Results tagged ‘ joel hanrahan ’
Pirates strike out in 5-0 loss to the Blue Jays
The Pirates struck a total of 13 times on Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays at McKechnie Field.
No player struck out more than once. That’s a pretty rare feat –but not in a good way.
James McDonald started for the Bucs and he had a rough time from the first pitch he threw (ball). It took him 29 pitches to get out of the first inning in which he allowed two runs, three hits, a walk and a strike out. After a 1-2-3 second, Manager Clint Hurdle pulled him in the third inning after throwing 52 pitches.
“I’ve got to focus on getting strike one,” said McDonald, who had thrown two scoreless innings his first time out. “Early innings, just I got a little out of whack.”
“I was pleased with some of the pitches I threw,” McDonald said. “Some of the results to me were good. It might not look that good out there because they hit it in play. But it was the pitch I wanted and I executed it. Things are going fine.”
Former Pirates third baseman Jose Bautista 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.
The Blue Jays Ricky Romero sailed through four innings allowing one hit and no runs. He struck out six and walked two.
Notes:
- James McDonald, who is 1-for-33 at the plate lifetime, wants to have at least 10 hits this season.
“I vowed that I would get at least 10 hits,” McDonald said. “If I can be decent at hitting and at least get my bunts down, I can help this team.”
- Corey Wimberly made his first start this spring at shortstop today and it didn’t go so well. He made a bad throw to first baseman Josh Fields in the third inning which sailed over his head. The error cost the Pirates two unearned runs.
Wimberly is 0-for-12 this spring with four walks and two stolen bases. He is battling for an extra infielder spot on the roster.
“We’re just going to keep working with him,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We ran him out for a bunch of innings and couldn’t get him a groundball and they came in bunches today. We’ve got to loosen him up a little bit so he’ll be able to pick up some rhythm and timing at short. At the end of the day, we’ve got to be able to have him at short. We’ve got to be able to have him at centerfield.”
- Aaron Thompson is quietly having himself a nice spring training. Through three innings of work he hasn’t allowed a hit, run or walk, and has struck out three.
- Joel Hanrahan had a nice outing allowing no hits or runs in the fourth inning.
- Justin Wilson bounced back from his last trip to the mound, he struck out three and walked one in the seventh.
- Gift Ngoepe, the south African player the Pirates signed in 2008, pinch hit for Jeff Locke in the 9th inning (struck out).
- The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays at McKechnie field on Monday at 1:05. Ross Ohlendorf will get the start for the Bucs.
Right hander Evan Meek is scheduled to make his spring training debut tomorrow. Meek has been sidelined with a tight right calf and will pitch one inning following Ohlendorf.
Jose Veras, Tyler Yates, Michael Crotta and Daniel Moskos will follow.
Day 21 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- The Pirates will face the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:05 at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, FLA.
You can watch the game for free at home today MLB.tv.
ROOT Sports (formally FSN Pittsburgh) will air the game today –the first of four spring training games this year.
- James McDonald will start for the Bucs, followed by Joel Hanrahan, Chris Resop, Aaron Thompson, Daniel McCutchen, Justin Wilson, Jeff Locke, and Justin Thomas.
Ricky Romero will start for the Blue Jays.
- Dusty Brown, who the Pirates signed as a minor league free agent this offseason, has spent the past 10 years in the Red Sox organization. This spring, he has been getting familiar with his new pitching staff.
“The young guys in camp really have good stuff,” Brown said. “In comparison to the Red Sox, as far as the young pitchers go, there are better arms with a lot more velocity here. I’m excited to see where they all go and how things end up. I think there is potential to be a very good staff in a couple of years.”
- With a few weeks remaining in spring training, the Bucs season opener is on the road this year in Chicago. Manager Clint Hurdle is aware of the horrible road record (17-64) from last season and is preparing to change it this year.
