The organization also announced today that the Curve’s contract with Pirates has been renewed through 2018. In addition, Altoona will host the 2014 Eastern League all-star game next summer.

James McDonald struggled in his start tonight. – Photo: David Hague

McDonald struggles to find the strike zone

James McDonald got the start for the Pirates in his last tune up before the season. The right-hander struggled with his command in the first inning giving up four earned runs on three hits, walking two with a wild pitch and one strikeout. He threw 38 pitches in the inning, recording 21 strikes. The big blow was an opposite field 2-RBI bloop double by Curve catcher Carlos Paulino, landing right inside the right-field line. McDonald settled down in his final inning, the 2nd, though he did walk first baseman Matt Curry.

This wasn’t the first time McDonald struggled in the first inning this spring, something he knows needs to improve. “In the first inning, I need to try to lock it down, focus in a little harder, because once I get going it’s pretty smooth from there,” he said.

McDonald’s big problem today was his command. He fell behind 7 of the 9 batters he faced in the first inning, missing regularly with his fastball that sat 90-93 mph. The struggles weren’t limited to the fastball, as the whole arsenal, which includes a change-up and slider (both used sparingly today) plus a solid curveball that is an out pitch, was shaky. He spoke of making adjustments in between innings, and the second inning was much sharper, including his best curveballs of the day to get a soft comebacker from Mel Rojas Jr. and a strike out facing Jarek Cunningham.

Starling Marte hit a grand slam. – Photo: David Hague

Marte stars in return to Altoona

Pirates starting left fielder Starling Marte launched himself onto the prospect map while playing in Altoona in 2011. He still appears comfortable at the ballpark, as today he went 2 for 3 and crushed a grand slam over the left-field bleachers against MLB teammate Tony Watson in the 2nd inning.

“I just caught too much of the plate,” said Watson after the game. “Starling will have bragging rights for a while now,” he adds.

For Marte, this will be his first full season in Pittsburgh, and he focused on improving specific aspects of his game this off-season.

“I played winter ball in the Dominican and that helped me out a bunch. One of the biggest things for me is plate discipline and making pitchers throw me strikes to hit or to take more walks,” said the left fielder through a translator.

Manager Clint Hurdle adds, “He has everything you want in a ballplayer that can make an impact in all aspects of the game—with his glove, with his legs, with his bat. He needs experience and to play. There are things that are coming together for him, but he needs to continue to work everyday to improve. It’s going to be an exciting season for him.”

Jason Grilli got the start for Altoona. – Photo: David Hague

Grilli impressive, ready to close in 2013

Pirates closer Jason Grilli got the start for the Curve, facing the top of the Pirates line-up to open the game. Grilli impressed. After giving up a lead-off line drive single to Starling Marte, he finished the inning in order, recording two strikeouts. Of his 14 pitches, 11 were thrown for strikes, and his fastball was 90-94 mph today.

Grilli is looking forward to closing for the Pirates this season, and he aims to build off his success as one of the league’s best set-up men last year. “Last year was a big stepping stone for me. I don’t think I need to do anything more than what I did then,” he said before the game.

The 36-year old journeyman cites his time as a set-up reliever as a major benefit in his new role.

“Holding inherited runners is something I’ve prided myself on for a long time. It’s made me a better pitcher because you don’t have that margin for error.”

Manager Clint Hurdle is a big believer in Grilli’s skills, and he believes he is ready to close for the Pirates this season.

“Jason’s a man who’s been motivated throughout the years by new challenges. The game was taken away from him for a period of time, which reinvigorated and re-energized him. In 2012, we gave him a more meaningful role [than in his two month stint in 2011], and he handled that very successfully, probably as successful as any set-up man in baseball last season. So, for me this is the next challenge for Jason.”

Superstar center fielder Andrew McCutchen seems to agree. When asked if he was excited to face Grilli today, he didn’t hesitate– “No, not really.”

Additional Pirates Notes:

**Andrew McCutchen had a quiet day at the plate going 0 for 3, but he expressed that he’s ready for the season to start. Asked about his off-season the all-star said, “[I was] just working hard. I did what I had to do to have the confidence that I can have another good year.”

**New catcher Russell Martin had two hits on the day, a good sign as the Pirates are looking for more production from the catcher spot than previous years. The Curve stole two bases on the day, but in both cases, the runners got great jumps on the pitchers. Hurdle noted that stopping the running game of opposing teams was a major point of emphasis this offseason.

Altoona Curve notes:

**Given some challenges to find at bats for the best hitters while also filling each position, the Curve are moving several players around. 2012 Florida State league MVP Alex Dickerson, who moved from the outfield to first base after college, got the start in right field today. He’ll also see time in left and probably first as well. In addition, Adelberto Santos will start the season at third base, adding another position to his repertoire, after playing second base and the outfield previously.

“It’s going to be tough on them to perform while also learning a new position. But I definitely have trust in the abilities that they have,” said manager Carlos Garcia.

**Centerfielder Mel Rojas, Jr., left fielder Andrew Lambo, and DH Justin Howard each had two hits and an RBI for the Curve, who amassed 9 hits total. Lambo also had a nice diving catch in left.

**Seven Curve pitchers saw action today, all bullpen arms except for Brandon Cumpton, who faced 18 batters in 3.2 innings, surrendering 2 ER and 7 hits while striking out 4 with no walks. Garcia was happy with Cumpton’s last tune-up and commends the aggressiveness he pitched with today, facing many major league batters.

**Starting pitchers Jameson Taillon, Stolmy Pimentel, Casey Sadler, and Kyle Waldrop have not made the trip north yet, instead wrapping up their final workouts in Bradenton before joining the club.

**Garcia indicated that he and the Pirates development staff will be meeting later this week to discuss Taillon’s innings and pitch counts for this season, but no numbers specific numbers have been decided yet.

