A quick look at some winter league games involving Pirates' players and friends:

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE

Navegantes del Magallanes� 3,� Bravos de Margarita� 0 -- Margarita just couldn't get anything going in this game.� The only time they had more than one runner on base at a time was in the 1st inning, when CF Frank Diaz and RF Rene Reyes hit a pair of two-out singles.� Diaz had 3 hits in the game.� 3B Andy LaRoche was hitless in 4 trips to the plate, including 3 strikeouts.� Los Navegantes scored 2 of their runs in the 5th, on a walk and four singles.� Former Pirate DH Mike Ryan had one of those singles, and he scored one of the runs.� Jean Machi pitched the 9th inning for Magallanes, earning the save.� He gave up two singles, but got a double play in between then.� Jhonathan Ramos came in to finish up the 5th inning for Margarita, then pitched the 6th.� He gave up a hit but followed it with a double play.

Leones del Caracas� 11,� Tigres de Aragua� 0 -- Los Leones devoured Los Tigres, holding Aragua to just 5 hits.� 1B Hector Gimenez had one of the hits, a single in the 7th, but was left stranded. C Raul Chavez also had a single, but he was erased in a double play.� Caracas posted a total of 14 hits, and had two 4-run innings (2nd and 7th).� C Carlos Maldonado doubled, walked, and reached on a fielding error, and scored all three of those times.

�

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE

Algodoneros de Guasave� 6,� Venados de Mazatlan� 4 -- RF Rogelios Noris doubled and scored for Los Venados, and former Pirate 1B Yurendell de Caster singled and doubled for Guasave.� Noris' double led off the 3rd inning, and two more doubles gave Mazatlan 2 runs in that inning.� Guasave scored 3 times in the 4th inning, and that tipped the scales in their favor for the rest of the game.� De Caster's RBI double brought in a run in the 5th, and his single plated another run in the 8th.� Mazatlan's last run came on a homer in the 6th.

Mesa Solar Sox� 8,� Surprise Rafters� 7

It was a wild finish in Mesa this afternoon as the Solar Sox scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to defeat the Surprise Rafters in Arizona Fall League play.� DH Jordy Mercer and RF Andrew Lambo each had� hits in the game, and they combined for 3 RBI.

Lambo got the Solar Sox going with a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning, bringing in 1B Matt Rizzotti (Phillies) who had walked.� The Rafters responded with 5 runs in the top of the 3rd.� With Ryan Brasier (Angels) on the mound for the Solar Sox, the first four Rafters reached base on four straight hits -- a single, an RBI triple, and a pair of RBI doubles.� Brasier got a ground out, then was relieved by David Cales (Cubs).� Cales gave up a triple to the first batter he faced, driving in the fourth run of the inning.� A fielder's choice to third base was not fielded fast enough to catch the runner from third before he crossed the plate, and Surprise had taken a 5-2 lead.� Cales finally ended the inning with a double play.

Mesa tried to get caught up in the 4th.� With one out, Rizzotti grounded a single up the middle, and Mercer followed with a double lined into center field.� That moved Rizzotti to third base.� Lambo bounced to third and this time the fielder's choice play worked -- Rizzotti was out at the plate.� Both te Rafters and the Solar Sox put two runners on base in the 5th, with a double and a walk for the Rafters and 2B Ryan Flaherty's (Cubs) single and SS Andrew Romine's (Angels) walk for the Sox.� CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets) walked in the 7th, but was erased in a double play.

LF Josh Harrison, in the outfield today, started the rally that tied the game in the 8th inning.� He led off with a double into left field, then went to third base when Romine reached on fielding error at shortstop.� Brandon Wood (Angels) and Rizzotti both singled, driving in Harrison and Romine.� Mercer grounded to second base for a force out, and it might have been a double play, but Mercer was safe at first and the tying run, Wood, scored.� Lambo also singled, moving Mercer up to second base, but the inning ended with the score still tied.

