Bucco Blurb: Latest Pirates' News & Rumors

The busy month of November continues for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as more roster moves and rumors of others have been made less than a month following the end of the 2011 postseason.  While it’s obvious that the Pirates will not make offers to the top tier of free agents, there are a number of other talented players that they could certainly benefit from signing.

Pirates Interested In Ramon Santiago? 

One of the biggest stories of the Bucs’ offseason thus far is the rumored interest in the Tigers’ Ramon Santiago.  Now that Ronny Cedeno is out of the picture, shortstop is a wide open position that the Pirates need to fill, and internal names like Chase d’Arnaud, Pedro Ciriaco, and Josh Harrison don’t seem to be at the level of an everyday player. 

Santiago isn’t exactly what is referred to as an “established everyday player,” which, in turn, could actually work to the Pirates’ advantage.  The price shouldn’t be too high, and all in all, he’s probably a better player than Cedeno.  He has the reputation as a strong defender, but he’s definitely better than Ronny with the bat.  The big question is whether or not the Tigers will want to re-sign him.  But even if they do, the Pirates may actually hold a higher card here because they would be offering an everyday position as opposed to a reserve/platoon spot with Detroit.

If Not Santiago, Why Not Barmes?

The Astros’ Clint Barmes is another shortstop that may be targeted by the Bucs this offseason.  Clint Hurdle managed Barmes while they were both in Colorado, so he may be willing to come to Pittsburgh.  Like many other shortstops, Barmes is definitely known for his defense more than his offense.  Again, Cedeno was much better with the glove than with the bat, so this wouldn’t exactly be devastating for the Bucs.  Barmes will be 33 years old by Opening Day 2012, older than both Cedeno and Ramon Santiago.  That, accompanied by salary issues and availability of other players, will determine if the Pirates seriously pursue Barmes.

Pirates Sign Minor Leaguers

The Pirates signed several minor league players last week, all of which are considered to be player-coaches.  Catchers Milver Reyes and Wyatt Toregas, as well as second baseman Keoni De Renne and third baseman Vince Harrison, were signed, as were outfielders Jason Cooper and Michael Ryan.  In other news, Steve Pearce is now officially a minor-league free agent.  Hopefully, not a single one of these players will ever see Major League time.  Of course, Toregas was up with the big club for a limited amount of time earlier this past season following injuries to Chris Snyder and Ryan Doumit. 

Former Bucs In Contact With Other Clubs

Ryan Doumit has reportedly rejected a deal from the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The offer was in the $3 million range, and with his reaction, it appears as though Doumit won’t be signing with anyone in the near future.  The Dodgers are rumored to be very close to a deal with Matt Kemp, worth a reported 8 year, $160 million.  As for Doumit, the Cleveland Indians are also apparently interested in making a deal…but as of yet, no offer has been made.

Also, former Pirates Rule 5 Draft Pick Donnie Veal signed a minor-league contract with the Chicago White Sox last week, and has been added to the team’s 40-man roster.  Veal’s time in Pittsburgh was mauled by injuries, and never really developed into a player the Pirates were interested in keeping in their bullpen.

Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for reactions to the latest news and rumors surrounding our Battlin’ Buccos.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Bucco Blurb: Pirates' Roster Moves

Even though the World Series ended just a matter of weeks ago, we are still only a few months away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Bradenton in February.  This is sure to be a busy offseason, and already, news and rumors are circulating regarding the Pittsburgh Pirates and their prospective roster moves.  Let’s get to the latest Pirates’ news right here on Bucco Blurbs:

Pirates Sign Rod Barajas: 

It was announced earlier today that the Pirates signed catcher Rod Barajas to a one-year contract with a club option for 2013.  Barajas will reportedly earn $4 million in 2012, while his 2013 club option is worth $3.5 million including no buyout.  Barajas is an 11-year veteran, hitting .230 with 16 homeruns and 47 RBI’s last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The 36-year old has played for six teams, hitting .238 for his career.  He joins a list of prospective starting catchers that includes Matt Pagnozzi, Michael McKenry, and Jason Jaramillo. 

This is another head-scratching move by the Pirates, similar to the club’s acquisition of Pagnozzi in the last few weeks of the 2011 season.  Are the Pirates buying time until Tony Sanchez is ready for Major League action?  That seems to be the only logical explanation.  While he has much more experience and success than Pagnozzi, at age 36, Barajas obviously isn’t the Bucs’ long-term answer as their catcher.  Regardless, it appears as though the starting catcher position is going to be a four-man race to begin the 2012 season.

Club Discourages Idea Of Harrison Starting At Shortstop:

Despite the freefall the Pirates and their fans endured the last two months of the season, one of the brighter spots was the inspired play of Josh Harrison.  He made his Major League debut in 2011, hitting .272 while scored 21 runs and playing as hard as any one of the team.  While his effort is unquestioned, general manager Neal Huntington has been upfront in saying that they expect Harrison to be no more than a utility player next season.  He filled in well in his role last year, whether it was relieving Neil Walker at second base or putting in reps at third base during Pedro Alvarez’s mess of a 2011 season. 

Speculation momentarily arose following the news that the Pirates were not going to exercise their option on Ronny Cedeno, suggesting that Harrison could take over the starting role.  Furthermore, Josh agreed to go to instructional league at the end of the Major League season to get repetition at short, but despite these factors, it appears highly unlikely he’ll be a starter for the Pirates next season.  Expect more platoon work for Harrison in 2012.  This, of course, means that the Pirates’ current starting shortstop position is vacant.