Elvis Escobar hit his third homer in two days.

Today was a camp day at Pirate City. They held intra-squad games, with Indianapolis taking on Bradenton and West Virginia taking on the extended Spring Training group. The matchups were more even than it seems. The pitchers from each level threw for the other team, taking on their level. For example, rather than having Andy Oliver throwing for Indianapolis against an A-ball team, Oliver pitched for Bradenton and threw against the Triple-A hitters. Some notes from today’s action below.

**Clay Holmes went five innings, giving up three runs but none earned. He allowed six hits, walked one, and struck out three. Holmes was 93-94 MPH in the first inning, and touched 95. He was 92-94 in the middle innings, and 91-92 in the fifth. He flashed a nice curveball throughout the outing, but left a few up in the zone early in the outing.

**Nick Kingham went five innings, giving up three runs on six hits, with a walk and four strikeouts. The three runs all came on a three run homer by Lucas May, who stepped in as a pinch hitter. Kingham left a fastball up in the zone, which May turned on.

**Andy Oliver saw his usual control problems, working around the strike zone. He threw 82 pitches, with 49 strikes. Oliver went four innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits. He struck out six and walked three.

**Jake Burnette was the one pitcher I didn’t see a lot of. He went five innings, giving up a run on four hits. Burnette was efficient, throwing 62 pitches, and 41 strikes. He was 89-91 throughout the game, touching 92 and 93 a few times.

**I did happen to see Harold Ramirez get two stolen bases off Burnette. The first was a straight steal. Later in the game Burnette tried to keep Ramirez on first, and eventually threw wild, allowing Ramirez to take second.

**Jerry Sands had a double off the wall in center field, which is a little over 400 feet away.

**Elvis Escobar crushed a home run to right off Quinton Miller. It was the third homer for Escobar in the last two days. I could see him making some noise in the NYPL this year.

**Stetson Allie had a single up the middle. He’s been hitting better in the second half of camp, but I haven’t seen a lot of the power.

**Elias Diaz showed off his strong arm, gunning down a runner at second base.

**Jimy Hernandez flashed a really nice curveball, getting a swinging strikeout on the pitch in the final at-bat of his inning.

**More velocities: Pat Ludwig was 89-91 MPH. Joan Montero was 93-94 MPH, throwing on a downward plane. Quinton Miller was 87-89.

Zack Dodson

Zack Dodson

Zack Dodson started off looking a little shaky Wednesday against the Phillies. But he quickly shifted to dominance.

In a 3-2 win, very much a group effort, with Dodson the star of the show. His wildness got him into trouble in the early innings, but he mixed in a consistent fastball that topped out at 91 mph, throwing it 86-90 through four innings. 61 pitches later, he’d allowed just one run on four hits, with three strikeouts.

Despite early trouble locating, he managed to not walk anyone. Also impressive was his trust in his defense. Even with guys on base, he kept his cool and pitched to contact without making mistakes on the inner half of the plate. If someone hit off him, they didn’t get much from it with an infield that was solid the whole game.

Dodson was economical, but it took some time for him to get comfortable. He was wild out of the gate, particularly with runners on. He induced a good number of ground ball outs, and started to mix his pitches and speeds much more fluidly after the 2nd.

Josh Bell

Don’t blink, or Josh Bell might just be around the bases by the time you look. Seeing that considerable speed on display is no small thing, considering he underwent season ending knee surgery last year.

“I’m really just getting my timing back,” he said. “I’m starting to feel stronger later into games, so that’s a good sign.”

Bell was the Pirates second round pick in 2011, receiving a five million dollar bonus, and began his pro career with the Class-A West Virginia Power. In 15 games the outfielder hit .274, before the crushing injury when he was running the bases. He had surgery on the meniscus in his left knee.

“My goal for this spring training and season is health,” he said. “But baseball is a mind game. The mental aspect isn’t harder than the physical. It’s controlled chaos. I’m just trying to build my body back up.”

Player Notes From Clearwater

*Lance Breedlove had a tough outing, giving up six runs in a short appearance.

*Carlos Mesa hit a triple.

*Quinton Miller had a six run inning, with the final two coming in the 7th, before he was pulled.

*I liked Dilson Herrera’s pop. He hit a ball hard to center field for a single.

*Also, on Bell, I’d never seen him in person before and I could see the physicality that the Pirates, and scouts, like a lot about him. His broad shoulders and strong arm give him excellent power potential, as well as value defensively.  He had good balance, due to a wide stance. In one at-bat his patience improved from earlier in the game, and he read pitches well. He fouled off about 5-6, then won the at-bat with a single to center. He also had a three-pitch at-bat, fouling one off, sat back on what looked to be a cut fastball, then, despite grounding out, hit it hard. Just missing getting it through.

*Wyatt Mathisen has quick hands and raw power. A compact build.

*Kyle Haynes pitched well, allowing a single and a walk in the 9th, but kept his cool and got out of the inning. He got the final out getting a guy looking. He never seemed rattled or distracted by the runners on.

In a lot of cases, starting pitchers will remain in extended Spring Training for one more start, even after their team breaks camp. This is to keep them on their five day schedule. As an example, Altoona broke camp this morning, but Casey Sadler stuck around and pitched for Bradenton. Today a lot of guys were pitching out of their normal levels, partly due to Sadler, and just to make sure everyone got innings.

Below are some updates from the last two days. I took yesterday off to work on the season previews, catch up on transcribing some interviews, and finally finish unpacking my apartment just in time for family to come visit this weekend. So pretty much all three of those things, but mostly the unpacking. Even though I took a day off, I somehow found myself over at Pirate City for a few innings. I didn’t do an update yesterday, so I’ll start off today’s update with some observations from yesterday, then get to today’s games. Today’s updates will also be short, since I spent a lot of time today getting the minor league rotations and lineups, which are posted at those links.