The Solar Sox pitchers were also holding the Rafters scoreless.� Nicholas Carr (Mets) took over for Cales and threw 2 scoreless innings, with one hit and one walk.� Tyson Brummett (Phillies) added two more scoreless frames with one hit.� Robert Fish (Angels) pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th, with three ground outs to the shortstop Romine.� Steven Geltz (Angels) allowed only a single in two innings (the 9th and the 10th), and C Kai Gronauer (Mets) obligingly threw that base runner out trying to steal second base.

With the score still tied, the Solar Sox went down in order in the bottom of the 9th.� Mercer singled in the bottom of the 10th, but did not score.� Eric Niesen (Mets) took over for Geltz to begin the top of the 11th, and he got into trouble, aided by two errors.� With one out, Niesen hit RF Joey Butler (Rangers) with a pitch.� The next batter, SS Pete Kozma (Cardinals) grounded to second base, where Ryan Flaherty first made a fielding error then a throwing error, leaving runners on second and third.� A singled drove in Butler, and another unsuccessful fielder's choice play let Kozma score.� A double play got Niesen out of the inning, but the Rafters led 7-5.

The Solar Sox were not done, though.� Nieuwenhuis tried to bunt for a hit, but his first attempt went foul, and he was hit with the second pitch.� Gronauer walked, then Flaherty was able to drop down a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners to second and third.� Grounauer was replaced by pinch-runner Jordany Valdespin (Mets).� Harrison popped out for the second out of the inning. Romine walked to load the bases.� Then Brandon Wood was the hero of the game with a bases-clearing double lined into center field.� Romine raced around from first base to score the winning run on the walk-off double.

None of the Pirates' pitching prospects got into this game.

Tony Sanchez was off today, but the rest of the Pirates hitting prospects started today, leading the Mesa Solar Sox to an 8-7 victory: -Andrew...

According to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, the Seattle Mariners have settled on Eric Wedge as their next manager.  Wedge was seen as the...

Just one game in the Mexican Pacific League last night:

Naranjeros de Hermosillo 19, Aguilas de Mexicali 1 -- Los Naranjeros did it all on 16 hits, including 2 from former Pirate Humberto Cota, who was playing first base.� Hermosillo scored 11 runs in the 5th inning. They sent 15 batters to the plate, and had 6 singles and 5 walks.� There was one wild pitch and only 2 of Mexicali's errors occurred in that inning.

�

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE:

Navegantes del Magallanes� 6,� Bravos de Margarita� 0 -- 3B Andy LaRoche had one of Los Bravos 5 hits, and that was a double off fellow Pirate Corey Hamman, who pitched the bottom of the 9th for Los Navegantes.� After a two-out walk in the bottom of the 1st, the next 15 Margarita batters went down in order.� The closest they came to scoring was in the 6th when they loaded the bases on a single, a double, and a walk, but could not score.� LaRoche reached as far as third base in the 9th, when Hamman also gave up a single, but LaRoche was left on base when Hamman ended the inning and the game with a ground out.� Los Navegantes scored one run in the top of the 1st on former Pirate LF Mike Ryan's RBI single.� Ryan also singled in the 2nd, when Magallanes added another 3 runs.� A solo homer gave them another run in the 3rd, and they scored again in the 7th.� Pirate farmhand Jhonathan Ramos pitched the 8th inning for Margarita, and he struck out three Navegantes in order.� Ramos was followed by former Pirate farmhand RHP Yoffri Martinez, who was a little wild (two walks and two wild pitches) but did not give up a hit or a run in the top of the 9th.

�

Tigres de Aragua� 9,� Caribes de Anzoategui� 2 -- Brian Bass struck out 8 batters in 3.2 innings for Los Tigres and allowed one run on 5 hits and a walk.� He worked around the lead-off walk in the 1st, and a single in the 2nd, then two singles in the 3rd, while striking out two batters in each of those innings.� He gave up another single and struck out two more in the 4th before being relieved.� DH Raul Chavez singled in Aragua's 3-run 3rd inning.� He singled again, and 1B Hector Gimenez walked and scored in the 3-run 6th inning.� Gimenez also singled and scored in the 2-run 7th inning, and Los Tigres scored again in the 8th.� Former Pirate farmhand C Miguel Perez was 0-for-3 at the plate for Aragua.� Gabriel Alvarado pitched to three batters for Los Caribes in that 6th inning.� He gave up a single (which drove in Gimenez), then threw a wild pitch on strike three, which let another run came in, then got the ground out that ended the inning.� Adenson Chourio had a pinch-hit appearance in the top of the 9th.� He grounded into a force out, but was safe at first, then he stole second base.

