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!

Fielder's Three Home Runs Power Brewers Past Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

If these are the final days of Prince Fielder being a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, than he is going out with a bang.  Tonight, Fielder would go 3-3 with three home runs and five RBI, as Milwaukee downed the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 in game two of this three game series.

Prince would hit his first home run of the game in the third inning to deep right field, to tie the game at one.  This was then followed by a Rickie Weeks homer to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead.  Pittsburgh regained the lead in the fifth inning.  Ross Ohlendorf singled home Ronny Cedeno to tie the game and then Josh Harrison would bring home Ohlendorf with a single.

Ohlendorf did not do anything tonight to prove his worthiness to be in the rotation for the 2012 season.  He would last only five innings giving up four runs on five hits with three strikeouts and walks.  In his final inning of work he would give up his second home run to Fielder, which gave the Brew Crew a 4-3 lead.

The Pirates were able to tie the game in the sixth when Neil Walker scored on a bases loaded walk.  This lead would not last long, as Fielder would strike again in the bottom of the seventh inning, this time off of Jared Hughes, for his third homer of the game and which gave Milwaukee a 6-4 lead.

These two teams will square off one final time this year in the final regular season game of 2011.  The Buccos will be looking to avoid a 90 loss season, while the Brewers will look to gain some momentum as they head into the playoffs.  First pitch for tomorrow night’s game is scheduled for 8:10.  So do yourself a favor and check out the Pirates one final time this year.

Record vs. Brewers:  3-11
Record vs. N.L. Central:  39-40
Record on the Road:  36-44
Overall Record 72-89

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Ohlendorf Ineffective In Pirates' 8-5 Loss To Diamondbacks

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Wow, does anyone want to be in the starting pitching rotation next season?  The past few weeks have spelled disaster for Pirates’ starters, as all potential members of the 2012 rotation have been obliterated. 

Ross Ohlendorf, though, had a surprisingly solid start last Thursday against the Dodgers, giving up two runs through seven innings, while earning his first victory of the season.  The Bucs, and Ohledorf, were hoping he could continue that success this afternoon in the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That didn’t happen.

Ohlendorf was tattooed by the Diamondbacks’ batters today, right from the start, and he never even made it out of the third inning.  Arizona went on to win the game 8-5.

He gave up three runs in the first inning, and after getting through the second inning, he surrendered another run in third inning and loaded the bases without recording an out.  Clint Hurdle had seen enough and replaced him with Jared Hughes.

In all, Ohlendorf was charged for seven runs on seven hits through 2+ innings.  His ERA is now at 8.29.  Ouch.  Hughes was charged for one run on two hits through his inning of work.  The rest of the bullpen, though the game was out of reach, pitched scoreless baseball.

Derrek Lee was the lone positive of today’s game, going 3-4 with a homerun and two RBI’s.  With the Pirates’ current first baseman situation up in the air right now, Lee would be a welcomed returner to the club next year.  But only time will tell.

Ryan Ludwick hit a solo homerun in the second inning, and Jason Jaramillo smacked a pinch-hit RBI double in the eighth inning.  As a team, the Bucs tallied 11 hits, while leaving seven runners on base.

After falling behind 8-1, the Bucs slowly battled back, scoring a single run in the fourth, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings each.  They had a chance to creep within a single run in the eighth, but Ryan Doumit grounded out with runners on second and third to end the inning.

Today’s game marked the Pirates’ 87^th loss of the season.  More worrisome, though, is the fact that they’re struggling to get quality starts.  Jeff Karstens and Charlie Morton have continued to show glimpses of what they did earlier in the season, and are favorites to return to the rotation next year, along with Kevin Correia.  But there are two other open spots that seem far out of reach for Ohlendorf, Aaron Thompson, Brad Lincoln, or anyone else. 

The Pirates have only six games remaining on their schedule this season, three of which will be played against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park this weekend.  Pittsburgh will need to go 4-2 the rest of the way to avoid another 90-loss season.

Record Vs. Diamondbacks: 3-3

Record Vs. N.L. West: 13-20

Record On The Road: 35-43

Overall Record: 69-87

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Ohlendorf Throws Seven Innings, Hits HR In Bucs 6-2 Victory Over Dodgers

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Harry How/Getty Images

The Pirates began a difficult west-coast road trip tonight in the first of a four game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  In tonight’s matchup, Ross Ohlendorf took the mound against Dana Eveland, who was a September call-up for the Dodgers. 

In his first game on September 1 in a make-up contest at PNC Park, Eveland had the Pirates guessing all, earning a victory against his former team, just as he did in his second start against the San Francisco Giants.  In fact, in his two starts with the big club this year, he was 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA.  So why hasn’t he been the Dodgers all season?

Because he gives up homeruns to opposing pitchers.

Ohlendorf hammered a three-run homerun to right field in the second inning, scoring Ryan Doumit and Ryan Ludwick, giving the Bucs a 4-1 lead at the time.  The round-tripper was Ross’s first career homerun, leading the Pirates to a 6-2 victory over the Dodgers.

More importantly for Ohlendorf and the Pirates, though, he pitched very well tonight.  After a rough first inning where he gave up an RBI ground-rule double to Justin Sellers, Ross settled down and held the Dodgers in check for the remainder of his seven-inning evening.  He gave up two runs on four hits, striking out six and he didn’t walk a batter.

Ohlendorf won his first game of the season tonight, and tallied his first road victory since August 2009 when he defeated the Colorado Rockies.

This was a huge performance for Ohlendorf, and nice to see for Pirates’ fans.  With the status of the starting pitching rotation up in the air as we approach the end of the season, the Bucs are certainly eyeing up every start by starters like Brad Lincoln, Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens, Jeff Locke, and yes, Ross Ohlendorf. 

Jason Grilli, Evan Meek, and Joel Hanrahan pitched the eighth and ninth innings to end the game.  After recording the first pair of outs, Meek loaded the bases in the ninth before Clint Hurdle gave the ball to Hanrahan to finish the Dodgers off to end the game.

On another positive note, the Pirates’ offense came alive tonight, accumulating eleven hits against Dodgers’ pitching.  Doumit, Ludwick, Andrew McCutchen, and Brandon Wood each had two hits and an RBI for Pittsburgh, while Neil Walker and Alex Presley added a hit a piece.  The only starter to not have a hit was Chase d’Arnaud, who did reach base after he was hit by a pitch in the second inning.

This is sure to be a tough seven-game road trip at L.A. and Arizona, and it was very important to have a strong performance here in the first game.  The Pirates got a strong outing from their starter, the batters were patient at the plate, stretched at-bats, and didn’t miss opportunities to drive in runs.  The bullpen came in and shut things down.  All in all, considering the skid the Pirates have been on the past month and a half, this was a very satisfying victory.

The Bucs and Dodgers will do it again tomorrow night at 10:10PM EST.  Jeff Locke will get the start for Pittsburgh, looking for his first victory.  In his first game on September 10, he gave up three runs on five hits through five innings in a 3-0 loss to the Florida Marlins. 

Record Vs. Dodgers: 2-3

Record Vs. N.L. West: 12-15

Record On The Road: 34-38

Overall Record: 68-82

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Marlins Score Nine In 3rd, Rout Pirates 13-4 In Series Opener

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Ouch. 

With just 19 games left in the 2011 season, the Pirates are looking to build some momentum to carry over to next year.  Games like tonight’s series opener against the Florida Marlins is the complete opposite of what they, or their fans, needed. 

The Marlins tagged Ross Ohlendorf & Co. for nine runs on ten hits in the third inning alone, setting a franchise record, on their way to a rout of the Bucs by a 13-4 score.

Ohlendorf fell to 0-2 on his severely abbreviated season, with his ERA inflating rapidly to a disgusting 8.03.  He gave up six runs (all earned) on ten hits through just two innings.  After Clint Hurdle pulled him without recording an out in the third, the beating got even worse.  Daniel McCutchen was only able to retire two batters, while he gave up four more runs on four hits, before being replaced by Aaron Thompson.

Thompson was able to get the Bucs out of the third inning, but he didn’t fair well either over the next couple innings, surrendering three more runs to the Marlins’ bats on six hits though his two innings of work.  All in all, this was a horrible game for Pittsburgh and their fans, one that everyone will be glad to have behind them quickly.

Omar Infante was the star for the Marlins tonight, going 3-6, including two homeruns, while tallying five RBI’s.  As a team, Florida collected 22 hits, while eight different players had multi-hit performances.

As for the Bucs’ offense, it was a bit of a different look tonight, with Pedro Ciricao getting the start at shortstop and Josh Harrison once again starting at third base instead of Pedro Alvarez.  Ciriaco played well tonight, going 2-4 with two RBI’s.  Alex Presley and Derrek Lee added the other two RBI’s for the Pirates.  Alvarez went 1-2 with a run scored tonight, while Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker added a hit a piece.

Obviously, this was a horrific game to watch as a Pirates’ fan.  There’s so much more to the frustration than just what’s on the surface.  Yes, they gave up 13 runs and 22 hits to the last place team in the N.L. East.  But there’s much more to this.  Ross Ohlendorf is one of the projected competitors for the starting rotation next year.  This doesn’t exactly make a strong statement. 

Aaron Thompson is another candidate to maybe have a shot, at least in Spring Training, to show the team what he can do on the mound.  He was completely ineffective tonight as well. 

On a bright note, Jared Hughes had a nice appearance tonight, pitching 1.1 innings of scoreless ball in the losing effort.

Jeff Locke will make the start tomorrow night in the second game of this 3-game set.  With this being the next-to-last home stand of the 2011 season, Pirates’ fans are dying to take positives away from each and every game, but that’s rather difficult on nights like tonight.  Locke represents a potential piece to the 2012 puzzle, and our first look at him will be tomorrow night.

Record Vs. Marlins: 0-4

Record Vs. N.L. East: 12-20

Record At Home: 33-40

Overall Record: 66-78

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McCutchen's 2-HR's Lifts Pirates Over Astros

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates played their 18^th and final game against the Houston Astros for 2011 tonight.  This game was a back and forth battle ending with the Buccos winning 5-4.  Andrew McCutchen was the star of tonight going 2-3 with two HR, four RBI, and drawing one walk.

Houston started the game off hot as they would score three runs in the first inning.  These runs would come off of back to back homers.  The first would come from Carlos Lee who smacked a two run shot to left field.  Matt Downs would follow that up with a solo shot to left field.  Pittsburgh would answer back in the bottom part of the inning with McCutchen’s first home run of the night this one to center field. 

The Astros regained that four run lead in the fourth inning when Clint Barmes hit a home run to left field to make the score 4-1.  That lead did not last long.  Cutch would come to the plate with two runners on in the fifth inning with two outs and gave the crowd at PNC Park plenty to cheer about as he hit his second homer of the night, this time to left field to tie the game.

The Pirates would score the winning run on a crazy play in the eighth inning.  With runners on first and second and one out, Jason Jaramillo would single home Chase d’ Arnaud.  After d’Arnaud scored the go ahead run, the inning ending double play was turned on a 9-2-6-9-2 double play.

With all these home runs tonight, both starting pitcher did not go very deep into the game.   Pirate’s starter Brian Burres would only last 3.2 innings giving up four runs on seven hits while allowing three home runs.  Astros starter J.A. Happ wasn’t much better going five innings giving up four runs on five hits, while striking out eight and walking four.  The Pirates bullpen stepped up tonight bridging the gap from starter to closer and Joel Hanrahan would earn his 36^th save of the year.

Another series win for the Buccos will lead them into a day off tomorrow.  They will return to action on Friday to begin a three game series with the Florida Marlins, which is a team that swept them back in April.  Ross “The Boss” Ohlendorf is scheduled to face Ricky Nolasco on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.

Record vs. Astros:  11-7
Record vs. N.L. Central:  35-36
Record at PNC Park:  33-39
Overall Record 66-77

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Bullpen Gives Up Five Runs As Pirates Drop Game One To Astros

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Pirates were certainly relieved to be leaving St. Louis, where they completed a four game series yesterday in which they lost three games at Busch Stadium.  Following a series in a difficult series in St. Louis, it was a nice change of pace to pull into Houston for a three-game date with the Astros, baseball’s worst team. 

With just 44 wins, the Astros are on their way to their first 100-loss season in franchise history.  The Pirates have had a lot of success against Houston this year, as has the rest of the league, but Pittsburgh is 9-3 against their divisional foes, so confidence should have been at an all-time high.

Unfortunately, the Pirates led an early lead slip away tonight, and Carlos Lee blasted a three-run homerun which would prove to be the difference as the Astros took game one over the Pirates, 6-3 at Minute Maid Park.

Houston’s starter Wandy Rodriguez pitched a great game, minus the fourth inning.  The lefty struck out a career-high 13 batters through his seven innings of work.  Despite giving up three runs in the fourth inning, Rodriguez only gave up a total of four hits on the night.

Ross Ohlendorf started out very well for Pittsburgh, making through the first three innings without surrendering a hit.  He ran into trouble, though, in the fourth and fifth innings, and was pulled after the fifth, having given up two runs on five hits.  His ERA now sits at 6.27 for the season.

The Pirates’ bullpen really struggled tonight, giving up the game-deciding runs to the Astros.  The trio of Jason Grilli, Jose Veras, and Tony Watson gave up five runs on eight hits in their three innings of work.  Veras has been particularly frustrating as of late, and that trend continued tonight, giving up two runs on two hits while recording just two outs.

The first hit of the ballgame came in the top of the fourth inning, courtesy of Josh Harrison, who sparked a flurry of extra-base hits that put the Pirates in front.  Andrew McCutchen’s two-run homerun scored Harrison, giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 advantage.  Neil Walker and Ryan Doumit hit back-to-back doubles, with Doumit’s two-bagger scoring Walker, and the Pirates owned a 3-0 lead as they headed to the bottom of the frame.

Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, after the fourth inning, the Pirates would tally only one more hit throughout the rest of the night. 

Houston got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by J.D. Martinez.  They’d add another run in the fifth inning on an RBI knock by Jordan Schafer, and the Astros were within a run after five.

The seventh inning ended up dooming the Pirates this evening, as the Astros tagged Grilli and Veras for four runs.  After Schafer was hit by a pitch and Jose Altuve doubled, Martinez smacked a ground ball to Brandon Wood at third base, who threw the ball to Doumit for the out at home.  The ball hit Schafer, who was breaking for the plate, and bounced away, allowing Schafer to score and tie the game. 

Carlos Lee delivered the knockout punch for Houston, hitting a towering fly ball to left field off Veras, giving the Astros a 6-3 lead.

The Astros added a run in the eighth to further pad the lead to 7-3, which would be the final.

After Ronny Cedeno tripled home Garrett Jones in the bottom of the ninth to trim the lead to 7-4, Jose Tabata struck out looking to end the game.

This loss certainly leaves a sour taste in the mouths of Pirates’ fans.  The Astros are a team who has been at the bottom of their division all season long, and they’ve dumped their two biggest stars in Hunter Pence and Michael Bourne.  Tonight’s win was just their 45^th of the season, and is just their fourth against the Pirates in 13 chances. 

If the Pirates want to finish up this season on a positive note, they need to win games against the teams who are below them, and compete against the teams that are above them.  They didn’t do that tonight.  Pittsburgh is a season-high ten games under the .500 mark, and after a great start against the N.L. Central, they now have a losing record against their divisional foes.

Pittsburgh will look to even the series tomorrow night when they send Charlie Morton to the mound.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05pm.

Record Vs. Astros: 9-4

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 31-32

Record On The Road: 31-35

Overall Record: 62-72

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Cardinals Win Game And Series Over Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The St. Louis Cardinals offense came out swinging this afternoon, and were able to counter any threat by the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they went on to take three out of four in a 7-4 win.  Jeff Karstens started for Pittsburgh and had one of his worst outings on the season.  He would only go 3.2 innings allowing five runs on five hits, while walking two batters and striking out only one.

The Pirates took the lead right out of the gate when Andrew McCutchen brought home Jose Tabata with a line drive single to center field.  St. Louis struck back in the bottom part of the inning with three runs of their own.   All three runs would come on ground balls.  The Buccos battled back in the second inning with three runs to give them a one run lead.  These would also come on ground balls.  Unfortunately this was all Pittsburgh could put on the scoreboard today.

The Cardinals would tie the game in the third with a single by Ryan Theriot.  They took the lead with a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Allen Craig.  They would then add two more runs in the seventh to put away any chance of a Pittsburgh comeback.  Chris Resop was the pitcher that was touched up with the final two runs of the game.

Pitching was the story of today’s contest.  Both teams did not receive good starts, but the St. Louis bullpen was able to silence the Pirates bats, while the Cardinals offense used timely hitting to pick up the victory. 

This road trip for the Buccos will continue tomorrow with the start of a three game series with the Houston Astros.  Ross Ohlendorf will look to improve on his last start, while the Astros will counter with Wandy Rodriguez.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05pm.

Record vs. Cardinals:  6-7
Record vs. N.L. Central:  31-31
Record on the Road:  31-34
Overall Record:  62-71

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Ohlendorf Roughed Up In Return As Brewers Rout Pirates

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

Fresh off a huge 9-2 victory over the Brewers in the nightcap of the doubleheader last night, the Pirates entered this evening’s game looking to take their second consecutive game from the N.L. Central leaders.  Ross Ohlendorf made the start for Pittsburgh tonight for the first time since early April, hoping to put forth a strong end of the 2011 season.

It didn’t work out for Ohlendorf tonight.  The Brewers tattooed the right-hander for seven runs (four earned) on 11 hits on their way to a 11-4 blowout of our Buccos at PNC Park.

After a brief break in their dominance over the Pirates last night, the Brewers were back at it tonight, stomping all over Buccos’ pitching from the very beginning.  In all, Pirates’ pitchers were tagged for 17 hits, with five different players recording at least two hits.

Milwaukee jumped on Ohlendorf in the second inning, scoring all seven runs in the frame, burying him and eliminating much chance of a Pirates’ comeback.

The second inning was highlighted by a two-run double by Ryan Braun and a two-run homerun by Casey McGehee.  Jonathan Lucroy and Nyjer Morgan also added RBI singles.

Prince Fielder added another run in the sixth inning with his 100^th RBI on a double off Daniel McCutchen, scoring Braun. 

There were VERY few bright spots for Pittsburgh tonight, but one of them, without a doubt, was Josh Harrison, who hit his first Major League homerun in the fifth inning. 

Jose Tabata went 1-4 tonight, extending his hitting streak to nine games, while Neil Walker and Garrett Jones each had triples.  Jones’ three-bagger scored Walker from first base after he had singled home Xavier Paul for his 74^th RBI of the season.

I, like many fans out there, had high hopes for the Pirates tonight.  After finally beating the Brewers last night in convincing fashion, the hope was that the Buccos would have the momentum to carry over to tonight’s game, and have a nice shot at winning their second game of the series, setting up a chance to actually win the series tomorrow.

Now, it seems that game two last night didn’t even happen.  Pittsburgh added some late inning runs, but it was after the outcome wasn’t in doubt and Milwaukee had sat many of their regular starters.  The Brewers went right back to their usual beat down of Pittsburgh, and frustration is back at an all-time high for the Buccos and their fans.

In other news, the Pirates placed Steve Pearce on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right index finger and recalled Pedro Ciriaco.

The Pirates will try to salvage a split with the Brewers in the series finale tomorrow afternoon at PNC Park.  Aaron Thompson, who is expected to officially added to the roster tomorrow, is rumored to start for the Buccos, facing off against Milwaukee’s Shaun Marcum.

Record Vs. Brewers: 1-10

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 29-28

Record At Home: 30-37

Overall Record: 60-68

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McCutchen Called Up From Indianapolis

By Zane Heiple

Photo Credit: PiratesProspects.com

With the Pirates placing Ross Ohlendorf on the 15 day DL, the team called up right handed pitcher Daniel McCutchen from Indianapolis.  While Jeff Karstens looks to be the one to take Ohlendorf’s spot in the rotation, McCutchen will be used in long relief situations with the Buccos.

Daniel came to the Pirates in July 2006 from the New York Yankees along with Ohlendorf, Karstens, and Jose Tabata for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte.  He made his Major League debut on August 31^st of that year.  After spending 2009 in Indianapolis, he was named to the Pirates’ starting rotation in 2010 until being moved to the bullpen in August.  The Yankees drafted him in the 13^th round of the 2006 draft.

For his career, he has a 2-7 record with a 5.54 ERA and 42 strikeouts.  McCutchen has a very good opportunity to earn a spot in the bullpen if he is able to pitch well during Ohlendorf’s time on the DL.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pedro Drives In Three, Pirates Win Game And Series Over Cubs

By Chad Carlson

Lyle Overbay had an RBI this afternoon (Photo Credit: AP)

The stage was set this afternoon at Wrigley Field for the rubber match of the season-opening series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.  After splitting the first two games of the weekend match-up, the Pirates sent Ross Ohlendorf to the mound for his first start of the season, while the Cubs countered with Matt Garza.

After a hard-fought game with a few errors and big plays made by both teams in crucial situations, the Pirates did exactly what the Cubs did to them yesterday:  rally from behind in the late innings to steal a victory at Wrigley Field.

The Buccos jumped on the board first in the second inning on Ronny Cedeno’s single to centerfield, scoring Pedro Alvarez.  They’d add another run the very next inning when Alvarez smacked a line drive base hit to center, allowing Jose Tabata to score.

After a strong start to the game, Ohlendorf surrendered two runs to the Cubs in the fourth inning off the bat of Carlos Pena, whose double scored Darwin Barney and Marlon Byrd.  After the two teams traded runs in the fifth inning, Alfonso Soriano hammered a solo homerun to centerfield, breaking the tie and giving the Cubs the lead, 4-3 in the sixth frame.

