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Indians’ Struggles Continue; Presley Is Player Of The Month

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Alex Presley was named the Indianapolis Indians' Player of the Month for April, and he was presented a watch by Indians' GM Cal Burleson before the game.











Durham Bulls  6,  Indianapolis Indians  1
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The Indianapolis Indians struggled again this afternoon, once again giving up runs in the top of the 1st inning, as they to the Durham Bulls at Victory Field.  The Tribe batters were held to just 4 hits, and managed only one run.  Starter Justin Wilson took the loss, though his work was not the only problem in the game.  While there were no errors charged to the Indians, there were mental and physical mistakes which made the difference in the game.

The game began with a grounder to deep short by Bulls' RF Desmond Jennings.  Tribe SS Chase d'Arnaud fielded the ball cleanly, but his throw to first (photo) was awkward and off-balance, and the throw bounced in the dirt and got past 1B Matt Hague.  CF Justin Ruggiano walked, moving Jennings to second base, then Wilson got a strikeout for the first out of the inning.  DH Chris Carter grounded up the middle, with the ball tipping off the glove of d'Arnaud, who had made an unsuccessful dive behind the second base bag.  Jennings scored from second base on the hit.  1B Russ Canzler followed with a fly ball into left field.  LF Corey Wimberly started coming in, then had to retrace his steps and race back toward the left field wall.  The ball sailed over his head and bounced off the wall, allowing Ruggiano to score the second run of the game.  One out later, 3B JJ Furmaniak lined a single into left field, and Canzler came in to score.  Wilson ended the inning with another strikeout, and the Bulls had a 3-0  lead.  

Jaramillo’s Slam Turns Tribe Around

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Jason Jaramillo is greeted by the teammates he drove in with his grand slam











Indianapolis Indians  8,  Norfolk Tides  5
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A grand slam by C Jason Jaramillo gave the Indians the spark they needed to turn the game around tonight at Victory Field, as the Indians came from behind to beat the Norfolk Tides. 

IMG_5331The game began on a good note for the Tribe.  For the first time in a home game this season, the Indians scored first.  They missed out on an opportunity in the 2nd inning, when 3B Josh Harrison lined a single into left field and Jaramillo lined a single into left-center, moving Harrison to third.  A pop up ended the inning, leaving the runners on the corners.  CF Gorkys Hernandez led off the 3rd inning with a grounder through the right side of the infield and into right field.  DH Corey Wimberly dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Hernandez to second base, and 2B Chase d'Arnaud's long fly out to right allowed Hernandez to advance to third base.  LF Alex Presley singled up the middle, just past the diving SS Nick Green (a former Indy Indian in 2007), and that drove in Hernandez to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.  

Tribe starter Justin Wilson (photo) did his part by starting the game with three hitless innings.  He allowed just one walk over the first three innings.  But then things turned over the next two innings, as two Tribe errors resulted in 5 runs for the Tides.  Wilson began the 4th with a line out, but the next two batters reached base.   A four-pitch walk put Tides' 1B Brandon Snyder on base.  Then 3B John Bell bounced just over the reach of Wilson's glove, and toward the second base bag.  SS Pedro Ciriaco and 2B Chase d'Arnaud both charged toward the ball.  Ciriaco got to it, and tried to take an extra step to reach second base for the force out  -- but he was rushing, and he did not have a good hold on the ball.  The ball fell to the ground, and both runners were safe (photos below).  A pop out gave Wilson the second out of the inning, but kept the runners in place.  Then Green lined a double into left field, over the head of Presley, and off the wall.  That drove in both the runners, giving Norfolk a 2-1 lead.  2B Brendan Harris ran the count full, fouled off a couple more pitches, then took ball four, which brought pitching coach Tom Filer out to chat with Wilson and Jaramillo.  The talking didn't help much, as C Craig Tatum blooped an RBI single into the no-man's-land in short right field, bringing in Green to score.  RF Tyler Henson added another run with a sinking liner into left field.  Wilson struck out CF Matt Angle to end the inning, but 4 unearned runs had scored, and the Tides had a 4-1 lead. 

Photos:  On the left, the ball has just slipped out of Ciriaco's glove -- you can see it in front of d'Arnaud's left knee, below his glove.  On the right, the ball is on the ground, with the runner Snyder beginning his slide into second.

