We had a slight changeup thrown yesterday with the special Andrew McCutchen article, so today we finish off what we started earlier this week. We looked at the team leaders in hitting and pitching around the system on Tuesday and Wednesday, then how the hitting leaders for the Pittsburgh Pirates placed in their respective leagues on Thursday. Today we look at the pitchers who rank among the top ten in their league in any category. I expanded it to include negative categories as well, such as hits allowed and walks. Stats are through Thursday night’s action.
Indianapolis
ERA: Nick Kingham, 2.20 (7th)
Hits: Alex McRae, 36 (9th)
HR: McRae, 5 (tied 3rd)
BB: McRae, 16 (tied 2nd)
Saves: Johnny Hellweg, 5 (tied 3d)
Altoona
ERA: Dario Agrazal, 1.26 (3rd), Brandon Waddell, 1.59 (4th), JT Brubaker, 1.80 (6th)
Innings: Waddell, 39.2 (3rd), Agrazal 35.2 (8th), Brubaker, 35.0 (9th)
HR: Mitch Keller, 4 (tied 10th)
BB: Keller, 17 (tied 6th)
SO: Brubaker, 35 (8th)
WHIP: Agrazal, 0.81 (1st), Waddell, 0.83 (2nd), Brubaker, 1.06 (tied 9th)
Saves: Jesus Liranzo, Geoff Hartlieb, 3 (tied 8th)
Bradenton
Innings: Eduardo Vera, 44.0 (1st), James Marvel 39.2 (4th)
Hits: Marvel, 40 (tied 4th), Oddy Nunez, 38 (tied 8th)
HR: Nunez, Vera, Luis Escobar, Cam Vieaux, 4 (tied 5th)
WHIP: Vera, 0.89 (5th)
Saves: Matt Eckelman, 4 (4th), Ronny Agustin, 3 (tied 5th)
West Virginia
ERA: Evan Piechota, 1.04 (2nd)
SO: Travis MacGregor, 42 (tied 5th)
WHIP: Piechota, 0.85 (4th)
It’s clear by this chart that Altoona is the team doing best compared to their own league, and those ERA stats show how well they are doing in general. West Virginia has had three starters get injured, so that really cut into their chances of having pitchers among the league leaders. Bradenton has obviously had some troubles so far this season.
** Some Pirates history last night:
That was the 1,000th win by the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Giants. The first win occurred back on May 24, 1887
— John Dreker (@JohnDreker) May 12, 2018
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Today’s Starter and Notes: The Pittsburgh Pirates won 11-2 over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night. They will send Chad Kuhl to the mound tonight. He threw seven shutout innings in his last start. In his previous game, he went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs. The Giants will counter with right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija, who has a 6.62 ERA in 17.2 innings over four starts, with 15 strikeouts and a 1.81 WHIP. He allowed five runs over four innings in his last start.
The minor league schedule includes the third rehab start from Joe Musgrove, who moves up to Indianapolis. He made starts with Bradenton and Altoona, as he continues to build up his pitch count. He will be up to five innings this time. Altoona starter Dario Agrazal tossed five shutout innings last time out in relief of Musgrove. He has three shutout appearances this year. Agrazal is holding batters to a .185 average. Bradenton starter Cam Vieaux has gone at least five innings in each of his six starts. West Virginia starter Gavin Wallace issued four walks in his last start. He had seven career walks through his first 88 innings.
MLB: Pittsburgh (22-16) vs Giants (19-19) 7:05 PM
Probable starter: Chad Kuhl (4.12 ERA, 36:12 SO/BB, 39.1 IP)
AAA: Indianapolis (16-16) vs Columbus (16-17) 7:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Joe Musgrove (0.00 ERA, 0:0 SO/BB, 0.0 IP)
AA: Altoona (17-15) @ Reading (12-19) 6:15 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Dario Agrazal (1.26 ERA, 16:6 SO/BB, 35.2 IP)
High-A: Bradenton (19-16) vs Palm Beach (20-14) 6:30 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Cam Vieaux (3.86 ERA, 30:9 SO/BB, 32.2 IP)
Low-A: West Virginia (20-13) @ Lakewood (19-15) 4:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Gavin Wallace (4.56 ERA, 17:6 SO/BB, 25.2 IP)
HIGHLIGHTS
From Indianapolis on Thursday, two highlights. First is from JT Brubaker’s debut
Next is Austin Meadows doing some hitting during his three-hit day
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
5/10: JT Brubaker promoted to Indianapolis. Nick Kingham assigned to Altoona
5/10: Sergio Cubilete activated from disabled list. Jacob Taylor placed on West Virginia disabled list.
5/9: Brett McKinney placed on the Indianapolis disabled list
5/8: Pirates recall Jose Osuna
5/7: Nick Kingham optioned to Indianapolis
5/7: Sam Street released
5/7: Wyatt Mathisen promoted to Indianapolis. Logan Ratledge assigned to Altoona.
5/7: Joe Musgrove assigned to Altoona.
5/5: Braeden Ogle placed on West Virginia disabled list. Gavin Wallace activated from DL.
5/4: Pedro Vasquez promoted to Altoona. Sean Keselica assigned to Morgantown.
5/1: Joe Musgrove assigned to Bradenton on rehab.
THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY
Six former Pittsburgh Pirates players born on this date, including one that played eight seasons in Pittsburgh. Quickly through the players, we have relief pitcher Evan Meek (2008-12), first baseman Josh Phelps (2007), pitcher Johnny Hetki (1953-54), pitcher Hank Bowory (1950) and second baseman Harry Truby (1896). Hetki is 96 years old today, the second oldest living former Pirates player behind Wally Westlake.
Infielder Alex McCarthy played eight seasons in Pittsburgh, from 1910 until 1917. He was a backup most of his time, splitting time between second, third and shortstop. McCarthy played in 372 games for the Pirates, serving part of that time as the backup shortstop to Honus Wagner. He was sold to the Cubs at the end of the 1915 season and returned during the middle of the 1916 season, so he didn’t spend all of his time in Pittsburgh, despite playing eight consecutive seasons with the team. McCarthy had his contract purchased by the Pirates at the same time as his minor league teammate, Max Carey, who went on to have a Hall of Fame career.
On this date in 1884, the Pittsburgh Alleghenys defeated the Brooklyn Atlantics by a 9-6 score to sweep a three-game series. Pitcher John Fox picked up the only win he would collect for Pittsburgh in seven starts. The Alleghenys later moved to the National League and later became the Pirates, while the Atlantics joined them in the NL a few years later and eventually they became the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those three games were the first time the two franchises met.
