Pirate catchup

A few quick notes on things in the Pirates world that I have missed over the last few days.

I missed most of the Atlanta series,which doesn't seem to be a big loss when you consider that they were swept.
I missed game one due to being called into work early and most of the third game due to other commitments.
I was able to catch the last half of the Memorial Day win over the Cubs after leaving the Suns after a few innings of pretty nasty heat,but I am going to stick to thoughts and comments on this post instead of specific games.

The Pirates did make the decision to announce that Neil Walker will be given the opportunity to prove himself as the everyday second baseman and that Akinori Iwamura would be benched in order to give Walker the chance in the lineup.
To me,this was a no brainer as Walker has been hitting well since his arrival and any chance that the Pirates would get anything at all for Iwamura near the trading deadline has mostly disappeared like his batting average,so keeping him in the lineup would likely do little to enhance his trade value.
I don't see Neil Walker as being Chase Utley or anything,but like Steve Pearce,the Pirates will never know for sure unless he gets a true shot as a regular.

Iwamura is not through the woods yet as Steve Pearce will be off the disabled list in a week to ten days and room will need to be made.
If Iwamura is released,the Pirates will eat over three million dollars of money after dropping another two million in spring training with the release of Ramon Vasquez.
Vasquez was a bad signing to begin with,but I didn't figure that Iwamura would bomb this badly.

Looks like Donald Veal's season is finished as he looks to be headed to the DL with Tommy John surgery.
Veal had pitched reasonably well in an attempt to return to being a starter after a bullpen season last year with the Pirates.

Steven Strasburg to debut with Washington next week against you guessed it-the Pirates.
Not many lineups are softer than the Pirates for the heralded prospect to make his major league debut against,so one has to give the Nationals credit for setting up the right spot...

Not too many game notes,but I did see Ross Ohlendorf pitch some yesterday in a no decision,but I thought that is was the best that Ohlendorf had pitched all season.

Interesting conversation with some Pirate fans about the upcoming draft on would the Pirates take Bryce Harper if the Nationals passed on the young catcher (they won't).
They were convinced that the Pirates would not take Harper because of the expense and that Neal Huntington's public statements that show that the Bucs aren't as high on Harper as some.
I think if Washington takes someone (Don't bet on it),the Pirates will have to take Harper.
The team simply cannot afford another PR hit on putting money first and talent second.
Any small increments of progress in that area would be instantly lost,if Harper was available and Pittsburgh passed.

The Pirates are 6-1 vs the Cubs this season.
Hard to see how the Pirates are anyone's nemesis,let alone a team with the payroll of the Chicago Bruins...

Hope to be back later tonight with another post...