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Wilson Pitches Six Scoreless In Early Game Win

Indianapolis Indians  4,  Toledo Mud Hens  2
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IMG_5214The Indianapolis Indians battled the blustery weather as well as the Toldeo Mud Hens in a late-morning school day start in Toledo today.  They earned the win, giving them a 3-1 record on the road so far this season.  

Justin Wilson (photo) pitched 6 scoreless innings in his third start of the season, to earn his first AAA win.  He gave up 2 hits, both in the 3rd inning.  RF Andy Dirks dropped a looper into short right field, just out of reach of the leaping Tribe SS Chase d'Arnaud, then 2B Scott Sizemore put a sinking liner into right field, off the glove of RF Gorkys Hernandez.  Wilson left both on base with a fly out and a ground out.  Wilson also worked around two singles and a batter reaching on a fielding error by SS Pedro Ciriaco in the 2nd inning.  That was a wind-blown ball into short right field, with Ciriaco, 3B Josh Harrison, and LF Alex Presley all chasing after it.  Ciriaco tried to make a last-second twisting over-the-shoulder catch and missed.  Wilson threw 97 pitches with 62 strikes in his 6 innings.

The gusty wind helped the Indians as well as hurt them.  In the top of the 2nd, DH Andy Marte lifted the first pitch he saw into the wind, which took it over the left field wall for a solo home run.  Marte nearly had another home run in the 5th inning, but that time his fly to left field was just short, and was caught at the wall.  

The Tribe had only one hit over the next three innings -- a double by Harrison in the 5th, when the wind did the same thing to the Mud Hens that it had done to Ciriaco and the Indians in the 3rd.  Harrison's high pop got caught in the wind, and with the infielders running out and the outfielders running in, the ball fell in just out of reach of SS Cale Iorg.  In both instances, the outfielders might have had a better chance at running in to make the catch, but instead they let their shortstops take over.  Harrison made a quick steal of third base, but he was left stranded when Hernandez struck out.  

Three Homers Top The Tribe

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Andrew Lambo and Corey Wimberly just "hanging out" in the dugout











Louisville Bats  5,  Indianapolis Indians  2
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IMG_5212Three home runs by the Bats, including two in one inning, put the Bats on top of the Indians tonight at Victory Field.  Starter Justin Wilson (photo) gave up the three homers, accounting for 4 of Louisville's runs, and he was charged with his first loss of the season.

Chris Reineke made the start for Louisville, and he and Wilson seemed intent on matching one another for the first 5 innings of the game.  Both Reineke and Wilson retired the side in the 1st inning.  Both gave up a walk (to C Devin Mesoraco and 3B Josh Harrison) and a hit (single to 2B Chris Valaika and double to 1B Andy Marte) in the 2nd inning.  Both retired the side in order in the 3rd and 4th innings.  

Both Reineke and Wilson gave up one run in the 5th inning.  Wilson retired the first two Bats' batters of the inning, giving him a streak of 10 batters retired in order.  Then CF Kris Negron lifted a home run over  the left-center field wall, to give the Bats a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom of the inning, Reineke gave up a lead-off single when Harrison beat out a surprise bunt.  2B Pedro Ciriaco grounded deep to short, forcing Harrison out at second, but SS Zack Cozart was not able to make a throw to first, and Ciriaco was on with a fielder's choice.  After a fly out, Justin Wilson came to the plate.  Instead of being an easy out, Wilson worked a full count, then fouled off three more pitches.  Then he blasted a ball off the left field scoreboard for an RBI double.  Ciriaco scored from first, and the score was tied at 1-1.

Tribe Come Within Inches Again

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Pitching coach Tom Filer, catcher Wyatt Toregas, and pitcher Justin Wilson









Columbus Clippers  8,  Indianapolis Indians  7
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For the third night in a row, the Indians were down by one run in the bottom of the last inning with at least one runner on base -- and couldn't capitalize.  In addition, it was Pedro Ciriaco who was the last man to bat in each game.  That's not to place the blame for the losses on Ciriaco -- other players had also had opportunities to drive in runs and were not able too.  It's just an odd coincidence that Ciriaco ended the three games with a grounder into a double play, a ground out, and tonight a pop out.  

