Pirates Claim LHP Garrett Olson
by David Todd on Mar 18, 2011 2:09 PM EDT
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PrintAccording to Colin Dunlap and Jenifer Langosch, the Pirates have claimed lefthanded pitcher Garrett Olson from the Seattle Mariners. There will be a corresponding roster move coming. Olson is 27 and has been in the bigs for four years. He converted from a starter to a reliever during the 2009 season. Last year he appeared in 35 games and pitched 37 innings.
The short answer is he has not had success in the major leagues. The Pirates are obviously looking for lefthanded help in the pen, but I wouldn't put it higher than 50% that Olson goes north with the team.
Update: Kevin Hart has been placed on the 60-day DL, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster for Olson.
Update 2 (by Vlad): A little more background on our newest acquisition.
Olson was at one time a fairly well-regarded prospect. The Orioles made him a sandwich pick in the 2005 draft, out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and he signed for a $650k bonus. Olson earned a spot on BA's list of Baltimore's top 10 prospects in both 2006 and 2007. He was also honored as the Orioles' Minor League Player of the Year in 2006, and was chosen to pitch in the Futures Game in 2007. As noted above, however, he failed to establish himself in the bigs as a starter, and he was traded twice in the 2008-2009 offseason: First from the Orioles to the Cubs as part of a package for Felix Pie, and then from the Cubs to the Mariners less than two weeks later (along with Ronny Cedeno!) in exchange for Aaron Heilman. The Mariners converted him to a situational relief role last year, and he performed acceptably for them, enjoying his first taste of major league success.
Olson's fastball sits in the upper 80s and can touch 90. His best pitch is a big curve, on which he relies fairly heavily. He also throws a change. He has flyball tendencies, and while he probably has enough stamina to go more than one inning, his problems against right-handed batters would seem to make that a bad idea. I believe that Olson has a somewhat better shot at the Opening Day roster than dtoddwin does, if only because he's out of options, and thus would need to slip through waivers in order to be retained.
Olson's 2011 ZiPS projection with the Mariners calls for a 4.75 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, and 81/52 K/BB in 110 innings pitched. That projection reflects Seattle's park and league context, however, and would likely shift slightly when placed within ours.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.
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Brad Lincoln left the game today in the 3rd with an “injured arm”.
Anyone listening in today to have any info?
Info.
Not listening in, but according to Jen Langosch on twitter, he got hit in the arm with a come backer.
by IAPiratesFan on Mar 18, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
If you're going to have an arm injury...
…that’s probably the best one to pick.
by Vlad on Mar 18, 2011 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Even better....
RHP Brad Lincoln was removed from game with contusion of right forearm after being hit by Jimmy Rollins line drive
by IAPiratesFan on Mar 18, 2011 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Took a ball off right forearm,
they’re calling it a contusion.
No further info.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Mar 18, 2011 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
…and he’s contused.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Mar 19, 2011 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions
If you don't watch your ass, pal,
I’ll contuse you, too!
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Mar 20, 2011 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions
For once, angus,
shut up, willya?
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Mar 22, 2011 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions
And all the fun that comes with them...
The glare of the spotlight is harsh, and the pressure that success breeds immense. We revere our heroes, but expect much. And criticism can come as easily as praise.
Yep,
that’s a rec.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Mar 18, 2011 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
More on Lincoln:
“Not overly concerned,” according to Langosch.
“It basically got all meat, so there was no bone on bone,” Lincoln said, while showing off where the stitches had branded his arm. “That’s a good sign. It’s a little tight right now, but we’ll put some ice on it and reevaluate it [on Saturday] and see how it feels. That will be the real test to see if it’s alright.”
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
More on Olson
Perhaps One Of The Worst Pitchers In MLB, Garrett Olson, Claimed By Pirates via Rumbunter, where there’s a coupla good video links, and also a link to SBN’s Lookout Landing from earlier this year.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
We must have someone better in the minors.
He couldn’t stay with the sox and then the Royals. I guess we could use him as a doorstop.
i think atkins is playing his way out of the running
i read that the pirates are happy with Pearce’s play at 3B in “b” games
I thought he looked okay but the #'s aren"t that good.
2.2 1 hit 1 run 1 earn run and 2 walks no K’s
I know what he meant, but...
this still made me chuckle:
I believe that Olson has a somewhat better shot at the Opening Day roster than dtoddwin does, if only because he’s out of options, and thus would need to slip through waivers in order to be retained.
I assume dtoddwin needs more seasoning in AAA. Or maybe they don’t want to start his arbitration clock. Or maybe… I’m just a jerk with bad jokes.
by King Oskar on Mar 18, 2011 3:55 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
actually
I think the latest is that dtoddwin retired and will be working at the Mickey D’s under the St Louis arch…
A left handed pitcher who has lefthanded batters carrying a major league career .780 OPS against him just doesn’t give me much room for enthusiasm.
He was a little better against them last year. But yeah, more of a depth pickup than an inspired acquisition.
Olson
Oh boy, it’s pickups like this that makes me wonder about this management group.
They really show little when it comes to being aggressive in player acquisition.
Obviously it’s the lack of green.
I see they blew a lead in the 9th today to the Phils.
Luckily it doesn’t count for real.
WTF?
They really show little when it comes to being aggressive in player acquisition.
Obviously it’s the lack of green.
Dude, it’s a waiver pick up.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Mar 18, 2011 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I wouldn’t read too much into the Olson waiver claim. He was a top prospect at one point and is a lefty. Plus we were opening up a roster spot anyways with Hart being destined for the 60 day DL. I bet they just wanted to see Olson in person everyday and hope they get lucky. If he isn’t good we will waive him and maybe get him through. I don’t really see a problem with this pick-up. Its not like he was signed and we released someone.
I think they’re just trying to see how many Garretts they can sign.
Not actually affiliated with whygavs.
by WHYG Zane Smith on Mar 18, 2011 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions
can that skill translate to shortstop?
cuz im sure half the guys on here would prefer you over mr cedeno
"is a lefty"
Yes, this is another example of why, as soon as you realize your son is a lefty, you should put a baseball in his hand. There will always been jobs for lefthanded pitchers, no matter their skills.
I see no problem in taking a flyer on him, especially with the questionable health of Beimel and Scott Olsen. At least NH has learned it is necessary to have a lefty in the pen.
I don’t know much about Olson other than that he was an okay pitcher on a bad team last year. I’m assuming he’s pretty mediocre, but he’s probably just as good as Scott Olsen (that’s going to be an annoying name game).
It would be good if Olsen fit anywhere on the team, by the way. He doesn’t, and adding another lefty doesn’t help.
Brutal assessment of Josh Rodriguez from Pirates Prospects – see my fan shot.
by Adam Reynolds on Mar 19, 2011 12:24 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Yeah,
I read tat about an hour ago…wow.
But, appearances can be deceiving. Let’s hope so.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Mar 19, 2011 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions
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