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Sometimes you don't see the best results from the best prospects.
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Baseball America tracked the year-over-year four-seam velocity gainers from...
At the start of the 2023 international signing period, the Pittsburgh Pirates added David Matoma as their first signing out of Uganda. The right-handed...
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MLBTR released their top 50 free agents for the 2010/2011 off-season, which always includes predictions as to where the players will go. Those predictions...
Free agency began yesterday, and we heard from Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated that the Pittsburgh Pirates were aggressive for players early. Heyman elaborates...
Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus published full scouting reports for his Top 11 Pirates prospects very early this morning. He also released his rankings for prospects 12-20. Since the Pirates were the first organization on the schedule, the information is available to non-subscribers for free. That is a nice little bonus, so head over and take a look. Kevin is answering questions in the comments section, as well.
Baseball Prospectus released their 2011 top 11 prospects for the Pittsburgh Pirates today, which is free for everyone since it's their first prospect list...
Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in Sunday's winter league games...
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Leones del Caracas� 9,� Bravos de Margarita� 2� -- Caracas began the game with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st, and kept right on rolling, with a run in the 3rd, 2 in the 4th , and 4 in the 5th.� In the 5th, Margarita reliever Jhonathan Ramos enterd the game with one run already scored, a runner on second base, and no outs.� He made a missed catch error while covering first base for the first batter he faced, which allowed the base runner to score.� Then Ramos gave up a double and a single, and two more runs came in.� A double play and a tapper back to the mound ended the inning.� Margarita's first run came in the 4th inning, when LF Frank Diaz tripled, and 3B Andy LaRoche brought him in with a sacrifice fly.� Los Bravos scored again in the 5th inning on a pair of doubles.� LaRoche also walked in the 6th inning, but was earased in a double play.
Navegantes del Magallanes� 5,� Tigres de Aragua� 4� -- Aragua jumped out to a 3-0 start in the top of the 1st.� A lead-off double was followed by a sacrifice bunt by SS Ronny Cedeno, and an RBI single by LF Lastings Milledge. DH Hector Gimenez brought in Milledge with a 2-run homer.� Magallanes brought Corey Hamman on in relief to begin the 3rd inning, and Hamman allowed Aragua only one hit over the next three innings.� He then began the top of the 6th by giving up a double, then a sacrifice bunt by Gimenez.� Hamman was relieved, and one more run scored on a walk and a sacrifice fly.� Then in the bottom of the inning, Magallanes started their come-back.� Brian Bass had pitched 5 scoreless innings for Los Tigres (allowing just 2 hits and 4 walks), and Los Navegantes had to wait until Bass was relieved to start their rallies.� A single, a walk to DH Mike Ryan, then three more walks forced in two runs in the 6th.� A hit batter, another walk to Ryan, a wild pitch, and an RBI ground out got Los Navegantes within one run of Los Tigres.� In the bottom of the 8th, two lead-off singles and a sacrifice bunt put two Navegantes' runners into scoring position.� The next batter dropped another sacrifice bunt, which Aragua reliever Rich Rundles picked up and threw away, allowing two runs to score, to give Magallanes the win.� Aragua CF Jorge Cortes also singled and doubled in the game but didn't score.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweeted something interesting earlier today about the Pittsburgh Pirates and their activity during the first day of the free...
The AFL's Rising Stars Game turned into a pitching duel in the desert on Saturday night.� The hitting stars managed only 13 runs total --� 6 for the East and 7 for the West.� The most important of those hits came in to bottom of the 9th, when the West's lead-off batter RF Leslie Anderson (Saguaros/Rays) ended the game with a walk-off home run.
Nine members of the Mesa Solar Sox were named to the East team.� C Tony Sanchez was the only representative from the Pirates' group.� Infielders Andrew Romine (Angels),� Jordany Valdespin (Mets), and Josh Vitters (Cubs) were on the team, as well as pitchers Chris Carpenter (Cubs), Robert Carson (Mets), Justin De Fratus (Phillies), Brad Holt (Mets), Eddie McKiernan (Angels), and Josh Zeid (Phillies).
The East team got the game started with a run in the top of the 1st, on two walks, a wild pitch by West starter Mike Montgomery (Rafters/Royals), and an RBI ground out by LF Brandon Laird (Desert Dogs/Yankees).� The West answered with a run in the bottom of the 2nd.� Three consecutive singles, including one by Anderson, had a West runner racing for home, but he was cut down at the plate by a throw in from East's RF Marc Krauss (Scorpions/Diamondbacks) to C Austin Romine (Desert Dogs/Yankees).� The East was almost out of the inning unscathed, but a fielding error by 3B Ryan Adams (Scorpions/Orioles) let Anderson score from third base to tie the score at 1-1.
