Pirates Demote Andrew McCutchen, Brian Bixler

by Charlie Wilmoth on Mar 31, 2009 4:06 AM EDT

The demotion of Andrew McCutchen, as much as it might agitate the fanboy/fangirl in each of us, is just good business. There's really no reason to flip out over a good Spring Training performance, and there's also really no reason for a non-contending team to promote a promising prospect in April unless he's already crushed AAA, which McCutchen hasn't. If he's ready, and it's not absolutely clear that's the case, he'll smash AAA pitching for a couple months and then come up in June, by which point the Pirates will have ensured they'll be able to keep him through 2015. If they promote him now, they risk losing him after 2014. If he'd dominated at AAA, maybe you could make a case for promoting him anyway, but he hasn't.

As for Brian Bixler: I suppose I'd prefer to see him instead of the utterly non-hitting Luis Cruz in the last utility spot, but I'm not going to worry much about it. Again, I wouldn't think too hard about Bixler's solid Spring Training performance. His play in the minors will tell us a lot more.

-P- By the way, sometime on Sunday, BD's total page views hit two million. It took 32 months for the first million and only 14 for the second. Thanks to everyone who's stopped by. Onward and upward...

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Well...

it’s nice to see that Pirates management is setting the trend and making the statement that there is no way this team will compete before 2012…if then. It’s all about how long…and how cheaply…the Pirates can control a player. Not winning or anything else. We can expect the same treatment to Pedro Alvarez, or any other prospect, no matter how quickly he moves through the system. I see no way that Pedro Alvarez appears in a Pirates uniform during the regular season before 2011. They are already setting the precedent with Cutch. I’m not going to bother with even discussing the Cutch situation any further…nor will I do it with Alvarez.

Pirates management will eventually reap what they plant. Distrust by the fans. We will know by August 1 of this season what the plan is for the future. If Adam LaRoche, Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez are still on the roster at that point…you can be sure of many years of MOTS (more of the same) or SSDD (same stuff, different day).

This team is going to have quite an odor this year. Yet the fans keep getting told “Such and Such isn’t ready to play in the majors”, when that doesn’t appear to be the case. Just tell the fans straight out…“He’s ready, but we want to hold on to him as long as possible.” Some of the statements coming from management recently have bordered on ridiculous. I’m sure there are 3 or 4 in Dejan’s blog entry from Sunday. For example,

“But you don’t make a short-term decision with long-term ramifications. Organizations make mistakes when they send a player to the majors because he’s their best option.”

http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/pbc/archive/2009/03/29/gm-mccutchen-making-decision-tough.aspx

So, I guess, you keep your worst option in the majors, instead of the best option.

by Thunder on Mar 31, 2009 7:32 AM EDT reply actions

But there IS no way they can compete before 2012.

I’m confused. Are you upset that they have a realistic assessment of the state of the franchise?

Andrew McCutchen is not going to be the difference between them making and missing the playoffs this year.

by Vlad on Mar 31, 2009 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Actually...

I should have had sarcasm tags on my first sentence.

by Thunder on Mar 31, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

It's really not just the Pirates doing this

You think it’s Greg Zaun’s mind-blowing talent that’s keeping Wieters in the minors to start the year?

Longoria, Braun, Fowler. It’s become a fairly common practice.

by OlStubbleBeard on Mar 31, 2009 7:55 AM EDT reply actions

Will Ohman's signing with the Dodgers

reinforces a point that some BD mainstays have been making for years: almost no worthy FA is going to put pen to paper to play for the team til the PBC finds a way to reestablish a winning tradition by building from within.

How many times have we offered a better deal to someone but they simply do not want to play in Pittsburgh?

This is another example of why it’s going to take a considerable amount more time to undo a decade and a half of mismanagement and losing.

by patthatt on Mar 31, 2009 7:55 AM EDT reply actions

I don't get the need for Cruz or Bixler on the bench.

Maybe I’m missing something but can’t Vazquez stand at short in a pinch? If Jack gets injured, Cruz or Bixler are just a phone call away.

Instead, why not give a spot to Salazar or Phillips?

by OlStubbleBeard on Mar 31, 2009 7:58 AM EDT reply actions

You aren't missing a thing.

Vasquez CAN fill in at short. Why Cruz is still in camp is beyond me.

by Thunder on Mar 31, 2009 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions

They want 2 IFs...

…so that they have an option if they PH for Jack and then later in the game Freddy gets taken out on a slide at second. Phillips was probably being considered for the 2nd UT IF spot, but he got hurt and missed a bunch of time, which kind of sucks for him but oh well.

There’s no reason why they can’t choose Salazar anyway, instead of Monroe or Nyjer. And if they don’t, it’ll be a mistake.

by Vlad on Mar 31, 2009 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions

i agree with you vlad

I GOT MY STREET BUZZ BEFORE I GOT MY PEACH FUZZ

by omar moreno on Mar 31, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions

That's a pretty rare scenario to worry about

I mean if that does happen it’ll probably only happen once and then yes, they’re screwed. They probably lose the game and make Andy LaRoche look foolish in the process.

But if you put aside that one instance, we’re going into every other game with a bench guy who can’t hit and isn’t known as a speed guy either.

Completely agree with your last point on Salazar.

by OlStubbleBeard on Mar 31, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, it's low-probability...

…but teams worry about stuff like that disproportionately. Just look at how horrified they get by the idea of PHing with the backup catcher. What if the starter gets hurt in the ninth!?!

by Vlad on Mar 31, 2009 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh! Oh! I know!