“We’ve definitely had long conversations with the front office, and we’ve got some plans that we’ve just barely started scratching the surface on,” he said. “More talk will ramp up the last two weeks of spring training when we cut the club down to size. We’re going to approach things differently in some areas. One of the traps players can fall into, and it’s not their fault, but awareness can help, that at home you have a scheduled routine. Especially if you’re married and have kids, and if not you still have a routine. The luxuries on the road where you can roll out of bed and go to the park, you can eat. … We’re going to try to find ways to get them up a little earlier, get them moving a little earlier, get our preparation done a little more succinctly on the road, find more time for ourselves to prepare, maybe a workout pattern we’re going to implement on the road to make us more comfortable in visiting cities. We’ve got a plan in place.”
Blue Jays
Lineup: Patterson CF, Escobar SS, Bautista 3B, Snider DH, Encarnacion 1B,Thames LF, Davis RF, Aprencibia C, McCoy 2B
Pitchers: Romero, Rauch, Francisco, Villanueva, Stewart
Pirates
Lineup: Wimberly SS, Ciriaco 2B, McCutchen CF, Alvarez 3B, Diaz LF, Pearce RF, Fields 1B, Brown C, McDonald P
Pitchers: McDonald, Hanrahan, Resop, Thompson, D. McCutchen, Wilson, Locke, Thomas
**The Pirates will for the first time this spring will have the pitchers bat in the lineup. They have been using designated hitters up to this point.
Day 20 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- The Pirates will face the Phillies today at 1:05 pm in Clearwater, Fla.
Paul Maholm will start for the Bucs, followed by Jeff Karstens, Mike Crotta, Sean Gallagher, Chris Leroux and Rudy Owens.
Roy Halladay will start for Philly.
- Pitchers Cesar Valdez, Donnie Veal and catchers Eric Fryer and Tony Sanchez have been reassigned to minor league camp on Saturday. They are the first group to be cut from spring training this year. 58 players remain at big league camp.
- The Houston Astros received bad news on Friday, as their catcher Jason Castro, will under go season ending knee surgery.
It’s been publicly known that the Pirates have been shopping Ryan Doumit. Could a trade happen soon? While it’s still very early, Doumit does come with a hefty price tag ($5.1 m). The Pirates could be willing to eat some of his salary, if they got the right guys back in return. Just something to keep your eye on.
- Andrew Lambo is settling in with the Pirates after a rough past and reputation while in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. -Great story on the Bucs minor legaue prospect
- During spring training, the late inning pitchers like Joel Hanrahan, are used in mid innings. A shake in their usual in game prepreations can be tough.
“It is different, sometimes it isn’t easy,” Hanrahan said. “But you still have to go out there and do your job. The pregame routine is different, though. Like here, in spring training, if you are pitching in the fifth you have do your stretching in the second and maybe drink your Red Bull or whatever you do in the second. Definitely a different feel, though. Because I really am a guy who feeds off the crowd.”
“Toward the end of spring, they will try to get us more into what our real roles will be,” Harahan said. “Now, obviously, they are just trying to get our feel back out on the mound at this point in spring. They are just trying to get us to get used to facing hitters again and seeing competition. I see it as competition every time, but I can’t wait to get back into the regular season and get into the regular atmosphere.”
- The Pirates have not yet named an opening day starter, but Bucs Paul Maholm says he would be honored to be that guy.
“I wouldn’t say it’s do or die, but it’s fun,” Maholm said. “If they come to me and ask or tell me I’m the guy, then I’m more than happy to do it. I’ve enjoyed it.”
Maholm was the opening day starter two years ago. He went 6.2 innings allowing one run on seven hits, getting a no-decision.
Pirates:
Pitchers: Maholm, Karstens, Crotta, Gallagher, Leroux, Owens
Lineup: McCutchen CF, Tabata LF, Alvarez 3B, Overbay 1B, Walker 2B, Jones DH, Doumit C, Bowker RF, Cedenon SS
Phillies:
Pitchers: Roy Halladay,
Lineup: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Howard 1B, Polanco 3B, Francisco DH, Brown RF, Young 2B, Schneider C.
Missed opportunities for Bucs, lose to Twins 4-2
The Pirates went just 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position (RISP) on Wednesday afternoon, losing to the Minnesota Twins 4-2.
“When you’ve got at-bats and things need to happen at the plate – whether you need to move runners or get bunts down – you don’t always perform,” Manager Clint Hurdle said. “You don’t always execute and get the result, but the intent is there. We had a couple of guys try to work the ball to right with a runner at second base. We tried to get a bunt down and the execution was a little shabby, but the commitment was there.”
“We’ve got work to do,” Hurdle said. “I’m seeing focus and intent; it gets down to execution.”
Ross Ohlendorf pitched 1.2 innings (pulled early due to pitch count) with one unearned run, two hits, one walk and four strike outs.
Ohlendorf did not throw a changeup to left-handers during his outing and did throw a few out to righties.
“I felt really good with how I was throwing,” Ohlendorf said. “This is the best I have felt in Spring Training in a couple of years. Especially coming off the shoulder injury at the end of the season, it’s important to have that behind me.”
Ohlendorf pitched ahead to most of the batters he faced and looked really good out on the mound.
Jose Tabata (who went 3-for-3 with two stolen bases) singled in Andrew Lambo in the fifth inning.
Joel Hanrahan had a rough outing against the Twins. He allowed a home run to the first batter he faced (Hughes) three hits, walked one, struck out one and was pulled with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth.
Steve Pearce doubled in the ninth inning and Dusty Brown singled him home for the second run of the game. It was the Pirates second attempt for a late inning rally in the past three games.
Notes:
- During the fifth inning, Andrew McCutchen hit three straight balls down the third base line where Jose Tabata was. He jumped over the ball two straight times and after the third one hit by him, he put his hand on his hip and the stadium was laughing. –Just a funny story I thought you might enjoy.
- Michael Crotta threw two innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout.
Crotta has had a nice spring with the Pirates so far.
“I’ve heard about him — heavy sink with a big arm,” Hurdle said. “I’m glad he got out there for a second inning. The sink wasn’t the same second inning, but for him to pitch through that and not give up a run was good. He’s got the attention of some people.”
Matt Diaz, Pedro Ciriaco, Josh Rodriguez taking batting pratice prior to the game.
Ohlendorf, Joe Beimel, Brian Burres, Sean Gallagher working out prior to the game.
Ryan Doumit working on catching drills.
Spring Training day 17: news and notes
- The Pirates will face the Minnesota Twins at 1:05 today at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fl.
Ross Ohlendorf will be starting for the Bucs. He will also be making his Grapefruit League debut.
Tony Watson (two innings), Joel Hanrahan (1), Jose Veras (1), Mike Crotta (1) and Chris Leroux (1) will follow.
- The Twins will send left-hander Brian Duensing to the mound. Former Bucco Matt Capps is scheduled to make an appearance.
- Scott Olsen is scheduled to throw on Wednesday. Olsen made a few comments to the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette on Tuesday that had several bloggers and fans mad.
General Manager Neal Huntington said on Sunday that if Olsen (or any of the other pitchers) do not make the 5th starter role, they would be moved to the bullpen –something apparently he believes he is too good for.
“He hasn’t told me that, I don’t know anything about the bullpen, I’m a starter,” Olsen told the Post-Gazette Tuesday.”
They didn’t bring me in here to be a bullpen guy,” Olsen said. “They want to do that, we are going to have to have a conversation about it, and we haven’t had one about it.”
Huntington addressed Olsen’s comments on Tuesday saying, “During our recruitment of Scott, it was our clear belief and his clear belief that he would be given every opportunity to compete for the fifth starter spot. We feel like, not just with him, but for some other pitchers, if they don’t win that spot, the next logical step could be a bullpen role.”
Olsen has a very bad past. Read this post by Rumbunter.
- Joe Beimel had an MRI on Tuesday but the results have not been made available. Beimel was shutdown on Tuesday after suffering tightness in his forearm after a 10 pitch session.
- Today is Pirates Jim Negrych‘s 26th birthday.
- Charlie Morton will pitch the first three innings Thursday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. Brad Lincoln will pitch two innings, followed by Tyler Yates (one), Jeff Locke (one or two) and Jose Valdez (one).
