According to Kevin Newman on Twitter, he has been promoted to Altoona. He returned to action a few days ago from an eye injury caused by a hit-by-pitch. While he was out for 19 days total, the Pirates promoted Cole Tucker to Bradenton to play shortstop. Once Newman returned, it was inevitable that his stint with Bradenton would be short and he tore the cover off the ball in his three games back, collecting a four-hit game and then driving in five runs last last.
Newman leaves the FSL with a .366 average, tops in the leagues, and tops among all Pirates. Bradenton just went on their All-Star break, so while this means he will miss participating in that game, it also means he won’t have the next three days off.
https://twitter.com/OfficialKBN/status/743729403641794560
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball.
When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.
Did I miss a Prospect Report somewhere? With our “great” performance this afternoon, I need some minor league consoling.
Looking for it, as well. Today’s beating will feel better with seeing a couple XBHs by Meadows.
Wooo-hoooo! Frankie’s in the 5+ club with Locke and Nicasio!
Oh, wait…ERA titles are given out for the lowest, not the highest…oops…never mind…
So was it Searage or Benedict that deserved the credit in years past?
I’ll give the benefit of the doubt and say…what you can do depends on what you’re working with.
But, yeah, there is a part of me that wants to have a President of Pitching…
Bases loaded against Arrieta with one out in the 6th and Freese and Joyce both strike out on 3-2 pitches. Joyce struck out looking at 2 straight fastballs down the middle with 2 outs and the bases loaded. He should be benched for that.
Had a total brain cramp and didn’t get LIriano off my fantasy baseball bench in time for his start…turns out…it looks like a shrewd move.
I was always a big Alan Hanson fan but maybe Foo was right. I think he keeps dropping on the depth chart. It would have been nice to see him packaged with a couple of prospects the past few years to get an SP or RP. But hindsight is 20/20 unless you are me then its 40/60.
If you want to go the hindsight route…Hanson gets sent for Byrd instead of Dilson Herrera…
How’s that for a painful thought…
That is how I will forever judge that trade, if Dilson ends up better than Hanson the Pirates failed to evaluate their won talent very well.
I can’t blame them too much…Hanson was coming off that monster season and Dilson was a level below…but, playing the hindsight game, funny things can happen…
…like was Mike Boddicker really worth Curt Schilling and Brady Anderson? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Before you know it, Newman will be taking starts from Hanson. At what point is Hanson not considered a prospect?
Serious question… are the Pirates even a relevant MLB franchise right now? I think if they lose today, they will be 75 games back.
Listen to Stan Savran’s interview with Buster Olney today. Yes, the Pirates are very relevant.
I’m pumped to see what this squad looks like in 2017
I’m even more pumped for 2018 when Taillon, Glasnow, Bell, Cole, Kang, Marte, Polanco, and Meadows all either having some seasoning or are in their prime. I feel like Marte and Polanco are just getting started and Kang has a few 30+homer seasons in him. Judging by how he’s started I think he’ll get at least 25 this year.
Newman might be in that lineup too.
Ouch SAMPSON is being called up to Mariners. No Happ! No Sampson!
John,
Serious question: How can we arrange it so that when he is initially called up to the Pirates and introduced by the PNC PA announcer, the entire home crowd says, in unison, “hello Newman?”
First he has to be passed the Super TWO deadline and second he will have to not have any imperfections.
Got to say, seeing Newman play this well gives me faith that Craig will be a great pick. I know they are two different positions, but there are similarities between approach at the plates
I wasn’t high on Newman last year. I was wrong.
Kudos to the kid…may Meadows drive him in many, many times over the next couple of months 🙂
May Meadows drive him in many, many times over the next 10 years 🙂
That is 678 times you have been wrong but I was not counting. Honest!
🙂
Oh, that’s just here…in real life? Zheeeeesh!
But it’s always a nice surprise when you miss low…it sucks when you’re really high on a guy and he tanks.
On another note – great timing – I will be in Binghamton, NY next week and will get to see Altoona 1-2 times while I am there…..Ramirez, Newman, Meadows should be fun to watch….
So you won’t be stuck in Maryland?
This is exciting, and well deserved – Newman hasn’t missed a beat since returning from the eye injury. I still have my doubts about him being a successful MLB shortstop, given his range and arm, there is no denying the kid can hit and get on base. I see him being a very good second baseman, who hits around .300, gets on base, steals bases, etc.
Newman’s position is shortstop. No two ways about it.
I could live with him at 2B…especially at $10M/year cheaper than Harrison in 2018.
But I suppose that means the team is going to be committed to Mercer until Tucker works his way up…
…or Newman replaces Mercer in ’18 and then Tucker gets promoted in ’19 and Newman moves to 2B then.
at what point is Hansen sold to the highest bidder? July 10th?
Yeah, that’s a possibility…I assume (and I could be wrong) if he moves over to 2B, that’s something they’ll commit to in the minors. Of course, if they do transition him over there, that’s going to make the Hanson situation interesting.
I think Hanson is getting passed by multiple prospects on the totem. Especially with the way Frazier is hitting, I think he’s passing him as well.
Is Frazier in Pittsburgh in September?
–
Can they find a place on the 40 man for him?
I think he should be…it’s not like there are any S2 concerns with him and, I’d guess, he’s going to be taking over for S-Rod if he gets some playing time and success this season.
Agreed. Sad too, kid has the tools…just seems he presses so hard. Needs some yoga…or something. Although my assumption for next season is that Frazier is on the Pirates in some capacity…while Hanson is still toiling in AAA.
I can’t see how Hanson isn’t traded before next season.
The top of that Altoona lineup is going to be some kind of fun to watch, methinks.
As I’ve said earlier I thought I’d read and heard that the Pirates were going to leave Meadows in Altoona for the whole season, but what the hell do i know?
Altoona is pretty this time of year.
I think they will….Tim and John are rarely wrong about these things?
Meadows will be in Indy for tonights game
I agree that they are rarely wrong, but even they have pointed out there are always exceptions. They haven’t had a position player prospect this good in their system under NH’s watch except Cutch. I believe Cutch was in AAA when they took over though. If anyone has ever earned the right to be an exception to that rule I think Meadows is making a case. To me the only real test I want to see him pass is how he responds when his hitting streak is finally snapped.
Yup, we have learned two things.
1. The Pirates have a certain way they almost always follow with promotions
2. Just when we think we are sure of how they do things, they do something different
I think Polanco was a better prospect than Cutch. I think Bell is a better prospect than Cutch was. Cutch never hit like Bell does.
Cutch was the better prospect than Bell.
How do you figure? See the stats I cited below. The only way you could argue that Cutch was better is due to the position he plays.
Yes, he plays a premier position and had top notch speed when he was a prospect. He was a 4 tool centerfielder, Bell is a one tool player, maybe 1.5.
Hit tool plus power (projected, and it IS starting to show) equals 2 tools.
That one tool is really good.
Totally agree, his hit tool is better than when Cutch was a prospect, but the overall package and the premier position, made Cutch the better prospect.
Bell? Cutch dominated until AAA. Bell has been OK until recently. He still has not shown the power a typical !B should have. I think he can be good but their is a lot to improve on for Bell
Cutch didn’t dominate AAA and he played parts of 3 seasons in AAA. In 2009 before his call-up, he put up a wRC+ of 136 and his full season in 2008 was 115. Bell’s wRC+ in AAA is 165 this and 174 in his 35 games last year. In 98 games at AAA, he has been vastly superior. Also, I just noticed you said until. Cutch’s wRC+ in AA was 95. Bell’s was 130 although he did put up 86 over 24 games at the end of 2014. Not to mention, Bell is putting up much better power #’s this year and get’s on base constantly. The big difference is that Cutch came with a lot more hype because the Pirates sucked at the time and the farm system was barren.
That is true I actually agree with that. I posted that a bit hastily but I still feel the overlying point is valid. There are exceptions to rules and I think Meadows is making a very strong case to be one.
I can’t wait to watch that Altoona lineup now!!!!!
That didn’t take long.
I would have to think if Meadows continues to tear the cover off the ball in Altoona he will not be there past end of July.
There is no reason to promote him to AAA, he is going to be there all season anyways…..lets just let him see how much he can dominate the league
He’ll be playing tonight for the Indians
What the hell. Are you Austin Meadows or Larry Broadway?
Meadows?
He’ll be in Indy tonight
I mentioned it in another thread…and I’ll throw it in here. With the success that Machado, Sano, and Harper had making the jump from AA to the majors, it wouldn’t shock me if Meadows couldn’t do the same. It’s not going to happen, of course, but a part of me really, really wants to see it.
He better be there in August!!!!
He was injured the last time he was in Harrisburg!
The way he’s playing I’m starting to think about bribing someone to get a ride to Altoona for a day.