Day 32 of Pirates spring training: news and notes

The Pirates will face the Baltimore Orioles today at 1:05 at McKechnie Field. You can listen to the game on MLB.com

Ross Ohlendorf is scheduled to pitch five innings against the Baltimore Orioles. Joe Beimel and Scott Olsen will make their second appearances of the spring. Daniel McCutchen and Sean Gallagher will also throw.

 
• Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune reports that Pedro Ciriaco will start in Center Field at Pirate City in an intrasquad game at 10 am. Steve Pearce will be starting at third base. Jeff Karstens is also now scheduled to start and pitch four innings. Brian Burres was originally scheduled to start. No word as to why he was scratched. Tyler Yates, Fernando Nieve and Evan Meek will follow.
• Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that Steve Pearce has eliminated his leg kick from his swing. Pearce is hoping this adjustment (less movement during at-bats) helps earn him a bench spot.

Steve Pearce told Langosch, “I’ve felt amazing. If I had more at-bats during the season, a leg kick might have been beneficial, because it worked for me last year. But with limited at-bats, I need to limit my movement.”

Pearce is seeing immediate results. Since losing the leg kick last week, he has reached base in six of his last nine at-bats.

Hitting Coach Greg Ritchie told Langosch, “You don’t want to take away what’s natural but you definitely want to be simplified, so things can be maintained very easily. There is a magnitude of things that it’s going to accomplish. He is seeing the ball bigger, eliminating the strikeouts, putting the ball in play and hitting the ball on the money.”

The following pitchers are scheduled to throw on Friday: Brad Lincoln, Chris Resop, Jose Veras, Michael Crotta, Chris Leroux.

Charlie from Bucs Dugout was at Pirate City on Wednesday and he posted this great article of what he saw from the prospects and games. Be sure to check it out.

• Both Jameson Taillon (first round pick in 2010) and Luis Heredia are huge a huge part of the Pirates future. Taillon, although it hasn’t been formally announced, said at Pirate City that he will be starting the season for the West Virginia Power. It hasn’t been announced where Heredia will start the season, but when I spoke to President Frank Coonelly he didn’t rule out the Gulf Coast League.

Be sure to read these two great articles on Taillon (Tribune) and Heredia (Post Gazette) and the progress they’ve made.

• Biertempfel also reports that Ryan Doumit (strained oblique) will lead off of every inning in a minor league game this afternoon.　

Pirates

Lineup: Tabata LF, Walker 2B, A. McCutchen CF, Alvarez 3B, Overbay 1B, Diaz RF, Cedeno SS, Jaramillo C, Ohlendorf RHP

Pitchers: Ohlendorf, Beimel, Olsen, D. McCutchen, Gallagher

Orioles

Lineup: Pie CF, Hardy SS, Reimold LF, Wieters DH, Fox C, Winn RF, Harris 2B, Bell 3B, Snyder 1B

Pitchers: Tillman, Rupe, Accardo

The Pirates will be wearing green hats today in honor of St. Patty’s day. The bases will also be green.

*Photo credit: @BucsInsider