In 2008, Ryan Doumit had a breakout season as the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher.  Doumit posted a .318/.357/.501 line with 15 homers in 431 at-bats,...

Mesa Solar Sox� 11,� Surprise Rafters� 6

The Mesa Solar Sox busted out with 9 runs in the 4th inning and posted a total of 19 hits in their Arizona Fall League win this afternoon.� SS Jordy Mercer, C Tony Sanchez, and 3B Josh Vitters (Cubs) had 3 hits each, and 2B Josh Harrison and RF Andrew Lambo contributed a hit apiece.

Each team scored one run in the 1st inning.� Mesa's LF/CF Jeremy Moore (Angels) singled and stole second base, then scored on 1B Matt Rizzotti's (Phillies) RBI single.� Tony Sanchez also singled in the inning, but was left on base.� The Rafters scored on a single, a wild pitch by starter Josh Zeid (Phillies) and an RBI single.

Things were quiet for the next two innings, other than a single by Vitters in the top of the 3rd.� The quiet ended in the top of the 4th, when 14 Solar Sox came to the plate.� Tony Sanchez started the fun with a single to second.� A fielding error by the Surprise first baseman allowed Andrew Lambo to reach first base.� CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled, scoring both Sanchez and Lambo with the first two runs of the inning (1,2).� Jordy Mercer's double plated Nieuwenhuis (3), and Mercer advanced to third on a ground out.� After a line out and a change in pitchers, Moore and Vitters both doubled, driving in Mercer and Moore (4, 5).� Rizzotti walked, then Sanchez singled for the second time in the inning, to score Vitters (6).� A throwing error by the left fielder let Sanchez advance to second base and Rizzotti to third base.� Three more singles followed -- Lambo's brought in both Rizzotti and Sanchez (7, 8), Nieuwenhuis' moved Lambo to second base, and Mercer's scored Lambo (9).� A ground out finally ended the inning.

Zeid pitched 3 innings and allowed the one run in the 1st inning on two hits, and he struck out 3 batters.� BJ Rosenberg (Phillies) took over for Zied to begin the 4th.� He gave up a run on two doubles.� He also gave up three singles in the bottom of the 5th, bringing in one run.� A wild pitch and two walks loaded the bases.� Rosenberg was relieved by Aaron Pribanic, who threw a wild pitch to the first batter he faced, allowing another run to score.� Pribanic finished the inning with a strikeout, and the Solar Sox still led 10-4.� Pribanic came back out for the 6th inning, and another run scored on a single and a throwing error.

The Solar Sox continued to put runners on base.� Harrison and Vitters both singled in the 5th, but did not come around to score.� LF Ryan Flaherty (Cubs), who had entered the game as a defensive replacement, and Harrison both walked and Valdespin singled to load the bases in the 6th, but all three were left on base when Moore struck out.� Rizzotti also walked in the 7th, but was left on base.� He also singled in the 9th, but was eliminated in a double play.� The Solar Sox added one last run when Flaherty doubled to open the 8th inning.� He moved up to third base on a wild pitch.� Jordy Mercer drove him in with an RBI single, to increase the lead to 11 - 5.

Aaron Pribanic worked around a single in the 7th inning, but kept him from scoring.� Brian Leach came on to pitch the 8th, and he also worked around a single for a scoreless inning.� Surprise managed one last run in the bottom of the 9th.� With Eddie McKiernan (Angels) on the mound, a walk, a double, and a sacrifice fly drove in the run.� It was not nearly enough, though, and Mesa and Josh Zeid had the win.