From Yesterday

**Tyler Glasnow made a start. I only saw one inning, and heard that his curveball was working well. He went four innings, allowing no runs on one hit, with three walks and four strikeouts. Control was an issue for him, and that will be something to watch this year in West Virginia. He was 90-95 MPH with his fastball in the early innings, and 89-91 in the last inning, touching 93 once.

**Right when I got to the field I watched Alen Hanson double off the wall to left. So the usual.

**Ryan Hafner threw two innings and had some control issues. He was missing a lot down in the zone and in the dirt, which is where you want to miss if you’re going to miss. Hafner was throwing his slider a lot, which is a pitch he just added recently.

From Today

Dilson Herrera homered to left field today.

**There were a lot of home runs today from the Pirates. It wasn’t really windy, although it was hot and not very humid, which might have led to some good conditions. West Virginia and the extended Spring Training guys were at home. Barrett Barnes and Dilson Herrera each homered in the West Virginia game. Elvis Escobar had two homers in the extended game. One of those was an inside the park homer. Kevin Ross also hit a two run homer. None of these were cheap homers, except maybe for Escobar, since anything hit to the gap in right-center is an automatic triple if you’ve got any kind of speed. Escobar has speed, and was able to make it all the way around the bases. The throw beat him to the plate, but he was able to slide around the tag.

**Robby Rowland threw for West Virginia. He went five innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on six hits. He didn’t give up a walk and struck out one. Rowland was throwing his sinker a lot, sitting 88-90 MPH.

**Joely Rodriguez started for the extended Spring Training team. Rodriguez went five shutout innings, allowing three hits. He struck out five and didn’t walk any. That last part is encouraging. He was 87-91 MPH with his two-seam fastball, 82-84 with his changeup, and 80-83 with his slider. All three pitches have a lot of movement. In the past, Rodriguez has dealt with control problems. He’s a sleeper pitcher to watch, with a good three pitch mix.

**I’m pretty sure the West Virginia squad was playing the Yankees high-A team, while the extended group was playing low-A. So the pitchers were at the correct levels, and the hitters were playing up a level.

**I got an update on Diego Moreno, who hasn’t been heard from since being traded to the Yankees for A.J. Burnett. He was out last year with an arm injury, and is still rehabbing. He should get back into game action soon.

Matt Curry and Alex Dickerson in the Outfield

The Pirates had Clint Robinson and Matt Hague in Triple-A for most of camp. Robinson was playing first, Hague was at third, and Matt Curry was the DH, while switching off at first with Robinson. Once Jared Goedert was sent down, the order shifted. Goedert went to third, and Hague and Robinson split time at first and DH. That pushed Curry to Altoona. It’s not known whether Curry could have a shot at making the jump to Indianapolis if Robinson isn’t retained. The Pirates designated Robinson for assignment on Wednesday, and he’d have to clear waivers to go to Indianapolis. For now, Curry is with Altoona.

Alex Dickerson had been playing the entire Spring with Altoona, and will be making the jump to Double-A this year. Last year the Pirates kept Dickerson in high-A and Curry in Double-A so that both could get work at first base. This year they both need to be in Double-A, leaving a challenge for playing time. They could alternate between first base and DH, but another option came up in the last week: outfield. Curry and Dickerson have been rotating at the corner outfield spots this week in games at Pirate City, adding some flexibility that will allow them both to remain in the lineup.

The position isn’t new for Dickerson. He played outfield his entire career until joining the Pirates. He was drafted as an outfielder, but immediately moved to first base due to a lack of range. He can play a corner spot, although he’s going to struggle defensively, putting emphasis on his bat.

“It is pretty comfortable,” Dickerson said. “I didn’t feel too out of place out there. I played there for my whole life pretty much. Right now we’re just getting my feet under me, and hopefully it works out, out there.”

Curry has played in the outfield before, but only for about ten games at the JuCo level. Like Dickerson, he doesn’t have the range to be strong defensively, which puts more emphasis on the bat. Even though he hasn’t played much outfield in his career, Curry always left that window open.

“I’m comfortable out there,” Curry said. “I’ve always taken balls in BP out there. I have an outfielder’s glove. I’ve always kept it ready to go. I knew one day that it could be a chance I could jump into one of the corner outfield spots. I’m ready for it.”

Adalberto Santos will be getting time at third base this year.

Adalberto Santos Getting Time at Third Base

Adalberto Santos was an outfielder throughout college, but has been playing second base with the Pirates at times in the last few years. He’s athletic enough that he can handle the position, and he’s getting more comfortable there with more playing time.

“Everything takes reps, with any kind of position, any kind of move,” Santos said about second base. “With the reps [at second], coming from Arizona to here and doing the reps from early camp to now, I feel a lot more comfortable. Clean up some things, and it’s starting to become second nature now. It’s been a good move.”

The Pirates didn’t have any space for Santos in Triple-A, despite him hitting for a .340 average and an .858 OPS with Altoona last year. Second base in Indianapolis will go to either Jordy Mercer or Ivan De Jesus Jr. The outfield is blocked by Jerry Sands, Felix Pie, and Alex Presley.

Space is also a problem in Altoona. Jarek Cunningham will return to the level to play second base. Drew Maggi is also an option at second, and could get some time in the outfield. Mel Rojas Jr. will make the jump to Altoona this year, and will be joined in the outfield by Andrew Lambo and Dan Grovatt. When you add Maggi, plus the occasional playing time for Curry and Dickerson, there’s not much of a spot for Santos.

The solution? Third base.

Third base is a weak spot in the Pirates system. The only third baseman on the Altoona roster is Stefan Welch. He has some good power, but only hit for a .761 OPS last year with Altoona, and doesn’t profile as much more than upper level depth. Santos has been a great hitter throughout his pro career. He doesn’t have the power you’d want from a third baseman, and it’s not known if he could make up for that with his defense. He’s looked like a future utility player, so adding third base will help his value in the long run. In the short-term, it will give him some playing time with Altoona.

