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Day 26 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays (for the fifth time this spring) in Port Charlotte, Fla,, at 1:05 today. You can listen to the game on mlb.com.
James McDonald will get the start for the Bucs against the Rays’ Wade Davis.
- One of Ronny Cedeno’s goals for the 2011 season is to cut down on the strikeouts (Cedeno struck out 106 times in 468 at-bats last year).
“I feel good — much better,” Cedeno said. “Last year was a bad year. I have a new year, and I need to make an adjustment. I need to put the ball in play, and get in the right position to hit.”
- Injury updates:
Joe Beimel and Scott Olsen will remain in Bradenton, Fla., as the team heads to Port Charlotte today for the game against the Rays. They will both throw batting practice; Beimel (20 pitches), Olsen (35 pitches). This marks Olsen’s second batting practice session this week and should be cleared to pitch in a game soon.
Joe Beimel is scheduled to make his spring debut on Monday against the Baltimore Orioles.
Jose Ascanio (right elbow) threw a successful side session on Wednesday and is scheduled to throw another on Friday.
Brian Friday (left hand) and Josh Rodriguez (right quadricep) are said to be recovering and are listed as day-to-day.
- Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune reports that Tyler Yates family have not been effected by the Tsunami this am (Yates is from Hawaii). “Tyler Yates said he expects his home, family in Hawaii are safe from tsunami”
- Manager Clint Hurdle has been focusing a lot on aggressive base running this spring. Can the other teams expect most of the players to run? Matt Diaz, who stole 12 bases in 2009, says you shouldn’t count him out.
“I’ll sneak it in there. I don’t want it out there because they see a short, fat, white guy on first and they really don’t pay too close of attention. So, [I'll] try to steal, stealth wise. Try to lull them to sleep,”
- Ryan Doumit was reevaluated this morning and has been diagnosed with a right oblique strain. Doumit should be sidelined for a few days. He’s doing light exercise, but is not cleared to swing a bat.
- Ohlendorf will pitch the first four innings on Saturday in a split-squad game against the Phillies. Those scheduled to follow are Jose Veras (one or two innings), Aaron Thompson (two) and Tyler Yates (one).
Jeff Locke will start in the other game against the Blue Jays. He will pitch the first two innings followed by Sean Gallagher (two or three innings), Daniel McCutchen (two), Ramon Aguero (one) and Mike Crotta (two or three).
Pirates
Lineup: Tabata LF, Jones RF, McCutchen CF, Alvarez 3B, Walker 2B, Fields 1B, Cedeno SS, Brown C, McDonald P
Pitchers: McDonald (four innings), Burres (two), Moskos, Thomas, Leroux
Rays
Lineup: Ramirez DH, Rodriguez 2B, Kotchman 1B, Shoppach C, Lopez 3B, Johnson SS, Jennings CF, Fuld LF, Vogt RF
Pitchers: Davis, Hellickson, Farnsworth, Peralta, Russell, Cobb
Diaz homer not enough in 4-2 to Rays
Matt Diaz showed signs of breaking out of his slow start to spring (two hits in his first 16 at-bats) by hitting a two run home run in the fourth inning off of lefty David Price, but the lead was not enough as the Pirates lost 4-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Price allowed just two runs on four hits, striking out two through four innings of work.
“I thought I threw some good off-speed stuff and that’s what I wanted to work on,” Price said. “Threw a lot of two-seams, I was down in the zone. Thought I was pretty good.”
Ross Ohlendorf started for the Bucs. Ohlendorf retired the first three batters in the first inning, but gave up three hits and walked one in the second.
“I probably felt a little stronger in the first one just because I had a little more adrenaline,” said Ohlendorf, who had lasted 1 2/3 innings in his first start. “But I still felt good about today.”
Tyler Yates allowed two runs on one hit with two walks through .2 innings and picked up the loss.
Notes:
- Evan Meek made his spring training debut in the fourth inning of Monday’s ball game, pitching a scoreless inning.
After Ronny Cedeno made an error, allowing Evan Longoria to reach base, Meek got Manny Ramirez to hit into a double play. He then walked Joyce but the inning ended when he got caught trying to steal second base.
“Things were a little quick today,” Meek said afterward. “I found myself trying to relax and go out and throw strikes. That was my main focus — not really focus too much on velocity or anything. I really wanted to go in and get my work in and get back in the groove of things. It’s a good step forward.”