Bring in Tippy Martinez!!

by azibuck on Mar 31, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I have no doubt Phillips would have made the team over Cruz if he’d been healthy. As it is, hopefully Phillips will go to Indy and show he’s healthy, and after a few weeks they’ll DFA Cruz and bring up Phillips.

by WTM on Mar 31, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions

I dont know why everyone like Salazar so much

Hes a not a big leaguer either. We shouldnt even be talking about Salazar.

I GOT MY STREET BUZZ BEFORE I GOT MY PEACH FUZZ

by omar moreno on Mar 31, 2009 9:19 AM EDT reply actions

He's fairly young for a NRI, and has a wide base of useful skills.

He gets on base, he runs well, he has doubles power, and he’s a good defender in a corner or a marginal one in center.

If they keep him, he could concievably be a good role player or fill-in starter at a minimum salary for the next several years.

by Vlad on Mar 31, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Thunder, Welcome To My Camp ...

It looks like many “fans” will shortly be getting very restless at the Pirates’ futility both on and off the field.

by thegunner on Mar 31, 2009 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

12 games?

Can someone who actually knows stuff — I operate solely on rumor and innuendo – confirm for me the following.

I’ve read that if McCutchen plays at least 12 games in Indianapolis and is then promoted to Pittsburgh, then his free agency 3+3 clock doesn’t start running for his entire 2009 season.

Is this true?

by WstCstBucco on Mar 31, 2009 11:59 AM EDT reply actions

21 Days

If a player spends 20 days or less in the minors on an optional assignment during the season, he receives credit for the entire season, so spending 21 days in the minors would prevent McCutchen’s clock from starting.

Link to more details; scroll down to “Service Time”: http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2003/01/transactions-glossary.html

by Bishop1973 on Mar 31, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Amendment

Information in previous post is incorrect. Found later information stating it is actually 11 days, not 21. Two weeks in the minors, since the Pirates won’t be making the playoffs and extending McCutchen’s season, would be sufficient.

One other thing to consider are the “Super-Two” players, which is why players like Longoria and Braun were kept in the minors until the end of May, to keep from making them arb-eligible too early.

by Bishop1973 on Mar 31, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

So if I'm reading this right

The PBC needs to avoid both the 11 day rule and the Super Two Rule. 11 day rule is simple, but irrelevant.

To stay of the safe side that you’ve successfully avoided the Super Two Rule, the linked website recommends that McCutchen should be kept in Indianapolis for the first 55 days of the Pirate season (183 – 128 = 55). That’d put McCutchen in Pittsburgh around June 1.

But because the 128 days is just an estimate (it’s actually the top 17% of 2+ year players that are Super 2’s), there is no way to be absolutely safe. PBC may think, based on rookie call-ups in 2009, that there is no way that ACutch will be in top 17% of 2+ year players after 2011 so it’s safe to call him up. But some of the rookies who’ve called up might not make their ML teams in 2010 or 2011, dropping him back into the Super 2 Rule.

So now it’s clear as mud to me. June 1 or Sept 1 — how conservative should PBC be with McCutchen?

But thanks mucho for the posts — at least I understand that the 12 days in the minors stuff is NG.

by WstCstBucco on Mar 31, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

What they should do...

and what they will do…are 2 different things. My expectation with Cutch…is that he arrives on the first of September when rosters expand. They have to add him to the 40 man after the season anyway. He SHOULD be in Pittsburgh well before that, I just don’t expect him to be. In fact, I expect Bixler up for good before Cutch.

by Thunder on Mar 31, 2009 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions

So, the folks that want Cutch now, open their Christmas presents sometime after Thanksgiving?

Really, they can’t wait?

by azibuck on Mar 31, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Regarding Bixler...

At 26,he would appear to be running out of time to be considered a “prospect”. Do they consider him their SS of the future(maybe even by late ’09 if Wilson is dealt),or as a decent utility guy for a few years,with the SS of the future(Chase D?) still in the low minors?

by rissaldar on Mar 31, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

I think they see him as a 2B going forward.

Maybe in competition with Ford for the job in 2010, but Ford having the edge in that fight.

The team’s SS of the future, if there is such an animal, is probably either Friday or one of the ’08 draftees.

by Vlad on Mar 31, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Chad Guadin or Guzman

MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Cubs are trying to unload one of these 2. Could they be a fit in our bullpen, or even stretch out Gaudin in the minors for the 5th spot? He’s the more expensive of the two, with a 2 million dollar salary.

by GTrain on Mar 31, 2009 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

Gaudin would be a decent starter.

Depends what they want, I guess.

Guzman has good stuff, but is always hurt.

by Vlad on Mar 31, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m a big hopeful for Karstens, but wont ignore it if he can’t get the job done. If we got Gaudin and stretched him out, that would give Karstens a few big league starts to evaluate. If he isn’t cutting it, enter Gaudin. If he his, Gaudin heads to the bullpen. Possibly long relief. Ohman was asking 2 million right? I doubt thats what we offered, but that was a different situation.

There’s also the factor of waiting to see how other situations play out, but I like the sound of this move.

by GTrain on Mar 31, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Bad Day for Karstens

Jeff went out and crapped the bed again today, to the tune of 10 hits, 2 walks and 5 ER in 5 and 2/3, to a less-than-MLB-worthy Twins line-up.

Bucs need to see what is going on with Niemann, Gaudin and anyone else who’s getting squeezed out by their current club, because Karstens is working his way out of the rotation with each and every start.

by Bishop1973 on Mar 31, 2009 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions