If you're looking for something to lift your spirits each day in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, might I suggest taking a look at the pitching.
Anywhere. Any level.
At the Major League level, the Pirates have a 3.55...
Pittsburgh Pirates flame throwing reliever Aroldis Chapman was suspended for two games, after being ejected earlier this week for arguing the strike zone with an umpire.
I wrote about the ejection earlier in the week, noting how...
The Pirates have optioned SS Pedro Ciriaco to AAA Indianapolis. This opens a roster spot for OF Alex Presley, who will be officially called up on Tuesday (the Pirates have a day off on Monday). UPDATE: Presley has officially been called up, and will join the Pirates in Toronto.
Also promoted: pitcher Rinku Singh has been promoted from the GCL Pirates to State College. Singh has pitched a total of 15 innings so far this season. Eleven of those came on 3 appaearances with the DSL team. He gave up 3 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks, with 7 strikeouts in the Dominican. In one appearance last week with the GCL Pirates, Singh pitched 4 scoreless innings and allowed only one hit, while striking out 5 batters. Singh pitched in one game for the Spikes at the end of the 2010 season. He went 2 innings in that game, and gave up only one hit, with one strikeout.
3B Pedro Alvarez made his first official rehab start this afternoon. It didn't last long, though that had nothing to do with him: the game was suspended due to rain after just 1.5 innings. Alvarez was the Pirates' lead-off batter. He got one trip to the plate, in which he grounded out to second base. CF Willy Garcia was the only batter on either team to reach base, when he blasted a solo homer in the top of the 2nd. Pirates' starter Luis Heredia pitched to just 3 batters in the bottom of the first -- two strikeouts and a pop out to C Joey Schoenfeld.
The Pirates have signed 23rd round draft pick RHP Jordan Cooper to a contract. He had been a pitcher for Kentucky, and that experience might get him a start at State College. Here is a list of all the 2011 draft picks, with notations for which ones have signed.
A 2-run homer in the bottom of the 10th broke the scoreless tie for the only scoring in this pitching duel. Jeff Locke pitched 6 scoreless frames for the Curve, scattering 3 singles and a walk over his first 3 innings. The he retired the Senators in order for the next 3 innings. He threw 78 pitches (48 strikes) in those 6 innings. Bryan Morris pitched a scoreless 7th, allowing just a single. That base runner moved to second base on a balk, which started an argument by Altoona manager PJ Forbes -- and resulted in Forbes being ejected. Michael Dubee, back with the Curve after some time with Indianapolis, gave up a lone single in the 8th, and Noah Krol allowed a single and a walk in the 9th, but both kept the Senators from scoring.
But the Curve weren't scoring either. They pounded out 7 hits, including two by SS Jordy Mercer. Mercer's triple i n the 7th was the only extra-base hit for the Curve, and the only time that a Curve base runner reached as far as third base. RF Andrew Lambo also walked twice. CF Starling Marte opened the game with a single, but was thrown out at second after Mercer's strikeout. 1B Matt Curry and LF Brad Chalk both singled in the 2nd, but Curry was picked off second base, and Chalk was thrown out trying to steal second. 2B Brock Holt singled in the 4th, and pinch-hitter Anthony Norman singled in the 10th and stole second base.
Less action than usual for a Sunday afternoon -- the Bradenton Marauders are still on their All-Star break, and the game between the West Virginia Power and the Lakewood BlueClaws was cancelled due to wet grounds at Appalachian Power Park. The South Atlantic League All-Star Game will be held on Tuesday.
LF Quincy Latimore and RF Anthony Norman posted 2 hits each, and Latimore scored 3 of the Curve's 4 runs as Altoona took the win. Latimore's first hit was a double lined into left field in the bottom of the 2nd inning. He scored on Norman's single. The two combined again in the 4th inning for another run. With two outs, Latimore walked, then Norman singled into right field. When the Harrisburg right fielder made a throwing error, Latimore had the chance to round third and score. Latimore homered to lead off the 7th inning, and at that point, he was responsible for all of the Curve runs.
With former Pirate farmhand Jimmy Barthmaier on the mound for Harrisburg in the 8th, CF Starling Marte began the inning with a single. Marte advanced to second base on a ground out by 3B Jeremy Farrell, then he stole third base. C Tony Sanchez's RBI single up the middle brought Marte in to score the final run for the Curve.
Phillip Irwin made the start for the Curve and pitched 6 scoreless innings. He hit a batter in the top of the 1st, then retired the next 13 Harrisburg batters, until he gave up a lone single in the 5th. He allowed a single and a walk in the 6th, for the biggest threat he had faced, but left both on base to end the inning. Bryan Morris relieved Irwin to begin the 7th inning. He put the side down in order in that inning, but gave up an unearned run in the 8th. A throwing error by Sanchez, a double, and an RBI ground out brought in the run. Morris allowed a single in the 9th, but did not allow another run to score. Irwin won his first game of the season, and Morris earned his third Save.
Continuing to look at Pirates' pitchers in the lower levels of the organization:
Jarryd Sullivan -- R/R, 6' 0", 181 lb The 21-year-old Sullivan came to the Pirates out of the new Australian Baseball Academy. He has a fastball in the high 80's, a curve, and a strong changeup. Sullivan made his US debut in 2010, and after extended spring training, he began the short season at State College. He made 3 appearances there, for 3 innings, but allowed 5 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits and 4 walks, for an 8.10 ERA. He went down to the GCL for the rest of the season, and pitched better there, making 5 starts and 7 relief appearances. In 35 innings, Sullivan gave up 16 earned runs on 40 hits, for a 4.11 ERA. He walked only 3 batters, and struck out 15. Over the winter, Sullivan returned to his native Australia and pitched for the Sydney Blue Sox in the Australian Baseball League. He made 5 relief appearances for the Blue Sox, for a total of 7.2 innings without allowing a run. He did give up 4 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 7 batters. Sullivan should get another try at State College to begin 2011.
Joely Rodriguez -- L/L, 6' 1", 175 lb Rodriguez is a 19-year-old Dominican, who made his US debut in 2010 after one year in the Dominican Summer League. He made 9 starts for the GCL Pirates, for a total of 47.1 innings. He allowed 44 hits and 21 earned runs, including 10 homers. He walked only 7 batters, while striking out 26 batters. That's a little high on the homers and a little low on the strikeouts, but the latter could improve with some more work on his off-speed pitches. He gets a lot of ground-ball outs. At the end of the season, Rodriguez was promoted to State College, where he appeared in 2 games. The first was tough, as he allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk, in one inning. The second appearance went better -- one unearned run on 2 hits and a walk in 3 innings. Rodriguez should be back in State College for 2011.