As for Ohlendorf, he pitched a decent game…not great, but he kept his team in the game.  His final stat line read four runs on eight hits, while walking four and striking out three through six innings.

The Pirates left three men on base in the eighth inning when Jason Jaramillo was thrown out while trying to score on Tabata’s sacrifice fly out.  Heading into the final inning, the Buccos still trailed by one run, and all seemed lost with the Cubs’ Carlos Marmol walking to the mound to close out the game.  Chicago’s closer struck out the side against Pittsburgh yesterday to earn his first save, and the team’s first victory, of the 2011 season.

With two runners on and one out, Alvarez smacked a single to the shortstop Starlin Castro, who mishandled and tossed a wild ball over to first base, allowing both Garrett Jones and Neil Walker to score.  The Buccos took the lead, 5-4, in front of a stunned 30,000+ crowd at Wrigley Field.

The Pirates’ Joel Hanrahan came on to save the game, and after getting one out and giving up a weak single to Castro, Barney slapped a ball to Cedeno, which appeared to be a game-ending, double-play ball.  Ronny’s wild throw to Walker sailed wide right, trickling into shallow right, allowing both Cubs’ runners to reach base safely.

Much to the delight of Cedeno and us Pirates’ fans, Byrd smacked a grounder right back to the Buccos’ shortstop who, this time, made a strong (and accurate) throw to Walker and over to Overbay for the double play.  Much to the demise of the Chicago crowd, the Pirates won a dramatic come-from-behind game to capture the opening-series against their beloved Cubbies.

There is A LOT to be said about today’s game, and this series as a whole.  The offense continued to deliver this afternoon, as the team accumulated a total of 16 hits, including three from Alvarez and Tabata, as well as two from Cedeno, Jones, and Lyle Overbay.  On day when Andrew McCutchen sat down (due to soreness) and Neil Walker struck out twice, it was VERY nice to see other players stepping up at the plate and making the opposition work hard for every out.

For the third straight game, the Pirates’ starting pitcher kept the club in the game for at least six innings.  While his performance today didn’t match those of Kevin Correia and Paul Maholm on the previous two days, Ross pitched himself out of some tight jams and, despite the fact that he didn’t earn a tally in the win column today, he did make some nice pitches, earned some tough outs, and certainly had a part in the team’s victory today.

Even though he was involved in the double-play that ended the game this afternoon, we can’t ignore Cedeno’s error the play before.  As was discussed in the podcast, Ronny’s ability to make the acrobatic play but also the tendency to make routine plays difficult was on display today.  The Buccos made the big play today at the end, and they earned this win.  Unfortunately, though, they won’t be given additional opportunities to close out a game like the Cubs gave them today.  Still, it was a strong opening-series performance for the Buccos, and today’s win was a great rebound from the tough loss yesterday. 

The Pirates travel to Missouri next for a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Cards avoided a sweep this afternoon against the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium with a 2-0 win.  Pittsburgh will send Charlie Morton to the mound for his first start of the season.

Record Vs. N.L. Central:  2-1

Record On The Road:  2-1

Overall Record:  2-1

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Relievers Fall Apart In Eighth, Buccos Lose To Cubs

By Zane Heiple

Ronny Cedeno & Garrett Jones (Photo Credit: AP)

The Pirates were at it again today in game two of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.  Paul Maholm took the hill for the first time in 2011 and the Cubs countered with Carlos Zambrano.

It didn’t take long for the Buccos to get on the scoreboard.  With two runners on in the first inning, due to walks, Pedro Alvarez brought in his first run of the season on his first hit to make the score 1-0. 

The top of the order would once again prove effective in the third inning.  After Jose Tabata reached base, Neil Walker brought him home on a double to the right-centerfield gap to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 advantage.

Garrett Jones wasted no time in the seventh inning putting another run on the board for Pittsburgh, hitting his first homerun of the year to right field on the first pitch of the inning.  Zambrano left the game three pitches later with a cramp in his right hand.  His final line of the day would be six innings pitched, allowing three runs on five hits, with three walks and four strikeouts.

Maholm’s day also ended in the seventh inning, as he would go 6.2 innings, striking out three, walking two, and allowing five hits.  This was the second day in a row that the Pirates received a great pitching performance by their starting pitcher.  It will be performances like this that will help change the fortunes of the Buccos in 2011.  Replacing Paul was right-handed reliever Jose Veras, who would get the only batter he faced to pop out to shortstop Ronny Cedeno.

The bottom of the eighth inning had us Pittsburgh fans saying, “Here we go again.”  A three run lead was erased by the Cubs.  Evan Meek came in and laid an egg.  He walked the first batter and then gave up a run-scoring double to Starlin Castro.  Castro scored on the very next batter when Lyle Overbay committed an error on a groundball hit by Marlon Byrd.

Alfonso Soriano tied things up on a single to centerfield.  The Cubs then took a 5-3 lead when Blake DeWitt scored two runs on a bases loaded double off of reliever Chris Resop. 

Carlos Marmol came on to close the game for the Cubbies and he did exactly that, setting the Pirates down one-two-three to give Chicago a 5-3 victory.

Frustrating is the word that comes to mind on a day like this.  One bad inning was all it took to waste a great outing by Paul Maholm.  This cannot happen if the Buccos are going to remain competitive this season.  They will need a short memory since they have an opportunity tomorrow afternoon to take two out of three from the north-siders.  Ross Ohlendorf will make his first start of the season.

