Results tagged ‘ alex presley ’
Moskos, Presley demoted, but not giving up
On Saturday morning Daniel Moskos, Alex Presley (along with eight others) were cut from big league camp.
Both Moskos and Presley were optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis where they will start the season, but not necessarily end it there.
Moskos, a former 1st round pick by the Pirates in 2007 draft, was competing for a spot in the ‘pen. The 24-year-old lefty allowed four runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts over five innings.
Reliever Daniel Moskos told Jenfier Langosch of MLB.com, “Anytime you get sent down, it’s not a good day, not a good thing. As hard as I worked this offseason, I did expect to compete for a big league spot. That didn’t work out. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. I’ve got things to work on and I’ll continue to do that down in the Minors, and hopefully I’ll be back up shortly.”
Manager Clint Hurdle told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, “It very well could play out this year for him,” Bucs manager Clint Hurdle said when asked how close Moskos appears to being big league ready. “It would not surprise me at all, if there is a need and he pushes the envelope.”
To Moskos, those comments made by Hurdle meant a lot.
“That’s definitely encouraging to hear him say those kind words about me,” Moskos responded. “I did a lot of hard work this offseason to put myself in that position. It didn’t work out the way I wanted, but for him to say that I’m close is very encouraging. That will help me deal with today.”
Used primarily as a closer last year, Moskos will spend his time with the Indians getting a feel for multiple innings and perhaps a “lefty specialist” role.
General Manager Neal Huntington told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, “The key for him is going to be command,” Huntington said. “He’s going to have to attack the strike zone and be ahead in the count. When he is, he has a couple very good off-speed pitches that he can get Major League hitters out with. It’s just a matter of refining the command of his motions, the command of his delivery, which will result in the command of his stuff.”
Presley had an incredible 2010 season. The 25-year-old quickly climbed the minor leagues. He played in 67 games with the Altoona Curve where he batted .350 with 13 doubles, seven triples, six home runs and 47 RBI before being called up to Triple-A. There with the Indians he batted .294 in 69 games with 15 doubles, six triples, six home runs, 38 RBI and stole eight bases. Presley made his debut with the Buccos in September and in 23 at-bats he batted .261.
After getting a short taste of the big leagues, Presley took the news of being optioned to Triple-A hard.
Outfielder Alex Presley told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, “It’s tougher when you’ve actually been up there and you’re not going back. You don’t want to be anywhere else. It’s definitely a motivator knowing what you could have or what you’re going to have at some point. I’ll just move forward to get to where I want to be.”
His specific goals he will need to work on in order to get re-called are better plate discipline and better use of his speed.
General Manager Neal Huntington told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, “He has speed to impact the game on the bases. Base stealing is something we definitely have to refine. Just the confidence. He can get the good read. He can get the good jump. There’s just a little bit of hesitation that we can work out.”
“I just need to get to where I can steal a base at any time,” said Presley, who finished 2-for-17 in Grapefruit League play. “The speed is there. It’s just a matter of getting it done and finding a way. And I’ll just continue to do what I did last year and build off that as much as possible.”
*Photo Credit (Moskos): Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, (Presley) Pittsburgh-Post Gazette
Pirates cut Locke, Moskos, 8 others from camp
The Pirates cut 10 players from camp on Monday Morning: Andrew Lambo, Brian Friday, Chase D’Arnaud, Aaron Thompson, Ramon Aguero, Jeff Locke, Tony Watson, Gorkys Hernandez, Alex Presley and Daniel Moskos.
Lambo was reassigned to minor league camp. Expect him to play a corner infield (with first base as a fall back option) with the Triple-A Indians this year. Lambo was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 4th round of the 2007 draft (He was acquired in the Octavio Dotel trade last July). In 26 games with the Altoona Curve, Lambo batted .275 with two homeruns and10 RBI.
Friday was reassigned to minor league camp. He should spent the most of his playing time at second base. Friday was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2007 draft by the Pirates. In 93 games with the Triple-A Indians, the 25-year-old batted .257 with two home runs and 28 RBI.
D’Arnaud was reassigned to minor league camp. He will spend the season playing short, but General Manager Neal Huntington said he will also play some time at third base. D’Arnaud was drafted in the 4th round of the 2008 draft by the Pirates. In 132 games with the Altoona Curve, the 24-year-old batted .247 with 33 doubles, nine triples, six home runs and 48 RBI.
