Pittsburgh Pirates In 2011: Flashback To A Year Of Improbability

By Chad Carlson

This past year was certainly a memorable one for Pirates’ fans.  We saw the birth of a new regime under first-year manager Clint Hurdle, and the continued emergence of young players in their first exposure to Major League Baseball.  Entering the 2011 season, no one knew what to expect from such a young team with a new manager, and there were certainly highs and lows during one of the most notable seasons in recent Pittsburgh baseball memory.

Upon announcement of his hiring, Hurdle was immediately effective in inspiring and motivating both players and fans.  Still entranced in a record-setting losing streak for North American sports, the Pittsburgh Pirates' community and supporters needed something to give them a reason to be relevant to fans again.  Clint Hurdle served that purpose from the onset.  His awareness of the team's (city's) situation immediately drew in everyone, from casual fans to daily followers of the club.  Of course, there were some who wondered if he would follow those managers before him, acting as no more than mindless puppets for the higher executives in the ownership hierarchy.

The fact is, Hurdle knew this was going to be a challenge…to bring a team and an organization from rags to riches, and it wasn't going to happen overnight.  Still, despite hearing these admittances by the manager, we, as fans, felt inspired that this team was FINALLY headed in the right direction on the field.

As is the case with prior offseasons in the mostr recent past, the Bucs didn't make a lot of moves prior to Spring Training in 2011, but those they did make grabbed Pittsburgh headlines. 

The acquisitions of Lyle Overbay and Matt Diaz seemed like a perfect fit for the club at the time.  After all, a number of the Pirates' projected starting position players, including Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, and Jose Tabata, were young and inexperienced at the Major League level, and could certainly have benefited from the expertise of seasoned veterans.  Insert Overbay and Diaz, two guys who have succeeded at the top level for years, and guide the younger players along, both on and off the field.  Overbay was announced as the team's starting first baseman, while Diaz was inserted to platoon right field along with Garrett Jones.

Prior to Spring Training, this was the projected 2011 starting lineup:

1.  CF Andrew McCutchen

2.  LF Jose Tabata

3.  2B Neil Walker

4. 3B Pedro Alvarez

5. 1B Lyle Overbay

6. RF Garrett Jones/Matt Diaz

7. C Chris Snyder

8. SS Ronny Cedeno

9. Pitcher's Spot

On paper, this looked like a fairly decent lineup, all things considered.  Still, though, there were many questions left to be answered.  Would McCutchen continue to bud as an emerging star? Would Tabata and Walker carry over from their 2010 campaigns? Would Alvarez be the power leader in the middle of the lineup?  Would Diaz and Overbay be the leaders they were brought on board to be? Was Snyder the right choice as starting catcher over Ryan Doumit?

The starting pitching was the major concern, though, for fans.  Kevin Correia was brought on board to lead the staff, while the team was expecting strong rebound years from Ross Ohlendorf and Paul Maholm.  Here was the 2011 projected starting pitching rotation:

Paul Maholm

Kevin Correia

Ross Ohlendorf

James McDonald

Charlie Morton

Wow, how things changed across the board.  As we know, Maholm had a terrible season, Ohlendorf was on the DL the majority of the season, replaced by Jeff Karstens, who had one of the more improbably productive seasons in recent memory.  James McDonald had his ups and downs, while Morton, after an incredible first half of the year, tapered off down the stretch and eventually landed on the DL to end the season.

The 2011 season was an extremely rare one…not in the fact that it resulted in yet another losing season, but that it had perhaps the most drama for a team with only 72 wins in the history of the baseball.  Looking at the season from a statistical standpoint, it apears as though 2011 was just another losing season for the Pirates, one that ended with a 72-90 record, extending their North American sport all-time leading losing record to 19 seasons. 

But for us fans that followed the team through his incredible roller coaster ride of a season, it proved that the flame of passion for baseball can still be ignited in Pittsburgh.  With young players like McCutchen, Tabata, and Walker, along with new acquisitions heading into this year, and as improbable as winning may seem, there will be a relatively brighter glimmer of hope shining on PNC Park when the Bucs take the field in April 2012

And…

As Always…

Let's Go Bucs!

Bucco Blurb: Pirates' Top Offseason Move

By Chad Carlson

Although they haven’t been breaking national headlines, the Pirates have been busy this offseason, making moves and changing the complexion of their eventual 2012 roster.

Among the new acquisitions of the past few months include Rod Barajas, Clint Barmes, Nate McLouth, Erik Bedard, and Casey McGehee.  While the team could make more moves over the next few weeks and beyond, the majority of the holes in the lineup, with the exception of first base, have been filled.

With that being said, who has been the best acquisition for the Pirates thus far?

Rod Barajas

Apparently at the top of the Pirates’ priority list was the situation at the catcher position.  It was one of the first matters they addressed this offseason, electing not to exercise the options on Ryan Doumit or Chris Snyder.  Instead, they signed Rod Barajas, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Barajas certainly doesn’t have a lot of power.  He’s a defensive upgrade to Doumit, without question.  The main issue with both Doumit and Synder is they have both proven to be extremely injury-prone.  When Doumit was hot, he can hit any pitch out of the ballpark, but that just hasn’t happened all that often.  With a hit-for-contact approach and a solid arm behind the plate, Barajas is a quality option for the Bucs in comparison to the current market as well as for someone who is financially available to them.

