Results tagged ‘ brock holt ’

Pre-game Notes: Pirates @ Cubs 4/3

The Pittsburgh Pirates will face the Chicago Cubs at 2:20 PM/ET today at Wrigley field for the final game of the series. The teams have split the first two games.

Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf will start for the Bucs against Right-hander Matt Garza, who is making his Cubs debut.

Ohlendorf did not pitch longer than 4.2 innings in a start this spring. He told Evan Drellich of MLB.com, “I feel really good with where I am right now. Pitching coach Ray Searage] and I worked on some things the last week or so that I think are really going to help. Also, my arm feels good, and that’s very important at this point.”

 

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  • If the Pirates win today, it would be their first road series win July 27-29 (Colorado) of 2010. The Bucs only won four road series last season (17 games overall).
  • Following today’s game, the team will travel to St. Louis, where they open up a three-game series against the Cardinals.
  • The Pirates Double-A team, Altoona Curve, announced it’s opening day roster.

The starting rotation is as follows: left-handers Jeff Locke and Aaron Thompson and right-handers Bryan Morris, Aaron Pribanic and Jared Hughes.

Farm director Kyle Stark told Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror, “I expect that staff to not be there long. Some of those guys have had success in that league and have a couple things they need to do, and if they do that, then we’re gonna look to challenge those guys [in Triple-A].”

Tim Alderson, a first round draft pick in 2009, will start the season in the bullpen.

Some notable position players include: Catcher Tony Sanchez (Pirates No. 2 prospect), Shelby Ford, Starling Marte, Brock Holt and Quincy Latimore.

 

Pirates:

Jose Tabata LF, Neil Walker 2B, Andrew McCutchen CF, Lyle Overbay 1B, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Matt Diaz RF, Jason Jaramillo C, Ronny Cedeno SS, Ross Ohlendorf RHPUpdate: McCutchen said he had little soreness in his neck from dive yesterday on ball hit in outfield.  

*Manager Clint Hurdle says lineup is not up yet because they are waiting on health status of Andrew McCutchen who has “upper body” injury, according to Colin Dunlap of the Post Gazette.

Cubs:

Starlin Castro SS, Darwin Barney 2B, Marlon Byrd CF, Aramis Ramirez 3B, Carlos Peña 1B, Geovany Soto C, Alfonso Soriano LF, Tyler Colvin RF, Matt Garza RHP

*Photo credit: @MikeShaeffer

Pirate City workouts: 3/2

 

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It was much better weather on my second trip to Pirate City. No rain today, thank goodness.

The major league players had a three hour MLB Players Association meeting in the early am so most of the fields were occupied by the minor leaguers.

A funny moment happened later in the morning (after the major leaguers arrived) when a fan called over Matt Diaz for an autograph. He handed him a picture of John Bowker, who wore No. 23 last year. Diaz said, “That’s not me. That’s Bowker.” The fan said that he was wearing No. 23, but Diaz laughed and told him that when your old like me you can take the younger players numbers.

I recorded bullpen sessions by Kyle McPherson and Bryan Morris as well as Rudy Owens.

Pedro Ciriaco and Josh Rodriguez took grounders at shortstop this afternoon.

 

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Justin Wilson throwing a bullpen session.

  

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Minor leaguers taking batting practice.

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Players practicing drills (Brock Holt, Jim Negrych, Starling Marte)

 

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Players stretching before workouts.

 

Top 20 Pirates prospects in 2011

Minor league baseball.com ranked the top 20 Pirates prospects for 2011. Although most of the players received C’s, John Sickle’s says, “I like the trends here and I think they are on the right track.”

1) Jameson Taillon, Right hand pitcher, B+

2) Stetson Allie, Right hand pitcher, B

3) Tony Sanchez, Catcher, B

4) Rudy Ownes, Left hand pitcher, B

5) Luis Heredia, Right hand pitcher, B-

6) Jeff Locke, Left hand pitcher, B-

7) Diego Moreno, Right hand pitcher, B-

8) Zach Von Rosenberg, right hand pitcher, B-

9) Justin Wilson, Left hand pitcher, B-

10) Starling Marte, Outfielder, C+

11) Bryan Morris, Right hand pitcher, C+

12) Colton Cain, Left hand pitcher, C+

13) Brock Holt, Infielder, C+

14) Nick Kingham, Right hand pitcher, C+

15) Tony Watson, Left hand pitcher, C+

16) Evan Chambers, Outfielder, C

17) Zach Dodson, Left hand pitcher, C

18) Gorkys Hernandez, Outfielder, C

19) Mel Rojas, Jr., Outfielder, C

20) Chase d’Arnaud, Shortstop, C

Some other honorable mentions: Tim Alderson, RHP; Eric Avila, 3B; Nate Baker, LHP; Jorge Bishop, 2B; Victor Black, RHP; Exicardo Cayonez, OF; Jarek Cunningham, 2B; Matt Curry, 1B;Brian Friday, INF; Robbie Grossman, OF; Josh Harrison, INF; Phil Irwin, RHP; Andrew Lambo, OF; Qunicy Latimore, OF; Kyle McPherson, RHP; Jordy Mercer, INF; Quinton Miller, RHP; Daniel Moskos, LHP; Alex Presley, OF; Trent Stevenson, RHP.To find out why the received the grades they did, read here.

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