News Roundup: Bryan Morris Returns

by Charlie on Jun 8, 2009 11:00 AM EDT Comment 25 comments

Pirate Notebook: Brad Lincoln to be Promoted
Brad Lincoln will soon move from Altoona to Indianapolis, the Post-Gazette reports. I vote for Michael Dubee to take his spot on the Curve's roster.

Minor League Baseball: Wilmington 4, Lynchburg 1
Bryan Morris quietly made his 2009 debut for Lynchburg today, allowing four runs in 4 1/3 innings. He'll probably need a few starts to shake the rust off.

Letter from Neal Huntington | pirates.com: Fan Forum
Huntington aims to explain the Nate McLouth trade to season ticket holders.

Is this thing on?: McCutchen and Walker Interview
I missed this when it came out a couple days ago. Both Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen say some pretty eye-opening things about how tough it is to wait to be called up to the big leagues. I don't usually talk much about the potential problems with leaving a talented player at Class AAA too long because the level of frustration a player feels will be different from person to person and can only be speculated about anyway. And I don't think a player like Walker who plainly isn't ready should be called up anyway, since he would probably only feel a day or two of elation followed by months of frustration. But someone like McCutchen, a top prospect who really proved his mettle in AAA, probably shouldn't be allowed to hang out at AAA, if only for psychological reasons.

WHGAYS: Neal Huntington was Hired in 2007
Pat nails it.

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Oh, God, I love that one McCutchen quote:

“I was talking to Brano (Indians Hitting Coach Jeff Branson) and he was saying that he would like to see me bunt a little more, but it’s just the fact that I bunt when I don’t feel great. It’s supposed to be the opposite where you feel good you should bunt. When I feel good swinging, I don’t want to give away a swing when I can possibly hit a double, triple, or even a home run instead of laying down a bunt to reach first base.”

Smart kid.

by Vlad on Jun 8, 2009 11:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah that is a great quote

that interview with cutch and neil was good

and is brad lincoln not a beast?

I GOT MY STREET BUZZ BEFORE I GOT MY PEACH FUZZ

by omar moreno on Jun 8, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good Riddence Brad Lincoln

I am a Bowie Baysox season ticket holder and Orioles fan. I am glad to hear Lincoln leave the Eastern League. This kid barring injury will be a number 1 or 2 in the Bucs rotation for many years to come or until management trades him to the Yankees, Mets, Cubs, RedSox or Braves. I grew up a Pirate fan starting in 1965 and can not understand how you trade players you develop to help you win games. (Money?)

Brandon Snyder, 1B. Remember that name.

by Baysox39 on Jun 8, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks? Glad to hear how good he is. 20 people are about to respond with angry responses about building depth of talent in an organization, team control etc. (they’re right)

RIP NATE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...MISTER TONY PLUSH!

by GTrain on Jun 8, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I was overjoyed when I read that.

www.sixtyftsixin.com

by Sixty Feet, Six Inches on Jun 8, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just the illusion of bunting for a hit

will add 5-10 hits per year.

by buccoben on Jun 8, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now 2 Top Pitchers in AAA

Now that both Lincoln and Morton are in AAA, it will be interesting to see who gets called up first and who presently a SP for the Bucs get’s moved. My guess is Morton get’s called up first to replace Snell. Lincoln could be called up by August to replace someone else.

Anyway, the Bucs have gone from no SP options to many SP options. The competition will heat up and the cream will rise to the top!

BTW-the ineterview was great. I wish Walker could hit for average so we could move him to 1B!

by zogger on Jun 8, 2009 12:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Probably Karstens to the pen would be my guess. They seem to picture him as a long reliever in the grand scheme of things who is starting out of necessity.

Snell wasn’t bad the other day and they would probably like to seem him straighten it out a little, if only to build trade value even. He is making a lot for a Pirates reliever too.

Still I’m with you. It’s great to be talking about which starters will win spots away rather than “who wont get absolutely shelled every 5th day and walk 5 guys” like at the end of ST.

RIP NATE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...MISTER TONY PLUSH!

by GTrain on Jun 8, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i don’t think Lincoln will be called up before Morton. Some one said on hear that management wants him to work his other pitches more before he gets called up to the show because he primarily uses his fastball to sit batters down. In the article they mentioned that Morton has a nice curveball so that will assist him in coming up sooner rather then later

by samvescovi on Jun 8, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Morton will be first.

I think Morton will get the call first, and I’d say he’ll probably displace Karstens rather than Snell. Snell is occasionally on and has a good game, that NEVER happens with Karstens.

I do agree that by the end of the year, though, they’ll both be out of the rotation and Morton and Lincoln will have their spots. I just don’t look for a Lincoln call-up until pretty late this year.