Meek threw just one breaking ball during his inning of work, relying on his fastball for strikes. He is scheduled to pitch an inning on Thursday, and should have no set backs for opening day.
- John Bowker and Josh Rodriguez were both sidelined on Monday due to minor injuries.
Bowker (soreness in his left wrist), Rodriguez (tightness in right quad) should not miss more than a few days.
- Scott Olsen will throw a live session of batting practice on Tuesday.
- Chris Snyder threw out two-of-three base stealers today.
- The Pirates will have two games on Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers.
Brian Burres will start the regular squad game against Carl Pavano, Brad Lincoln will start for the “B” squad. Steve Pearce will also make his debut at third base.
Day 22 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays at McKechnie Field at 1:05 today.
Ross Ohlendorf will get the start(3 innings), followed by Evan Meek, Jose Veras, Tyler Yates, Michael Crotta and Daniel Moskos.
David Price will start for the Rays. Mike Ekstrom, Rob Delaney, Matt Bush and Alex Cobb are scheduled to follow.
- Ronny Cedeno was walking around the clubhouse Sunday morning with a bat in his hand –eager to get some swings in the cage and eager to get back on the field. He has been sidelined for several days with a bruised right middle finger.
- Right-hand pitcher Evan Meek will make his spring training debut today against the Rays. Meek has been sidelined with a tight right calf.
- Joe Beimel threw off the mound on Sunday. Although there is no set date for a return, the Pirates say he is on track to be ready in time for opening day.
- As it was pointed out yesterday, the Pirates have five players that have no options remaining: Jose Ascanio, Kevin Hart, Charlie Morton, Chris Resop and John Bowker.
If the Pirates option any of them to the minors, they would have to clear waivers first –which could be a huge risk. Any of the other 29 teams could claim the player.
I think it’s safe to say that Charlie Morton (battling for the 5th spot in the rotation) and Chris Resop (Bullpen) will be on the 25-man roster. However, Ascanio, Hart and Bowker’s future are not as clear.
“It’s a situation where it plays a factor,” general manager Neal Huntington said. “It’s not the decision factor. You start to take a look at which decisions are reversible and irreversible, and sometimes the irreversible decision is the one that forces your hand a little bit.”
Rays
Lineups: Jaso C, Damon LF, Longoria 3B, Ramirez DH, Joyce RF, Upton CF, Johnson 1B, Inglett 2B, Beckham SS
Pitchers: Price, Ekstrom, Delaney, Bush, Cobb.
Pirates:
Lineups: Tabata LF, Cedeno SS, Walker 2B, Diaz RF, Atkins 3B, Overbay 1B, Snyder C, Hernandez CF, Ohlendorf P
Pitchers: Ohlendorf, Meek, Veras, Yates, Crotta, Moskos
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 15 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- The Pirates have a split squad on Monday. Both games will have a 1:05 pm start.
- At McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Paul Maholm will start for the Bucs against the Baltimore Orioles, pitching two innings. He will be followed by Jeff Karstens who will also pitch two innings of work.
Tyler Yates, Jeff Locke, Mike Crotta, Justin Wilson and Cesar Valdez will all pitch one inning a piece
- At Charlotte Sports Park, Bryan Morris will start for the Bucs against the Rays, followed by Fernando Nieve. They will both pitch two innings of work.
Sean Gallaher, Aaron Thompson, Kyle McPherson will pitch one inning.
Jeff Neiman will start for the Rays.
- This will be the first meeting of the Pirates and former Skipper John Russell on Monday since he was fired over the offseason. Russell was hired by the O’s as a third base coach.
Russell finished his tenure with a 186-299 record.
- Lefty Scott Olsen is scheduled to throw his third side session on Monday. Olsen is recovering from a left hamstring strain.
- Joe Beimel said he woke up experiencing pain in a muscle near the elbow, but it isn’t anything serious.
“It’s not too big of a deal,” Beimel said. “When I was playing catch, I over-extended on one (throw) and it got a little sore. I was a little worried because it’s something I never felt before. They’ve done all the tests and there’s nothing (wrong) with the ligament. It’s one of those things where I can move it, like, 10 times and on the 11th it will hurt. Since (Sunday), it’s become less and less (painful), to the point now that I don’t really feel it.”
