What the Snell?

I have not had a chance yet to comment on the whole Ian Snell three ring circus as of yet and I figured now is as good a time as any to do so. What has gone on recently is almost akin to Derek "Operation Shutdown" Bell, in the bizarre nature of it.

First the press was buzzing when Virgil Vasquez had a short start at Indy, which coincided with yet another Snell start in Pittsburgh. Everyone thought a move was going to happen, then Snell declares that he decided to send himself down to AAA. I am sure that had to be a first.

The reasoning for the now apparent General Manager Snell for his demotion, he wanted to be somewhere where there was not all this negativity. It was something we just wouldn't understand.

So Snell goes to Indy, strikes out 17 hitters, throws about 70% of his pitches for strikes and says afterword that he really enjoyed pitching there. Congratulated his catcher, coach, and the 'electric fans' of Indianapolis.

Just when one thinks that this soap opera can not turn one more, Neal Huntington candidly admits that the Snell contract was a mistake and that they hope to salvage some value from it. Sounds more like he is talking about a totaled car than a ballplayer there.

What can we find from this tangled story line. One is that Snell is probably not going to ever pitch in Pittsburgh, at least for the Pirates, again. The comments Huntington made seemed a lot stronger than challenging a player, and quite frankly it seems as though Snell wants no challenges anyway. He seems comfortable in what he is.

Two, Snell is, if anything, very eccentric. He was characterized as so by many of the writers in trying to explain his behavior. Nothing wrong with being a little different, it is just when being different ends up being a hindrance to others, then it is a problem. Teams and fans will put up with eccentricities, see Manny Ramirez. Starting pitchers that can't get guys out with a very 'eccentric' way of things are not going to be kept around.

Simply put it is probably good that Snell has made his feelings known right now. It is better now than say, two years from now, when the team might be contending, for this to all happen. This new management has put the entire organization on a different track and if you don't like the way this train is moving, it is best to get off now. It is best for Ian, the Pirates, and the fans.

Pirates from the Past: Francisco Cordova

In the mid 1990's the Pirates had a bit of a working agreement with the Mexico City team in the Mexican League. It led to quite a few Mexican players coming to the Pirates' system. Some of the names are Ricardo Rincon, Elmer Dessens, Esteban Loazia, Rudy Galvez, and Francisco Cordova. In my opinion Cordova was the best of the bunch, and he was one of favorite Pirates of that era.

Cordova was signed in 1996 and made his Pirate debut that very season working in the bullpen. Cordova was a part of a bullpen that featured a cast of characters ranging from Dan Plesac and Jon Lieber to Marc Wilkins and Dan Miceli. Featuring a funky sort of pitching motion and the number 67 on his jersey, Cordova led the Bucs with a whopping 12 saves in 59 games.

The next year Lamont moved Cordova into the rotation and it would be a move that would payoff for the Buccos. The rotation that year featured starters that would one day be good major league starters, but unfortunately not for the Pirates. The rotation had Steve Cooke, the only lefty, followed by Jon Lieber, Esteban Loazia, Jason Schmidt and Cordova. Francisco would go 11-8 with a 3.63 ERA, leading the team.

1997 though was the year of the Freak Show and Cordova was a part of the biggest story of that team. On July 12 he no hit the Houston Astros through 9 innings. He would be followed by fellow Mexican Ricardo Rincon, who would continue the no hitter in the 10th, opening the door for Mark Smith to make his mark on Pirate history with a home run to win the combined extra inning no hitter.

The next season Cordova was the 'ace' of the staff as he went 13-14 with a 3.31 ERA, leading the Bucs in wins and ERA. He logged a career high 220 innings pitched that year as he was the workhorse of the rotation.

Perhaps he was worked a little too hard as he suffered greatly in 1999. His strikeout numbers dropped considerably. He would got 8-10, with an ERA of 4.43 over 160 innings pitched. In 2000, he continued to decline only pitching 95 innings, due to injury. He would go 6-8 with an ERA of 5.21 in what would be his final season in Pittsburgh.

Coming into 2001 Cordova was hurt, as was most of the team's starters. He had elbow problems and tried to come back, appearing in a handful of games in Nashville and Altoona. His elbow needed major surgery and it pretty much ended his professional career.

He would resurface a few years later in Mexico, pitching again for Mexico City. He was however no where near what he once was.

Cordova was a part of one of the best moments in recent Pirate history. He was a bit of workhorse that rounded out some very unstable rotations. Unfortunately he blew out his elbow and we never got to see him pitch in PNC Park. I would like to think he could have been a fairly reliable pitcher for the Bucs, if he had not gotten hurt. Despite what could have been, we can always look back on that great night in 1997.

	Stats
Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org	Lvl	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SH	GF	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WP	H9	HR9	BB9	K9	WHIP
1996-2001	42	47	3.96	166	112	7	4	41	12	753.2	755	366	332	75	235	537	15	9	0.9	2.8	6.4	1.31

This Week on The Farm

Team of the Week: Altoona Curve
Hitter of the Week: Garrett Jones, Indianapolis
Pitcher of the Week: Brad Lincoln, Indianapolis

Indianapolis: 3-3 For the week

The story offensively for Indianapolis has been Garrett Jones. He has just been incredible all season and it no wonder the Pirates see him as a guy that could get promoted. This week he had 7 runs, 12 hits, and 2 home runs. Brian Bixler had six hits. Jeff Salazar had 2 home runs this week as well.

Brad Lincoln must be happy he is out of Altoona, as he got a win in his first start. He went 6.2 innings allowing only 1 earned and striking out 4. Tom Gorzelanny had a great start as well leading to a win, as he struck out 7 in 5, while allowing only 1 to get a win. Daniel McCutchen picked up the Tribe's other win of the week. Chris Bootcheck continued his great work, notching two saves in two scoreless innings of work. He now has 12 on the year.

Altoona: 3-3 For the Week

What was a hapless, Curve team got a lot of reinforcements this week. Notably Pedro Alvarez joined the Curve. In his AA debut so far, Pedro has 3 hits, 5 runs, 2 HR, 5 RBI, and 5 strikeouts. Earlier in the week he had 3 hits at Lynchburg. Having big weeks for the Curve were Jose Tabata (5 runs, 6 hits, 1 HR, 4 RBI), Gorkys Hernandez (4 runs and 6 hits) and Jason Delaney (4 runs, 7 hits, 1 HR, and 4 RBI). Jaime Romak had 2 home runs on the week.

On the mound, things did not look so pretty for the Curve. Danny Moskos went 5, allowing only 1 earned in a loss. Derek Hankins stuck out 11 in 7.1 innings over two starts. Kyle Bloom went three and stuck out 5.Michael Dubee pitched a scoreless inning in relief, while Tyler Herron worked 5 scoreless out of the pen.

Lynchburg: 1-3 for the week

The Hillcats have lost their major offensive weapons and should be looking for offense from newly promoted Chase D'Arnaud, who went hitless in his Carolina League debut. Jordy Mercer had 5 hits to lead the 'Cats this week, as well as having 3 RBI. What was once a pretty good offense now looks pedestrian without Alvarez.

Jeff Locke had 2 starts this week splitting them. He went 13 innings, allowing only three runs, all coming in his loss, this week. Matt McSwain, the other interesting pitcher left on the staff, went 7 scoreless and took the loss.

West Virginia: 2-2 for the Week

Adenson Chourio and Austin McClune each had 6 hits to led the Power this week. Calvin Anderson had five hits, one being a home run. He also had 4 RBI. Robbie Grossman had 3 hits and drove in 3. Quincy Latimore drove in 4 runs as well.

Rudy Owens continued his great work on the mound as he went 5 scoreless, striking out 7 to get his 8th win. Rafael De Los Santos rebounded from some bad starts to go 5 scoreless. Reliever Wilson Ortiz picked up the other win of the shortened week for the Power.

State College: 2-4 For the Week

It seems like Little League at State College as everyone gets to play. 19 position players appeared in games this week. First round pick Tony Sanchez, now away from the team, and 4 hit in his brief stay. David Rubinstein, Edward Garcia, and Andy Vasquez had 4 hits apiece as well. Matt Payne and Ciro Rosero both drove in 2 runs.

The Spikes seem to be going with a two starter approach again this season as only Tyler Cox logged a lot of innings. Cox went 9.2 in two games picking up a win and a loss. Quinton Miller made his professional debut last night, going 3, allowing 1 run, and striking out 2. Jason Erickson went 6 scoreless over two games, and struck out 5. Nelson Pereira went 3, allowing 3, but striking out 4 in a loss.

Bradenton: 0-3 For the Week

Perhaps the most interesting team, for those who really like the minor leagues, in the Pirates system the Baby Bucs started play this week. Melvin De La Cruz had the most hits, 3, followed by Gift Ngoepe with 2. Gemmy Gonzalez drove in 3 runs, while Andury Acevedo drove in 1. This team will be fun to watch from a distance as it feature Starling Marte, Wes Freeman, Elevys Gonzalez, and Rogelios Noris.

Minor league rule five pick Gerardo Esparza went three scoreless innings. Aussie Mitchell Fienemann went four, giving up 2. Rafael Quintero gave up 1 in three, while striking out two, Brent Klinger led the staff with 5 K's this week. Others on this staff include, Chris Aure, Rinku Singh, Dinesh Patel, and Brooks Pounders.

Let's Not Make It Interesting

Tonight the Bucs offense came through for the club, providing 10 runs against the Tribe. It is amazing how it is feast or famine for this offense, it is never anything in between for them.

Adam LaRoche had the big night tonight again, hitting another home run and driving in three runs. He has quietly been looking like a much better offensive player recently and hopefully it ups his trade value. For a while there it looked like we were going to be getting nothing for the deer hunting first baseman.

Andrew McCutchen continued his hitting streak, running it to 12 games thus far. Perhaps even more important, he picked up 2 more RBI, running his total to 16. That total puts him three behind Brandon Moss and one behind Jason Jaramillo. That is quite the production coming from the leadoff spot, if only we could get something similar in the heart of the order.

The offense overshadowed yet another good start by Zach Duke. Duke went 6 innings, racking up a higher pitch count, but held the Tribe to 1 run on five hits. It was his 8th win and he has just looked excellent this season for the Bucs.

Things got shaky once the bullpen got a hold of the game, though for once it was not at the fault of the bullpen. Andy LaRoche decided to boot the ball and throw it around, giving the Indians a brief look at taking the game.

It is again games like this one that come to mind when the Bucs seem to not be able to hit the side of a barn. They say the difference between a minor leaguer and a major league is not really the talent, it is to be able to consistently put forth the same performance. Perhaps the same is true of the Bucs, they just cannot consistently put forth the right ammount of talent.

Pirates from the Past: Warren Morris

With the LSU Tigers playing the College World Series this week, we both thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the Tigers' CWS hero from 1996, Warren Morris.

Morris is probably best known for his walk off home run in the 1996 series, as he got plenty of national attention for doing so. Later in the summer, Morris played for Team USA in the Atlanta Olympics, winning the Bronze medal.

The next season he began his professional career with the Texas Rangers. He hit extremely well in High A ball and got to spend 8 games in AAA. The next season saw him continue his hot hitting at AA Tulsa. In mid season Morris was traded to Pittsburgh, along with Todd Van Poppel for Esteban Loazia. It is kind of amazing that the Rangers gave up on their fifth round pick in the draft that quickly. Morris reported to the Carolina and hit for the same exact average with the Mudcats as he had with the Drillers, .331.

Morris was invited as a non-roster invitee to spring training in 1999 and looked to be a long shot to make the team, as the Bucs had speedy Tony Womack at second base. That changed when in late February, for reasons only known to Cam Bonifay, Womack was traded to Arizona for Jason Boyd and Paul Weichard. Automatically Morris became a contender for the roster spot.

In 1999, Morris came out with a bang and was an instant hit in Pittsburgh. He was the Rookie of the Year contender and was drawing comparisions to Bill Mazeroski, who had tutored him in spring training. He hit .288 with 15 home runs, while displaying good plate discipline and defense. People thought we had ripped off the Rangers and we had a cornerstone to go along with newly acquired Brian Giles, Pat Meares, and Jason Kendall.

Unfortunately, 1999 seemed to be an abberrattion. In 2000 he would drop to batting .259 and hit only 3 home runs. By 2000, the Pirates started to shuttle him back and forth between Pittsburgh and the minors. Morris always seemed to hit well in the minors but would then stuggle when he came back to Pittsburgh.

2001 would be his final season in the Pittsburgh organization, as he hit .305 in AAA, but only .204 in Pittsburgh. Morris would be released after the season and he would sign with Minnesota. He had a brief four game appearance with the Twins but mainly stayed in AAA. He actually bounced around with the Twins, Cardinals, and Red Sox that season.

In 2003, he signed with the Tigers, appearing in 97 games and batting a respectable .273 for them. That would be the last time he would play in the majors, as he spent the next season at Toledo, and then finished out his career in 2005 with Milwaukee's AAA club in Nashville at the age of 31.

Morris might be one of the sadder tales in recent Pirate history. He was on top of the world in College and had a huge break out year in 1999. It all went down hill from there and things never seemed the same. Maybe Morris was just a Quad A player, but if he was he was a pretty good one. It almost seems, to me at least, that it seemed he got 'old' quickly and just lost his baseball skills for the major league level. At least, Morris is immortalized in the state of Louisiana for his one moment back in the summer of '96.

Major League Stats:

Year	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
1999-03	440	1495	176	399	70	7	26	164	16	22	150	218	0.267	0.334	0.375	709

Dream Signings

With the draft complete and now in the books it got me thinking, of the 51 players drafted who are the most important picks for them to sign. In the perfect world we would like to see them all sign but in reality many will be quite the long shot. From an organizational standpoint the Bucs have obvious holes that need to be addressed and drafting the players was only the first step, now comes the hard part. Here's our list of whom we would most like to see signed.

Steve's List:

1) Zachary Von Rosenberg RHP

He may not be the hardest thrower but he's as safe a pick as one might find in a HS arm. He may prove to be the most difficult pick to sign but in all reality he could possible develop into the best pick of this draft. There are a lot of conflicting rumors surrounding him as to if and or when he might sign. Some have said since he didn't go in the first or supplemental first he won't sign no matter how much money is offered, others have said that if he gets a 2nd round bonus he'll sign. At this point who knows, it's all going to come down to him and his family and what he ultimately really wants. On the positive side, up until 24 hours before the deadline, Quinton Miller signing was probably the farthest thing from our minds.

2) Billy Cain LHP

The Bucs are really lacking lefties in the organization and getting a power arm and lefty in one package would be a coup. He's a much more raw player then Von Rosenberg but he has the potential to eventually have greater upside. It's fairly well documented that he is a star 2 way player and that makes signing him that much more difficult. The lure of Texas and the opportunities it presents could prove difficult so I can't begin to guess what it might cost to sign him.

3) Jeff Inman RHP

The injury history is a bit of a concern but he is a solid, polished college guy. He doesn't have the upside that most of the HS arms have but coming into the season he was considered a possible first round candidate. Historically Stanford pitchers have always been difficult to sign and honestly their track record is less then stellar (see Chad Hutchinson, Jeff Austin, Jason Young, etc). I'm sure the Pirates will keep an eye on him throughout the summer to see how his health is thus if healthy Inman will have to weigh his options.

4) Michael Heller RHP

Heller is probably the most unlikely guy to sign due to his commitment to Florida. Thanks in part to the commitment and some inconsistent pitching he slide much farther then he probably should have. Much like Cain, he's another 2 way player but he has a much higher upside as a pitcher then a position player. I'm certainly not holding my breath on the Pirates signing him but in the perfect world this is the type of player the organization needs to bring in.

5) Trent Stevenson RHP

Much like Heller, Stevenson is another very raw project but chances of signing him are a lot better (though that's still not saying much). He's another tall and projectable pitcher much like Von Rosenberg, he's just lacking the polish. Stevenson is the type of pitching talent the Bucs need to continue to add to the system.

6) Aaron LaFountaine OF

My plan was to stop at 5 but since I had all pitchers, I felt the need to add a position player in. LaFountaine has a ton of talent but like a lot of others on this list is very raw. In my opinion it's close between him and Matt den Dekker but I opt to go HS then the more advanced college guy. He's got a slight build so he'll need to fill out more before becoming a legitimate prospect but the tools are there.