Record Vs. N.L. Central:  1-1

Record On The Road:  1-1

Overall Record:  1-1

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Part Two-Starting Pitching Rotation

By Zane Heiple

Kevin Correia Was Named Opening Day Starter

Part Two of our five-part series looks at the five men who will be taking the mound to start the game for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Kevin Correia:  This will be Kevin’s first season in Pittsburgh after signing with the team as a free agent in December.  He began his career with the San Francisco Giants in 2002 as a fourth round pick out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  Correia made his debut with the Giants during the 2003 season where he went 3-1 with a 3.66 ERA.  During his time in San Francisco, he was used as both a starting and relief pitcher.  After a rough 2007 season, Kevin signed with his hometown team the San Diego Padres, where he stayed for three years.  His best year with the Padres was 2009 where he started 33 games and posted a 12-11 record with a 3.91 ERA.  Through 2010 he has a 36-43 record with a 4.57 ERA.  Correia was named the Opening Day starter for the Buccos on March 24 by manager Clint Hurdle.  This spring, he has posted a 1-3 record with a 5.93 ERA.  Correia has given up 16 runs on 32 hits while striking out 20 and walking 8.  As a team, the Pirates hope Kevin can bring leadership to the young pitching staff.

Paul Maholm:  Out of the five players who make up the Pirates’ rotation, Maholm has the most experience with the team as this will be his seventh season in a Pittsburgh uniform.  Paul was a first round draft choice of the Buccos in 2003 out of Mississippi State and made his debut with the club in August of 2005.  His best full season with the Pirates was in 2008 when he went 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA.  For his career, Paul is 47-59 with a 4.48 ERA.  Fans will be looking for him to rebound from a tough 2010 season that saw him go 9-15 with a 5.10 ERA.  Maholm will start the Pirates’ home opener on April 7 against the Colorado Rockies and is the only left-handed pitcher currently in the rotation.  His Spring Training statistics include a 0-3 record with a 4.68 ERA.  While on the mound, he has given up 13 runs on 31 hits and has 18 strikeouts to 5 walks.

Ross Ohlendorf:  Ross will begin his fourth season with the Pirates as the third starter in the rotation.  Ohlendorf was a fourth round draft pick out of Princeton by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004.  While in the Minor Leagues in 2006, Ohlendorf was traded to the New York Yankees as part of the Randy Johnson deal.  He made his Major League debut in 2007 as a relief pitcher in six games with the Yankees.  In July 2008 Ross was once again traded, this time to the Pirates in a deal that also brought Jose Tabata, Jeff Karstens, and Daniel McCutcheon for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte.  Ohlendorf was called up in September and go 0-3 with a 6.35 ERA in five starts.  His best season so far with Pittsburgh was 2009 when he went 11-10 with a 3.92 ERA.  He definitely needs a good showing in the 2011 regular season after coming off a 2010 season that saw him go 1-11 with a 4.07 ERA and a Spring Training that includes an 0-4 record and a 10.05 ERA.

Charlie Morton:  Morton was the final starter named to the rotation coming out of Spring Training.  He will be fourth in the rotation due to an injury suffered by James McDonald.  Charlie is a former 2002 third round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves out of Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Connecticut.  Charlie made his debut with the Braves in June of 2008 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  In June of 2009 he came to the Pirates in a trade along with Gorkys Hernandez and Jeff Locke for Nate McClouth.  A week after the trade, Morton would earn a no-decision in his first start with the Buccos.  Charlie has yet to reach the potential that scouts have placed upon him.  Pirates’ fans are growing tired of hearing about how good his stuff is.  With a career record of 11-29 with a 5.98 ERA, 2011 might be his last chance to nail down a starting job as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  It would be nice for him to carry over his Spring Training statistics of 1-0 and a 3.32 ERA with seven runs on 14 hits, 20 strikeouts and eight walks into the regular season.

James McDonald:  The youngest member of the Pirates’ staff at 26 years of age, McDonald may also have the brightest future of the Pittsburgh’s rotation.  Before coming to the Buccos in a trade that also involved Andrew Lambo for Octavio Dotel in July of 2010, James was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eleventh round of 2002 draft out of Long Beach Poly High School in California.  He made his Dodgers debut in 2008 and started his first game in 2009.  McDonald went 4-5 with a 4.02 ERA in twelve starts with the Pirates after the trade.  Had it not been for a Spring Training injury, James could have been the number three starter in the rotation.  In limited action this spring, he has gone 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA while giving up three earned runs on ten hits, two strikeouts and three walks.

These five players will have a lot to say in whether or not the Pirates remain competitive throughout the 2011 season.  Please check back tomorrow as we look at the men responsible for finishing games off as Part Three of the series will focus on the relief pitchers.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Walker Homers Twice, Ohlendorf Continues Rough Spring In Loss To Orioles

By Zane Heiple

Photo Credit: Derick E. Hingle

The Baltimore Orioles completed a five game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates this spring with an 11-7 win tonight.  The Pirates struck early with three runs in the first inning.  Lyle Overbay hit a two-run homerun to give the Bucs a 2-0 lead.  Neil Walker came up next and hit a solo shot to make it 3-0.

The O’s answered in the second off of Pittsburgh starter Ross Ohlendorf.  The first batter of the inning, Luke Scott, hit a solo shot, followed by a solo homer by Mark Reynolds.  The Orioles tied the game in the third inning with a Felix Pie sacrifice fly that scored Derrick Lee.

The fifth inning saw the end of Ohlendorf’s day as three more runs would score for Baltimore.  His final stat line looked like this:  4.2 innings pitched, five earned runs on nine hits, four K’s, two walks, and three homeruns.  He also picked up the loss, dropping his Spring Training record to 0-4 with a 10.05 ERA.

