Reclaiming Glory: The 2010 Pirates Dynasty

[PirateFan17]

The 2010 Awards have been handed out and to no ones suprise no Pirates received any awards, although former Pirate Jack Wilson was able to grab the AL Gold Glove at SS.

AL Gold Glove:

SP-Javier Vazquez- New York Yankees
C-Kurt Suzuki- Oakland Athletics
1B-Michael Aubrey- Baltimore Orioles
2B-Aaron Hill- Toronto Blue Jays
3B-Kevin Kouzmanoff- Oakland Athletics
SS-Jack Wilson- Seattle Mariners
LF-Carl Crawford- Tampa Bay Rays
CF-Franklin Gutierrez- Seattle Mariners
RF-J.D. Drew- Boston Red Sox

NL Gold Glove:

SP-John Lannan- Washington Nationals
C-Carlos Ruiz- Philadelphia Phillies
1B-Albert Pujols- St. Louis Cardinals (2)
2B-Brandon Phillips- Cincinnati Red (2)
3B-Ryan Zimmerman- Washington Nationals
SS-Alcides Escobar- Milwaukee Brewers
LF-Chris Dickerson- Cincinnati Reds
CF-Drew Stubbs- Cincinnati Reds
RF-Jayson Werth- Philadelphia Phillies

AL Rookie of the Year:

C-Adam Moore- Seattle Mariners
(.268, 15 HR, 80 RBI, 70 R)

NL Rookie of the Year:

1B-Gaby Sanchez- Florida Marlins
(.302, 20 HR, 86 RBI, 91 R)

AL Cy Young Award:

SP-CC Sabathia- New York Yankees (2)
(20-7, 3.44 ERA in 33 starts)

NL Cy Young Awardr:

SP-Cole Hamels- Philadelphia Phillies
(22-4, 3.76 ERA,.259 AVG in 31 starts)

AL MVP:

1B-Mark Teixeira- New York Yankees
(.298, 42 HR, 134 RBI, 127 R)

NL MVP:

3B-Pablo Sandoval- San Francisco Giants
(.389, 31 HR, 93 RBI, 93 R)

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates began their offseason by deciding on which players in their organization they wanted to resign. Owner Robert Nutting told Charlie Fisher that the budget will increase by almost 10 million dollars compared to 2010, the new budget being $67,900,000. The Pirates started to put that money to use.

Re-signings:

IF- Jose de Los Santos- Minor League Contract
IF- Greg Picart- Minor League Contract
C- Luke Carlin- Minor League Contract
C- Hector Gimenez- Minor League Contract

OF- Rocco Baldelli- $1,500,000/1 yr. with $500,000 bonus for 500 PA
SP- Zach Duke- $4,400,000/ 1 yr. (Through Arbitration)
RP- Joel Hanrahan- $2,400,000/1 yr. (Through Arbitration)
SS- Brendan Ryan- $600,000/1 yr. (Through Arbitration)
3B- Andy LaRoche- $600,000/1 yr. (Through Arbitration)
SP- Ross Ohlendorf- $600,000/1 yr. (Through Arbitration)
OF- Lastings Milledge- $4,600,000/1 yr. (Through Arbitration)
SP- Jeff Karstens- $800,000/1 yr. (Through Arbitration)

Releasings:

SS-Ronny Cedeno
OF- Ryan Church
RP- D.J. Carrasco
RP- Javier Lopez
SP- Jarrod Washburn
RP- Brendan Donnelly
RP- Eddie Guardado

Minor League Free Agents:

2B- Deybis Benitez
1B- Adam Boeve
SP- Dustin Molleken
SP- Jimmy Barthmaier
MR- Wilfredo Ledezma
C- Milver Reyes
MR- Jean Machi
SP- Derek Hankins
MR- Steven Jackson
SP- Brian Burres
2B- Doug Berneir
MR- Vinnie Chulk
MR- Jack Taschner

Waiver claim:

The Pirates started their offseason with a bang. They made their first acquisition of the offseason threw a waiver claim. The Pirates have claimed catching prospect Hank Conger from the Los Angeles Angels. Conger was rated as the 47th best prospect in baseball at the beginning of the year, and he is currently the 6th best position prospect for the Pirates (11th overall). Conger has the potential to be good in all aspects of his game. He has a good bat which shows good power and he plays good defense. In 2010 he hit .321 with 8 HR, 32 RBI, and 22 R in 50 games with the AAA Salt Lake City team. Conger will get a shot to win a spot on the team and potentially a starting spot during spring training.

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates and GM Charlie Fisher had a very defensive mindset this offseason, as 11 of their 16 signings were pitchers. The Pirates were associated with big names such as Cliff Lee this offseason but nothing could be worked out with the star. Overall the Pirates are happy with their signings and they are looking forward to what should be a good year in 2011

Signings:

SP Ben Sheets- 8,000,000/2 yr.
SP Jake Westbrook- 1,500,000/1 yr.
SP Ted Lilly- 20,000,000/2 yr. with 500,000 bonus for 200 IP
RP J.J. Putz- 4,000,000/2 yr.
RP Pedro Feliciano- 5,000,000/2 yr.
RP Ryan Franklin- 700,000/1 yr.
RP Joe Beimel- 4,000,000/2 yr.
RP Darin Downs- 1,200,000/2 yr.
RP Ching Lung Ho- 600,000/1 yr.
IF/OF Willie Bloomquist- 700,000/1 yr.
2B Freddy Sanchez- 700,000/1 yr.

