Results tagged ‘ bradenton marauders ’
Post game notes: Rockies @ Pirates 4/7
- Prior to today’s home opener, the Pirates had a tribute for Hall of Fame Manager Chuck Tanner who passed away in February. They showed a wonderful video tribute and also unveiled a decal of Tanner’s No. 7 jersey on the right center field wall.
Injury updates (reported by Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com)
Catcher Chris Snyder (lower back) and Right-hand pitcher Brad Lincoln (right arm contusion) are starting a rehab assignment with Single-A Bradenton.
Snyder will play in Thursday’s game and Lincoln will start for the Marauders on Monday. The Pirates have not said how long the rehab assignment will last. This marks Lincoln’s first game since being hit on the right arm with a line drive by the Phillies Jimmy Rollins.
Lefty Joe Beimel (left elbow) will throw on Friday.
- Neil Walker started in his first major league home opener this afternoon. Walker, a Pittsburgh native, told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com prior to the game, “Well, it feels pretty good. Obviously, growing up in Pittsburgh and seeing a lot of home openers, I’m excited to be here. We’ve started the season off well. What more can you ask for? Thank you.”
- Manager Clint Hurdle met with media for a press conference prior to today’s game. He told Root Sports, “The home opener’s always special. Added significance this season for me personally; an opportunity to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates. I’m humbled by the opportunity. [I'm] Really looking forward to rolling my sleeves up with everybody in this organization and re-bonding the city with a ball club. And to finally get home, after starting on the road for a week, We’re happy to be home. Everybody in that clubhouse is happy to be home.”
- With a lead off single in the 1st inning, Jose Tabata extended his hit streak to seven games.
- The Pirates will face the Rockies again on Friday night at 7:05 PM/ET. Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf will start for the Bucs.
- Right-hand pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez (right thumb) was placed on the disabled-list, so the Pirates will not face him this series. The starters for the following three game are as follows: Jorge De La Rosa will start on Friday, followed by Greg Reynolds (vs. Charlie Morton) and Jhoulys Chacin (vs. James McDonald).
- Monday will be the first off day for the Pirates since opening day. Pittsburgh is the only team to open the season with 10 straight games without a day off.
Bucs cut four from spring training
The Pirates made four cuts on Saturday morning: Kyle McPherson was optioned to Bradenton (High-A), Bryan Morris was optioned to Indianapolis (Triple-A) and Rudy Owens and Justin Wilson were reassigned to minor league camp.
McPherson appeared in one game this spring where he allowed one hit and no runs through two innings. McPherson was drafted by the Pirates in the 14th round of the 2007 draft. The 23-year-old right-hander went 9-9 in 28 games (21 starts) with a 3.48 ERA combined with West Virginia Power and Bradenton Marauders last season.
Morris allowed two runs on four hits with one strike out through three innings (two games) this spring. Morris was drafted in the 1st round (26th overall) of the 2006 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers (He was one of the players acquired in the Jason Bay trade). He went 6-4 in 19 games (16 starts) with a 4.25 ERA with the Altoona Curve in 2010. Morris struck out 124 batters in 133.2 innings combined with Double-A and High-A last season.
Owens allowed three runs on six hits this spring through four innings (two games) and walked two. Owens was drafted in the 26th round by the Pirates in the 2006 draft. The 23-year-old lefty went 12-6 with a 2.46 ERA with Double-A Altoona last year. He struck out 132 batters in 150 innings, walking just 23.
Wilson allowed three runs on one hit with four walks and three strikeouts this spring in 1.2 innings. Wilson was drafted in the 5th round by the Pirates in 2008. He went 11-8 with a 3.09 ERA in 26 starts with 71 walks and 134 strikeouts.
54 players remain at big league camp.
“[With the] small snapshots that I was able to view, I was impressed with all of them,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It just reinforces everything I heard, everything I felt, everything I had seen about our player development system. These guys are grounded. These guys are focused. These guys are committed. They are professionals. They used their eyes so well, their ears so well here.”
Day 25 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
The Pirates will face the Baltimore Orioles at 7:05 in Bradenton, Fla. You can watch the game on MLB.tv or FSN Pittsburgh.
