Pittsburgh Pirates - A new beginning...

[moore4807]

Game Two, Win Too! Another good pitching effort by SP Matt Shoemaker (8 IP, 7H, 3ER, 3BB, 7K's) has dropped his ERA by a full run over his last three starts. P Shoemaker also went 2-3 at the plate today, but lack of hits left him stranded on base early in the frames. Meanwhile the Pirates currently are on a *5 game win streak. looking for that .500 mark soon!

[moore4807]

If your going to lose... a 10-3 pounding by the Cardinals showed their frustration of the last two games. They didn't let up at all from the first batter or frame, putting up a 3 spot before the Pirates even batted.

Joe Musgrove drops his record to 3-10 on the year, P's Dario Agrazal and Ryan Brazier both pitched 2 innings of scoreless frames before Archie Bradley came on to start the ninth. The Cardinals lit him up to the tune of 5H, 4ER, 2K and seasled the deal on their first win of the series.

Tomorrow the Cardinals look to salvage a split with the Pirates and deny them a series win.

In MLB news Yankee P Luis Severino suffered a sprained ankle when he lost his balance throwing a pitch in a game against Minnesota. He is expected to be out for 4 weeks. No word from the Yankees on who will replace him.

[moore4807]

In MLB

Chicago(A) White Sox completed a trade with Houston Astros that will leave the power brokers shaking their heads. White Sox 1B Yonder Alonzo is going to Houston for 3 minor leaguers.

Milwaukee makes a trade that on the surface doesn't make much sense. They traded veteran catcher Manny Pina and a minor leaguer for Rick Porcello who is having himself a nice year. The Brewers first appeared to be sellers, now they are adding a high priced veteran P, to do exactly what?

Ohhh the carnage and devastation! Run for your lives! It's NOT safe being a MLB pitcher nowadays! Besides the obvious fact copywriter for BNN HAD to be drinking heavily before writing this injury report (Spring Training?) The actual report seems to be he was on the practice field stretching when he appeared to injure his hip, the Indians who are already without SP Carlos Carrasco, did not need this to happen too. Sources are saying he will miss 4-6 weeks of time for the injury.

[moore4807]

Well the series win slipped out of our hands, and this time the manager gets my wrath. I wont go into our discussion but Lets say Manager Hurdle and I wont be going to dinner anytime soon together...

CL Kela entered a save situation and the manager stuck with him right through, well past when the loss on the scoreboard became permanent. As you can see in the post game sheet... Manager Hurdle didn't even get ANYONE else up to warm up - Axford was available, Bradley was tired but available... When a closer is getting rocked LEAVING him in there is NOT the recommended course of action, unless losing the game is your plan...

[moore4807]

The Mets scouting report is below - they are among league leaders in pitching. Should make for some interesting games.

Some good news to report SP Madison Bumgarner's injury is a mild hamstring soreness and he is supposed to be out only one day.

In MLB News Colorado Rockies OF David Dahl went 5-5 with 2 HR's in a 10-3 thumping of the Nationals at the Nationals ballpark.

[moore4807]

The sellers are selling and the buyers are buying... The final days before the trade deadline are always exciting, unless your one of the teams that is selling and looking forward to next year already.

The Yankees adding Khris Davis is just another Bronx bomber in the making. A good but expensive pickup for the stretch drive, not that the Yankees have trouble handling the finances there.

LA Dodgers swapped some minor leaguers to pick up a decent reliever from Balimore in RP Bleier.

In injury news Baltimore SP Alex Cobb went down for the season with a torn back muscle. It may actually be a blessing as Cobb's W/L record was 1-11.

[moore4807]

The Pirates played a good game, the Mets played a lot better game, and the scoreboard shows it.

GM Moore shows up to the postgame press conference, Manager Hurdle gives me a surprised look, then starts taking questions from the media. a NY writer asks me if I agree with Mgr. Hurdle's assessment of the game. "Mgr. Hurdle is spot on correct, we should have done better, but you tip your cap to them for a nice game and get after it tomorrow".