Minor League Signings:

SP Dallas Trahern
RP Bayron Zepeda
2B Tony Thomas
3B Marco Vechionacci
CF Leonardo Ortiz

Around the League:

C- Victor Martinez- 31,400,000/5 yr. with the New York Yankees
SP- Brandon Webb- 42,150,000/5 yr. with the Atlanta Braves
OF- Adam Dunn- 45,960,000/6 yr. with the Boston Red Sox
OF- Jayson Werth- 13,600,000/2 yr. with the Colorado Rockies
SP- Javier Vazquez- 22,500,000/2 yr. with 800,000 bonus for Cy Young with the New York Yankees
SP- Cliff Lee- 21,420,000/2 yr. with 500,000 bonus for 200 IP with the Chicago White Sox
RP- Grant Balfour- 7,710,000/3 yr. with the Seattle Mariners
RP- Chad Qualls- 8,490,000/3 yr. with the San Francisco Giants
OF- Carl Crawford- 36,640,000/4 yr. with 800,000 bonus for MVP with the Boston Red Sox
3B- Adrian Beltre- 800,000/1 yr. with the Houston Astros

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates have announced their spring training roster for 2011. The roster has a good mix of veteran players and young players. There are many spots on the roster that are up for grabs both in the field and on the pitching staff. It will be interesting to see what players earn these spots this spring.
Roster:
SP Ben Sheets (32)- 10-11, 3.96 ERA in 33 starts for the Oakland Athletics
SP Ted Lilly (34)- 14-9, 4.05 ERA, 1.29 WHIP in 31 starts for the Chicago Cubs
SP Jake Westbrook (33)- 12-9, 4.66 ERA in 33 starts for the Cleveland Indians
SP Zach Duke (27)- 18-11, 4.51 ERA in 33 starts for the Pirates
SP Jose Ascanio (25)- 6-7, 4.26 ERA in 18 starts for the Pirates
SP Charlie Morton (27)- 9-12, 4.16 ERA, 1.32 WHIP in 32 starts for the Pirates
SP Ross Ohlendorf (28)- 7-19, 4.84 in 33 starts for the Pirates
SP Daniel McCutchen (28)- 14-6, 5.59 ERA in 30 starts for the Indianapolis Indians (AAA)

RP Joel Hanrahan (29)- 0-0, 3.98 ERA, 11 HDs + 2 SV/14 SVO in 40.2 innings for the Pirates
RP J.J. Putz (34)- 6-3, 5.23 ERA, 8/10 HDs/SVO in 74 innings for the Chicago White Sox
RP Pedro Feliciano (34)-4-5, 3.78 ERA, 13 HDs + 1 SV/15 SVO in 66.2 innings for the New York Mets
RP Evan Meek (27)- 3-4, 3.96 ERA, 15 HDs + 3 SV/22 SVO in 52.1 innings for the Pirates
RP Hayden Penn (26) 4-1, 3.00 ERA, 13/13 HDs/SVO in 30 innings for the Pirates
RP Darin Downs (26) 4-1, 3.11 ERA, 7 HDs + 2 SV/9 SVO in 55 innings for the Montgomery Biscuits (AA)
RP Ching Lung Lo (25) 4-2, 2.67 ERA, 2 HDs + 4 SV/6 SVO in 97.2 innings for the Modesto Nuts (A)
RP Jeff Sues (27) 6-2, 2.17 ERA, 16 HDs + 5 SV/26 SVO in 95.1 innings for the Indianapolis Indians (AAA)
RP Ryan Franklin (38) 8-8, 6.38 ERA, 18 HDs + 5 SV/29 SVO in 79 innings for the St. Louis Cardinals
RP Joe Beimel (33) 2-0, 5.79 ERA, 5 HDs + 1 SV/6 SVO in 14 innings with the Colorado Rockies
RP Octavio Dotel (37) 6-7, 3.11 ERA, 36/39 SV/SVO in 63.2 innings with the Pirates

C Jeff Clement (27) .294, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 36 R in 77 games with the Pirates
C Jason Jaramillo (28) .235, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 27 R in 88 games with the Pirates
C Hank Conger (23) .321, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 22 R in 50 games with the Salt Lake City Bees (AAA)

1B Garrett Jones (29) .252, 30 HR, 99 RBI, 92 R, 13 SB in 161 games with the Pirates
1B Steven Pearce (27) .275, 29 HR, 74 RBI, 91 R in 116 games with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA)
2B Argenis Reyes (28) .288, 0 HR, 28 RBI, 20 R in 74 games with the Pirates
2B Freddy Sanchez (33) .255, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 12 R in 59 games with the San Francisco Giants
2B Willie Bloomquist (33) .251, 5 HR, 47 RBI, 61 R, 17 SB in 138 games with the Kansas City Royals
3B Andy LaRoche (27) .252, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 56 R in 143 games with the Pirates
3B Neil Walker (25) .254, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 19 R in 72 games with the Pirates
3B Pedro Alvarez (24) .283, 23 HR, 72 RBI, 83 R in 121 games with the Altoona Curve (AA)
SS Brendan Ryan (28) .257, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 81 R, 11 SB in 149 games with Pirates and Cardinals
SS Argenis Diaz (24) .342, 5 HR, 39 RBI, 35 R in 70 games with the Indianapolis Indians

LF Lastings Milledge (25) .322, 10 HR, 49 RBI, 59 R, 13 SB in 122 games with thePirates
LF Brandon Moss (27) .313, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R in 9 games with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA)
LF Brandon Jones (27) .335, 20 HR, 73 RBI, 87 R, 7 SB in 117 games with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA)
CF Andrew McCutchen (24) .231, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 56 R, 17 SB in 108 games with the Pirates
CF Gorkys Hernandez (23) .254, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 20 R, 7 SB in 58 games with the Pirates
RF Rocco Baldelli (29) .244, 18 HR, 95 RBI, 60 R in 144 games with the Pirates
RF Fernando Martinez (22) .308, 27 HR, 101 RBI, 85 R in 127 games in (AAA)
RF Jose Tabata (22) .312, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 55 R, 7 SB in 80 games for the Indianapolis Indians (AAA)

[PirateFan17]

After an interesting Spring Training GM Charlie Fisher and manager John Russell sat down to discuss the final cuts and to determine the 2011 opening day roster for the Pirates. The Pirates are very excited about their team heading into the 2011 season.