“I played a couple games there in Arizona,” Santos said of the position. “The transition I don’t think would be too much of a problem. I’m looking forward to it.”

Andrew Lambo Returning From Multiple Hand Injuries

Andrew Lambo won’t be changing positions. He will still be in the outfield, competing for time with Rojas, Grovatt, and guys like Santos, Curry, Dickerson, and Maggi who could get occasional time. UPDATE: A correction here. I learned today that Lambo will be getting some time at first base this year, rotating with Curry and Dickerson between first, left field, and DH. Lambo is coming off a year where he suffered from multiple hand injuries. He tore two ligaments in his Triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) in his hand. He also broke his hamate bone, which seems like a rite of passage for Pirates hitting prospects.

The hamate injury is usually a pretty big one for a hitter by itself. It can sap power for a year. Lambo’s bigger focus was the torn ligaments. He was in a cast for two months, which is longer than the recovery time after hamate surgery alone. He noted that the extra rest could have helped the hamate heal, avoiding the loss in power.

“The hamate, you’re back in like a month,” Lambo said. “The hamate surgery is quick. With tearing my ligaments, it was in a cast for two months. So I think that the hamate healed really good, to where the focus was more the ligaments. I didn’t feel anything. When I came back the only thing I was feeling was the ligaments, but the hamate was fine.”

The outfielder had a change this off-season. He did nothing. In previous years he’s played some form of winter ball, or participated in the Arizona Fall League. This time around he had a full off-season. He worked with his trainer, did some hitting, and focused on his mechanics. So far he’s looked good at the plate in minor league Spring Training games, getting a lot of hits.

“This is Spring Training, but compared to my recent Spring Trainings I felt like I’ve been a lot more comfortable locked in at the plate, and also physically,” Lambo said. “It’s a long season. I’ve seen a lot of guys have unbelievable Springs, go into the season, it’s nowhere to be found. But I’d say whether the hits are coming or not, mentally right now just where I’m at, at the plate, I feel like I’m really more prepared than I was the last couple of seasons.”

This will be the sixth year in which Lambo has spent time at the Double-A level. That’s a surprising number. What’s even more surprising is that he’s only 24 years old. He’s a few weeks younger than Curry, and he’s about a year younger than Santos. He first made the jump to the level at the age of 19, and has remained ever since. Lambo was one of the top prospects in the game heading into the 2009 season, and was the top prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. The Dodgers ended up trading him and James McDonald in 2010 for Octavio Dotel. He hasn’t exactly torn up the Eastern League in his time with Altoona, hitting for a .782 OPS in 2011, and a .781 OPS in 2012. He made the jump to Indianapolis in 2011, but it came with poor results. For most of Spring it looked like he might have a shot at moving up to Triple-A, but the late cuts prevented that from happening.

“You gotta work hard and stay focused, and everything is going to come into play,” Lambo said about returning to Double-A again. “You’ve got one goal, and it’s not to make the Indianapolis squad. It’s to help Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh at PNC Park. That’s my goal. I believe I can do that, and so now it’s time to show them I can. Coming into Spring, physically and mentally where I’m at, I think they’re really excited to see the kind of season that I’m capable of and that they’re ready to see. The ultimate goal is to help the big club win.”

The Brock Holt Path

When I was talking with Matt Curry about returning to Altoona and whether that was disappointing after his 2012 season, he brought up a good point: Brock Holt. In 2011, Holt hit for a .288 average and a .743 OPS with Altoona. He returned to the level in 2012, mostly because he was blocked in Indianapolis in the same way that Curry is blocked now. In 2012 he hit for a .322/.389/.432 line with Altoona. He moved up to Indianapolis, where the hitting continued with a .432 average and a 1.013 OPS in 95 at-bats. The season ended with Holt in the majors, hitting for a .292 average and a .682 OPS in 65 at-bats. Curry noted that, even though he’s back in Altoona, he could still take the same path.

“I’m still one call away from the big leagues,” Curry said. “I’m not going to try and let it affect me. I’ve just got to go in there and keep swinging the bat.”

Curry’s situation is similar to Holt’s heading into the 2012 season. Aside from being blocked in the same way, Curry also had numbers that could use some improvement. He hit for a .285/.352/.480 line with Altoona. Those are good numbers, but not the numbers you want to see from a power hitting first baseman in Double-A. An .832 OPS and a .285 average would be good in the majors, but players don’t usually carry the same Double-A numbers to the majors. That doesn’t mean Curry is going to come back and see the improvements that Holt saw. It just means he’s in the same situation, looking for improvements that will make it impossible for the Pirates to keep him in Altoona.

Stolmy Pimentel has been impressive this Spring.

If there’s one player who has surprised me this Spring, it’s been Stolmy Pimentel. When he came over from the Red Sox in the Joel Hanrahan trade, Pimentel looked like a fading prospect. He used to be one of the top arms in the Boston farm system. He’s still regarded as a prospect, but after struggling at the Double-A level the last two years, his hype has faded.

From what I’ve seen this Spring out of Pimentel, there’s little reason to be down on him. There’s also no reason why he should have struggled so much at the Double-A level the last two seasons with this stuff.

The right-hander didn’t have his best results of the Spring today, but it wasn’t bad. He went four innings, allowing two runs on five hits, with a walk and six strikeouts. His fastball ranged from 89-96 MPH, and he was throwing his slider in the 82-86 MPH range. He threw 73 pitches, with 48 for strikes against the Phillies’ Double-A squad.

One key to his success this Spring has been the slider. It has been an out pitch this Spring, although Pimentel hasn’t thrown it that often. He started throwing the pitch last year, and felt that the pitch improved as the year went on. His numbers definitely improved, as you can see by his ERA and K% on a month by month basis.

