Pitching Falls Apart Against Twins & Orioles This Afternoon

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit:  http://www.hardballtalk.nbcsports.com

The Pirates had a busy Saturday afternoon today, with intra-squad games against the Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles.  Kevin Correia and Erik Bedard started against the Twins and Orioles respectively, and neither, well, exactly propelled much confidence with their performances today.

Kevin Correia will make his first start of the season in a little over a week in the Pirates’ first road game of 2012.  In his final Spring Training game, he (and the rest of the team) was hoping for a strong performance to carry over to the regular season.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen today against the Minnesota Twins.

Ryan Doumit’s new teams lit Correia up for 10 runs on 12 hits in just 2.1 innings today.  After a routine opening inning, Kevin ran into a world of trouble in the two subsequent innings, and wasn’t able to escape the third frame.  Daniel McCutchen, who will also be apart of the Opening Day roster bullpen, also struggled, as did Tim Wood.  D-Cutch surrendered three runs on three hits in an inning, while Wood was touched up for two runs on four hits in two innings.  Not the kind of performance we want from the pitching staff leading up to the regular season. 

Offensively, Jose Tabata and Michael McKenry were the only Pirates to have a multi-hit game, and McKenry blasted a homerun for the Bucs today.  Pedro Alvarez went 1-4 with only one strikeout, and Matt Hague also homered, his sixth of the spring.  He continues to make a strong case for an Opening Day roster spot, along with Yamaico Navarro, who went 1-4 today.

The Twins won the game, 15-3.

Similar to Correia (but not quite to that extent), Erik Bedard struggled in his start today, giving up four runs on five hits, including two homeruns.  His ERA sits at 5.03 right now, and even though this is just Spring Training, this is not the way one of the top pitchers in the Pirates’ rotation needs to throwing as we approach Opening Day.

Joel Hanrahan gave up a run today, while Chris Leroux had a solid one inning of relief, striking out two batters without giving up a single hit.

Garrett Jones had a homerun (his fourth of the spring) and two RBI’s, while Rod Barajas and Casey McGehee had a pair of hits a piece.  Clint Barmes and Alex Presley each had a hit as well, including Presley’s solo homerun.

The Bucs and Orioles played to a 6-6 tie. 

The Pirates will face the Toronto Blue Jays tomorrow afternoon before heading to Philadelphia for the final two exhibition games against the Phillies.

Grapefruit League:  8-18-2

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McDonald Struggles As Pirates Lose To Twins

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit:  http://www.piratesgab.com/

Thank goodness these games don’t count. The Pirates just keep losing games this spring. Today, they fell to Ryan Doumit and the Minnesota Twins, 11-6 at McKechnie Field.


Unfortunately for the Pirates, another one of their starting pitchers had a rough outing. Today, it was James McDonald who was touched up, this time by the Minnesota Twins. J-Mac was slammed for 10 runs on 7 hits and 7 walks through 3.2 innings. 7 walks! He also gave up two homeruns on the day, while only striking out one batter.

I feel like I said these same types of things earlier in the week about Charlie Morton, but this is not the direction we want our starting pitchers to be headed. McDonald pitched incredibly solid when he first came to Pittsburgh from the Los Angeles Dodgers; slowly but surely, however, he has declined over the past couple seasons. Today’s outing, one of his last (if not his last) of Spring Training, went just about as terribly as possible.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Bucs managed six runs on twelve hits, even though the game’s outcome had quickly been decided early in the game. Pedro Alvarez was the only everyday Pirate to have more than one hit. Yes, Pedro Alvarez had two hits today. He also struck out twice. Still, though, for a guy who had four hits total coming into today, this is big news. Garrett Jones and Neil Walker each had a hit and an RBI in a losing effort. We can’t forget about the impact these two players can have if they’re swinging the bat well. Jones platooning at first base with Casey McGehee could provide some much needed power, but he’s had a relatively quiet spring.

