puerto Rico for the Winter League and made a significant contribution there as well. �Rodriguez was not Ponce's closer, so he did not get the big save totals (only 2). �In 24 innings with Ponce, he allowed 12 earned runs on 26 hits, with 8 walks and 14 strikeouts, for a 4.50 ERA and a 1-0 record. �After that busy year, the 25-year-old Rodriguez ought to have done enough to earn a promotion to Altoona. �Unfortunately, he might get caught in a numbers crunch as relievers who don't make the big league team crowd into Indianapolis, and there is a trickle-down effect, filling up Altoona's bullpen too, and leaving no room for Rodriguez. Diego Moreno, another righty, is a 23-year-old Venezuelan native. �Moreno had spent two seasons in the Venezuelan Summer League, one mostly in relief and one mostly as a starter. �In 2008 as a starter, he he appeared in only 7 games (6 starts), but earned a 3-1 record and a 0.87 ERA. �He jumped over the Gulf Coast League and began 2009 in State College, where he appeared in 2 games. �In 5 innings, Moreno allowed 4 hits --one was a homer -- with one walk and 4 strikeouts. �He was quickly sent up to West Virginia, where he stayed in the bullpen, making 18 relief appearances over the rest of the season. �He pitched a total of 45 innings for the Power, and allowed 16 runs (13 earned) on 29 hits, with 14 walks and 57 strikeouts. �Of those 13 earned runs, 7 came in his last three games. �Batters managed to hit only .182 against him, which helped him hold his ERA to 2.60 as he saved 5 games. �Like Rodriguez, Moreno also played winter ball, relieving in 14 games for Zulia in his native Venezuela. �He had more trouble at home than in West Virginia, though. �In 13.2 innings from early November to mid-December, Moreno allowed 8 runs on 15 hits (5.27 ERA), with 3 walks, and he still struck out 15 batters. �Moreno should begin 2010 in A+ Bradenton.

Continuing to look at some of the Pirates' minor leaguers...only 6 more weeks until the minor league season opens! Duke Welker came to the Pirates in the 2007 draft as their second round draft pick. �The Washington state native struggled with injuries in 2007, when he reported to State College after the draft, and again in 2008 at A level Hickory. �Welker stayed at the A level, this time in West Virginia when the affiliates changed, for 2009, which was supposed to be the year that he settled in, got past the injuries, and got down to business. �Unfortunately, that didn't happen. �Welker made 4 starts with 2 losses in April, going 18.2 innings and allowing 9 runs on 13 hits and 10 walks (4.34 ERA). �May was marginally better, as he made 6 starts with 3 losses, and allowed 14 runs on 34 hits plus 17 walks in 30 innings (4.20 ERA). �Things got even worse in June, as he racked up a 9.00 ERA in 5 starts and lost another 3 games. �In 19 innings, he gave up 19 earned runs on 17 hits plus 24 walks, as his control all but vanished. �Welker was moved to the bullpen in July. �He made 16 relief appearances over the rest of the season, and the move did not make things appreciably better. �In 33.1 innings, Welker gave up 23 earned runs on 32 hits with 16 walks (6.21 ERA), and lost 3 more games. �The relief appearances were mostly 1-2 innings in length. �He had four scoreless relief spots in August (8 innings), but then also had an appearance in which he gave up 5 runs on 4 hits and a walk in one inning, and three times when he allowed 3 runs over a total of 6.1 innings. �Welker finished up the season with an 0-11 record and a 5.79 ERA. �He pitched 101 innings, and allowed 80 runs (65 earned) on 96 hits, with 67 walks, 69 strikeouts, and an amazing 22 wild pitches. �The 69 strikeouts wouldn't be so bad, if they hadn't been accompanied by a nearly equal number of walks. �Welker, who turned 24 this month, may have to return to West Virginia again in 2010. �This season really does have to be the year that he does get it together, and control will need to be a big part of that. Other notes: Former Pirate Kent Sakamoto, who was released by the Pirates in early November, has signed a contract with Sioux City of the (independent) American Association for 2010. �Sakamoto was the Pirates' 12th round pick in 2006. �He played with the Lynchburg Hillcats in both 2008 and 2009, but hit only .189 with 7 homers and 29 RBI this past season, appearing in 72 games at first base and as designated hitter. �Sakamoto joins another former Pirate farmhand, Jared Keel, who signed with Sioux City earlier this month.