May – 25.1 IP, 5.33 ERA, 14.3% K/PA

June – 25.1 IP, 6.75 ERA, 11.0% K/PA

July – 26.2 IP, 4.05 ERA, 22.0% K/PA

August – 27.1 IP, 3.62 ERA, 17.7% K/PA

Pimentel will be used as a starter this year, and will begin the season in Altoona. It will be difficult to tell how he’s handling the level, since this will be his third trip through the Eastern League. Any success will come with an asterisk. He should move up to Indianapolis by mid-season, since he’s on his final option year. That will be a bigger test, but first he’s going to need the numbers in Altoona. If he pitches the way he has this Spring, that success won’t be hard to come by.

Gerrit Cole Gets Practice Bunting

I was watching the short-season games this afternoon when something threw me off. The Pirates don’t have names on the back of their jerseys in minor league camp, just numbers. They provide roster sheets with the names and numbers, but those sheets don’t include players who were sent down from major league camp. At this point in camp, it can be confusing, depending on the number.

After watching a one out single, I saw number 35 step into the box. I didn’t think much of it, since Jordan Steranka wears number 35, and was on the on-deck circle. Number 35 went to lay down a bunt, and was getting a lot of instruction from the coaching staff. That was strange that Steranka, a college player, needed the instruction. After number 35 laid down a bunt, I watched as Jordan Steranka stepped up to the plate.

What?

It wasn’t Steranka who was bunting. Turns out it was Gerrit Cole, who was getting some experience sacrificing runners over. Cole stepped in almost every half inning, or when a runner would reach base. Unfortunately for the lower level pitchers, that seemed to be every half inning. The top pitching prospect went 3-for-3 in the bunts I saw, advancing two runners from first to second, and one from second to third. After the third bunt, Jameson Taillon grabbed a bat and a helmet, stepped into the box, and took a turn at advancing the runner.

Just some of the fun of Pirate City. You think you’re going to be watching Enyel Vallejo for the first time, and then you get to watch the two top pitching prospects working on their in-game bunting skills.

The Short Season Players

Most of my time was spent watching the short season players today, since I haven’t seen a lot of them playing this Spring. Some notes:

**Ulises Montilla, who had great numbers in the Dominican Summer League, ripped a line drive over the third baseman’s head for a single late in the game.

**Edwin Espinal, a big third baseman who played in the GCL last year, had a nice piece of hitting, going opposite field on a low and away curveball from Angel Sanchez.

**Enyel Vallejo started at shortstop today. He looks tall and athletic, but was very raw on the field. He displayed a good arm, but one of the throws I saw was a bit wild, pulling the first baseman off the bag. He also booted a routine grounder later in the game.

**To give an idea of how raw these players are, Francisco Aponte needed instruction on where to stand on the third base line when leading off the bag. It’s a totally different experience watching this level.

**Maximo Rivera showed off his speed on a ground out to first. I’ve seen Rivera earlier in camp, legging out a triple.

**Hayden Hurst pitched two shutout innings, striking out one and throwing 91-94 MPH.

**Adrian Grullon pitched two innings, allowing a run on one hit and three walks, with two strikeouts. He was 90-92 MPH.

Other Notes

**I haven’t seen Tim Alderson much this Spring, since he’s been on the travel roster to McKechnie. He’s still got the filthy curveball working for him, and was throwing 90-92 MPH. Some of those pitches were elevated, although his funky delivery adds some deception. He pitched two innings in relief.

**Vic Black came on to relieve Wandy Rodriguez in the seventh inning, getting work coming into a game mid inning. Black threw his fastball 95 MPH, and his slider 85 MPH to get the final batter.

**Duke Welker threw an inning in relief. He was 94-96 MPH with his fastball, and 84-86 with his slider. He did a good job pitching inside to right-handers. He struck out two, and had a good combination of pitches against the final batter. With one strike he went inside on the right-hander for strike two. He followed that up with a low and away slider to get the batter swinging at strike three.

Garrett Jones hit in the number two hole today.

Garrett Jones hit in the number two spot today. Tomorrow he will do the same thing. When people have been thinking about possible lineups for the 2013 season, I don’t think that many had Jones as an option to bat second. However, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is considering it.

“What I like about Garrett is he’s got a lifetime [.852] OPS against right-handed pitching,” Hurdle said. “His numbers against right-handers are what they are. So do I get him an extra at-bat [in the number two spot]? No matter what we do it’s not going to be prototypical.”

Hurdle used Jones in the number two spot during the 2011 season. The left-hander had 104 plate appearances batting second. The only spot where he appeared more frequently was the number three spot, where he had 113 plate appearances. He had 94 in number five, and 89 in the number six spot. His line as the number two hitter was .286/.356/.538, which was his best performance out of any of those spots.

Hurdle mentioned that Travis Snider, Russell Martin, and Neil Walker could also be options. Despite multiple options, he prefers to have a consistent lineup once the season starts.

“I’m trying to set something up that once we set it up, I think there could be some minor routine there,” Hurdle said. “It’s hard to do in Spring.”

Wandy Rodriguez Throws 6.2 Innings at Pirate City

Wandy Rodriguez made a start at Pirate City this afternoon, throwing against the Phillies’ Triple-A team. The left-hander went 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on nine hits, with a walk and two strikeouts. He threw 94 pitches, with 67 going for strikes.

“He mixed all his pitches in,” Hurdle said. “Got up and down the number of times we wanted him to.”

Rodriguez has looked good this Spring, starting from his time in the World Baseball Classic. This will probably be his last start before his 2013 regular season debut.

