My Suggestion for Instant Replay in Baseball

If you follow me on twitter, I'm sure I don't need to explain what prompted me to write this post. Early Wednesday morning myself and other Pirates fans were fuming over this play at the plate where umpire Jerry Meals called Juilo Lugo safe. MLB and Joe Torre admitted yesterday that Meals blew the call, but offered up no solution to keep things like this from happening again saying "most in the game recognize that the human element always will be part of baseball and instant replay can never replace all judgment calls by umpires".

Instant replay is already a part of baseball. It was implemented on August 28, 2008 to judge home run calls. They judge whether the ball is fair or foul, whether it actually left the playing field, and/or whether the ball was subject to spectator interference. It's up to the crew chief to determine if a play will be reviewed.

The fact that MLB only thinks that home runs should be reviewed is asinine to me. After the game Wednesday morning, I had a discussion with a coworker about how instant replay could be improved and I came up with some suggestions.

1. All replay would go to MLB offices - This is exactly what the NHL does. NHL officials review the play and make the final call. Officials aren't thrown under the bus and forced to make tearful apologies when they will be forever remembered for blowing a call. Since MLB would be held accountable for upholding or reversing calls, they can easily release statements regarding the play if needed.

2. Any play at the plate is reviewable - Tim Kurjikan said yesterday on ESPN that the only way instant replay happens is if it effects a playoff game or a playoff chance. Have we already forgotten this game? Another extra innings game involving a Clint Hurdle coached team and a blown call at the plate.

Making plays at the plate reviewable would determine whether or not a player touched home plate and/or a tag was made. How this is not already a rule seems dumb to me. If home runs are deemed worthy, why not scoring plays?

Under this rule, there would not be a need for a coach to challenge the ruling. The crew chief would decide if the play should be reviewed or not. There would need to be clear, undisputable evidence to overturn the call.

3. Coaches can challenge 1 play on the bases a game - Unlike rule #2, a coach can challenge a safe or out call at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Under this suggestion, a coach gets 1 per game. I think this would be an acceptable amount under a trial basis. Perhaps in the future it could increase. I think it also gets murky when you get into extra innings games. This could also be discussed after a trial period, but if one of the concerns is slowing down the game, 1 challenge a game seems appropriate.

Under this rule a coach can challenge whether a runner was safe or out. It could also help determine if runners tagged up. It could also potentially cut down on plays at second base where a player is given an entire area code to make the turn on a double play ball.

I don't think that anything should change with balls and strikes and I would rather not make fair/foul calls down the line reviewable. Pretty much every team sport gives their referees some sort of judgement call. You don't see most penalties reviewed in hockey or football. There are a few that are easily reviewable but holding, offsides, etc should be up to the officials. I think that's where these two should lie. They get fair/foul calls right 99% of the time anyway.

Where I think it's debateable is catches, especially if it causes/prevents runs to score. I think if this version of instant replay is done on a trial basis it could be reviewed then or in the future. At the moment, I'm more concerned with calls on the bases. I do think it could expand easily to include catches as well.

If MLB's only concern with instant replay is about slowing the game down, rather then getting calls right, then it makes me less of a fan. The "human element" is always going to be part of any sport, but part of the "human element" is knowing when to right the wrongs. Instant replay should be a part of baseball.

A List of Things I Love About the 2011 Pirates

(numbered, but in no particular order)

1. SELLOUTS! - It was a no brainer that the Boston and Philadelphia series would be sellouts. But the team took those two series and the city has taken notice. I'm glad it will be hard for me to find tickets to weekend games for the rest of the year. I can't make it to as many games as I'd like, so I'm glad people are buying up tickets. I also remember early in the year when people laughed at the size of the crowds. Not so much now...

2. Andrew McCutchen - We've known about him for a long time, but it's been a blast watching him turn into a star.

3. Joel Hanrahan - I actually feel bad for the other team when he comes in for the 9th. Vroom vroom!

4. Jeff Karstens - Just look at the NL ERA leaders. How?!

5. Stroll Inn - I actually had to look it up yesterday because I couldn't remember what bar the boycott was for. Winning caused that. Guess that promotion isn't doing so well.

6. TRADE TALK - Right now, as we speak, someone somewhere in the city of Pittsburgh is discussing who the Pirates should trade for. Not trade away. Not get for. Who the Pirates should add to this team to make it better. I've never been able to be a part of that.

7. ESPN - I've been cynical about the World Wide Leader's baseball coverage, as I'm sure you have, but how great is it to turn on ESPN and see Pirates highlights? This has nothing to do with validation, as some suggest. Until I went out into the real world I watched Baseball Tonight religiously. Unless the Pirates did something amazing or were involved in something really dumb, they rarely lead off any ESPN show. They were often the butt of jokes or ended the show. Now after Pirates post game, I can turn on ESPN and see the Pirates praised and doing something good for a change.

8. An Acutal Bandwagon! - I don't care how long you've been a fan. 40 years, 40 days, 40 hours, whatever. I'm glad you joined us! Let's go Bucs!

9. Jose Veras - Love him or hate him, his appearances are often noteworthy. He got a lot of flack for what happened in Houston, but do you remember what happened vs Big Papi? It was the most intense matchup this year, bar none. Go back and watch it and try not get amped. I dare you.

10. Lacee Collins - I often cringe when she's on the TV, but some of her segments have been classics. Interview with the conductor? Uncle Mike's Peninsula? The guys making a sign at the game? Awesome!

11. Pedro Alvarez Demoted - This might sound odd, but I bet it took a lot of balls for Huntington do this. I saw a lot of people say that this team goes where Pedro takes them before the season. He's in Indy and the team is still winning. It's also a sign that the Pirates felt comfortable enough to let him work on things in Indy. Last year and earlier this year we didn't have that luxury. Brandon Wood, Josh Harrison, and Chase d'Arnaud aren't replacing his power numbers, but have done a good job at keeping 3B warm until he proves he's worked through his issues.

12. Neil Walker - Grand Slam on opening day. That's all I have to say Chicago.

13. Scoreboard Watching! - It's so much fun to see updates on twitter and bring up Gameday. Quick, check the Cardinals score!!!

14. Marty Brennaman - I'm so glad Rumbunter.com has been all over him for his comments. The fact that Charlie Morton and the Pirates have dominated them so far *knock on wood* makes it that much sweeter.

15. Ray Searage - Kind of makes you forget about that Dave Kerwin guy. That was his name, right?

16. Kevin Correia the Winner! - Wins are the best stat to measure a pitcher by. Kevin Correia has proven that.

17. .500 No Longer the Goal - I've always wanted a championship over a .500 season and this season isn't changing that. But for a long time it seemed the city wanted .500 first, then a championship. It's great to hear conversation shift to championships rather than "The Streak".

18. You Guys! - This may be cheesey, but interacting with other Pirates fans via Twitter, Facebook, etc has been awesome win or lose. Our fanbase is filled with knowledgable, creative, and hilarious people. It's been great to share the highs of winning and the lows of losing with you guys. The passion will always be there whether The Pirates lose 100 games or win 100 games. LET'S GO BUCS!

Please feel free to add your own in the comments section below. There's defiantely way more I could've covered, but it's time to wrap this up and go to work.

Most Important Series to Date?

RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER!!!

After defeating the Reds 5-3, the Pirates move to 20-23 on the year. Detroit comes to town for a 3 game series in what I might consider the most important series so far this year.

The Pirates competely blew an opportunity in Washington. They ran themselves into outs and missed chances to win the game. They fell to 18-23 and ruined a lot of hope that they'd see .500 again this year.

Then they traveled to Cincinatti and went 2-0 in exciting fashion. Charlie Morton dominated and Pedro Alvarez smashed a ball into the seats in the first game. Andrew McCutchen bailed out James McDonald and Johnny Cueto finally took a loss vs the Bucs.

Enter Detroit. The Pirates are 73-123 all time in interleague play, the worst of any MLB team. Detroit comes in 22-21, 134-113 all time in interleague play.

If the Pirates get swept, all the negative feelings pre-Electric Stuff come back. Morton's start? Forgotten. Pedro's solid series? History. Win 1 of 3 and you're 4 games under .500 and play 2 games vs Atlanta, 6 games on the road (CHC/NYM), and then have ahome series vs the Phillies. And you thought this past slide was brutal??