IMG_5009Like in the first two games, the Clippers were first onto the scoreboard.  Indians' starter Justin Wilson (photo) retired the first 8 batters he faced, including 5 strikeouts, with 4 of those in a row.  He struck out the side in the 2nd inning, then struck out the first batter of the 3rd inning.  Like the first two games, this game featured a diving catch of a low line drive by the Indians' shortstop.  In the first two games, that shortstop was Ciriaco; tonight it was Chase d'Arnaud, who recorded the second out in the 3rd inning.  The Clipper's ninth batter, RF Jerad Head, then rocketed Wilson's 2-1 pitch over the wall in right-center field for a solo homer.  Wilson then walked the next batter, CF Ezequiel Carrera, who promptly stole second base on the first pitch to the SS Cord Phelps.  Phelps slipped a grounder up the middle, just out of reach of d'Arnaud, and Carrera came around to score from second.  A walk to 3B Lonnie Chisenhall prompted a visit by pitching coach Tom Filer (photo above).  After catching his breath, Wilson got a fly out to end the inning.
 
Wilson also had to work around base runners in the 4th inning.  After another strikeout, Wilson gave up an infield single to 1B Jordan Brown.  Brown grounded back to the mound, and the ball tipped off Wilson's glove and over towards short.  SS d'Arnaud had to change his direction, but he got to the ball and made a rushed throw to first.  The throw pulled 1B Matt Hague off base, though it appeared that Brown might have beat the ball to the bag anyway.  DH Wes Hodges also tapped back to the mound, where Wilson whirled and threw to second, forcing out Brown.  But 2B Brian Friday's throw on to first went wide, and Hodges was safe.  C Paul Phillip walked, but then Head grounded to short, and the inning ended on the force out at second base.  

2011 Prospect Watching: Wilson, Watson, Lincoln, And Valdez

A few more pitchers in the Pirates' minor league organization:

Justin Wilson --  L/L,  6' 2",  233 lb
Wilson was chosen by the Pirates in the 5th round of the 2008 draft.  He signed late, so made his pro debut in 2009 with A+ Lynchburg.  He had a 6-8 record there, with a 4.50 ERA, but in the last two months of the season, he was showing some improvement, with 10 earned runs in 47.1 innings over his last 9 games (1.90 ERA).  Wilson was promoted to AA Altoona for 2010, and he began with a rough month of April, when he allowed 9 runs on 13 hits in 12.1 innings (6.57 ERA).  He also walked 10 batters that month.  Wilson turned it around in May, when he allowed just 5 runs on 19 hits in 32.2 innings, for a 1.38 ERA.  Though he still walked 12 batters, he also struck out 36 batters in the month, including a 10-strikeout game and a 7-strikeout game.  Wilson settled out in the middle in July, when he earned a 3.65 ERA with 10 earned runs in 24.2 innings, and then a 3.19 ERA in August/Sept with 13 runs in 36.2 innings.  He finished the regular season with an 11-8 record in 27 games (one relief appearance), with 49 earned runs and 109 hits in 142.2 innings.  Wilson has had control problems, and that continued in 2010.  He walked 71 batters (4.5 walks/ 9 innings), and he also struck out 134 batters (8.5 K/ 9 innings).  Wilson won both of the games he started for the Curve in their playoff run, pitching 6 scoreless innings with 2 hits in the first round, and then 7 scoreless innings with 5 hits in the championship round.  After the regular season, Wilson participated in the Arizona Fall League, where he got into 6 games for the Mesa Solar Sox.  He gave up 9 runs on 19 hits, including 2 homers, with 8 walks and 16 strikeouts.  The 23-year-old Wilson is ready for AAA, where he'll need to keep working on his command and keep up the strikeouts.  He might get sent to Altoona again, though, if the Pirates fill up Indianapolis with a lot of "major league ready" pitchers.  


