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...
Another big round of cuts this morning... that leaves only one over the magic number in camp. �It means that, despite his troubles yesterday, Jeff Karstens�has made the starting line-up.
Virgil Vasquez will be a starter in Indianapolis. �There was thought of having him stay in Pittsburgh as long relief, but there could also be some benefit of keeping Vasquez ready to pop back up to Pittsburgh if necessary. �Vasquez is on the 40-man roster. �He made 4 appearances for the Pirates this spring. �The first consisted of two innings of work on March 6th, and he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 2 and struck out 2. �Then Vasquez made 3 starts. �The best came on March 12, when he pitched 3 scoreless innings with 2 hits. �The worst came on March 17th, when he gave up 6 runs on 7 hits in 2.1 innings. �The start at the end of last week was in the middle: �3 runs on 5 hits over 5.2 innings. �Vasquez also made a start in a minor league game, pitching 5 scoreless innings. �Though the spring results weren't amazing, the 26-year old has stated that he felt good and felt comfortable on the mound, particularly in the most recent outings. �Vasquez has two seasons of AAA experience, pitching for the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers) in both the 2007 and 2008 seasons. �He made a total of 52 starts for the Mud Hens, earning a 24 - 17 record and a 4.44 ERA. �Over 314 innings of work, he gave up 318 hits and 70 walks, and struck out 242 batters. �It will be nice to have some of those strikeouts on our side in Indianapolis, instead of for the Mud Hens. �
Righty reliever�Chris Bootcheck is a LaPorte, Indiana native, who was assigned to minor league camp, and will likely be assigned to the Indy Indians also. �He too has had several seasons of experience at the AAA and major league levels in the Angels' organization. �The 30-year old Bootcheck signed as a minor league free agent over the winter. �He�made 14 Grapefruit League appearances this spring, for a total of 13.1 innings. �He's allowed 7 earned runs and 13 hits, 6 walks, and 17 strikeouts. �The first 5 outings were scoreless, and he really only had two appearances that were difficult -- on March 9th, he gave up 3 runs on 2 hits, and on March 14th, he gave up 2 runs on a hit and a walk. and both of those times, the real trouble was that he gave up a home run. �
Denny Bautista, a 26-year old righty reliever, has several seasons of experience at the major league and AAA levels for several clubs. �He made 35 relief appearances for the Pirates last season, after joining the team... � He pitched 41.1 innings in Pittsburgh, earning a 4-3 record and a 6.10 ERA, with 46 hits, 28 walks, and 34 strikeouts. �He was non-tendered after the season, and re-signed to a minor league contract. �Bautista has struggled this spring, pitching 12.1 innings in 11 appearances and allowing 9 earned runs on 15 hits. �He walked 6 and struck out 11 batters. �Bautista was assigned to minor league camp, and he too should be on the Indianapolis roster. ��He has an escape clause in his contract, if he is not on the major league roster on/by June 1st. �
Jason Davis also signed a minor league contract with the Pirates over the winter, after splitting last season between Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. �The righty made 20 starts for the Indians, totalling 116.1 innings, with a 6-9 record and a 4.41 ERA. �He gave up 113 hits and 47 walks, and struck out 68 batters. �Like several others, Davis got his chance up in Pittsburgh, and like most of the others, he had his troubles there. �He made 4 starts and 10 relief appearances for the Pirates, and earned a 2-4 record and a 5.29 ERA. �He walked more than he struck out (17 BB, 13 K), and gave up more hits (38) than innings pitched (34). �Davis, who will be 29 next month, made 9 relief appearances this spring. �In 13 innings, he allowed only 2 runs on 8 hits, with 8 walks and 9 strikeouts, for a 1.38 ERA. �He gave up one run on one hit in his first outing on Feb 27th, and one run on two hits in his last appearance on March 29th. �In between, he pitched 10 scoreless innings. �Davis had been in consideration for a long relief role out of the Pirates' bullpen, but they opted for AAA for him. �
OF Jeff Salazar got a long look from the Pirates this spring, after being signed to a minor league contract. �He appeared in most of the Pirates' Grapefruit League games, often as a later-inning replacement. �He hit .280, with 4 home runs and 15 RBI, including two 2-hit games. �But the outfield is crowded, and other players, particularly prospects, are getting priority, so Salazar was assigned to minor league camp, and Indianapolis. �Salazar had split the last two seasons between AAA and the majors in the Diamondbacks' organization. �Last year, he hit .364 at Tucson, but only .211 for Arizona.
Super-utility�Andy Phillips also came to camp on a minor league contract. �His bid for a bench role on the Pirates was hampered by a lower back injury that kept him off the field for about three weeks. �He can play both infield and corner outfield, and was signed with the idea that he could cover almost anywhere. �The 32-year-old veteran has a wealth of major league experience, mostly with the Yankees, and also 52 games with the Reds in 2008. �Phillips got into only 12 Grapefruit League games, but he's made the most of his plate appearances, hitting .421 (8-for-19) with 7 RBI. �He's 1-for-4 since his return to the field. �He'll be able to play almost anywhere on the field in Indianapolis also.