The team needs to win this series to generate more positive interest in the team. When Charlie Morton DAZZLES and the next morning during my drive to Cranberry all I hear is fans calling into a talk radio show continuing to breathe fire in the Pirates general direction, something is wrong.

(To get off topic a bit, one particular call irked me. A truck driver called into the show after Vinny asked if anyone is still able to be positive about the team. The guy spouted off about how nobody can "talk bad" to him about the Steelers or Penguins when he's on the road because he won't have it but when they bring up the Pirates it doesn't matter. He said the issue over the past 18 years has been coaching from the bottom up, without giving any sort of evidence for it whatsoever. Vinny remarked that they replaced a few coaches this past offseason, including at the very top. "Yeah well they've been doing that for a while" and cited John Russell as if it didn't matter if the Pirates changed coaches, they were still going to suck. If the problem is the coaching staff and you change them and still suck, maybe the problem really isn't the coaching staff. Maybe you're just an idiot that can't be pleased no matter what change they make, not to mention a bandwagon Pens fan to boot. Put the phone down and stay in your lane. Back on topic...)

A series sweep and you're back at .500. Positive vibes potentially restored. Win all 5 home games and who knows what could happen? Maybe Ron Cook buys a ticket to a game. Maybe Bob Smizik buys a Joel Hanrahan jersey and tries to patch things up with Frank Coonelly. Anything is possible!

So late's take a look at the pitching matchups:

5/20: Jeff Karstens and Brad Penny

In his last 3 games, Penny is 3-0 in 21.2 IP with a 0.83 ERA, striking out 4 and walking 2. Looking at his numbers on the year, what stands out is that his K/9 and BAA numbers are the lowest of his career. His career K/9 is 6.18, but 3.63 this year. His career BAA is .263, but .242 this year. Looking at his BABIP, all that could soon change. His career BABIP is .298, while it's .251 this year, his lowest ever. it hasn't been below .290 since 2004. Looking at his PitchFX, he's lost 2 MPH and some movement on his fastball and is throwing his offspeed more than in previous years.

In Karsten's past 3 starts, he's 0-1 with a 3.68 ERA, striking out 11 and walking 4. I really don't like Karstens as a starter, but he's been able to give up 2 or less ER and go 5 or more innings in 4 of his past 5 games. At home he has a 2.08 ERA and .265 BAA. If Karstens can continue the trend, the Pirates will have a chance.

Looking at Penny's career BABIP vs 2011, he's bound to start giving up more hits. That doesn't necessarily mean it will happen in this series, but let's hope it does. Karstens is Karstens. He's not going to throw a game like Morton did Wednesday, but the damage should be kept to a minimum. As with most games Karstens starts, it's going to be up to the offense to make something happen. With the way Penny has been pitching lately, it's not looking good. But with a below normal BABIP and a weakened fastball, the Bucs still have a chance.

5/21: Kevin Correia vs Max Scherzer

In his last 3 starts, Scherzer is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA, striking out 16 and walking 6. On the year he has a 2.81 ERA, striking out 53 and walking 24. To boot, he has a .255 BAA and 8.27 K/9. He's had an outstanding year this year. Pretty much the only thing the Pirates have going for them is his 1.25 HR/9 rate. He's a flyball pitcher that will strike you out.

Correia has been touch and go his past 2 starts giving up 10 ER in 10.1 innings. He pitched fairly well vs the Dodgers spreading out 10 hits over 6 innings, but gave up a 3 run HR which broke the Pirates back. He was terrible vs the Brewers in his next start giving up 6 runs and 8 hits in 4 innings. He's been streaky on the year, but when he's on his game, he's good. He's given up 2 or less ER in 6 of 10 starts.

Correia has been able to bounce back from bad starts this year. He threw a 2 run, 4 hit complete game vs the Reds following a bad loss to Milwaukee and didn't give up a run in 6.2 innings vs Colorado following a 5 ER game vs Washington. If Correia bounces back, this game will be a pitchers duel. Scherzer will strike out a lot of Pirates, but is vunerable to the longball. If the Pirates can drive some balls deep, they have a chance. If not, you'll see a lot of swings and misses.

5/22: Paul Maholm vs Rick Porcello

In his past 3 starts, Porcello is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA, striking out 11 and walking 5. He has an identical 3.67 ERA to Maholm, but a 2.45 K:BB ratio vs Maholm's 1.70. Porcello has an unimpressive .285 BAA, but has allowed 2 or less runs in his last 5 starts. His GB:FB ratio is 1.71 thanks to a few double digit GB games, but in his last two starts, it's been close to even. Porcello is in his 3rd season, totaling only 375 innings. He's showing signs of improvement and the Pirates haven't shown much this year vs soft tossers.

Maholm is 0-2 with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 14 and walking 10 in his past 3 starts. The story on the year for Maholm is that he has received very little run support on the year. He's given up 2 or less ER in 5 of 9 starts and 4 or more in just 2. Walks have been a concern this year. He has a 3.67 BB/9, but has the highest K/9 of his career at 6.23. His BAA at .232 is the lowest of any season he's pitched over 100 innings. Unfortunately his BABIP is also somewhat low at .272 vs a cereer .311.

This matchup could really go either way. Porcello doesn't have dominant stuff and Maholm has been solid as of late. I really don't expect the Pirates to do much vs Porcello because they haven't shown me anything all year vs a guy like him. Plus Porcello has been pitching extremely well lately. But he's pretty young and he's been blown out a few times this year. Don't forget though, Maholm is pitching. Maybe another 2-0 loss.

All in all, the Pirates are running into some really hot pitchers. Couple that with a pretty good Detroit line up, and it's a recipe for disaster. Luckily the Tigers will have to sit a hitter in favor of a pitcher, so Jim Leyland will have to mull that over a cigarette. This could help swing things in the Pirates favor.

If the Pirates want to instill some positivity in the fanbase, they need to sweep this series and get back to .500. Show it's not going to be a fluke this year. There should be some good crowds to welcome Leyland back and Saturday is Neil Walker bobblehead day. Give them another reason to pack the house this weekend. Bust out the broom!

Who in Indy Can Help?

After watching the Pirates waste plenty of opportunities on Monday, I wondered aloud on Twitter, who in AAA would help the current group of Pirates. The responses were pretty underwhelming. Pretty depressing, actually.

So I've decided with the rainout to take a look at options in AAA Indianapolis.

OF Alex Presley
2011: .340/.393/.490 4 HR, 14 BB, 26 K

Alex Presley seems to be the first thought on everyone's mind when the question is proposed. He's a lefty bat that could play in right field. One caller to 93.7 The Fan today suggested moving Garrett Jones to 1B and planting Presley in right. This would put Lyle Overbay on the bench and the suggestion was also to end the platoon situation with Matt Diaz.

vs LHP: 50 AB .380/.426/.460 1 HR, 4 BB, 12 K
vs RHP: 97 AB .320/.376/.505 3 HR, 10 BB, 14 K

Looking at Presley's splits, almost half of his strikeouts have come vs lefties and in half as many at bats. The average is outstanding, but you have to wonder how long that will stand up with such a small sample size. Also only 2 of 19 hits went for extra bases. He's not exactly mashing lefties. Looking at the Matt Diaz/Garrett Jones splits vs lefties they've had 6 hits in 45 at bats COMBINED. In 2010 though, Diaz hit .273 is 121 AB vs lefties. It could be a result of a small sample size, but Diaz has looked punchless at the plate this year, sporting a .233/.263./.301 line, althought his numbers are slightly better vs righties.

If the Pirates were to simply bring up Presley for Diaz, would it make them a better team? Probably. However, it wouldn't make sense for Presley to simply take over the RF role right out of AAA. Garrett Jones is faring well vs RHP with a .270/.393/.506 line. Jones is also a defensive liability at first. That would leave Presley facing LHP and as a left handed batter, it wouldn't be ideal. Plus we already touched on his K concerns, which would surely increase vs better pitching.

Presley is better served getting at bats at the AAA level. Should a Pirates OF go on the DL, he could be a candidate for a recall. John Bowker could also be a candidate if a spot is open spot on the 40 man. Presley is probably a better option than Diaz at the moment, but not enough better to make this a no brainer. Presley only has 25 MLB plate appearances and still showed poor plate discipline (8 Ks/1 BB) in the few ABs he's received. Barring injury, Presley is better served in Indy until a true need arises.


