Thursday, October 2, 2008

Talkin Pirates with Wilbur Miller-Part 2

11) Thoughts on Andrew McCutchen and his likely arrival in June to save a year of arbiration eligibilty....

Wilbur: I don’t think they’ll do that, because I think they’re really focused on improving the major league team as quickly as they can consistent with their overall goal of building a strong organization. If McCutchen is the best option, I think they’ll go with him. He probably was slated to back to AAA, but Moss’ injury may speed up his timetable.

TRS:I think it could go either way,but I lean towards a AAA return unless he is sizzling in Florida.New regime or not,the bottom line is the bottom line and they could decide a few months could not hurt his development or hurt their wallet in a few years.


12) Most are really down on Neil Walker,thoughts on him and his future

Wilbur: Probably another position switch is in his future. He was pretty young for AAA, so his struggles mean less than, say, Pearce’s. But I see him more as a potential solid player than a potential star. The switch from catcher is really gonna hurt his long-term prospects.

TRS: The move from catcher might be the worst thing for Walker's career,but a move back is unlikely and I am unsure how his arm would play in right or how on the job training is going to work in left,seeing how PNC Park's left field area is one of the toughest places to play in the game.I can see Walker as a solid contributor,but not a star type.I was encouraged by his powert at Indy and another year to fine tune things could help him a lot.

13)Thoughts on the Arizona Fall League assignees (Crotta,Hughes and Sues on the mound,) (Lerud,Ford,Romak with the bat)

Wilbur:Crotta and Hughes strike me as Brian Meadows Lite, guys who could maybe help a little bit in long relief but more likely will top out at AA or AAA. Sues is the guy to watch, especially to see whether he stays healthy. I was really impressed with his stuff this year and he did well considering all the time he missed.

TRS: I liked what I saw of Sues (two whole batters before being hurt) and his numbers show promise. I wish I could say better things about Crotta and Hughes than Brian Meadows lite,but Crotta(perfect scenario) might develop into a Jeff Karstens type and Hughes looked better at Altoona than Lynchburg. I do have a small bias with those guys though.

Wilbur:I could see Lerud in the majors as a backup at some point. He hits LH, has some power, and will draw a walk, and he’s made huge strides defensively. He really struggles with the bat at each new level, though. I’m glad they’re giving him some more experience in AZ. I didn’t think that much of Ford’s 2008 season until I saw that he hammered the ball in the months he was healthy and didn’t do much in the other months. I’d love to see what he’d do if he stayed healthy all year. I don’t think the current administration likes Romak much. It seems to be not so much that he whiffs a lot as that they think he takes too many pitches and gets behind in the count. He’s going to have to make the same adjustment in AA that he did in high A, and start hitting for a better average.

TRS:Backup mitts are a dime a dozen,so Lerud would not surprise me,especially he can get a bit of power going.
Backup catcher with fair power can have a long career these days.Ford has the health issues and I am not sure if he hits enough to overcome a fair glove at best.I find ironic that Romak is looked at as too patient considering the trend there in evaluation these days.The strikeouts are a problem,but in a painfully lacking in power system,Romak stands out as a definite maybe.

14)Thoughts on the Hawaii assignees:(Bishop,Bloom.Krebs,Mobles on the mound,Durham and Negrych with the bat)

Wilbur:I know very little about Bishop except that his numbers were very good. I’d like to see him pitch. Krebs we know has a very good arm and he had a nice year for Lynchburg, except for a while after he came back from getting beaned with a line drive. Robles is another guy I don’t know much about, but he doesn’t miss a lot of bats. I’m not sure why the team seems to think somewhat highly of him. Bloom is a wild card. He looked like a flop over the last several years until about mid-season this year, when something seems to have clicked.

TRS:I saw Bishop pitch one inning,didn't strike me especially either way.Good numbers on a bad team though.Robles seems to be roster filler and Bloom had an excellent two months after a career that seemed destined for Organizational Soldier land.

Wilbur:Durham is Jon Benick Redux. I don’t see Negrych as a starter in the majors, but all he does is hit line drives all over. He’s what you could call a deployment issue—he has one talent that could be very useful in the majors, and the Pirates have to figure out how to deploy it to get full advantage from it. Brian Friday is there, too. He looks like a smaller Brian Bixler without the contact issues. He needs to develop fast because there are a bunch of shortstops behind him.

TRS:Durham is kinda like Tim Pahuta of Hagerstown,a guy that is a lineup anchor at low levels that is exposed at higher ones.Negrych reminds me of a utility guy from the 80s- Dane Iorg.A guy that developed late,has no position,but can stroke line drives with the best of them.Guys like that seem to have a place on contenders more than bad teams though. Forgot about Friday,Wilbur's comment is pretty accurate there.

15) Who were your surprises with the bat in the Minors for 2008?

Wilbur:Negrych and Romak. I guess Durham, too, but I don’t consider him a prospect.

TRS: Negyrch was better than expected,but the surprise to me was draft pick Matthew Hague,who dominated at State College and was the best hitter that Hickory had when he was there

16) Who were your surprises on the mound?

Wilbur:Bloom and Sues. Crotta did pretty well, too, after they let him start throwing sinkers. Their minor league pitching is scary bad.

TRS:That it is.Sues was my surprise of the season.I had about given up on him after so many issues with his health.A tip of the hat to Evan Meek too,who pitched very well once he was returned to the minors.


17) Possible 2009 breakthroughs (unheralded) for 2009?

Wilbur:It’d be nice if some pitchers step forward. One disturbing thing about this year was that so few did. I’m still holding out hope for Brad Clapp and maybe Jose Diaz, who missed almost the whole year with an unknown injury.

TRS:Clapp is a nice pick and I have just a gut feeling that Brandon Holden could make a move this year.


18) Blog Favorite Eric Krebs is eligible for the 40 man roster,this season,chances of making the 40 man?

Wilbur:He has a power arm and, unlike a lot of the guys Huntington has brought in, he has some idea where the plate is. You’d think he’d be a strong candidate, but Kovacevic reported the only talk he’d heard about possible additions was Tabata, Meek and Walker. I’m a bit nervous that Huntington won’t be willing to ditch some of the crappy relievers he brought in to make space on the roster. They’ve got to be considering other guys, though, certainly including Sues. They may figure Krebs, since he’s only reached high A, either won’t get drafted or won’t stick. I have more faith in guys like Sues and Krebs, who’ve shown they can throw strikes and miss bats, than somebody like Belisario, who can’t throw strikes and hasn’t had good K rates despite the high velocity.

TRS: I would say that Krebs is possible,but unlikely.He sure has the arm the Pirates like and doesnt walk many,but it would be hard to protect him over Tabata,Meek or Walker.But this is the team that protected Belisario and Astacio last season,so it would not stun me if Krebs and /or Sues were added to the 40 man,


19) Higher upside Andrew McCutchen or Jose Tabata?

Wilbur:Tabata. They’ve both struggled at times and they’ve both been young for the levels they’ve played at, but Tabata has done more at younger ages.

TRS:Hard to say,I do know this-If we had been have this conversation two years ago,Tabata would have been far more regarded.I think Tabata has more power potential long term though.

20) Any chance that the Pirates could either slow McCutchen or speed Tabata to have them come up together???

Wilbur:I think events will overtake them. McCutchen is likely to be needed, if not at the beginning of 2009 then not too long into the season.

TRS:Only if Tabata speeds through Indianapolis at a pace that is unlikely.
McCutchen will be in town no later than June,Tabata is more likely a September callup.

Bullpen Notes

The Devils will not have Fedor Fedorov on the squad as Lou Lamoriello has given Fedorov's agent permission to find another team for the Russian forward.
Better to have him move on than be miserable in Lowell.

The voice of the Pirates,Lanny Frattare will not return next year and is retired after 33 years of Pirate games.
I always liked Lanny and he will missed.
Especially when you consider that Greg Brown will now be the lead broadcaster.
Glad we are on hiatus,I think I am going to throw up!
More on this when I return and dont forget to check back every day as a new segment is set to go up daily while I am gone.
Mailing list people,you will have to check back here manually for a few days.

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