The opening of spring training brought news of an elbow injury for Joel Hanrahan. However, an MRI and a subsequent trip to Dr. James Andrews left Hanrahan with some good news.

Two Pirate blogs square off in the finals.

Two more prospects with the same name, both from the 2009 draft... Nate Baker was the 5th round pick for the Pirates. �The southpaw from Tennessee had pitched mostly as a starter in his first two season of college at the University of Mississippi, but then had more relief appearances in his final year. �After signing with the Pirates, Baker was assigned to State College, where he continued to pitch in relief for most of his appearances. �He made his debut on August 5th, and faced 7 batters in 2 innings, allowing only a lead-off double to begin the second of his innings. �Baker had only one tough appearance, on August 13th, when he allowed 3 runs over 2 innings, on three hits, a walk, and two wild pitches. �After that night, he finished the season with three more scoreless outings, including his only start of the season, in which he threw 4 innings and allowed just 2 hits, with 3 strikeouts. �Overall, Baker gave up 11 hits and 3 earned runs over 16 innings, for a 1.69 ERA, with no decisions or saves. �He walked only two batters in those 6 appearances, and struck out 9. �He struck out more batters in college (9.3 K/9 innings in his last year of college, compared to 5.1 K/9 innings with the Spikes), but his strikeout rate may rise again in his second year. �He is reported to have a fastball in the mid 90's and a good slider, and the low walk rate shows some nice control. �Baker, who turned 22 in December, has earned a promotion to West Virginia, and maybe even to Bradenton later in the season. Aaron Baker is also a lefty at the plate, though he throws right-handed. �This Baker �is also 22 years old, and is from Texas. �He played both first base and catcher for University of Oklahoma before becoming the Pirates' 11th round pick. �Baker's bat was valuable enough so that Oklahoma found ways to keep him in the lineup: � 16 doubles, 15 homers, and 56 RBI with a .284 average in 63 games during the 2009 season. �He signed quickly after being drafted and he shifted from Oklahoma up to State College. �The Spikes also found ways to keep him in the lineup, as Baker split his 62 games between first base and the designated hitter spot. �He slugged a triple for his first hit in his first professional game, but struggled for the next month, hitting .224 with 5 doubles, two triples, and 9 RBI. �The second part of his season, August and September, showed improvement, with a .264 average in 34 games, with 10 doubles, 5 more triples, 3 homers, and 23 RBI. �His power really showed in August, when he had a .480 SLG and a .842 OPS. �Baker struck out 54 times, which could be better though isn't horrible. �He also�walked 32 times, so he has shown some patience at the plate. �This Baker has also earned the step up to West Virginia for 2010.

Jose Tabata shows a glimpse of his hidden power in today's batting practice session.