Afterwards Mgr. Hurdle thanks you for taking his back at the presser, GM Moore slaps him on the back and says "While we may disagree, but this is the game for you and for me". Mgr. Hurdle smiles and chuckles telling me it may just be the corniest saying he's ever heard.

The ice seems to be broken after that exchange.

[moore4807]

GM Moore has been scouring the trade market looking for two things, one an upgrade to his current staff that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, or second move some overage players to unclog the pipeline in the minors. GM Moore found the latter in a deal with Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo.

OF/IF Nick Franklin has cooled off considerably at MLB level, and with our "project player" LF/1B Ryon Healy getting accustomed to playing LF, the trade permits his callup to see what he has to offer.

Washington parts with a minor league RHP Jhon Romero, a young reliever that I see as possibly turning into a starter. Pitching coach Joel Hanrahan feels he will be a good middle reliever and doubts from scouting that he can make the transition.

In other MLB news;

LAA -OF Justin Upton hit his 300th homer yesterday, against the Orioles.

[moore4807]

We make it a closer game, but too little, too late, and we lose again.
Point of interest is the "new" lineup Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle sent out today. While Pittsburgh sports enthusiasts were looking forward to the "New Guy with a big stick" Ryon Healy, Hurdle instead played Trayvon Robinson in CF and Reyes moved to LF. Time will tell if this switch is permanent.

Also in MLB news, a trade between Seattle and Cincinnati was not of the blockbuster variety, it barely registered on the consciousness of most baseball fans. details below.

[moore4807]

San Diego GM A.J. Preller has made an offer I don't think I can refuse. SP Joey Lucchesi for 2B Kevin Kramer. SP Lucchesi is under team control for one more year, and is every bit as equal to Kramer (both 3 stars).

At worst it allows me to put SP Bumgarner up for trade and SP Lucchesi would slide into his spot. 2B Alemais can slot in as 2B or even a timeshare with Erik Gonzalez there.

In other MLB news

Washington Nationals SP Strasberg is injured and out for approximately 2 months.

Houston SP Gerritt Cole threw a no-hitter against the Cardinals yesterday.

MLB Trades - Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem made a trade with the Chicago Cubs for C Victor Caratini. In return for him and a minor league RHP, The Cubs get RHP Ty Buttrey and a minor league 2B.

[moore4807]

It's almost blockbuster and it definitely changes the look of the team. The Pirates GM Jim Moore pulled the trigger today on his biggest trade, the rumors had been that San Diego GM A.J. Preller was offering SP Joey Lucchesi for 2B Kevin Kramer turned out to be true, but only a part of the story. The Pirates also included SP Bumgarner and his huge contract, and interestingly enough, SS prospect Cole Tucker.

The Padres in turn added 29 y/o 2B Jose Pirela and 2B Prospect Hudson Potts.

According to Head Scout Joe Dellicarri the Pirates came out ahead on this trade, mostly by unloading Bumgarner's contract. He felt that "MadBum" wasn't pitching to his contract's worth.

The downside to this trade is it was completed too late for the players to change cities, so a shorthanded squad will compete today for the Pirates.

[moore4807]

As I said above the team will be playing shorthanded today as there was not enough time for players to change teams and get to their playing cities.

So backup Erich Weiss manned 2B today and SP Matt Shoemaker was our SP. Matt pitched a heck of a game scattering 7 hits and only giving up one run in 7 IP. Again the Mets were just a little better eking out the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. Game details are below

[moore4807]

Nearly to the trading deadline, the Pirates made some moves and got swept out of New York(N) too!

I made the call to the Detroit GM Al Avila about SP Spencer Trumbull. According to reports Detroit is reportedly underwater by $3.5M. I figured that could be my leverage in trade talks.

He was not interested in anybody but 1B Bell and P Taillon AFTER I ponied up the $3.5M!!! lol... I thanked him for taking my call and hung up.

At this point I think I had just better let the season play out and promote who I think needs the seasoning at MLB level for next year.

