Results tagged ‘ arbitration ’
Pirates named the No. 1 least Recognizable team
Kyle Stark of ESPN named the Pirates the third Most Unimproved teams in the National League (the Mets were No. 1, Astros No. 2).
Stark also named the Pirates the No. 1 Least Recognizable Team (the Astros were No. 2, Royals No. 3).
“I might as well retire this category. What’s the point? The Pirates seem to win it every year, anyway. Here’s how I know exactly how faceless this team is: I cover baseball for a living. I kept a daily log book on every team’s transactions all winter. And even I couldn’t correctly identify the Pirates’ entire prospective Opening Day lineup this week. So there’s no telling how much money you could win if you walked into any tavern not located in the 412 area code and challenged your buddies to do it — even if you gave them Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez free of charge. It’s not a good sign when more Americans can name the lineup of the 1979 Pirates than the 2011 Pirates. But I’m betting that if I commissioned a Gallup poll, that’s exactly how it would turn out.”
Stark also took a jag at the Pirates, once again, mentioning the Bucs will pay Ross Ohlendorf $2.025 million for going 1-11.
Ohlendorf, Pirates arbitration hearing Tuesday
According to Jon Heyman, Sports Illustrated senior writer and MLB Network Insider, the Pirates and Ross Ohlendorf’s arbitration case is scheduled for Tuesday.
He tweeted, “ross ohlendorfs arb case is today. i feel for guy. Pirates crummy offense caused 1-11 mark w/ 4.07 ERA. still, that is only 1 win.”
Tuesday marks the first time the Pirates have gone to an arbitration case with a player since 2004 (Jack Wilson).
Several weeks ago the Pirates offered Ohlendorf $1.4 million, Ohlendorf was seeking $2.025 million.
Teams have won five of the eight hearings held last year.
Update:
The Pirates website is reporting:
The panel, which consists of Steven Wolf, Fredric Horowitz and Robert Herzog, is expected to announce its decision on the matter Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.
Ohlendorf, Pirates close to settling arbitration?
How close are the Pirates and Ross Ohlendorf to settling the arbitration case? Pirates beat reporter Jenifer Langosch answered that question during her weekly inbox.
Neither side is speaking specifically on the matter, though I can tell you that the preference for both sides is to avoid a hearing. The Pirates have not gone to an arbitration hearing with a player since 2004, but they are running out of time to avoid another one — hearings begin on Tuesday.
The two sides are $625,000 apart, as Ohlendorf has asked for $2.025 million and the Pirates submitted a $1.4 million offer. That’s not a significant gap, but that doesn’t necessarily mean an agreement will be reached easily. Where Ohlendorf’s salary is set this winter will affect the increases he sees in his subsequent arbitration-eligible years. Such knowledge is not lost on either side, and it makes each party hesitant to budge too much.
Ohlendorf, Pirates don’t agree to terms
According to Rob Biertempfel of the Trib, The Pirates and Ross Ohlendorf did not agree to terms.
If the two sides can’t come to an agreement before the hearings, the case will be left up to the arbitrator.Arbitration hearings are scheduled to take place from February 1-21st. The Pirates have not gone to an arbitration hearing since 2004 with Jack Wilson.
The Pirates offered Ross Ohlendorf $1.4M and he was seeking $2.025M according to Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette,
Ohlendorf, 28, is coming off an injury plagued season. He went 1-11 with a 4.07 ERA through 108.1 innings. Ohlendorf made $439,000 during the 2010 season.
Hanrahan signs a one-year deal
The Pirates and reliever Joel Hanrahan have agreed to a one-year deal, avoiding arbitration. The contract is for $1.4 million.
The 29-year-old went 4-1 with a 3.62 ERA in 72 appearances (69.2 innings) with 100 strikeouts (a career high) and picked up six saves. Hanrahan made $453,000 during the 2010 season.
“It was that close,” Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Joel Hanrahan said of an arbitration-avoiding deal he signed Tuesday afternoon with the Pirates. “We got it done at 12:58, just before the [1 p.m.] deadline. It feels good to get it done. I definitely didn’t want to have to go through the arbitration process, possibly go to court and all of that.”
General Manager Neal Huntington has not announced who will be the closer during the 2011 season; Hanrahan or Evan Meek. Huntington also said last week during the Pirates mini camp, there will not be a spring training competition.
“Just ready to get going now,” Hanrahan said. “I’m just excited that the contract stuff is behind me and I’m ready to get going this season.”
Southpaw Ledezma claimed by Blue Jays
Left-hander Wil Ledezma was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.
Ledezma was designated for assignment on December 23rd in order to add left-handed pitcher Aaron Thompson to the 40-man roster.
The Pirates avoided arbitration with Ledezma in November when they re-signed him to a one-year contract. The deal was worth $700,000 in the majors, $300,000 in the minors, which is now the Blue Jays responsibility.
Ledezma made 27 appearances with the Pirates during the 2010 season. He went 0-3 with a 6.86 ERA through 19.2 innings.
With the loss of Ledezma, the Bucs are left with two left-handed relievers in the pen: Daniel Moskos and Tony Watson. Neither have Major League experience.
Before the DFA of Ledzma, Manager Clint Hurdle said he wanted to add two more southpaw’s to the bullpen.
Hanrahan’s number retired, wants to bring a winning season to Pittsburgh
Bucco closer Joel Hanrahan’s high school jersey was retired on Friday at his former school–Norwalk High, in Iowa.