Five Bucs Sent To Triple-A:  

Though this news is a couple weeks old, the Pirates’ decision to option these players to Triple-A is worth discussing.  Brian Burress, Aaron Thompson, Kevin Hart, Brandon Wood, and Steve Pearce were optioned at the end of October, and all five players have been expected to test the free agent market.  All of these players have been ineffective in one form or another, and while there is a chance of re-signing any or all of them this offseason, but by making these moves, the Pirates clearly are looking elsewhere for contributions that they feel these players won’t be able to provide going forward. 

Pearce is by far the most frustrating and disappointing of these players, having never really given a clear shot to perform at the Major League level.  He’s certainly been injury plagued throughout his career thus far, and after a strong Spring Training and earning his spot on the 2011 Opening Day roster, appeared in only 50 games this past season.  In his five-seasons with Pittsburgh, he hit .232 in 185 games.  Wood, of course, was claimed off waivers in April, played in 99 games, hitting .220.  He was a former top prospect in the Angels’ system, and while many see the upside in a guy like Wood, he simply doesn’t seem to be in the Pirates’ interest to retain.  Burres and Thompson both achieved limited success in their stints with the big club, while Hart’s experience as a Pirate has been non-existent due to injuries. 

There shouldn’t be any major issues regarding these moves.  Wood and Pearce certainly had bright spots, but neither has proven to be consistent, while Burres and Thompson are replaceable in the bullpen.  With the dissention of five role players and relief pitchers, this only adds to the roster moves and acquisitions Pirates’ fans can expect from the team this offseason.

Bucs Decline Options On Cedeno, Maholm, Doumit, Snyder:

As had been previously expected and announced, the Pirates announced last month that they declined to exercise the 2012 club options on Paul Maholm, Ryan Doumit and Chris Snyder.  All three were owed a ton of money, and their lack of production, accompanied by injury problems made these decisions to allow them to become free agents was expected and understood. 

The biggest surprise, however, centers on Ronny Cedeno, whose option was also declined.  The Bucs’ starting shortstop was due $3 million next season, which is a far lower amount when compared to the other three players.  It had become common knowledge during last season that Cedeno wasn’t exactly Clint Hurdle’s favorite player, and his mental lapses and inconsistent play, along with his apparent lack of production at the plate, no one can argue with the Pirates’ desire to seek better play elsewhere.  But without clear targets in mind to replace Cedeno externally, we all have to wonder what the future will hold at this position. 

If the Bucs end up negotiating with any of these four players later in the offseason, it would be on a contract worth less than the options that have been declined.  That being said, the Pirates will have competition.  The free-agent market is low in catching, shortstop, and pitching options, which will certainly increase the cost of those players that are available.

With the team’s signing of Rod Barajas, it appears clear that the Pirates will not seek to re-negotiate with Snyder or Doumit.

As we approach the middle of the month, there is a busy offseason ahead of us.  Other than a few concrete spots in the outfield and at second base, the Pirates’ prospective starting roster is wide open, and many questions will be answered over the coming weeks and months.

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

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Matt Pagnozzi

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Chris Schneider/AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed catcher Matt Pagnozzi off waivers yesterday, after he had been designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.

Pagnozzi was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 8^th round of the 2003 June amateur draft, and made his professional debut with the New Jersey Cardinals of the New York-Penn League.  After advancing to AAA Memphis in 2008 and into 2009, the Cardinals called up him in September, making his Major League Baseball debut on September 29.  Pagnozzi hit his first MLB homerun on September 28, 2010, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

On November 29, 2011, Pagnozzi signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies.  He appeared in just seven games with the Rockies this year, with six hits in only 21 plate appearances.  He played in 54 games at the Triple-A level this season, hitting .275 with three homeruns, 13 doubles, and 29 RBI’s.

The Bucs made room for Pagnozzi on the 40-man roster by transferring Steve Pearce to the 60-day DL. 

This move was obviously made for next season, and not the remaining two weeks of 2011.  While the Pirates hold club options on both Chris Snyder and Ryan Doumit, a move like claiming a 28-year old catcher from another club implies they’re not looking to exercise either of those options.  If that’s the case, the three catchers vying for the starting catching job in 2012 will be Pagnozzi, Michael McKenry, and Jason Jaramillo.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McDonald's Strong Start Lifts Pirates Past Astros

by Zane Heiple

Photo By AP

While the rest of us were enjoying a day off from work, Mother Nature was working as she delayed the start to today’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros.  Even when the game did start rain was present throughout the contest.  James McDonald handled the weather and Astros fairly well this afternoon as he would go 7.1 innings allowing one run on three hits, with three walks and six strikeouts as he picked his ninth win on the season today.  The seven plus inning of work was the longest of the year for McDonald.

Houston was able to strike first today.  In the third inning Astros pitcher Henry Sosa was able to draw a four pitch walk.  Then with two outs Jose Altuve hit a fly ball to right field that Jose Tabata misread, which allowed Sosa to score and Altuve to end up with a triple.

Pittsburgh would rally in the fourth inning.  With one out and runners on first and second, Ryan Doumit would double to centerfield, scoring Andrew McCutchen from second base.  Josh Harrison would continue swinging a hot bat with a single to center, which brought home Derrek Lee.  The Pirates would add an insurance run in the eighth inning off the bat of Lee, who when healthy and in a Buccos uniform seems to be a source of power that this lineup desperately needs.  It will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh management will make Lee an offer to remain with the Pirates in 2012.

With a two run lead Joel Hanrahan would come out of the bullpen to earn his 35^th save of the year, which game the Buccos a 3-1 win.  Even though both of these teams are out of contention, Pittsburgh is looking to play for pride as they were swept by Houston a week ago.  With every win, the Pirates increase their win total from last year as they currently have eight more than they did at the end of 2010. 

A few side notes, Chris Snyder announced today that he will not be back this season, which should not be a surprise to fans, since there is less than a month less in the season.  Tabata left the game today with discomfort in his left wrist which has been bothering him since last week.  Jeff Karstens will miss another start on Wednesday to rest his arm, Brian Burres will start in his place.  Game two of this series will be tomorrow night at 7:05pm Brett Myers will take on Brad Lincoln.

Record vs. Astros:  10-6
Record vs. N.L. Central:  34-35
Record at PNC Park:  32-38
Overall Record:  65-76

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Meet Your Bucs: Michael McKenry

by Zane Heiple

Photo by mlb.com

With injuries to catchers Chris Snyder, Ryan Doumit and Jason Jaramillo, it is easy to say the Pittsburgh Pirates are in dire need of help behind the plate.  Late Sunday night they went out and made a trade with the Boston Red Sox to acquire minor league catcher Michael McKenry for cash considerations or a player to be named later.  In order to make room for McKenry, Wyatt Toregas was sent back to AAA Indianapolis.

McKenry is a former 2006 seventh round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies, whom he would make his Major League debut with on September 8^th, 2010.  He was then traded to the Red Sox in March of 2011 and has spent all of this season with the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox.

This season in Pawtucket, he has hit .274 with 3 home runs and 12 RBI.  Defensively he has thrown out 5 of 19 base runners.  A big reason why he was acquired is that Pirates manager Clint Hurdle and coach Mark Strittmatter spent time working with Michael during their time with the Rockies.

Catcher is a very important position on the diamond and while it is very tough to replace players with the experience of Snyder and Doumit, it is good to see the organization make a move to help sure up the need of a player behind the plate.  Be sure to check back often to Fans From The Stands for the latest roster moves.

Meet Your Bucs: Wyatt Toregas

by Zane Heiple

Photo by zimbio.com

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed catcher Chris Snyder on the 15 day disabled list on Thursday for a herniated disk injury in his lower back.  Wyatt Toregas was called up from AAA Indianapolis to give the Buccos another catcher on the 25 man roster.

Toregas is a former 2004 draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in the 24^th round out of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.  He has spent the majority of his career in the Minor Leagues and did not make his Major League debut until August of 2009.  During that stretch he played in 19 games where he batted .176 with 6 RBI.  Behind the plate he threw out 2 of 10 batters that attempted to steal on him.  After spending the 2010 season with the Columbus Clippers, he was released by the Indians and then signed a contract with the Pirates in 2011.

So far he has spent all of 2011 with the Indianapolis Indians where he has hit .034 and thrown out 25% of runners who have attempted stealing.  While this is by no means an answer to the injuries of Ryan Doumit and Snyder, Toregas is an insurance policy incase Dusty Brown needs time off.  Pittsburgh has stated that they have started looking outside the organization for catching help, so there could be more updates from behind the plate coming soon.

Meet Your Bucs: Josh Harrison and Dusty Brown

by Zane Heiple

On Monday it was announce that the Pittsburgh Pirates placed Ryan Doumit (fractured ankle) and Steve Pearce (partially torn calf muscle) on the 15-day DL.  In their place, the Pirates called up infielder Josh Harrison and catcher Dusty Brown.

Photo by web.minorleaguebaseball.com

Josh Harrison is a former 2008 sixth round pick of the Chicago Cubs.  Pittsburgh acquired Harrison, along with Kevin Hart, and Jose Ascanio for John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny on July 30, 2009.  So far this year he has played at AAA Indianapolis.  His stats at the plate read:  .321 batting average, 2 home runs, and 11 RBI in 37 games.  Defensively he has played 8 games at second, 26 games at third, and 1 game at shortstop.  His combined fielding percentage at all three positions is .890.  While in Pittsburgh he will most likely see time at third and shortstop.  He would make his big league debut on May 31, 2011.

Photo by pictures.zimbio.com

Dusty Brown was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 35^th round of the 2000 draft.  He made his Major League debut on June 23, 2009 for the Sox.  Brown became a Minor League free agent after the 2010 season and was signed by the Pirates to a Minor League contract.  So far this year he has played in 30 games with Indianapolis where he has hit .263 with 6 home runs and 19 RBI.  In 26 games behind the plate he has thrown out 42% of base runners, something that is needed at the big league level for the Pirates.  While Chris Snyder will catch the majority of games, Brown has big shoes to fill as Doumit has had one of his better seasons before going down with the injury.

Be sure to check back throughout the season for more updates to the Pirates roster at fansfromthestands.com.

Mets Cruise Past Pirates In Series Opener

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates headed to the Big Apple to take on the New York Mets in a four game series.  The Buccos were looking to continue their road success not only on the season, but on this road trip after taking two of three from the Chicago Cubs.  To start this series Pittsburgh would send Charlie Morton to the mound in hopes that he would continue his great pitching of 2011.  The Mets countered with right hander Dillion Gee.

Morton did not have the best game of his year.  He would go six innings, but gave up three runs, one earned, on eleven hits while striking out four and not walking a batter.  After the Pirates took a two run lead in the top of the second on a Chris Snyder two run home run, the Mets were able to tie in the bottom part.  With runners on second and third, a passed ball by Snyder allowed the runner from third to score.  A soft single that would go between the pitcher’s mound and third base by Ruben Tejada allowed Angel Pagan to tie it up.

The Metropolitans struck again with one run in the fifth.  Justin Turner would be hit by a pitch and then come around to score after three straight singles by the Mets.  Pittsburgh was able to tie the game at three in the seventh when Lyle Overbay scored on a Ronny Cedeno ground out to third.

Daniel McCutchen came out of the bullpen for the Buccos and New York jumped on him as well.  D-Cutch would walk the first batter, give up a single to the next batter, give up a sac fly, and then give up a two run double to Josh Thole.  This would mark the end of McCutchen’s day, as Daniel Moskos would collect the final two outs of the seventh. 

New York’s offense was not done however.  With reliever Jose Ascanio on the hill, Turner would crush a RBI double of f the left centerfield wall.  After a single by Carlos Beltran put runners on first and third, Daniel Murphy would ground into a force out at second that scored Turner from third.

Francisco Rodriguez came in and closed the door on the Buccos to give the Mets a 7-3 win tonight.  This game had a bad vibe all night.  The New York bats were finding holes in the Pittsburgh defense, the Pirates offense was back to its usual stagnate self, and the pitching was unable to shut down the Mets offense in key situations.  Hopefully this was just a one game thing and the Buccos were just a little worn out from the flight out of Chicago.  These two teams will battle in game two tomorrow night at 7:10.

On a side note, both Ryan Doumit and Steve Pearce were placed on the 15-day disabled list because of injuries suffered during the Cubs series.  Doumit has been solid in his role this year and Pearce was getting most of the playing time at third with Pedro Alvarez out.  Dusty Brown and Josh Harrison were called up from AAA Indianapolis to take their places on the 25 man roster.  It was also noted that Ross Ohlendorf was moved from the 15 to 60-day DL.  Check fansfromthestands.com tomorrow for a Meet Your Bucs article on Brown and Harrison.

Record vs. Mets:  0-1
Record vs. N.L. East:  2-8
Record on the Road:  15-14
Overall Record:  24-28

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates Road Success Continues With 4-2 Victory Over Cubs

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates headed back to the city where the season began, to face their divisional foe the Chicago Cubs in a three game series.  As was in April, Kevin Correia took the ball to begin today’s game.  Pittsburgh’s offense was hoping some travel would help jumpstart their bats after scoring only two runs in their previous three games.  Cubs’ starter Doug Davis was looking to keep them in check and deliver his first win of the year. 

The Buccos scored in the second inning.  Ronny Cedeno reached to load the bases on a fielding error by Davis.  Correia then would hit what should have been a double play to Aramis Ramirez, but the third baseman bobbled it allowing Chris Snyder to score from third.  With one out Steve Pearce would hit a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Pittsburgh was able to add two more runs in the fourth inning.  The Pirates had the bases loaded when Andrew McCutchen was able to draw a walk and give the Buccos a three run lead.  4-0 would be the score after Neil Walker hit a grounder to Ramirez.  He tried to tag the base for the final out but Pearce beat him to it to avoid the final out.

Correia continued high level of pitching on the road this year.  He would leave the game after 7.1 innings pitched and runners on 1^st and 2^nd.  Kevin gave up zero runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.  Jose Veras came out of the bullpen and was able to end the inning but not without some drama.  He would get the first batter he faced to fly out, but then walked the next batter to load the bases.  Fortunately, he was once again able to induce a fly out to get out of the jam and end the inning.

The ninth inning was not as kind to Joe Beimel.  Beimel would only face two batters and the first one he walked, the second was Alfonso Soriano.  Soriano hammered a pitch to left field for his 12^th home run on the year to inch the Cubbies closer.  This turn of events brought Joel Hanrahan out of the pen and he did not disappoint.  Joel would earn his 14^th save of the year, by striking out the side to put the cap on a 4-2 Pirates victory.

Once again the Pirates played well on the road.  Correia gave them another well pitched outing by a starter and this time the offense gave enough run support for the W to be earned.  Beimel was the only one to disappoint, but Hanrahan stepped up like he has all year.  These two teams will square off again tomorrow afternoon at 1:05pm.  Paul Maholm will look to continue his run of effective pitching, while the offense will look to give him the proper support that he deserves.

Record vs. Cubs:  3-1
Record vs. N.L. Central:  12-9
Record on the Road:  14-12
Overall Record:  23-26

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates Blanked For Second Straight Game

by Zane Heiple

The Pittsburgh Pirates offense has been inconsistent and frustrating all season long.  After starting this home stand by scoring 16 runs in the first two games, they have score zero in the past two, including tonight’s 2-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Jair Jurrjens stifled the Pirates bat’s all night long.  He would give up only six hits in 7.2 innings pitched, while striking out four and walking only one batter.  None of the Pittsburgh base runners would advance past second base. 

A major theme to this season has also been wasting quality starts, and while usually Paul Maholm is the one on the mound when this happens, tonight it was Charlie Morton.  Morton would give up both runs tonight.  The first occurred in the second inning on a sacrifice fly to right field by Brooks Conrad that scored Alex Gonzalez.  The last would happen in the third, when Martin Prado doubled down the leftfield line allowing Jordan Schafer to score all the way from first base.  Charlie would go seven innings tonight giving up seven hits, striking out four and walking three.

Jose Tabata and Chris Snyder were the only Buccos to record multiple hits tonight.  Joe Beimel would pitch a scoreless eighth inning, while Evan Meek made his first appearance since coming off of the DL on Sunday.   He looked impressive as he struck out all three Braves that he faced.   To make room for Meek, former first round pick Daniel Moskos was sent back to AAA Indianapolis.

The Pirates will look to even up this two game series with the Braves tomorrow afternoon at 12:35pm.  James McDonald will take to the hill for Pittsburgh.

Record vs. Braves:  0-1
Record vs. N.L. East 2-6
Record at PNC Park:  9-13
Overall Record 22-25

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Doumit's Grand Slam Helps Pirates Win Game, Take Series From Padres

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates had the chance to win their fifth road series of the season tonight with a victory against the San Diego Padres.  After letting a close one slip away last night due to unforced errors and mental mistakes on both sides of the ball, the Buccos sent starter, and former Padre, Kevin Correia to the mound in hopes of locking up the series. 

That’s exactly what happened tonight, as a strong start from Kevin and a huge third inning offensively helped the Pirates win the game against the Padres tonight at PetCo Park, 7-4.

Correia pitched well tonight, but he didn’t necessarily have to after the third inning.  The Pirates’ offense, often stagnant this season, exploded tonight, burying the Padres early.  After gaining a 1-0 lead in the second inning, the Bucs blew the game wide open the very next inning. 

Neil Walker smacked a two-run single to center, scoring Andrew McCutchen and Xavier Paul.  Two batters later with the bases loaded, Ryan Doumit walked to the plate and hammered a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for the grand slam.  It was the third G.S. of Doumit’s career, and extended the Pirates’ lead to a dominant 7-0.

As for Correia, he gave up two runs on five hits through six innings of work.  He struck out three and walked two, earning his fifth victory of the season.  His ERA sits at 2.91. 

Chris Resop and Daniel McCutchen did a superb job in relief, each pitching an inning of shutout baseball.

Unfortunately, as we, Bucco fans, have become accustomed to over the years, nothing ever seems to happen smoothly.  Jose Veras, who has been one of the more impressive relievers for the Pirates thus far, struggled mightily tonight in the ninth inning, giving up two solo homeruns and walking one batter.  After the Padres cut the lead to 7-4, Veras was able to get the final out, clinching the victory for the Bucs.

Wow, what a huge game for the Pirates.  This puts a cap on yet another successful road trip, as they finish up their west-coast trek with a 4-2 mark.  Doumit was the star of the day with two hits, including the grand slam, while Matt Diaz  had a pair of hits as well.  In all, the Pirates had eight hits, and took advantage of two costly third inning errors by San Diego.

This was an impressive victory for the Pirates.  The offense tallied seven runs on a day when Lyle Overbay, Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, and Chris Snyder were out of the lineup.  They got an early lead once again for the ninth straight game, a strong starting pitching performance, and the bullpen, although not as clean tonight as usual, still did enough to keep the lead and secure the victory.

The Pirates fly home tonight to Pittsburgh and will enjoy a much-deserved day off tomorrow.  Their third home stand of the season kicks off this weekend with a three-game set against N.L. Central foes the Houston Astros, followed by a four-game stand against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Record Vs. Padres: 2-1

Record Vs. N.L. West: 6-7

Record On The Road: 11-8

Overall Record: 15-16

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Jones And Snyder Homer As Pirates Win Again On The Road

By Zane Heiple

Photo Credit: AP

The Buccos left a cold Colorado and headed to sunny San Diego for a three game set with the Padres.  Pittsburgh came into this series with a 9-7 record on the road and is facing a Padres team that has only won four times at PetCo Park this season.  James McDonald was looking to build on the success of his last start tonight, while Aaron Harang took to the hill for San Diego.

The Pirates have scored first in six straight coming into this game and tonight was no different.  A pair of two-run homeruns gave Pittsburgh a 4-0 lead in the first inning.  Garrett Jones hit the first one after Xavier Paul singled past second baseman Orlando Hudson.  Chris Snyder hit his first homerun of the year with two outs and Neil Walker on third after a pickoff error by Harang.

Jones flashed some leather in the fourth inning on a nice sliding catch near the foul line in right field.  This was followed up in the fifth when he gunned out Padres’ first baseman Brad Hawpe at the plate after catching an Eric Patterson fly ball.

McDonald was cruising until the sixth when Jorge Cantu blasted a two run homer to left field that cut the Pirates’ lead to 4-2.  James exited the game after this inning.  His final line read:  two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk.  It was great to see him decrease that walk total tonight and the two runs is something we will take anytime when he makes a start.

The bullpen was finally charged with a run tonight.  After Jose Veras pitched a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two batters, Chris Resop allowed on run when Ryan Ludwick singled home Will Venable from second base.  Fortunately, Resop stopped the bleeding and was able to hand the ball to Joel Hanrahan for the ninth inning.

The ninth would be interesting for the Buccos.  Hanrahan got the first two outs, but gave up a single to Nick Hundley with two strikes.  Pinch runner Chris Denorfia advanced to third when a ground ball by Chase Headley made its way past Neil Walker.  Joel earned his ninth save of the year, however, and closed the door on a 4-3 Pirates’ win, when Venable grounded out to shortstop Ronny Cedeno.

Pittsburgh battled to maintain an early four run lead to pick up win number ten on the road this year.  While it would have been nice to see the offense maintain the onslaught after the first inning, the pitching staff once again pitched well to maintain the early lead.  Make sure to take another power nap tomorrow as these two teams will go at it again at 10:05 pm EST with Jeff Karstens making another start for the injured Ross Ohlendorf, while Padres’ pitcher Mat Latos will look for his first win of the year for San Diego.

