Pirates Cut Seven

by Charlie Wilmoth on Mar 30, 2010 12:14 PM EDT

The Pirates have cut catcher Luke Carlin and pitchers Jeff Karstens, Steven Jackson, Vinnie Chulk, Brian Bass, Jeremy Powell and Anthony Claggett. Chulk was supposed to be a strong candidate for the last spot in the bullpen. There are only 12 healthy pitchers left in camp, including the newly-acquired Hayden Penn.

More on this and the Brandon Moss move later; I was traveling yesterday and am teaching for the next couple hours.

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Hayden Penn

Is he just being test driven until Hanrahan comes back?

by eyeofhorus777 on Mar 30, 2010 2:16 PM EDT reply actions

I hope not..

I think he still has a future ahead of him…after watching him even when he was with the Orioles organization, and last year with the Marlins; his mechanics/windup seem flawless (I don’t know how he had any arm troubles), everything seems pretty effortless. His fastball is in the 90s, and can locate it pretty well; his outpitch seems to be his curveball which on video looks really impressive…has more 12-6 movement on it than a normal curveball. I don’t know if he can still be affective as a starter, because I’m not familiar with his other pitches, but I think he could be really affective as a reliever from what I’ve seen. He’s still only 25, too…

by FusilliJerry88 on Mar 30, 2010 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Sounds good

But why then give up on a 25 year old like the Marlins just did? Is their bullpen that good, as I know he is out of options.

by eyeofhorus777 on Mar 30, 2010 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

Yes, they’re bullpen is that good, if by “that good” you mean good enough that a guy with a career 6 bb/9 doesn’t improve it.

I like Penn’s upside, but I’m curious what the Pirates think they’re going to do about it. Being out of options, they can’t get him work in the minors, and being that he’s awful, he’s not going to get much work in the majors. They must plan on trying to slip him through waivers soon, right?

by epoc on Mar 30, 2010 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not sure Penn's command is quite that bad.

Lots of pitchers nibble more than usual in their first year or two in the pros, while they get their feet wet. Look at the walk rates on young Greg Maddux, for example.

Over Penn’s career, he’s at 3.1 BB/9 at AAA (in good pitching environments, IIRC), which makes him maybe a 4-walk guy in MLB. Not great, but workable if his other peripherals are solid, which they may or may not be.

In any event, his command can’t possibly be any worse than Veal’s was last year, so if worst comes to worst he could be treated the same way while they work on/with him.

by Vlad on Mar 30, 2010 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions

The problem is that they can’t send Penn down to AAA next year like they’re doing with Veal this year (unless he clears waivers). So there’s no way to get him any work without just throwing him into the fire. I guess the choices are to try to sneak him through waivers and have him start at AAA or let him pitch out of the bullpen and hope he can improve in limited work in that role. My concern is that he won’t clear waivers on the one hand but that if you move him to the bullpen now there’s not much chance he’ll ever be able to return to starting.

I think claiming him was a good move, to be clear. I’m just curious what the Pirates are thinking. Maybe they see him more as a late-inning power arm. Or maybe they think it won’t be hard to transition him back to starting if he shows improvement in a relief role. Or, of course, maybe they think he can clear waivers.

by epoc on Mar 30, 2010 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions