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Morning Report: 1,000 Was the Lucky Number on Friday Night

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Some Saturday morning notes after a busy Friday night of following and writing up seven games for the Prospect Watch. The most amazing stat from last night’s games had to be Yoel Gonzalez doubling his extra-base hit total from all of last year in his first two at-bats of the season.

** I mentioned yesterday about Bristol being short players and it looks like they took care on two of those open spots at least short-term. Luis Paula and Justin Maffei were assigned to the team. Paula was actually injured in Extended Spring Training and his is listed as a rehab assignment. Maffei wasn’t injured and he wasn’t actually in Extended Spring Training, he was an extra (26th man) with Altoona ever since Austin Meadows joined the team in late April. His isn’t listed as of right now as a rehab assignment, so if he’s going there for playing time, they basically just added a ringer to the squad. Bristol has four interesting outfielders in Michael de la Cruz, Victor Fernandez, Garrett Brown and Alexis Bastardo, so it would be nice if he didn’t take away too much playing time.

** I have to give the stats people at MiLB credit for trying to get the DSL Pirates game from Tuesday correct. That game was called in the sixth inning with the Pirates taking a 9-3 loss. Something went wrong with the stats and I alerted them to it that night. They looked at them the next day and made a slight adjustment, then they had to work on the boxscore at least three different times yesterday. Since I was following it from the start and noticed the differences, I checked about 5-6 times throughout Friday and the boxscore was fixed at one point, but the stats weren’t updating. Then they started updating the stats and changed the standings to reflect the loss. At last check, the loss was erased again and all of the stats are listed as zeros across the board for the players. I’m sure I’ll check a few times today, unless they actually get it right. One thing I know is that they are trying…and trying…and trying.

** The Pirates defeated the Dodgers for the 1,000th time yesterday. Their first win against them came back on May 9, 1884 when both teams were in the American Association. The Pirates were called the Alleghenys back then and the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and they were the Atlantics.

It’s not a major milestone really, just a round number. It’s happened five other times, with the Pirates winning 1,258 games against the Cubs, 1,243 against the Cardinals, 1,207 versus the Phillies, 1,172 against the Reds and 1,100 against the Braves. They need just five more against the Giants to reach 1,000, though that might not happen until 2018. The have actually lost over 1,000 times to all seven teams I just listed, which is just basically a product of longevity.

One note on this and it’s about the Pirates and them lying about their age like they are a 21-year-old international player trying to claim he’s 16 years old on July 2nd. The Pirates franchise started in 1882. In 1887, they moved to the National League. Everything about the team from the name, manager, players, owners, stadium, etc. stayed the same, but they moved from one Major League to another. The American Association from 1882-1891 was recognized as a Major League then and it still is now.

The Pirates and other teams listen to Elias for some reason, and ignore the American Association stats rather than doing their own research. So if you asked the Pirates, they would ask Elias, who would tell them last night was their 972nd win against the Dodgers. Why do they do that you ask? I don’t have the slightest clue. It would be like the Astros ignoring their NL history or the Brewers pretending they never played in the AL. Maybe “since 1882” doesn’t sell as many t-shirts as “since 1887”. Whatever their reason, it still doesn’t change history because they ignore it and last night was the 1,000th win against the Dodgers.

By coincidence, last night was also the 1,000th win in the managerial career of Clint Hurdle. His wins before joining the Pirates actually count (if there was a sarcastic font, I would have used it there). Hurdle is the 61st manager to reach 1,000 wins, and he’s now tied with Charlie Manuel in wins, so Hurdle’s next one will move him up a spot on that chart. I didn’t notice it at the time, but he passed Bill Virdon in managerial wins about a month or so ago, however long it’s been since the Pirates won five games.

PIRATES GAME GRAPH


Source: FanGraphs

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

Today’s Starter and Notes: The Pirates won 8-6 over the Dodgers on Friday night. Jeff Locke will now go to the mound, coming off a start in which he threw 6.2 shutout innings against the Giants. In his previous two starts combined, he gave up 18 runs in 8.2 innings. The Dodgers will counter with Kenta Maeda, who has a 2.64 ERA in 81.2 innings, with a 1.10 WHIP and 79 strikeouts. Maeda has allowed a total of five earned runs in his last five starts, covering 29.2 innings.

In the minors, no starter is listed for Indianapolis. Chad Kuhl was supposed to start, but he now appears to be starting tomorrow night for the Pirates. It’s possible it may be Steven Brault, who was scheduled to make one more start for Morgantown on rehab.

Bradenton was rained out yesterday. They will play a doubleheader and Yeudy Garcia gets the start for them in game one. He has yet to allow more than three runs in a start this season. He is tenth in the Florida State League in ERA and third in strikeouts, but his 1.60 WHIP is 43rd among the 46 qualified pitchers. No starter has been named for game two yet.

Bristol is going with Ike Schlabach, a 2015 draft pick, who signed an over-slot deal in the 19th round. The GCL Pirates will have Miguel Hernandez on the mound today. You can view the season previews for the GCL and Bristol linked below in the schedule. In fact, you can view all eight teams if you really want.

MLB: Pittsburgh (35-39) vs Dodgers (41-34) 7:15 PM
Probable starter: Jeff Locke (5.44 ERA, 28:43 BB/SO, 82.2 IP)

AAA: Indianapolis (40-34) vs Buffalo (41-34) 7:15 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: TBD

AA: Altoona (41-31) @ Bowie (31-42) 6:35 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Tyler Eppler (3.83 ERA, 18:52 BB/SO, 82.1 IP)

High-A: Bradenton (38-31) @ Charlotte (34-36) 4:00 PM DH (season preview)
Probable starter: Yeudy Garcia (2.51 ERA, 29:66 BB/SO, 57.1 IP) and TBD

Low-A: West Virginia (36-35) @ Asheville (35-36) 7:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Bret Helton (3.78 ERA, 27:42 BB/SO, 64.1 IP)

Short-Season A: Morgantown (6-2) vs State College (5-3) 7:05 PM (season preview)
Probable Starter: Matt Anderson (3.00 ERA, 0:5 BB/SO, 3.0 IP)

Rookie: Bristol (1-1) @ Bluefield (1-1) 7:05 PM (season preview)

GCL: Pirates (1-0) vs Tigers East (1-0) 10:00 AM (season preview)

DSL: Pirates (6-12) vs Indians (9-9) 10:30 AM (season preview)

HIGHLIGHTS

Here are two highlights from Josh Bell..sort of. First we have a slow grounder up the middle that Alen Hanson makes a terrific play on, but check out Bell on the other end of the play.

Here we have Josh Bell collecting a triple, his fourth of the season.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

6/25: Luis Paula and Justin Maffei assigned to Bristol on rehab.

6/24: Pirates purchase the contract of Adam Frazier. Designate Cole Figueroa for assignment.

6/24: Juan Nicasio activated from restricted list. Designate Jorge Rondon for assignment.

6/24: Jacob Stallings optioned to Indianapolis.

6/23: JT Brubaker added to Bradenton roster. Colten Brewer placed on temporary inactive list.

6/23: Tito Polo assigned to Bradenton.

6/22: Pirates recall Kyle Lobstein. Wilfredo Boscan optioned to Indianapolis.

6/22: Jhondaniel Medina assigned to Indianapolis.

6/21: Pirates recall Wilfredo Boscan. Curtis Partch optioned to Indianapolis.

6/21: Pirates sign Braeden Ogle.

6/20: Trace Tam Sing and Erik Lunde added to Bradenton roster. Pablo Reyes placed on temporary inactive list.

6/19: Steven Brault sent to Morgantown on a rehab assignment.

6/19: Pirates purchase the contract of Jacob Stallings. Jason Rogers optioned to Indianapolis.

6/19: Tomas Morales promoted to Indianapolis.

6/18: Pirates option Rob Scahill to Indianapolis. Recall Jason Rogers, Jorge Rondon and Curtis Partch.

6/18: Cory Luebke designated for assignment.

6/18: Juan Nicasio placed on restricted list.

6/17: Pirates released Garrett Russini and Guido Knudson.

6/17: Pirates sign Matt Frawley, Stephen Owen and Arden Pabst.

6/16: Pirates sign 13 draft picks.

6/16: Casey Hughston and Logan Sendelbach assigned to West Virginia. Julio Vivas and Billy Roth assigned to Morgantown.

6/15: Pirates sign Will Craig, Matt Anderson and nine other draft picks.

6/15: Pirates release Nick Buckner.

6/15: Trey Haley sent outright to Indianapolis.

6/15: Dovydas Neverauskas promoted to Indianapolis. John Kuchno placed on disabled list.

6/14: Pirates place Gerrit Cole on the disabled list. Recall Jameson Taillon.

6/14: Kevin Newman and Wyatt Mathisen activated from disabled list. Trace Tam Sing assigned to GCL Pirates.

6/14: Miguel Rosario promoted to Altoona.

6/14: Pirates release Robert Zarate.

6/13: Sam Street activated from Temporary Inactive List. JT Brubaker assigned to GCL Pirates.

6/11: Pirates acquire Erik Kratz from Angels for cash considerations. Trey Haley designated for assignment.

6/11: Clay Holmes added to Altoona roster. David Whitehead placed on disabled list.

6/11: Pirates place Francisco Cervelli on disabled list.

6/11: Pirates option Kyle Lobstein and Cole Figueroa to Indianapolis. recall Rob Scahill and Arquimedes Caminero.

THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY

Six former Pittsburgh Pirates players born on this date, plus a high scoring doubleheader for the Pirates. Starting with the players and we have some recent ones. Paul Maholm and Aramis Ramirez are familiar to even the most recent Pirates’ fans. Maholm played for the team from 2005 until 2011 and Ramirez was with the club from 1998 until 2003. He was then traded away in a deal most people would like to forget. I’ll leave it at that and you can check the link above if you want to torture yourself. Ramirez did come back at the end of last year for a farewell tour, so that was fun.

Also born on this date, 1994 pitcher Alejandro Pena, pitcher John Gelnar, who played for the 1964 and 1967 teams. Infielder Bill Webb (1917) and 1929-30 pitcher Ralph Erickson, who is one of a handful of former Major League players who lived to 100 years old. He passed away in 2002.

On this date in 1912, the Pirates took on the St Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh for two games. By the end of the day, they would collect 35 hits and outscore the Cardinals 29-7. Chief Wilson and Hall of Famer Max Carey each hit grand slams. The Pirates finished second in the NL that year with a 93-58 record.

John Dreker
John Dreker
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball. When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.

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