Nate McLouth

At first, the signing of Nate McLouth was a puzzling one.  After all, the Pirates seem to have their starting outfield set for 2012, with a number of other players waiting in the wings of the minor leagues for their shot at the big league level in the coming years.  Certainly, Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata are forgone conclusions for centerfield and right field respectively, and after his impressive run last season, Alex Presley seems to be the frontrunner for the left field slot. 

This is still a smart deal for the Bucs though.  In their short tenures with the team, both Presley and Tabata have proven to be subjectable to injuries, and the wear-and-tear of a 162-game season can be detrimental to a player's performance, especially someone like Presley, who's bulk experience has come in the minors. 

McLouth adds a quality bat and glove in the backup role, while he's certainly capable of stepping into a full-time role in the event of injury or roster move.  After a rough stint in Atlanta, he came at a low price…which is always a factor concerning the Pirates.

Clint Barmes

The Pirates' decline of Ronny Cedeno's option, followed by the signing of free agent Clint Barmes, was a moderate surprise for fans, from a financial standpoint.  After all, Cedeno's option was for $3 million for 2012.  Typically, when a team declines the option on a particular player, it implies that the team doesn't feel the player's performance on the field is worthy of the type of compensation he is owed the following year. 

By signing Barmes, the Bucs upgraded, but only slightly.  He has plenty more power than Cedeno, minus a few seasons, while the two players' batting averages are virtually identicle.  From a defensive standpoint, they are strikingly similar as well. 

So..yeah, a slight upgrade moving from Cedeno to Barmes. 

But the oddest aspect of the situation is Barmes' contract, which is good for 2 years, $10.5 million.  So the Bucs were not willing to pay Cedeno $3 million for one year, but they'll pay Barmes for 2 years at a little over $5 million per?  For a slight upgrade?  Now clearly, the Pirates' management have talent evaluators who are far more skilled than fans like me, but these two players are very similar from a talent standpoint, so for a historically stingy team like the Pirates to pour extra money in a situation like this, it's a little surprising.  As I've said before, I believe this deal had more to do with the relationship (or lack thereof) between Cedeno and Clint Hurdle.  Barmes, of course, played for Hurdle when both were with the Colorado Rockies' organization.

I think Barmes will be exactly what people expect.  He'll be a solid defensive shortstop, while hit around .250 but will take advantage of opposing pitchers' mistakes and knock a few over the wall.

Erik Bedard

The signing of Erik Bedard at the Winter Meetings is a move that has been approved and supported by fans and critics alike.  Pittsburgh decline the outrageous option on Paul Maholm earlier in the offseason, leaving a vacancy in the starting pitching rotation…until this signing. 

The downside on Bedard is certainly the injuries, and he's been the victim of many over the years.  However, he has solid stuff and a great baseball mind.  If he stays healthy, you'll be a huge upgrade to the Pirates' starting pitching rotation.  He's also a lefty, adding to the team's otherwise all right-handed rotation, including James McDonald, Kevin Correia, Charlie Morton, and Jeff Karstens. 

This is, of course, a risky move…but it's refreshing (and rather shocking) to see the Pirates take a risk.  The key to the quality of this move will be if Bedard can stay away from the injury bug.  If he can, the Bucs' pitching rotation just got a lot stronger.

Casey McGehee

The newest member of the Pirates' family was announced earlier this week, when the Jose Veras was traded to Milwaukee in exchange for Casey McGehee.  We, as fans, certainly didn't see this one coming, and there weren't any rumors regarding interest in the multi-positioned McGehee until the deal was already done.

The last two seasons for have been extremely different from one another for McGehee.  In 2010, he was a power-hitting third baseman contributing daily to his team's offense, while 2011 saw him as almost a liability in the Brewers' astounding power-hitting lineup.

It's not realistic for Pirates' fans to believe that McGehee will return to his 2010 form, but he should be better than last year.  The Bucs are in utter need for power in their lineup, and that's exactly what McGehee brings.  If he hits for power, he will play.  Whether it's at third base, first base, or even the outfield, that remains to be seen.

Stay with us right here at Fans From The Stands for all rants and discussions surrounding our Battlin’ Buccos!

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Bucco Blurb: Jose Veras Out; Jason Grilli & Casey McGehee In

By Chad Carlson

The Pirates’ busy offseason continued on Monday, with two more moves that show a ton of promise for the upcoming 2012 season. 

With a number of players nearing the arbitration deadline, the Bucs had some decisions to make, and they made a couple choices on Monday in regards to their bullpen, favoring Jason Grilli over Jose Veras.

Grilli was rewarded for his strong 2011 season with a one-year deal worth just over $1 million, while Veras was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for third baseman Casey McGehee.

I like both of these moves.  Grilli had a solid year out of the bullpen for the Bucs, and Veras was horribly inconsistent.  With the players the team had on arbitration restrictions, decisions had to be made on who was worth keeping and who wasn’t, and I think they made the correct choice here.  Joel Hanrahan, Evan Meek, and Chris Resop, other pitchers in the bullpen, are still arbitration eligible.