Paul Maholm will start for the Bucs against Brad Bergesen of the Orioles.
- The Pirates struck out 16 times against the Yankees on Wednesday, 13 times on Sunday. Why Rumbunter says you shouldn’t be concerned.
- Injury Updates:
Scott Olsen and Joe Beimel will throw live batting on Friday. Olsen 35 pitches; Beimel 20.
Jose Ascanio is supposed to throw a bullpen session on Friday as well. He threw a bullpen on Wednesday without any issues.
John Bowker (left wrist) and Josh Rodriguez (right quad) are said to be feeling better. They remain day-to-day.
Brian Friday, who was hit in the left hand by a pitch, is feeling better and is listed as day-to-day.
- It was reported earlier today that Pirates minor league catcher Jordan Newton has retired.
- James McDonald will start for the Pirates against the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte on Friday (four innings). Brian Burres (two), Daniel Moskos, Justin Thomas, Chris Leroux will follow.
The Pirates signed Newton last June to a minor league contract when Tony Sanchez (Jaw) and Eric Fryer (face) suffered injuries. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 6th round of the 2006 draft and batted .331 in 39 games for the Bradenton Marauders (High-A).
Pirates
Lineup: Tabata LF, Diaz RF, Walker 2B, Overbay 1B, Atkins 3B, Cedeno SS, Hernandez CF, Jaramillo C, Maholm LHP
Pitchers: Maholm, Hanrahan, Meek, Resop, Karstens, Watson
Orioles
Lineup: Hardy SS, Jones CF, Reynolds 3B, Guerrero DH, Fox LF, Reimold RF, Snyder 1B, Tatum C, Adams 2B
Pitchers: Bergesen, Rupe, Accardo
Sanchez, Fryer, Valdez, Veal cut from big league camp
Tony Sanchez, was among four players to get cut from Pirates spring training on Saturday. They are reassigned to the minor league camp. Catcher Eric Fryer and pitchers Cesar Valdez and Donnie Veal were the others.
Sanchez, who was the Bucs first round pick in the 2009 draft, appeared in just one grapefruit league game where he went 1-for-2 with a double as a designated hitter. I spoke to Sanchez prior to the game on Friday and he told me that Manager Clint Hurdle wanted him to get experience from the big league club.
“In the beginning meetings he said that I was one of the guys he’d use more for the atmosphere. It’s fine with me. I have a lot of fun here. I’m getting as much work in as I can and learning from the guys, getting as much swings and defensive work as anybody else. There’s eight of us [catchers] here. Those guys obviously have a better shot of making the team or contributing to the big league team than I do right now at this point. My feelings are is that it’s just not my time to get any time in the games. Maybe next year.”
“This was an opportunity for him to get to experience a Major League clubhouse environment,” Hurdle said. “As we put this new group together, we wanted him in here for a few weeks to embrace him, to encourage him on the heels of last season.”
Sanchez was batting .314 with four home runs and 38 RBI’s before suffering season ending surgery after being hit in the face by a pitch. He was required to have his jaw wired shut for a month.
Now healthy, Sanchez will start the 2011 season at Double-A Altoona.
Fryer, like Sanchez played for the Bradenton Marauders last season. The 25-year-old catcher played in 83 games in High-A where he batted .300 with 16 doubles, five triples, eight home runs and 48 RBI. Fryer battled several injuries including a left ankle sprain and a left eye socket fracture after being hit in the head with a pitch.
It’s unclear whether Fryer will start the season with Double-A or back with the Marauders.
Valdez was acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Zach Duke trade. He appeared in two games (2.1 innings) this spring allowing just two hits and no runs with two strikeouts.
Valdez is most likely heading to Triple-A Indy. The Pirates are still unsure whether as a starter or a reliever.
Veal is still recovering from Tommy John Surgery (June 2010) and will continue to work on his throwing rehab program with the minor league camp.
Veal is throwing off the mound and participating in fielding drills. He is expected for a May or June (at the earliest) return.
There are currently 58 players at big league camp.
Kristy Robinson
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