Mike's Picks

I want to say that before I got a chance to get this list together, the Bucs signed one of my guys in Aaron Baker. The following are five guys that I seem to like, for one reason or another, not that they are the best, but I just think they might be worth a shot.

1. Zachary Von Rosenberg

For many of the reasons Steve had outlined in his choice. He looks like the classical projectabile high school arm, except that he also has some movement on his ball.

2. Matthew Dermody

He made headlines with his perfect game after the draft, but when he was drafted I really liked the idea of trying to bring him in. He is a big lefty from Iowa, who will be a very difficult sign, but I just like the idea of a hard throwing kid from Iowa in the system.

3. Zackry Dodson

Another lefty, I liked his size and stuff from what I have read about him. He seems to be willing to sign and would be a great addition. Perhaps a little bit of a project, he could be a gem someday.

4. Carmine Giardina

More than a little wild, Giardina is a bit of a sleeper on the list. Not sure why I like him, but he does have the ability to rack up K's. The Pirates have had some success with getting guys on track (see: Owens, Rudy) and I would think Giardina would be a good candidate as well for a turnaround.

5. Peter Bako

A left handed hitting Canadian catcher. Bako has a sweet swing and seems to have a vision for how he wants to grow as a player, from interviews I have read. And another reason to like him is his full name; Peter Gabriel Bako.

What We Need

I wanted to share a little nugget that I found absurd. It was in the Trib's Bucco Blog and Rob Biertempfel quoted an anonymous Pirate as saying this about the Craig Monroe release:

Near the end of spring training, one player told me he was happy the Pirates signed Monroe, saying he was the kind of veteran bat the team needed to find success. Friday. when I told that same player Monroe had been cut, he shook his head and frowned. "What are we doing?" the player said.

What are we doing? Not going to carry around a guy expected to be a pinch hitter, who is 0-16 in that role. Also not going to carry around a guy that really has only had one big game, leading a majority of his stats. Or how about, not going to have a guy who is not doing his job effectively, sitting around anymore. What are we doing? Trying to not have guys who don't contribute.

Promotions

This weekend the Pirates finally made move long past due and one that seems a little off. First, the club promoted Brad Lincoln to Indianapolis. Lincoln did not last long at AA, but showed that he was ready to move on. Granted at first glance one sees the 1-5 record and thinks something is wrong, well there is something wrong with the team not Lincoln. Lincoln does sport a 2.28 ERA, 65 strikeouts in 75 innings, and a .228 batting average against. While the record looks bad, the rest of the line is good.

His promotion and rapid comeback of sorts this season, has everyone thinking again of the potential that he had when he was drafted out the University of Houston. He is a bit of a rarity in the system, a dominate pitcher. I for one cannot wait to see how he fares in AAA.

The other interesting bit of news was the promotion of Pedro Alvarez. It came on Sunday night and seems to be a bit of a curiosity. Alvarez, while his power numbers have been there, has struggled with striking out a good deal at High A. The prevailing theory is that Alvarez is being targeted by opposing pitchers and is having a difficult time getting anything to hit and that things will change with a move to better competition. I would also guess that a little bit of rust may have contributed in the early going as well.

I would say then that the promotion is surprising, based on the fact that he has seemingly looked a bit like a hacker at the plate. But maybe the theory is correct in that he does need a challenge and the promotion is just what he needed. There are countless players that need that challenge to improve themselves. I remember that it seemed as though every time Andrew McCutchen got promoted, he'd go on a tear. Some players are like that.

I want to bet that Alvarez does just needed to play against better competition. I hope that he is ready for the level of competition he'll see in AA. The jump to AA is always a big one and I hope that this aggressive promotion does not affect his development. He is a rare talent and fortunately for me, now only a short drive up Route 22 in Altoona.

Interesting Note on Zach Dodson

I was doing a little searching around the internet last night and found this very interesting link on fourth round pick Zach Dodson. The most important part of this little article:

Pittsburgh drafted Dodson, a left-handed pitcher from Medina Valley, in the fourth round with the 115th overall pick. He said Thursday that he's close to signing.

“I'm pretty sure I'm going to sign, but I'm not sure about when,” Dodson said. “There's still a lot of stuff to work out.”

Dodson said he likely won't sign until after he plays in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Game on June 21.

That would be a huge signing for the Bucs if this does indeed go down.

This Week on the Farm

Team of the Week: Lynchburg Hillcats
Hitter of the Week: Robbie Grossman, West Virginia
Pitcher of the Week: Rudy Owens, West Virginia

Indianapolis: 3-4 on the Week

Steve Pearce has turned it on as of late for the Tribe as he had 3 home runs this week, driving in 6 runs. Perhaps the most consistent hitter at Indy, Garrett Jones, once again had an excellent week, getting 7 hits, a home run, and 3 RBI. Luis Cruz had 8 hits and Chris Snelling had 2 RBI.

On the mound, Ty Taubenheim had a win by going 6 scoreless. Virgil Vasquez notched a victory as well, by going 7, allowing 2, and striking out only 2 for a win. Eric Hacker was able to put together a decent start in his second go this week to get a win as well. Chris Bootcheck continues his great work in the pen as he picked up his 10th save this week.

Altoona: 4-2 for the Week

For the Curve, veterans Jason Delaney and Jonel Pacheco led the way this week. Delaney had 6 RBI and Pacheco had 2 home runs and 9 hits. Gorkys Hernandez seems to be getting more comfortable as he had 6 hits. Jose Tabata, playing mainly DH so far, had 3 hits and 2 RBI in 9 AB. Brian Friday had 5 hits.

On the mound the losses may be taking a slight toll on Brad Lincoln, as he took two of them this week. In two starts, he went 10.1 innings, allowing 12 hits, 3 walks, 5 earned, and struck out 5. Danny Moskos picked up his fourth win in a 5 innings, where he allowed 4 runs and struck out none. Kyle Bloom got his first win, as he went 5, allowing 1, but he walked 6. Yoslan Herrera and Sean Smith picked up the other wins.

Lynchburg: 6-2 for the Week

Pedro Alvarez had another power surge this week. He had 9 hits, 4 of them being home runs, and he drove in 13. Jordy Mercer had 7 hits, 7 runs, and 5 RBI. Miles Durham had 8 hits and Kent Sakamoto drove in 6 runs.

With make up games this week, both Ron Uviedo and Bryan Morris picked up 2 wins this week. Uviedo went 11 strong innings, allowing only 2 runs, and striking out 9. Morris went 10.1 allowing 3, walking 7, and striking out 5. Jeff Locke had a 4 inning start where he stuck out 5 in a no decision. Chi Hung Cheng picked up his 6th win this week and RJ Rodriguez got his 13th save this week.

West Virginia: 3-4 for the Week

Two players jump out immediately this past week for the Power; Robbie Grossman and Erik Huber. Huber had 11 hits a home run and 5 RBI. Grossman had 13 hits, two of them triples, and 7 RBI. Austin McClune had 7 hits, Chase D'Arnaud had 5 hits, as did Jeremy Farrell.

Rudy Owens looked unstoppable this week as he got his 7th win. He went 8 scoreless, allowing 1 hit, and striking out 9. One would think he may have earned a promotion to Lynchburg. Kyle McPherson and Ramon Aguero picked up the other two wins this week. Some things are very ugly on the mound as Duke Welker is now 0-7 and Rafael De Los Santos, coming back from injury, pitched 1 inning total in 2 starts. He has allowed 8 runs and six walks, yet amazingly only yielded two hits. In case you are wondering that is an ERA of 72.

Pirates from the Past: Don Slaught

They often say that the catcher wears the tools of ignorance and it seems as though sometimes people are somewhat ignorant of catchers themselves. Don Slaught is one such catcher that seems to be under appreciated. Perhaps it was because he always was a part of a platoon in Pittsburgh, but he was a pretty darn good back stop.

After setting a UCLA record of hitting .428, Sluggo was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 7th round of the 1980 draft. As an advanced collegiate catcher that could hit, Slaught made his way rather quickly through the Royals farm system, reaching the big leagues in July of 1982. In 43 games that year, Slaught would hit .278 for the Royals. The next year he would split time with John Wathan, appearing in 83 games and batting .312.