Tony Watson  --  L/L,  6' 4",  223 lb
The Pirates took Watson in the 9th round of the 2007 draft.  Watson was named the Pirates' minor league pitcher of the year in 2008, when he pitched in Lynchburg.  He was promoted to Altoona to begin 2009 and made 5 starts there.  He pitched just 15.1 innings and allowed 14 earned runs and 22 hits, which were probably due to the elbow problems that put him onto the DL for the rest of the season.  Watson returned to Altoona for 2010, where he pitched mostly in relief and stayed healthy.  He began with a hot April, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits in 13.2 innings over 5 relief appearances for a 1.98 ERA.  He made 8 appearances in each of May and June, and continued to do well, with 10 runs on 20 hits in 36.2  innings (2.45 ERA).  July was going well for Watson until the end of the month, with just 2 runs in 15.1 runs in 5 relief appearances.  Then he was moved back to the starting rotation -- and gave up 10 runs in a combined 10.2 innings.  Watson stayed in the rotation for the rest of the season, and finished the year well, with 10 runs on 30 hits in 40 inning over 7 starts.  that gave him a 6-4 record and 2 saves for the season, with a 2.67 ERA and 111.1 innings, with 33 earned runs and 82 hits.  His control was solid, with 24 walks for the season (1.9 walks/ 9 innings) and 105 strikeouts (8.5 K/ 9 innings).  Like Wilson, Watson also made 2 starts in the Curve's playoff run, allowing 2 runs in each of 2 starts, and winning both games.  The Pirates placed the 25-year old Watson onto the 40-man roster last fall.  He should be promoted to Indianapolis for 2010, where he' likely be used out of the bullpen.  He has a chance of making a trip up to Pittsburgh by the end of the season.  

Indians Top Yankees; Pirates’ Top Red Sox

Indianapolis Indians  7,  Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees  2
The Indians had both the pitching and the hitting tuned up this afternoon as they defeated the Yankees at Bradenton.   SS Jordy Mercer, 2B Josh Harrison, and C Eric Fryer each drove in two runs.   The scoring started when Harrison tripled in the 3rd inning, when 3 runs came in. Mercer blasted a solo homer, then Fryer's 2-run double was the gem of the 8th inning, as 3 more runs scored.  Starter Justin Wilson pitched 3 scoreless innings, with 4 strikeouts, to earn the win.  The Yankees scored their 2 runs in the 5th, with reliever Jared Hughes on the mound.  Hughes pitched 2 innings and also struck out 3 batters.  Tony Watson pitched 2 scoreless innings (3 K), and Anthony Claggett (2 K) and Ramon Aguero each pitched a scoreless frame.  

Pirates  7,  Red Sox  5
A 5-run 4th inning put the Pirates well on their way to a win this afternoon at Bradenton.  The rally began when 2B Neil Walker reached base on a fielding error and CF Andrew McCutchen walked.   1B Lyle Overbay lifted a double into left field, which brought in both Walker and McCutchen.  3B Pedro Alvarez grounded to third, where Overbay was out, leaving Alvarez on first.  RF Matt Diaz lined a single up the middle, and C Dusty Brown loaded the bases on an infield grounder that bounced off Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett.  With two outs, Pirates' starter Kevin Correia slipped a grounder into left field, driving in Alvarez and Diaz.   When the throw in to the plate was not in time to get Diaz, the Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia tried to throw back to third to surprise Brown.  The real surprise was when Saltalamacchia's throw sailed into left field, allowing Brown to score and Correia to move up to third.  LF John Bowker gave the Pirates 2 more insurance runs with a homer in the 7th inning.  Correia also singled in the 3rd inning but was out in a force play at second.

2B Pedro Ciriaco doubled after Bowker's homer in the 7th.   CF Corey Wimberly, RF Josh Fields, and SS Josh Rodriguez got into the game.  Steve Pearce played a few innings at third base as well.

Correia pitched 5 innings in his start.  He gave up two singles in the top of the 1st and one in the 2nd, but double plays got him out of both innings.  He zipped through the 3rd and 4th innings, then gave up 3 runs in the 5th.  A walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly brought in the first run.  Two more singles added a second run, then a throwing error by Walker at second and a sacrifice fly added an unearned run.  Joel Hanrahan pitched a scoreless 6th, with 2 strikeouts.  Then Justin Thomas allowed a run to score in the 7th on a run, a double, and a wild pitch.  Fernando Nieve pitched the final two innings and earned the save even though he gave up a run on a double, a walk, and a single in the 9th.  

Two More Rounds Of Reassignments, Plus Game Notes

Catching up after being away for a few days...

On Saturday, the Pirates sent four pitchers to minor league camp:
RHP Bryan Morris and RHP Kyle McPherson, both on the 40-man roster, were optioned down, with Morris going to AAA Indianapolis and McPherson going to A+ Bradenton.   
Two lefties, Rudy Owens and Justin Wilson, were also sent to the minor league camp, and though their exact level is still not official, both should begin the season with the Indy Indians.  

