The World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 tournament started this weekend, with round-robin group play that has Team USA in action down in Mexico.
Representing Team...
The DSL Pirates teams ended their seasons this week, which brings the rookie-level affiliates to an end.
I've been reviewing the best performing hitting and...
Jennifer Langosch reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates have shown some interest in Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kenshin Kawakami. The Braves owe Kawakami one year...
Dejan Kovacevic has an update from the Winter Meetings, looking at some news and rumors on the internal trade possibilities:
-Kovacevic says that the Pirates...
MLB's winter meetings begin tomorrow (Monday). Stay tuned for news of trades, moves, shifts, Rule 5 draft, etc. A few of Sunday's winter league games with Pirates' players and friends participating:
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Cardenales de Lara 3, Bravos de Margarita 1 -- Anthony Claggett pitched 4 innings in his start for Los Bravos, and allowed one unearned run on a hit and a walk in the night-cap of a double-header. The run came in the bottom of the 1st, when a single and a throwing error at third base put the lead-off runner on second base. A sacrifice bunt and an RBI ground out brought in the unearned run. After a walk, Claggett retired 10 of the 11 remaining batters he faced -- he hit one batter with a pitch. Los Bravos scored their run in the top of the 1st, on a double, a bunt, and a sacrifice fly. Claggett left the game with the score tied. He was relieved by Edgar Martinez, who began the bottom of the 5th by allowing a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and a 2-run homer, which gave Lara the win.
Aguilas de Zulia 6, Tigres de Aragua 1 -- SS Ronny Cedeno and CF Lastings Milledge each had a single in the 8th inning, and Milledge also walked in the 4th, but neither came around to score in Los Tigres' loss. Aragua's only run was scored in the top of the 9th, on a triple and an RBI single. Zulia scored their 6 runs on 13 hits, scattered over 5 of their 8 at-bats. C Raul Chavez, C Miguel Perez, and pinch-hitter Jorge Cortes were all hitless for Los Tigres.
Leones del Caracas 8, Navegantes del Magallanes 4 -- Corey Hamman pitched a scoreless inning for Los Navegantes in their loss. Caracas had already scored 2 runs in each of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings, and Los Navegantes had scored a pair of runs on a 2-run homer in the 4th and one more run in the 7th on a double, a single, and an RBI ground out. The first batter in the top of the 8th was hit by a pitch, and Hamman entered the game with that runner on first base. He gave up a walk but retired three batters to get out of the inning without allowing a run to score. Los Navegantes scored one more run in the bottom of the 9th on a hit batter and two singles, but it wasn't enough.
Looking in on Pirates' players and friends in Saturday's winter league action:
DOMINICAN LEAGUE Estrellas de Oriente 6, Tigres del Licey 3 -- Los Tigres posted only 5 hits, but they also hurt themselves by committing 4 errors. They scored all of their runs in the 3rd inning on a 3-run homer. DH Ronny Paulino, C Robinzon Diaz, and 1B Jake Fox were all hitless for Los Tigres. Los Estrellas took advantage of the errors to score 2 runs in each of the 1st, 5th, and 8th innings. Half of their runs were unearned.
Gigantes del Cibao 7, Leones del Escogido 3 -- Mike Dubee earned his third Dominican League win for Los Gigantes. Dubee entered the game in the top of the 5th inning, with Los Gigantes leading 3-2, two runners on base, and two outs. The first batter he faced reached base on a fielding error at third base, allowing the tying run to score. The next batter singled up the middle, but the throw in from center field let C JR House tag the lead runner out at the plate to end the inning. House was the lead-off batter in Los Gigantes' half of the inning, and he began a rally with a single into center field. A sacrifice bunt and a single brought in House with the go-ahead run, and another single and an RBI ground out gave Dubee and Los Gigantes an insurance run. Dubee pitched a scoreless 6th inning, and then was relieved. Los Gigantes added 2 more runs in the 8th on two singles, a walk, and a fielding error.
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE Criollos de Caguas 2, Leones de Ponce 0 -- The Caguas pitchers allowed only 4 Ponce hitters to reach base, on three singles and a double scattered throughout the game, and two of the base runners were erased with double plays. Los Criollos scored their first run in the 4th, when 3B Ramon Vazquez led off with a walk, and scored on a single and an RBI double. A triple and an RBI single gave them another run in the 7th, and that was all they needed.