“I’m not too concerned by the flame with Wandy,” Hurdle said. “If anyone saw him pitch in the WBC, if you don’t think he’s going to be excited the first time he gets the ball in the regular season. Those were very high-octane starts for him, emotionally and physically. I think they sharpened him very, very well.”

How Do the Pirates Stack Up vs Other Teams?

After today’s game, Clint Hurdle was asked whether the Pirates were as talented as any other team. His response was interesting.

“As talented on paper? It’s hard to say you’re as talented as some of the other teams on paper,” Hurdle said. “The beauty of this game is, you don’t play the game on paper. And that’s what our guys get, and that’s what guys who play the game get. So, yes, we are as talented as any team we play on the field.”

That’s a pretty honest answer, since most wouldn’t have the Pirates as a better team on paper. As we saw at times last year, on paper doesn’t really matter. The Pirates were a contender for the first four months of the year, and on paper they didn’t look like contenders. Then they looked like contenders around the trade deadline on paper, and finished the season with a big collapse.

Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington met with the media this morning to discuss some of the moves. Most of the moves today involved the bench, the bullpen, and the final spot in the rotation. Below is a deeper look at the makeup of the team.

No Lefties on the Bench

The bench really isn’t much of a surprise. For a few weeks it has looked like the Pirates would go with a bench like this, or similar to this one. Coming into camp we knew that Michael McKenry and Gaby Sanchez would be on the bench. We had a good idea that Jose Tabata and Travis Snider would be splitting time in right field, with the other player on the bench. That left a middle infield spot and a utility spot — and not many left-handed options to choose from.

I know the bench isn’t much of a surprise because the “no left-handers” complaint has been around for a few weeks. Huntington talked about that today.

“There will be days where we’ll have a left-hander on the bench, depending on who starts and depending on how the first base/right field situation works out,” Huntington said. “It’s going to be kind of an ever-evolving process there. We ultimately need a right-handed compliment for Garrett [Jones], and with [Jose] Tabata we wanted the right-handed compliment in the outfield as well.”

The team basically has two platoons. They’ve got a platoon at first base, and a platoon in right field. I don’t think right field will be a true platoon, but it all boils down to the team having a left-handed hitter in Travis Snider who won’t be getting all of the playing time.

There isn’t much of a need for a lefty on the bench. When a right-handed pitcher starts, Garrett Jones and Travis Snider will be in the lineup. Pedro Alvarez will also be there, and Neil Walker will be batting left-handed. You’re not pinch-hitting for Andrew McCutchen, Russell Martin, or Starling Marte. When left-handers are starting, you’ll have Jones and Snider available off the bench later in the game if a right-handed reliever comes in.

So really the only purpose for a lefty bat on the bench is if you’ve got a right-handed reliever coming in late in the game on a day where a right-hander started, and you need to pinch hit for Clint Barmes or the pitcher spot in a big moment. Even if that situation comes up, and you bring in the left-hander, what is to stop the other team from countering with a lefty reliever?

On a normal bench you’d want a left-handed hitter. But having two “platoon” situations doesn’t make this a normal bench. The need for a left-handed hitter off the bench on this team is very small.

Does the Bench Signify Depth?

The Pirates cut a few players today who were having good Spring numbers. Felix Pie was hitting for a .318 average and a .991 OPS in 44 at-bats. Alex Presley was batting .304 with a .791 OPS in 46 at-bats. Both were sent to Triple-A, where they will most likely serve as starting outfielders. Both players would have been good options off the bench, had they made the team.

“We told Felix today, he reminds us of Garrett Jones,” Huntington said. “A guy signed as a minor league free agent, had some opportunities earlier in his career. Came into camp with us and had a terrific Spring. In Garrett’s case, we challenged him to keep doing it and he did it. And we created a spot for him on the major league club.”

Huntington talked about some of the tough decisions today. He also mentioned several times that the Opening Day roster was only the Opening Day roster, and that a lot of the players who have been sent down will be options for the Pirates throughout the year.

“One sure sign of an organization that’s moving forward is that you have guys on your bench that can play on a regular basis, and you have guys in Triple-A that can be in the big leagues,” Huntington said. “We sent out a lot of guys today that could be in the big leagues, and will be in the big leagues. We’re not going to go with 25. Opening Day is Opening Day. The third day of the season we might need somebody new because of an injury or because of challenges at some point in April. I understand that everyone wants to look at a roster as if it’s set in stone, and it’s not. It’s an ever-evolving, fluid process. We sent some really good players out of camp today that are going to help us at some point this season.”

Early in camp I talked with an American League scout who started our conversation by saying he was about to jump on board the Pirates’ bandwagon. The reason? Depth. Before most of these players were cut, he talked about guys like Clint Robinson, Jared Goedert, Alex Presley, Ivan De Jesus Jr., and others who would most likely be pushed to Triple-A. He felt that all of those guys had futures as major league players, and could help this year.

There’s no denying that the Pirates have depth. If an outfielder goes down, they’re choosing from Presley, Pie, and Jerry Sands. If a middle infielder goes down, they’re choosing from Jordy Mercer, De Jesus, and Chase d’Arnaud when he returns. If a catcher goes down, they’ve got Tony Sanchez waiting in Triple-A, or Carlos Paulino if they want a strong defensive option. If a pitcher goes down, they’ve got plenty of bullpen options, plus guys like Kyle McPherson, Gerrit Cole, Phil Irwin, Charlie Morton, Francisco Liriano, and Jeff Karstens throughout the year.

As I look at a lot of the complaints about the bench, I don’t think the Pirates have an issue of depth, or finding major leaguers to put on the roster. It seems the main concern is that the Pirates aren’t making the right choices. They brought in John McDonald to be the backup middle infielder. McDonald is a good player, and provides strong defense. However, it’s a move that doesn’t make much sense, as they already had De Jesus and Mercer as options. Brandon Inge doesn’t hit for average, but he still has power. His .165 ISO last year would have ranked sixth on the team last year out of players with 200+ plate appearances. But that’s a case where Inge is older, currently hurt, and wasn’t performing as well as some of the other guys who have been cut in camp.