Twins Lineup:
Revere CF, Plouffe SS, Kubel DH, Valencia 3B, Hughes 2B, Bailey 1B, Dinkelman LF, Holm C, Repko RF
Pitchers: Duensing, Capps, Neshek, Dumatrait, Manship, Hughes
Pirates Lineup:
Tabata LF, Wimberly SS, A. McCutchen CF, Alvarez 3B, Walker 2B, Overbay 1B, Pearce DH, Doumit C, Lambo RF
Pitchers: Tony Watson, Joel Hanrahan, Jose Veras, Mike Crotta and Chris Leroux.
Day 16 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- Joe Beimel’s will resume throwing on Tuesday after feeling pain near his elbow.
“Since [Sunday], it’s becoming less and less to the point where now I really don’t even feel it,” said Beimel, who received treatment on his arm Monday morning. “I don’t really have to build myself back up because I’ve been throwing for quite a while. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
- Evan Meek and Joe Beimel are scheduled to throw bullpen sessions today. Although there is no time table, neither are expected to be out much longer.
- The Bucs will face the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday at McKechenie Field. Ross Ohlendorf will start for the Pirates followed by Tony Watson, Joel Hanrahan, Jose Veras, Mike Crotta and Chris Leroux.
- Scott Olsen threw a bullpen session on Monday and is scheduled to throw another on Wednesday.
“My leg feels fine,” Olsen said. “No pain at all.”
Yankees Lineup:
Gardner lf, Swisher rf, Granderson cf, Posada dh, Chavez 3b, Montero c, Nunez ss, Laird 1b, Pena 2b, Hughes p
Pirates Lineup:
Presley cf, Bowker lf, Diaz rf, Jones dh, Atkins 1b, Marte 3b, Snyder c, Rodriguez 2b, Ciriaco ss, McDonald p
James McDonald will start for the Pirates followed by Aaron Thompson, Daniel McCutchen, Chris Resop, Daniel Moskos and Ramon Aguero .
Cutch shines in Bucs win over the Rays, 10-3
With the help of Andrew McCutchen and the Pirates core, the Bucs beat the Tampa Bay Rays 10-3 on Sunday afternoon at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fl.
Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-3 with two RBI , a double, a home run and a stolen base –a triple shy of the cycle, playing just five innings.
Neil Walker went 1-for-3 with a run and a triple.
Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a double.
Garrett Jones went 3-for-3 with an RBI, a double and a stolen base.
Kevin Correia’s spring training debut as a Bucco didn’t go the way he attended. Correia reached his pitch count and was pulled after 1.1 innings, two hits, two earned runs, two walks and a strikeout.
“I was overthrowing,” Correia said. “It seems like I do it every year, and I get mad because every year I say I’m not going to do it this year. You’re not nervous or anything. You just have that adrenaline rush that you have after not pitching in months.”
“I hate pitching bad,” added Correia. “It angers me every time, no matter where it is. It could be in the backyard. I’m also not real concerned about it. Giving up a run or two in my first Spring Training outing, I’ve done that plenty of times. I’m not concerned about it. But I obviously still have some work to do.”
Behind him, the bullpen pitched great for the Pirates.
Ryan Beckman, who was drafted in the 18th round of the 2009 draft, pitched 1.2 innings not allowing a single hit, run or walk.
Joel Hanrahan, the Bucs new closer, was solid in his 2011 debut, pitching a scoreless frame, striking out two.
Day 11 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- Thursday marked the final day of workouts held at Pirate City for the Pirates. They will be held at McKechnie Field with the Grapefruit league opener starting on Saturday.
- Pirates game against the State College of Florida will start at 12:05 tomorrow and will be available to watch live at: www.scf.edu
- Kevin Correia will get the start on Sunday against Tampa Bay Rays. He will be followed by Ross Ohlendorf, Joel Hanrahan, Joe Beimel and Jose Veras .
- Scott Olsen threw a 25 pitch fastball bullpen session on Thursday and didn’t have an any reported discomfort afterwards.