The East took the lead again in the top of the 3rd.� Two walks and a single by Austin Romine� (at least the brothers were on the same All-Star team) gave the East a short-lived 2-1 lead.� Sure enough, the West tied it up again in the bottom of the inning, again taking advantage of the East team's miscues. A single, a throwing error by 3B Adams, and a passed ball by Austin Romine tied the game again.
The tie lasted for the next 5.5 innings.� East starter Manuel Banuelos (Desert Dogs/Yankees) pitched 2 innings and was responsible for the first unearned run.� Solar Sox' Robert Carson pitched the 3rd inning and was charged with a Blown Save, giving up the second unearned run.� Solar Sox' Josh Zeid pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th, and Chris Carpenter pitched a scoreless 7th, allowing just a double.� Justin De Fratus pitched to one batter in the 8th inning, and got a fly out.
Tony Sanchez, Jordany Valdespin, Andrew Romine, and Josh Vitters entered the game in the 6th inning.� Andrew Romine walked and Valdespin singled in the 7th inning, but did not score.� Sanchez flied out in the 8th inning, and that was his only plate appearance.�� The East team made one last attempt at a rally in the top of the 9th.� Andrew Romine singled and stole second base, then CF Trayvon Robinson (Desert Dogs/Dodgers) also singled, moving Romine to third base.� Valdespin grounded to second base, and a fielder's choice had Romine out at the plate.� 1B Brandon Belt (Scorpions/Giants) walked to load the bases, but a strikeout by Brandon Laird ended the threat.
The AFL takes Sunday off, as usual, then gets back to work on Monday.
A few winter league games with Pirates' players and friends on Saturday...
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Aguilas de Zulia� 2,� Caribes de Anzoategui� 1�� (Game 1 and Game 2)� -- No kidding, the same score in both games.� Zulia recorded 6 hits in both games also.� In the first game, Los Caribes were held to just two hits, and their only run scored on a walk, a ground out, and an RBI double in the 2nd inning.� Zulia scored a run in the 1st on a pair of singles and a throwing error.� The tie-breaker scored in the 4th inning on two singles and a double play.� Adenson Chourio came in to pinch run for Los Caribes in the top of the 7th after a walk.� He got as far as third base on a bunt and a ground out, but was left there when the game ended.� The second game began with Los Aguilas scoring 2 runs on two walks and a 2-RBI single in the 1st inning.� Los Caribes had 7 hits in this game, but still scored only one run, again on two singles and a double play.� Chourio made the start at shortstop in this game, but went 0-for-2 at the plate.
Leones del Caracas� 8,� Tiburones de La Guaira� 6� -- A 3-run homer made the difference for Caracas in the 8th inning.� Los Leones scored their first run in the 1st on a walk and an RBI single.� They added 2 more in the 4th, on a double, and two RBI singles, one by C Carlos Maldonado.� Maldonado ended the inning when he was thrown out trying to steal second base -- something that would not surprise Indy Indians' fans.
Navegantes del Magallanes� 4,� Cardenales de Lara� 0� -- Los Cardenales posted just 3 hits in the shutout.� Los Navegantes scored 2 runs in the 4th, on three singles, a walk, and two wild pitches.� They added another pair in the 7th, when they got a single and a walk off Lara reliever Romulo Sanchez.� Sanchez was relieved, but two more singles drove in the 2 runs.� DH Mike Ryan went 0-for-3 for Los Navegantes.
Bravos de Margarita� 6,� Tigres de Aragua� 4� -- Los Tigres got onto the scoreboard first with 3 runs in the 3rd inning.� A walk and a single opened the inning.� SS Ronny Cedeno struck out, but a wild pitch on strike three let the runners advance one base.� LF Lastings Milledge hit a fielder's choice to his Pirate teammate 3B Andy LaRoche, who threw to the plate to get the lead runner out.� But moments later, LaRoche's error at third let a run score, and two mroe runs came in on an RBI single.� Los Bravos came back with 5 runs in the top fo the 4th.� LaRoche hit the middle of three consecutive singles to open the inning, scoring a run.� A walk loaded the bases, and C Henry Blanco cleared them with a grand slam.� Aragua got one run back with a homer in the bottom of the 4th, to make the score 5-4, with Margarita ahead.� Blanco singled in the 9th, and scored again for Margarita, on a fielding error by Cedeno.� Ronald Belisario came on to pitch for Margarita in the 9th inning.� He earned his 5th save, despite giving up two singles, including one to pinch-hitter Hector Gimenez. A double play ended the inning for Belisario.� C Raul Chavez also had a single for Aragua.