The Pirates’ rotation heading into 2011 is a rotation that has the potential to be a strong point for this team. The Pirates have a mix of veterans and young pitchers. The Pirates turn to newly acquired Ben Sheets and Ted Lilly to be the leaders of this staff. The Pirates hae the 26th ranked starting rotation in baseball, up from the 29th ranking in 2010. GM Charlie Fisher sees pitching as very important so expect the pitching ranking to continue to improve over the years

RHP #19 Ben Sheets-32
Contract: 4,000,000/4,000,000
2010 Stats: 10-11, 3.96 ERA, 126 K, 61 BB in 193 innings (For Oakland)
Career: 96-94, 3.75 ERA, 1332 K, 374 BB in 1621 innings
GM Report: Ben Sheets is a veteran pitcher who has top of the rotation stuff and if he pitches the way he should Sheets could be the number one starter the Pirates have been searching for

RHP #39 Jake Westbrook-33
Contract: 1,500,000
2010 Stats: 12-9, 4.66 ERA, 116 K, 70 BB in 212.2 innings (For Cleveland)
Career: 75-73, 4.36 ERA, 699 K 398 BB in 1283 innings
GM Report: Westbrook is a veteran pitcher who should be able to eat a lot of innings for the Pirates while still providing quality outings. The Pirates feel moving to the National League will make Westbrook’s numbers improve slightly from where they were in 2010 making him a good top of the rotation pitcher to go along with Sheets and Lilly

LHP #33 Ted Lilly- 35
Contract: 10,000,000/10,000,000 with 500,000 bonus for 200 IP
2010 Stats: 14-9, 4.05 ERA, 152 K, 61 BB in 198 innings
Career: 117-93, 4.23 ERA, 1460 K, 598 BB in 1722.2 innings
GM Report: One of the Pirates’ top priorities in the offseason was getting a top of the rotation left hander, and they got just that in Ted Lilly. Lilly is a pitcher who should put up double digit wins (10+ wins every year since ’03) and have an ERA in the Low fours at the highest.

RHP #45 Jose Ascanio- 25
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: 6-7, 4.26 ERA, 82 K, 60 BB in 105.2 innings
Career: 8-10, 4.11 ERA, 146 K, 87 BB in 170.2 innings
GM Report: Ascanio is a pitcher the Pirates are very excited about. In the limited time he had in Pittsburgh last year he showed that he is a major league ready pitcher and after a strong spring he showed that he deserves a spot in the rotation (3-0, 3.00 ERA). The Pirates feel Ascanio can be a great pitcher for them if he continues to progress.

RHP #37 Charlie Morton- 27
Contract: 405,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: 9-12, 4.16 ERA, 122 K, 77 BB in 196.2 innings
Career: 18-29, 4.67 ERA, 232 K, 158 BB in 368.1 innings
GM Report: Charlie Morton is a young pitcher who has the potential to be a really good pitcher but so far in his career he hasn’t been able to live up to this potential. He had a decent year last year but he needs to improve if he wants to stick on this team past this year.

In The Minors:

The Pirates minor league system has improved over the past year, which can be seen in the increase of talent at starter. The Pirates have two starters in Baseball America’s top 100 with Jameson Taillon coming in at number three, and Brad Lincoln coming in at 85. Taillon, Lincoln and young left hander Tyler Skaggs (Acquired from the Angels for Paul Maholm) could all be big leaguers in the near future with Taillon possessing the skills to be an elite pitcher in the league and Lincoln and Skaggs rating out as middle to bottom of the rotation guys. The Pirates do have a few guys in Ross Ohlendorf, Kevin Hart, Jeff Karstens, and Daniel McCutchen who could be spot starters in the majors if someone gets hurt, but they are fringe major leaguers at best and there are no signs of that changing. The Pirates will look to continue to improve their lack of minor league pitching depth, which they improved from 30th last year to 23rd this year.

Injuries:

The Pirates pitching staff took a huge blow in spring training as 18 game winner Zach Duke was injured and required a stay on the 60 day DL. Duke suffered a strained hamstring and is expected to miss the first 18 months of the season. Duke was coming off an exciting year and the Pirates were looking forward to him making a huge impact on the 2011 season. Charlie Morton won the 5th spot in the rotation and will hold that spot until Duke has recovered.

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates’ bullpen has a good mix of seasoned veterans and talented young pitchers. Led by veterans Ryan Franklin and Octavio Dotel, as well as youngsters Hayden Penn and Joel Hanrahan the bullpen looks to be an area of strength for the Pirates heading into 2010. The Pirates were able to improve their bullpen ranking going from 17th a year ago to 10th this year

RHP #32 Ryan Franklin- 38
Contract: 700,000
2010 Stats: 8-8, 6.38 ERA, 18 HD+5 SV in 29 SVO, 50 K, 36 BB in 79 innings (STL)
Career: 63-78, 4.22 ERA, 61/67 SV/SVO, 659 K, 372 BB in 1187.1 innings
GM Report: Franklin is a good veteran coming off of a down year. Franklin adds a veteran presence who has late inning experience that can help teach the younger pitchers in the bullpen. Franklin will be used primarily as a middle relief pitcher