Thompson was optioned to Double-A Altoona. Although he was optioned to the Curve, he could start the season at Triple-A, depending on how the pitching shakes out. Thompson was drafted in the 1st round (22nd overall) by the Florida Marlins in the 2005 draft. The Pirates claimed the lefty off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Last year, combined with Double-A and Triple-A for the Nats, the 24-year-old went 5-13 with a 5.64 ERA in 141.2 innings.
Aguero was optioned to Double-A Altoona. Aguero had an injury plagued 2010 season (elbow soreness and back stiffness) and only pitched in 25 games. He had a 6.14 ERA combined with the High-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona.
Locke was optioned to Double-A Altoona, but like Thompson could start the season with Triple-A. Locke was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft (He was acquired in the Nate McLouth trade). The 23-year-old went 12-5 with a 3.56 ERA combined with High-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona last year. He also struck out 139 batters in 144 innings.
Watson was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. The organization is still undecided on if he will be used as a starter or a reliever. Watson was drafted by the Pirates in the 9th round of the 2007 draft. The 25-year-old went 6-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 34 games (nine starts) with Double-A Altoona in 2010.
Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis and will be the Indians primary center fielder. Hernandez batted .266 with 11 doubles, two homers, 26 RBI and 10 stolen bases with Double-A Altoona.
Alex Presley was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Presley will bounce around in the outfield with Hernandez being the teams primary center fielder. Presley was drafted in the 8th round of the 2006 draft. In 136 games (combined with Double-A and Triple-A) last season, the 25-year-old batted .320 with 28 doubles, 13 triples, 12 home runs 85 RBI and 13 stolen bases. Presley also made his major league debut with the Bucs where he batted .261 in 19 games.
Daniel Moskos was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Although he and Watson were two lefty candidates for the Bucs bullpen, the organization believes they could use more seasoning in the minors before making their debuts. Moskos was drafted in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 2007 draft. He had a 4.14 ERA in 56 games (1.52 ERA with Double-A Altoona) with 61 strikeouts over 58.2 innings. Moskos also picked up 22 saves.
44 players remain at big league camp.
Triple-A projected to begin 2011 with 8 top prospects
Triple-A Indianapolis Indians sent out a press release on Wednesday stating those players “likely to be on it’s roster this season”.
Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune reported:
Among the players who are “projected to begin their 2011 campaigns” at Indy are eight top prospects: Bryan Morris, Rudy Owens, Andrew Lambo, Alex Presley, Daniel Moskos, Pedro Ciriaco, Matt Hague and Josh Harrison. All of them are ranked among the top 30 prospects in the Pirates’ farm system, according to Baseball America.
Presley, Moskos, Bryan Morris, Ciriaco, are on the 40-man roster and Owens, Lambo are non-roster spring training invitees.
Bucco news and notes: 1/15
- Ross Ohlendorf and Joel Hanrahan filed for salary arbitration on Friday. They are the only two Pirates to file, just 119 players in major league baseball.
- Garrett Jones arrived at mini camp on Thursday (he was late due to a family wedding in Mexico) noticeably thinner and “a little bit faster, too.” Jones weighed 255 last season and is said to have dropped 10 pounds. This offseason Jones has been diligently working with a speed enhancement and velocity trainer.
- Pirates beat reporter Jenifer Langosch addressed the possible future of five players as spring training approaches us.
Jose Ascanio missed the entire 2010 season due to an injury but has pitched well during the Venezuelan Winter League. Most likely, his role in 2011 will be as a reliever.
Kevin Hart missed the entire 2010 season as well, he underwent labrum surgery after a disastrous spring training. Hart is currently healthy and threw during Pirates mini camp. His role in 2011 would most likely be as a reliever, until he can prove himself as a starter.
Charlie Morton had a horrible first two months of the season, picking up nine losses and then was optioned to Triple-A Indy. He pitched much better toward the end of the season but the Pirates are still unsure whether he is mentally tough enough. Morton will be competing for the fifth spot in the rotation during spring training.
Chris Resop is one of the leading candidates in the Pirates ‘pen. After being claimed off waivers in August, he allowed four earned runs and struck out 24 in 19 innings.
John Bowker will be competing for a spot as an extra outfielder along with Alex Presley, Steve Pearce, Cory Wimberly and Ryan Doumit (Garrett Jones and Matt Diaz will split the majority of the playing time in right field this season). Bowker was acquired in July by the San Franscio Giants and batted hit .232 in 26 games with the Pirates.
