Pirates Place Gustavo Nunez On 60-day DL

Ankle injury. This clears a roster spot for A.J. Burnett.

UPDATE by Charlie: This means it's likely that either Yamaico Navarro or Anderson Hernandez will win the utility infielder job out of camp. I'm hoping for Navarro, who has some offensive upside -- not that it's a huge deal either way. Vlad points out that Chase D'Arnaud or Jordy Mercer might also be possible, since those guys are already on the 40-man roster. If Nunez is out for a while, I'm sure they'd rather have D'Arnaud and Mercer playing more regularly at Class AAA, but if it's just going to be a month or so, that might be different.

3 months ago WTM 31 comments 0 recs |

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i guess that can only improve hernandez's chances to come north.

by karreemofwheat on Feb 20, 2012 9:39 AM EST reply actions

Yeah. I really hope Navarro can beat him out.

Occupy MLB! Down with Seligula!

by WTM on Feb 20, 2012 9:41 AM EST up reply actions

so sneaky

that Neal

by Mingy on Feb 20, 2012 9:55 AM EST reply actions

hes gooooooood

by BigB2323 on Feb 20, 2012 12:39 PM EST up reply actions

btw random

but apparently AJ Burnett’s wife IS NOT afraid to fly at all. How stupid is that? all of those media people were talking about that endlessly.

by Mingy on Feb 20, 2012 9:56 AM EST reply actions

btw random

What? Is it the landing that scares her?

by blackmax on Feb 20, 2012 10:11 AM EST up reply actions

It's the landing that scares me.

And the takeoff. In between, I really like to fly.

by bucdaddy on Feb 20, 2012 10:58 AM EST up reply actions

what about turbulence?

we flew through a storm coming into Perth and good golly it was hairy.
This normally fastidious squirrel lost his lunch.

by BlindSquirrel on Feb 20, 2012 7:15 PM EST up reply actions

Really?

That’s just so strange. Why the limo rides to Toronto then, I wonder. I guess it could be nicer in a limo but I wouldn’t be insisting on 9 hours on the road when I could hop on a plane and be there in 2…

by KentuckyPirate on Feb 20, 2012 10:23 AM EST up reply actions

Isn't this kind of brazen

even by NH’s Rule 5 standards?

by JRoth95 on Feb 20, 2012 10:22 AM EST reply actions

Depends on whether or not he’s actually hurt, I guess.

by Vlad on Feb 20, 2012 10:27 AM EST up reply actions

thats a hell of a sprain need 60 days of recovery.

plus i imagine the inactivity can’t be good for his tools or conditioning.

by karreemofwheat on Feb 20, 2012 10:52 AM EST up reply actions

Well, there is some minimum number of days that he’ll have to be on both the 25-man and 40-man rosters, right? If he doesn’t hit that mark this year, he’ll have to do it next year before he can be demoted.

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by whygavs on Feb 20, 2012 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

That’s right.

by Vlad on Feb 20, 2012 12:27 PM EST up reply actions

FWIW, they could also go with Mercer or D’Arnaud temporarily out of camp, since both are already on the 40-man and have options remaining.

by Vlad on Feb 20, 2012 10:28 AM EST reply actions

That’s a possibility. I’d think they’d rather have those guys in AAA, but you’re right, if it’s just for a few weeks, it doesn’t matter much.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 20, 2012 10:29 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t know how the Pirates feel about it, but I think d’Arnaud and Mercer are both at the point, age- and development-wise, where they’re going to have to prove that they’re not bench players. Whether that’s by tearing it up in AAA or tearing it up off the bench in PIT shouldn’t really matter.

by epoc on Feb 20, 2012 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

But in April

neither one is going to see any playing time in Pittsburgh. I don’t have a schedule in front of me, but I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of days off – I would expect Barmes to start every single game in the month of April, which leaves the UT a dozen PH appearances – at most.

Point being, they can’t play themselves into more exposure in Pgh the way that a backup C or a 4th OF can.

Honestly, with Barmes’ contract, it seems to me that d’Arnaud’s chance to be a starter for the Pirates has effectively vanished, and Mercer needs to become a monster in AAA to get more than a passing opportunity.

by JRoth95 on Feb 20, 2012 11:21 AM EST up reply actions

The big assumption being

Pedro decides to be a Major League 3B this year. If he’s not, well then we run into some issues. This is where we get into the NFW to 3rd, Mercer/D’Arnaud to 2B game.

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Perspectives become reality.
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by glass0941 on Feb 20, 2012 11:34 AM EST up reply actions

more optimistically

we could still get into that game if they ever decide to move Pedro to 1st.

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by WHYG Zane Smith on Feb 20, 2012 1:48 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, you know, I think I kind of agree.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Feb 20, 2012 11:21 AM EST up reply actions

That’s about right. Neither has been exactly dominant in the minors up until now.

by Vlad on Feb 20, 2012 12:28 PM EST up reply actions

Is the long-term view of Navarro as depth, or a potential future starter?

by CO_Bucs on Feb 20, 2012 10:52 AM EST reply actions

i think it really depends on his ability to play SS

if he can, i think he’ll certainly have starter value at least for a few years. If not, he should a potential UTIF.

by BurgherKing on Feb 20, 2012 10:56 AM EST up reply actions

He has some potential as a future starter, but it’ll probably need to be at 3B, given his build. And there’s no guarantee that his bat will carry him that far.

by Vlad on Feb 20, 2012 12:28 PM EST up reply actions