In addition to the on-the-field action, the Bucs made some other news today as well. First of all, Neal Huntington announced that Charlie Morton will begin the 2012 regular season next week on the 15-day disabled list. Chuck, of course, had hip surgery in October, and has been a week or so behind the rest of the starting pitching staff. Even though he struggled last night, the Bucs’ coaches insist that he’s been progressing nicely. Still, with Morton on the DL, there is yet another spot on the Pirates’ pitching rotation open. It’ll be interesting to see who will fill in.

The Pirates also sent four more players to the minors today, including Nick Evans, Jake Fox, Eric Fryer, and Ryota Igarashi. None of these players were expected to make the big club to begin the season, though each of them had positive moments this spring. If last year is any indication, the Bucs will need guys from Indianapolis and Altoona to step up in case of fatigue and/or injury this year.

With the loss today, the Bucs fell to 8-17 in Grapefruit League play. Ugh! I know the wins and losses don’t matter at this point, but still, it’s getting a little embarrassing. Let’s at least get into double digits in wins! They’ll face the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow at 1:05pm.

Grapefruit League Record: 8-17

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pedro’s Struggles Continue, Pirates Lose To Phillies

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit:  http://www.wickphotography.com/

It’s March 27, with a little less than a week left in Spring Training, and I have yet to be negative about the Pirates. I’ve been objective in my analysis of individual players and the Bucs as a whole, but I haven’t been negative. After today’s 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, I have to break my streak here this spring and come down pretty hard on the Pirates.


This was just one of those frustrating afternoons for a Pirates’ fan…and of course, it was aired on MLB Network for all to see. They managed eight hits on the afternoon, three of which came off of Phillies’ starter Cliff Lee, who pitched six scoreless innings. The hits came from Alex Presley, Andrew McCutchen, Eric Fryer, Nick Evans, and Casey McGehee, as well as Pedro Alvarez. Wait, before anyone gets excited about Pedro, no this wasn’t a coming out party for the third baseman.

In fact, it was more of the same debacle that has Pirates’ fans pulling their hair out over this guy. He went 1-4 on the day with three strikeouts, including an at-bat with two runners on base and one out in the seventh inning. He was called out on strikes. Garrett Jones struck out after Alvarez to end the threat.

Making things even more excruciating was Pedro’s fielding error in the third inning, as well as Jake Fox’s error in the second. All aspects of Alvarez’s game are on the rocks at this point. For a guy with this much pedigree, it is astonishing to see him struggle this mightily in all areas of the game.

The Pirates used a total of eight pitchers today, collectively giving up five runs on twelve hits. Chris Resop, in a spot he’ll never find himself in a game that matters, started this afternoon, surrendering two runs on three hits in two innings, while striking out three batters. Daniel McCutchen, following his horrendous outing last week against the Tigers, gave up a run on a pair of hits in the fourth inning, while Ryota Igarashi also gave up a run, coming in the sixth inning. Daniel Moskos gave up the walkoff homerun in the bottom of the ninth to the Phillies’ Scott Podsednik.

Bright spots? Hmm…well Joel Hanrahan and Chris Leroux each tossed a scoreless inning. But in the regular season, if the Bucs can’t score runs, Hanarahan will leave his jacket on in the bullpen. Not much point in a closer when you can’t score runs to obtain any type of a lead. From an offensive standpoint today, however, the Bucs did manage a couple of runs in the eighth inning. Nick Evans’ RBI single scored Nate McLouth and Eric Fryer’s RBI double scored Evans to make things interesting at 4-2. McGehee hammered a double next, scoring Fryer.

Later in the game with the score tied 4-4, Pedro Alvarez walked to the plate with a chance to be the hero. Spring Training game or not, this was an opportunity for Pedro to give his team the lead. So what happened? He was called out on strikes.