Record Vs. Padres: 1-0

Record Vs. N.L. West: 5-6

Record On The Road: 10-7

Overall Record: 14-15

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McDonald Has Best Start Of Season, Pirates Shutout Giants

By Zane Heiple

Photo Credit: Don Wright/AP

After a frustrating 3-2 loss on Tuesday night, the Pirates battled the Giants in game two of this three game series.  Tonight was another closely fought contest, as starting pitchers James McDonald and Madison Bumgarner made it tough for both offenses to get anything going.

Pittsburgh notched a run early tonight during the second inning.  Neil Walker led the inning off with a single and Steve Pearce followed that up with a double.  Chris Snyder brought Walker home with a single to center.

With no outs and two runners on, Bumgarner was able to get three straight outs without allowing the Pirates to score another run.  This is something we, as Bucco fans, have become accustomed to seeing over the years.  What made this tough tonight was that Pedro Alvarez and Brandon Wood were two of the three outs and these are guys we need RBI production from in order to be successful.  But, that type of pitching is why the Giants are the defending World Series champions.

James McDonald definitely had his best game of the year tonight as he shut down San Francisco’s offense over six innings, allowing four hits, while walking four and striking out three.  With McDonald out of the game, manager Clint Hurdle used three relievers over the course of two innings to get to closer Joel Hanrahan.  Mike Crotta and Joe Beimel each got an out in the seventh, while Chris Resop went 1.1 innings, while striking out one batter.

The Buccos added an insurance run in the seventh when Jose Tabata singled home Wood to get them a 2-0 lead.  Hanrahan earned his seventh save of the year after giving up a walk and a hit in his one inning of relief.

It was great to see the Pirates pull off the win tonight after it slipped through their hands on Tuesday.  Coming into this series, we all knew the Buccos’ starting pitching would have to be on top of their game in order to pull out W’s against the Giants’ starters.  The difference between tonight and last night was Pittsburgh’s ability to limit mistakes by the defense.  I feel our Buccos have a very good chance of taking the rubber match of the series tomorrow afternoon, as Jeff Karstens will take on former Bucco Ryan Vogelsong at 12:35. 

Record Vs. Giants: 1-1

Record Vs. N.L. West: 2-4

Record At Home: 4-7

Overall Record: 11-13

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Maholm Pitches Well, Wood Delivers Huge Hit As Pirates Beat Nationals

By Zane Heiple

Photo Credit: AP

The Pirates and Nationals finished off a three-game series tonight after Friday night’s game was postponed due to rain.  The two teams split the first two games of the series and were looking to get solid starting pitching performances in order to win the series.  Pittsburgh gave the starting nod to Paul Maholm, while Washington countered with John Lannan.

The Nats struck right out of the gate with two runs in the first inning.  Former Bucco Adam LaRoche brought two runs home on a line drive single to centerfield.  Maholm shut down Washington after the first inning.  He finished the game after seven innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out eight and walking two.  Tonight’s victory was Paul’s first of the season.

Pittsburgh’s bats awoke in a fourth inning that was interrupted by a 21-minute rain delay.  Neil Walker hit a single to right field, and a throwing error by Jason Werth allowed Jose Tabata to score from second base and Walker to move to third.  After a Steve Pearce walk, newly acquired infielder Brandon Wood doubled to right field, scoring both Walker and Pearce.  Chris Snyder stepped to the plate and continued swinging a hot bat, singling home the Pirates’ fourth run of the inning.

Four runs would be enough tonight as Evan Meek pitched a flawless eighth, followed up by Joel Hanrahan picking up his sixth save of the year in a Pirates’ 4-2 win.

It was great to see the Pirates kick off this six-game home stand by taking out of three from the Nationals.  They will have a difficult task up n ext as the defending World Series Champions San Francisco Giants come to town for a three-game set.  If Pittsburgh plays to the potential that they have shown during the early parts of this season, they will give the Giants a competitive series.  However, if the Buccos come out with sloppy fielding, poor pitching, and silenced bats, it could be a cake-walk for the champs.

Record Vs. Nationals: 2-1

Record Vs. N.L. East: 2-4

Record At Home: 3-6

Overall Record: 10-12

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Pedro Ciriaco

By Zane Heiple

Even though the Pirates’ game was rained out on Friday, the front office was busy making moves.

Josh Rodriguez was designated for assignment, because of the addition of shortstop Brandon Wood, who was recently released by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  To fill the roster spot until Wood is able to join the club, Pedro Ciriaco was recalled.

Ciriaco was signed as an amateur free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003.  From 2005-10, he moved his way up through the Diamondbacks’ farm system.  Pedro would come to the Pirates, along with Chris Snyder, for D.J. Carrasco, Ryan Church, and Bobby Crosby in July of 2010.  After playing with AAA Indianapolis, he made his Major League debut on September 8, 2010 and played in a total of eight games to finish the season.

Even though Ciriaco is able to play a variety of positions, his time in Pittsburgh looks to be short.  Once Brandon Wood walks through the clubhouse doors, Pedro most likely will be sent back to Indy.  Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for information on Wood once his place on the roster becomes official.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McCutchen Delivers Game-Winner As Bucs Win Wild One Over Reds

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

In one of the most exciting games in this young season, the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds, 7-6, in a wild contest today in the third of their four-game series.  Spot-starter Jeff Karstens was given the ball by Clint Hurdle for the Buccos as the Reds sent Edinson Volquez to the mound.

The Pirates got off to a very fast start today, as Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata led off the ballgame with back-to-back solo homeruns.  After Chris Snyder drew a bases-loaded walk, Ronny Cedeno smacked a sacrifice fly, only feet away from out of the park, scoring Neil Walker.  The Buccos occupied an early 4-0 lead.

As good teams always do, the Reds made their comeback in a series of innings.  After tallying a run in the second and fourth innings, they delivered a big blow to Karstens and the Pirates in the fifth frame.  After Miguel Cairo’s solo homerun to bring them within a run, Scott Rolen doubled to shallow left, scoring Joey Votto.  Jay Bruce then singled to right, scoring Rolen and giving the Reds their first lead of the game at 5-4.

The Pirates responded the very next inning with a solo shot by Garrett Jones to deep left and an RBI-double by John Bowker, as the Buccos re-took the lead. 

That was answered an inning later by the Reds, when Bruce hammered a solo homerun to deep center field, tying the game, 6-6.  Bruce has had a strong series against the Buccos, including today’s 4-5 performance with two RBI.

The Pirates proved to have the last knockout punch this afternoon, and it came from the bat of McCutchen.  With two runners on in the eighth, the Buccos’ centerfielder singled to shallow center, allowing Snyder to cross home plate, giving the Pirates a 7-6, which would be the final.  Cutch ended his day 3-3 with a homerun and two RBI, while also forcing two walks.  After a troublesome game Friday night, he has rebounded as we all hoped and expected he would, and after dipping below the .200 mark, his average has climbed substantially to .250.

From a pitching standpoint, the Pirates certainly didn’t shut the Reds’ offense down, but they did enough to keep the team in the game and they gave the offense a chance to win.  Karstens pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and just one walk.  His mound opponent, Volquez, went a little deeper, allowing six runs on five hits with an alarming six walks through 5.2 innings.  Both pitchers earned a no-decision today.

The bullpen for the Buccos was strong today.  Other than Jose Veras giving up a run in the fifth, the relievers pitched shutout ball.  Strong performances from Daniel McCutchen, Chris Resop, and Evan Meek set the stage perfectly for Joel Hanrahan to come in and earn his fifth save of the season.  Resop earned the victory today, while Logan Ondrusek was tagged with the loss for the Reds.

This was a HUGE victory for the Pirates for a couple of reasons.  I think we learned a lot about the coaching staff, led by Clint Hurdle of course, by the way the team responded to the abysmal performance in yesterday’s game.  A day after they lost a game by nine runs, they came out and scored four runs of their own in the very first inning.  That speaks to the coaching and the leadership of the club, two extremely important factors to any successfully competitive team. 

Secondly, today’s victory guarantees the Pirates will earn at least a split from the Reds.  With the firepower offense the Reds have and how much trouble the Pirates have had in years past playing in Cincinnati, this was a huge series for them from a confidence standpoint.  They have put themselves in a great position to potentially win another series on the road this season against an N.L. Central opponent.

Kevin Correia will take to the mound tomorrow evening for the Pirates in the final game of the wrap-around series at Great American Ballpark.  Travis Wood will get the start for the Reds.  Hopefully the Pirates can come out strong once again and earn a series-victory in Cincinnati before heading south to take on the Marlins.

Record Vs. Reds: 2-1

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 6-5

Record On The Road: 6-3

Overall Record: 7-8

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Chris Snyder

By Zane  Heiple

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally have the man behind the plate that they anticipated back in February.  Catcher Chris Snyder joined the Buccos tonight, meaning that Jason Jaramillo was sent down to Triple-A Indianapolis.  Snyder, who missed most of the spring with back stiffness/spasms, played in six games for Bradenton and reported no problems.

Chris came to Pittsburgh from the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 31, 2010 along with Pedro Ciriaco for D.J. Carrasco, Ryan Church and Bobby Crosby.  The Diamondbacks had chosen Snyder in the 2^nd round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft.  He made his debut in an Arizona uniform on August 21, 2004.

For his career, he is a .229 hitter with 67 homeruns and 256 RBI.  While he will be number one on the Pirates’ depth chart, fans should expect to see Ryan Doumit behind the plate more often than a usual number two catcher.  Snyder has always had back problems during his career, so expect him to be rested whenever possible.

Be sure to check back to Fans From The Stands for more Pittsburgh Pirates roster moves as they happen.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Doumit Has Two RBI's, Pirates Score In Ninth To Edge Rays

By Chad Carlson

The Pirates and Rays matched up again today at McKechnie Field.  This was the seventh time the two clubs played of the spring, basically playing to a stalemate through the first six contests.

Paul Maholm took the hill for the Pirates today.  After being named the team’s starter for the home opener on April 7, as well as being plugged into the number two spot in the rotation, the left hander, manager Clint Hurdle, and Pirates’ fans were hoping he could have a solid performance today against Tampa Bay.

As Pirates’ fans entering a season following one of the worst years in recent memory, it is realistic for us to hope that our starting pitchers can keep us in ballgames on a consistent basis.  That’s exactly what Paul Maholm did today.  While he certainly didn’t shut the Rays down, his kept his team in the game, giving up three runs on five hits through five innings.  Two of the five hits against Paul were homeruns, coming off the bats of Kelly Soppach and Ben Zobrist in the second and fifth innings respectively.

Joel Hanrahan had probably his best performance of the spring, pitching two innings of shutout ball, without even surrendering a hit, while striking out three batters.  It was nice to see our closer shut down an offense like he did today.  

