The 2010 Venezuelan Winter League runs from October 12, 2010 to December 30, 2010, with the playoffs starting on January 2nd, 2011. The Pittsburgh Pirates have the following players participating this year:
Gabriel Alvarado
Jose Ascanio
Luis Campos
Ronny Cedeno
Adenson Chourio
Anthony Claggett
Sean Gallagher
Wilfredo Ledezma
Diego Moreno
Fernando Nieve
Jhonathan Ramos
Jose Tabata
Justin Thomas
Here are the 2010 stats, updated weekly every Sunday. (Last Update: 1/5/11)
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
If it isn’t too expensive, sure. I just think there has been some bad blood between Neil and Huntington, and I wonder if that is going to make it more difficult.
Tim, well written article. I read your stuff a good bit and really appreciate your takes on the team. This article finally convinced me that the Pirates shouldn’t make a “big-splash” trade for someone like Upton. The team would benefit more by having money free to sign already-key players like Neil. I think we Pirates’ fans have forgotten that a good second baseman is a rare commodity. Most teams can say they have a “good” outfielder, and more than a few teams can say they have a great one–but only a handful can say they have a 2B who has above-average hitting and defense for the position.
Also, when is Pedro due for a extension/re-signing/arby? I’ve heard nothing about his contract recently.
Actually, I didn’t write this article.
To answer your question about Pedro, he’s due for arbitration in 2014.
I’d love to see Walker get signed. I think the Bucs wanted to wait and see and have Walker completely prove himself. However, they should’ve signed him around Memorial Day. He’d have been REAL cheap then…lol
Gotta agree 230;Pirates need to lock down James McDonald, Neil Walker and possibly Jeff Karstens. Bedard and Correia will be gone after this year. Next year you could possibly replace them with two of the lefties at AAA. Gerrit Cole likely will see a call up sometime next season. Who knows how Burnett is going to do next season, let alone the second half of this season. Pirates really need to think everything out. No way do I trade Marte 230;Pirates made the same mistake back in 1990 when they traded Moises Alou. A guy like him could have helped the Pirates immensely after Bonds left Pittsburgh. Do I think Marte 217;s ready for MLB, I don 217;t know. What I do know is that Justin Upton, Chase Headley, Carlos Quentin, etc. are not superstar players. They are solid / slightly above average players who are only going to get more costly as time goes on. I would much rather the Pirates rely on players they 217;ve developed themselves. If there 217;s any position I think the Pirates need to improve at, it would have to be SS. I wouldn 217;t mind a Jed Lowrie type player or someone who could get on base consistently at the top of the line-up or even a guy who with two outs could get on base consistently out of the #8 spot in the line-up so that the pitcher could either extended the inning or that the leadoff hitter lead off the next inning.
At the time Alou was traded, there was much doubt as to his potential. I remember folks comparing him to JESUS Alou. He turned out more like Felipe. Zane Smith won some big games for us. I’d do that trade again.