Gitcheee Gitcheee goomieee goomieeeee

Breaking up is hard to do

Words can be very powerful and can cause many different types of emotions. Once something is said to someone else, whether it is in the privacy of the home or a public press conference, once words are out there they are impossible to retract and the difference between what is said, what is meant and what is done can be three completely different things.

Take the now completed sagas of the trades of Jack Wilson to Seattle and Freddy Sanchez to San Francisco today. The finalization of these deals completed a long and drawn out process which began with all of the right things being said and perhaps done but, in the end, those words by Pirates management eventually came back to haunt them and the difference between what was once said and what is done now are two totally different things.

When both Wilson and Sanchez signed their deals a couple of years ago, Pirates management stood proud as peacocks and spoke of the affordability of these deals and that even in the final and most expensive years of each deals, the Pirates would have no problem being able to pay each player throughout the contract.

Obviously, this was not the case, regardless of what general manager Neal Huntington said today. And it's this continual saying one thing and doing another approach that has cost the Pirates much more than just players and losses over the years.

It's just like in a marriage. In good and relatively stable marriages, there may be things said over the course of years by one person or the other which that person regrets and ultimately apologizes for. If this happens on rare occasions, these verbal missteps are eventually looked past, swept under the rug and life can go on as normal.

However, if one partner or both partners either continually exchange insults or one partner has shown a dishonest pattern of behavior toward the other, the trust in the marriage crumbles and the foundation of that relationship follows soon behind.

In this case, it seems as if the Nutting-Coonelly-Huntington management team is just the latest in a long line of bad, dare I say mentally abusive relationship partners, that Pirates fans have taken on over the past 17 years. Just like someone who continually jumps into bad relationship after bad relationship, Pirates fans have endured such a pattern said in 1991 and 1992 that it was a difficult business decision that the Pirates couldn't keep the likes of Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Doug Drabek, etc.

Since then, year after year, management group after management group, have all come in and fed Pirates fans the same line of B.S. over and over again about doing its best to try and put a winning team on the field, and doing it by building within, and not being able to put large amounts of money into the payroll, and by building a new stadium the Pirates will be competitive again, and by promising that the signing of each player will bring the organization one step closer to contending when in reality all it does it bring said player one day closer to the day he is traded to a contender, then another promise of rebuilding and BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

Even if the Pirates did manage to get a couple of legit prospects http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/freddy-sanchez-for-who-seriously, it's not enough for the Pirates fan who has been lied to or been insulted enough to make up for it. This management team can only give Pirates fans so many apologetic verbal roses and candies before Pirates fans really and honestly say "enough is enough. I'm through with you."

Verbal roses and candies just won't cut it this time. In a matter of two months or so, the Pirates will officially become THE worst franchise in all of sports when they break the consecutive losing seasons streak mark. Simple words and promises won't cut it this time for this rebuilding project, Pirates fans should need to see real and honest progress before they think about rekindling the relationship with the team. And Pirates management should take very seriously the anger that will come about from Pirates fans over these latest trades because any more like this and they will stop coming home.

The break-up will be bad and ugly. Pirates management needs to seriously consider what it says publically from now on because every verbal misstep will brings Pirates fans one step closer to the door. And by the way, Neal, you're "not breaking up the '27 Yankees" line didn't help your cause at all, considering you and your team at least partially built the one on the field.

Pirates fans are not going to brush off a flippant remark like that as cute or funny. Instead, most of the ones I know will look at that and think "Gee, first they act like they don't care, now they are basically saying they don't care or don't care what they say. If that's the case, I don't care either."

The Pirates are THE last organization in sports that needs fans who do not care. In fact, every single person in the organization from owner Bob Nutting down should be doing whatever he or she can to kiss the proverbial ass of each and every remaining Pirates fan remaining so that soneone, anyone, shows up to watch this Triple-A team now and in the future.

