The Pittsburgh Pirates hired Brent Strom to be their assistant pitching coach, as reported by Noah Hiles of the Post-Gazette. Strom is a highly regarded pitching coach, who has spent time with Houston and Arizona over...
The Pittsburgh Pirates have hired Matt Hague to be their next hitting coach, according to Scott Mitchell of CSN. Hague was the assistant hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024, after three years as...
A few signing notes for some former Pirates -- LHP Phil Dumatrait has signed a minor league contract with the Twins, and LHP Neal Cotts has signed a minor league contract with the Yankees. OF Rajai Davis was traded from the A's to the Blue Jays.
Sunday's winter league action involving a few Pirates' players and friends:
DOMINICAN LEAGUE Aguilas Cibaenas 12, Tigres del Licey 1 -- A 6-run 1st inning put the game into Los Aguilas' pocket right from the start. Starling Marte came into the game in the 5th inning as a pinch runner (he didn't score), then remained in the game in left field. He flied out in the 7th, then hit an RBI single in the 8th. Denny Bautista was one of the few Licey pitchers who held Los Aguilas scoreless, as he threw a perfect top of the 9th for Los Tigres. Indy area native Jake Fox went 0-for-4 for Los Tigres.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Tiburones de La Guaira 6, Tigres de Aragua 2 -- Los Tiburones scored 5 runs over the first 3 innings, and Los Tigres could only manage 2 runs. In the top of the 1st, SS Ronny Cedeno followed a lead-off single with a sacrifice bunt, then another single brought in the first Aragua run. Their second run came in the 6th inning, when Cedeno led off with a double into left field, and a few minutes later, 1B Hector Gimenez doubled into right field, bringing in Cedeno. C Miguel Perez came in as a defensive replacement behind the plate, but flied out in his only plate appearance. CF Jorge Cortes went 0-for-3 with a walk. Former Pirate pitcher Chris Hernandez pitched the top of the 9th for La Guaira. He gave up a walk, but then got Cortes to bounce into a double play to end the game.
Cardenales de Lara 7, Navegantes del Magallanes 2 -- Los Navegantes were also only able to put up 2 runs, one in the 2nd, and one in the 7th. SS Argenis Diaz contributed one of Los Navegantes' 5 hits, but he did not score. Corey Hamman pitched the 7th inning for Magallanes, and he gave up a solo home run.
Bravos de Margarita 2, Aguilas de Zulia 1 -- Anthony Claggett won his second game in two days for Los Bravos, this time with one scoreless inning of work (it was 1.1 innings yesterday). Los Bravos scored one run in the bottom of the 4th on a double, a single, and a grounder. Los Aguilas tied the score in the top of the 6th, also with a single and a double. Claggett took the mound to begin the 7th. He gave up a lead-off single, then retired the next three batters he faced. In the bottom of the inning, Los Bravos scored the go-ahead run on a single, a bunt, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly. That made Claggett the pitcher of record. Ronald Belisario pitched a perfect 9th inning for Margarita to collect his 10th save of the season.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! Everyone has probably seen that Zach Duke has been traded to Arizona for a player to be named later. Also, former Pirate Bryan Bullington, who was removed from the Kansas City Royals' 40-man roster last week, was released by the Royals yesterday. Then Bullington signed a contract to play in Japan for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp for 2011.
Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in the winter leagues on Wednesday.....
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE Tiburones de La Guaira 4, Bravos de Margarita 1 (Game 1) -- This was supposed to be a 7-inning game, but the score was still tied at 1-1 after 7. A bases-loaded walk forced in Los Bravos' run in the bottom of the 1st. Los Tiburones tied the score with a run on a single, a ground out, and another single in the 3rd. Anthony Claggett had pitched a scoreless 7th inning -- he gave up a single, but then picked the base runner off first. But he started the top of the 8th with a single and a sacrifice bunt, and was then relieved. The next pitcher loaded the bases with a pair of walks, then he was relieved too. Two singles and a sacrifice fly brought in 3 runs for Los Tiburones, with the first one charged to Claggett, making him responsible for the loss. Margarita won the second game 3-0, holding Los Tiburones to just 3 hits in the 7-inning game. Former Pirate farmhand Ronald Belisario allowed one of the hits along with a walk in the 7th inning, earning his 8th save.
Tigres de Aragua 7, Navegantes del Magallanes 5 -- Both SS Ronny Cedeno and 1B Hector Gimenez hit 2-run homers for Los Tigres in this win. Gimenez's blast got Aragua going in their 4-run 1st inning, and Cedeno's homer made the score 6-1 in the 2nd inning. Gimenez also doubled in the game. CF Jorge Cortes walked and scored for Los Tigres, and C Raul Chavez was 0-for-3 at the plate.
Cheering for the Pirates' players and friends in Tuesday's winter league action... I'll be going on the road for a few days... catch up with everyone at the beginning of next week.
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Cardenales de Lara 6, Tigres de Aragua 2 -- Los Tigres were held to 5 hits. They scored their 2 runs in the 7th inning on a walk, a triple, and a single. Aragua also had two singles in the 3rd inning but didn't score, and 3 walks in the 6th, but a double play and a pop out ended that inning without a run scoring. Los Tigres' only other hit in the game was a double by 1B Hector Gimenez to lead off the 9th inning. Raul Chavez pinch hit in the 9th, but popped out to end the game. Lastings Milledge started the game in left field, and popped out to end the 2nd inning (with no runners on base). He was removed from the game as the bottom half of the inning began, but no explanation was given. CF Jorge Cortes went 0-for-3 for Los Tigres. Former Indy Indian C Alex Delgado had an RBI single in the 4th for Lara, and doubled and scored on a 2-run homer in the 6th.
Bravos de Margarita 2, Navegantes del Magallanes 1 -- Pitching ruled for the first 6 innings of this game. Margarita scored a run in the 7th on two singles and added another run in the 8th on a walk and two more singles. Los Navegantes scored just one run, which came in the bottom of the 9th, on a walk and a double. Justin Thomas took the mound in relief for Los Bravos to begin the bottom of the 5th. He worked around a lead-off single for a scoreless 5th, then loaded the bases on two singles, a sacrifice bunt, and an intentional walk to begin the 6th inning. Edgar Martinez relieved Thomas and got a strikeout and pop out to end the inning with the bases still loaded. Ronald Belisario earned his 7th save for Margarita, even though he was responsible for Los Navegantes' run in the 9th.
Leones del Caracas 5, Caribes del Anzoategui 4 -- Four runs in the top of the 9th were not enough for Los Caribes to catch up to Los Leones. Adenson Chourio came into the game to pinch-run in the 9th, with the bases loaded and one run already walked in. A double lined into center field scored the runners from second and third, but Chourio was out at the plate on the throw in from center field. C Carlos Maldonado was the one who tagged out Chourio. Maldonado's lead-off homer in the 8th gave Caracas what turned out to be the winning run. He also singled in the 2nd and walked in the 6th.
A few winter league games with Pirates' players and friends on Saturday...
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Aguilas de Zulia� 2,� Caribes de Anzoategui� 1�� (Game 1 and Game 2)� -- No kidding, the same score in both games.� Zulia recorded 6 hits in both games also.� In the first game, Los Caribes were held to just two hits, and their only run scored on a walk, a ground out, and an RBI double in the 2nd inning.� Zulia scored a run in the 1st on a pair of singles and a throwing error.� The tie-breaker scored in the 4th inning on two singles and a double play.� Adenson Chourio came in to pinch run for Los Caribes in the top of the 7th after a walk.� He got as far as third base on a bunt and a ground out, but was left there when the game ended.� The second game began with Los Aguilas scoring 2 runs on two walks and a 2-RBI single in the 1st inning.� Los Caribes had 7 hits in this game, but still scored only one run, again on two singles and a double play.� Chourio made the start at shortstop in this game, but went 0-for-2 at the plate.