By trading Veras, though, the Bucs also get McGehee…yes, the same player who hit .285 with 23 homeruns and 104 RBI’s in 2010, but had quite a setback this past season in 2011, hitting just .223 with 13 homeruns and 67 RBI’s.  When Milwaukee made the deal for Aramis Ramirez, it became evident that McGehee was expendable to the Brew Crew. 

The Bucs are rumored to have stated that they are not grooming Pedro Alvarez to make the transition over to first base.  So with Pedro occupying third base, or at least with the inside track to do so, that leaves McGehee as a backup…unless…

He is capable of playing first base, and also an outfield spot as well.  Granted, his most comfortable position is the hot corner, but with the Pirates’ current situation, if he’s producing at the plate, something the team needs drastically, they’ll need to find a spot for him on the field.

Maybe Pedro at third, McGehee at first?  Tabata, Walker, McCutchen, Pedro, McGehee?  Not bad.

This is obviously a gamble, considering McGehee’s 2011 season.  But still, this shows that the Bucs are willing to go after a notable bat to improve the offense.  This is an inspiring move, hopefully one that will turn out for the better for the Pirates and their fans.

We’ll continue to bring you our reactions and ask you for your thoughts surrounding the latest Pirates’ news and rumors.  Stay tuned.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Penn State vs. Duquesne Pre and Post Game Shows

Fans From The Stands was in attendance Saturday night at the Consol Energy Center as the Duquesne Dukes hosted the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Pregame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/user/zahatc#p/a/u/1/Stw2QAFzLJw

After the game Chad and Zane gave their thoughts on the basketball matchup.

Postgame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/user/zahatc#p/a/u/0/hBRZkvbMqjo

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see where Fans From The Stands will be broadcasting next.

Bucco Blurb: Rating The Pirates' Offseason Activity Thus Far

By Chad Carlson

Among the stories surrounding the Steelers and Penguins, which dominate the Pittsburgh media, the Pirates have been relatively busy this week.  Of course, the Winter Meetings were held this week in Dallas, and even though heading into the week, the Bucs were expected to be relatively quiet from an acquisition standpoint, the club actually made a number of moves over the past couple days.

Let’s summarize the moves the team made this week.  The Pirates signed Nate McLouth, whom they traded to Atlanta in 2009.  They also inked a deal with Erik Bedard, and DFA’d Jason Jaramillo and Pedro Ciriaco.  Ross Ohlendorf, to no one’s surprise, was released this week as well, while the Pirates also acquired Yamaico Navarro from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for two minor leaguers, pitcher Brooks Pounders and infielder Diego Goris. 

Of course, these moves follow the team’s acquisitions of shortstop Clint Barmes and catcher Rod Barajas earlier in the offseason.  The team has cut ties with Ronny Cedeno, Chris Snyder, and Ryan Doumit, to name a few.

So while the Pirates may or may not be done making moves this offseason, they have reached the end of the Winter Meetings, so it’s realistic now to be able to gage how they’ve done from a team improvement standpoint.  Let’s take a look…how have the Pirates done this offseason thus far?

First of all, we have to look at this realistically.  In terms of free agents, the top tier of players was never available to the Pirates.  Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, C.J. Wilson, etc. will never wear a Bucs’ uniform for reasons that don’t even need to be explained.  That being said, there were a number of free agents, granted a rather weak lower-tier class, who could certainly improve the Pirates team over their 2011 version. 

I have no issues with the team’s decisions to decline options on Paul Maholm, Chris Snyder, or Ryan Doumit.  Considering the production level from these players, as well as how much they would be owed in compensation, it simply isn’t worth it.  Relatively surprising was the club’s decision to pass on Ronny Cedeno’s option.  He would have been owed $3 million, but I still think that Clint Hurdle’s “lack of admiration” for Cedeno had a lot to do with the decision.  Similarly, Ross Ohlendorf’s release was expected and certainly justified.  The guy has done nothing but disappoint in a Pirates’ uniform.

Rod Barajas coming to Pittsburgh is a move that isn’t overwhelmingly exciting, but it’s something that had to be done.  The Bucs needed a catcher, and calls for Michael McKenry to be the starter are simply uneducated.  He, along with Jason Jaramillo, which was designated for assignment yesterday, as well as Eric Fryer, are not the answer behind the plate at this point.  A move had to be made, and, in terms of realistic signings and availability of players, Barajas is a decent pickup.  It remains to be seen how much he’ll be able to contribute with the bat, but given what the team got from the catcher position last year, just about anything would be an improvement.

The pitching rotation looks all but set after the team acquired Erik Bedard.  This is a risky move, given his injury problems, but I personally love it.  It shows the Bucs are willing to take a risk for immediate impact.  If Bedard is healthy, he’ll be a valuable upgrade to the pitching staff.  In addition to him, the rotation will include Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens, Kevin Correia, and James McDonald.  Morton, of course, may or may not be ready to begin the season follow hip surgery.