I have a wife and three young children and I have no good reason to say why I should take any or all of them to a Pirates game at any time in the near future. The wife isn't a baseball fan anyway so she could care less already. My oldest daughter (soon to be 11) already knows the Pirates stink and her breaking point came today when her favorite player (Sanchez) was traded away. My son (5 years old) and youngest daughter (soon to be 4) have no interest in the game or the Pirates and I honestly can't justify giving them any reason to care about this organization any more.

If I, someone who grew loving baseball and enjoyed every minute that he got to play and eventually cover it, feel this way, I'm guessing there are a lot more people out there like me who feel the same and I'm guessing those numbers keep growing.

Until legitimate progress is made both on and off the field, I cannot justify spending any more money or putting any more energy into this so-called organization. For now I am calling this a trial separation, but I have a hunch, sadly, that this could become more permanent. I hope that I am wrong but, unlike most of the Pirates hunches over the last 17 years, I'm guessing that I will be right.

Shocker: McLouth traded

After three hours in the rain and cold at my daughter's softball game tonight, I thawed out (after a win) and called in the score to the Observer-Reporter. When the reporter told me the Pirates traded Nate McLouth to the Braves for three minor leaguers, I was more than shocked. It was definitely a WTF moment.

McLouth was dealt to Atlanta for triple-A pitcher Charlie Morton, double-A outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and single-A pitcher Jeff Locke.

It's tough to see McLouth go. He's a very good player who has worked his ass off to get everything he has in baseball. Nothing was given to him and he was seen as an afterthought for a number of years in the Pirates system.

When he made it to Pittsburgh and started having success (no thanks to former manager Jim Tracy though he would tell you otherwise), it was all earned. Last year's All-Star game nod, his performance in that game, his Gold Glove season and the career year McLouth had were all enjoyable to watch for a good player and a good person.

It was assumed by many that he was a face-of-the-franchise guy and he had a long-term contract already. His production hasn't slowed any and he remained the Pirates most consistent all-around player.

Here is the statement from Pirates general manager Neal Huntington:

“This may be the toughest decision we have made in my time with the organization,” said Huntington. “Nate is a quality player and person, but as we have said several times, tough decisions will need to be made as we build and sustain a championship caliber organization. Nate has worked as hard as any player to become a starting Major League Player, proving wrong anyone who may have doubted him. When we signed Nate to a long-term contract we did so with the intent on having him remain part of our core of homegrown talent. But the quality and quantity of talent we are receiving in this trade moves us closer to our goal of building that sustainable championship caliber club and compelled us to move a very good player and an outstanding young man.”

To the Pirates credit, they are sticking with their plan of rebuilding the minor league system. Since Huntington and president Frank Coonelly have come on board, that has been one of the focuses is rebuilding the depleted minor-league system.

The question remains at what cost is this occurring. Many fans believe, and have every right to do so, that this is the same old Pirates dumping talent for cheap minor leaguers. It's the same pattern that has occurred time and again for the past 16-plus years.

The organization should be thankful that they have as many fans show up as they do. No fan base should be put through what Pirates fans have been put through since 1992. All the organization seems to keep doing is alienating what few real fans they have left and not just the ones who show up for fireworks nights.

Even with Andrew McCutchen waiting in Class AAA, McLouth was still thought to be a mainstay in the organization and something the organization could actually be proud of - a homegrown talent who made it to the majors and reaped the benefits of his hard work.

Though maybe the biggest benefit of all to McLouth is that he gets out of this so-called major-league organization.

Six years ago, the night that another homegrown talent (Aramis Ramirez) was traded, then Pirates outfielder Brian Giles stated his displeasure with a very truthful statement and sentiment felt in the clubhouse: "Not all of us are lucky enough to get traded."

Today, McLouth got lucky. And now guys like Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche and others feel exactly the same way that Giles did that night.

Enjoy watching Andrew McCutchen while you can Pirates fans. It won't be too long before he's the next one to be shipped off.

Matt Wieters facts

With the baseball draft upon us next week, it is once again time for the now annual teeth nashing that dummy Dave Littlefield didn't select catcher Matt Wieters in the 2007 draft instead of pitcher Danny Moskos.

Wieters has already become so legendary even though he has been in the majors less than a week, he has earned facts that rival those of Chuck Norris.

http://www.mattwietersfacts.com/

A deal is a deal

It's been more than six weeks since I've written on this blog, an eternity in the blog world, and there have been a variety of reasons why I haven't done so.

Without getting into all of the specifics, the main reason is that it is simply a difficult task to do so when your heart really isn't in it anymore. See, when I lost my job at the Observer-Reporter 3 1/2 months ago, I started this blog because in my mind I wasn't really gone from sports writing yet and there were still a lot of things that were very fresh in my mind. But as the days and weeks and months have dragged on, the more I have become removed from that scene and I've come to the realization that that chapter of my life has come to an end (all puns intended.)

However, one thing brought me back onto this blog ... my wife. The same wife that didn't like me covering the Pirates a whole lot during the years that I did so again for a variety of reasons, brought me back on this blog.

Without going into too many specifics, we made a deal ... if she went to the gym, I would write on this blog again. Sounds simple enough, yet she first went to the gym after we made this deal two days ago and I am now just getting back on this blog.

Why?

I guess this whole experience has been like a death in the family to me of sorts. The longer since someone died, the less you talk about the person. We all get caught up in our own lives and our families that even the people that were the closest to us who have passed get put on the backburner on a daily basis even though those memories still burn deep.

The same has been true for my situation and, in turn, this blog. The farther since the death of my sportswriting career, the more this blog has been pushed onto the backburner, even though I still follow baseball very closely and miss covering it and other sports very much. I know there is a time and place to move on, but some things are just harder to do than others I guess.

So, with that in mind, I am going to give this one more shot. I am not going to make any grandiose promises that this blog will be this or that. I'm not sure what its going to end up being to be honest with you. Yes, baseball will obviously be tied in and still a focus, but there may be times when it is not the sole focus. Just like in a baseball game where so many things occur that it is hard to focus on one thing as to why a game was won or lost, so is that also true in life. And even though we all have a gameplan, sometimes you have to change that plan in midstream in order to be successful.

I thought I had a perfect gameplan in place at ome time, until that completely blew up in my face. Now, like a manager starting a rookie in his first game, there is a lot of uncertainty in this game and the plan has completely changed.

I just still hope that I can come out a winner.

R.I.P. Harry Kalas

When I first heard the voice of Harry Kalas, it was on Sunday mornings. He and Steve Sabol used to do a show called "This is the NFL," a highlights-based show at a time where out-of-town highlights were still rare and Sportscenter was in its infancy.

Later I became aware of his work in baseball and always enjoyed his smooth style, like an East Coast version of Vin Scully.

I first met Kalas while covering the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001. He was doing broadcasts for Westwood One and once while I was
talking to former Steelers announcer Myron Cope, Kalas came out to say hi to Myron, who introduced me to Kalas. He was very nice and respectful then though we just spoke for a minute.

I would see Halas more as I covered the Pirates for the Observer-Reporter when the Phillies would come to town. Even when he walked into the media dining room, Kalas had a presence about him. He was a legend.

If he would come and sit down at a table I was at, usually with other writers, I would usually sit quietly, somewhat in awe, of a man I admired as a broadcaster.

Then, last season, when myself and former Beaver County Times writer John Perrotto were eating dinner before a game, Kalas once again came and sat down. Since there were only three of us at the table, he wanted to know what not just John thought of the Pirates but my opinions as well. As we were sitting there talking the only thought going through my head was "This is Harry freaking Kalas. He's a legend."

He was also very gracious and giving of his time, even to a young sportswriter such as myself.

The sportsworld truly lost a legnedary voice today. We'll miss you, Harry.

Photo from phillies.com

Tale of two pitchers

I'm trying to give Ian Snell the benefit of the doubt, I really am. But the more he pitches, the more I'm starting to think he's just not going to come around to be a consistent starting pitcher.