As it works out, Inge fits more in the “depth” category, rather than a member of the Opening Day roster. He will likely go on the disabled list, giving the Pirates an option later in the month of April, or whenever he returns. They will have to create a roster spot for him, and depending on that move it might not be worth keeping Inge around at $1 M. That’s especially true when Inge’s primary value is replicated by the existing depth. He hits for power, and can play multiple positions — though not very well. The Pirates already have power on their bench. They have utility players in the system. They even have some options who can do both, such as Jared Goedert.

My own concern with the choices made are that the Pirates seem to be going with the comfort of a veteran, rather than the unknown with younger players. That unknown can lead to worse production, but there’s also a chance it could lead to better production and bigger long-term value than McDonald or Inge could provide.

Jeff Locke is the number five starter.

Jeff Locke Wins the Fifth Starting Job, McPherson Is Immediate Depth

As expected, Jeff Locke won the fifth starter spot, with Kyle McPherson getting optioned to Triple-A. Locke has had two shots in the majors, although both came at the end of the year. He probably wasn’t ready the first time around, and showed some positive signs the second time. Locke doesn’t have anything to prove in the minors. He’s now to the point where he needs to show what he can do in the majors.

“In Jeff’s case, the body of work, what he did at Triple-A last year, some of the success he had at the big league level in a small sample that doesn’t necessarily show up in ERA,” Huntington said. “His ability to attack hitters. We’re looking forward to Russ Martin helping him out. Using all three pitches, and we felt that he gave us the best chance to win his starts.”

McPherson doesn’t have a lot of experience above the Double-A level. He made three starts in Triple-A, and pitched 26.1 innings in the majors last year. Huntington said that even with the lack of upper level innings, the team would be comfortable turning to McPherson in the early part of the season if an extra pitcher was needed.

“We’re comfortable with what he did in Triple-A, comfortable with what he did in the big leagues, and comfortable with the person and how he goes about it with the professionalism and the confidence that he has, and the ability to have three quality major league pitches,” Huntington said. “So absolutely we’d be comfortable to have him in any role early in the season if needed.”

The right-hander didn’t have the consistency this Spring that Jeff Locke showed, which was one of the key reasons the Pirates went with Locke over McPherson at the start of the year.

“[McPherson] has major league caliber pitches,” Huntington said. “It’s just the consistency and the command. One of the toughest decisions we had, because not only could he help us as a starter, but he could help us out of the bullpen.”

At the start of Spring Training, the expected rotation was expected to have Francisco Liriano and Jeff Locke in the final two spots. The only difference now is that Jonathan Sanchez replaces Liriano. That’s not really a huge difference. They’re both left-handers who are still relatively young, had previous success in the majors, and are both coming off down years. They both have control issues, but both could benefit from PNC Park. Either way, the Pirates are going with a bounce back candidate for their fourth starter, and a young, inexperienced player as their fifth starter.

A Lot of Question Marks in the Bullpen

One thing that Neal Huntington has done well is take a lot of questionable pitchers and turn them into quality relievers. Whether that’s failed minor league starters (Jared Hughes, Tony Watson), waiver claims (Chris Resop), or low-key free agents (Jose Veras, D.J. Carrasco), the Pirates have had a lot of success stories. This year that strategy will be put to the test.

Most of the question marks in the back of the bullpen are really about comfort. Jason Grilli is a great reliever, but there are those who believe that it takes some special magic to close out games. Mark Melancon is a year removed from being one of the top relievers in the National League. He had a down year last year, although his advanced metrics suggest a comeback in a lot of the same ways that Joel Hanrahan looked like a bounce back candidate when he joined the Pirates in 2009. Hughes and Watson both have experience and success, and will be picking up a bigger role this year.

The guys who were added today are question marks as far as their ability in the majors goes. Chris Leroux was a waiver claim in 2010. Since then the Pirates have adjusted his arm slot and focused on his off-speed pitches. In his limited time with the team he’s posted great ratios.  Through 41 innings he has an 8.8 K/9, a 2.6 BB/9, and an 0.2 HR/9. Last year the overall numbers were bad, and his velocity was down. That was due to a pectoral strain, which he’s now over. Those ratios are a good indicator that he can be an effective reliever, but now will be the time to show it.

Justin Wilson spent some time in the majors last year, but not a significant amount. He’s mostly been a starter in the minors, dealing with serious control problems. The control problems have been negated because he’s got great stuff, leading to a high strikeout rate and a low batting average against. Wilson is the same as a starter or a reliever. He’s either going to have great results, or his control will be way off one day and he’ll be a disaster. There shouldn’t be any expected improvements with his control by moving him to the bullpen. That doesn’t mean he can’t be an effective reliever. He just needs to carry that trend of a high strikeout rate and a low batting average against to the majors.

The final bullpen spot went to Jeanmar Gomez, which is a bit of a head scratcher. Gomez is a major league player. He’s a fifth starter and a ground ball machine. His time as a reliever in the majors has been limited to one run in seven innings. This is a situation where a guy could improve by moving to the bullpen. He’s basically the last reliever on the team, so it’s worth a shot to see if he can be this year’s sleeper option. However, the move isn’t really inspiring for two reasons. First, the Pirates have other sleeper candidates, and Gomez gives them a third. Second, you could argue that there were better options who were sent to the minors. At the least you could argue that there were options sent down who are the same, but looked better this Spring. Really what this boils down to is that Gomez is out of options. It looks like the Pirates went with the approach that would allow them to keep everyone.

All three of these pitchers can go multiple innings. Gomez is most likely to fill that long-relief role, although it might be hard for him to jump from the bullpen to the rotation.