More moves were made today:
From the 40-man roster--
LHP Jeff Locke, LHP Aaron Thompson, and RHP Ramon Aguero were optioned to AA Altoona 
LHP Daniel Moskos and LHP Tony Watson were optioned to Indianapolis
Outfielders Gorkys Hernandez and Alex Presley were optioned to Indianapolis
Moskos and Presley both spent part of 2010 with Indianapolis, while Watson and Hernandez will make their debut at the AAA level.  Locke, Aguero, and Thompson all spent part of 2010 with Altoona.

Not on the 40-man yet --
Infielders Chase d'Arnaud and Brian Friday and outfielder Andrew Lambo were reassigned to minor league camp.  Friday played in Indianapolis for most of 2010 and should return there.  D'Arnaud and Lambo were in Altoona for 2010;  Lambo is ready for AAA, though d'Arnaud may be asked to go back to Altoona for part of 2011.  


Pirates Shut Out By Jays

Blue Jays  5,  Pirates  0
 
The Pirates were held to just 4 hits in this afternoon's game against the Blue Jays at McKechnie Field.  3B Pedro Alvarez had two of the hits --  a two-out single up the middle in the 1st inning, and a single on a pop up in the 6th.  The single in the 1st moved CF Andrew McCutchen, who had walked, to third base, and the single in the 6th followed a line drive double by 2B Pedro Ciriaco and moved Ciriaco to third base.  Both times, however, the innings ended without the Pirates being able to get the run in.  The only other hit in the game was by 2B Brian Friday, who led off the top of the 9th by beating out a grounder to third.  After a strikeout, 1B Andy Marte walked, putting two runners on base.  But pinch-hitter Gift Ngoepe struck out and C Jason Jaramillo grounded out to end the game.  

James McDonald made the start and was responsible for 4 of the Jays' runs.  He gave up a double, two singles, a walk, and a sacrifice fly for 2 runs in the top of the 1st.  He retired the side in order in the 2nd, but got into trouble again in the 3rd.  A double and a throwing error by SS Corey Wimberly gave the Jays a run in the 3rd.  With two outs and a runner on second base, McDonald had reached his pitch limit (about 50 pitches), and he was relieved by Justin Thomas.  Thomas gave up an RBI single and a walk, then ended the inning with a strikeout.  Chris Resop surrendered the remaining Toronto run in the 5th.  Back-to-back doubles by former Pirate Jose Bautista (who went 3-for-3) and Travis Snyder brought in that run.  Resop struck out the next two batters, and ended the inning with a ground out.  Joel Hanrahan, Aaron Thompson, Daniel McCutchen, Justin Wilson, and Jeff Locke each pitched one scoreless inning for the Pirates.  McCutchen gave up two hits and Locke gave up one.  Wilson walked one batter and struck out the other three he faced.  

Also in the game:  SS Chase d'Arnaud, LF Gorkys Hernandez, CF Alex Presley, RF Andrew Lambo, 3B Garrett Atkins

Durham And Atkins Both Homer For Pirates

The Pirates played two split-squad spring training games this afternoon (Monday):

Orioles  6,  Pirates  4
The Pirates were held to 5 hits at McKechnie field this afternoon, but one of the big ones was a 2-run homer over the left field wall in the bottom of the 9th by RF Miles Durham, who was up from minor league camp.  1B Lyle Overbay also singled for the Pirates, scoring the first Pirates' run of the game in the 5th.  3B Pedro Alvarez knocked in the remaining run for the Pirates, in the 6th inning.  LF Jose Tabata led off the inning with a single, stole second base, then scored on Alvarez's single    Alvarez also doubled for the Pirates.

LF John Bowker, SS Brian Friday, CF Mel Rojas, 3B Andy Marte,  1B Steve Pearce, 2B Chase d'Arnaud, 2B Jim Negrych, and C Wyatt Toregas all got into the game for the Pirates.   

Paul Maholm took the loss for the Pirates.  He gave up a run in the 1st inning on a double and a single, then another on a solo homer in the 2nd.  Jeff Locke allowed a run on two hits in the 6th.  He allowed a single and a walk, then with two outs, an RBI single brought in a run.   Justin Wilson got the first out, then walked the next three batters to load the bases in the 8th.  A double and a sacrifice fly drove in all three of the base runners.  Jeff Karstens pitched 2 scoreless innings, then Tyler Yates, and Mike Crotta each pitched a scoreless frame.   Cesar Valdez finished up the 8th for Karstens, then pitched a scoreless 9th, facing only 4 batters.

