CLEARWATER, Fla. — Pittsburgh Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington does not have a time frame to decide on his final starting pitcher, releiver, and bench players, saying Sunday that the process could go up until opening day in Boston.
But Huntington did have a lot to say about those decisions, particularly the fifth starter battle. Manager Clint Hurdle said on Saturday that there isn’t much separation between the four players battling for the open start, and Huntington agreed with that assessment.
“You always want the players to make the decisions for you,” he said. “You always want someone to step up, grab ahold of a job, take it and run with it. They’ve each shown very positive signs. They’ve each shown some challenges that we have to continue to work through.”
With all four players having pitched over the last three days, they all had a chance to make a case and Huntington seemed to imply that the decision has been largely made at this point.
“From our perspective, we’ve got a pretty good feel for where we’d like to go,” he said.
But because each will likely take one more turn through the rotation and the potential for injury, trade or some other unforeseen circumstance, Huntington will hold off publicizing any decision until after the Pirates pair of exhibition games in Montreal.
“We’ll have two final roster spots that we’ll make the final, public announcements after the last game or maybe Opening Day, depending on timing,” he said.
With four players so evenly matched, it might be safe to assume that whichever player wins the job, he may be on a short leash. But Huntington put the kibosh on that notion.
“If we’re going to make a commitment to someone, obviously they need to keep the job,” he said. “The last thing we want is someone looking over their shoulder and feel like they have to pitch for their lives all the way out. We feel good about each one of those pitchers helping us at some point in the season when we have the need because, unfortunately, we will. At the same time, when we choose somebody, we want them to go out there and feel comfortable and confident that they can go compete and go help the team win.”
In addition to the open rotation spot, the Pirates are still figuring things out in the bullpen, with Jared Hughes, Wade LeBlanc, Josh Lindblom, A.J. Schugel and Tyler Webb all still battling for two open spots. But the losers of the starting pitcher battle will be in consideration there, as well. Huntington sounded as if that’s a pretty likely possibility.
“The upside of having the numbers that we have is that if we were to take one of the other starters and put them in the bullpen to start the season, we still have two guys that we feel very comfortable are ready to come up here and make starts,” he said. “You also have the starter that you’ve put into the bullpen can make a start for you really for about a month to six weeks before you need to get him out and get him stretched back out again.”
The Pirates do not need their fifth starter very often in the month of April — probably only three or four times — but will need one no later than the sixth game of the season, which means that the team will not keep an extra position player to serve as a designated hitter in Boston.
“Because of the need for the fifth starter, whether it’s the sixth game of the same or the fifth game of the season depending on how we want to line the rotation up going forward, we don’t have the ability to option a starter and then bring him back in time,” Huntington said. “We’ll probably just end up going with a straight 25.”
NO KANG NEWS
Huntington was not able to provide much of an update on third baseman Jung Ho Kang, whose status for the season remains uncertain.
“We’re working through the process,” Huntington said. “We’re optimistic, but right now, it’s out of our hands. We’re focusing on bringing an outstanding group of 25 men together. … If we the good news and he’s able to join us at some point, outstanding. But until the point in time, this group is ready to go win games.”
INJURY UPDATES
Huntington did not rule out Gregory Polanco (left shoulder discomfort) or Chris Stewart (left groin strain) from returning to action before Opening Day.
“We’ll see where we are,” he said. “It’s early in the process in terms of the diagnostic in terms of how they’re feeling and how they bounce back. Let’s see where we are as we get closer to the early part of the week, middle part of the week as we have to start making some decisions.”
Catcher Francisco Cervelli, who was scratched from his start on Sunday, is dealing with “a little bit of soreness in the foot” according to Huntington. He slid awkwardly into third base on his triple at LECOM Park Saturday. Sunday would have been back-to-back days behind the plate for Cervelli. Jackson Williams played in his place.
“Just in terms of the travel, in terms of the amount of work he did yesterday with the triple, with the stolen base and making sure we put him in a position to be strong and healthy come opening day,” Huntington said.
OSUNA AND EXPECTATIONS
Jose Osuna’s red-hot spring has turned some heads outside the organization, and that’s been the case on the inside, as well, as Huntington said he has exceeded expectations and remains in the mix for a bench spot.
“I’m not sure we expected he’d hit .440 with power and show plate discipline the way he has,” Huntington said. “He’s shown a very mature approach offensively. He’s shown up well defensively at first base. Still work to do in the outfield. The one challenge is we have to remember how many plate appearances it actually is. It’s less than two weeks in a full season. Very encouraging signs. Certainly put himself in the mix, which is probably not where he was coming into Spring Training. Certainly we felt could be an extra outfield option, could be a right-handed bat off the bench option, could step in and play more if need be — and he’s done nothing but enhance that based on what he’s done here this spring. Who knows where he’ll end up come the final roster.”