LHP #25 Pedro Feliciano-34
Contract: 2,500,000/2,500,000
2010 Stats: 4-5, 3.78 ERA, 13 HD+1 SV in 15 SVO, 64 K, 29 BB in 66.2 innings (NY)
Career: 23-18, 3.40 ERA, 13 HD, 5/6 SV, 349 K, 158 BB in 376.1 innings
GM Report: The Pirates needed a few left handed pitchers after releasing Javier Lopez and Eddie Guardado and the Pirates got two of the best. Feliciano has been one of the best left handed bullpen options for years and now he is a Pirate. He will be used as a middle reliever for the Pirates in 2011

RHP #47Evan Meek-27
Contract: 400,500 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: 3-4, 3.96 ERA, 15 HD+3 SV in 22 SVO, 49 K, 23 BB in 52.1 innings
Career: 4-6, 4.09 ERA, 98 K, 64 BB, 3/7 SV/SVO in 112.1 innings
GM Report: Meek didn’t live up to the expectations that were put on him in 2010. Meek was expected to be a top bullpen pitcher, and he was expected to prove he was worthy of the closers role, but he didn’t. Meek will have to prove he is the same pitcher the Pirates thought so highly of last year. Due to a rough spring Meek will be used as a middle reliever in 2011 instead of in the set-up role he was used in during the 2010 season.

LHP #97 Joe Beimel-33
Contract: 2,000,000/2,000,000
2010 Stats: 2-0, 5.79 ERA, 1/1 SV/SVO, 14 K, 6 BB in 14 innings (With Colorado)
Career: 24-29, 4.27 ERA, 5/5 SV/SVO, 308 K, 224 BB in 531 innings
GM Report: 2010 looked to be a promising season for Beimel before requiring Tommy John surgery. Beimel makes his return to Pittsburgh to add a second left hander to the bullpen, one who should be very successful in middle relief.

RHP #52 Joel Hanrahan-29
Contract: 2,400,000 (Arbitration Eligible)
2010 Stats: 0-0, 3.98 ERA, 2/3 SV/SVO, 35 K, 25 BB in 40.2 innnings
Career: 12-10, 4.61 ERA, 16/17 SV/SVO, 243 K, 139 BB in 240 innings
GM Report: With the mediocre performance and the injury that prematurely ended Hanrahan’s season 2010 was a disappointment for Joel Hanrahan. Hanrahan had the highest expectations of any Pirate’s reliever but he failed to live up to them in 2010. He looked really strong in spring after returning from injury and the expectations are still very high for Hanrahan. He will once again serve as a set-up man to Octavio Dotel

RHP #62 Hayden Penn-26
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 31 K, 20 BB in 30 innings
Career: 4-6, 7.28 ERA, 84 K, 74 BB in 110 innings
GM Report: The Pirates were pleasantly surprised by the performance of Hayden Penn in 2010. Penn was outstanding as the closer in AAA Indianapolis and continued his good play once he got to the majors. Hayden Penn fought for and won a spot in Spring Training and if his good play continues he could see himself closing games in the future for the Pirates. He will start the year setting up for Octavio Dotel.

RHP #29Octavio Dotel-37
Contract: 4,500,000
2010 Stats: 6-7, 3.11 ERA, 36/39 SV/SVO, 83 K, 37 BB in 63.2 innings
Career: 52-46, 3.68 ERA, 119 SV, 1023 K, 384 BB in 834 innings
GM Report: Dotel had a great season as the Pirate’s closer in 2010 as he only blew three saves in 39 chances. The Pirates hope Dotel can put up similar numbers in the same role in 2011

In The Minors

The Pirates have improved their minor league pitching depth in the bullpen. Ivan Martinez cracked Baseball America’s top 100 at 92. Martinez and Hunter Strickland are the best pitchers in the system for the Pirtes and both could have an impact on the Major League club at some point in the future. The bullpen rating in the minors improved drastically from 2010 going from 28th to 14th in MLB

Injuries:

The Pirates learned they will be without one of their better bullpen options for the better part of the 2011 season as J.J. Putz suffered from a torn labrum and is expected to miss 4-5 months. Putz was expected to be a leader in the bullpen in 2011. Putz’s injury opens the door for Evan Meek who was on his way to the minors prior to the injury.

[PirateFan17]

In 2011 the Pittsburgh Pirates will have a mix of veterans and young players taking the field for them every day. The Pirates do hope to improve their offense which was almost dead last in every statistical category in 2010. The offense will be led by young stars Andrew McCutchen and Lastings Milledge, guys trying to prove themselves in Jeff Clement and Neil Walker, as well as veterans Garrett Jones and Rocco Baldelli.
Ratings: (in 2010)
C: 26 (11)
1B: 29 (20)
2B: 30 (20)
3B: 26 (24)
SS: 23 (30)
LF: 13 (22)
CF: 5 (3)
RF: 28 (26)

Catchers

C #63 Jeff Clement-27
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .294, 9 HR, 30 RBI, 36 R in 77 games
Career: .267, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 57 R in 152 games
GM Report: Clement is a young catcher who has to prove he belongs on the major league team. Clement is a good hitter who should hit .250 at the very least and he has enough power to get him 20 a year. Clement doesn’t have great defense but he is decent enough.

C #35 Jason Jaramillo-28
S/R
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .235, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 27 R in 88 games
Career: .243, 8 HR, 52 RBI, 47 R in 151 games
GM Report: Jaramillo will serve as the backup catcher for the Pirates heading into 2011. He offers good defense, better than Clement, but his offense keeps him from being anything more than a backup catcher. His poor offensive skills are shown in his 2010 stats.

Infielders:

1B #46 Garrett Jones-29
L/L
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .252, 30 HR, 99 RBI, 92 R, 13 SB in 161 games
Career: .261, 53 HR, 148 RBI, 144 R, 24 SB in 274 games
GM Report: Jones is the primary power source for the Pirates. He is coming off a season were he hit 30 HR and had 99 RBI. Jones was the main run producer in 2010 for the Pirates knocking in 99 while scoring 92, he will once again be looked to as the main run producer in 2011. Jones is one of the most important pieces of this Pirate offense.

2B #8 Argenis Reyes-28
S/R
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .288, 0 HR, 28 RBI, 20 R in 74 games
Career: .258, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 33 R in 132 games
GM Report: Reyes is a good hitter and a good fielder who still hasn’t been given a real chance to prove himself in the majors. The Pirates see the potential in Reyes and are willing to give him the chance to prove his skills as their starting second baseman. The Pirates think Reyes can improve on his numbers in 2011 if he can manage to stay healthy. In 2010 he required 3 separate stints on the DL, which drastically cut down his playing time.

3B #18 Neil Walker-25
S/R
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .254, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 19 R in 72 games
Career: .245, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 24 R in 89 games
GM Report: Walker is a young player who has the potential to be a great hitter. Walker put up amazing stats while in AAA Indianapolis but was not able to match that while splitting time at third with Andy LaRoche last year. Walker will be the starting third baseman for the Pirates in 2011 and will have plenty of time to show that he truly can live up to the potential.

SS #14 Brendan Ryan-29
R/R
Contract: 600,000 (Arbitration Eligible)
2010 Stats: .257, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 81 R, 11 SB in 149 games
Career: .270, 17 HR, 116 RBI, 196 R, 39 SB in 425 games
GM Report: Brendan Ryan is one of the league’s most underrated shortstops. He possesses elite defense at short and he is a pretty good hitter as well. Ryan will be given his first shot at playing a whole season at one position in 2011 and the Pirates expect his decent numbers from 2010 to go up most notably his average.

1B #51 Steven Pearce-27
R/R
Contract: 407,500 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .275, 29 HR, 74 RBI, 91 R in 116 games in AAA Indianapolis
Career: .239, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 40 R in 128 games
GM Report: Steven Pearce is a classic example of a player who is a great hitter in AAA, but just can’t find that same swing in the majors. Pearce has good power which can allow him to hit 20-30 homeruns in a year if he can reach his potential. The Pirates are giving Pearce the chance to be with the club the whole year hoping he can hit the way they know he can.

2B #11 Willie Bloomquist-33
R/R
Contract: 700,000
2010 Stats: .251, 5 HR, 47 RBI, 61 R, 17 SB in 138 games with the Royals
Career: .261, 15 HR, 174 RBI, 304 R, 113 SB in 803 games
GM Report: Bloomquist was brought to Pittsburgh to be their utility man. Bloomquist can play every defensive position outside of catcher and that versatility gives the Pirates a lot of flexibility with their roster. Bloomquist also possesses a decent bat with great speed. Bloomquist is a great role player who can fill in wherever he is needed.

In the Minors

The Pirates do have some intriguing infield prospects in the minors. The list is headed by slugging third basemen Pedro Alvarez (9th) and catchers Tony Sanchez and Hank Conger. Sanchez, Conger, and Alvarez are expected to be among the best at their position for years to come. Christian Colon and Chase D’Arnaud are among other prospects who should be a part of the Pirates lineup in the future. The Pirates are very excited about the prospects they have at the infield positions.
Rankings (2010 Value)
C: 7 (21)
1B: 25 (23)
2B: 12 (20)
3B: 3 (1)
SS: 11 (8)

Outfielders:

LF #85 Lastings Milledge-25
R/R
Contract: 4,600,000 (Arbitration Eligible)
2010 Stats: .322, 10 HR, 49 RBI, 59 R, 13 SB in 122 games
Career: .283, 39 HR, 182 RBI, 186 R, 48 SB in 440 games
GM Report: Milledge is one of the most exciting young players that the Pirates have. 2010 proved to be the breakout year that Milledge was looking for. Milledge proved he can be a great hitter, with his good mix of power and speed. Milledge is turning into the 5 tool outfielder that many thought he could be.

CF #22 Andrew McCutchen-24
R/R
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .231, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 56 R, 17 SB in 108 games
Career: .260, 21 HR, 90 RBI, 130 R, 39 SB in 216 games
GM Report: McCutchen is the brightest star in all of the Pirates’ organization. He had a down year in 2010, but the Pirates see this as a minor bump in McCutchens track to become a star. McCutchen is the star of this team and will be for many years as he will control CF for many years to come for the Pirates, as long as he can stay healthy unlike 201 where he made two separate trips to the DL.

RF #5 Rocco Baldelli-29
R/R
Contract: 1,500,000 with 500,000 bonus for 500 PA
2010 Stats: .244, 18 HR, 95 RBI, 60 R in 144 games
Career: .272, 77 HR, 352 RBI, 338 R, 63 SB in 653 games
GM Report: Rocco Baldelli had a great bounceback year in 2010, the first year he saw regular playing time since 2004. Rocco was second on the team in homeruns and RBIs and was a big part of the offense. In 2011 Rocco will still be a big part of the offense although he may see some of his playing time in right going to youngster Jose Tabata

CF #44 Gorkys Hernandez-23
R/R
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .254, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 20 R, 7 SB in 58 games
Career: .254, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 20 R, 7 SB in 58 games
GM Report: After a strong Spring Gorkys Hernandez earned a backup outfielder spot on the Pirates’ roster. Gorkys brings great speed and great defense to the team but his hitting is average at best. Gorkys will be used to give McCutchen a break every once and a while in center.

RF #31 Jose Tabata-22
Contract: 400,000 (Auto Renew)
2010 Stats: .312, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 55 R, 7 SB in 80 games (AAA Indianapolis)
Career: .200, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R in 9 games
GM Report: Tabata earned a back up outfielder spot after his strong showing in spring. Tabata has all the makings of a fine leadoff hitter. He makes good contact, won’t strike out and he is fast. Tabata also offers exceptional defense. He will be used in right field this year, splitting time with Rocco Baldelli.

