Pirates Q+A: Finder's all-draft edition
Chuck Finder predicts the Pirates will pick Missouri pitcher Kyle Gibson, or a high schooler.
Baseball Prospectus | Future Shock: Draft Rumor Mill
This one is subscription-only. Kevin Goldstein suggests that the Pirates might have had talks already with lower-tier draft talents in the hopes of finding a player to draft at #4 who will sign quickly. He doesn't present that as anything more than a rumor, so take it for what it's worth. If that's what the Pirates are doing, though, I don't really see the point. The #4 pick is tremendously valuable, and with the new draft rules, you basically get it back again the next year if you don't use it. Why pick a signable player there? You can pick a player you actually like, and if you don't want to spend money, you can play hardball in negotiations and just get the pick back next year if he doesn't sign. Anyway, Goldstein also says Kyle Gibson's velocity was down around 84-87 in his last start and that he has "forearm tightness," which could portend big arm problems. That makes Chuck Finder's guess about Gibson unlikely, I'd say.
Crystal ball: Projecting the first round | MLB.com: News
MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo predicts the Bucs will take Aaron Crow in the first round of next week's draft. Other possibilities include college pitchers Alex White or Kyle Gibson and USC shortstop Grant Green, he says.
Baseball Prospectus: Deconstructing Mateo and Sano Coverage
In case you missed this in the FanPosts:
The Pirates think, like many talent evaluators, that Sano is the best player in years; this is why it’s no secret that nearly every Latin insider thinks Pittsburgh will end up with Sano.
Beltran 'embarrassed' by sweep
Carlos Beltran, who went 2-for-4 with a homer in the only game he played against the Pirates this series, throws his teammates under the bus:
"The reality of this is coming here to Pittsburgh and getting swept, me, I feel embarrassed," Beltran said.
Big Unit's big number: Randy Johnson wins 300th - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
All hail Randy Johnson!
YouTube - it's over cuz you traded mclouth
So many adjectives come to mind--bizarre? Touching? Hilarious? You pick. Linked rather than embedded because of a little mildly-NSFW language. In any case, this is a pretty decent musical effort given that it couldn't have taken more than about 20 hours to write and record. I love the "three minor leaguers who you said might eventually be above average" with "dumber than anything done by former Cleveland Browns GM Phil Savage."