SS Pedro Ciriaco
2011: .185/.189/.258 2 HR, 1 BB, 21 K

Ronny Cedeno is not the shortstop of the future. Who is the answer? I really can't see one. There really is no option currently staring back in the system. Pedro Ciriaco is the closest thing you'll find and if you look at his 2011 numbers and didn't throw up in your mouth, kudos to you. Is Pedro Ciriaco a better option than Ronny Cedeno? Nope! Is Pedro Ciriaco a better option than Brandon Wood? I really don't think so.

What does Pedro Ciriaco provide? Speed and defense. Ciriaco has 9 SB on the year in 15 attempts. That's really not great, but they're better numbers than the 2 shortstops the Pirates currently employ. His defensive numbers are tough to locate since minor league fielding stats are not easy to find or prudent to go by, however he was tabbed as a slick fielder, so let's just go with it.

Ronny Cedeno (brain farts and all) actually sports an 18.7 UZR/150 this year, which really isn't half bad. Troy Tulowitzki has a 3.2 UZR/150 while Alcides Escobar has a 13.2 UZR/150, so I guess take that with a grain of salt. With the lack of statistics and the fact Cedeno has played adequate in the field this year, advantage Ronny Cedeno.

Sadly, Cedeno trumps Ciriaco in almost every category. We really don't even need to go into a bunch of numbers to prove this. It's the state of the middle infield depth throughout the system. There are a ton of question marks and zero answers. Ciriaco is clearly not an upgrade to *gulp* Ronny Cedeno. He's really not even an upgrade to Brandon Wood, who also has the advantage of playing 3B and 1B. Pedro Ciriaco is best served as an emergency option.

Josh Harrison/Chase D'Arnaud
2011: .333/.375/.494
2011: .260/.342/.412

I bring up these two in the event that something should happen to a certain hometown hero and/or a struggling slugger. Let's face it, there are tons of OF options and the Catchers available aren't worth discussing with Doumit and Snyder both doing pretty well. That leaves 2B/3B and considering these two both start at those positions, let's talk about 'em.

Harrison was involved in the (terrible) Gorzo/Grabow deal and really is the only piece that may actually be worth something some day. I'm not exactly holding my breath for Kevin Hart to ever make it and Jose Ascanio isn't making any friends after blowing Monday's game. Harrison has shown a knack for hitting for average as well as an ability to put the ball in play. Last year his K% was 10%. It's a tick higher at 13.6%, but could decrease given he's only had 89 PAs.

D'arnaud isn't exactly making believers out of everyone after his dismal .247/.331/.377 year in 2010. This after a hot debut of .295/.402/.481 the year before. D'arnaud isn't helping himself with a BB:K rate of almost 1:2. Luckily, he has seen time at SS throughout his time in the system which would help boost any chances of making the big leagues.

Harrison's best bet at making the team right now would be as a bench player. He's spent some time on the DL with an injury this season, so he is best off spending the year in AAA. It really wouldn't be far fetched to see him in a MLB uniform someday given his ability to get on base and not strikeout. D'arnaud on the other hand needs to spend the year at AAA and possibly beyond. Neither one is an option to make it to the MLB this year, but Harrison's name really should be thrown out there more than it is.

If you really had to pick one player to say "Does he make the Pirates better", the only player you could say might is Alex Presley. But the Pirates already have a left handed RF in Garrett Jones and it's not clear that Presley should get playing time over him. For the time being, it appears he's best served getting ABs at AAA and waiting for an opportunity. There really is no rush to call him up, but if things don't improve for Diaz by June/July maybe a tough deciscion needs to be made.

Cautiously Optimistic

I've been a Pirates fan above all other teams in this town since I was probably 3 years old. During the last 23 or so years, I've seen a lot of winning, but a heck of a lot of losing. I've seen one of the greatest players of all time (Barry Bonds) and some of the worst (Brian Bixler). But with what has gone on the past 18 seasons, it's hard to be optimistic in March. This year, however, I'm really looking forward to this season. The Pirates may not win this division, heck they may not even break .500, but for the fans who have stuck this losing out through thick and thin, here is what we're optimistic about:

New Manager

Please raise your hand if you were a fan of John Russell as coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Well, I'm not raising my hand, and I really hope there isn't anyone silly enough to raise there hand both to that question and to someone asking them to on a blog. Now raise your hand if you're ready to run through a brick wall for Clint Hurdle. I've got to tell you, it's really akward typing this up with one hand on the keyboard and the other in the air, so I'm going to stop.

In Clint Hurlde's introductory news conference, he engaged the media and fans in ways that Russell could never dream of. It's hard not to root for the guy after that day, but he's been doing it every day since. I have no idea if Hurdle is going to win here because he's 534-625 (.457) in his career as a manager, but if he can motivate his players to win the way he's motivated a lot of fans, he could have some success here.

"This is eventually going to turn, there is not a doubt in my mind that this is eventually going to turn. I wanted to get on board now, because I believe this is the time it's going to start turning."
- Clint Hurdle

Full Year of (Insert Player)

I bring up Hurdle first because the manager is going to be the face of the franchise and he's going to take the heat when things don't go well, but it's up to the players to produce the wins and losses. This year's Opening Day lineup will be completely different.

2010
C - Doumit
1B - Clement
2B - Iwamura
SS - Cedeno
3B - LaRoche
RF - Jones
CF - McCutchen
LF - Milledge

Contrast that with this year's potential Opening Day lineup:

C- Snyder
1B - (Undecided) Jones/Pearce/Overbay/Bowker
2B - Walker
SS - Cedeno
3B - Alvarez
RF - (Undecided) Diaz/Jones/Pearce/Bowker
CF - McCutchen
LF - Tabata

Snyder is a defensive upgrade over Doumit, which the Pirates sorely needed. It remains to see if his bat will come around as his OPS was .566 with the Pirates after starting out .778 with the Diamondbacks. Walker was a Rookie of the Year candidate, while Iwamura is back in Japan. Cedeno REALLY wants to prove he's a starter this year, so...take that for what it's worth. Alvarez is the future of the franchise that Andy LaRoche never could be. Tabata had a higher AVG, OBP, and SLG and stole 14 more bases than Milledge in 11 less games.

This roster is an obvious upgrade to what the Pirates put on the field last year. They have young talent to groom for the next 5 or 6 years in Walker, Tabata, and Alvarez and a potential star in Andrew McCutchen. Couple that with a veteran leader at catcher in Chris Snyder and this team is going to give every team they play all they have.

The roster still has some obvious holes (Shortstop), but this is going to be a good, young, fun team to watch this year. They're going to take a lot of lumps, but they are done fighting to stay here and will grow as a team.

The McDonald Effect

The roster may be better than the 2010 Opening Day lineup, but this is almost the same team that went 21-38 after the trade deadline, including an abysmal 8-21 August. If the Pirates plan on winning this season, their pitching staff will need to lead the way.

One young player the Pirates will be leaning on is James McDonald. The Pirates stole him from Los Angeles and he rewarded them in his 11 starts with 64 innings, 3.52 ERA, 61 Ks, 2.54 K:BB ratio, 1.297 WHIP, and 5 quality starts. He struck out 6 or more in 7 of his 11 games.

If you looked at the Pirates rotation last year, they were missing a guy who could produce swings and misses. Paul Maholm was the only starting pitcher to strike out 100 or more batters. Of the starters that remain with the team, Ross Ohlendorf came in next with 72 Ks.

This could be a defining year for McDonald. He needs to prove that his time with the Pirates wasn't a fluke. If the Pirates are going to have success this season, James McDonald will need to stike batters out and hand the game over to his bullpen in good shape.

Last year, Charlie Morton was the team's "X factor". He didn't do so hot in his first 10 starts with a 9.35 ERA, 52 ER, and 16 walks in 43.1 innings, before spending a few months in Indy. Luckily he came back and closed out September and October with 6 solid starts, giving up 2 or less runs in 5 of them and striking out 18 batters in his final 3 starts. If McDonald comes out the same, then the Pirates season will be over by the end of April. Let's hope he continues what he started.

Pirates fans have every reason to be excited for this coming season. Just as Cardinals, Royals, Padres, and other fans do. I'm really excited to watch this young team progress and the new manager lead the way. The Pirates may still lose 90 games, but this is our team of the future. There's going to be speed bumps along the way, and I'm prepared for that, but win or lose, I'm going to enjoy watching these guys.

Sry, AFK!

Well, it looks like I haven't updated this thing since the All Star break. Sorry, things got a little hectic. Work took over my life, my best friend got married, I moved, and then the Pirates went on to win 8 games in August.

Luckily my work schedule has changed a bit and that has left me with 2 days a week with some time to kill during the day. So I will try to update this as much as possible during the week. I'll even try to write some entries ahead of time and schedule them to post when I know I won't be around. I'll have to plan some topics out and see what I can do. Anyways, I hope you enjoy what I have to write about and if you have anything to add, chime in!

Evan Meek Doesn't Deserve an ASG Nod?

Evan Meek was selected by Charlie Manuel to represent the Pirates in this year's All Star Game next week. Evan Meek has pitched 47 innings, is holding opponents to a line of .175/.229/.253, has struck out 42 batters, and has a WHIP of 0.851. Yet somehow some national writers like to bring up his name when mentioning players that may not deserve an all start spot.

One writer (who doesn't deserve to be linked or named) threw out the fact that Evan Meek has 5 blown saves in 6 opportunities (he actually used incorrect stats, go figure). Well, first things first, Meek isn't a closer. Yet. In his one chance to save a game in the 9th inning this season, he faced 3 batters and got them all out, preserving a win over the Dodgers.

Meek has inherited 16 runners in his 38 appearances. Only 6 have scored. He has not allowed a runner to score in 27 appearances. His WHIP is good for 6th best of relievers with 30IP or more. Meek also has a RE24 of 13.03 which ranks 7th of all relievers. He also has a RAR that is higher than Arthur Rhodes, Matt Capps, and Jose Valverde, all of which are All Stars and aren't being called out by writers that have never seen them pitch.

One writer wrote that the Pirates aren't using Meek when they are ahead. Well with only 30 wins this season through 82 games and one of the worst offenses in all of baseball, it's no wonder he hasn't been given many chances to go out there with a lead. Of his 38 appearances, 27 have been with the Pirates up or down 2 runs or less. 9 times he has allowed that defecit or lead to be dwindled or extended. Seems to me 2 or less runs is a "close game".

Meanwhile, Matt Capps has had the same number of appearances with the Nationals up/down 2 or less and has allowed that lead/defecit to be dwindled/extended 11 times. So while Meek may not be put in situations where he has a lead or is closing out games, he seems to be pitching pretty well. And if you're going to clamor for Strasburg to take Meek's spot, why not clamor for Strasburg to take his teamate's spot instead?

Capps' opponent batting line is .289/.321/.429. His RAR is 5.3. His win probability is -0.65, 4th worst of all 97 relievers with 30IP or more. Yet his selection into the All Star game goes unquestioned. Why? Because he's a "closer" and has accumulated 22 saves, one of the most meaningless stats in all of baseball.

But I guess Meek is an easy target when he plays on a last place team. So rather than look at the roster more in depth, or actually watch the guy pitch, it would be easier to just call out a guy for one of the worst teams in basball who has some above average numbers rather than this guy, this guy, or this guy (who doesn't even qualify for some stats based on plate appearances) when there already is a guy named Brandon Phillips who can play multiple positions.

Meek deserves the spot. There are also much bigger snubs than Strasburg such as Votto and San Diego's league leading pitching staff. Dissing a guy just because he's used in the 6th or 7th inning rather than in the last with a lead is a joke. Hopefully Meek will get a chance to see what Charlie Manuel saw this weekend and these guys can eat their words. Congrats Evan!

Veteran Free Agent Help - Catchers

Yesterday I touched on some veteran shortstops the Pirates could target in the offseason. However, I really can't see any of them happening unless the Pirates were to trade Cedeno and receive a young SS in return. Today we'll look at catchers the Pirates could target.

Ryan Doumit will be a Pirate through 2011. He has a club option for $7.25 million in 2012 and $8.25 million 2013. The club must excercise both after the 2011 season. Doumit has never played more than 116 games in a season. Furthermore, his defense has been questionable at best. Beyondtheboxscore.com ranked Doumit last of all catchers in baseball defensively. Doumit may be terrible defensively, but for his position, he is a strong offensive catcher. Of qualified players (min 242 PAs), Doumit is 5th in batting avg in all of baseball and first in the NL with .263. He's tied for 1st in the NL with 14 doubles, and is 2nd in the NL in OPS with .763. So there is definately some give and take with Doumit.

Which brings me to my point. Could the Pirates trade Doumit? Tony Sanchez is a year or two off and the Pirates have some young starters. There are a few veteran catchers on the free agent market. This could be an offseason where the Pirates turn Doumit for other needs such as rotation help or a shortstop. Should they go that route (and part of me says don't), here are a few veteran catchers the Pirates could turn to...

Catchers

Jason Varitek - Boston Red Sox - 2011 Age: 39

Ok, you're probably right, he will most likely retire in Boston. But SHOULD Varitek consider leaving Boston, Pittsburgh should snatch him up. Varitek won't add much offensively and his defense is a wash (this year aside), but his leadership is uncanny. Based on his success in the regular season and in the playoffs, the pitching staff and the clubhouse could learn a lot from him. The Pirates will surely have to pony up a nice sum and would take a hit defensively, but the repsect and leadership qualities he exihibits could help a young team prosper in the future.

Jose Molina - Toronto Blue Jays - 2011 Age: 36

Technically Molina isn't a free agent. He has a $1.2 million club option for 2011. Also, Molina has never been a starter. However, the Pirates should do what they can to get their hands on this Molina brother. He's one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

Molina will not wow people with his bat. He's a .238 hitter in his career. But he's never thrown out less than 28% of runners trying to steal and has thrown out 41% for his career. Beyondtheboxscore ranks him as the 4th best catcher defensively in all of baseball in 2010 (it must be noted he only has 23 starts).

Molina has played for 2 World Series teams, has caught some of the league's best pitchers, and is a solid fill in. Molina's option is extremely affordable and he is still showing he has it defenively, but if the Pirates can get his hands on him and platoon him with Kratz or Jaramillo, they should, at the very least, consider it. The staff could use it.

Ramon Hernandez - Cincinatti Reds - Age in 2011: 35

Looking for a little offense? Look no further. Hernandez is a career .278 hitter in the NL. He has hit 20+ home runs twice in his career. He's never had a negative WAR in his career. Need some defense? He's also thrown out 30% of the runners that have tried to steal on him in his career and has had 1 passed ball the past 2 years.

If the Pirates are looking for a more complete player than Doumit, perhaps Hernandez could be their guy. The problem? He has an option that kicks in if he plays in 120 games, which is within striking distance as he's been in 54 games through 80. If he doesn't get to that number and becomes a free agent, I hope the Pirates look to keep him in the division.

Veteran Free Agent Help - Shortstops

Yesterday I touched on Starting Pitchers the Pirates could seek to bolster their staff and hopefully mentor their young starters. Today I'll focus on shortstops.

The Pirates still have Ronny Cedeno for another year as he will be in his final abritration year, should they choose to tender him. Bobby Crosby will be a free agent. The internal options at AAA are pretty slim as Argenis Diaz is the only real candidate there.

Shortstop

Bobby Crosby - Pittsburgh Pirates - 2011 Age: 31

Would this be the easy way out? Sure. But looking at the crop of shortstops set to be free agents next year, there really isn't anyone that stands out that the Pirates should definately consider.

Lately, Crosby has been starting and has been a slight upgrade over Cedeno. Should the Pirates choose not to tender Cedeno or send him off in a trade, I would hope that they keep Crosby. However, given what will be on the market (for now), Crosby could be had.

Juan Uribe - San Francisco Giants - 2011 Age: 31

Juan Uribe is a guy who can do it all. He can play SS, 2B, and 3B. He's even played a game in CF. The Pirates went this route when they signed Bobby Crosby this past offseason.

Uribe saw his batting average and OPS+ creep up when he moved from the White Sox to the Giants. His batting average went from .251 to .280 and his OPS+ went from 85 to 111. Staying in the National could be a benefit to Uribe offensively.

Defensively though, Uribe is a bit of a question mark. Since maxing out in 2007 with a 9.7 UZR at SS, Uribe has decline every year, sporting a -2.8 last year. Uribe's value will certainly be at 2B or 3B.

Signing a guy like Uribe would only make sense if Neil Walker doesn't cut it the rest of the year. Uribe really doesn't make much sense defensively at SS, but if the Pirates are desperate they could go that route. The other issue is money. Uribe is making $3.25 million this year and would certainly get more next year with an extremely weak 2B class. Uribe is certain to get a pay raise and a shot to start at 2B for a team. Money aside, signing Uribe does not seem to be much of an option for the Pirates as they have a few options at 2B and he would not be much of an upgrade at SS defensively.

Derek Jeter - New York Yankees - 2011 Age: 37

Just kidding...

Adam Everett - Detroit Tigers - 2011 Age: 34

Most Pirate fans are familiar with Everett because he was compared to Jack Wilson for so long. Everett is a glove first shortstop as he pretty much has no bat whatsoever. He is a career .243 hitter and has hit above .260 just once in his career.

Since Everett is a defense first player he hasn't gotten much time in Detroit and has actually seen a decline in his defensive stats. Last year was a terrible year for him as he had a career worst fielding percentage and the most errors in a season where he has played in more than 45 games.

Everett does not seem to be on much of an upswing, however a move back to the NL and it's weaker pitching could always help. However, the Pirates should only go the Everett route if Diaz is not an option or they trade for a young shortstop that will put up numbers to counteract his poor offensive stats. The Pirates aren't depending on their shortstop to win, but a guy that can hit better than .260 would be preferred. Out of all the candidates listed, I think Everett has the best chance of wearing a Pirates uniform.

Looking over the list of shortstop option, it seems like the Pirates best bet would be to see what they can get in a trade. Perhaps a contender looking for relief help could offer a younger shortstop at the trade deadline or in the offseason. The Pirates shortstop prospects are few and far between, so they should definately consider this route.

Veteran Free Agent Help - Starting Pitching

I was reading Chuck Finder's Q&A today and he made mention that the Pirates should sign a veteran starter to teach the young kids how to carry themselves and pitch. That got me thinking. Why stop there? Why just a starting pitcher? In the right situation, a veteran player can help young guys develop.

Look at the bullpen, for example. Since adding Octavio Dotel, Brendan Donnelly, D.J. Carrasco and, to some extent, Javier Lopez to complement Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek, the Pirates have a very strong bullpen and 4 veteran relievers to show the pen how to go about their business. Hanrahan and Meek have had very succesful seasons and some credit should be given to the older guys.

So if the Pirates should decide to add a few guys for "veteran leadership" they should probably focus on Starting Pitching, Shortstop, and perhaps catcher. The bullpen may see some turnover at the deadline and will certainly see a few new faces next year. Over the next few days I'll profile a particular position and the free agents available that the Pirates might be able to target.

Starting Pitching

The Pirates have some fairly young starters and no real veteran leadership to turn to. Ross Ohlendorf and Charlie Morton could be Pirates during this youth movement and could probably use a crafty veteran to turn to when they need help.

Kevin Millwood - RHP - Baltimore Orioles - 2011 Age: 36

After 101.2 IP Millwood has a 5.22 ERA, 81K, 31BB, and a 1.515 WHIP. For the most part, those numbers do not look so appealing. However, Millwood has had a tough June. Through April and May he had given up 32 earned runs, 77 hits, and 17 walks over 74 innings. In June alone he gave up 27 earned runs, 46 hits, and 14 walks in 27.2 innings. That's a 8.93 ERA for the month of June after a combined 3.89 in April and May!

Millwood has pitched in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Texas, and Baltimore over the course of 14 seasons. He has been a pretty reliable starter, pitching less than 30 games just 3 times since his rookie season. Although Millwood had one of his most successful seasons in Cleveland, he has been more successful in the NL sporting a 3.89 ERA vs his 4.32 ERA in the AL. Looking at just the NL Central, he sports a sub 4.00 ERA against the Cubs, Astros, and Cardinals. Combining all teams but the Pirates, Millwood is 28-15 4.09 ERA vs the NL Central.

If his season continues to go the way it has, I wonder if he will want to come to a team like the Pirates after playing for a similar team in Baltimore. He is making $12 million this year and would probably command something similar, being a Boras client and all. It's somewhat unlikely the Pirates will turn to Millwood given his price tag, but perhaps they should take a chance. He would be my #1 choice.

Jamie Moyer - RHP - Philadelphia Phillies - 2011 Age: 116

There really isn't much to say about Moyer, besides the fact that he will be 48 and not 116. He has been in the game for a long time and every time you think he's done, he comes back. He won't go away! He debuted in 1986 for crying out loud. Yes, the Pirates should look towards offering him a contract. Will Moyer accept? Extremely doubtful. Why waste a year here after finally winning a World Series in 2008? I just can't see it happening and only make mention of him because Finder did. No chance!

Jorge de la Rosa - LHP - Colorado Rockies - 2011 Age: 30

De la Rosa has a career ERA of 5.13, averages about 20 HR a season, and has a 4.7 BB/9. All these signs point to a big fat no. However, de la Rosa's numbers appear to be trending upward. His K:BB and GO/AO ratios have been going up while his ERA and WHIP have all been going down since 2007. Home runs are still a problem for him, but when you play in Colorado, that seems to happen.

He tore a tendon in his finger in late April, but appears to have recovered and should return to action soon. De la Rosa is making $5.6 million this year and is definately due for a raise, especially if he continues his upward trend. De la Rosa isn't a house hold name, so the Pirates will not have to break the bank, but I'd expect close to $8-$10 million, depending on how the rest of his year goes. De la Rosa may not be a crafty veteran like a Millwood or Moyer, but he definately has some value if neither of those two would come to Pittsburgh.

Javier Vazquez - RHP - New York Yankees - 2011 Age: 34

Vazquez is having the worst year of his career since his rookie campaign. A 5.16 ERA and the lowest K:BB ratio of his career are not helping. But he still holds value. Vazquez may not be the man he was...uh, just last year, but he's been around the league and, barring any language barrier, can definately show this staff what it takes to be a winner. He has a 4.02 ERA vs the NL, which is almost an entire run better than his AL ERA. Perhaps the Pirates can squeeze that one good year out of him, get what they need out of him, and let him ride off.

Vazquez has allowed 3 runs or less in 8 of his last 10 starts, so perhaps he is on the upswing after 5 bad starts to begin the season. It will be a good idea to see if this success continues for the rest of the season as he has look much improved.

Over the past 5 years, Vazquez has received at least $11 million a season. I think in order for him to come to the Pirates, he would have to want similar, if not more, money. New York has a shot at the World Series this year and Vazquez has yet to win one. If he wins one, I wonder if he would welcome a contract to a team like the Pirates. If not, well... I wouldn't count on it.

Punchless Pirates

Well, it finally happened. Lastings Milledge finally cranked a ball out of the ballpark in 2010. Milledge is batting to a clip of .279/.347/.383. He's tied for the team lead for doubles with 16. He's batting .392 with runners in scoring position. Not bad stats, but a single homer almost through April, May, and June is embarassing.

48

That's the total number of home runs hit by Pirates players this season. Good for 28th best in the majors. If you subtract the 7 hit by Aki Iwamura and Jeff Clement, that brings the total down to 41. That number would be good for last in the majors.

For all the talk about how the Pirates need their starters to keep them in games, it should be noted that the offense needs to do their job as well. With a 29th ranked team batting average, a 29th ranked team on base percentage, and a 28th ranked team slugging percentage, it's clear that the offense isn't doing their job. With a team that can't score runs, it's no wonder the Pirates have lost 6 in a row.

Enter Pedro Alvarez. The "savior" has managed 4 hits in 35 at bats (.114 avg), knocked in 5 runs, and managed 3 walks. All this to go with his 17 strikeouts and 0 home runs. If the Pirates are going to be succesful, Pedro may be the key.

In 2009 Pedro hit 27 in 126 games. About 1 every 20 PA. In 2010 he hit 13 homers (1 every 21 PA) before being plucked to join the big club. If you translate his minor league home run per PA to a 600 PA season, it equates to about 30 home runs.

The Pirates haven't had a player hit 30 or more home runs since Jason Bay in 2006 and 2005. This decade, the only Pirates to accomplish such a feat were Jason Bay, Reggie Sanders, Aramis Ramirez, and Brian Giles. The only teamates to both hit 30 this decade were Aramis Ramirez and Brian Giles in 2002.

The closest the Pirates have come to hitting .500 this decade was the 2003 squad which went 75-87. The Pirates hit 163 home runs that year. It's second most this decade to the 2000 team that hit 168 home runs. The same 2000 team that had 4 starters with a 4.80 ERA or worse and an average starters ERA of 5.15. The 2003 team starter ERA average was 4.37.

So while the starters need to pitch well for the Pirates to win, the offense really needs power. Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Jones, Andrew McCutchen and Ryan Doumit will need to carry the team on their shoulders and get some balls out of the park. If Jeff Clement could ever get his average to stick at the majors, he could be another cog as he hit a home run about every 27 at bats this year.

A lot of Pirates fans talk about how it takes Pedro a few weeks to adjust at every level he has been. Until he does adjust, the Pirates won't be winning very many games. So sit down, relax, and wait for it.

Let's Just Look at the Positives

I don't want to focus on the negatives such as Lastings Milledge's poor outfield play or Steven Jackson blowing away the game in the 9th. There are plenty of positives to take from this game.

- Jose Tabata goes 3 for 5. Tabata has been getting some bad luck as of late as he has hit the ball well, but right at people. Today he had some nice hits, including a bunt single, and a rocket right at Josh Hamilton with the bases loaded. Tabata also had a stolen base and scored a run. These kinds of things are what Tabata brings to the table.

- Bobby Crosby has his 4th multi hit game in a row. Crosby ended up with an error that eventually led to the Ranger's first run, but other than that played very well. He had 2 hits including a double to bring his batting average up to .271. If Crosby can keep this up, we may never see Cedeno again!

- Pedro Alvarez is looking more comfortable. Pedro had 2 strike outs but still does not look over matched. He went the other way on a double down the line which ended up scoring two runs in the first. I think it's only a matter of time until Pedro gets locked in and the ball starts leaving the park.

- Jeff Karstens continues to keep the team in the game. In his last 3 starts, he had given up 8 runs over 17.2 innings. That's good for a 4.19 ERA, but considering the numbers that some of the starters have been putting up over the past 15 games, Karstens has been very reliable. Karstens got the no decision after Meek let up 2 in the 7th.

- Daniel Moskos promoted to AAA Indianapolis. The former 1st round pick did nothing but good things this year at AA Altoona and was certainly deserving. Glad to see "Moskie" make the jump. Let's hope he continues the success and makes his way into Pittsburgh sometime soon.

- Charlie Morton throws a 2 hit complete game. I know it's only game, but Morton threw a gem vs Durham going 9 innings, giving up 2 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, and 4 K. Great sign for Charlie and hopefully he can build on this.

Something for Nothing

Today it was announced that lefty Dana Eveland would be designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates. This really doesn't come as a surprise to many as Eveland made 3 appearances in 3 weeks for the Pirates. Eveland had one start and two appearances. He went 9.2 innings giving up 15 hits, 9 earned runs, 5 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Not a very good line.

After the move, Neal Huntington was quoted as saying, "Obviously, we liked him enough to trade for him". Regarding what will happen to Eveland he said "we'll see".

The Pirates traded RP Ronald Uviedo to Toronto after Eveland was DFA'd by the Blue Jays. Uviedo was converted back to a starter after the trade. He has pitched 21 innings (4 starts, 1 appearance) giving up 16 hits, 10 earned runs, 9 walks and 12 strikeouts.

Reading over the PG Plus board, listening to talk radio, and seeing some comments, it seems some fans are enraged over this deal. Sure, the Pirates don't look too good in this deal as they gave up an ok prospect and got 9 plus innings of...nothing. However, Ronald Uviedo is not a sure bet to make the major leagues and his value is as a reliever, not a starter. His strikeouts as a starter have been cut in half in comparison to as a reliever. His K/9 of 5.14 isn't far off from Aaron Pribanic's 4.86. Most people don't see Pribanic as a very good starter at the major league level.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have Uviedo still in the system but, as a reliever his value is somewhat diminished. The Pirates acquired a starter for a minor league reliever. How many fans celebrated the Kip Wells/Jesse Chavez trade? What about when Terry Mulholland was traded for Mike Fetters and Adrian Burnside? With very few options at the AAA level, the Pirates took a risk and traded for a guy they thought would upgrade their rotation. It just didn't work out.

Unless Uviedo becomes a solid set up man or closer, I don't think this deal is as bad as some people are trying to make it. The Pirates didn't trade away Carlos Marmol, so please stop acting like they did.

The part I'm not happy with is how they dealt with Dana Eveland. He was a Pirate for about 3 weeks and saw the mound 3 times. There were certainly a few times where he could have came in for relief, but obviously management did not believe enough in him to put him in. So if you're not going to use him, why trade for him? Did the scouts not do their work? Did the staff think they could make changes? Was Eveland not making the changes? There are many questions with the way things went down.

This deal didn't bother me that much when it was made because I felt like they were taking a risk to fill a need. After everything was said and done, many Pirates fans have a sour taste in their mouth.

NOW IS THE TIME!

Late last week the Pirates announced they extended the contracts of GM Neal Huntington and manager John Russell through 2011. I think, without a doubt, that Huntington's contract should be extended through next year. John Russell being extended is very frustrating to me. The Pirates have had a lot of turnover under Huntington, but one thing has remained the same under Russell's team: the little things aren't being done.

With all of the call ups and the news that Fredi Gonzalez was fired by the Florida Marlins, the Pirates should be aggressive and let go of Russell. His teams have consistently had fielding blunders, baserunning gaffes, and questionable line ups. The Pirates would be better served to wipe the slate clean and teach these young guys the right way to play baseball.

Honestly, what are you going to lose by firing the manager now when you've called up new guys and have no hope of winning? This isn't football where Andrew McCutchen has had a new offensive coordinator every level. These young Pirates need to learn how to win and they need a manager who can help them win. Ryan Doumit playing first base instead of DHing isn't going to help any team win!

There aren't many managerial candidates that come off the top of the head that would be a sure fire fit in Pittsburgh and Gonzalez is likely to take over in Atlanta when Bobby Cox retires this year, but something needs to be done. I don't know how much longer I can take stories like this, this, and this.

The Pirates need to hold their manager accountable and look in another direction. Here are a few guys that could work:

Eric Wedge - 7 Seasons
Career Record: 561-573

The 2007 Manager of the Year should be familiar to Huntington as he was the manager of the Cleveland Indians when Huntington was an employee there. Wedge is familiar working with young players as he had 25 different rookies in his first year as the manager of the Indians. He improved the Indians by 12 and 13 games from his first year to his third. His fourth year, the Indians pitching staff was terrible and finished 78-84, but he won the division the next year at 96-66. Wedge's next two years were disappointing and some of his best players, like C.C. Sabathia were traded away. Wedge was let go on September 30 2009.

Wedge was respected by his players in Cleveland as Grady Seizmore said on the day of his firing, "Eric had all the qualities you want. You don't want to lose a man like Eric. He's respected by his peers, his players, everybody in the game".

Wedge has a second interview with the Baltimore Orioles, so this could be a moot point in a few weeks. Wedge's experience with young players and respect from his players would be a welcome addition to the Pirates.

Ken Macha - 6 Seasons
Career Record: 478-402

Macha is currently the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, but he has been rumored to be on the hot seat for a while as they currently have a 30-40 record. Some say the problems in Milwaukee seem to be pitching, and not Macha's doing. That being said, it seems like a lot of Milwaukee fans are calling for his head and I wonder if he will be let go if things stay sour.

Ken Macha coached a young Oakland team and never finished below .500 in any of his 4 season there, begining in 2003. Macha was fired in 2006 after losing in the ALCS to the Detroit Tigers. Macha was hired by the Brewers after the 2008 season and coached the Brewers to a 80-82 record last year, his first sub .500 record.

Macha is from Monroeville, went to Pitt, played for the Pirates ('74-'78), and in 2005 was even rumored to have been in talks to become the Pirates new manager. Obviously Macha has strong ties to the city and understands the organization's past. Pittsburghers love their own, so Macha could be a PR boost for an organization that has had some poor PR lately. Of course, this all contingent on if the Brewers stick with him for another year or not.

Chip Hale - 6 Minor League Seasons
Career Minor League Record: 392-305

Chip Hale is currently the Third Base coach of the New York Mets and former 2006 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year. Before joining the Mets Hale was on Bob Melvin's staff in Arizona. Hale has been described as "thoughtful" and a "baseball guy". Jerry Manuel said about Hale, "Chip learned from Tom Kelly in Minnesota, where everything is about fundamentals, fundamentals and fundamentals". The Pirates are in dire need of the fundamentals. He's viewed as a guy who could eventually end up managing a club down the road. If the Pirates choose not to pay for a name manager, Hale could be an up and coming name they could choose to go with.

06/22 NOTEBOOK

- I missed the game tonight. I was out celebrating the girlfriend's new job. We went to The Sharp Edge Bistro in Sewickley. Let me just start by saying, I never plan on visiting that place again. For starters, the hostess was sleeping!! Or just laying her head down. It doesn't matter, either way, bad first impression. Next, they employ a wait staff made up of zombies. They had no emotions, didn't know any specials, didn't TELL you any specials, and looked like they hated their lives. Bad service seems typical in Sewickley as I got it at Monticello's (of all places!) in Sewickley a few years ago. The beers were probably 5x more expensive than any other place I've ever been to. Don't get me wrong, they have all kinds of beers that other places don't have and the mystery brew at $3.75 was a bargain (IPA of some sort tonight, score!), but when you charge me $4.50 for a Yeungling, then you're overpriced. I'll stick with The Bottleshop Cafe, even though their wait staff is pretty poor too.

- Anyways, I was able to follow comments on twitter and saw that the Pirates optioned 2B Aki Iwamura to Triple A Indy. He is scheduled to report on Friday. My sources tell me that he enjoyed the sushi at Jimmy Wan's so much that he knew he had to make it back to Pittsburgh for that wonderful sushi!

- In all seriousness, I hope Aki can get healthy and get back together. His first 3 years in the leage he had a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 2.2, 1.5, and 1.2. In Pittsburgh? -1.1. The Pirates will not be able to get much for someone hitting .182/.292/.267 this year, but hopefully he can build his stock somewhat and/or be insurance in case something would happen to Neil Walker, Andy Laroche, or Pedro Alvarez (*knock on wood*).

- Dejan Kovacevic is reporting Bradenton Marauders Catcher and top prospect Tony Sanchez was hit in the face by a pitch and was taken to to the hospital. DK wrote, according to Neal Huntington "there are two small fractures in the left jaw, the doctors think. But then again, there might not be, he added. It's a fluid thing". Many Pirates fans have been wondering what else Sanchez has to prove at High A, so I hope Sanchez can get back soon and continue his ascent in the system.

- Hayden Penn had another solid start in Triple A Indianapolis going 6 innings, striking out 9, walking 3, and letting in one unearned run. Penn has not allowed an earned run in his last 3 starts, striking out 18 over 18 innings. I'd say the only cause for concern would be the 7 walks in that span. With Ross Ohlendorf struggling, Zach Duke injured, and Charlie Morton still not back on track, Penn could get a look in Pittsburgh again.

- Altoona Lefty Daniel Moskos nabbed another save tonight for the Curve. "Moskie" is having an incredible year for the Curve and a promotion has to be iminent. Over 31 innings he has struck out 30, walked 9, and has an opponent batting average of .191. He also hasn't given up a home run all year. I'm hoping to see him in Indianapolis within the next few weeks. I really don't know what else he has to show at Double A.

- Don't look now but 1B Calvin Anderson is batting a line of .285/.356/.439! Over his last 10 games he has 12 hits, 3 home runs, 3 walks, and 9 strikeouts. He has 8 home runs and 13 doubles over 65 games. He's probably the closest thing to a power hitter the Pirates have in the system besides Matt Clement, so I'll definately be keeping an eye on the 6'7 monster.

- Dovydas Neverauskas made his debut for the GCL Pirates today going 2 1/3 innings allowing 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. He was the first Lithuanian player to ever sign with a major league team. Check out this interview from a year ago.

Thoughts on the Pirates 2010 Draft

Well, it's been a few weeks since the 2010 MLB Draft and what an interesting one it was for the Pirates. They picked #2 overall and chose prep pitcher Jameson Taillon after C/OF Bryce Harper. It was well documented that the Pirates were choosing between Taillon and SS/3B prospect Manny Machado.

The draft saw a lot of first round talent fall into the Second Round and the Pirates capitalized by selecting Stetson Allie, a prep pitcher who can hit 100mph and was thought to be a first round pick. The rounds after were mostly filled with right handed pitchers, a good mix being prep pitchers, and very few position players.

If you're a draft fantatic like me, be sure to follow Wilbur Miller's player profiles and the Pirates 2010 draft page to get scouting reports and track which players sign.

The success of the Pirates draft will ultimately hang on if they sign Taillon and Allie, but there are some other players worth going over slot for. Here are the players the Pirates need to focus on:

1. Jameson Taillon - RHP - The Woodlands, TX (HS)

The Obvious: He was their #1 pick, he hits 98mph, breaking ball is major league ready, he projects to be a top of the rotation starter.

The Problem: He seems perfectly fine honoring his commitment and going to play for the Rice Owls. Taillon seems to have a lot of leverage, but some have speculated that Stetson Allie was taken as an insurance pick in case Taillon didn't sign. He's also represented by the Hendricks brothers, who are just as bad as Scott Boras.

What Will Happen: The Pirates need to sign Taillon. They have nobody in the system like this and with Alvarez, Tabata, and Lincoln all playing for the parent club, the Pirates need another sure prospect in the system. The Hendricks brothers will not make it a walk in the park. Neal Huntington and his team are not master negotiatiors and the Hedricks brothers played games with Nationals GM Jim Bowden. The Pirates will probably have to set a new franchise record for a bonus, probably somewhere around $8 million. This deal will get done out of necessity.

2. Stetson Allie - RHP - Olmsted Falls, OH (HS)

The Obvious: Allie was rated #8 by Baseball America before the draft. He has consistently hit 100mph. He has the build to be a power pitcher down the road.

The Problem: He has reportedly asked for $3 million or more, which scared teams off. His father went on 93.7 The Fan and tried to squash those rumors. He also seemed to lack stamina, which could push him into a reliever role.

What Will Happen: The rest of the Pirates draft isn't necessarily a "Who's Who" of prospects, so the Pirates should be aggressive in signing their first 2 picks. Even if Allie fails as a starter and is pushed to a relief role, it will be worth it as the Pirates just don't have a guy like him right now. The risk is worth the reward!

3. Zachary Weiss - RHP - Irvine, CA (HS)

The Obvious: Wiess was ranked #132 by Baseball America and throws 90-93 mph. He has some inconsistencies and and control issues, but those can be taken care of in the minors. Keith Law noted that Weiss has a "funky" delivery which causes deception in some of his pitches.

The Problem: He has a commitment to UCLA and needs to develop more command of his pitches. He could be better served by going to college and improving his stock.

What Will Happen: Weiss doesn't appear to be a potential ace down the line. He may not even be a #2 or #3. However, the Pirates will need quality arms in the system and Weiss is exactly that. Weiss could be a back of the rotation starter, a reliable bullpen arm, or simply trade bait to pitching starved teams. Either way, I hope a deal with Weiss gets done.

4. Brandon Pierce - RHP - Gunter, TX (HS)

The Obvious: Pierce had a 17.1 K/9 rate his senior year and throws 93-94 MPH. He struck out double digit batters in 7 of his 14 starts.

The Problem: Pierce committed to Nebraska and was quoted as saying: "What we've told Nebraska is that unless it's life-changing money -- first to third round money -- I will be in college".

What Will Happen: If the Pirates miss on Allie and/or a few other prep pitchers like Weiss, Dace Kime, and others, they could turn to Pierce. However, I don't know if the Pirates are willing to offer "life-changing money" to Pierce when they have other targets. Watching what happens to Pierce throughout the summer will be interesting.

5. Zackary Powers - SS - Seffner, FL (HS)

The Obvious: The Pirates took a total of 4 infielders in the draft. The Pirates need to create competition at the lower levels there and Powers' could help that. He hit .467 his junior year and .411 his senior year.

The Problem: He committed to the University of Florida and it seems like he will be staying there. He also has had pitch recognition issues and projects as a 3B in college.

What Will Happen: Powers will most likely end up in college. The Pirates could offer him a decent deal and pay for his tuition like they've done in the past, but they shouldn't shoot for the moon and offer a seven figure bonus like they have guys like Robbie Grossman. Ultimately, I think Powers will enjoy the college life and try to build on his draft stock down south.