The next season Slaught would be the regular catcher, helping lead the Royals to the playoffs, while batting .264. After the season he was part of a multi-team trade that saw him wind up in Texas. Sluggo would spend the next three seasons in Arlington, playing more than half of the games each season behind the plate. His highest batting average would be in his first year, as he hit .280. It was in Texas that he seemed to be a bit of a liability behind the plate, having 20 passed balls in 1987, though to be fair 17 of those came with knuckleballer Charlie Hough on the mound. As if that were not enough, he also suffered a broken nose and cheekbone, after being hit by an Oil Can Boyd pitch.

After the 1987 season, he was sent to the Yankees for a player to be named later. Slaught would continue to provide above average offensive production during his two year stay in the Bronx. It was in 1989, when he was traded to Pittsburgh for Jeff Robinson and Willie Smith that Slaught's career would take an upswing.

Slaught would spend the next six seasons in Pittsburgh, forming a rather formidable catching combination with Mike LaValliare. Together the two of them, complimented each other nicely and were excellent producers for the Bucs behind the plate, each being foundations for the early 1990's run of division titles. Slaught himself was excellent offensively. In his six seasons he averaged 79 games, 239 at bats, 4 HR, 31 RBI, a .305 average and a nifty 782 OPS. Really excellent numbers for a part time catcher.

Unlike some of the others from the early 1990's teams, Slaught would stick around Pittsburgh until after the 1995 season. He signed with the Reds, only to be purchased from them by the Angels. By the end of August he was sent to the Chicago White Sox to finish the season. He signed with the Padres for the 1997 season only to go hit less in 20 at bats. After the season he called it a career.

Slaught has not walked away from the game though. He was the Tiger's hitting coach for a few years, before he decided to spend time working at his own company RightView Pro, that provides hitting instruction for ballplayers from Little League to majors. He even has a bunch of videos on YouTube.

While he may not have been one of the greats, Sluggo was a solid part of the the best Pirate teams of my lifetime. He was a no nonsense type of player that just went to work. He played above average for a few years, which is quite impressive. Also impressive is that he played for 15 seasons, I would have never guessed that. Sometimes though it seems as though he might just not get the credit he deserves.

Career Stats:

Years	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS
1982-97	1327	4063	415	1151	235	28	77	476	0.283	750

The Pittsburgh Model

Tonight the Bucs faced off against the Twins in the Metrodome and things really did not go all that well. Maholm got knocked around by the Twins and the offense fell flat. The offense was led, yes led, by a Nyjer Morgan home run. Go figure.

This series though is interesting to me in that I want to think that we may be peering into the future that Huntington is trying to build. While Dave Littlefield paid lip service to trying to build a Minnesota model, Huntington is actually trying to do just that.

Look around at the Twins. You have a bunch of above average to good players, with Mauer and Morneau anchoring the lineup. They have a resilient pitching staff that always seems to perform. When they lose guys, the minor leagues are more than capable of producing more talent. It sounds like what we maybe trying to build here.

It doesn't really end there as, at least this current Pirate team does not have many big boppers, neither do the Twins. Sure they hit home runs, but Morneau is the only guy you could call a bopper in that lineup. Taking a look at the Pirate minor leagues it looks as though, we won't have many big boppers in the lineup anytime soon.

Perhaps in the future we may look more like the Twins than we can imagine. Pedro Alvarez could be our Morneau. McCutchen and the collection of athletic outfielders wold be akin to the athletic players in the Twins outfield. The accumulation of pitching depth would be similar to what the Twins have had in recent years.

If in two years, we look a lot like the Twins, I would be extremely happy. It would mean a continued run of competitive baseball, something that is almost unfathomable to Pirate fans now. Hopefully we improve on the model and go further than they have taken it. Then maybe teams will be looking for the Pittsburgh model.

A Look Back at the Draft

Now that almost a week has gone by since the draft, it now seems a little more correct to take a look at it. While there was a lot of outrage over the drafting of Sanchez first, the team more than backed up what they said they were going to attempt to do in the later rounds.

They selected many, many high upside guys in the draft. A lot of prep pitchers that may all be very difficult to sign. So does that make up for not taking a more higher profile guy with their top pick? Maybe. At the very least the team did what they said they did, and in the end I am sure we will be able to take a look at the draft and at least be able to say that they did not fully cheap out. In years past, we would have made the Sanchez choice, followed by college senior after college senior, it was almost like the Yahoo Fantasy Baseball Autodraft.

This go round things went much differently and I at least have to tip my hat to them for trying something different. Whether or not it will yield any fruit is another question, but they definitely have tried something different this year.

It should be exciting to watch the Bucs this next month or so. It will be perhaps the busiest in sometime. There will be probably more trades to come, the signing of all of these players, the international signing period, and the flirtation with .500.

As for the draft, you can read up on all of the players selected on our other site, Allegheny Armada. We will be doing our best to keep it up to date as things change.

Notes from a Weekend

• The Pirates ended up taking the series from the Tigers this weekend, thanks in large part to Dontrelle Willis being unable to find the plate. His wildness contributed greatly to the Bucs putting up early runs on the board. The team was able to hold off the Tigers later in the game for the win.

Now the Pirates head out on the road for a trip that takes them to Minnesota and to the Jim Tracy led Colorado Rockies. This trip kicks off a stretch that will take the Bucs to the All-Star break, where strangely, we may find the team sitting in the middle of the NL Central.

Right now the team sits four back and three under .500. If they are able to hang together on this trip and continue their hot play at home, we may see meaningful July baseball in Pittsburgh. That would be a big thing for the club, as they are currently the only act in tow, at least until the Steelers report to Latrobe.

• The signing of Tony Sanchez sure came quickly and I really almost cannot believe he took the money that the Pirates seemingly just gave him. The Bucs did save a ton of money in drafting him, and they did select a great deal of hard to sign guys later in the draft. (I'd say that almost every high school or JUCO player they selected is a recruit to a very good college program.) So we will see if the strategy of spreading the money around this year works, they have it setup to work, it is just a matter of getting the kids to sign.


• Watching the game Sunday, it was really cool to see the old PBC uniforms being worn by the players. The Tigers too looked really cool. I was almost half expecting to see Honus and Cobb standing near second base. The team went to great lengths to try to recreate an old time atmosphere. I only have one beef. The team went to lengths to make it as realistic as possible, no songs, no pierogies, no announcements, spelling it Pittsburg, but there was one thing glaringly wrong. The players had numbers on their uniforms! I guess you can call me a weird history nut, but if you are striving for authenticty, why make this omission? Minor quibble I guess, I can only hope that they sell those jerseys, as I think it'd be cool to have one.
  

That Was Quick

Dejan is reporting that the Bucs have signed Tony Sanchez to a deal already. Yes he was just drafted three days ago. He has signed quickly, like he said he would, for around $2.5 million in bonus money. I have no idea what the slot was for this spot, but I can almost assume it had to be above $3 million or even closer to $4. So we do get a big bargain with the pick, now hopefully we will use that saved money and land some of those prep players we drafted.

This Week on the Farm

Team of the Week: Indianapolis Indians
Hitter of the Week: Robbie Grossman, West Virginia
Pitcher of the Week: Rudy Owens, West Virginia

Indianapolis: 4-2 For the Week

Larry Broadway led the way for the Tribe this week with 8 hits, 2 of them home runs, and 5 RBI. Brian Bixler had 7 hits and Garrett Jones had 7 hits, 3 home runs, and 5 RBI. Steve Pearce had 6 hits and 7 RBI to go with 2 home runs, and Luis Cruz drove in 6 for the week. Newly signed Chris Snelling had a hit in his one game this week.

On the mound, Eric Hacker picked up a win, going 7 innings, and striking out 4. Ty Taubenheim also got a win, by throwing 5.2 scoreless. Daniel McCutchen got another win, by going seven strong and striking out 6. Chris Bootcheck continued his great work in the bullpen by picking up 2 saves in 2 scoreless innings.

Altoona: 1-6 for the Week

Things were slow moving for the Curve this week, though Steve Lerud had a good week with 7 hits. Jeff Corsaletti had 6 hits and Brian Friday just 3. Jim Negrych had 5 hits and 2 RBI. Newly acquired Gorkys Hernandez had only 3 hits in his first week and Jose Tabata made a brief two at bat return, before experiencing tightness.

