Link Roundup: Pirates Promote Neil Walker

by Charlie Wilmoth on Sep 1, 2009 1:24 PM EDT

Because we just can't have enough Neil Walker threads. Virgil Vasquez is coming too. Scott McCauley has more.

In other minor league news, Pedro Alvarez's minor league season is over as he prepares to play in the World Cup. Minor league reliever Dustin Molleken is going too, and not to pick on Molleken, but until I realized he's going because he's Canadian, I was wondering how that worked.

Coach #1: Let's see, we can get Pedro Alvarez. That's pretty good, right? And Brad Lincoln!

Coach #2: DUSTIN! MOLLEKEN! I MUST HAVE DUSTIN MOLLEKEN!

Sorry, Canada. You're a beautiful country. Anyway, Rudy Owens was also named the Sally League outstanding pitcher of the year after posting a 1.70 ERA in 19 starts there. Owens has capped his brilliant season by striking out 19 batters and walking only one in his first 20.3 innings at Class A+ Lynchburg.

Also, here's a neat article about smart baseball players. Ross Ohlendorf sounds like my kind of guy.

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no pitchers in indy?

With the departure of McCutchen, Vasquez, and Brad Lincoln, the Indians are missing three of their five starters. Ty Taubenheim, Eric Hacker, and Jeremy Powell (5IP, ER, tonight vs. TOL) are the only starters on the team. Due to only five available arms in the bullpen the Indians have called on 1B/OF Larry Broadway (2IP, 0R this season) and UTIL Chris Barnwell (2IP, ER this season) to pitch out of the ’pen. … The Indians are carrying 8 pitchers as they prepare for the final 8 games of the 2009 season.

no wonder they signed jorge julio.

oh and congrats to neil walker. say what you want about him (ok i will, i think he’s in for a rough time) but he’s living every kid’s dream of playing for his hometown team.

by johnnycuff on Sep 1, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

I knew that Larry Broadway was going to come in handy eventually!

by MrPedriqueIfYoureNasty on Sep 1, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I had to laugh at the PG headline, part of which read “Herrera Up.” I imagined Gunner seeing that and thinking Yoslan was back in the majors.

by WTM on Sep 1, 2009 2:06 PM EDT reply actions

Neil Walker threads = Cowbell

by maguro on Sep 1, 2009 2:09 PM EDT reply actions

Huntington said something like “He may not get many at bats but I want him to work with Perry Hill”.

I take this to mean that Perry isn’t coming back and this will be the only chance he has to work with Perry.

But, I think we ought to let him play. It’s not like Andy is going to get hot or be negatively affected if he sits. Hey, how bad can Walker be? Certainly not “Bixler Bad”.

I think I’ve come up with a new standard to supplant “Mendoza Line”…

by God Loves on Sep 1, 2009 2:39 PM EDT reply actions

I think that's kind of a stretch.

It could just be that he just wants Walker to be able to work on whatever Hill teaches him over winter ball.

Also, LaRoche could very easily be negatively affected by being benched. That’s why you generally don’t bench your starters to make PT for your backups, y’know?

by Vlad on Sep 1, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Could he be affected...

much more negatively by being benched than his last 2 months of offense has affected him??

.197/.280/.324. 6 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 13 RBI in 49 games.

by Thunder on Sep 1, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Sure.

It’s psychology. And unless you actually know the guy in question, and interact with him on a daily basis, how do you know how he would react to psychological stresses?

by Vlad on Sep 2, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t expect him to be “Bixler Bad” based on Bixler having struck out in 25% of his AAA plate appearances vs. Walker in about 17%. Aside from that, though, Bixler has been a better AAA hitter than Walker. An average about 30 points higher, OBP 65 points higher, slugging only 11 points lower.

by ElDuce on Sep 1, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Hill turned down initial offer from the Bucs

According to Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune, Perry Hill turned down the Bucs initial offer to come back next year. (link)

I think this is the crucial signing for the upcoming offseason. With the continuing development of LaRoche, DY and Cedeno, plus Clement coming up either now or next spring, Hill would seem to be an integral part of our future success.

I also think he may be the best shot at keeping Pedro at 3B where his bat is more valuable. And if he’s moved to 1B it’s b/c of LaRoche’s success and not b/c it’s the only place we can put him. Of course I doubt Pedro will be here before 2011 (unless he continues his AA success at AAA next year), so it would be ideal if we could lock up Hill for the next couple of seasons. Is it common for coaches to be signed to multi-year deals?

by McGreal on Sep 1, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Should also caveat that...

Huntington will ask ownership for permission to counteroffer with a higher salary for Hill.

meaning the pirates are at least attempting to keep him.

by lfhlaw on Sep 1, 2009 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions

What kind of potential...

does Rudy Owens have? I have heard that he has touched 94 with his fastball to go along with a change-up that could rank as the best in our entire system. He has to have something like #2 potential.

by joegonzo on Sep 1, 2009 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

I'm going to have to see this "beautiful Canada" sometime

Where is it? Southern Ontario (the extent of my journeys into Canada) is a refinery-pocked, smoke-choked, flat, strip-malled dump with a better view of Niagara Falls.

by azibuck on Sep 1, 2009 10:49 PM EDT reply actions

Only been to the crappy part myself

But I’ve heard that British Columbia is beautiful.

by Dignan on Sep 2, 2009 6:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Totally agree about much of Southern Ontario, but Toronto is great, Vancouver (despite my getting mugged there) is incredible, and Northern Ontario is gorgeous. The Canadian Rockies are also pretty wonderful.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Sep 2, 2009 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions