Gazette wrote about in an article today.This will not be an in depth post like last years two part series that covered 1-5 and 6-10.
I am saving that for later in the month and I am even considering making that a 3 part post and rate a top 15 for Pittsburgh and maybe Cleveland,although I may stick with a top 10 for the Wahoos.
We saw all the players that received mention,except for Quincy Lattimore and I would think that we should see Latimore sometime this season as he should start at Hickory.
Brad Corley is the most familiar of the names from his stellar seasons at Hickory in 06 and Lynchburg in 07.
Brad has always been a favorite of ours off the field for his personality and on the field for his hustle,but there can be no denying that this is the pivotal season for Corley.
Corley has always been plagued by the "swing at anything" mentality and AA baseball is usually the litmus test for such types.
The numbers that jump out on Corley are these over the last two years-a combined 208 strikeouts to just 32 walks.
That looks like Corley is meat on the AA pitchers platter unless he makes the needed adjustments.
Brad has always jumped at the bait of the high fastball,when we have seen him,so unless Corley wants to be a career minor leaguer,he needs to make the needed changes and move more quickly through Altoona and Indianapolis.
James Boone has been in the organization for the same amount of time as Corley,but just cannot seem to stay on the field.
Boone has been plagued by injuries in the last two seasons,but last year looked to be turning the corner before his latest injury as he played well at both Hickory and Lynchburg.
Like with Corley,this is a pivotal year for Boone.
Boone will turn 25 before the season starts,so even though he likely could use more at bats at Lynchburg,the Pirates appear to be placing him on the fast track to Altoona.
Shelby Ford looks to be Altoona bound as well.
Ford missed the last month of 2007 with a bad back,but his numbers at Lynchburg were nice and the system does not have a second baseman that appears to have his talent,so that is not really a reach to place him there.
My question with Ford is on defense,he appears to be "heavy footed" and does not run well for a second sacker and hurts his range despite his good hands.
Ford is 23,so this season is not as big to him,as it could be to others,but a good season at Altoona could give the Pirates reason to move one of their few assets of value in Freddy Sanchez in the winter of 09.
Brian Friday was the Pirates 3rd rounder last year from Rice and fits the Littlefield/Creech drafting mode.
Good glove,power lacking and projecting to be more of a journeyman type than a starting player.
I only saw Friday once at State College and saw about what I expected.
I thought Friday would be the SS at Hickory,but this article appears to have the Pirates giving him the Lynchburg SS spot.
Andrew Walker was the Bucs 5th rounder last year from TCU and he played very well at State College.
I only saw Walker the one game at State College,but came away quite impressed.
Walker could be a 12-18 homer guy and seems to have no problems behind the plate,although Wilbur Miller has questions on his arm and he did give up a stolen base the night we were there.
Walker should start at Hickory,but a fast start could have him at Lynchburg by mid-season.
Quincy Lattimore was the exception to the "Littlefield/Creech" rule in last seasons draft.
He was a high schooler that had solid tools and did not appear to be their type,but was able to put up OK numbers at the GCL level after signing.
I would think Lattimore might get a chance at Hickory to start the year,but keeping him in Florida and then sending him to State College is not out of the question either.
I wished the article had mentioned Marcus Davis though.
Despite a low average at State College,I really liked what I saw of Davis the night that I saw him and I am higher on him than others are.
He showed some pop in State College with 8 homers in 155 AB's and the Pirates could use an injection of athletic,power hitters to their system,but he is still raw and already 24,so a Hickory assignment could help us get a better feel for Davis and his abilities.
Thanks to Wilbur Miller for his great site on the Bucs organization.
It is terrific to have all the stats that you need in one place and someone who has opinions that you respect there as well.
Bullpen Notes
Looks like the Cleveland Browns are going to give GM Phil Savage a multi-year extension soon.
I cannot say that I agree with this one although a one year extension would be fine with me.
I am afraid that Savage is trading the teams future potential away in an effort to win now and could be overrating a 10-6 team with flaws.
Remember none of those 10 wins came over teams with a winning record and just one over a .500 team (Arizona).
Many of you know that I far prefer boxing to mixed martial arts,but I d
o follow two longtime veterans of the MMA game in former Ohio State alums Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman.The 43 year old Coleman was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame recently and then signed a 4 fight deal with the organization.
The return fight for the "Hammer" will be a big one as he takes on former WWE star
Brock Lesnar in August in Lesnar's college haunts in Minnesota.
This could be a good one as the two former NCAA Heavyweight champs battle in the octagon...
And finally Battlin Bob sends us word of his hometown in Butler Pa has finished their renovation of Pullman Park and its increase to 4,000 seats in an attempt to lure pro baseball of some kind to Butler.
Good luck to them as long as the team they take is not Hagerstown's!
Photo Credits
Pirates-SportsLogos.net
Coleman-Pride Fighting Championship
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