With the acquisition of Nate McLouth earlier this week, the Pirates seem to have the pieces in place in the outfield.  Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata are locks in center field and right field respectively, and Alex Presley appears to have the inside track for the everyday starter in left field.  With McLouth, though, they have a reliable backup in the even of injuries, and his playing time will significantly increase depending on his production.  I like this move by the Pirates, getting McLouth for low cost.  He’s ecstatic to be back in Pittsburgh, and hopefully he’ll return to his 2008 form.

Clint Barmes is the biggest move in terms of the infield, and I think he’s a slight upgrade over Ronny Cedeno.  He has more power, but he’s also older, and the defense is certainly in his favor.  He has a good relationship with Clint Hurdle, having played for him in Colorado, so he seems to be happy to be reunited with him in Pittsburgh.  The Yamaico Navarro deal gives the Bucs another backup option, which is nice to have in the event of an injury or in the case of another Pedro Alvarez struggle. 

The main issue still revolves around first base, especially following the Derrek Lee rejection of the Bucs’ arbitration offer.  Though it was expected, Lee’s decision is still disappointing.  He will not be a Pirate next season, most people say, and that leaves the team in a little bit of a bind.  Garrett Jones, Nick Evans, and Jake Fox, or any combination of the three, are the options for first base at this point.  Not doubting the ability of these players, but the Pirates need an everyday first baseman.  It will be interesting to see how the team approaches this situation in the coming weeks.

Just because the Winter Meetings are over, that certainly doesn’t mean the Pirates are done making moves.  Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for the latest reactions to Pirates’ news and rumors.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Roster Moves Continue For Pirates As Winter Meetings Conclude

By Chad Carlson

Though not comparing to the activity of other teams in baseball, the Pirates made a flurry of moves yesterday in Dallas…most of which are relatively acceptable from a fan’s standpoint.

The Bucs released Ross Ohlendorf, a move that most could have predicted following two terrible seasons for the 29 year old right hander.  Between injuries and overall lack of effectiveness on the mound, it was time for “Ohlie” to go.  Reports are that the Pirates still think he is much better than he performed, but still, it was clear he didn’t fit into the club’s plans for 2012 and beyond.

In addition, as was reported yesterday, Jason Jaramillo and Pedro Ciriaco were both designated for assignment in response to the signings of Nate McLouth and Erik Bedard.  The Bucs will have to release both players if they cannot trade them by next Monday’s deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players. 

The Ciriaco move isn’t surprising, considering the backup role options the team has for infielders, including Josh Harrison and Chase d’Arnaud, as well as Matt Hague and Jordy Mercer.  Newly acquired Nick Evans, as well as Jake Fox, will also be a part of the discussion for valuable utility roles.  Despite his hustle and strong will, Ciriaco didn’t quite measure up to the other options the Bucs have available, so there’s really no issue with cutting ties with him at this point.

In other news, the Pirates acquired infielder Yamaico Navarro from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for two minor leaguers, pitcher Brooks Pounders and infielder Diego Goris.  The 24 year old Navarro hit .264 in 59 games last season in Triple-A.  At the Major League level, he had a homerun and nine RBI’s in 22 games with the Boston Red Sox and the Royals.  Navarro will more than likely be the leading candidate to back up shortstop Clint Barmes this season.

And then there’s the situation at first base.  As expected, Derrek Lee rejected the Pirates’ arbitration offer.  It was speculated and assumed that Lee was going to wait until first basemen Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder signed before he did.  Pujols, of course, signed just this morning with the Los Angeles Angels, and now, expect a flurry of offers to surround Fielder.  The Bucs continue to say that they’ll keep in contact with Lee if he’s interested in playing in Pittsburgh.  While it would be great for Lee to return in 2012, it doesn’t seem very likely that will happen. 

As per Bucs’ insider Jenifer Langosch has reported, the team is leaning towards a platoon situation at first base if no deal is done for Lee.  The position would be occupied by a combination of Garrett Jones, Nick Evans, or Jake Fox.  The attempt at this type of situation in right field backfired on the Bucs last year when both Jones and Matt Diaz struggled tremendously.  Still, with Lee declining their offer and the lack of affordable first basemen on the market this offseason, this appears to be on of the only remaining options the Pirates have at this point.

The Pirates’ 2012 lineup is beginning to take shape, and as the situation at first base evolves, stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for the latest reactions to all news and notes surrounding the Bucs.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Follow us on Twitter @fftspittsburgh

Bucco Blurb: Pirates’ Starting Rotation Set After Signing Erik Bedard

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: USA Today

As has now been officially announced moments ago, the Pirates have signed left-hander Erik Bedard to a one-year, $4.5 million deal.  The 32-year old went 5-9 last season with a 3.62 ERA in Seattle and Boston.  He has a career 3.70 ERA in his eight MLB seasons.

The Bucs have been searching for a left-handed starter to complete their pitching rotation, after declining the option on Paul Maholm.  While Bedard’s potential is great, there is the worry about his health.  His injury history includes shoulder and elbow surgery, knee, hip, and MCL issues, among others.  As long as he’s healthy, he’ll aid the team.  A left-hander pitching in PNC Park?  Great numbers are possible.

