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Pirates Prospects Daily

Pirates Win Opener in Extra Innings

The Pittsburgh Pirates won in extra innings on Opening Day, beating the Miami Marlins by a 6-5 score after a Jared Triolo RBI single...

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Brett Lorin Video Recap

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired right handed pitcher Brett Lorin from the Seattle Mariners in 2009, as part of a five player return for Jack...

2011 Top Pirates Prospects: #8 – Jeff Locke

The Pirates Prospects 2011 Prospect Guide was released last week, featuring 237 prospect reports, interviews with Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Zack Von Rosenberg, and...

Anthony Rendon Tracker

ANTHONY RENDON 3B, Rice University Age: 21 Born: June 6, 1990 Height: 6' 0" Weight: 190 Bats: Right Throws: Right  Class: Junior Level: NCAA Advisor: Scott Boras Links: All Anthony Rendon Posts Houston Chronicle Rendon Watch SCOUTING REPORT Rendon,...

Back To His Future?

Waiting for the Caribbean Series to begin (Wednesday) and the Australian League to resume their playoffs (Friday)....

Two former Pirate pitchers have signed minor league contracts with other clubs:  Ty Taubenheim has signed with the Rangers, and Virgil Vasquez has signed with the Angels.

Joe Beimel was signed to a minor league contract with the Pirates over the weekend.  The Pennsylvania native will turn 34 in April.  He has been in the Pirates' organization before, beginning when he was drafted in the 18th round of the 1998 draft by the Pirates.  Beimel spent 6 seasons in the Pirates' organization, moving quickly up through the minors until he reached the major leagues in 2001.  He pitched for the Pirates in 2001 - 03, mostly in relief, earning a 10-19 record with a 5.00 ERA.  The Pirates released him before the season started in 2004, and he pitched in several organizations over the next 7 seasons:  Twins, Rays, Dodgers (3 seasons), Nationals, and Rockies.  The southpaw was traded to the Rockies at the trading deadline in 2009.  He made 26 relief appearances for the Rockies over the rest of that season, allowing 7 runs on 19 hits over 15.2 innings.  Beimel pitched in 2 games for AAA Colorado Springs in 2010, but spent the rest of the season with the Rockies.  In 71 appearances (45 innings), he allowed 17 earned runs (3.40 ERA) on 46 hits with 15 walks and 21 strikeouts.  With the minor league contract, Beimel has been invited to the major league camp for spring training, but the Pirates consider him to be a strong candidate to provide a veteran lefty presence in their bullpen.  

2011 Top Pirates Prospects: #9 – Zack Von Rosenberg

The Pirates Prospects 2011 Prospect Guide was released last week, featuring 237 prospect reports, interviews with Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Zack Von Rosenberg, and...

Jim Callis on Jameson Taillon

Jim Callis had his weekly mailbag at Baseball America today, withtwo questions touching on Jameson Taillon.  Here is a summary of the notes: -Callis rated...

Vote: The Next Video Recap

Last week I did a video recap of new Pirates prospect Aaron Thompson, showing him going up against his new teammates from the 2010...

Caribes Take Venezuelan Championship

The final playoff game of the Caribbean winter leagues was played on Sunday, finishing up the Venezuelan League championship.  The Caribbean Series begins on Wednesday and lasts six days (Feb 2nd - 7th), and from there, spring training will be right around the corner.

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Caribes de Anzoategui  8,  Tigres de Aragua  7  --  
Los Caribes held on for the win in Game 7 of the Venezuelan championship series, despite a 9th inning rally by Los Tigres.  Los Caribes had an early 6-0 lead, thanks to back-to-back homers (2-run and solo) in the 1st inning, and a 3-run homer in the 2nd inning.  Los Tigres got onto the scoreboard in the top of the 3rd, using only one hit.  A single, a hit batter, and a walk loaded the bases.  Two runs were forced in, on when LF Lastings Milledge was hit by a pitch, and one when 1B Hector Gimenez walked.  A wild pitch and a missed catch error by Los Caribes' pitcher allowed 2 more runs to score, and the score was 6-4.  Los Caribes gained more ground in the 4th with two singles, a walk, and a 2-RBI single.  A solo homer by Los Tigres in the top of the 5th put the score at 8-5.  Los Caribes threatened in the bottom of the 6th, with a single and a double, but an on-target throw from Milledge in left field to C Raul Chavez let Chavez tag the lead runner out at the plate.  Wil Ledezma came on in relief at that point.  He walked the first batter he faced, then got a fly out.  Ledezma was relieved, and after another walk to load the bases, a pop out ended the inning without a run scoring.  Los Caribes also loaded the bases in the 7th inning, but a strikeout ended that inning and left all three on base.  Los Tigres rallied in the top of the 9th, with two singles, including one by Chavez.  Chavez was replaced by a pinch-runner.  Two singles drove in two runs, bringing Los Tigres within one run of Los Caribes.  That was as far as Aragua could get, though, and the game ended with runners on the corners.  Los Caribes will advance to the Caribbean series.

2011 Top Pirates Prospects: #10 – Colton Cain

The Pirates Prospects 2011 Prospect Guide was released last week, featuring 237 prospect reports, interviews with Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Zack Von Rosenberg, and...

Hall of Fame Push for the Deacon

The following is from Pirates Prospects contributor John Dreker, as part of his ongoing Pirates History feature. The feature focuses on the history of...

Winter League Playoff Wrap Up

Catching up with a few days' worth of winter league playoff results:

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Criollos de Caguas  7,  Leones de Ponce  5  --  
Los Criollos won the Puerto Rican League championship with a win in Game 7 of the series.  Los Leones got onto the scoreboard first, scratching out a run in the top of the 1st.  Los Criollos took a 4-1 lead in the 3rd, with an RBI double and a 3-run homer.  Ponce answered with their own 3-run homer in the top of the 4th, tying the game.  Each team scored one run in the 5th.  Ponce loaded the bases with a walk and two singles, then had their run forced in with a walk.  Los Criollos scored when SS Luis Figueroa led off with a single, raced to third on another single, and scored on a sacrifice fly.  After two quiet innings, Los Criollos rallied again in the bottom of the 8th.  A single and a fielding error put two runners on base, and a fly out and a stolen base moved both runners into scoring position.  A line drive into right field for a single drove in the go-ahead run and an insurance run.  


MEXICAN PACIFIC LEAGUE
Algodoneros de Guasave   5,  Yaquis de Obregon  4  --  
Los Yaquis took the early lead with a 2-run homer in the 2nd and a solo homer in the 3rd.  They scored a 4th run in the 5th inning.  Guasave got their offense going in the 5th inning with 2 runs, then tied the score with a pair of solo homers, including one by 1B Yurendell de Caster in the 8th.  De Caster also singled in the game.  In the top of the 9th, Gusave scored the winning run on a throwing error by the Obregon shortstop.  That tied the series at 3 games each, and forced a seventh game.

Yaquis de Obregon   5,  Algodoneros de Guasave  2  --  A 4-run 4th inning pushed Los Yaquis over Guasave.  A lead-off homer, plus 3 more runs and a 2-RBI single drove in those 4 runs.  Both of Guasave's runs came on solo homers by Marshal McDougall.  The win gave the championship to Obregon.  

Meeting with Maholm, Huntington and Coonelly

As I am sure you have seen on a few other sites, the Pirates invited a few of us bloggers to PirateFest Friday night for a chance to pick the brains of Frank Coonelly, Neal Huntington and Paul Maholm. I am not going to go too in-depth, but I thought I would touch on a few subjects that came up.
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