Game Thread - 3/10 vs Orioles

[EndlessMike]

I'm impressed with Pedro so far, he looks ALOT smaller than he was when I saw him play for the Hillcats in May/June.

[Traco Bucco]

Nice two innings for D-Cutch.  Work fast, change speeds, throw strikes.  Maybe one of six batters had anything resembling solid contact.  Made Pie look clueless on a strikeout.  Adam Jones appeared so flustered that he pushed a bunt right back to D-Cutch for an easy out.  3-2 Birds, bottom of the fifth.

[81omar]

    Anyone just hear that statement by Neal?   If Clement cant start the year at 1b,Jones slides in there and Moss and Church will get time in RF?  Not only would that be a 2 lefty platoon but Pearce wasnt even mentioned as an option and I dont think anyone here thinks Moss will make the team without a few injuries or trades....that was a surprising statement to me,Pearce looks better than Moss and actually plays 1b

[81omar]

   Not much to talk about this game,Duke looked very good and very bad in both the 1st and 3rd. McCutchen was strong,the bullpen was strong although Lopez had a little trouble with the righties but no damage. Alvarez looked pretty good in the field,the only play he didnt make was a tough one,plus one of his outs was hard hit. Tabata showed good hustle in the 9th with that infield hit and stolen base. Brian Friday had a single and turned the DP nicely at 2b. Theres a chance he might be the 2b all year with Diaz playing SS,thats what theyve been doing when theyre both in during spring. Other than that it was just good to sit down and watch a Bucs game with Bucs announcers

[Woobie]

That was a great double by Pedro in his first at-bat. Tabata was A LOT slimmer than I expected, too.

[TheGreenWeenie]

I never noticed how much NH looks like the Sony guy in the MLB Playstation commericals until that commerical came on right before NH did the booth interview.  Maybe he's moonlighting to help increase the payroll, since Nutting is so cheap! 

[Dogknot3]

    Anyone just hear that statement by Neal?   If Clement cant start the year at 1b,Jones slides in there and Moss and Church will get time in RF?  Not only would that be a 2 lefty platoon but Pearce wasnt even mentioned as an option and I dont think anyone here thinks Moss will make the team without a few injuries or trades....that was a surprising statement to me,Pearce looks better than Moss and actually plays 1b

I guess Pearce will start in Triple A no matter what.  Jones isn't going anywhere and Moss is out of options.  They are better off seeing what Moss can do in a month or so before they give up on him totally. 

I would be in favor of that move if Clement isn't hitting or shown he should make the team out of the Spring.  I still have no idea why Pearce doesn't get many chances with this regime.

[The Moose]

Well, the disconcerting thing to me is if Clement goes to Indy, what happens to Pearce?

If the Pirates bench is Jaramillo, Crosby, Vazquez, Raynor, and either Moss or Young (with Church starting in RF, and G Jones at 1B), and the Indy OF is Van Every, Tabata, and B Jones, and Clement is playing 1B in Indy, where does Pearce even fit in?

He doesn't even fit in as an Indy utility guy. Because between Alvarez, A Diaz, Friday, Walker, and probaby Ford, the rest of the Indy infield is more than covered.

Additionally, to my knowledge, Brian Myrow will be back this year, to back-up the Indy corner OF spots, and 1B.

Of course, Pearce will play 1B at Indy, if Clement is on the Pirates. But if Clement makes the Pirates, then I can't see either Moss or Young with the ballclub on April 5th...with really no room for those guys in Indy, either. Even if one or both of them clears DFA waivers.

Moss, Young, Pearce. I fail to see how 2 of the 3 of them will still be in the organization, on April 5th.

[The Moose]

Well, I posted the above...then I read Dejan's latest article about Ramon Vazquez. I'm not sure I completely buy that Huntington would release Vazquez over Young, if they both turn in similar springs. But that article does provide hope that Huntington will try to find a way to keep as many of Young, Moss, and Pearce as possible - even at the expense of eating $2M.

[Thunder]

Well, the disconcerting thing to me is if Clement goes to Indy, what happens to Pearce?

If the Pirates bench is Jaramillo, Crosby, Vazquez, Raynor, and either Moss or Young (with Church starting in RF, and G Jones at 1B), and the Indy OF is Van Every, Tabata, and B Jones, and Clement is playing 1B in Indy, where does Pearce even fit in?

He doesn't even fit in as an Indy utility guy. Because between Alvarez, A Diaz, Friday, Walker, and probaby Ford, the rest of the Indy infield is more than covered.

Additionally, to my knowledge, Brian Myrow will be back this year, to back-up the Indy corner OF spots, and 1B.

Of course, Pearce will play 1B at Indy, if Clement is on the Pirates. But if Clement makes the Pirates, then I can't see either Moss or Young with the ballclub on April 5th...with really no room for those guys in Indy, either. Even if one or both of them clears DFA waivers.

Moss, Young, Pearce. I fail to see how 2 of the 3 of them will still be in the organization, on April 5th.

A lot depends on whether the Pirates carry 11 or 12 pitchers. If they carry 11...Pearce makes the team.

12 pitchers...5 bench spots...JJ as backup catcher...2 middle infielders (Crosby and the winner of RV/Young)...2 OF/backup 1B (Church and one of Raynor/Moss/Pearce).  This assumes Clement makes the team. If he doesn't...then Jones moves to 1B...Church becomes a starter...and 2 of Raynor/Moss/Pearce make the team...likely Raynor and Pearce.

11 pitchers...6 bench spots...JJ as backup catcher...2 middle infielders...Pearce at backup 1B (backing up either Jones or Clement)...Church and Raynor in the OF. If Clement doesn't make team...BJones or Walker might get the 25th spot.

Walker goes to Indy as a jack of all trades in any case. Moss and RV look for other employment. And come June...2 other guys may be on thin ice (winner of RV/Young will be one of them...and one OF).

[scrapiron]

Chulk once again looked good, but I'd like to see him throwing earlier in the game to know whether he is dealing some good stuff or if it is just the lesser caliber player he is facing.

Tabata and Alvarez do look like they are in good shape.  Pedro made some nice plays in the field, too.  The guy who looked out of shape to me was Weiters.  He reminds me a lot of Boog Powell.  He is a big guy to start with and I don't see anyway that he can stay behind the plate for very long in his career if he doesn't get into much better shape.  He should definitely be heading to first base in a few years, and staying away from Boog's BBQ.