Each of the past two offseasons, I contributed to Graphical Player, a fantasy baseball annual put together by John Burnson of Heater Magazine. Let’s take a look at a few of my Graphical Player 2010 player commentaries and see how I did.

News for the Pirates' players and friends in the winter leagues:

VENEZUELAN WINTER LEAGUE:

Bravos de Margarita� 5,� Tiburones de La Guaira 4 -- Margarita posted 12 hits in this game, but none of them belonged to 3B Andy LaRoche, who was hitless in 4 trips to the plate.� Los Bravos broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 5th, on a single, a wild pitch, a balk, and an RBI single.� Two� errors contributed to 2 more Margarita runs in the 6th, to give Los Bravos a 4-1 lead.� Los Tiburones caught up with single runs in each of the last three innings -- a walk and two singles in the 7th, and� solo homers in the 8th and the top of the 9th.� With the score tied at 4-4 going into the bottom of the 9th, Margarita scored on a walk, a force out, and a walk-off RBI double by LF Francisco Leandro.

Tigres de Aragua� 8,� Navegantes del Magallanes� 2 -- Former Pirate C Raul Chavez had 2 of Aragua's hit and 1B Hector Gimenez scored once and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly for Los Tigres.� Former Pirate DH Mike Ryan singled and scored one of Magallanes' two runs.� Aragua had a 3-2 lead up until the last two innings.� Then they added 3 runs in the 8th and 2 more in the 9th.� Reliever Jean Machi started the 9th for Magallanes but gave up 2 unearned runs on two hits (one a double) and a walk.

�

MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE:

Tomateros de Culiacan� 7,� Venados de Mazatlan� 4 -- RF Rogelios Noris made his winter debut for his hometown Venados.� Culiacan scored one run in the top of the 1st, and Mazatlan got the run back in the bottom of the frame, on an RBI double by RF Christian Quintero.� Culiacan added two runs in the 2nd inning, and 4 more in the 3rd.� After a double and two singles went to Quintero in right field, and runners scored despite Quintero's throws in from the outfield, Culiacan changed both pitchers and right fielders, with Noris taking over right field.� It wasn't Noris' best game either.� He struck out twice, then walked to open the bottom of the 9th, and was out in a double play.� He also made a fielding error in the 9th, though nothing came of it.

Yaquis de Obregon� 7,� Mayos de Navojoa� 5� -- Former Pirate CF Jeff Salazar went 2-for-4 and contributed 3 RBI for Obregon.�� The two teams combined for 25 hits in the game.� Salazar's RBI single drove in the tying (at that point) run in the 2nd, and he stole second base.� He tripled with two runners on base in the 5th and drove both of them in.

Phoenix Desert Dogs� 6,� Mesa Solar Sox� 3

The Solar Sox could not keep their bats going in the later innings, losing to Phoenix late Wednesday evening.� Phoenix got onto the scoreboard first in the top of the 2nd inning.� A double by RF Michael Taylor (A's) and a single by LF Jerry Sands (Dodgers) put runners on the corners with no outs.� A double play eliminated Sands but let Taylor score with the first run of the game.� Three consecutive singles brought in a second run.� The fourth straight single would have plated another run, but Mesa's CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets) made an excellent throw from center field to C Tim Kennelly (Phillies) to nail the lead runner at the plate.

The Solar Sox threatened in the 1st inning, when 2B Jordany Valdespin (Mets) led off with a single, then stole second base.� A fielding error at short put 3B Brandon Wood (Angels) an base, and RF Andrew Lambo moved both runners up a base with a fly out to center field.� Both were left in scoring position, though, when a line out ended the inning.� The Sox came right back in the bottom of the second with three consecutive singles to lead off.� LF Jeremy Moore (Angels) singled up the middle, then stole second base.� Kennelly's grounder up the middle let Moore race around from second to score.� Kennelly moved to second base on DH Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) line drive single, then advanced to third on a grounder force out by SS Andrew Romine (Angels).� Valdespin brought Kennelly in with an RBI grounder, tying the game at 2-2.

