Mike Loree

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

NOTE:  MiLB.com and Baseball Reference (which probably got the information from MiLB.com) list Loree’s year of birth as 1986.  The Villanova and Atlantic League web sites list it as 1984.  The latter is more believable.  According to the Villanova site, Loree pitched for the University as a senior in the 2006 season.  If he was born in September 1986, he would have finished his senior year at age 19.

2007
R:  1-1-0, 1.12 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 16 IP, 0.6 BB/9, 11.2 K/9

Loree had a brief debut in rookie ball, where he was a bit old.  He fanned 20 while walking only one in 16 innings.

2008
A-:  4-3-0, 2.44 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 81 IP, 0.8 BB/9, 8.3 K/9

Still just in short season ball, Loree posted a low ERA and a .211 opponents’ average in 15 starts.  He walked just seven and fanned 75 in 81 innings.

2009
A+:  8-9-0, 4.67 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 123.1 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 5.1 K/9

Finally in low A, Loree got hit much harder, with opponents batting .279 against him.  His K rate dropped a lot.

2010
IND:  6-9-0, 6.09 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 130 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 8.2 K/9

The Giants released Loree at the end of spring training and he went to Newark of the Atlantic League.  He struggled there, with a high ERA resulting from a lot of hits and 21 HRs allowed.

2011
AA:  0-0-0, 1.17 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 7.2 IP, 3.5 BB/9, 12.9 K/9
IND:  14-5-0, 1.98 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 122.2 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 9.6 K/9

Loree returned to the Atlantic League, with Long Island, and was the league’s top pitcher.  After signing with the Pirates he went to Altoona.  He pitched well in four relief outings.

The Pirates evidently liked what they saw with Loree in indy ball in 2011, as he seems to have turned things around.  They’ll retain his rights for several more years.  It’ll be interesting to see whether he can build on his strong AA debut.  He opened 2012 in extended spring training, but seems most likely to return to Altoona at some point.