That being said, regardless of how this works out, this is a rare offseason move that we, as fans, are not used to seeing from our Buccos.  This deal is a risk, no doubt about it.  The guy has great stuff, though, and has the capability of giving shutdown performances.  For once, I’m excited by an offseason move the Pirates have made.  It will be very interesting to see how this plays out, but either way, it’s a bold move by Pirates’ management to go after a quality player. 

Bedard will join Kevin Correia, James McDonald, Charlie Morton, and Jeff Karstens in the Pirates’ projected starting pitching rotation for 2012.

In other news, the Pirates just announced that Jason Jaramillo has been designated for assignment by the team to make room for Bedard.  Pedro Ciriaco has also been DFA’d to make space on the roster for Nate McLouth, whom the Pirates have now officially signed as well.

As rumors become confirmed and news breaks, stay tuned in to Fans From The Stands for all the reactions to the Winter Meetings’ transactions.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Bucco Blurb: Thoughts On Nate McLouth's Return To Pittsburgh

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Rumors continue to swirl here on Wednesday of Winter Meetings week for all teams across the league, and it’s no different for the Pirates, although on a much smaller scale.

While clubs like the Cardinals, Cubs, Marlins, and Angels are vying for some of the game’s best, the Bucs are trying to improve their team in their own ways. 

As has been murmured about the past couple days, the Pirates have agreed upon a deal with Nate McLouth today, reported to become official later this afternoon.  It is a one-year deal worth $1.75 million.  Being a Major League deal, the Bucs will have to make room on the roster for McLouth, so we should be expecting a move soon.

I’m really not sure how I feel about this deal.  At first, it was quite the surprise to me.  Of course, the Bucs dealt McLouth away to Atlanta in 2009 for Charlie Morton, Jeff Locke, and Gorkys Hernandez.  He’s been terrible for the Braves, much worse than he was when he was in Pittsburgh. 

At first glimpse, this move implies that the team wants to plug him into the outfield along with Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata, but whispers out of the Pirates’ organization and the media close to sources say that Alex Presley still has the inside route to the starting spot in left field.  If that’s the truth, then McLouth would be nothing more than a solid backup player.  Considering how last season went for both Tabata and Presley, who are young, rather unproven in Presley’s case, and spent time on the disabled list, having McLouth as a backup isn’t the worst move possible.  Still, with the other deficiencies the team has, it’s puzzling as to why this deal was done first.

The deal should be done by the end of the day, and with the other moves that may be going on as this post is being written, the McLouth signing may not be the biggest one of the day.

Stay right here at Fans From The Stands as we continue to react to all the Pirates’ news & rumors throughout the day and week.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Bucco Blurb: Winter Meeting News & Rumors

By Chad Carlson

Albert Pujols.  Prince Fielder.  C.J. Wilson. Mark Buehrle.  Jamie Moyer? 

While a number of teams take their shot at the major studs of the free agent market, our Pittsburgh Pirates are “at least moderately interested” in Jamie Moyer.  Yes, that’s right…Jamie Moyer, the 49-year old who is attempting a comeback after having Tommy John surgery in 2009.

Now it’s rather foolish to assume that just because they are in discussions that this may actually become a reality.  In fact, it’s highly improbable that the Bucs would make a move like this.  Of course, they would be able to add a left-hand to a starting rotation that certainly needs one, and financially, which is always a factor, Moyer would come very cheap. 

That being said, the Bucs are also interested in another lefty, Jeff Francis.  If you’ll remember, the Pirates were in talks with him last winter, but he ended up signing with the Kansas City Royals for $2 million.  After a 6-16 campaign in 2011, he’s back on the market and is of interest, in addition to Pittsburgh, to the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners.  Francis, of course, Francis pitched for Clint Hurdle when they were in Colorado together.  Maybe some pull?

There has been no further news or even rumors surrounding the Nate McClouth situation.  If there are serious discussions going on, it would appear as though the Pirates are not sold on Alex Presley as being able to fulfill a full season in left field.  McClouth hasn’t exactly made the Pirates regret trading him to Atlanta, and since Presley certainly contributed last season, this comes as a bit of a surprise.  Again, no more news about this, so until we hear more, this is no more than a rumor.

A few third baseman options continue to arise in Pirates’ discussions, but none at first base.  Neal Huntington has been quoted as saying that he’s confident that they’ll be able to fill the hole at first base internally if nothing presents itself from a trade standpoint or on the free agent market.  All indications point in the direction of Derrek Lee NOT returning to Pittsburgh, meaning that the starting job at first base would be between Garrett Jones, Nick Evans, Jake Fox, or a combination of any of the three. 

As for the third base situation, the Bucs appear to be prepared to cover themselves with a corner-man who is also able to play other infield positions.  If Pedro Alvarez struggles, they’ll have another option.  We all hope that’s not an issue.

The same problems remain at this point for the Pirates:  lack of run production.  Despite the signings of Rod Barajas and Clint Barmes, which were more defensive than offensive upgrades, the Bucs are either content with where they were last year (hope not), are overrating Barajas and Barmes, or are expecting significant offensive improves from the likes of Alvarez, Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, and Jose Tabata. 

Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands as we continue to learn more about Pirates’ news and rumors surrounding the winter meetings this week.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Why Major League Baseball Needs To Realign

by Zane Heiple

Late last month Major League Baseball and the Player’s Association came to an agreement on a new five year collective bargaining agreement.  Some of the major points of this agreement were blood testing for human growth hormone, provisions around how teams can spend money on the first year player draft, the addition of a second wild card team in the playoffs, and an increase in the minimum salary from $414,000 in 2010 to $480,000 in 2011 and eventually $500,000 in the future.

The last key point was the movement of the Houston Astros from the National League Central Division to the American League West Division in 2013.  This move will create three five team divisions in each league and cause interleague play to take place throughout the season.  For me the question now is why doesn’t Major League Baseball just totally realign and dissolve the NL and AL into a Western and Eastern Conference?  I know baseball traditionalists will think I’m crazy, but hear me out first.

First off a breakdown of the new conferences and divisions, the Eastern Conference will have three divisions.  The Northeast Division will be made up of the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Toronto Blue Jays.  The Central Division will include the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pittsburgh Pirates.  Finally the Southeast Division will consist of the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, and Washington Nationals.  In the Western Conference’s three divisions you will see the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, and St. Louis Cardinals in the Midwest Division.  A Southwest Division would include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers.  Finally the Pacific Division would host the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners.

After reading the new alignment where are the drawbacks?  Simply there are none.  If you are worried about rivalries, they are all still there.  Yankees still play the Red Sox, Cubs and Cardinals are still together, along with the Giants and Dodgers.  Plus look at all the new regional rivalries that will take place.  The Mets and Yankees would be going at it for division titles, Pittsburgh and Cleveland would no longer just be about the Browns and Steelers, the Beltway would be abuzz over the Orioles and Nationals, and maybe Florida could get excited about baseball with Marlins and Rays fighting over the division crown.  In the west the Windy City and Show Me State would have a division battle going all season, Texas would have a shootout between the Rangers and Astros and the battle of California would be going on between four teams.

So how do we schedule this?  Glad you asked.  Each team would play 12 games against their own division.  7 games would take place against each of the teams within your conference.  Finally 3 games would be played against teams in the opposite conference.  In total one game would be added to the schedule which owners would love since its one more game of revenue that would be added.  With an odd number of games teams would alternate yearly between having 81 or 82 home games.

The All-Star game could still be the deciding factor in home field for the World Series, and the playoffs would still consist of three division winners and two wild cards.  The other big question is what to do with the Designated Hitter?  Well I hate to say, but since there is no way that the MLBPA will let MLB to get rid of this position it will be adopted by both conferences.

Still not convinced?  Well look at this, the differences between the NL and AL have been fading for years.  With interleague play, umpires covering both leagues, the draft no longer alternating between leagues, no more league presidents, players switching leagues more often with free agency, both leagues feel the same other than the DH.  If keeping the National and American League names is so important just name the Western Conference the American League and the Eastern Conference the National League.

Major League Baseball has slowly been moving in this direction for years, so why not just pull the trigger and set this in motion.  Maybe having two separate leagues made sense before all this expansion took place, but face it the game has changed.  This format works for the NBA and NHL and I see no reason why it can’t work for the MLB.

Bucco Blurb: What Decisions Will Pirates Make With Arb Deadline Approaching?

First off…let’s dismiss any inkling of a rumor that the Pirates are looking to deal Andrew McCutchen.  The Bucs own the rights to Cutch for the next four years, and even though there was a note yesterday that the team would be willing to listen to offers for him, that doesn’t mean anything’s going to happen.  It won’t any time soon…according to local writers.

That aside, the Bucs are focusing on the arbitration deadline approaching in less than two weeks.  Nine players will be affected, and it will be very interesting to see how the team addresses each of their situations.  Here is a list of the players the Pirates have to make decisions about in regards to whether or not to tender a contract.

Jason Grilli

Joel Hanrahan

Garrett Jones

Jeff Karstens

Evan Meek

Charlie Morton

Ross Ohlendorf

Chris Resop

Jose Veras

In terms of relievers, based on comments from local writers and insiders, it seems as though out of Grilli, Meek, Resop, and Veras, the Bucs will want to bring two or three of them back for 2012.  If this is the case, I think Jose Veras is the odd-man out.  He had some big moments this past year, but he’s also had some horrific moments, and his control wavered down the stretch. 

Evan Meek should definitely be with the Bucs next year.  His performance in 2011 can’t really be judged with much significance, due to injury.  We can’t forget about his 2010 season, and given his age and upside, he should be (and hopefully will be) vying for the setup job in the bullpen beginning the 2012 season.  Jason Grilli will be his stiffest competition for the setup spot.  At the time he was brought on board, I was rather surprised by the move, but the Pirates have proven to make a nice acquisition.  Grilli was very surprising and impressive this past year, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t be able to continue that level in 2012. 

That leaves Chris Resop, with whom the Pirates could go either way here.  He’s coming off his most successful season, despite a couple rough months.  His “call-to-fame” in 2011 was his ability to shut batters down when he came in with runners on base.  He was able to get outs with runners in scoring position.  This is extremely valuable to any team, especially a team like the Pirates that needs to prevent as many runs as possible to compensate for lower offensive numbers.

Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens, and Joel Hanrahan are all givens.  They’ll be in Pirates’ uniforms next year.  There were rumors about the value of Hanrahan going up and things of that nature, but he’ll be a Buc this year.  Ross Ohlendorf SHOULDN’T be tendered a contract.  He’s had two straight bad seasons, having won just two games in 30 starts.  He still remains on the team’s roster at this point, but I still can’t see them keeping him around.

Garrett Jones is an interesting one, and maybe the contract situation will determine what they’re doing with the first base situation, or vice versa.  The team still doesn’t have a first baseman, and obviously Jones can do that.  However, is he an everyday productive first baseman?  Not sure about that.  If the Bucs acquire someone else, it becomes a question of whether they’ll be willing to pay a bench player that type of money.  I think, regardless of whether he’s in an everyday role or a platoon/bench role, G.I. Jones needs to be on the roster in 2012.

Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for all of the latest on the Pirates’ rumors and news.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Bucco Blurb: Who Will Be The Pirates’ First Baseman In 2012?

The Pirates continue to address the issues they need to correct, position by position, in one form another since the offseason has begun.  Two of the major decisions regarding the roster have already been made, as the Bucs have signed Rod Barajas to be their starting catcher and Clint Barmes for the starting shortstop job.  Now, most of the attention has been turned, in addition to the pitching rotation, to the vacant spot at first base.

Will Pittsburgh look for a starter at first base on the free agent market?  Will they try to acquire a player through a trade, or will they promote from within? 

The Bucs officially offered arbitration to Derrek Lee (announced on Wednesday), guaranteeing that they’ll get a compensatory Draft pick if Lee signs with another team this offseason.  Lee has the option of accepting the arbitration offer and agreeing to a one-year deal with the Pirates, although word is that it appears to be highly unlikely he’ll decide to return to Pittsburgh next season.  Lee’s decision will come on or before December 7.

It should be very interesting to see where the Pirates go in terms of a first baseman.  As far as regular players from past years, Garrett Jones appears to be the option at this point.  Of course, Matt Hague is still a possibility, but based on his play last year, it doesn’t look like he’s ready to be a regular 2012 everyday player at the Major League level.

Pedro Alvarez was originally figured to be migrated over to first base, but given his struggles last season, it appears that the Pirates don’t want to add any more of a transition for him in addition to his difficulties at the plate. 

Carlos Pena keeps bleeping up on the radar as far as external options.  He was the subject of a number of rumors as the season neared the Trade Deadline this past season, but the deal never developed.  Now, with the first base spot wide open at this point, the Bucs may be more willing to pay what they weren’t back in July.  Pena, of course, doesn’t hit for average by any means, but would add a considerable amount of power to a team that is desperate need of long-ball help.

Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for reactions to all the latest Pirates’ news.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

The Bucs And The New CBA: We Just Can't Catch A Break

Photo Credit: Bebeto Matthews/AP

We at Fans From The Stands are not baseball experts, nor have we claimed to be.  We have never played the sport professionally, and we’re certainly not the most educated.  We are FANS…of baseball in general, and, of course, our Pittsburgh Pirates.  We certainly want them to win, but regardless, we cheer for them.  We root for them.  We appreciate the game they play and we’re thankful to have baseball in this city. 

That being said, we’ve never claimed it’s easy to be a Pirates’ fan.  After all, we all know the horrible records the team has tallied over the years, and for the newest generations of baseball fans, the Bucs’ last winning regular season is before they were born.  Anyone can be a fan of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, or Philadelphia Phillies.  It’s easy to cheer for them because they win consistently, just as it’s easy for us in Pittsburgh to like the Steelers.  Despite the criticism we’ve undertaken due to our passion for a team that has consistently lost for years, we at FFTS are still proud to be Pirates’ fans.

But in all honesty, it is impossible to compare the Pirates to any other team in professional sports.  Why?  Several reasons:

1.      The Pirates are the record-setters for the most consecutive losing seasons in North American sports history.  No one has ever been as bad for as long as the Bucs.

2.      The Bucs play in Pittsburgh, a city with rich sports tradition.  After all, the Steelers and Penguins are consistent winners and have proven to do what it takes on and off the field to win their respective championships.

3.      This is baseball we’re talking about.  There is no salary cap.  The major-market teams have an advantage to get the top players over those clubs in the smaller markets.

4.      The Pirates’ management has been subject to scrutiny for years, having been accused of greed and personal gain over the improvement and accomplishment of the team.

5.      Top-tier free agents don’t want to come to Pittsburgh.  The Pirates won’t match salary offers made by other clubs, and the team doesn’t win.  Two things athletes want:  money and victory.  Neither has happened to Pittsburgh on the baseball field for nearly two decades.

Because of these factors, the Bucs have needed to find other methods of acquiring players to fill their roster.  In recent years, they have put a significant amount of money, the most in Major League Baseball, into the draft.  Although there has been doubt about this philosophy, their draft efforts have drawn mostly positive feelings amongst fans and media as it has appeared as though the Bucs are trying to build a competitive team.

Well, after the announcement of MLB’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, it seems that the Pirates may be struggling to compete for the foreseeable future.