Garrett Jones can play both first base and outfield. �He has been playing for several seasons �at AAA Rochester in the Twins' organization, where he was a home run and RBI machine: �81 homers and 324 RBI over the past 4 seasons. �The Twins already had strong players at his positions in the majors, though, and Jones was stuck. �He came to Pirates' camp on a minor league contract, with only an outside chance of making the 25-man roster. �In 29 game appearances for the Pirates this spring, most as a later-inning replacement, Jones has hit 4 homers and 12 RBI, while hitting a solid .294. �It will be nice to have some of that power in Indianapolis.
C Erik Kratz has been in camp, on the sidelines of the Robinzon Diaz-Jason Jaramillo competition. �Kratz signed a minor league contract, and either �he or Miguel Perez�will be the back-up to Diaz in Indianapolis. �Kratz has split the past three seasons between AA New Hampshire and AAA Syracuse in the Blue Jays' system. �He hit .229 over those stints with Syracuse, and .237 for New Hampshire. �Kratz saw action in only 7 games with the Pirates this spring, and had a double in 6 at-bats. �
Luis Cruz has been told he's made the 25-man roster. �<
span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight:bold;">Craig Monroe has
been about 98% assured that he did too. �Monroe's contract has an escape clause, if he doesn't make the 25-man roster, and that clause goes into effect today. �
Still potentially on the bubble: �pitchers Jesse Chavez, Evan Meek, Craig Hansen, Sean Burnett, and Rule 5 pick Donnie Veal. �Of those, Chavez and Meek still have options. �Burnett and Hansen would have to go through waivers to get to Indy. �Veal would have to be offered back to the Cubs. �Phil Dumatrait will begin the season on the DL. �
These moves firm up the Indy Indians' starting rotation: �Tom Gorzelanny, Jimmy Barthmaier, Daniel McCutchen, Vasquez, and Davis. �
Homers accounted for much of the early scoring in the game. �CF Nate McLouth hit a 2-run homer for the Pirates in the 3rd inning, after LF Nyjer Morgan had doubled. �The Red Sox Chip Ambres came back in the next inning with a 3-run homer off Pirates' starter Paul Maholm.��Morgan tied it up in the bottom of the inning when his RBI single brought in SS Jack Wilson. �Morgan also hit a double later in the game. �
Several minor leaguers came over to big league camp for the afternoon: �CF Robbie Grossman, 2B Pedro Lopez,�1B Jamie Romak, RF Maiko Loyola, 2B Jose De Los Santos, and�PH�Eddie Prasch. � Loyola was robbed of a hit in the 8th, when his soft liner was speared on a leap by the Red Sox' shortstop. �Prasch got on base in the 9th when he was hit by a pitch. �
Maholm pitched 4 innings, and allowed 5 more hits besides the home run. �Sean Burnett, Donnie Veal, and Juan Mateo all pitched scoreless innings. �Yoslan Herrera pitched the 8th inning. �He loaded the bases on a drop-in single behind first base, and two walks, with a strikeout in between. �Then he got a hot grounder to third base and 3B�Ramon Vazquez started the double play that ended the inning without a run scoring. ��Daniel Haigwood came on to pitch the 9th, and gave up Sox' Ambres' second home run of the game, a no-doubt-about-it solo shot. �Haigwood was charged with the loss. �
Indianapolis Indians 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees 1
Triples by catchers were the order of the day for the Indians. �Robinzon Diaz went 2-for-2, both triples, and Miguel Perez also tripled. �Diaz scored the first run of the day in the 5th inning, when 1B Larry Broadway followed Diaz's triple with an RBI single. �OF Steve Pearce led off the 6th inning with a walk, and he scored on Perez's triple. �Broadway's second RBI hit of the game plated Perez.
Tom Gorzelanny�got the win for the Indians, with 5 scoreless innings of work, on 4 hits and 2 walks, with 6 strikeouts. �Dave Davidson earned the save with a perfect 9th inning. �
NOTES:
The Pirates' broadcasters reported that a minor league prospect from Norway, Lirpa Sloof, has now hit a home run in a dozen or so straight games in Pirates'�minor league camp. �Never heard of Sloof before? �Hmmm..... just read his name backwards, and remember what day it is today.
Right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris is a first-round draft pick whom the Pirates didn't draft -- he came to the Pirates in last summer's three-way trade between the Red Sox, the Dodgers, and the Pirates.