Everyone is getting up to speed in Bradenton.... looking at some Pirates' prospects. �Again, these are in no particular order other than generally from the lower levels to the higher levels. Quinton Miller was the Pirates' 20th round pick in the 2008 draft. �The righty came out of high school in New Jersey, and signed with the Pirates late. �He didn't begin his pro career until the 2009 season, when, after extended spring training, he was sent to short season State College. �Miller made his pro debut on June 20th, with a 4-inning start. �He allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, no walks, with 2 strikeouts. �The two runs came in the first inning on a double and two singles. �After that inning, Miller settled down and though he put a runner on base in each of the next three innings, he retired all three of them with a force out and two double plays. �His second start was less successful -- three runs (one earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings, and with not much run support behind him, Miller took that loss. �Even so, the Pirates though his stuff was good enough to earn him a promotion to West Virginia. �Miller made 12 starts for the Power, and while he gave up a lot of runs, particularly in July, he still wasn't awful for his first pro season. �In 6 starts in July, Miller allowed 20 runs (17 earned) on 28 hits, with 13 walks and 20 strikeouts in 29 innings -- a 1-2 record and a 5.28 ERA. �His toughest start came on July 19th, when he gave up 7 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings. �But, on July 30th, he pitched 6 shutout innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 walks. �August showed some improvement, as his ERA dropped to 4.22 with a 1-1 record. �He gave up 10 earned runs on 20 hits in 21.1 innings, with just 9 walks and 16 strikeouts. �On August 29th, he struck out 6 batters in 5 innings. �Miller finished the season on a strong note. �His last appearance, on September 3rd, was another 6-inning start, and he allowed just one run on 2 hits and 3 walks, with 4 strikeouts. �Miller had a solid showing for his first season. �The 20-year-old could begin 2010 with a short stint back in West Virginia, or possibly stay right there in Bradenton if he has a strong spring showing. Another right-hander, Maurice Bankston, also split the 2009 season between State College and West Virginia. �The Arkansas native was the Pirates' 8th pick in the 2007 draft. �He got in 2 games with the GCL Pirates that season (0-2 record, and 3.38 ERA in 2.2 innings), then spent all of the 2008 season with State College. �Bankston struggled with some shoulder issues during the season and eventually went onto the DL in August, after 35 innings in 9 appearances (7 starts) and an 0-5 record. �The 2009 season began with Bankston in West Virginia, where he had a mixed-result spring. �He had three very good outings -- one 5-inning shutout performance for his only Power win, one 4-inning effort with no earned runs, and another with just one earned run. �Then he had some so-so starts, and a couple of very tough starts, allowing 7 runs in 5 innings and 4 runs in 4 innings. �Overall, in 9 starts and 43.1 innings in West Virginia, Bankston had a 1-4 record and a 4.98 ERA, allowing 48 hits and 24 earned runs, with 16 walks, and 25 strikeouts. �When some roster-shuffling happened to move Tony Sanchez to West Virginia at the end of June, Bankston was sent to State College. �He made 9 more starts for the Spikes, and had more success, with a 2.34 ERA and a 2-4 record. �He had one very good start, going 7 shutout innings against Batavia and allowing only 3 hits and one walk. �The rest of his starts in State College were ok -- not spectacular and not horrible. �He walked only 5 batters over 50 innings, which was a big improvement and probably what contributed most to the lower ERA, since he still gave up 54 hits. �His last four starts were generally better, as he allowed 4 runs on 23 hits over 23 innings. �Bankston went back onto the Disabled List again in August and did not pitch after August 9th. �Bankston will turn 23 years old in June, and he will need to show some definite improvement in West Virginia in 2010 in order to keep moving ahead in the organization.

The Pirates won only 62 games in 2009, meaning they will need a significant jump simply to sniff a .500 season. Where will that major improvement come from? Let’s find out. First, the offense.

Baseball America and Project Prospect released their top 100 prospects lists today. See how the Pirates fared.

Our magical run in the Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament comes up a bit short.

Looking at some Pirates' prospects as the early work outs go on in Bradenton...

Tony (Jorge Anthony) Sanchez was the Pirates' first round pick in the 2009 draft. �The signing was somewhat controversial, but taking into account "signability", and the problems surrounding pitchers who have been signed in the first round over the past several years, Sanchez was thought to be a reasonable choice. �Sanchez had made a big jump in his game in his junior year at Boston College, and finished the 2009 season there with a .346 average, 19 doubles, 14 homers, and 51 RBI. �He signed with the Pirates quickly, and got right to State College to get his feet wet. �In 4 games with the Spikes, he went 4-for-13 with a double and an RBI. �Then he proceeded on to West Virginia, where he endeared himself to Power fans with a .316 average, 15 doubles, 7 homers, and 46 RBI in 41 games. �Sanchez was named the South Atlantic League Player of the week for August 10th - 16th. �Playing in just 4 games that week, Sanchez went 10-for-16, with 4 doubles, 2 homers, and 10 RBI. �With Lynchburg getting into the playoffs in September, Sanchez was promoted again. �He played in the �Hillcats' last three regular season games, but had only 2 hits, both doubles. �In the Hillcats' two playoff series, Sanchez went 5-for-33, but did have an RBI double and a 2-run homer. �Sanchez has been invited to the Pirates' major league camp for 2010 Spring Training -- as an honor extended to the first-round draft pick, and because catchers are always needed in camp. �He will likely begin the 2010 season at A+ with the new Bradenton Marauders (who replaced Lynchburg), though there is an outside chance that he could be assigned to AA Altoona. �Even with a start in Bradenton, if Sanchez continues to impress, he is likely to reach Altoona by the end of the season. Other notes: Another Pirates' first-round draft pick, Bryan Bullington, is a non-roster invitee in the Kansas City Royals' camp. �Bullington, who is from Indiana and attended Ball State University in Muncie, talked to Doug Zaleski of the Star-Press, which covers the Muncie area.

Garrett Jones arrived in Pittsburgh with a bang last summer, blasting ten home runs in his first 19 games. Many people, such as me, said it would never last. But Jones just kept hitting, finishing the season with a .293/.372/.567 line in 358 plate appearances. What will happen in 2010? Is Garrett Jones for real?