On the mound, Brad Lincoln had another excellent start, making even more likely to get promoted soon. He had a 7 inning outing, allowing no runs, and striking out 8. Of course he got a no decision. Danny Moskos had a good outing as well, going 7 allowingonly 2 in a loss. Kyle Bloom went 7.2 innings and did not give up an earned run, but took a loss. The lone win went to Sean Smith in relief this week.

Lynchburg: 3-3 For the Week

The Hillcats were a little off this week offensively. No one had more than 4 hits this week. Pedro Alvarez, Miles Durham, Matt Hague, and Jordy Mercer all had 4 hits. Durham had the most RBI for the week, as he drove in 2.

Ron Uvideo picked up a win this week, going 5 scoreless, striking out 6. Michael Dubee picked up a win in relief, going 3 scoreless, striking out 6. Making their debuts in the system this year, Bryan Morris went 4.1, allowing 4, taking a loss. Jeff Locke, went 4 as well, allowing only 2 runs, and striking out 4.

West Virginia: 3-4 For the Week

Robbie Grossman broke out for the Power this week, as he had 10 hits, 4 runs, 1 home run, and 3 RBI. Chase D'Arnaud, Erik Huber, and Quincy Latimore all had 7 hits. Marcus Davis had 6 hits and 4 RBI for the Power.

On the mound, Duke Welker took another loss to run his record to 0-6, while Rudy Owens pitched well all week in his two starts, one going 7 scoreless, to go 6-1. For the week, Owens went 10 innings and struck out 12, walking none. Also picking up wins were Gabe Alvarado and Yoffri Martinez.

Tommorrow Never Knows

It is funny how things will change in baseball. Yesterday, many fans were left to scratch their heads, wondering just where were the Pirates headed with the draft choice of Tony Sanchez in the first round. It really did not make much sense, and the reasoning behind it, saving money for later rounds, did not at the time seem to make much sense either.

Then the draft got under way today and things quickly started to change. In rounds 6,7, and 8, the Bucs rattled off three straight picks that will be definite hard to sign guys. There is Zachary Von Rosenberg, a tall projectable righty, committed to LSU. Then Trent Stevenson, a very raw hard thrower from Arizona, committed to the Arizona Wildcats. The final part of this trio was Billy Cain, another great high school pitcher, committed to the Longhorns at Texas.

You don't have to be a huge college baseball fan to know that LSU, Arizona, and Texas are big time programs. These guys are important parts of their incoming recruiting classes and the Bucs went out and staked their claim.

Other intrigueing players are Jeffrey Inman from Stanford, a guy with great potential, and Matt Den Dekker, and outfielder from the University of Florida. Both of these guys are college juniors and could again pose problems in trying to sign them.

While there was a reason to be a little skeptical after Day 1, the team seemingly went out and actually put the plan in motion of looking for guys that might pose signing problems. If they can get two or more of these guys, it will be a huge coup for the team, and make up for any drop off from the selection of Sanchez.

The team is only half way there. Right now they have only staked a claim to these players, it is up to the management and ownership to put up the money and negotiations to get them signed. I feel a lot better about our draft now, after seeing some of these choices.

Q&A with The College Baseball Blog

Last night after the first day of the draft was complete, Brian Foley, the editor of the College Baseball Blog, emailed me about the Pirates' collegiate selections. I sent along a few Q's and he sent his A's about the college players the Bucs did draft. Here is what he had to say:

1. What can you say about the offensive ability of Tony Sanchez? A lot has been said about his defensive skills, which are great, but many Pirate fans are wondering will he hit?

The biggest problem with Sanchez is his problem with hitting anything not a fastball. He tends to struggle with all the offspeed pitches but has become a much better hitter over his three seasons at BC. I think Sanchez is going to be a .270 hitter with 20 homers and 90 RBI at the next level.

2. In the local papers in Pittsburgh, Boston College's coach had compared Sanchez to Matt Wieters and Buster Posey, is that a fair comparison?

Absolutely not! Wieters and Posey were both better players in college. Wieters was a better all around hitter while being a solid reciever. Posey on the other hand is still learning how to catch while being an absolute stud at the plate. The thing that Sanchez does better then those two is his defensive skills.

3. I know that you focus more on college baseball than anything, but would you say that Sanchez is the best, at least collegiate catcher available in the draft?

Sanchez was by far a better college catcher then anyone else in the draft. Josh Phegley of Indiana is a higher quality batter but has some major questions with his defense. You will not see Tony Sanchez moving to outfield or third base at the next level.

4. Many are going to look at the choice of Sanchez and immediately think he is just a signability pick and nothing more. How much upside does he have?

I think this is exactly a signability pick. If the Pirates didn't select Sanchez then he would have been selected around the 20th pick. I just think the Pirates didn't want to see something similar that happened with Pedro Alvarez last year.

5. What can you tell Pirate fans about Victor Black? It seems that all we can find right now is that he can throw hard and has a slider, anything more on him? Does Black profile as a starter or more as a reliever with his pitch repertoire?

Black is a 6'4 205 pound right hander that can get it up there to 94-95 with a devastating slider. He flew under the radar some being at Dallas Baptist but has some excellent stuff that could lead him into being an excellent setup guy at the MLB level.

6. Third Rounder Evan Chambers is a guy that seems like he can do plenty of things on the diamond, what is his best skill?

The biggest skill I see in Chambers right now is his quick hands and how quiet he really is at the plate. His arm looks tremendous and should be an asset if he continues to develop as he has at Hillborough CC.

7. What are the best assets of the three collegiate players taken? What are the things that can be improved by the collegiate players taken so far?

Sanchez after his sophomore season was seen as being a little soft behind the plate. He hit the weight room hard over the summer and into the fall. He ended up losing a ton of weight and making his draft stock raise steadily. If he continues to show his desire to get better like he showed at BC then he will be a solid MLB player. The other asset for Sanchez is how he controls games from behind the plate. College teams seemed to stop trying to steal bases when Tony was behind the plate. He finished the season throwing out 38.8 percent of runners which is outstanding at this level.

Black has shown that he has a plus fastball and you really can't teach that to anyone in the minor leagues. The biggest thing he has to work on is being more consistent on the mound as he had a 6-4 record with a 4.16 ERA in 15 starts totaling 88.2 innings. He did strikeout 99 batters in those innings which is why I see him as a setup guy.

The biggest asset on Chambers is his raw talent right now. He will be seeing much better pitching in the minors which will show whether or not he will be a good pick.

8. If you were to give a comparison for these guys should they develop in a best case scenario; who would they be or what can we expect from them?

Sanchez- A better hitting Molina
Black- Scott Williamson during his good days with Cincinnati.
Chambers- A poor man's Greg Vaughn right now who could become a power hitter with his quick hands.

That is the opinion of one who knows a great deal about college baseball. I'd say that I would definitely give the picks some mixed reviews to say the least.

Brian also sent along another clip of Sanchez as well that shows him defensively, that he put on YouTube. I'd like to thank him for his time as well. As a Pirate fan, I'd like to hope he may be wrong about the potential of these guys, I'd always like them to be better, but we'll all find out soon.

Sanchez Behind the Plate

Before the Flood...

There were talk all spring that this year's draft was going to be a weak one. Many had no clue who might go after Strasburg, then perhaps Dustin Ackley. The Pirates' brass kept talking up the depth of pitching in the draft particularly college pitching in this draft. Many, including me, thought that they would take Aaron Crow with the fourth pick. He seemed to fit the needs and profile of what the Pirates wanted in a pick.

Then this past few weeks, it seemingly has turned to an emphasis on getting someone who was going to be able to sign quickly. It made sense as the draft was not all that great and taking a signability guy would not be all that bad. Getting a quick sign would then enable the team to spread money out along the draft, as the thinking is that the sign able pick would be cheaper.

Then as recently as this weekend, things seemed to change as the team looked to be leaning towards taking college catcher Tony Sanchez from Boston College. He seemed to be a bit of a reach, as most 'experts' had him in the lower 20's at best. The thinking with Sanchez was that he will sign quickly and meets another need of the Pirates farm system, catching depth. That being said I was quite surprised when they took Sanchez. Then again I am no expert in regards to the depth of the draft, and thought that there was perhaps more pitching available later.