Pittsburgh gained a run back when Walker hit his second solo homerun on the day to cut the lead to 6-4.  The Orioles pulled away in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring a combined five runs.  Three of these five runs were earned, coming off newly acquired pitcher Garret Olson in the seventh inning.

The Buccos got a run in the eighth inning with Pedro Alvarez singled to right field, scoring Overbay.  The final scoring of the night came in the top of the ninth when Josh Rodriguez blasted a two-run homerun to trip the lead to 11-7, which would be the final.

It has been a tough road for Ohlendorf this spring as he had another bad start tonight.  It looks like he will get one more start this spring to figure out what he is doing wrong.  It was nice to see the Pirates collect four home runs tonight, especially since they are not known for their long-ball capabilities.  Hopefully the Bucs will have more success in the regular season against Baltimore as the two teams will meet in Pittsburgh on June 20-22 for an interleague series.

In an non-game note, manager Clint Hurdle named Kevin Correia his Opening Day starter for the Buccos.  The Pirates will return to action tomorrow when they take on the Rays for the next to last time this spring.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McCutchen Continues Impressive Spring As Pirates Lose To Astros

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP/Eric Gay

Well, if Charlie Morton wasn’t the favorite to be part of the Pirates’ starting pitching rotation before, he certainly should be after today’s game.  Brian Burres, who is considered to be one of the candidates for the club’s final pitching rotation spot for the start of the 2011 regular season, was lit up today by a Houston Astros team that isn’t expected to have much pop in their lineup at all.

Burres gave up six earned runs on ten hits through five innings of work, as the Astros jumped on top of the Buccos early and never relinquished the lead.  While Houston’s starter, J.A. Happ, didn’t fair much better on the afternoon, giving up five runs on nine hits through six, his bullpen did enough to fend off the Pirates’ bats throughout the latter part of the ballgame.  The Astros won the game by a score of 10-6.

After Burres’s performance today, it SHOULD be clear that the left-hander does not belong in the starting role.  He’ll make a bullpen spot, and he probably should, but he’s not cut out to be a starting pitcher on a regular basis.  This, along with rumors and expectations of Brad Lincoln beginning 2011 in the minor leagues, make it almost a guarantee that Charlie Morton will be the fifth and final member of the Pirates’ starting pitching rotation when the regular season begins next week.

While the pitching certainly wasn’t sharp this afternoon, the same cannot be said about the offense.  The Buccos totaled 14 hits today, including four players tallying multi-hit games, including Andrew McCutchen, who had a homerun and two RBI’s while raising his spring batting average to a frightfully impressive .370.  Pedro Alvarez also had a round-tripper this afternoon, while Ryan Doumit and Lyle Overbay had two-hit performances. 

It was nice to see Ronny Cedeno hit well at the plate as well, adding two hits and scoring a run.  Cedeno is sure to be the shortstop, if not for the future, definitely for the present, so it was encouraging to see his continued impressive play this afternoon.

With the loss, the Pirates fell to 10-16 this spring.  The Buccos will travel to Sarasota, Florida tomorrow to take on the Baltimore Orioles for the final time this spring at 7:05pm ET.  Baltimore has been a nemesis for the Pirates this spring in their previous meetings.  Ross Ohlendorf will make the start for Pittsburgh, while Evan Meek, Garrett Olson, and Chris Leroux are also scheduled to make appearances.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Orioles Rough Up Ohlendorf, Pirates Lose Again

By Zane Heiple

Photo Credit: J. Meric/Getty Images

The Buccos were back in action against the American League East today as they took on the Baltimore Orioles for the fourth time this spring, having dropped the previous three.  Ross “The Boss” Ohlendorf took the hill for the Pirates against the Orioles’ Chris Tillman.

Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Jason Jaramillo’s RBI single that scored Matt Diaz.  That would be the last time the Pirates would have the lead as the O’s would lay the lumber to Ohlendorf in the third inning.

All six of the Orioles’ runs in the frame came with two outs.  Baltimore’s huge inning caused the Pirates’ coaches to pull Ross from the game after only three innings, when hew as originally scheduled to pitch five.  It has been a rough week for Pittsburgh’s potential starters.  Hopefully the staff is able to get it together over these final two weeks of Spring Training.

The Pirates cut the lead in half in the fifth inning when Andrew McCutchen’s single drove in Jose Tabata.  Cutch would score two batters later on a single by Diaz.

Baltimore countered with three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to make the score 12-3.  These six runs would come off of Scott Olsen and Joe Beimel, both of which have had rough appearances since returning from injuries that held them out for most of the spring.  The Orioles finished their day with one more run in the ninth to make the final 13-3.

The only pitcher to show life for the Pirates today was Daniel McCutchen, who went two innings while giving up three hits and walking one batter.  Pittsburgh will try to end this stretch of awful baseball tomorrow when they head to Clearwater, Florida to play the Philadelphia Phillies.  Brad Lincoln will start for the Buccos and Ryan Doumit is expected to return from a minor oblique strain.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Maholm Gives Up Four Runs As Pirates Fall To Blue Jays

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit:  Christopher Horner/Tribune-Review

Fresh off their first true day off of the Spring Training season, the Pirates returned to action against the Toronto Blue Jays at McKechnie Field today.  The Buccos have been on a bit of a skid lately, with inconsistent pitching and missed opportunities occupying most the responsibility.  These are certainly two areas that have plagued the team for years, and it seems to be the case over the past week or so in the Grapefruit League.

Unfortunately, the struggles continued for the Pirates today, as the Blue Jays had a big three-run fourth inning, which proved to be the difference as they topped our Buccos 5-3. 

