Heading north
The Pirates will soon be heading north. Here's the team I hope they will be taking:
C - Santiago, Cota
IF - J.Wilson, Castillo, Wigginton, C.Wilson, R.Mackowiak, F.Sanchez, Hill, Ward
OF - Bay, Redman, Lawton, Grieve
SP - Perez, Wells, Fogg, Redman, Williams
RP - Mesa, Gonzalez, Grabow, Meadows, Torres, Vogelsong
That's not gonna happen. LittleMc (or is it McLenfield?) seems dead set on bringing 12 pitchers. Since you don't really need a 5 starter for the first month, that leaves 7 pitchers working out of the pen. That seems a little excessive, especially with rubber-armed Torres available 5 nights a week.
As it is, Mike Johnston will definitely also make the team. (***Update: Johnston has developed a blister. He's out, Lopez is likely in.) That means Grieve is out. The only wildcard seems to be Zach Duke, who seemingly could win the 5th starter job with a brilliant start tonight. But, as I stated earlier, it makes no sense to bring Duke north right out of camp because he'd wouldn't get any work unless he was used in relief. I think it would be wiser to send him to AAA, and if he experiences immediate success, bring him to Pittsburgh in May or June.
10 Comments:
I agree about Duke. Let him start at AAA. No need to rush him. The good start he had last night might not be a good thing. The "all-knowing" higher ups might feel Duke is ready for the big leagues. Let him stay in the minors a few months then bring him up when Perez or Wells has their Tommy John or torn labrum surgery. Another option will be to bring him up after Josh Fogg has an ERA over 6 going into June.
12 pitchers going north in April is RIDICULOUS. Way too many off days and weather postponments for any need of 12 pitchers. I get sick of watching McClendon waddle out to the mound every other hitter in the 7th and 8th inning.
I wish there was a way that both Ward and Grieve would make the team but I agree one of them gets squeezed out because of the 12 pitchers.
Voglesong might be sent packing and Lopez could make the team, which IMHO would be another huge mistake. I know Voglesong hasn't shown much but Lopez isn't the answer either.
The pirates are going to surprise everyone. I would agree that they are carrying way to many pitchers. But anymore the all MLB coaches put their starters way to early so maybe having that many pitchers is a positive thing..
Let's go Bucs!
DL keeps hinting he is trying to trade for another bat in the lineup. with the congestion they have (c.wilson, ward, mackowiack, greive) any chance we could see one or more role players traded to obtain a solid position player? I guess there's always that hope but isn't that why you give some guys a shot, hoping they do well enough to fill a void on another team? ward/greive could be that guy.
Do you have any information on the "Encarnacion to the Pirates" rumor? Is it Juan or Edwin (AA 3B for the Reds?). Either way...
Also any updates on the Mackowiak to the Devil Rays rumor?
I heard it's Juan, but I don't think it has much legs. While I'm sure he's available for a song and a dance, he's a marginal at best CF, and I don't see the Pirates picking up another corner OF.
Eric Byrnes is a corner outfielder who's a marginal-at-best CF, and we KNOW the Pirates were interested in him. I don't see why Encarnacion is such a stretch.
It's Juan, by the way. Edwin would be too good to be true.
See you on Thursday, Brian.
Charlie
Good point, Charlie. But at least Byrnes had a chance of being an offensive improvement over what the Pirates already are. If the Bucs give up anything for ENcarnacion and give him playing time, I may just pack things up for the year.
But at least Byrnes had a chance of being an offensive improvement over what the Pirates already are.
That's true, but I wonder whether the Pirates see it that way. This is, after all, the same team that thought Randall Simon would be an improvement over Craig Wilson. Encarnacion strikes me as the exact sort of player the Pirates seem to hideously overvalue - veteran, corner player, has some name recognition, sort of league-average-y when he's at his best and way below that at his worst.
Agreed. (and I meant to say "already have" not "already are". Never post in a hurry!)
McLenfield is likely to look at Encarnacion and say "this guy can give you 20 hr and 85 rbi in the middle of the lineup" and not realize that it takes him 450 outs to do so.
Your 25 man wish was almost right on. I agree 12 pitchers are too many, but Grieve was not the answer. Why not Duffy or McLouth to light a fire under Tike? Find out about a youngster. Which of the relievers would you let go. How about Vogelsong? How many chances does he get?
Bob
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