Also, I think Walker would actually be a decent 1B offensively. He’s the typical strikes out a lot, power hitting, low average first baseman. The only thing he’s missing is walks to go with his Ks.

My only problem with him at first is that he’s a good defensive player and that would kind of be wasted at the easiest position. I’d rather see him at second base, where he could be a Dan Uggla type but with a glove. Also, he throws righty, and you typically want your 1B to throw lefty to make double plays easier.

www.sixtyftsixin.com

by Sixty Feet, Six Inches on Jun 8, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Untrue about Karstens

I believe he shut down the Marlins and went 7 innings for a win vs Houston(5/30). Karstens has more wins (even though Snell was a hard luck loser @Milwaukee) and has a lower WHIP and walk rate. Snell still has higher potential based on past track record in 06 and 07 but Karstens has been more reliable this season……….which isn’t saying much.

So you think 25 percent of the country is retarded!? Yea, totally. Atleast 25 percent. Well lets do a sample. There are 4 of us and you're retarded. Thats 25 percent. -South Park; Mystery of the Urinal Deuce.

by gorillakilla34 on Jun 8, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Snell walks more batters...

…but at least in theory that’s a fixable flaw. Karstens’s problem is a lack of stuff, which is why he has problems with HR and a low K rate.

by Vlad on Jun 8, 2009 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh?

Also, he throws righty, and you typically want your 1B to throw lefty to make double plays easier.

by ILLZ on Jun 9, 2009 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Pirates real fan base will come when they put a consistently competitive team on the field. By ‘real fans’ I mean the ones who support winning teams, which is the case in most markets in most sports. NH shouldn’t worry about appeasing fans, especially when so many of the current ticket buyers are satisfied simply enjoying major league ball in a nice atmosphere like PNC. If they can put up with the last decade of baseball they’ll live without Nate (and Freddy & Jack eventually).

The real fans will come with winning — they’ll either be the universal front runner types or the casual current fans who will pay greater interest when the games matter. It’s sad that NH has to work so hard to justify sound baseball moves. I remember Tony Pena in tears when dealt by the Pirates in ‘86, but it didn’t take too long to see the obvious logic in that trade.

by chicos_pants on Jun 8, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ummmm...

Real fans are more like people on here, fans who stick with their team through all the tough times. What you are describing are fairweather fans. Those are the ones who jump up and say they’re fans only after a team starts winning.

by gorillakilla34 on Jun 8, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really

Winning does a lot to generate fan interest, from casual fans to new ones. That’s pretty much the case everywhere. The Pirates can’t depend on support from statheads, their dwindling season ticket base and the lost generation of fans who’ve barely gotten a whiff of mediocrity in their lifetime. That would lead to more gimmicks like bobblehead, fireworks, and signing Sean Casey just to stay afloat.

The yinzer population will show up in greater numbers to support a winner. It will be as much a source of local pride as a true love of the game. That’s fine. Not everyone has to read Bill James, and everybody loves a winner. I’m sure some of the younger Pens fans who jumped on board after the Crosby pick have developed a greater interest in the team and the sport in general. The Pirates need a similar jolt of interest that can only come by being genuinely competitive.

by chicos_pants on Jun 8, 2009 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s a combination of both.

Winning brings fans, but there are a lot who will be there regardless. The Pirates have potential for a huge fanbase, especially given all of the disgruntled former fans. If they were to start winning again they would draw more than the Rays because of this. The Trop isn’t exactly sold out everyday this year.

RIP NATE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...MISTER TONY PLUSH!

by GTrain on Jun 8, 2009 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lincoln/Dubee/Locke

I’m with you Charlie! If the Pirates move Lincoln to AAA, Dubee certainly looks like the guy who needs to move to AA. That may also explain why our new A ball pitcher Jeff Locke is listed on the “reserved” roster and has yet to pitch. They may need to make a spot for him on the active roster in Lynchburg.

by Brakeman8 on Jun 8, 2009 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I know games in low A are meaningless, but it probably doesn’t hurt for the pitching instructor/ coach to get a few BP sessions with him to see his stuff, make a plan before they throw him out there. If only for his confidence. Not the reason he would be held back from pitching, but probably doesnt hurt

RIP NATE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...MISTER TONY PLUSH!

by GTrain on Jun 8, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

With regard to the letter to the season-ticket holders

Has NH’s public comments on this issue been limited to that letter or has he entertained questions from the media at any time since the trade?

The reason I ask, is that out here in SF one of the local sports writers has targeted Huntington for this trade and one of his criticisms was that he was a real twit for releasing the letter and sheltering himself from media questions.

I am curious if the writer’s contention that NH hasn’t taken questions from the media is correct.

by WestCoastBuc on Jun 8, 2009 2:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs