UPDATE 3:14 PM: Just noticed a few more roster moves through the system:
-Melkin Laureano has been moved from West Virginia to Bradenton, presumably to take Moreno’s spot. Laureano had a 2.83 ERA in 35 innings between West Virginia’s rotation and bullpen this year, with a 7.5 K/9 and a 3.3 BB/9.
-Phillip Irwin was taken off the 7-day disabled list for West Virginia. Irwin had a 1.80 ERA, a 7.8 K/9, and a 3.6 BB/9 in his first 15 innings with West Virginia before getting hurt. I’m glad to see him back.
-Walker Gourley has been added to the Bradenton roster. I knew Gourley was playing with the team, but I figured it was just an addition from Extended Spring Training. That’s probably the case, as high-A would be an aggressive placement for a player signed out of high school last year.
-Mike Williams (no, not the former Pirates closer) has been added to the West Virginia roster. Williams has spent the last two seasons in State College, after being drafted in 2008. Last year he had a 3.71 ERA in 34 innings out of the Spikes’ bullpen, with a 7.7 K/9 and a 4.0 BB/9.
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According to Rob Biertempfel, the Pittsburgh Pirates have promoted Diego Moreno to Altoona from Bradenton. Altoona placed Jim Negrych on the temporary inactive list for a family matter, so hopefully the promotion of Moreno is permanent, and not something temporary to replace Negrych, similar to what we saw with Michael Dubee going to AAA earlier this month.
I just wrote this morning that Moreno needed to be promoted, and hopefully this is the first of many promotions to come in the farm system. Moreno has been lights out this year in Bradenton, with a 1.37 ERA in 26.1 innings, and a 39:2 K/BB ratio. In 2009, Moreno put up a 2.60 ERA in 45 innings in West Virginia, with a 57:14 K/BB ratio. Moreno’s fastball touches 97, and is consistently in the mid-90s, and his apparent control makes him a very special reliever.
Altoona has a loaded back end of the bullpen, now with Daniel Moskos, Ronald Uviedo, Michael Dubee, and Moreno just added to the mix. I’m wondering if one of the Altoona relievers will get the call to Indianapolis to give Moreno some playing time. Perhaps Moskos?