In the Minors

The Pirates also have some intriguing prospects in the outfield. The group is led by Fernando Martinez and Sterling Marte. The Pirates have many OF prospects that could be seeing some time in the majors making impacts on the big league team. Including Martinez, Marte, Brandon Moss, Miles Durham, and Brandon Jones.
Rankings (2010 value)
LF: 24 (25)
CF: 4 (1)
RF: 8 (7)

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates had a horrible start to their 2011 campaign as the team put up just 4 wins to go along with 13 losses. This was not the start that the team or the fans had hoped and expected the team to have. The Pirates were worst in the NL in both runs scored and runs against in the month, which led to the horrible record. The Pirates are in last place in the NL Central trailing the Reds by a game and trailing the division leading Cardinals by 7.5 games.

Months Best Pitchers
Ted Lilly: 1-1, 3.60 ERA, 16 K, 1 BB in 3 starts (20 innings)
Evan Meek: 0-0, 2.51 ERA, 14 K, 4 BB in 11 games (14.2 innings)
Joel Hanrahan: 0-1, 3.63 ERA, 1 HD, 21 K, 4 BB in 11 games (17.1 innings)

Months Worst Pitchers

Charlie Morton: 0-3, 9.69 ERA, 11 K, 9 BB in 3 starts (13 innings)
Jake Westbrook:: 1-3, 10.06 ERA, 7 K, 11 BB in 4 starts (17 innings)
Ben Sheets: 1-1, 7.45 ERA, 16 K, 8 BB in 4 starts (19.1 innings)

Months Best Hitters

Lastings Milledge: .343, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 16 R, 3 SB in 17 games
Andrew McCutchen: .306, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 12 R, 3 SB in 17 games
Jose Tabata: .353, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 1 SB in 12 games

Months Worst Hitters

Brendan Ryan: .167, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R in 17 games
Gorkys Hernandez: .200, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R in 9 games
Jason Jaramillo: .250, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R in 11 games

Injuries:

Argenis Reyes was unsuccessful in his bid to have an injury free 2011. Reyes tore his labrum and will never play baseball again. It is an unfortunate injury for Reyes, a player who had an enormous potential but never saw the field enough to reach that potential. Prior to the injury he was 1/6 with a double. Freddy Sanchez was recalled from AAA Indianapolis and will take over the second base position

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates bad start continued into the month of May as the team went 11-18 to put their season record at 15-31 (.326). The Pirates did climb out of the basement and lead the Reds by a game, but are still 13 games back of the division leading Astros. The Pirates improved slightly both offensively and defensively improving to 13th in the league in terms of runs scored and runs against.

Months Best Pitchers
Evan Meek: 2-0, 1.08 ERA, 5 HD, 18 K, 6 BB in 18 games (16.2 innings)
Octavio Dotel: 0-1, 1.80 ERA, 5/6 SV/SO, 18 K, 4 BB in 12 games (15 innings)
Charlie Morton:: 1-1, 3.26 ERA, 19 K, 15 BB in 5 starts (30.1 innings)

Months Worst Pitchers

Jose Ascanio: 0-5, 5.51 ERA, 17 K, 18 BB in 6 starts (32.2 innnings)
Hayden Penn:: 1-1, 8.03 ERA, 1 HD 9 K, 9 BB in 13 games (12.1 innings) Daniel McCutchen: 0-0, 8.38 ERA, 7 K, 6 BB in 2 starts (9.2 innings)

Months Best Hitters

Andrew McCutchen: .324, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 21 R, 7 SB in 27 games
Jeff Clement: .311, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R in 25 games
Garrett Jones: .241, 6 HR, 15 RBI, 13 R, 2 SB in 27 games

Months Worst Hitters

Rocco Baldelli: .176, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R in 23 games
Brendan Ryan: .198, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R, 2 SB in 28 games
Jason Jaramillo: .125, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R in 17 games

Injuries:

The Pirates were hit hard with injuries in May having four starters go on the DL for various injuries.

The first and probably most impactful injury of May was the injury to starting left fielder Lastings Milledge. Milledge separated his shoulder and will miss 6 weeks of action. Milledge has been one of the best hitters for the Pirates over the past two when he is healthy, but keeping him healthy is the hard part (3 stints on DL in past two years accumulating 11 weeks). Milledge was hitting .275 with 6 HR, 25 RBI, 25 R, and 5 SB before the injury. The Pirates called up young outfielder Fernando Martinez to replace Milledge. Martinez hit .319 with 4 HR, 10 RBI, 15 R in 31 games with the Indians.

The next injured starter was starting pitcher Jake Westbrook. Westbrook sprained his elbow and will miss two weeks. Westbrook was having an off year prior to the injury going just 2-5 with a 7.78 ERA, 10 K, and 23 BB in 8 starts (37 innings). The Pirates called up Daniel McCutchen to replace Westbrook. McCutchen was 3-1, with a 3.79 ERA, 53 K, 17 BB in 13 starts (71.1 innings) with AAA Indianapolis.

Starting second baseman Freddy Sanchez was the third Pirate to go down in May. Sanchez sprained his ankle and will miss 4 weeks of the 2011 season. In 36 games with the Pirates Sanchez hit .315 with 1 HR, 16 RBI and 10 R. Sanchez was replacing injured Argenis Reyes at second. The Pirates called up Argeis Diaz from AAA Indianapolis (.257, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 14 R, 6 SB), but Willie Bloomquist will take over the second baseman duties while Sanchez is injured.

The final player to require a stay on the DL in May was right fielder Jose Tabata. Tabata was having a great year prior to the injury as he platooned with Rocco Baldelli. Tabata in 36 games hit .370 with 2 HR, 14 RBI, 13 R and 2 SB. The team called up Brandon Moss (.285, 5 HR, 21 RBI, 21 R) from AAA Indianapolis to be a backup outfielder as Rocco Baldelli will play everyday in right until Tabata returns.

Around The League

Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees got his 3000th career base hit

[PirateFan17]

Pirate Selections

The 2011 Amateur draft has concluded. In his second draft as Pirates’ GM Charlie Fisher had the 4th overall pick. With that forth overall pick Fisher decided to take 23 year old second baseman John Walker out of Louisville. Walker is a good defender who has all the tools to become a top hitter in the majors. Walker makes good contact with the ball and can drive it a long way. His power could let him hit 20-30 HR in a year if he fully develops. He wasn’t cheap at close to 7 million but the Pirates think he is worth every penny. He will start the year in the rookie league.

With his second pick in the draft Fisher chose 19 year old Adrian Garcia a reliever out of high school. Garcia has great movement on his pitches and could be a dangerous pitcher for the Pirates in the future. He signed for 3 million dollars and will start in the rookie league.

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates continued to improve in the month of June but are still light-years away from where they want to be. The team finished with a 10-16 record in the month and stand at 25-47 (.347) overall. The Pirates were able to stay in fifth place, one game ahead of the Cubs, but now trail the division leading Reds by 17 games. The offense once again fell to 15th in the league in runs scored while the pitching improved to 11th in the NL in terms of runs against.

Months Best Pitchers
Hayden Penn: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 14 K, 4 BB in 7 games (10 innings)
Joe Beimel: 1-0, 0.75 ERA, 8 K, 5 BB in 9 games (12 innings)
Ryan Franklin:: 1-0. 1.59 ERA, 3 K, 3 BB in 8 games (5.2 innings)

Months Worst Pitchers

Octavio Dotel: 0-4, 7.88, 4/6 SV/SO, 13 K, 3 BB in 9 games (8 innings)
Ben Sheets:: 1-3, 4.55 ERA, 14 K, 11 BB in 5 starts (27.2 innings) Jake Westbrook: 1-2, 5.65 ERA, 8 K, 11 BB in 5 starts (28.2 innings)

Months Best Hitters

Neil Walker: .298, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 13 R in 26 games
Garrett Jones: .253, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 6 R, 2 SB in 24 games
Andrew McCutchen: .274, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 9 R, 7 SB in 26 games

Months Worst Hitters

Fernando Martinez: .171, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R, 2 SB in 26 games
Brendan Ryan: .196, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R in 26 games
Willie Bloomquist: .212, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, 4 SB in 22 games

Injuries:

Rocco Baldelli suffers from shoulder tendonitis and he will be out for three weeks. Baldelli entered 2011 coming off a year in which he set career highs in homeruns and RBIs. Baldelli platooned with Jose Tabata in right prior to his injury. On the year Baldelli was hitting .249 with 4 HR, 21 RBI, 19 R, and 3 SB. The Pirates activated Jose Tabata from the DL to replace Baldelli.

[PirateFan17]

For the second straight year no Pirates will be attending the All-Star game. The 2011 Rosters were announced and no Pirate was good enough to make it onto the roster. The players that did make the roster are:

AL:

Fausto Carmona (CLE) 9-5, 2.97 ERA
Zach Greinke (KC) 8-5, 2.65 ERA
Felix Hernandez (SEA) 9-4, 3.49 ERA
Joel Pineiro (LAA) 8-4, 2.50 ERA
David Price (TB) 5-3, 3.53 ERA
Max Scherzer (DET) 12-4, 2.45 ERA
Joey Devine (OAK) 2-1, 3 SV, 0.98 ERA
Frank Francisco (TEX) 3-2, 23 SV, 3.05 ERA (2nd All-Star Selection)
Bobby Jenks (CWS) 3-2, 19 SV, 2.19 ERA (3rd All-Star Selection)
Mark Lowe (SEA) 1-3, 19 SV, 2.35 ERA
Jonathan Papelbon (BOS) 3-2, 19 SV, 1.27 ERA (5th All-Star Selection)
Joakin Soria (KC) 4-4, 19 SV, 3.40 ERA
Adam Moore (SEA) .304, 15 HR, 51 RBI, 51 R
Joe Mauer (MIN) .340, 16 HR, 61 RBI, 61 R (4th All-Star Selection)
Kevin Youkilis (BOS) .300, 18 HR, 65 RBI, 61 R (2nd All-Star Selection)
Billy Butler (KC) .300, 23 HR, 69 RBI, 53 R
Brian Roberts (BAL) .301, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 59 R, 17 SB (3rd All-Star Selection)
Dustin Pedroia (BOS) .324, 12 HR, 52 RBI, 59 R, 7 SV (2nd All-Star Selection)
Evan Longoria (TB) .308, 19 HR, 69 RBI, 53 R (3rd All-Star Selection)
Chase Headley (MIN) .306, 16 HR, 53 RBI, 61 R
Alex Gordon (KC) .276, 15 HR, 51 RBI, 42 R
Derek Jeter (NYY) .303, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 52 R, 12 SB (11th All-Star Selection)
Nick Weglarz (CLE) .308, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 45 R
Seth Smith (MIN) .296, 19 HR, 59 RBI, 44 R
Adam Lind (TOR) .303, 21 HR, 60 RBI, 61 R (2nd All-Star Selection)
Jason Kubel (MIN).312, 15 HR, 58 RBI, 51 R
Julio Borbon (TEX) .331, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 57 R, 42 SB
Nick Markakis (BAL) .351, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 39 R