[moore4807]

Well after the dust settled, the dust got kicked back up a little. This time reserve IF Erich Weiss was waived and plans to release him are in the works after he clears. We kept Ryon Healy on the major league club - now backup at 1B and PH.

OF Jason Martin who was playing in AA, was reviewed and determined to be our most productive player in the organization (by WAR), so he was signed and brought up to the club.

Then it was Melky's turn - he is pretty obviously NOT going to sign with us this offseason, so I shopped him around and guess who came calling? Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo, We scoured his organization and came up with 1B Jake Noll - who incidentally comes from my town Punta Gorda FL (near enough!).

So that was easy and painless trade, now that opens up one last position for an OF... Who? We looked and one of our first trades completed this year kept coming up in talk... Monte Harrison - great foot and stealing speed, good defender at RF & CF, 38/41 contact but 67/70 power which we are definitely lacking.

Ok enough jabber lets look ahead to next week.

[moore4807]

I forgot about last week first! Sorry folks... Pirates went 2-5 on the week.

Pirates dropped to 22nd place in the power rankings, unsurprising but true.

last week wasn't good for much anyway. Hitters barely hit for average, pitching was much better than usual, but not enough against the top pitching teams in the NL.

Moving right along - nothing to see here

[moore4807]

The loss streak reaches six... A winnable game becomes unwinnable, pitching held the Reds to just seven hits and two runs, problem is the opposition held us to seven hits and only one run!

Prized acquisition SP Joey Lucchesi lasted just 1.2 IP before going down with an injury, his reported back spasms will only keep him out one day.

I was hoping Mgr. Hurdle was going to use new RF Harrison in the number 4 spot, instead he put new 2B Pirela instead.

[moore4807]

A couple trades to report, there's only a few more days until the trading deadline and the volume of Manager Reports settles down.

[moore4807]

"There are no moral victories" - Clint Hurdle, Manager Pittsburgh Pirates.

After our seventh consecutive loss, I couldn't agree more, but I've also heard that pitchers should be allowed to sue for lack of support too... SP Joe Musgrove pitched a one mistake game, a solo HR to Scooter Gennett, and lost because of it (7 IP, 6H, 1ER, 0BB, 6K). Joe Musgrove even got a hit for the anemic 5 hit Pirates attack.

[moore4807]

The Rockies want me to send them CL Keone Kela for SP Freeland. I'm thinking I can do much better shopping him around than a bottom of the rotation pitcher. I will, of course, look around the Rockies organization to see if something catches my eye instead.

The Phillies want me to take on salary in the form of 35 y/o Denard Span and a minor league SP. LF Span has a $4M salary, so that's a non starter right there. but I'll look under the Phillies hood and see what they might have

Thankfully the trading deadline is today, should go back to only one or two Managers Reports per week after this.

Cleveland Indians pitching continues to be ravaged by injuries. This time its RP Dan Otero who is done for the season. A torn flexor tendon has derailed his season, he hopes to be back for next season.

Arizona (my GM buddy "Mike") is still wheeling and dealing at the final hours tick down. This time C Alex Avila goes to the Houston Astros for a couple of minor leaguers.

[moore4807]

The losing streak is eight... The Pirates actually had a four run lead, and managed to fritter it away, SP Jameson Taillon was particularly displeased and threw his glove into the dugout after being removed from the game. It struck pitching coach Joel Hanrahan in the back and a heated discussion ensued. No punches were thrown and order was restored quickly, Manager Hurdle quipped afterwards at the post game press conference "Well we know Jameson's control wasn't the problem tonight".


There was a trade made by GM Moore, CL Keone Kela was traded along with CF Pablo Reyes to Boston for Minor league 3B Bobby Dalbec and P Tanner Houck. The players were able to join their teams before game time.

Some writers questioned the promotion of 3B Dalbec over bringing back 3B KeBryan Hayes from AAA. GM Moore stated he wanted to see Dalbec against some major league pitching before deciding his fate.