I realize this is Spring Training, and I know the Bucs were facing a Philadelphia Phillies’ starter in Cliff Lee, and I know they weren’t sending a starting pitcher out to the mound themselves, but this was an utterly frustrating game to watch for this Pirates’ fan. While they did make a comeback in the eighth inning and put a string of hits together, the production from the everyday players was absent. Sure, it’s nice to see Evans and Fryer come through, but the guys we need to see production from, most particularly Pedro, didn’t come through.

With the loss, the Pirates fell to 8-15 in Grapefruit League play. Again, while wins and losses don’t matter at this point, it continues to leave a bad taste in the mouth of this Pirates’ fan.

Well after my rant, I feel a little better. As for the Pirates, they face the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow night at 7:05pm.

Grapefruit League Record: 8-15

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Outlast Astros In High-Scoring Affair

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit:  http://www.bucsdugout.com

The Pirates beat the Houston Astros this afternoon in a high scoring affair, 9-7.  With the win, the Bucs improved to 8-13 in Grapefruit League play.  The two teams combined for 16 runs on 30 hits.  Pitchers’ duel, anyone?

Brad Lincoln struggled today, surrendering three runs on four hits, including two homeruns, in his four innings of work.  His ERA this spring is at 10.50, and he hasn’t had the command or consistency we’ve been looking for, at least from the perspective of him perhaps becoming a member of the team’s starting pitching rotation.  I would argue he has all but solidified himself as a minor league player to start the season.  The only exception would be if he’s a long man out of the bullpen, but I think that’s even a long shot at this point. 

Chris Leroux also struggled today, giving up three runs on two hits and three walks in the seventh inning, while Jared Hughes got touched for a run on three hits in the eighth frame.  On a brighter note, though, Evan Meek was impressive today, tossing two scoreless innings.  He seems to look more comfortable each time out this spring, which is great news for the Bucs.

The Buccos brought the bats to the field today, tagging Astros’ pitching for nine runs on 20 hits.  Yamaico Navarro led the team with four hits, including a triple, while Garrett Jones added two RBI’s as well.  In all, five Pirates had multi-hit afternoons, including Clint Barmes, Casey McGehee, Rod Barajas, Navarro, and Nate McLouth.  It was nice to see the bats come alive.  One of the main points we’ve spoken of in regards to the Bucs’ success this year is the ability to score more runs.  They will need to give the pitching staff more support on a nightly basis, and while Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, etc. will be expected to contribute in massive amounts, the likes of McLouth, Barajas, and Barmes all represent significant pieces to that Pirates’ .500 puzzle.

A special note on Navarro here:  he has had a nice spring this year, and he may prove to be a very valuable asset to the team.  He’s been solid with both the bat and glove, but what may keep him up with the big club this year is his versatility and ability to play multiple positions.  He is able to play in the outfield or infield, and can pinch hit, as well as do platoon work or even spot starts in case of occasional maintenance scratches for players like McCutchen, Walker, etc.  We’ll see what happens, though, as players like Josh Harrison, Matt Hague, etc. are also making a strong case to start the season in Pittsburgh as well.

The Pirates will keep the Grapefruit League ball rolling tomorrow night under the lights against the Baltimore Orioles at McKechnie Field.  First pitch is slated for 7:05pm.

Grapefruit League Record:  8-13

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Bucco Beat-3.25.12

It's just about that time again.  The Pirates open up their 2012 regular season on April 5, 2012, against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park.

Zand and Chad are on location from the PIAA State Championships on the campus of Penn State University for the first Bucco Beat podcast of 2012.

The guys discuss Spring Training, the Pirates' projected Opening Day roster, and starting pitching rotation.  They make their MLB regular season and postseason predictions, while also eluding to whether they feel the Bucs will end their recording-setting losing streak.

Bucco Beat: 3-25-12

And...

As Always...

Let's Go Bucs!

Morton Struggles In Shutout Loss To Twins

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit:  http://www.burningantsblog.com

After a long, tumultuous 162-game regular season, there are at least a handful of games that each and every team would like to forget about.  For the Pirates, they can add a Spring Training game to the list as well.  The Minnesota Twins shut them out this afternoon, 10-0, on a day when Charlie Morton was almost as ineffective as the Pirates’ offense, which only mustered one hit all day.

Morton surrendered five runs on seven hits through his three innings of work.  He is, without a doubt, expected to be part of the starting rotation in a few weeks, but he certainly struggled today.  His ERA this spring is at 9.00, but hopefully over the next couple weeks leading up to Opening Day, he can put together a string of strong outings to get the confidence level up to par.

The offense was putrid today, no question about it.  Brandon Boggs recorded the only hit for the Bucs, while the team struck out a total of ten times on the day.  Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen both had the day off, but this was a rough day for everyone across the board…one that the team, and us fans, will love to put in the past.  Pedro did have a pinch-hit appearance today, going 0-1, dropping his average to .167. Ouch.

The Pirates’ lack of efficiency in the fundamental aspects of the game is already a concern for me.  Even though it’s still in Spring Training, this is the time when teams need to clean up their individual games, and right now, the Bucs aren’t doing that.  If this team is going to have any chance at a winning record this season, they need to play fundamentally sound in the field and at the plate. 

Oh yeah, and they need to hit the ball!

Prior to the game today, it was announced that Starling Marte, Gorkys Hernandez, Kyle McPherson, Bryan Morris, and Justin Wilson were optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.  Marte has been incredible at the plate this spring, but has struggled defensively.  He still has some on-the-field maturation to do, and will do so throughout this year and, depending on that development, may find himself in Pittsburgh by the end of the season.

The Bucs are now 6-9 in Grapefruit League play.  After their second (and last) day off of Spring Training tomorrow, they’ll resume action against the New York Yankees on Tuesday at 7:05pm.

Grapefruit League Record:  6-9

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Correia Throws Four Scoreless In Pirates' Win Over Phillies

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit:  Pirates.com

After scoring 28 runs in the past two games, the Pirates’ offense was not expected to continue this type of production any longer. Today, they managed only three runs against the Philadelphia Phillies, but it was good enough for them to earn their sixth win of the Grapefruit League season.

Kevin Correia pitched four shutout innings before handing the ball over to the bullpen to finish off the latter five frames to help the Bucs improve to 6-7 this spring with 3-2 victory today.

Correia gave up just one hit and one walk in his four innings of work, while Evan Meek, Justin Wilson, and Kyle McPherson each pitched an inning of scoreless ball. Kevin has yet to give up a run yet this spring, and he’s looking to revert back to the pitcher he was the first half of 2011. So far, so good for him, while the same rings true for a bullpen that was one of the best prior to the All-Star break last year, before falling apart and ending the season in the lower handful.

As for the offense, it was less exciting for the Pirates than it had been the last couple days. Alex Presley, Jose Tabata, and Andrew McCutchen were all given the day off, which, in part, allowed Starling Marte the opportunity to start in the outfield. He continued his hot spring today with two hits, including a homerun and an RBI and two runs scored, while Clint Barmes, Neil Walker, and Jake Fox (HR) added a hit each. Casey McGehee added an RBI as well.

Pedro Alvarez, on the other hand, did start, going 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout.

Daniel Moskos and Bryan Morris finished out the game for the Bucs, despite together allowing a pair of runs in the late innings. But the Phillies’ comeback came up a little short, the Bucs were able to escape with the win.

This was a solid win for the Pirates today. They didn’t score a dozen runs…in fact, they struggled at the plate against a nice slate of Phillies’ pitchers. But they had key hits an opportune times, and were able to push some runs across the plate. On the flipside, the pitching was fantastic today, top to bottom. Correia with yet another impressive outing, and the bullpen came in and did its job. This was a very satisfying victory for the Bucs this afternoon.

The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow afternoon at 1:05pm.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates’ Offense Comes Alive In Win Over Orioles

By Chad Carlson



Just yesterday, on the first of two off days during Spring Training, I was commenting that the Pirates’ starting pitching has been pretty solid thus far. With the injury to A.J. Burnett, the rotation appears to be fairly set and will most likely include Erik Bedard, Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens, Kevin Correia, and James McDonald.


Speaking of McDonald, he took the hill today as the Bucs faced the Baltimore Orioles for the second time this spring. Unfortunately for J-Mac and the Pirates, there wasn’t a single thing about his performance today that was solid…except the contact the Orioles were making off the right-hander. He was tagged for five runs on six hits through only three innings of work. He walked two, struck out two, and gave up a pair of homeruns. This wasn’t exactly what we wanted from one of our starters. Confidence is incredibly vital to a pitcher’s performance, and with outings like this, J-Mac can’t be feeling too good about his stuff at this point.

Joel Hanrahan pitched an inning of scoreless ball for the Bucs. After surrendering a leadoff walk, Joel set down the next three hitters consecutively, including two strikeouts. He looks solid off his N.L. All Star season last year. Tim Wood, who is one out of what seems to be a million relievers vying for a spot in the bullpen, pitched a scoreless inning today, as did Evan Meek and Jason Grilli.

Without a doubt, though, the Pirates’ offense stole the headlines in their 11-5 victory over Baltimore today. Just as they did the last time they faced the Orioles, the Bucs lit up the scoreboard, pounding the baseball up and down the lineup. Alex Presley, Neil Walker, Josh Harrison and Garrett Jones each had two hits, while Presley, along with Clint Barmes and Harrison, had two RBI’s a piece. Pedro Alvarez, who will be a focal point for me all season long, had a single and a sacrifice fly. He continues to look confident at the plate, and his first-pitch attack looks to be paying off early on this spring. It was a total team effort at the plate this afternoon….adding up for a total of 11 runs on 15 hits. Wow! There’s the offense we need!

With the victory, the Pirates improved their Grapefruit League record to 4-7, two of those wins coming against Baltimore. It was great to see the bats come alive.

On a side note, Rod Barajas was scratched from today’s lineup, as his wife gave birth to their seventh child. Seven children! I have nothing else to say but congratulations. Michael McKenry took his place in the lineup today.

The Pirates will face the Minnesota Twins tomorrow afternoon at 1:05pm.

Grapefruit League Record: 4-7

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McCutchen With Three More Hits, Pirates Beat Red Sox

Photo Credit:  MLB Daily Dish

The Pirates brought their bats tonight, touching up the Boston Red Sox pitching throughout the game on their way to a 7-4 victory under the lights at JetBlue Park in Ft. Myers, Fla.

Andrew McCutchen continued his impressive spring at the plate, going 3-3 with 2RBI to lead the Bucs.  Cutch had two doubles and a single, and he looks incredibly comfortable at the plate, taking what the opposing pitchers are giving him.  He is hitting .455 this spring, and the offseason work, including the altered batting stance, appears to have really paid off.  Before Spring Training began, I predicted McCutchen would have a huge season, and he’s off to a great start.

As for the rest of the offense, it was a productive night against Red Sox pitching.  Jose Tabata and Clint Barmes both had strong nights at the plate.  Tabata had a pair of hits and two RBI’s, while Barmes continued his hot streak at the plate with two knocks of his own.  It’s no secret that McCutchen and Tabata, as well as Neil Walker garner a lot of attention, but the wild cards of this team are the guys like Rod Barajas, Casey McGehee, and yes, Clint Barmes.  Barajas and Barmes have started out strong this week, which is a great sign.

Shairon Martis took the bump for the Bucs tonight and pitched well, giving up only two hits in his two innings of work, while Chris Resop pitched a scoreless third inning.  There is a litter of relievers competing for those available bullpen spots, and Resop showed tonight why he will occupy one of those spots on Opening Day. 

