Brian Bixler,Steven Pearce,Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker are all headed to the Hoosier state to start the 2008 season along with some other players that were sent down.
Seems like most of the grousing among Bucco fans is about Pearce and I see their point considering the lack of spring performance of Xavier Nady,but I can live with this short-term.
That is mainly because the more Nady plays,the more his value can go up (hopefully) and that is keeps the Arbitration/Free agency clock from starting for Pearce.
It only makes sense to try to keep the few prospects together for as long as possible,so if the Pirates make a run a few years down the road,they would all be involved in making the run
and give Pittsburgh their best chance to win during it.Bixler likely would have been the starter had Jack Wilson been moved,but with Wilson and Freddy Sanchez still in the Steel City,the smarter move was to send Bixler to Indy instead of him sitting on the bench and playing rarely in a utility role.
Walker clearly needs a full season learning the third sack at AAA and I would argue that McCutchen could be better served by starting the season at AA Altoona before moving to Indianapolis in May or June.
McCutchen really did not dominate Altoona in a season that saw him skip High A Lynchburg,so a short return there could be best for him,although that does not seem to be in the cards.
Bryan Bullington and John Van Benschoten were also returned to Indy,as both players appear to be AAA level pitchers after big league chances,although Bullington has not received any chances similar to Van Benschoten yet.
Two other interesting names were Brian "Bombs Away"Rogers and Marino Salas,two hurlers that were brought from past trades,Rogers for Sean Casey and Salas in the off-season in the "Gas Can" Torres swap.
Bullpen Notes
A sad note,Bob Purkey passed away at the age of 78.
Purkey spent 13 years in the big leagues for three teams,most notably with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
Purkey's peak years were in the River City,as a rotation stalwart on the Reds 1961 National League pennant winners and with a dominant 1962 that saw him finish with a 23-5 record and with numbers that could be seen as better than the eventual winner-Don Drysdale.
Purkey also occasionally appears in Jim Brosnan's 1961 diary of the Reds-Pennant Race.
The Seattle Seahawks watched wideout D.J.Hackett walk away to the Carolina Panthers.
Hackett signed a two year contract for 3 and a half million and will be a loss to the Seahawks,but f plays at perhaps the deepest position on the Seahawks roster.
Cap problems likely caused the loss of Hackett and hopefully this will not cause further losses for the Seahawks.
And finally,the lovely Cherie sends us this from the New York Times on home school sports and the highly recruited girls hoopster Taber Spani.
Spani is the daughter of former Chief linebacker Gary Spani,who played for Kansas City in the late 70's and early 80's.
I would love to involved in something like this for my young hoopster/volleyball player,but I am not sure whether Hagerstown/Washington County has anything like this or that I have the time to travel with involvement anyway,but it sounds like a terrific program....
Back later with NIT action and a preview of tonight's Devils-Rangers matchup.
Photo Credits
Bixler-James Venes-JamesVenes.com
Purkey-Topps
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