Jake Muyco (Cubs) made the start for Mesa.� He retired the side in order in the 1st, gave up the two runs in the 2nd, then gave up a walk and hit a batter in the 3rd, but got out of that jam with a double play.� Chris Carpenter (Cubs) replaced Muyco to begin the 4th.� Carpenter began the inning with a walk, then two ground outs moved the runner to third.� An RBI single brought the run home, to give Phoenix a 3-2 lead.� Carpenter gave up a single in the 5th, but Kennally threw the runner out as he tried to steal second base.� Kyle Smith (Cubs) pitched the next two innings for the Solar Sox, allowing just one walk and striking out 3 batters.

But the Solar Sox were not able to catch up.� They put a runner on base in each of the 4th and 5th innings, on singles by Romine and Wood, then went down in order in the 6th and 7th innings.

Eric Niesen (Mets) took the mound for Mesa to begin the 8th inning, and gave up a lead-off home run to Taylor.� Wood responded with his own solo home run in the bottom of the inning, and the score was 4-3 with Phoenix still ahead.

The top of the 9th saw David Cales (Cubs) take the mound for the Solar Sox.� The first two batters of the inning singled, and the next reached base on a throwing error by Cales, when he tried to field a bunt and throw to third for the force out.� Instead of being out, the lead runner scored on the play.� A double play gave Cales two outs, but left a runner on third, and Taylor's RBI single (his third hit of the day) plated that runner to give Phoenix a 6-3 lead.� Flaherty walked in the bottom of the 9th, but the Solar Sox could not bring him around to score.

Andrew Lambo, the only one of the Pirates' farmhands to get into this game, went 0-for-4 at the plate, though his out in the 1st inning did advance the baserunners.� He grounded out twice and flied out one more time in his remaining at-bats.

Tony Sanchez's AFL blog is up and running -- he says that the pitcher who threw the pitch that broke his jaw is now his teammate on the Solar Sox.

Team USA wrapped up the Pan American tournament with a rain-out this afternoon.� That means that the USA and Venezuela were declared tied for third place in the tournament.� Cuba and the Dominican Republic were scheduled to play tonight (Wednesday).� (UPDATE:� The Dominican Republic took the gold medal with a 5-2 win over Cuba.)� The third place finish qualifies the US for the 2011 Pan American Games, which will be played in Guadalajara, Mexico, and also for the 2011 Baseball World Cup.

�

Four members of Team USA were named to the All-Tournament Team:� 1B Eric Hosmer, 3B Mike Moustakas, and LHP Mike Montgomery, all from the Royals' organization, and CF Mike Trout (Angels).

Hosmer led Team USA with a .389 average (14-for-36).� Trout led in homers with 3, and Moustakas led in RBI with 8.� Pirates' Chase d'Arnaud and Todd Frazier (Reds) each had 2 stolen bases, the most for the team.� Former Pirate Todd Redmond (Braves) pitched the most innings -- 12.2, and Justin De Fratus (Phillies) and Tim Collins (Royals) both appeared in 5 tournament games, leading the bullpen.� Redmond, Nick Hill (Mariners), and Montgomery each had 2 wins, and De Fratus and Anthony Carter (White Sox) each had 2 saves.� Chris Archer (Cubs) led with 15 strikeouts.

Chase d'Arnaud appeared in 8 of Team USA's games, and hit .321 (9-for-28).� Two of his hits were doubles and one was a triple, and he had 4 RBI.� Erik Kratz appeared in 5 games and hit .278 (5-for-18), including 2 doubles and 4 RBI.� Former Pirate Brad Eldred appeared in all 10 games as the DH.� He hit .250 (10-for-40) and tied with Reds' Todd Frazier to lead the team in strikeouts with 9.

Todd Redmond earned a 1.42 ERA in his 12.2 innings, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 10 hits and 2 walks, with 10 strikeouts.� None of the hits he gave up were for extra bases.

Not much action for the Pirates prospects in the Arizona Fall League today, as Andrew Lambo was the only player to receive playing time....