Unfortunately, the same could not be said about Tony Watson tonight, which has been the case in each of his performances.  Tonight, he gave up two runs on three hits in a pair of innings.  He has yet to have a quality outing, and if this continues, he’ll find himself in Altoona or Indianapolis.  The Pirates’ pitchers did give up a lot of hits tonight, twelve in fact, but they squandered a number of opportunities and the Pirates pitched their way out of trouble on a number of occasions.

The Pirates played well tonight overall, earning their 3^rd win in Grapefruit League play.  Aside of Pedro Alvarez’s 0-3 performance, the Bucs’ projected everyday starters continue to hit the ball with much consistency as they close out the first week of Spring Training play.  With a 3-4 record, the Pirates will face the Minnesota Twins tomorrow afternoon at McKechnie Field.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:05pm.

Grapefruit League Record:  3-4

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Presley, Hague, & Marte Help Pirates Win First Game This Spring

Photo Credit:  Pittsburgh Post Gazette

The Pirates played their first Spring Training game under the lights tonight, and they brought their top game to the plate, beating the Baltimore Orioles, 10-3, at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL.  As a team, Pittsburgh had a total of 18 hits, including five players that tallied multiple hits. 

Alex Presley went 3-3 with two runs scored in the leadoff spot, while Matt Hague went 3-4 with a HR and three RBI’s.  Not to be outdone, Starling Marte had three hits himself, while scoring twice.  It was great to see Presley perform well tonight in the leadoff spot, a place where Clint Hurdle would love to have the comfort of placing him for Opening Day next month.  With roster spots up for grabs, and even though it may be rather unlikely they’ll nab an Opening Day roster spot, Hague and Marte are looking strong and confident at the plate thus far.

Pedro Alvarez went 0-3 with two strikeouts and two runners left on base tonight.  He has yet to tally a hit in the pair of Spring Training games he’s played in thus far.  Michael McKenry also had a rough night offensively, going 0-3 while leaving five runners on base.  With the way Rod Barajas has hit the ball thus far in the Spring, and considering the fact he had the edge prior to reporting to Pirate City, it already seems evident that McKenry is primed for a backup spot on the roster.

The Pirates’ pitching team of eight hurlers together gave up a total of three runs on six hits tonight.  Starter Jo-Jo Reyes surrendered a run on three hits in 1.2 innings, while striking out a pair of batters.  Justin Wilson was arguably the most impressive pitcher for Pittsburgh, throwing two scoreless innings, walking a batter but striking out three and not giving up a hit.  Bryan Morris, Michael Crotta, and Tim Wood each pitched a scoreless inning, while Duke Welker had the downside of the night for the staff, giving up two unearned runs.

While a number of the players performing tonight are more than likely going to start the 2012 season in the minors, it was certainly satisfying to see them perform at a high level.  As we all know from what occurred last year, those who play well in Altoona or Indianapolis can earn their way to the Majors and make a difference with the big club.  It’s a long season and injuries and fatigue are a part of the game. 

I know this is only the third Spring Training game, but Pedro Alvarez has already struck out four times in the two games he’s played in this week.  Coming off a dismal season and all the work he’s done in the offseason, it’d be nice to see him hit the ground running.  I’ve predicted a MEGA season from Pedro this year, and I stand by that, and I’m looking forward to seeing him find his comfort zone at the plate in Spring Training and be ready to go by April 5 in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates earned their first victory in Grapefruit League play tonight.  They’ll face the New York Yankees at McKechnie Field tomorrow afternoon.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:05pm.

Grapefruit League Record:  1-2

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

At Last, Spring Training Is Here

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: http://www.pineapplegrove.com

Well Bucco fans, it’s finally here.  Today was the first official day of Spring Training in Bradenton for the Pirates, and, as always, this time of year brings a fresh sense of hope and optimism for every team in Major League Baseball.  The Pirates, in the final days leading up to arriving in Bradenton, have found themselves in unfamiliar territory…the national media.  With the AJ Burnett deal between the Bucs and the New York Yankees finally getting done, Clint Hurdle and Co. can finally get down to business, preparing the team for the regular season in April.

As Spring Training opens in Bradenton, there are, as always, a ton of questions surrounding the Pirates.  After all, this is a much different-looking team than we saw a year ago.  A number of offseason signings, some met with fan approval and some not so much, have altered the Bucs’ everyday lineups as well as their projected starting pitching rotations, all in the hope of continuing what they started in the first four months of the 2011 season. 

At the top of the news reel this year has been the additions to the starting pitching…first with the signing of Erik Bedard during the MLB Winter Meetings and only days ago, a confirmed trade with the Yankees for AJ Burnett.  So, according to our calculations here at FFTS, that means the Bucs have six pitchers, and only five spots available in the starting rotation.  Clearly, Bedard and Burnett will be in the rotation to begin 2012, barring injuries.  James McDonald seems as a lock as well, leaving Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens, and Kevin Correia to fill the final two spots. 

Rumors have circled in the days following the Burnett deal that Correia would be the odd-man out here.  Karstens, Morton, and Correia all had terrific 1^st halfs last season, and, as predicted by many, they trailed off significantly in the final couple months.  I have never been impressed with Correia, even during his All-Star caliber first half in 2011.  He was a fly-ball pitcher all season, and it caught up to him as the season went along.  Karstens was by far the biggest surprise of the pitching rotation last year, filling in for the then-injured Ross Ohlendorf and posting the team’s best ERA.  In previous seasons, he performed well out of the bullpen as a long-reliever, so it’s certainly a spot he could return to this year.  And Morton, of course, it’s impossible to tell how he’ll respond to his hip surgery in October.  In fact, this may not even be up for debate if Morton isn’t ready for Opening Day, but all indications are he looks solid as Spring Training has opened. 

As we all know from previous seasons, though, one of the most frustrating aspects of watching Pirates’ baseball in the past has been their inability to score runs.  How many games have we seen the Bucs lose 2-1, or 4-2?  These are games when the starting pitching (and the bullpen) have held up their end of the bargain, but they just can’t get the run support they need to win the game. 

The offense has a few new faces as they open camp this weekend.  Clint Barmes replaced Ronny Cedeno, Rod Barajas replaced the Chris Snyder/Ryan Doumit debacle, while Nate McLouth and Casey McGehee were also acquired for more run-power and platoon work.  Unfortunately, the Bucs didn’t improve their offense nearly as much as they needed to in the offseason.  McGehee and Garrett Jones will battle it out for the starting first baseman job, while McLouth will more than likely be the fourth or fifth outfielder behind the projected starting trio of Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata, and Alex Presley. 

There are so many questions to be answered over the next several weeks leading up to Opening Day, but with pitchers and catchers reporting to Pirate City, with many other players following suit in the coming days, we at FFTS are ecstatic to finally say that Pirates’ baseball is right around the corner.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pearce's Hit In The Ninth Wins Sloppy Game For Bucs

Photo Credit:  Pirates.com

The Pirates headed to Port Charlotte, Florida to face the Tampa Bay Rays in Spring Training action this afternoon.  Pittsburgh was looking to find their winning ways after two straight defeats at the hand of the Yankees and Orioles.  This would be the fifth time of the spring that these two teams would meet, having split their previous four meeting.  The Buccos sent James McDonald to the hill and Tampa countered with Wade Davis.

Pittsburgh got to Davis with one run in the first inning.  Pedro Alvarez hammered a two-out double, scoring Andrew McCutchen from second base. 

The Rays’ pitcher was tagged the next inning with three more runs.  With the bases loaded, Jose Tabata grounded into a force out at second base, allowing Josh Fields to score.  Ronny Cedeno later scored to make it 3-0 when Garrett Jones singled to right field.  McCutchen would finish the scoring in the inning with a single to right, scoring Tabata from third base. 

Tampa cut the lead to 4-1 in the bottom part of the inning when Desmond Jennings singled, scoring Felipe Lopez.  The Rays cut the lead in the half in the third inning w hen Casey Kotchman singled to score Sean Rodriguez from second base.  McDonald lasted only two innings, giving up four hits and two runs, one of them earned, and walking two batters.

Brian Burres replaced McDonald in the third inning.  While he didn’t give up any runs, Burres did have control issues, walking four batters in three innings of work, while giving up two hits and striking out one batter.

Both teams found offense life in the sixth inning.  The Buccos struck first, increasing the lead to a commanding 7-2.  All three of the runs came with two outs in the inning.  Josh Rodriguez scored from first on a Dusty Brown double, which was followed by John Bowker’s pinch-hit two-run homerun off of Tampa pitcher Kyle Farnsworth.

The Rays battled back again in the bottom half of the frame.  Like the Pirates, they, too, scored all of their runs in the inning with two outs.  Jose Lobaton singled in Stephen Vogt.  Justin Thomas replaced Daniel Moskos on the mound for the Pirates, who would leave the game with the bases loaded.  The first batter Thomas faced doubled in two runs to cut the Buccos’ lead to 7-5.  After the final out of the inning, the Pirates were only leading by a single run.

Tampa Bay tied the game in the eighth inning on Lobaton’s RBI single.  But the Buccos had the last laugh as Steve Pearce, who is fighting for a spot on the Buccos’ roster, singled Andrew Lambo home to make the score 8-7, which would be the final score.

The win improves the Pirates’ Spring Training record to 7-8, which equals their Grapefruit League win total of 2010.  It was a sloppy pitching performance by both teams.  As Fans From The Stands has said in the past, the Pirates need consistent pitching performances from their starters and bullpen if they hope to show improvement in 2011.  Pittsburgh will play their final split squad scrimmage of the spring when they host the Phillies and travel to Toronto on Saturday.  Both games are scheduled for a 1:05pm first pitch.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates' Offense Held In Check Again, Lose To Rays

Photo Credit: Pirates.com (AP)

The Pirates were back in action against the Tampa Bay Rays for the fourth time this spring.  Pittsburgh was coming off a tough 5-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, while the Ray lost 5-4 to the Philadelphia Phillies.  Ross Ohlendorf took the hill for the Buccos and Rays’ ace David Price was his mound opponent.

Both pitchers breezed through the first inning, with the only hit being a Neil Walker double.  Inning number two saw the Rays get on the board first when B.J. Upton doubled, scoring Matt Joyce from first.  This was the only run that Ohlendorf would give up in his three innings of work.  He struck out two, walked one, and gave up three hits on the afternoon.

Evan Meek worked the fourth inning for the Pirates, giving up no hits, but walked one batter.  Pittsburgh’s bats would finally wake up in the bottom of the fourth when Matt Diaz hit a two-run homer off of Price.  The Ray’s ace finished his day after this inning, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out two and walking one batter.

The Rays tied the game up in the fifth inning.  After Buccos’ pitcher Jose Veras walked the first pair of batters, Tim Beckham singled to left field, scoring Upton from third base.  Veras finished the inning walking two, allowing one hit, and giving up the one earned run.

The Rays took a 4-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning, which would be the final.  Tyler Yates walked Rays’ catcher Jose Lobaton, who would then make his way to third on a groundball to right field by Casey Kotchman.  After walking his second batter of the inning, Yates would be pulled form the game having only pitched 2/3 of an inning.  Kotchen would eventually score when the Pirates’ Daniel Moskos issued a bases-loaded walk to Tampa Bay’s right-fielder Justin Ruggiano.  The loss dropped the Pirates’ Spring Training record to 5-6.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have had a rough couple of days against American League East opponents.  Their bats have been silenced and pitchers have been inconsistent.  They will look to get back on the winning track as they travel to Fort Myers, Florida to face the Minnesota Twins.  Brian Burres will take to the mound and Andrew McCutchen is scheduled to bat leadoff for the Buccos.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!