Chris Leroux, on the other hand, who is in the running for the final bullpen spot, certainly didn’t help his cause this afternoon.  After pitching well in the eighth inning, he gave up a game-tying solo homerun to the Rays’ John Jaso in the ninth.

After drawing a one-out walk against rays reliever Jeremy Hall and moving to second on Jose Tabata’s fielder’s choice groundout, Josh Rodriguez scored an unearned run on Daniel Mayora’s throwing error as the Pirates edged the Rays, 5-4.

Ryan Doumit was the hitting star of the day for the Buccos, with two hits and two RBI’s.  This is especially good news due to the fact that Chris Snyder’s nagging injury has been more persistent than what was initially expected. 

Tabata and Neil Walker also chipped in two hits, while Andrew McCutchen had an RBI for the Pirates. 

With the win, the Pirates improved their Spring Training record to 11-19, while the Rays fell to an even 14-14. 

The Buccos will travel to Fort Myers, Florida to take on the Minnesota Twins tomorrow at 1:05pm ET.  This will be the final spring game in Florida for the Pirates.  Jeff Karstens will make the start tomorrow afternoon.  Following the game, the team will travel to Philadelphia for their first of two final exhibition games this week before the start of the regular season.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Correia, Pirates' Offense Shaky in Loss To Yankees Under The Lights

Photo Credit:  BuccosBuzz.com

The Pirates faced off against the New York Yankees tonight under the lights in Tampa, Florida.  The two teams met earlier in the month with the Buccos coming away with a 2-0 victory.  Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, two runs would not be enough as the Bronx Bombers won tonight’s contest, 4-2.

The Pirates sent Kevin Correia to the mount, while the Yankees countered with starter Bartolo Colon. 

Colon got off to a fast start in the first inning by striking out the first three Pirates he faced.  The Yankees’ bats would give them a 1-0 early lead in the bottom part of the inning when Russell Martin hit a solo home run to left field.  However, in the top of the second frame, Pittsburgh responded by scoring a pair of runs.  Steve Pearce hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Matt Diaz.  The next Batter, Chris Snyder, singled to center field, scoring Garrett Jones from third base.

The Pirates maintained the lead until the bottom of the third.  Derek Jeter led off with a triple, and would score two batters later when Alex Rodriguez singled to right field.  Robinson Cano then smashed an RBI single to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

Correia and Colon would both go four innings and be the pitchers of record for their teams.  Correia’s final line looked like this:  three runs on six hits, three walks and four strikeouts.  Colon finished with two runs on four hits with an impressive seven strikeouts.

The final run of the night would come on Andruw Jones’ solo homerun to right center field in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton.  The Pirates’ right hander threw three innings total, allowing the one run on two hits while recording a pair of strikeouts.  The only other pitcher for the Bucs was Jose Veras, who pitched the eighth inning, allowing a pair of hits.

Overall, this was another shaky game for the Pirates.  Correia did not perform well in four innings of work, while Morton didn’t fair too poorly as he looks to lock up the fifth spot in the rotation.  The Bucco bats were not out tonight.  Even though they collected nine hits, only two of them were for extra bases and they struck out an astounding sixteen times.

The Pirates will face the Yankees one more time in Spring Training play, which will take place back in Tampa Bay on March 26.  The Pirates will be back in Bradenton tomorrow for a game under the lights against the Baltimore Orioles.  After tonight’s loss, the Pirates’ current record in Grapefruit League play is 6-7.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates' First Round Of Cuts Sends Four To Minor League Camp

Photo Credit: Christopher Horner (Tribune Review)

The Pittsburgh Pirates made their first round of Spring Training cuts.  The announcement was made this morning, reassigning four players to Minor League camp, including Tony Sanchez, Eric Fryer, Cesar Valdez and Donnie Veal.

The most notable name on this list is Sanchez, who will begin the year in Double-A presumably.  Tony was the team’s first-round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, and so far this spring, he has been tagging along behind Chris Snyder and Ryan Doumit at the catcher position.

The reason given for sending Sanchez down in the first wave of cuts was so he could begin getting consistent playing time to prepare for the season.  It doesn’t make sense for a young talent like Sanchez to sit on the bench throughout the Pirates’ Spring Training when he could further develop at the minor league level.

“This was an opportunity for him to get to experience a Major League clubhouse environment,” Pirates’ manager Clint Hurdle said. “As we put this new group together, we wanted him in here for a few weeks to embrace him, to encourage him on the heels of last season.”

Fryer played in Class A last year with Sanchez, but missed a lot of time due to injury.  It is unknown whether he will begin the season in Bradenton or if he will move to Altoona to be Sanchez’s backup with the Curve.

Obviously, Veal is in a much different situation than the rest of his teammates sent to Minor League camp today.  Donnie, of course, is working through his rehab program following Tommy John surgery, and while he wasn’t expected to be fully recovered at this point, the Pirates aren’t ruling out a May or June return.

Finally, Valdez’s spot on the Pirates’ roster is still in discussion.  Acquired when the Pirates traded Zach Duke to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Valdez will most likely be starting the season in Triple-A Indianapolis, at least until the Pirates decide on whether he is best suited for a starting or relieving role.

The Pirates now have 58 players remaining in Major League camp.  As more cuts and moves are made, we will keep you updated the moment the word comes in. 

Comments on the cuts?  Send us an email at comments@fansfromthestands.com or fansfromthestands@yahoo.com

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

***Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com, and Pirates.com contributed to this article***