Pirates’ Prospects Club The Manatees

Pirates 21,  Manatee-Sarasota  1   (7 innings)
The Pirates' top prospects and players fighting for a major league job got the chance to show off their stuff this afternoon in the Pirates' annual charity game against the State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota.  The Pirates pounded out 20 hits, including home runs by 1B Garrett Atkins and 2B/3B Brian Friday.  Atkins and Josh Fields, who took turns as the DH, and at third and in left field, each had 3 hits.  2B Corey Wimberly, 1B Steve Pearce, CF Gorkys Hernandez, Friday, C Wayne Toregas, and C Tony Sanchez all had 2 hits.  Pearce's two hits were both doubles, and along with a walk, he drove in 4 runs.  Atkins and Hernandez each had 3 RBI.  The Pirates jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the 1st, with 3 runs.  Pearce's first double drove in two, then a sacrifice fly by RF Andrew Lambo brought in Pearce.  Wimberly began a rally in the bottom of the 2nd with a double, and the rest of the Pirates took off, adding 7 more runs in that inning.  The Pirates scored in each of their 6 at-bats (it was only scheduled for 7 innings).  

The Pirates' pitchers were not to be outdone.  Aaron Thompson began the game by striking out the Manatees in order in the top of the 1st.  Tyler Yates pitched the 2nd, and gave up the lone Manatees' run on a single, a wild pitch, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly.  Yates gave up another single before ending the inning.  Jeff Locke surrendered a single in his scoreless inning, as did Rudy Owens.  Mike Crotta struck out the side, and Justin Wilson and Kyle McPherson both struck out 2 batters without allowing a hit.   

 

Personnel Shuffles; Loss For Nieve

Several moves, shuffling personnel around:

RHP Joe Martinez, who came to the Pirates from the Giants (with John Bowker) in July, was removed from the Pirates' 40-man roster and designated for assignment.  That frees up a roster spot for newly signed starter Kevin Correia.  Martinez joined the Indy Indians after coming to the Pirate organization, and made 4 starts and 3 relief appearances for the Indians.  In 28 innings, he earned a 1-2 record and a 5.72 ERA.  Then he pitched 8.2 innings over 5 games for the Pirates, for a 3.12 ERA.  

Spring Training invitations for the big league camp were extended to pitchers Rudy Owens and Justin Wilson, both of whom pitched in Altoona in 2010.  Tyler Yates, working his way back from elbow surgery, was signed to a minor league contract and also invited to major league spring training. Infielder Jeff Clement was also invited to big league camp.   

The Pirates have announced the new managers for their minor league teams:  Dean Treanor, who was the pitching coach in Indianapolis in 2010, will now be managing the Indians.  Frank Kremblas, who has managed in Indianapolis for two years, will move into the role of minor league field/instructional coordinator.  PJ Forbes, who managed the Bradenton Marauders in 2010, will manage the Altoona Curve in 2011.  Carlos Garcia will move from coaching first base for the Pirates to managing the Marauders.  Gary Robinson is moving up from managing the State College Spikes to managing the West Virginia Power, and Dave Turgeon, former coach at Virginia Tech, will become the manager at State College.   

And, some winter league action for some Pirates' players and friends:

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Gigantes de Carolina  4,  Indios de Mayaguez  2  --  
For the second night in a row, Benji Gonzalez came into the game as a pinch-hitter for Los Gigantes, then remained in the game on defense.  Gonzalez flied out in the top of the 6th, then played second base for one inning, and shortstop for 3 innings.  He also grounded out in the 9th.  Los Gigantes scored one run in the 2nd, 2 in the 4th, and one more in the 5th, while a triple and a double contributed to Los Indios' 2 runs in the 7th.

Criollos de Caguas  7,  Senadores de San Juan  2  --  Former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa had another big night, going 4-for-5 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBI.  Figueroa flied out in the bottom of the 1st, and that was the only time he was retired.  His ground-rule double drive in Los Criollos' first run in the 3rd.  He doubled again (the conventional way) in the 4th, driving in 2 of that inning's 3 runs.  Then he homered to lead off the bottom of the 6th.  He also doubled in the 8th, but was left on base.  Los Criollos scored 2 runs in the 5th, without Figueroa's help:  three walks, including one by 3B Ramon Vazquez,  loaded the bases, then a double brought in two runs.  Vazquez also walked in the 2nd inning, but did not score.