Then when their second pick came up the Bucs took a guy that will require some work in Victor Black. The kid has some good stuff, a slider and a great fastball, but he does not have sparkling statistics. He does seem to still be learning how to pitch, but considering how many more polished college pitchers were available, this one seemed to be a head scratcher.

Then quickly they pick again with another pitcher, high schooler Brooks Pounders. He seems to fit the type of prep pitcher they might be looking at as he can throw four pitches and is a workhorse. Scouts seem to not like his body, as he is bigger, but his size and better conditioning can make him better. To me he is a good pick, a high schooler with four pitches and a big frame, you can't ask for much more.

The third pick was JUCO outfielder, Evan Chambers. He seems to be like other JUCO positon player the Pirates have drafted under Smith/Huntington. He has a lot of tools and can do a lot of things, but one that stands out is his power. Even with the great tools and abilities of this former Florida Gator, Chambers seems to be another signable choice as he has only committed to Tampa.

I have many mixed feelings about this draft so far. It seems to me, too focused on getting signable guys. Signable, not in the Dave Littlefield way of college seniors, these guys are younger than that, but signable nonetheless. Sanchez is really going to be in a tough position with the team. I feel bad for the guy, as he is going to be painted as the cheap signable option, that his college coach compared to Matt Wieters, not exactly the best things to be saying to the Pirate fanbase.

I hold out hope that we will see some guys that have signability issues in the coming rounds, as these first few rounds have shown the Pirates simply have gone the safe route. Huntington himself has said,"...this was not a year -- in our minds -- to spend a huge chunk of our budget on one player. This is going to be spread over multiple players. We have a chance to flood our system with quality prospects."

Based on the first four players taken, it seems that it will be a flood in quantity not quality.

Day One

Here is a quick look at the players the Bucs took in the first day of the MLB draft.

First Round: Tony Sanchez, Catcher, Boston College

Sanchez may be considered a bit of a reach by many, and he just might be, but he does address a major need in the organization, catching depth. I know that's not a lot to hang our hat on but considering the lack of impact depth and bats early in the draft, I'm not saying I agree with it but I can see why the Pirates might have reached on him. Considered by many to be major league ready defensively it may take some time for the bat to come around but the power potential is there. Some think that since he played his college ball in the Northeast, his hitting ability may have been slow in developing. He has shown improved offensive production this year and is called a great leader. He has a solid and strong work ethic and will probably develop into a solid major leaguer, but how knows how much production we can expect.

Tony Sanchez Video

1st Supplemental Round: Victor Black, Right Handed Pitcher, Dallas Baptist

Black is possibly the best college pitcher in the state of Texas this year thanks in part to a power fastball. Normally sitting in the 92-94 MPH and occasionally toping out at 96 which he mixes in with a nice slider. He is a very raw pitcher, having really only started to pitch in his senior year of high school. He was once drafted before, by the Mets, and was talked to by the Yankees to gauge his interest in being a draft and follow. He is still learning pitching, but has good power and size on his side. He sometimes struggles with control and seemed to have a tough 2008 season in both college and in the Cape. He seemed to tire late in the '09 season so there may be some questions about his workload but he is a very "projectable" pitcher for the Bucs and a nice get for them with the Tanner Scheppers pick.

Victor Black Video


Find more videos like this on ProspectTube.com

Second Round; Brooks Pounders, Right Handed Pitcher, Temecula Valley HS, CA

The one thing that most people seem to say about Pounders in that he has a bad body. If that's the only downside to his game, I can live with that. For a prep pitcher he is very polished though he doesn't light up the radar guys he does throw 4 pitches for strikes, FB, CB, Slider and CH. With the ability to throw 4 pitches for strikes he gives the Bucs some options. Development will be key for Pounders as scouts would like to see him drop a few pounds and pick up some velocity on his fastball. I am sure there will be time for that, but this kid has great size and a bright future. If he signs, they should allow him to develop at his own pace and in a few years it will be interesting to see what he becomes.

Brooks Pounders Profile with Video

Third Round: Evan Chambers , Outfielder, Hillsborough C.C. (FL)

Chambers has the athletic ability to do a lot of things on the diamond. Physically he is compared to Kirby Puckett, as both players are stout players. Chambers though is a budding power prospect. He generates a good deal of power out of his powerful frame. He had originally went to Florida but transferred due to lack of playing time. He has starred at Hillsborough, where he shows plus speed, good defensive instincts, and his power bat. He'll need to work on getting even stronger and in better shape. He seems to be a skillful guy, but he should be an easy sign as he is only committed to go to Tampa.

Welcome Aboard Charlie!

Despite trying to keep all of the rumors quite, Charlie Morton will indeed be in Atlanta to pitch Wednesday. He'll take Jeff Karstens spot in the rotation and Gorzelanny will go back to Indy. I thought it would only be a matter of time before we'd see Morton, I just did not think it would happen this quickly.

The move makes plenty of sense. Morton has earned a shot, based on what he has done all season long at AAA. Karstens has been shaky as a starter since he came to Pittsburgh, and many have said that he may profile better in a bullpen anyway. The move also allows Gorzelanny to continue his starting pitching on a regular basis.

It should be interesting to see how Morton fares in his Bucco debut, as he'll probably have a ton of pressure pitching in Atlanta, and against Nate McLouth. It has been a whirlwind as well for him, as he has seemingly moved all around in a week or so.

The next two months are going to be pretty busy for the Bucs, and we'll also see many new faces as well. Morton is just the start of them.

With Their First Pick....

The Bucs take Tony Sanchez from Boston College. More to come later.

Nightmare

 

Remember the horror! No matter what is done these next few days it will pale in comparison to what these two would have done.

Who Will They Take?

Many have looked at this year's draft and have said that there really is not much after Stephen Strasburg. There just is not that much in terms of impact out there to be had. They just might be right. Scouting is an inexact science when it comes to looking at one player, but they all seem to get a good idea when looking at everyone overall. We have previewed plenty of players here, and so have others, but who will they take today?

The experts have seemed to have advocated the Pirates taking one of the many pitchers available. Whether it be Aaron Crow, Alex White, Kyle Gibson, or Tyler Matzeck. The recent injury of Gibson, makes me think that Aaron Crow will be the safe choice here. You have a guy with good projectable future, in a draft where there are few if any good things that are projectable. Add that to the fact that some feel that he might be in Washington now or knocking loudly at the door, and Crow looks like a good fit.

Another option that the Pirates might be looking for is taking a prep player with the fourth pick, one that would sign quickly and cheaply, and would allow for spending more in later rounds. Wil Meyers, a catcher from North Carolina, has been rumored as a possibility if this scenario were to play out. I wouldn't mind this approach, provided that they could sign some guys who fall int he draft, but witht he recent outcry of the "money dump" of McLouth, doing anything that has the appearance of cheap may be a tough sell.

In the end the first pick this year, is looking to be not as important as the other rounds. The depth of the draft is so that there is few high upside guys, but plenty of guys in say the first 6 rounds or so. If that is indeed the case, the Pirates should look to try to collect as much as possible in the first 6 rounds.

What exactly will they be looking for? With the extra pick from Tanner Scheppers the Pirates have another pick to play with. I would look to see them go after a college arm or two, guys that can provide immediate depth for the system. They really, really, need a young catching prospect as there is almost no one around at all in the minors. Steve Lerud is their best catching prospect and he is not much to look at.

I think they will also look to add offensive players from the high school ranks, whether it be an all out power type guy, or a ball player with a more broad skill set. Another high school pitcher that may have slid, like Quinton Miller, and definitely a shortstop to add. Try as they might, the team still has not found anyone for that position.

After the draft, I have a feeling we will be looking at a draft of college pitchers and a blend of high school pitchers and hitters, with it skewing more towards the younger players. I hope that it is just as exciting as last year's draft was.