“It’s a challenge to keep guys stretched out in the National League,” Huntington said. “So really as your long man you’re looking for a guy who can go two-plus or maybe three. One time through your offensive lineup.”

Wilson and Leroux can also go multiple innings, so expect all three pitchers to be used in more of a utility role, rather than defined middle relief and long relief roles.

The Pirates made what appears to be their final cuts today. A lot of the moves are starting to impact the minor league rosters. Below I’ve got the daily lineups, pitchers, and the notes discuss how the rosters are shaping up.

Triple-A (Home)

Lineup: Darren Ford (8), Brett Carroll (DH), Clint Robinson (DH), Jerry Sands (9), Matt Hague (3), Jared Goedert (5), Jeff Larish (7), Adalberto Santos (4), Alex Valdez (6), Miguel Perez (2)

Pitchers: Wandy Rodriguez, Vic Black, Duke Welker, Brooks Brown, Kyle Waldrop, Kenn Kasparek

Notes: Wandy Rodriguez will be getting the start today, and probably pitching most of the game. This will be the first game for Welker since being sent down. I’d expect a few changes to the Indianapolis roster after today. Felix Pie should be in center field, moving Ford to the bench. Jordy Mercer and Ivan De Jesus Jr. will be the middle infield starters. That will push Adalberto Santos to Double-A, and Alex Valdez to the bench. Alex Presley will start in left, which will eventually push Jeff Larish to the bench.

Alex Dickerson is playing in left field today.

Double-A (Home)

Lineup: Gift Ngoepe (6), Andy Vasquez (8), Matt Curry (3), Andrew Lambo (9), Alex Dickerson (7), Drew Maggi (4), Dan Grovatt (DH), Charlie Cutler (2), Justin Howard (DH), Yhonathan Barrios (5)

Pitchers: Tony Watson, Stolmy Pimentel, Tim Alderson, Nate Baker, Robbie Kilcrease

Notes: Tony Watson will be getting some work in, and will be followed by Stolmy Pimentel, who has looked good every time I’ve seen him. Pimentel will be a starter, and at this point it looks like he’ll be starting for Altoona. That’s not certain though, since he always seems to be pitching on days where major leaguers are starting in Triple-A. One interesting note here is Alex Dickerson starting in left field. Dickerson was drafted as an outfielder, but immediately moved to first base. Now that Matt Curry has been pushed down to Double-A, the Pirates will need to find time for both Curry and Dickerson. I’d imagine they’ll be the 1B/DH options during the season. The outfield will probably have Lambo, Grovatt, and Santos. Mel Rojas Jr. could also be an option, although today’s moves could push him back to Bradenton to start the year.

High-A

Lineup: TBD

Pitchers: Matt Benedict, Joan Montero, Quinton Miller, Tom Harlan, Lance Breedlove

Notes: No lineup announced today for Bradenton.

Low-A

Lineup: Max Moroff (6), Dilson Herrera (4), Josh Bell (9), Stetson Allie (3), Wyatt Mathisen (2), Eric Wood (5), Jonathan Schwind (7), Raul Fortunato (8), Walker Gourley (DH)

Pitchers: Zack Dodson, Pat Ludwig, Josh Smith, Kyle Haynes, Kevin Kleis, Clario Perez

Notes: Wyatt Mathisen is finally down in West Virginia, where I think he’ll start the year. He’s been impressive with the bat this Spring. Jin-De Jhang has been with the short-season players for the last week, so at this point it doesn’t look like he’ll be in West Virginia. Jonathan Schwind playing left field is a bit of a surprise. Schwind has been a catcher since being drafted, and he was a super utility player in college. I don’t think left field is unfamiliar to him, but it’s a change for him from the time he entered the system.

Short-Season Intra-Squad Game

Lineup 1: Jodaneli Carvajal (4), Jimmy Rider (6), Harold Ramirez (8), Danny Arribas (2), Edwin Espinal (3), Kevin Ross (5), Candon Myles (9), Francisco Aponte (7)

Pitchers 1: Adrian Grullon, Hayden Hurst, Angel Sanchez

Lineup 2: Elvis Escobar (8), Ulises Montilla (4), Jordan Steranka (7), David Valesente (2), Luis Urena (9), Enyel Vallejo (6), Samuel Gonzalez (3), Maximo Rivera (5), Jin-De Jhang (DH)

Pitchers 2: Miguel Rosario, Melvin Del Rosario, Christian Santiago

Notes: I’ll probably be spending most of my time watching this game. The Pirates haven’t done a lot of short-season games, mostly due to the lack of position players. I haven’t seen a lot of these guys in game action, and some of them I haven’t seen at all (Enyel Vallejo).

Kyle McPherson was optioned to Triple-A today.

The Pittsburgh Pirates made the following moves this morning:

Optioned Kyle McPherson, Alex Presley, and Jordy Mercer to Triple-A.

Re-assigned Lucas May, Ryan Reid, Mike Zagurski, Carlos Paulino, Vin Mazzaro, and Felix Pie to minor league camp.

That leaves 26 active players in camp, although Brandon Inge could start the year on the disabled list, with Josh Harrison making the bench.

Jeanmar Gomez is in the bullpen today, so it looks like Jeff Locke will be the fifth starter.

The roster as it stands now:

Bench: Michael McKenry, Gaby Sanchez, John McDonald, Jose Tabata, Brandon Inge/Josh Harrison

Bullpen: Jason Grilli, Mark Melancon, Jared Hughes, Tony Watson, Justin Wilson, Chris Leroux, Jeanmar Gomez

Rotation: A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, James McDonald, Jonathan Sanchez, Jeff Locke

Catcher – Russell Martin

First Base – Garrett Jones

Second Base – Neil Walker

Shortstop – Clint Barmes

Third Base – Pedro Alvarez

Outfield – Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen, Travis Snider