Lineups:
Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS
Felix Pie RF
Mark Reynolds 3B
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Adam Jones CF
Nolan Reimold LF
Brandon Snyder 1B
Craig Tatum C
Cesar Izturis 2B
RHP Brad Bergesen
Pirates:
Jose Tabata LF
Josh Rodriguez SS
Andrew McCutchen CF
Pedro Alvarez 3B
Lyle Overbay 1B
Garrett Jones 1B
Ryan Doumit DH
Chase d’Arnaud 2B
Jason Jaramillo C
LHP Paul Maholm
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.
Pirates vs Rays: 2/27 home opener
The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays at home in Bradenton, FL today. Here are the lineups:
Pittsburgh Pirates
Jose Tabata LF
Neil Walker 2B
Andrew McCutchen CF
Pedro Alvarez 3B
Lyle Overbay 1B
Garrett Jones RF
Ryan Doumit C
Josh Fields DH
Ronny Cedeno SS
Pitchers: Kevin Correia (two innings), Brian Burres (2), Joel Hanrahan (1), Joe Beimel (1), Jose Veras (1), Tony Watson (1), Chris Leroux (1)
Tampa Bay Rays:
Desmond Jennings CF
Sam Fuld LF
Kelly Shoppach C
Matt Joyce RF
Felipe Lopez 3B
Casey Kotchman 1B
Justin Ruggiano DH
Joe Inglett 2B
Ray Olmedo SS
Pitchers: James Shields
Day 14 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the home opener at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fl. On Sunday.
- The Flags will fly at half staff in honor of Chuck Tanner. There will also be a moment of silence before the game as well.
- Evan Meek threw a 30 pitch bullpen session Sunday and it was reported that he felt great.
Meek will take Monday off from throwing and either pitch live batting practice or to make his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday.
- Charlie Morton’s debut in Saturday’s game against the Rays went very well.
“(Morton) pitched well,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “He made pitches out of the stretch. He was aggressive. It was a very good outing for him.”
“I am confident, after seeing how they were beating the ball into the ground, that my sinker is definitely a pitch I should be using,” Morton said.
“What we’re concerned about is getting (the fastball) in the strike zone and down,” Morton said. “I would’ve loved to have struck people out today, but I’m glad I got contact and the balls were on the ground. I would much rather go nine innings that strike out 10 people. If I could do both, that’d be awesome.”
- Monday’s games will be a split squad.
- Paul Maholm will be starting for the Pirates at home on Monday against the Baltimore Orioles. He will be followed by Jeff Karstens, who will also pitch two innings. Tyler Yates, Jeff Locke, Mike Crotta, Justin Wilson and Cesar Valdez will all pitch one inning a piece.
- In Port Charlotte, Bryan Morris will start for the Bucs against the Rays, followed by Fernando Nieve. They will both pitch two innings of work. Sean Gallaher, Aaron Thompson, Kyle McPherson will pitch one inning.
Day 13 of Pirates spring training: news and notes
- The Pirates will face the Tampa Bay Rays again on Sunday. This time, however, they will play at McKechnie Field.
Kevin Correia will start for the Bucs followed by Brian Burres, who will pitch two innings as well. Joel Hanrahan, Joe Beimel, Jose Veras, Tony Watson and Chris Leroux will all pitch one inning.
- Manager Clint Hurdle’s top of the order on Saturday was: Jose Tabata, Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez, but it could be one of the many possible lineups this season.
It’s one of many,” Hurdle said. “It’s the one we threw out there today. We all pretty much understand what Andrew can do at the top of the lineup. We need to look at what we can do to stretch out lineup, to become more diverse and dynamic. We need to score more runs than we did last year. I do believe he has the skill to hit third. We’ll see how it plays out.”
- Reliever Daniel Moskos has learned a lot from last season and says he’s ready to play in the big leagues.
“I’m a way better pitcher now, having had the two years of starting experience,” Moskos said. “I had to work through some kinks. I had to deal with a downgrade in stuff, and learn how to pitch and develop a third pitch. Those are weapons and things I’m going to take forward that can’t be replaced. I had to go through that.”
“I’ve matured and learned a lot over the past three seasons — last year, especially,” Moskos said. “I’ve had to grow up and mature a lot. It doesn’t always work out the way you plan. I feel ready.”
Kristy Robinson
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