Draft Preview: Western Pennsylvania Talent

When I’m thinking baseball talent, Pennsylvania is one of the last places I would think to look for it.  Long known for the accomplishments on the gridiron, PA does occasionally seem to produce a high end baseball prospect.  The most recent was Neil Walker but since then, there have been a few other talented players that have been drafted but chosen in later rounds and opted to the college route.  It looks like the Pittsburgh area might finally have their first high upside player since Neil Walker, in OF Tarran Senay from South Park High School.  Besides Senay, there are a couple of other kids who could get the call from a major league team come draft time, her is a look at a few of them along with from basic observations.

1) Tarran Senay  OF South Park HS, South Park, PA
Rated as the 85^th best high school player in the country in the preseason for the 2009 Draft by Baseball America along with being the number 3 high school player in PA by the Perfect Game USA, Senay offers a ton of talent for any major league club.  According to recruiting coordinator Tom Holliday of NC State, Senay has a good left handed power bat that also makes great contact.  Holliday also went on to say that Senay reminded him of a lot of former Pirates Jason Thompson (I suppose that might be considered a good thing).  It’s expected that Senay will be drafted high making the chances of him signing with a major league team pretty good.  If he opts to go the college route, he’ll end up at NC State with 2 other former Pittsburgh area players, RHP Zak Sinclair and RHP Cory Mazzoni both of whom were drafted in 2008.


2) Addison Dunn RHP Warren Area HS, Warren, PA
Though Dunn is not from the Pittsburgh area, I’m throwing him on the list just because he’s from Western PA.  Considered the 6^th best prospect in PA by Perfect Game USA for the 2009 draft, Dunn is a talented 2 way high school player who could make a name for himself on the mound.  With a fastball that has been clocked as high as 93 MPH, he’s the type of player that a major league team might take a chance on during the second day of the draft.  He has a ton of raw ability that will take some time to develop so depending on what happens, he may end up at Kent State University where he can start out as a 2 way player before working his way into the rotation further down the line thus increasing his draft prospects coming out of college.

3) Nick Kendrick LHP Seneca Valley HS, Harmony, PA
Kendrick is perhaps one of the best “under the radar” players available from the area for the up coming draft.  As a left hander with a high 80’ fastball who stands 6’7, one has to think that despite his raw ability, he has a ton of up side that might be worth taking a chance on.  As a teammate of NC State freshman pitcher Cory Mazzoni while at Seneca Valley he helped lead his team to a section title in 2008.  Pitching for a less experienced team this season, he seemed to save one of his best performances of the season for a playoff clinching game May 9th where he gave up 2 early runs but then didn’t allow a hit the remainder of the game.  If someone wants to take a chance on him he might be worth looking into.  He’s currently committed to George Mason University and may be better off going there and looking into the draft after his junior year when he gains some more experience.  If he goes onto college, I can see a similar development path as that of Louisville LHP Robert Revesz another tall, lanky lefty whom the Pirates drafted out of Grove City, PA in 2007.

The Pittsburgh area colleges and universities have long struggled to produce productive players on the professional level.  The most recent time that I can think of was a few years back when the University of Pittsburgh had both Ben Copeland (drafted by San Francisco) and Jim Negrych at that top of their lineup.  Despite that talent, they still failed to qualify for the College World Series.  With that being said, it does seem that every few years Pitt, Duquesne and some of the State Universities manage to get a player of 2 drafted in the later rounds.  It looks like that should be more of the same this season with Pitt seeming to be the only school with a border line draft guy.

1) Chris Sedon  2nd University of Pittsburgh
Coming into the 2009 College season, the player to watch at Pitt was lefty Nate Reed.  Unfortunately for him and Pitt’s pitching staff, it ended up being a rough season and he seemed to loose some luster.  One player on the Pitt team that was a star from start to finish was 2^nd baseman Chris Sedon.  In his first year at Pitt after transferring from Lackawanna Junior College, all Sedon did from the get go was rake.  At the time this article was written, Sedon was hitting over .400 with 17 HRS, 51 RBI’s and 19 steals in 25 attempts.  His ability to play 2^nd, short and 3^rd makes him that must more valuable to any major league team.  From the sounds of it, he is talked up as a “student of the game” which to me is always a good thing.  If drafted he could turn out to be another Jim Negrych, a hitting machine without a position.   

2) T.J. Nichols  C Indiana University of PA
When I hear catcher from IUP, I instantly think of Jon Walk and it scares me.  But unlike Bob Walk’s son who was brought in a few years back to be an organizational backstop, Nichols offers more versatility and upside.  Considered a pre-season Division 2 All American by Baseball America, baseball has made a huge comeback at IUP and Nichols is one of the reasons for its success.  With the ability to catch and play the outfield, he’ll have value to a lot of clubs.  If he can stay at catcher, he has a chance to have some long term success in the game.

Draft Preview: Juco Players

Always a good talent source for teams are the Junior College ranks. Last season the Pirates drafted numerous JC players, only signing about a handful. The best of the lot seemed to be RHP Brent Klinger who was a power arm from Glendale CC. Of the ones who didn’t sign, OF Jaron Shepherd ended up at Mississippi and RHP TJ Forrest ended up at Arkansas. On the down side it does tend to be tough for casual baseball fans, like myself, to find out who’s who in the Junior College world or how good they actually are, so a lot of research is involved. Here is a list of a few players that seem to be somewhat intriguing and could be worth taking a chance on.

1)     Daniel Webb            RHP        Northwest Florida State

Webb who was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the 12th round of the 08 draft opted to go the JC route rather then sign or follow through on his commitment to Kentucky.  He is without a doubt the top JC player coming into this year’s draft.  If you look at his stuff, he is a true young power pitcher thanks to a mid 90’s fastball (able to touch 96).  Unfortunately for him his secondary pitches are only pretty basic and his command is iffy.  I’m sure he’ll be drafted high this year if he has a solid spring but his bonus demands could play a huge part in where he actually goes.

Drafted: Arizona’ 08 (12)

2)    Lionel Morrill        OF        College of Southern Idaho

Morrill is a personal favorite of mine from the 08 draft class.  He was considered one of the top HS players in Canada last season coming out of the Vauxhall Baseball Academy in Alberta.  His main asset at this time is his speed, a 6.6 second 60.  He is considered extremely raw due to not seeing quality pitching so a year in JC ball should be of benefit.  Thanks to a 6’4 frame he does have some power potential though and projects to have a solid arm and average range in the OF.  There is a part of me that wants to compare him to Wes Freeman due to his size and skill set. 

Drafted: Minnesota’ 08 (24)

3)     Jacob Cowan            RHP        San Jacinto (TX)

Perennially one of the major powers of the JC ranks, San Jacinto always seems to have their fair share of prospects, probably most notable to Pirates fans is former closer Mike Gonzalez.  He doesn’t have overpowering stuff (86-88 MPH) but from a mechanical standpoint he is very sound.  At present time he has a plus change up and fringe secondary stuff but as he physically matures he should get better.  Despite his limited experience, he’s considered a 1st Team Pre-Season All American by Baseball America. He might be tough to sign, as he has committed to Texas, but perhaps money will sway his opinion.

Drafted: Boston’ 07 (14)

4)    Nicholas Purdy        RHP        Hillsborough Community College

Sticking with the topic of Canadians, Purdy is a kid who caught my eye last year from numerous articles that I read about him.  It seems at times that a lot of these kids from Canada fly under the radar either due to the fact that they’re in Canada and the level of competition isn’t what it is in the US or maybe just due to a lack of experience and exposure.  Either way, Purdy might not come up on many draft lists but I like his size (6’5 215) and raw ability.  With a solid 75 MPH curve, 77 MPH change and a fastball that has been clocked as high as 94 MPH, he makes for an interesting project for any team.

Drafted: Kansas City’ 08 (36)

5)    Xorge Carillo            C        Central Arizona College

Carillo is considered by some to be the best catcher in the Junior College ranks.  He is a solid glove man with some decent power to his bat.  He helped to lead Central Arizona to the JUCO World Series last season so he knows how to win.  Considering the Pirates seem to have a glaring weakness at the position, he might be able to step in and give them a solid back stop prospect in the lower minors.  He’s committed to play at Arizona State next season, so if he’s not drafted and signed, I’m sure we’ll be hearing his name more in the coming years.