Paul Maholm, who is thought to be one of the leading candidates for the Opening Day starter, took to the mound this afternoon.  He didn’t get off to a great start, and his day didn’t get any better through his five innings of work.

Edwin Encarnacion hammered a pitch off Maholm in the first inning for a solo homer, giving Toronto the early lead.  Then in the fourth, the Blue Jays exploded with three runs to take control of the game. 

Jose Molina smacked an RBI single, scoring Eric Thames.  Then David Cooper blasted a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right field for a two-run homerun.  Cooper had three hits for the Blue Jays, who improved their Grapefruit League record to 9-9.

Maholm’s final line was less than what should be expected from the top of the rotation, giving up four runs on five hits, while walking two batters.  Paul dropped to 0-2 on the season and his ERA sits at 5.14.

The Pirates certainly had their opportunities to put some more runs on the board against Blue Jays’ starter Kyle Drabek this afternoon.  The team accumulated a total of 11 hits, including two from Jose Tabata and Andrew McCutchen, as well as a pair of knocks from Ronny Cedeno.  McCutchen’s strong game increased his Spring Training batting average to .382.  Unfortunately, the Pirates left too many runners on base and couldn’t put together a big inning similar to what Toronto did in the fourth frame.

Neil Walker had a solo homerun in the first inning, while Garrett Jones tallied two RBI’s on the afternoon in a losing effort.  Both Joel Hanrahan and Chris Resop pitched a strong inning each today, while Jose Veras wasn’t as impressive, giving up a run on two hits and walking a batter as he worked the eighth inning.

With the loss this afternoon, the Pirates have fallen to 8-12 this spring.  While it is uplifting to see the likes of McCutchen and Tabata already finding their rhythm at the plate, it’s more frustrating to see Maholm give up that many runs in a pretty short stint today.  

As we all know, starting pitching is going to be a key to how the season goes for the Pirates.  While our bats are improving and will be better than previous years, we, as fans, cannot expect the offense to overcome multi-run deficits after giving up an early lead in the first handful of innings.  The best chance this team has for success is to stay close the entire game.  So far this spring, the Pirates have done that.  Hopefully they can continue to find their rhythm at the plate, and the pitching staff can hit their stride, as a unit, just in time for the regular season to begin.

The Pirates will host the Baltimore Orioles at McKechnie Field tomorrow afternoon.  Ross Ohlendorf will make the start, with hopes of pitching the maximum five innings.  Joe Beimel and Scott Olsen are both scheduled to throw for the Buccos as well.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Swept By Blue Jays And Phillies In Split Squad Scrimmage

Photo Credit:  BleacherReport.com

Following an exciting victory last night against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Pirates took the field today again a split squad scrimmage.  The Buccos sent Ross Ohlendorf to the mound as they hosted the Philadelphia Phillies, while Jeff Locke made the start against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Phillies jumped out on top of Ohlendorf early this afternoon, and the Pirates were never able to recover.  The Pirates’ right hander didn’t pitch like one of the team’s projected top starters, giving up four runs on five hits while walking three through only two innings of work.  Justin Thompson didn’t fair much better in relief, as he also gave up four runs on five hits through a pair of innings.  

The Phillies got contributions from all over the lineup on Saturday against the struggling Pirates’ pitching.  John Mayberry and Cory Sullivan led the way with three RBI’s a piece, while Pete Orr and Ross Gload added three hits as the Phillies destroyed the Pirates’ starter and bullpen for much of the afternoon.

Phillies’ starter shut down the Pirates today, giving up only one run on two hits in his 3.1 innings of work.  The lone earned run came off the bat of Lyle Overbay on a solo homerun in the fourth inning, cutting the Pirates’ deficit to 8-1. 

The Pirates’ hitters were held in check virtually all day, accumulating only five hits in the entire game.  Not a single Bucco had a multi-hit game, while Matt Hague was the offensive “star” of the day, driving home two RBI’s.  The Phillies won the game, 11-4 at McKechnie Field.

While a portion of the Buccos’ squad was getting hammered by the Phillies, the other half of the team was taking on the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.  Pittsburgh took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.  The first run came from a Matt Diaz ground out to second base, scoring Josh Rodriguez.  Andrew McCutchen scored one batter later when Andy Marte doubled to left.  Toronto cut the lead in the bottom half of the second when J.P. Arencibia hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Edwin Encarnacion.

The Buccos extended their lead to 4-1 in the third inning when McCutchen blased a two-run homer.  The Blue Jays again responded by cutting the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning when Encarnacion hit a solo home run.  Unfortunately for the Buccos, 4-2 would be their final lead of the day.  Toronto took control in the fifth inning when they tied the score with two runs. 

Our neighbors from the north then took full control of the game in the bottom half of the seventh.  They took the lead on a Travis Snyder single to center field, which scored Manny Mayorson.  Their second run of the inning came on a wild pitch by the Pirates’ Ramon Aguero, allowing Kevin Nolan to score.  This made the score 6-4 in favor of the Blue Jays, which would be the final.

Split-squad games are an opportunity for players to showcase their abilities.  Today, Andrew McCutchen proved he is a big league player by going two for three with two RBI with one strikeout.  Second baseman Josh Rodriguez also had two hits on the afternoon.  Pirates’ pitching had another rough day, with a total of five pitchers giving up eight hits, six runs, five walks, while striking out six batters.

Following two losses in their split squad scrimmages today, the Pirates are back in action tomorrow against the Boston Red Sox in Bradenton, Florida.  Brad Lincoln will start for the Pirates, while Josh Beckett starts for Boston.