Chris Carpenter (STL) 11-2, 2.62 ERA (3rd All-Star Selection)
Jair Jurrjens (ATL) 9-3, 2.25 ERA
Tim Lincecum (SF) 9-2, 3.01 ERA (2nd All-Star Selection)
Kyle Lohse (STL) 7-3, 2.60 ERA
Edinson Volquez (CIN) 7-1, 2.37 ERA (2nd All-Star Selection)
Brandon Webb (ATL) 8-4, 2.48 ERA (4th All-Star Selection)
Cory Wade (STL) 5-1, 2 SV, 1.10 ERA
Todd Coffey (FL) 4-2, 20 SV, 1.38 ERA
Kyle McClellan (STL) 2-4, 25 SV, 3.57 ERA
Huston Street (COL) 5-5, 24 SV, 4.12 ERA
Robinson Tejeda (ATL) 2-5, 25 SV, 2.82 ERA
Brian Wilson (SF) 2-3, 21 SV, 1.60 ERA (3rd All-Star Selection)
Ronald Sanchez (HOU) .290, 14 HR, 47 RBI, 40 R
Brian McCann (ATL) .275, 13 HR, 61 RBI, 54 R (5th All-Star Selection)
Prince Fielder (MIL) .284, 31 HR, 57 RBI, 67 R (3rd All-Star Selection)
Pablo Sandoval (SF) .376, 15 HR, 59 RBI, 64 R (2nd All-Star Selection)
Ryan Howard (PHI) .327, 25 HR, 64 RBI, 54 R (3rd All-Star Selection)
Albert Pujols (STL) .308, 17 HR, 58 RBI, 46 R (9th All-Star Selection)
Rickie Weeks (MIL).291, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 52 R, 10 SB
Ryan Zimmerman (WAS) .335, 9 HR, 54 RBI, 41 R
Hanley Ramirez (FL) .290, 13 HR, 66 RBI, 62 R, 9 SB (2nd All-Star Selection)
Everth Cabrera (SD) .336, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 47 R, 30 SB
Jason Heyward (ATL) .324, 12 HR, 49 RBI, 56 R
Luke Scott (SF) .266, 18 HR, 54 RBI, 44 R
Nyjer Morgan (WAS) .322, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 56 R, 42 SB
Dexter Fowler (COL) .315, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 79 R, 25 SB
Jayson Werth (COL) .266, 20 HR, 71 RBI, 55 R, 10 SB
Hunter Pence (HOU) .299, 17 HR, 56 RBI, 54 R, 7 SB

[PirateFan17]

The Pirates continued making minor improvements in their month to month play as they went 11-16, the only time they have been over .400 in any single month so far. Their overall record currently stands at 36-63 (.364). The Pirates are still in fifth place in the division just half a game ahead of the Chicago Cubs. The Pirates trail the Cardinals by 23 games in the division. The offense and defense stayed at their respective rankings of 15th and 11th.

Months Best Pitchers
Joe Beimel: 2-0, 1.64 ERA, 1 HD, ½ SV/SVO, 9 K, 3 BB in 12 games (11innings)
Ted Lilly: 2-1, 3.58, 24 K, 7 BB in 5 starts (27.2 innings)
Joel Hanrahan:: 1-1, 2.45 ERA, 3 HD, 1/1 SV/SVO, 20 K, 8 BB in 16 games (18.1)

Months Worst Pitchers

Octavio Dotel: 1-3, 10.39 ERA, 4/7 SV/SVO, 17 K, 7 BB in 10 games (8.2 innings)
Zach Duke:: 1-2, 8.71 ERA, 13 K, 8 BB in 4 starts (20.2 innings) Evan Meek: 1-0, 10.80 ERA, 11 K, 12 BB in 12 games (11.2 innings)

Months Best Hitters

Neil Walker: .283, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 17 R in 27 games
Jeff Clement: .284, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 10 R in 19 games
Lastings Milledge: .272, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 11 R, 3 SB in 24 games

Months Worst Hitters

Jason Jaramillo: .147, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R in 15 games
Gorkys Hernandez: .174, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R in 14 games
Rocco Baldelli: .175, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R in 16 games

Injuries:

The injury bug once again struck the Pirates in July taking four starters with it. Freddy Sanchez was the first Pirate injured in July. Sanchez separated his shoulder and will miss 3 weeks. This is the third time Sanchez has had a stay on the DL in 2011. Sanchez prior to the injury was batting .308 with 2 HR, 24 RBI and 14 R in 54 games. The Pirates recalled Argeis Diaz to replace Sanchez on the active roster.

The second injury of the month happened to Willie Bloomquist. Bloomquist strained his hamstring and is expected to miss 3 week. Bloomquist was hitting .280 with 6 HR, 29 RBI, 24 R, and 7 SB before the injury. The Pirates activated Freddy Sanchez from the DL to replace Bloomquist.

Ben Sheets was the third starter to go down in July. Sheets tore his elbow ligament and will miss the remainder of the regular season and may not start next season on time. Sheets was 6-6 with a 5.25 ERA, 48 K, 31 BB in 16 starts (85.2 innings). Sheets was replaced by Carl Pavano who was recently signed.

Finally Jake Westbrook was injured in July. Westbrook has a partially torn labrum and will miss the remainder of the season. Westbrook was 4-10 with a 6.93 ERA, 24 K, 44 BB in 17 starts (89.2 innings). Westbrook was replaced by Jeff Karstens (5-2, 2.63 ERA, 27 K, 18 BB in 6 starts in AAA)

Around The League:

Orlando Cabrera of the Cincinnati Reds got his 2000th career base hit
Mark Teixeira of the New York Yankees hit his 300th career homerun
Andy Pettite of the New York Yankees won his 250th career game
Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies hit his 300th career homerun

Transactions:
Carl Pavano was signed to a one year 500,000 deal. He will be a starter in the Pirates for the remainder of the season.