Shawn Nottingham, a southpaw relief pitcher, was obtained from the Cleveland Indians today, in exchange for a minor league player to be named later. �
Nottingham was the Mariners' pick in the 13th round of the 2003 draft. �He made 12 relief appearances at the Rookie level that season, pitching 19.1 innings and striking out 17 batters. �In 2004, Nottingham began his season in May, and at the AAA level, where he made 3 relief appearances. �That did not go so well -- he gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks in 2 innings. He pitched the rest of the season at A- level Everett, where he made 14 starts and earned an 8-3 record and a 3.15 ERA. Nottingham missed much of the 2005 season with a variety of ailments: �shoulder impingement and elbow strain. �In 2006, he reached the A+ level Inland Empire, where he made 26 starts, pitching 155.1 innings and earning a 5-12 record and a 4.17 ERA. �He walked only 52 batters and struck out 136 batters. �At the end of August, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians, and finished the season with a start for the A+ Kinston Indians, allowing one run on 5 hits in 4 innings. �
Nottingham advanced to AA Akron in the Cleveland organization in the 2007 season. �He again pitched a lot of innings (149) in making 26 starts (plus one relief appearance). �His record was 9-12 with a 4.77 ERA, and he walked 59 while striking out 96. �Last season, Nottingham began the season again in AA Akron, but as a relief pitcher. �He made 19 appearances, for 33 innings, but gave up 26 runs on 40 hits while walking 16 batters -- a big jump in his walk rate and in his WHIP, which had been in the 1.30- 1.40 �range up to 1.70. �His strikeout rate remained high, as he struck out 33. �He was sent to A+ Kinston, where he returned to the starting rotation and made 14 starts. �He pitched 70 innings and earned a 3-4 record with a 4.58 ERA, with 76 hits, 26 walks, and 70 strikeouts. �Nottingham was invited to the Hawaiian Winter League, where he made 13 relief appearances for the North Shore Honu. He pitched a total of 21 innings and has a 4.71 ERA, with 9 walks (dropped back down again) and 26 strikeouts. �
The Pirates will have Nottingham report to minor league camp. �His HWL work might help earn him a spot on the AA Altoona roster, or he might have to prove himself at A+ Lynchburg before he makes the jump up.
Monday's game:
Pirates 3, Reds 2
box�
C Jason Jaramillo's RBI single in the 9th inning gave the Pirates the win this afternoon over the Reds. �SS Jose De Los Santos, up from the minor league camp for the afternoon, walked and stole second base. �He came around to score on CF Jeff Salazar's RBI single. �Salazar also stole second base, and then 2B Andy Phillips walked.�� That set up Jaramillo, whose single let Salazar scramble home from third base with the winning run. �
The Pirates were held to only 5 hits, though they made them count. �C Ryan Doumit, RF Eric Hinske, and starting pitcher �Ross Ohlendorf had the other hits. �Ohlendorf also worked a walk.
In addition to a successful day at the plate, Ohlendorf had a successful day on the mound. �He pitched 5.1 innings and allowed 3 hits, 2 walks, and one run, while striking out 3 batters. �His Grapefruit League ERA rose to�0.87. �The run he gave up came on two doubles, the first of which fell in when CF Nate McLouth lost the ball in the sun (not an unusual problem in Bradenton), and the second double given up by reliever Denny Bautista. �Bautista finished that inning and pitched the next, allowing a total of 3 hits. �Jesse Chavez allowed the other Reds' run on 2 hits in his inning of work. �Chris Bootcheck added a scoreless top of the 9th, with 2 hits. �Bootcheck was the pitcher of record when the tying and winning runs came across in the bottom of the 9th, so he got the win. �
Indianapolis Indians 7, Las Vegas 51's 5
RF Steve Pearce hit a 2-run homer in the 6th inning to give the Indians the winning runs, and the Tribe also scored 4 runs in the 4th inning, sparked by C Robinzon Diaz's 3-run double. �3B Neil Walker went 3-for-3 with a single, a double, a triple, and 2 RBI. �Reliever Brian Slocum pitched 4 innings and allowed one run on 2 hits, with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. �Juan Mateo earned his second save, pitching the 9th inning and allowed one run on 2 hits. �
The Pirates made roster moves and made announcements today:
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. �
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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NOTES:
Former Pirate Ronny
Paulino, who was traded to Philadelphia in the deal that brought Jason Jaramillo to Pittsburgh, has been traded again. �Paulino was competing with former Indy Indian (2004) Chris Coste for the back-up catcher spot. �Coste won out, and Paulino was sent �to the Giants, in exchange for lefty reliever Jack Taschner (Giants 2nd round pick in 1999). �The Giants then turned around and traded Paulino to the Marlins for pitcher Hector Correa.
Former Pirate Chris Duffy is still in the running for a spot as back-up outfielder for the Brewers. �Duffy is hitting .323 in spring training, but could still lose out because his competition, Brad Nelson and Tony Gwynn Jr are both out of options, and Duffy is in camp on a minor league contract so could be easily assigned to AAA Nashville. �
