There wasn’t much going on Thursday night in winter ball action, so we have updates here from the last two days. I’ll note that the playoffs are going on in Colombia, but Francisco Acuna didn’t play in either of his team’s first two games. He is still on the active roster.
In Mexico on Thursday, Jerrick Suiter went 0-for-2 with two walks, as his team won 3-0. That put them down 2-1 in the best of seven series.
Carlos Munoz went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI on a sacrifice fly. It’s interesting to note that Munoz is starting at first base over Suiter, who has been the DH. Munoz is a decent first baseman, who catches everything his way, but lacks mobility. Suiter is considered to be the first defensive first baseman for the Pirates. It could just be that Suiter is in more of a Spring Training mode since he got there so late, or Mazatlan is going with familiarity at the spot, but their roles would normally be reversed.
In the Dominican, Anderson Feliz went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.
Friday’s Action
In Australia on Friday, Sam Street made his second appearance and threw two shutout innings, striking out three batters. He threw 3.1 shutout innings in his debut two weeks ago. Street has given up two hits and one walk over his 5.1 innings.
Michael Suchy went 2-for-5, with a run scored, an RBI and his first triple. He’s now hitting .269/.358/.484 in 25 games and has reached base safely in 13 straight.
Robbie Glendinning continues his strong start to his winter by going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. He is hitting .348/.500/.478 through six games, with nine runs scored and seven RBIs.
In Venezuela, Elvis Escobar went 1-for-4, picking up a single off of former Pirate Wilfredo Boscan. Escobar is now 3-for-12 with two walks in three playoff games.
Engelb Vielma went 0-for-2 with a walk. He’s now 3-for-10 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI in three playoff games.
In Mexico, Jerrick Suiter went 1-for-3 with a single. He is just 1-for-10 so far through four games in the series, but he has drawn five walks.
Carlos Munoz went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt. He is 2-for-12 through four playoff games.
In the Dominican league playoffs, Richard Rodriguez made his 16th straight appearance (first 12 were regular season) without an earned run. He recorded the final two outs, one by strikeout, but not before allowing a hit and a walk. It was just his third walk all winter.
Anderson Feliz went 1-for-5 with a single and an RBI. He’s batting .286 in the playoffs.
Action in Puerto Rico started on Friday night. We mentioned back when Robbie Glendinning began playing in Australia last month that a Pirate draft pick hasn’t played winter ball during the same year he was drafted for at least ten years. We may actually get two in the same winter, as 32nd round pick Hector Quinones is on the active roster for Gigantes de Carolina. He did not play on Friday. He split the 2017 season between the GCL, Bristol and Morgantown, posting a 4.84 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. Quinones is the only player from the Pirates on the four rosters in Puerto Rico.