Drafted: Toronto’ 07 (28)

6)     Austin Wright        LHP        Chipola JC (Fla)

Since we were so caught up last season with the excitement of the Pirates draft, we kind of forget some of the really good players that managed to get away from them.  Originally committed to Arkansas, Wright decided to go the Jucco route and will thus be available for the 09 draft.  If the old DFE system was still in place the Pirates would be sitting pretty right now but since hard throwing lefties don’t grow on trees he is sure to be drafted higher this year.  Wright is pretty raw at this point but considering he’s from Illinois, he’s expected to be somewhat raw and have a fresh arm.  Other then his power arm, most everything else in his game needs refinement but he’s probably worth taking a chance on.

Drafted: Pittsburgh’ 08 (21)

7)    Mike Petello            OF        Scottsdale JC (AZ)

Petello is a talented OF prospect from Scottsdale Junior College.  After a successful high school career in Arizona, Petello opted to stay in state and play at Arizona State.  Unfortunately for him despite his talent, he found it tough to crack the roster of such a talented team and opted to transfer to a Junior College.  He has since developed into a potential prospect with 5 tool talent who should be drafted higher then his previous 2 times (both by Philadelphia in 06 & 08).  If not then we’ll see him play OF next spring for the University of New Orleans where he’ll continue to maturate into a baseball prospect.

Drafted: Philadelphia’ 08 (41)

8)    Richard Olson        RHP        Clarendon College (TX)

Despite his small stature (6’0, 170 pounds), Olson is sure to get a look or two from a major league team thanks to some of his electric stuff and excellent control.  A native of Sydney Australia, Olson has honed his skills at Clarendon College the past 2 seasons drawing a lot of attention and eventually getting a full scholarship from New Mexico.  If he’s passed up in 2009, he most likely step into the closers role next season at New Mexico where his 88-91 MPH FB and competitive nature will surely get him more attention come 2010.

Drafted: Never

ESPN on Ohlendorf

I wanted to share a rather interesting read from Tim Kurkjian at ESPN.com on Ross Ohlendorf. Kurkjian profiles the background of the Princeton grad and discusses his thesis in anticipation for next week's MLB Draft. For those that may not remember, Ohlendorf did a senior thesis study on the return major league teams get on drafted players. His findings showed that teams that spent more, meaning getting the better players, actually had a better rate of return on those players.

Perhaps most interesting, and slightly odd, is Ohlendorf's take on his own signing bonus, saying that the Diamondbacks perhaps thought of him as a 'minimal contributor' at the major league level.

The piece is timely because of the draft and very interesting in learning about Ohlendorf from an angle outside of Pittsburgh.

Draft Preview: Canada and Puerto Rico

It’s sometimes forgotten that there are other places involved in the MLB Draft then the actual United States. For years teams have had to send scouts to Canada and Puerto Rico to check out what players of interest might be there. With the World Baseball Classic and the success of players like Jason Bay and Justin Morneau, baseball has seen a sudden boom hit Canada, especially in British Columbia. This year seems to be one of those down years for talent in Canada. After having a first round pick the previous couple of drafts, there is a good chance that Canada may sit on the sidelines for a few rounds before seeing any of their HS talent drafted.

Most of the players listed here might not come up on a Baseball America watch list but they are players that have caught my attention from what I’ve read so it’s my hope they get drafted. As a side note, all of the players listed here are currently in Canada or Puerto Rico, I left anyone playing college ball in the US off the list.

Jake Eliopoulos

6'3"

168

LHP

Newmarket, ON

Considered by some to be the best high school player in Canada, Eliopoulos has a slight, slim build and should hopefully fill out more the older he gets. At the present time, his pitches sit around the range of 88-90 MPH and he has the makings of 3 above average pitches, a fastball, curveball and changeup. Despite being the best player in Canada he’s not considered to be the same level prospect as last years top Canadian Brett Lawrie.

Wesley Darvil

6'2"

175

SS

Langley, BC

Darvill is one of the better high school position players available for the 2009 Draft. He has an impressive line drive swing and considering his size, he could generate more power as he fills out. With a 60 time of 6.87, he has impressive speed on the base paths and can generate offense with his legs. Thanks to athleticism he has the ability to go far in the game. He’s committed to play his college ball with his brother Tom at Bossier Parish Community College if things don’t work out with the draft.

Jeff Hunt

6'3"

170

3B

Cambridge, ON

Considered by some to be the second best position player in Canada next to Wes Darvill, one could make the case for him being the best thanks to his versatility. With the ability to play 3rd, 1st, both corner outfield positions along with pitching, he’s a taylor made College Super Star. He is a veteran of the Canadian Junior national team where he teamed with Brett Lawrie (Brewers) and Carter Morrison (Reds) amongst others, so he is a veteran of playing at a high level of competition. If he goes undrafted or opts not to sign he’ll spend his next 3 years playing for the University of Ohio Bobcats where he is sure to be a quality prospect in 2012.

Francois Lafreniere

6'5"

185

RHP

St. Bruno, QB

Quebec might not be the hotbed of baseball in Canada but they do occasionally produce a few really good players (see Phillippe Aumont). Lafreniere just might be a pitcher who goes unnoticed in the draft this year. Previously drafted by the Giants in the 34th round of the 08 draft out of a junior college where he was in his second year as a 17 year old. He’s extremely raw but has a very projectable pitchers frame. It seems as though he has a below average fastball but his curveball does have some potential. To be honest, after not signing with the Giants I’m not sure what happened to him since I’ve been unable to track him down on any college roster. Puerto Rico: In recent years many have said that Puerto Rico has taken a step back when it comes to baseball. Some say that they aren’t turning out the quantity or quality of players they have in the past. Much of that blame has been placed on the draft; since prior to 1989, teams were aloud to sign Puerto Ricans much like they do any other Latin American players. In recent years Puerto Rico has seen more high profile players drafted and star at the Major League level such as Carlos Beltran and Alex Rios but it is still a long way from where it once was. There is hope though, from everything I’ve read, the draft class for 2009 seems be the best it’s been since the draft era began there and these are a few players that might be worth watching.

Ruben Sierra Jr.

6'2"

174

OF

Isla Verde, PR

How can anyone not want this kid to succeed? Yes, he is the son of the one time super star of the same name from Texas Rangers. With that being said, the younger has a lot of the same traits his old man had when he first arrived on the major league scene, that being 5 tool talent. Sierra has a cannon for an arm and blazing speed in the outfield (the one aspect missing from his dads game). At present time he looks like a centerfielder but will most likely grow into a rightfielder. Now if he could only grow one of those snazzy 80’s mustaches like his dad had on in his 87 Topps rookie card, the world would be close to perfect.

Raul Rivera

6'3"

185

RHP

San Juan, PR

Since we’re sticking to baseball as being a family affair, Raul who is possibly the top pitcher in Puerto Rico this year is the younger brother of major league pitcher Saul Rivera (not as cool as Ruben Sierra though). Raul has the makings and stuff to be a better pitcher then his brother thanks to a smooth and effortless delivery that generates a 92 MPH fastball. He’s one of those pitchers with a slightly funny, high leg kick that makes his pitches seem more deceptive. The one thing that I find the most interesting though is that he is considered a groundball pitcher, which would make any team happy to hear.

Reymond Fuentes

6'1"

165

OF

Manati, PR

With his smooth, fluid movements in the outfield, Fuentes may remind many of his uncle Carlos Beltran. Fuentes is a very athletic, speedy outfielder who probably has the best range of any player in Puerto Rico. He’s a contact hitter without much power at this time but the ball does seem to find a way to just jump off his bat. He might not have the upside that Sierra does but he has a nice skill and all the tools to be a solid player and will hopefully develop with more coaching, game experience and physical maturity.

Roberto Perez

6'2"

175

SS

Toa Alta, PR

As far as I know, Perez doesn’t seem to have any cool family connection to major league baseball. The one fascinating thing he has going for him is that he is committed to play his college ball at Oklahoma State if he isn’t drafted and signed this year which would make him all but guaranteed to be a Pirate in 3 years. On the serious side though, he is a very athletic pitcher who can also play the middle infield. His pitching mechanics are very raw right now and throws off the mound in the high 80’s. In terms of a position player, he has good bat speed and is very aggressive at the plate. If he’s drafted and signed it will be interesting to see where a team decides to play him. If he decides to go to Oklahoma State, he should be able to establish himself as a solid 2 way player.