Coonelly chats with fans, insists Pirates are not done this offseason
Pirates President Frank Coonelly had his monthly online chat with fans on Wednesday. Here are some highlights:
You can read the entire chat transcript here.
Coonelly opened his chat by saying, “I want to congratulate former Bucco Bert Blyleven, an integral part of our 1979 World Series club, on just being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
If the Pirates have the capacity to make a meaningful increase the payroll, why not offer long-term contract extensions to [Andrew] McCutchen and [Pedro] Alvarez like the Rays have done with [Evan] Longoria?
Coonelly: Reaching long-term contracts with core players such as Andrew McCutchen and, we believe, Pedro Alvarez is an important component to building a sustainable winner. It, of course, takes two parties to reach an agreement but this is a contracting approach that we have implemented.
A year ago at this time we were looking forward to [Pedro] Alvarez and [Jose] Tabata call ups (not anticipating the surprise of [Neil] Walker). Who could we see come up this year? Maybe Gorkys [Hernandez], [Bryan] Morris, [Jeff] Locke, [Jim] Negrych?
Coonelly: You are right that we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Alvarez and Tabata last year while hoping that Neil Walker could also be a part of our future this time last year. It was exciting to watch these three young players become three of the best rookies in the National League in 2010. For us to be successful over the long term, it is critical that we continue to bring such talent to the Major League level from our minor league organizations. From our other players who we believe to have a shot to make a meaningful impact in Pittsburgh this year are Rudy Owens, Bryan Morris, Justin Wilson, Jeff Locke and Alex Presley. The development of other players may, and probably will, surprise us in 2011.
How do you feel about Charlie Morton going forward?
Coonelly: We continue to feel that Charlie has all of the tools necessary to be an effective starting pitcher in the Major Leagues. Charlie obviously struggled mightily last year but seemed to find a level of confidence during the last month of the season. He continued to make progress during a brief winter league stint and will be given an opportunity to win the 5th starter spot in the rotation.
How is Steve Pearce recovering from knee surgery?
Coonelly: Steve Pearce has been working hard in his rehabilitation and should report to spring Training ready to compete for a job on the Major League club. Steve’s injury last year was unfortunate because he had worked extraordinarily hard to get in the best shape of his career, and that extra work was evident in his play.
Coonelly also went on to say that the Pirates are not done this offseason. “Neal [Huntington] is continuing to work to improve the club and, in particular, is looking to add a bullpen piece or two. Neal continues to talk to representatives for free agents and attempt to identify trades that will improve the club.”
Pirates’ to take part in mini camp
The Pirates are holding a mini-camp starting on Monday in Bradenton, Florida. The camp this year will be focused on conditioning and will run four days.
Those expected to attend (according to Jenifer Langosch) are:
Pitchers – Michael Crotta, Joel Hanrahan, Kevin Hart, Jeff Karstens, Brad Lincoln, Jeff Locke, Daniel McCutchen, James McDonald, Kyle McPherson, Evan Meek, Bryan Morris, Charlie Morton, Daniel Moskos, Ross Ohlendorf, Chris Resop, Aaron Thompson, Tony Watson
Catchers – Jason Jaramillo
Infielders – Pedro Ciriaco, Lyle Overbay, Steve Pearce, Josh Rodriguez, Neil Walker
Outfielders – Matt Diaz, Gorkys Hernandez, Garrett Jones, Andrew McCutchen, Alex Presley, Jose Tabata
Non Roster invites – Dusty Brown, Brian Burres, Josh Fields, Fernando Nieve, Justin Thomas, Cesar Valdez, Corey Wimberly
Pedro Alvarez and Chris Leroux are currently listed as maybes to attend.
Pre-game Notes 10/2: Presley impresses Russell, Pirates vs Marlins
The Pirates and Manager John Russell are impressed with Alex Presley’s versatility.
“It’s nice, because when he’s not playing, I look down on the bench and I’ve got a weapon,” Russell said. “He can do some things to help you win a game. He gives you a good at-bat. He gives you some speed and can play defense. He’s a guy you look down on the bench and you like having him around because he can help win a game for you because there’s a lot he can do.”
Notes:
· The Pirates are 12-12 in their past 24 games.
· Pedro Alvarez has homered in back-to-back games and has hit the long ball five times in the last 10 games. His 16 home runs are the most by a Pirates rookie third basemen since Aramis Ramirez hit 17 in 2002.
· Jose Tabata extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games during Friday’s 5-1 win over the Marlins.
Pitching Matchup:
RHP Charlie Morton (2-11, 7.94 ERA)
Vs
RHP Jorge Sosa (2-3, 5.23 ERA)
Morton his 17th and final start of the season. He got a no-decision his last start against the Cardinals. Morton allowed four runs on 10 hits through six innings, striking out four. He is 1-0 with a 4.24 ERA in his last four starts.
Sosa is starting in place of Alex Sanabia who was scratched due to right elbow stiffness. He is making his second start –22 appearance– of the season. Sosa is 2-2 with a 4.45 ERA when pitching from the bullpen. His only start of the season came on September 15th against the Phillies where he allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits with three walks in 2.1 innings.
Pirates Lineup:
McCutchen 8
Tabata 7
Walker 4
Alvarez 5
Jones 3
Bowker 9
Cedeno 6
Snyder 2
Morton 1
Marlins Lineup:
Bonifacio 8
Martinez 6
Morrison 7
Uggla 4
Sanchez 3
Stanton 9
Tracy 5
Hatcher 2
Sosa 1
Owens, Presley receive Minor league awards
Before the Pirates game on Friday against the Astros, Rudy Owens and Alex Presley were honored with Pittsburgh’s Minor league Pitcher and Player of the year awards.
Owens, which received the award last year as well and Presley have had great seasons this year.
Owens spent the 2010 season in Double-A finishing 12-6 with a 2.36 ERA in 26 starts. His ERA was the lowest among pitchers in the Eastern League and his 132 strikeouts were third best.
Presley had a great 2010 season. He spent 67 games in Double-A batting .350 and was promoted to Triple-A where he hit .294 in 69 games. Presley’s breakout season allowed him to be a September call-up and make his major league debut.
Here are a few pictures of them receiving the awards with General Manager Neal Huntington.
Pre-Game News 9/24: Owens, Presley to be honored; Astros vs Pirates
Before the Pirates open up the final three game series at PNC Park this season, Rudy Owens and Alex Presley will be awarded as Pittsburgh’s minor league pitcher and player of the year.
Owens spent the 2010 season in Double-A finishing 12-6 with a 2.36 ERA in 26 starts. His ERA was the lowest among pitchers in the Eastern League and his 132 strikeouts were third best. This is his second straight year receiving this award.
Presley had a great 2010 season. He spent 67 games in Double-A batting .350 and was promoted to Triple-A where he hit .294 in 69 games. Presley’s breakout season allowed him to be a September call-up and make his major league debut.
- The Pirates need to sweep the Astros in order to finish the season .500 at home.
Pitching Matchup:
Brett Myers (13-7, 2.76 ERA)
Vs.
James McDonald (4-4, 3.50 ERA)
Myers streak is still intact –31 straight starts pitching at least six innings–. Myers 2.76 ERA in third best in the National League. He is 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA against the Pirates this season. Myers picked up his 13th win his last start against the Reds allowing no runs on six hits through seven innings.
McDonald’s streak was broken his last start –20 innings without allowing a run–. J-Mac picked up his fourth win pitching five innings (101 pitches) allowing two runs on four hits, striking out six. McDonald has been dominant at PNC Park since being acquired from the Dodgers going 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA.
Astros Lineup:
Bourgeois 8
Sanchez 6
Pence 9
Lee 7
Keppinger 4
Johnson 5
Quintero 2
Wallace 3
Myers 1
Pirates Lineup:
McCutchen 8
Tabata 7
Walker 4
Jones 3
Alvarez 5
Bowker 9
Cedeno 6
Snyder 2
McDonald 1
Pirates still unsure about right field
“We’re hoping, but September evaluations are tough,” Russell said. “We’ve got a lot of guys. There are guys we feel good about. Obviously we’d like a guy to be in the lineup everyday and do what corner outfielders do. But we’re not there yet.”
A total of six players have played in right field this season, Garrett Jones leading the team with 45 appearences.
Manager John Russell doesn’t expect to determine the every day player by the end of the season. He’s hoping someone makes the most of the opppurtunity and runs with it.
Garrett Jones, Lastings Milledge, Ryan Doumit, John Bowker, Brandon Moss and Alex Presley are all being considered to be the every day right fielder but that doesn’t mean the Pirates wont pursue other options in the free-agent market.
“We’ve got some good candidates in-house,” he said. “It could be intriguing. We’ve got some guys who’ve had some success. We’ll look at our options this winter and see what’s available to us.”
Kristy Robinson
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