PIRATES PROSPECTSPITTSBURGH PIRATES MINOR LEAGUE NEWS, TRANSACTIONS, AND ARTICLES

C Robinzon Diaz was optioned to AAA Indianapolis. �How do you tell the guy who's hitting .423 that he's being demoted? �Well, it's a little more complicated than that. �Diaz has been on fire at the plate, including 4 doubles, a triple, a homer, and 5 RBI. �But, the management felt that Jason Jarmillo is the better defensive catcher and has had more work and better communication with the pitchers. �So for now, it's Diaz coming back to Indy to begin the 2009 season. �But, the Pirates caution that they still may opt to have the two trade off with one another between Indy and Pittsburgh. �

1B/OF Steve Pearce was optioned to AAA Indianapolis. �Pearce got off to a good start in Grapefruit League play, with an RBI double in the first game on Feb 25th. �Then he injured his calf and was forced to sit out for almost 2 weeks. �He went 3-for-4 on March 13th, but then was hitless over his next 8 games. �Overall, he has 7 hits in 33 at bats (.212), with 4 doubles and 3 RBI, but no homers. �The Pirates want him to get regular playing time and regular at-bats, which he can get in Indianapolis. �He has made some improvement at the plate this spring, and they fear that sitting on the bench would impede his progress. �They also want him to play primarily first base, though still get in a little time in the outfield. �

Anderson Machado was sent to minor league camp, where he will also join the Indy Indians. � Machado has been a non-roster invitee, after being signed to a minor league contract. �He has played in 16 games, including the exhibition game against the Dutch team, but has been only 4-for-21 (.190) at the plate. �He plays mostly middle infield, but can also handle first or third base (he played 50 games at third for New Orleans in 2008) and some outfield too if needed.�

C Jason Jaramillo has been officially named the back-up catcher behind Ryan Doumit. �This is the other half of moving Robinzon Diaz to Indy. �Jaramillo, who has played for manager John Russell while in the Phillies' organization, is felt to be better behind the plate in both defense and calling the pitches. So, for now, the Pirates aren't going to worry so much about the fact that he's 5-for-32 (.156) while standing beside the plate this spring. �Just remember, he hasn't been promised that he'll be there in Pittsburgh for the whole season. �

RHP Ross Ohlendorf has been officially told that he's on the Pirates' starting rotation. �THe 26-year-old has allowed only 2 earned runs this spring. �The first came in the exhibition game against the Dutch (March 3rd), when Ohlendorf gave up one run on 4 hits over 2 innings. �He gave up 2 runs (one earned) in his next start on March 8th, on 6 hits over 3.1 innings. �He has also pitched 3 scoreless outings, with the most recent on March 24th lasting 6 innings. �

Saturday's games:

Pirates 10, Phillies 4

It was a big day for CF Andrew McCutchen. �He went 5-for-5 at the plate, with a single, three doubles (two off Jamie Moyer and one off Brad Lidge), and a solo homer (also off Moyer). �His Grapefruit League batting average is now .208 1B�Garrett Jones also homered, a three-run shot in the 8th inning off Lidge. �Brian Bixler, at second base today, went 2-for-4, including a double, increasing his spring average to .352. �He very nearly had a third hit, as his sharp grounder down the third base line in the 3rd inning was speared by the Phil's 3B Eric Bruntlett, who then made a perfect throw across the diamond to barely beat Bixler to first. �LF Jeff Salazar also had 2 hits. �The Pirates totalled 14 hits, with C Jason Jaramillo, SS/3B Luis Cruz, and PH Nyjer Morgan also contributing hits. �

McCutchen�got the Pirates onto the scoreboard when he led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a double. �Bixler doubled, though because it wasn't clear whether or not it was going to drop in, �McCutchen only got to third base. � An RBI grounder by 1B Adam LaRoche scored McCutchen, and a single that slipped into left field scored Bixler. �McCutchen's homer added another run in the 5th inning. �Morgan and LaRoche hit RBI doubles in the 6th inning, and McCutchen hit his single, which brought in two more runs. �Jones' homer in the 8th put the cap on the Pirates' scoring. �

A few players from minor league camp came over to McKechnie�and got into the game: �2B Jim Negrych, RF Robbie Grossman, SS�Brian Friday, and PH Eric Kratz.

Ian Snell made another strong start, allowing only 2 hits, one a solo homer by Ryan Howard. That was the only run Snell gave up. �He walked 3 batters and struck out 5. �Denny Bautista gave up a 3-run homer to Carlos Ruiz in the 7th inning, accounting for the rest of the Phillies' runs. �The homer was the only hit Bautista gave up in his inning, but he also walked 3 batters. �John Grabow and Matt Capps each pitched a scoreless inning. �The pitching staff got a little extra help from catcher Jaramillo, who played the entire game behind the plate. �He picked a runner off first, threw out another trying to steal second, and then threw out Ruiz at third base on a sacrifice bunt attempt. �

Indy Indians 6, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees 6

These two teams played to a tie for the second day in a row, this time in Tampa instead of in Bradenton. �INF�Larry Broadway went 3-for-5 for the Indians, including a solo homer in the 1st inning and a 2-RBI double in the 7th inning that tied the score. �INF Pedro Lopez also blasted a solo home run for the Tribe in the first inning. �Overall, the Indians had 9 hits and scored 4 of their 6 runs in the first 5 innings, all off Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang. �

Daniel McCutchen made the start for the Indians. �He lasted 4 innings, and was responsible for 4 of the Yankees' runs, including three solo home runs -- one in the 1st inning and 2 in the 2nd. �McCutchen didn't walk anyone, and he struck out 3 batters. �

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