The longest trip in Single-A for any Pirates prospect involves traveling across the state of Florida.
The longest trip in High-A requires you to travel to a different state, although you’re still in the Eastern Time Zone, albeit in a more regional group.
The bane of Double-A travel comes with long bus rides to New England as you travel up and down the Atlantic coast.
Once you reach Triple-A, the travel extends to half the country. You might even play in a different time zone than normal.
Travel is a hidden challenge for young players. That’s especially true once they reach the Majors. As is the case this week, the Major League schedule involves playing all over the country, in every time zone within the continental United States.
Young players who have adjusted to the full-season schedule in the minors have added challenges in the Majors. There’s more sensory distractions during the game at a Major League stadium. There is more focus on every single play by millions of fans. There is also more rigorous travel that leaves you almost in your own world.
A game on the East Coast is finished by 10 PM these days. You go to the West Coast, and some games start at that time. Pirates players are likely in bed around midnight, Eastern Time, yet they’re playing the most important innings of a game during that biological clock time when they’re on the west coast.
This week, the Pirates are being challenged with a west coast trip. They’ve already started games after 10 and 9 PM, local time. The challenge won’t be as difficult for Jared Jones on Sunday, taking the mound during the day. It might be more of a challenge during his next start, when he’s adjusting back to the Eastern Time Zone. Jones might make his next two starts at 4:05 PM EDT, but one of those is going to come in the early afternoon, and one is going to be an actual 4:05 PM start.
As someone working on a normal sleep schedule based in the Eastern Time Zone, I can say that rapidly having to shift your routine back three hours is a deterrent to performance. The fact the Pirates came away from San Francisco with a win last night is a positive. We’ll see if Jones can get them a series win on Sunday afternoon, despite the time shift.
STATCAST HEROES
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PIRATES PROSPECTS DAILY
Prospect Watch: Michael Kennedy is Heating Up in Bradenton
Saturday Sleepers: Wilber Dotel Off to a Good Start in the Greensboro Rotation
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TODAY: PIRATES (14-14) AT GIANTS (13-15)
Game Time: 4:05 PM EDT
Watch: SportsNet-PIT
Listen: KDKA-FM 93.7
Pirates Starter: Jared Jones, RHP (2-2, 2.79)
Giants Starter: Keaton Winn, RHP (2-3, 3.54)
In the Minors…
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 1:05 PM – Double Header (Starters TBD)
- Double-A: Altoona, 1:00 PM – LHP Anthony Solometo (0-1, 4.66)
- READ: The History of Anthony Solometo’s Funky Delivery
- High-A: Greensboro, 3:05 PM – RHP Alessandro Ercolani (1-1, 1.38)
- READ: Alessandro Ercolani is a Big Talent From a Small Cpuntry
- Single-A: Bradenton, 12:00 PM – RHP Khristian Curtis (0-1, 7.20)
- READ: Khristian Curtis Features Big Stuff From a Six Pitch Mix
THIS WEEK ON PIRATES PROSPECTS
This week’s premium article drop for Patreon subscribers looks at players in Single-A with the Bradenton Marauders. Like every other level, this group is highlighted by interesting pitchers. There are also some hitters to follow on the position player side, which I broke down in my premium column.
**Williams: Pirates Prospects Sleepers to Follow in Single-A
Michael Kennedy was an over-slot prep pick in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. The lefty is in his first full-season league in pro ball, and showed promise this past weekend with an eight strikeout performance.
**Michael Kennedy Shows Path to Big Leagues With Eight Strikeout Performance
Khristian Curtis has a six pitch mix, despite not having a lot of time on the mound in his pitching career. The Pirates gave him an over-slot bonus as a 12th rounder last year, giving them the chance to develop his arsenal.
**Khristian Curtis Features Big Stuff From a Six Pitch Mix
Carlson Reed is showing promise in his early results with Bradenton. The West Virginia draftee has a 2.45 ERA in his first three starts this year, after being taken in the fourth round last year.
**West Virginia Pitcher Carlson Reed is Off to a Great Start With the Pirates
Relievers aren’t usually prospects in the lower levels, but Magdiel Cotto is a lefty who can get his fastball up to 95. The Pirates went over-slot on him in the 11th round last year, and he’s showing good results as a reliever in the 2024 season.
**Magdiel Cotto is an Over-Slot Lefty With a Fastball That Gets Up to 95
The Pirates traded for Connor Oliver at the start of the season, getting something in return for Colin Selby. This marks his sixth different organization since the start of 2020, with hopes that the Pirates can develop the lefty into an MLB option.
**Connor Oliver Remains on the Move With Trade to Pirates
SONG OF THE DAY
