Yesterday we took a look at how each of the four affiliates were doing on offense. Today we switch it up to the pitching side to see where each team ranks in key categories.
With the way all of the starters have been pitching, it should be no surprise that Indianapolis leads the International League with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. They are third in strikeouts with 275, trailing first place by a wide margin for this early in the year. The Indians have the sixth lowest walk total in the 14-team league. One thing I’ll note for all the leagues is the hit batter total. The Pirates preach to the minor leaguers to pitch inside. Not necessarily to hit batters, but that is going to happen from time to time. Indianapolis leads the league with 14 hit batters. They have finished first or second in the league each of the last six seasons.
Altoona is eighth in the 12-team Eastern League in ERA. At 3.96, they are well behind the great start by Indianapolis. They rank tenth with a 1.43 WHIP and 11th with 221 strikeouts. They have also issued the most walks in the league. Altoona has plunked 22 batters, five more than the second highest total in the league. The control numbers and overall numbers should improve with Brandon Waddell and (eventually) Frank Duncan in the rotation, as they have some of the best command in the system.
Bradenton is fifth in the 12-team Florida State League with a 3.13 ERA, just 0.01 out of fourth place. They are sixth in WHIP, just 0.02 out of fourth place. The Marauders are ninth with 250 strikeouts and only two teams have issued less walks. Bradenton has hit 20 batters, which is a lot, but they are eight behind the top team.
West Virginia is tied for the South Atlantic League lead in ERA with a 3.10 mark. They held that lead all season until last night. The Power still have a decent lead with a 1.13 WHIP. They have 244 strikeouts, which ranks them ninth in the 14-team league. They have only issued 91 walks, which is a very good number at this point, but Asheville has walked just 62 batters, which is ridiculously good. In hit batters, they rank near the bottom, though they are just two away from sixth place.
PIRATES GAME GRAPH
The Pirates had off on Thursday.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Today’s Starter and Notes: The Pirates were off yesterday. They now face the Cubs, with Francisco Liriano going up against Jason Hammel this afternoon. In his last two starts combined, Liriano has allowed three runs over 13.2 innings. He has not faced the Cubs yet this season. Hammel has a 1.85 ERA over 34 innings this season. He faced the Pirates on May 2nd and allowed two runs over five innings. In his last start against the Nationals, he allowed three runs over five innings.
In the minors, Frank Duncan makes his first start for Indianapolis. He is only up for 1-2 starts, before he returns to Altoona, where he will have a rotation spot. Duncan made one start for the Curve, allowing one run over 5.2 innings.
Tyler Eppler starts for Altoona tonight, coming off an outing in which he threw a seven inning complete game, giving up one run. He has given up three runs or less in every start and he has gone at least six innings in five of his six starts.
Austin Coley had his best game last time out, giving up one run over six innings. It was the first time he went six innings all season.
MLB: Pittsburgh (18-15) @ Cubs (25-8) 2:20 PM
Probable starter: Francisco Liriano (3.60 ERA, 19:39 BB/SO, 35.0 IP)
AAA: Indianapolis (17-15) @ Scranton/WB (18-17) 6:35 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Frank Duncan (1.31 ERA, 6:20 BB/SO, 20.2 IP with Altoona)
AA: Altoona (17-17) @ Richmond (10-23) 7:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Tyler Eppler (2.97 ERA, 7:25 BB/SO, 36.1 IP)
High-A: Bradenton (15-17) @ Palm Beach (15-19) 6:30 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Austin Coley (4.60 ERA, 12:22 BB/SO, 29.1 IP)
Low-A: West Virginia (18-13) @ Lakewood (11-20) 7:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Bret Helton (5.33 ERA, 12:20 BB/SO, 27.0 IP)
HIGHLIGHTS
Here is a strikeout from Chad Kuhl on Wednesday night. It shows all three pitches of the at-bat.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
5/12: Cesilio Pimentel activated from West Virginia disabled list. Julio Vivas assigned to Extended Spring Training.
5/9: Mel Rojas Jr. traded to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations.
5/8: Cole Tucker added to West Virginia Power roster. Logan Ratledge assigned to Extended Spring Training.
5/7: Billy Roth added to West Virginia Power roster.
5/6: Jung-ho Kang activated from disabled list.
5/6: Mel Rojas Jr. assigned to Extended Spring Training.
5/5: Jason Rogers optioned to Indianapolis.
5/2: Jason Creasy placed on disabled list. Brandon Waddell promoted to Altoona
5/2: Tate Scioneaux promoted to Bradenton.
4/30: Jared Hughes activated from the disabled list. Rob Scahill sent to Indianapolis.
THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY
Three former Pittsburgh Pirates players born on this date, plus an intriguing pitching match-up from the early days of the franchise. The players born on this date include catcher Jack Shepard (1953-56), pitcher Frank Miller (1916-19) and catcher Jimmy Archer, who played for the Pirates in 1904, and then again 14 years later as a teammate of Miller. Shepard played two games in 1953, then increased that each year until he played 100 games in 1956. In February of 1957, he retired to pursue a career in business. Shepard briefly returned as a minor league manager for the Pirates in 1959 before retiring from baseball for good.
On this date in 1892, pitcher Elmer Smith of the Pirates lost 6-1 to Cy Young, who made his debut two years earlier. This was one of the last starts for Smith, who became a full-time outfielder in 1893 and made up one of the best Pirates outfields ever that season. Smith won 34 games in 1887 as a teenager, but just three years later, he was in the minors. The Pirates gave him a chance to start 13 games in 1892 before converting him to the outfield. With the Pirates, he hit .325/.415/466 and stole 174 bases in seven seasons. Cy Young went 3-2 against the Pirates in 1892.