The Tribune-Review’s Dejan Kovacevic accurately describes the influences the new deal will have on the Pirates in his article published today:

“The defining component of this agreement is a new ‘luxury tax’ to be applied to teams that spend too much on the amateur draft.  Any team exceeding the slot recommendation for a pick must pay a tax.  Any team that exceeds its allotted draft total, set by inverse order of the previous year’s standings, must pay a 100 percent tax.”

Applied to the Pirates’ situation, Kovacevic explains, “if the Pirates were to spend $17 million in 2012, as they did this June, and their ceiling were set at $9 million, they’d actually have to pay $25 million.  You know, for the ‘luxury.’

Check out his entire article here:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_768718.html

To be frank, this is downright scary.  And depressing.  The Bucs have a strong core of young players, some of which have already graced the PNC Park field, while others have recently been signed to the team in the past few years.  This is all part of management’s statement that they’re going to establish a winning team by building from within rather than signing top free agents.  With these new regulations, including the “luxury tax,” the Pirates’ strategy is significantly deflated.

Even more cringing was President Frank Coonelly’s statement about the new agreement and his team:

“Is this everything the Pittsburgh Pirates hoped it would be?  No.  But we don’t subscribe to the notion it was aimed at us.  For one, this has been in the works for a long time.  For another, at the end of the day, if teams like the Yankees ever wanted to really flex their muscles in the draft, they could do it.  This prevents that.  We’ll continue to sign the players we draft.”

Too politically correct?  Too generic?  Too rehearsed?  This isn’t exactly what Pirates’ fans want to hear following one of the more exciting regular seasons the team has had since their losing streak began. 

The statement from MLB and the board is that the new draft luxury tax is an effort to level the playing field.  It’s tough to understand that from the perspective of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for reactions to all the latest Pirates’ news and rumors.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Clint Barmes Signs Two Year Deal With Pirates

Photo Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images

After days of speculation, it’s official:  Clint Barmes and the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a deal.  The free agent, who spent parts of eight seasons with the Colorado Rockies and was the Houston Astros’ shortstop in 2011, signed with the Bucs for 2 years, $10.5 million.  Rumors spread throughout the morning, and they were later confirmed by the Bucs’ MLB.com reporter Jenifer Langosch.

The Barmes signing obviously lays to rest any thoughts of Rafael Furcal or Ramon Santiago coming to Pittsburgh.  Even though there were rumors stating such, I personally still am not convinced that Furcal was ever a serious option for the Pirates.  He’s much more offensive-minded than defensive, and he would have wanted more money than the Pirates would be willing to offer.  Further, he is a little older and has just won a World Series, so one would have to wonder his interest level in coming to Pittsburgh.

Today’s deal also eliminates the possibility of the Pirates re-negotiating a deal to bring Ronny Cedeno, whose option the team decided not to exercise after this past year, back for another season.  Backup options for the Bucs include Chase d’Arnaud and Pedro Ciriaco, as well as Josh Harrison, who can survive as a reserve at third and even second base as well.

So how much of an upgrade is Clint Barmes over Ronny Cedeno, if at all?  First of all, there is sure to be a much better relationship between player and manager, as Barmes and Clint Hurdle were together in Colorado.  Cedeno and Hurdle never really seemed to get along all that well, and with certain antics and hustle-less players displayed by Ronny on multiple occasions in 2011, it’s not shocking that the Pirates replaced him when given the opportunity to do so. 

For the most part, this doesn’t necessarily seem to be a huge upgrade for the Pirates.  Clearly, the team believes that they are getting a better player in Barmes at $10.5 million over 2 years in comparison to the $3 million option they denied on Cedeno, but based upon the on-the-field production, arguments could be made for either player.

Cedeno is four years younger than the 32-year old Barmes, but Ronny has been wildly inconsistent since coming to Pittsburgh in the Jack Wilson deal with Seattle.  Barmes is a career .252 hitter as opposed to Cedeno’s .246, while Ronny was one of the top-rated defensive shortstops in the National League in 2011.  Their numbers this past season were pretty identical, with the exception of homeruns (Barmes’ 12 vs. Cedeno’s 2). 

Barmes:  .244 average, 27 doubles, 39 RBI’s, 47 runs scored, .312 on-base %

Cedeno:  .249 average, 25 doubles, 32 RBI’s, 43 runs scored, .297 on-base %

From an offensive standpoint, power seems to be in favor of Barmes, as Cedeno has never hit more than 10 homeruns in a season.  Clint, on the other hand, has done so four times, including a 23 round-ball campaign in 2009 with Colorado.  While Ronny has eclipsed 40 RBI’s only once in a season, Barmes has done so four times. 

The huge question is, though, whether or not Barmes’ age will play a factor.  At 32 years old, he’s actually more likely to get worse on offense and defense than he is to get better.  Following that line of thinking, it’s bizarre that the Pirates were willing to fork over $10.5 million while objecting to exercise Cedeno’s $3 million option.

With the Barmes signing, the Pirates have added another piece to the puzzle this offseason, having already inked catcher Rod Barajas to a deal.  The attention now shifts to first base as well as the starting pitching rotation to see what changes and upgrades the team will make in preparation for the 2012 season.

As always, stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for the latest reactions to the Pirates’ news and rumors.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!