Hanrahan chatting with kids in first and second grade.
Kids lining up to ask Hanrahan questions.
Hanrahan talking to the Norwalk high school baseball team.
Pictures curiosity of Mark Harahan.
Hanrahan also chatted with 1460 KXNO in Des Moines where he discussed Cliff Lee signing with the Phillies, on the Nationals future, his arbitration process and why he enjoys chatting with fans on twitter. You can listen to the entire interview here.
On if 2010 was his best year: “For a full year, yeah. I feel like my half year in Pittsburgh was really good, after I left Washington. Obviously, I would have loved to have my ERA a little bit lower. I had one game where I gave up six runs in one inning. But the accomplishments I’ve had likegetting the 100 strike outs, was awesome for me. I don’t know if that’s a big deal for anybody else. I felt like that was pretty neat. I felt that pitching in 72 games was also good. Especially after missing the first week and really missing all of spring training. “
On his mentality as a reliever compared to when he was a starter: “Everyday is different. You never know. And that’s the beauty of being a reliever. You go to the park and you know you have a chance to play. Where as a starter, you pitch once every fifth day. As a bullpen guy, you never know what your job is going to be that day. You may have to come in and pitch six outs, finish up a one-hitter. That’s kind of the beauty, you never know what is going to happen. It brings some excitement and you got to be ready everyday.”
On National League pitching, and how he studies the players he faces: “We do a scouting report the first game of every series. They can tell you what Ryan Howard is hitting on a 0-1 breaking ball, when it’s 72 degrees and partly cloudy (laughs). They have stats for everything. Being around for a couple years, facing a lot of the same guys, you start to know what the hitters want to do and are looking for.
On how he gets Albert Pujols out: “You just really got to mix it up with him. He’s one of the best hitters in the game –if not the best. You gotta be aggressive and challenge him. Show that you’re not scared.”
On Pittsburgh: “Pittsburgh has been through a lot. I feel bad for what the fans have gone through. That’s part of the motivation though. You want to be a part of that team that brings a winning season back to them. I went to a Steelers game and a Penguins game this year, and it was ridiculous. People were fighting before the game even started, that’s how passionate they are. I feel like once we starting winning in Pittsburgh, it’s gonna be like that for baseball games.”
Hanrahan on how the Pirates will decide who will close next year: “I really have no idea what they are going to make that evaluation on. I know they want to make a decision before spring training. The main thing they are going to look for; who’s the most consistent. I think it’s going to have a lot to do with the past. And who they feel more comfortable with. I talk to Evan [Meek] once every two weeks and we don’t really look at it as a competition. We wanna win. We want to do what’s best for the team. We feel like we can be the top 8-9 combo, whichever way it goes.”
On the rumors that Ryan Doumit will be traded: “I hope it’s not [true}. I'm a fan of Ryan Doumit. We get along pretty well, on and off the field. I hope Doumit's still around. He's looking for a bounce back year, that's for sure."
On Pirates new skipper: "Clint Hurde is going to be great. I met him at the Steelers game. He did a great job [with the Rockies], same with Texas. Led those guys to the World Series as the hitting coach. He’s very motivational, very passionate about what he’s doing and he really wants to win, wants to turn this thing around. He’s been sending me a motivational text message everyday with a different quote. He’s in this for the long haul. I think he’s going to be great with our young guys and getting them motivated and keeping them going for 162 games.”
On offseason conditioning: “I took off October. I was in DC for a little bit. Then, moved back down to Texas and starting working out November 1st. I’m up at 7:30 every morning, I workout at eight for about two hours. I started throwing December 1st. Once I get back from the holidays, I’ll get back in the throwing program a little bit. After New Years, I’ll starting throwing off the mound every once in a while. I have a Pirates mini-camp going on in January. Then going to Pittsburgh for the Pirates caravan, going to my teammate Pedro Alvarez’s wedding. Then, time to go to spring training.”
On what he wants to improve on for 2011: “I need to get left-handed hitters out better. I felt like I was pretty good against righties. I gotta find a way to start pitching inside a little better and getting lefties out.”
Duke signs one-year deal; Carassco, Church non-tendered
The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed Zach Duke to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2012. (It is reported to be worth $3.5M in 2011, $5.5 M mutual option for 2012. It could increase to $7 M based on innings pitched with a buyout o $750,000.)
Duke was traded to the Dbacks last week for a Player to be named later.
“We’re excited,” General Manager Ken Towers said. “He’s a lefty with a lot of experience that’s still in the prime of his career. We think there’s a lot of upside there.”
Duke went 8-15 with a 5.72 ERA in 2010. He is 45-70 with a 4.54 ERA in six seasons with the Pirates.
The Diamondbacks non-tendered reliever D.J. Carrasco and Outfielder Ryan Church on Thursday making them free-agents.
Carrasco and Church were both acquired by the D-backs from the Pirates last July in a deal that sent Catcher Chris Snyder and Infielder Pedro Ciriaco to Pittsburgh.
Carrasco went 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 55.2 innings for the Pirates and 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 22.2 innings for the Dbacks,
Church batted .182 with three home runs and 18 RBI in 170 at-bats with the Pirates. He batted .265 with two home runs and seven RBI in 49 at-bats with the Dbacks.
Kristy Robinson
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