- Former Bucco Lastings Milledge spoke to Chicago Breaking Sports about being non-tendered by the Pirates.
“They have their reasons,” said Milledge, who cut his long hair. “They got a good guy in right field, a guy who they wanted. That’s that. That’s part of the business. We’re both in different places, and I’m sure Matt (Diaz) is happy to be there. And I’m happy to be here.
“Obviously, it was a little disappointing. Definitely being a first-year arbitration guy to fight and scratch and claw to get to arbitration to get a change of money. At the same time, I’m on a team that’s a playoff contender and can do big things.”
- Baseball America predicts that Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie will make the majors in 2013.
- The entire team crowded around home plate to watch Joe Beimel edge Kevin Correia, and win the Pirates bunt drill championship.
“Just gets everybody focused,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Everybody’s got a shot, everybody’s got a chance. … You can hear the cheers and the oh’s and the ooh’s and the aahs.”
Kevin Correia squares up for a bunt in the bunt competition finals in front of the entire team (photo via @BucsInsider)
- As I reported earlier, Evan Meek has been limited to workouts due to a tight right calf. He is listed day-to-day.
“It’s nothing major,” Meek said. “I’ll miss maybe another day or two, that’s it.”
“We’ll just keep monitoring him day-to-day. It’s still early for him,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “There’s no red flags or anything, and we’ll get him out there when we can.”
- Kevin Correia, Ross Ohlendorf, Joel Hanrahan, Joe Beimel and Jose Veras threw bullpen sessions today.
- James McDonald did not have control during his last bullpen session on Tuesday. It’s still early in spring training, so I wouldn’t look too much into it, but still thought it was worth noting. McDonald will pitch a simulated game on Friday.
“He was rushing it a little bit, and we talked about it,” Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage said. “He was pulling his head out, trying to overthrow stuff, which is normal [at this time of year]. He felt really strong, which is good. But he’s got to make sure that he channels that energy.”
- There have been several reports that Pedro Alvarez hit a ball past the right field wall, hitting a palm tree. He may have gained weight this offseason, but it seems like he is stronger than ever.
- Alex Presley is still focused on making the big league roster. The Pirates already have the outfield set; Jose Tabata in left field, Andrew McCutchen in center, and Garrett Jones/Matt Diaz platoon in right field.
If Presley were to make the roster it would be as a fifth outfielder.
“I like what I’ve seen from Alex,” Hurdle said. “I like the conversations I’ve had with the people within our organization. I like the conversations I’ve had with the people who have had him previous to even last year.
“The ability to play all three outfield positions and the ability to utilize some speed on the bases. He is not a guy, who when you look at him, you think, ‘We can bring everybody in.’ There is some barrel to that bat. It will play a little bit. He can drive a baseball.”
The Buccos walk off the Pirate City fields for the final time in 2011 (photo via @BucsInsider)
Beimel a different pitcher in second go around
Joe Beimel may be back in Pittsburgh for his second stint in his career, but he insists he is a much different pitcher now.
“I’m way different now than I was before,” Beimel said. “I’m much wiser.”
“When I was here the first time, I don’t think I was very good because now, looking back on it, I don’t know what kind of pitcher I was at the time,” said Beimel, who pitched in 164 games with the Pirates between 2001-03. “I was out there trying to strike guys out, wasn’t throwing strikes. I just watched some of those old tapes and, you know, it really made me sick. … I’m not that pitcher anymore.”
Beimel has previously pitched with the Twins, Rays, Dodgers, Nationals and Rockies during his 10 year career.
Manager Clint Hurdle will be using the lefty as a bridge between the starters and the late innings of the bullpen reserved for Evan Meek and closer Joel Hanrahan.
“I’m very strong against left-handed hitters and I can get right-handers out, too,” said Beimel, who has a career 4.16 ERA. “I think, with me, sometimes I get pigeonholed into being a left-handed specialist. I don’t like that, because you are only working one side of the plate. … I am very confident that I can face both and get both out, and I think that is the opportunity they are going to give me here.”
Kristy Robinson
Recent Comments