Honorable Mentions: OF Mel Rojas, Jr., 1B Matt Curry, SS Andrew Maggi

The Pirates' main focus should be be on their first 2 picks. They need to make a splash and get them under contract. After that, it's anyone's guess which way they'll go as they covered the bases with high school arms.

My only issue with the Pirates is that there are very few middle infield prospects out of this group, but I can see why they chose so many high school arms, as there was a great stock of them. An organization like the Pirates needs a constant flow of pitching in their system. We've seen in the past what happens when their isn't a crop of pitching at AAA. It's also happening now as the only options at AAA Indianapolis are Daniel McCutchen, Brian Burres, and Hayden Penn.

Back to the Grind!!

Well, I've decided to restart the blog. Be sure to follow me on twitter at @4everrebuilding. I'll probably get some posts written this week and start full force next week. Check out some of my older posts though. ENJOY!

PIRATES TAKE 2 OF 3 FROM DEFENDING CHAMPS

The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken 2 of 3 games from the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. They could've easily have taken all 3!! All 3 games were well pitched and tight for most of the game.

The Pirates trio of Ross Ohlendorf, Paul Maholm, and Charlie Morton only let up 5 hits a piece and averaged about 5 strikeouts an outing. The thing that will stand out is that despite 3 great outings, none of the starting pitchers were the pitcher of record. In fact, only J.A. Happ took a loss the entire series going 8 innings and giving up the decisive home run in the bottom of the 8th to Garret Jones.

The most memorable game, of course, will be the first game of the series when Andrew McCutchen went yard off Brad Lidge. The Pirates lost the lead (partly because of McCutchen) and McCutchen and Moss bailed them out by tying and then winning the game in dramatic fashion.

The Pirates could have easily have laid down after Ryan Howards deflating blast last night, but Charlie Morton had a great breaking ball and had the Phillies' knees buckling all night long. Jones eventually gave them the lead on a shot to center and Matt Capps picked up the save.

The Pirates now move on to Milwaukee and will start with Zach Duke on the hill. The Pirates have won 4 of their last 6 and have owned the Brewers the last few weeks. Having Zach Duke continuing his great season is a must to keep the Pirates on track.

The Pirates appear to finally be gelling. They seem to still have problems with the fundamentals at times, but their starting staff has been hot and can keep them in games. While they didn't score an amazing amount of runs in these games, it appears the feast or famine style they've been on for a while might be over. If the Pirates can continue to improve I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pirates picked as the surprise team next year if they can make a few moves to solidfy the bullpen. Don't forget, Pedro Alvarez has a great shot of making the team come May and we'll have a full year of Andrew McCutchen and Garret Jones!

Former #1 Pick/Scapegoat Still Going Strong

Danny Moskos.

What comes to mind when you think of that name?

For most Pirates fans it was the tipping point of the lack of spending. Dave Littlefield and company passed on superstar catcher Matt Weiters because of his initial contract demands and because he was represented by none other than Scott Boras.

I remember the exact moment I was when I found out the Pirates passed on Matt Weiters and even wrote a blog about it (on Myspace haha) about how I actually would've preferred Jason Heyward or even Rick Porcello over Matt Weiters.

While Moskos isn't even in the same stratosphere as Heyward, one of the top prospects in all of baseball, or Porcello, #5 starter for the Tigers, he has quietly had a good year in AA. It seems like the fans using him as the scapegoat have become less and less and Moskos may finally be feeling comfortable in the Pirates system.

Moskos was taken 4th overall and was billed as a guy who can throw 91-94 with a major league quality slider as his strikeout pitch and would quickly reach Pittsburgh. Most draft experts, at the time, argued that Moskos was taken as a signability (there's that word again) pick and because he would sign for what MLB slotted for that pick.

In Moskos' first full year in the system he had pretty bad numbers. The Pirates used him as a starter for a good portion of the year, but it took it's toll on his arm and they eventually stuck him in the pen. Moskos accumulated a 7-7 record in 20 starts and 9 appearances with an abysmal 5.59 ERA giving up 73 earned runs, almost as many as his 78 strikeouts!

This season "Moskie", his author name on his blog, again started out poorly, but has turned it on recently. In his last 10 starts he is 6-3 with a 3.47 ERA striking out 35. If not for a 2.2 inning 5 run game on Aug 8, Moskos would be sporting a 2.82 ERA in that time. For the year he is 10-9 with a 3.78 ERA. Moskos, however, continues to let runs in as he has let in 55 ER to his 62 Ks.

Moskos has been starting for most his Pirates career, but Neal Huntington appears to be doing this to stretch out his pitchers' arms. Once Moskos reaches the higher levels, look for his role to be more clearly defined.

While it appears Moskos is still atleast one year, probably two, from Pittsburgh, don't count him out of the Pittsburgh future plans. If Moskos continues to shine, very quietly I might add, he may actually surpass some of the skeptics and be a solid guy out of the bullpen. The Pirates have a dearth of lefty help in their system, so Moskos could be counted on down the road.

The MLB Draft Needs Changed

Scott Boras discussed the MLB draft with 619 Sports today. In it Boras says that as revenues increase around baseball the money should trickle down to the players into the draft. While that conversation alone could warrant it's own seperate blog entry, the draft as a whole needs corrected and Scott Boras could have a big impact in it.

As a fan, I'd love to see Scott Boras put in handcuffs and taken away for the money he has stolen from management and hostage situations he has put fans in. Pirates fans witnessed it first hand when the Pirates drafted Pedro Alvarez, were forced to wait until the deadline until he signed, only to have the rug pulled underneath him when Boras and Alvarez said "wait a second, I didn't really sign". But the reality is that Boras has earned his players millions and he represents some pretty damn good players.

Boras' argument that the players in the draft deserve the trickle down in increased revenues has a bit of weight behind it. The cost of living has surely gone up since the 1990s, 1980s, and so on. The problem is where does it end? If super prospect Bryce Harper is eligible next year and is selected first overall will Boras say "this is hands down the single best prospect I've ever seen, and this time I really mean it, even though I said it last year!" Will teams have to pony up $18, $20, $30 million just to even talk to Harper?

Obviously the people most effected by this is the owners because it's their money being spent, but what about the players currently in the major leagues? Owners are being more thrifty and are spending more than ever on the draft. So all those marginal starters, like a Eric Hinske, Mike Lamb, etc, looking for work that could have easily gotten $3-$6mil will probably be hoping for minor league contracts and bench roles on bad teams.

Jayson Stark discussed all of this in a column this week and brought some great ideas that appear to be thrown around such as: Slotting, trading of picks, making it world wide, and increasing control.

In my opinion, the most logical idea would be an NHL style combination of the two. First, increase the club's control of a player. If you select a High School player, you've got that guy for 3-4 years, so basically his junior year. If you fail to sign him going into his SR year, the player can then jump back into the draft for one last stab. What happens after that is completely up to MLB. Maybe he becomes a Free Agent or perhaps one last draft and then free agency.

On top of being able to control the players, you should be able to trade your picks. This works well in two ways. Take Bryce Harper for example. Say he wants $50 million and you know he's not getting that. You can trade him to a team that might like the Red Sox, Dodgers, or Yankees. But you can always keep him around and maybe his price lowers. Also, maybe a team like the Pirates are looking for prospects now and don't have much they want to offer, but they've got this great player in Harper that would be a mega star if he hits it big in a market like LA. They trade him for a package and net a whole bunch of prospects or major league players to get them over the hump.

Agents and draftees may not like this idea because the club holds you hostage now for approximately 3 years, but it leaves a lot of room for leverage and contract discussion. Also, what happens if a player goes to college and gets hurt? Then his stock has plummeted,giving room for the club to get him on the cheap or for the prospect to be forced to stay an extra year to increase his value or even have to go back into the draft!

This may shake things up a bit and all parties may be upset at some point, but it seems to work pretty well in the NHL. However, rather than look at a new perspective, Selig seems to really believe in the slotting system, but more stiff this time, and now wants to open the draft world wide! I really don't think this will work and it will just add more Scott Boras "best prospect I've seen since 5 minutes ago" type prospects that "deserve" $10-$20million without setting foot on a professional field.

While I hope something is changed, and more than just slotting and worldwide are considered, I think Jason Stark summed the current draft style up pretty well:

Strasburg is guaranteed slightly more money than Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz were guaranteed for this season put together. Those guys own a combined nine Cy Young Awards. Strasburg has thrown a combined zero professional pitches.

But don't worry, he's the greatest college pitcher one man has ever seen.