Leones del Caracas� 8,� Tiburones de La Guaira� 6� -- A 3-run homer made the difference for Caracas in the 8th inning.� Los Leones scored their first run in the 1st on a walk and an RBI single.� They added 2 more in the 4th, on a double, and two RBI singles, one by C Carlos Maldonado.� Maldonado ended the inning when he was thrown out trying to steal second base -- something that would not surprise Indy Indians' fans.
Navegantes del Magallanes� 4,� Cardenales de Lara� 0� -- Los Cardenales posted just 3 hits in the shutout.� Los Navegantes scored 2 runs in the 4th, on three singles, a walk, and two wild pitches.� They added another pair in the 7th, when they got a single and a walk off Lara reliever Romulo Sanchez.� Sanchez was relieved, but two more singles drove in the 2 runs.� DH Mike Ryan went 0-for-3 for Los Navegantes.
Bravos de Margarita� 6,� Tigres de Aragua� 4� -- Los Tigres got onto the scoreboard first with 3 runs in the 3rd inning.� A walk and a single opened the inning.� SS Ronny Cedeno struck out, but a wild pitch on strike three let the runners advance one base.� LF Lastings Milledge hit a fielder's choice to his Pirate teammate 3B Andy LaRoche, who threw to the plate to get the lead runner out.� But moments later, LaRoche's error at third let a run score, and two mroe runs came in on an RBI single.� Los Bravos came back with 5 runs in the top fo the 4th.� LaRoche hit the middle of three consecutive singles to open the inning, scoring a run.� A walk loaded the bases, and C Henry Blanco cleared them with a grand slam.� Aragua got one run back with a homer in the bottom of the 4th, to make the score 5-4, with Margarita ahead.� Blanco singled in the 9th, and scored again for Margarita, on a fielding error by Cedeno.� Ronald Belisario came on to pitch for Margarita in the 9th inning.� He earned his 5th save, despite giving up two singles, including one to pinch-hitter Hector Gimenez. A double play ended the inning for Belisario.� C Raul Chavez also had a single for Aragua.
Several players have been removed from the 40-man roster and outrighted to AAA Indianapolis:� LHP Justin Thomas, RHP Sean Gallagher, RHP Steven Jackson, 1B Jeff Clement, and OF Brandon Moss.
Of these, Thomas, Jackson, and Moss are now all free to declare themselves minor league free agents.� Clement does not have enough service time to get to be a free agent, so he's "stuck" on the Indianapolis roster.� He's had knee surgery, and hopes to be ready by spring training.� Gallagher does have the service time, but the Pirates are probably negotiating with him to try to keep him.
LHP Wil Ledezma has signed a one-year contract with the Pirates for 2011.
RHP Jose Ascanio and 1B Steve Pearce (who has also had knee issues) are officially off the DL and back on the 40-man roster.� RHP Ross Ohlendorf also falls into this category.
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On to Wednesday's winter league action, with Pirates' players and friends:
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Senadores de San Juan� 4,� Gigantes de Carolina� 3� -- San Juan rallied from a 3-1 deficit to score one run in the 5th and 2 runs in the 6th for the win.� Los Gigantes scored one run in the 4th on a double and a single.� They added 2 runs in the 5th, on two singles, an error, a walk, and a sacrifice fly.� Benji Gonzalez made a pinch-hitting appearance for Los Gigantes in the 8th inning, but flied out.� He remained in the game at third base for the final inning.
Criollos de Caguas� 4,� Indios de Mayaguez� 0� -- 3B Ramon Vazquez and SS Luis Figueroa each had one hit for Los Criollos in their win.� Vazquez's single in the 5th drove in one of Los Criollos' runs.� They also scored 2 runs in the 4th on two singles and two errors, and another run in the 6th on two singles and a sacrifice fly.
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