I said it was a mistake to let Snell pitch in the World Baseball Classic. This is a guy that needs a strict regime, especially with a new pitching coach. While those at Tuesday's game said Snell got a couple of tough breaks, it couldn't have been that many to allow eight runs.

Wednesday's game, a completely different story with Zach Duke. Here's a guy who had a horrific year last year. He came into camp in good shape and with the right attitude. He also came out and established himself early in the game and that led to a very successful outing and his first win of the year.

When he froze Albert Pujols in the first inning, that set the tone for the game. A lot of run support also helped Duke. But nonetheless, just like Maholm on Monday, he showed that he was in control of the game early Wednesday.

Snell rarely shows that kind of control. And if he doesn't start showing it soon, he could and should be shown the door from the rotation.

It's only one game, but ...

So I was driving over to my mother-in-law's late yesterday afternoon. As I was driving the Pirates went down 3 and soon 4-2 in the eighth inning. After spending about 15 minutes chatting with her and my daughter who was staying there overnight, I got back in the car fully expecting to turn on the postgame show after the first Bucco loss of the season.

Much to my surprise that 30 seconds later Jack Wilson would be hitting his 3-run double to clear the bases and eventually give the Pirates the victory.

The Pirates have won their last three openers and, well, you know how the rest of the last two seasons have gone. There were a couple of positive and negatives from yesterday's game.

Positives: Nyjer Morgan, Paul Maholm. Morgan finally do what a leadoff guy is supposed to do. He got on base, stole a base, even drove in two runs. Maholm was super efficient and seemed in control the entire game, even after a fielding mistake cost him two runs and his own baserunning blunder cost him another.

Negatives: RISP (Runners in scoring position). Though the Pirates were 5-for-13 with RISP, they also didn't cash in on way too many other chances, especially early in the game. Ryan Doumit was 0-for-3 with RISP. Also, other than Matt Capps, the bullpen duo of Tyler Yates and John Grabow was shaky at best.

Also around the league:
For you fantasy baseball owners with CC Sabathia (myself included), you must be feeling very wary about that choice today. He was AWFUL. MLB Tonight had a great piece on Sabathia's total lack of command yesterday. Good thing for him it was away from the new Yankee Stadium. ... I thought Emilio Bonafacio was the opera singer (Leslie Nielsen) who sang the National Anthem at the end of the first Naked Gun movie. Apparently, he is also a Marlins' rookie who had an inside-the-park home run yesterday and is incredibly fast. He will be one to watch.

2009 Predictions

With one game in the books (boy Derek Lowe looked sharp for the Braves last night), today marks the real Opening Day, with 12 games on the schedule.

That means it is prediction time. Though I'm not going out on too many limbs, the fact is the good teams continue to be good and the bad teams (sorry Buccos) continue to suck. I predict that there won't be any Tampa Bay-like stories this year. As a matter of fact, i don't even see the Rays making the playoffs.

National League Central
1. Chicago Cubs - They simply have THE most talent in all of the division, if not the league. The starting pitching is solid and the Cubs will have plenty of offense again. My only concern is the closer's spot but if Kevin Gregg can do what he did in Florida, the Cubs will go deep into October.

2. St. Louis Cardinals - I hate Tony LaRussa. I think he's smug, arrogant, and he thinks he invented the game. That said, he's one of the best managers of all time. Albert Pujols is healthy and Chris Carpenter will return to have another solid year. Another shaky closer situation and a little less offense than the Cubs leaves the Cardinals in second.

3. Milwaukee Brewers - It's hard to lose C.C. Sabathia and Ben Sheets from the rotation and not falter. Trevor Hoffman (though injured) is the closer and is well past his prime. The Brewers will still hit, their pitching will falter some.

4. Cincinnati Reds - The Reds will be better than recent seasons and could crack the .500 mark. Jay Bruce and Joey Votto lead the lineup while Aaron Harang and Edinson Volquez lead the rotation.

5. Houston Astros - Though there are some solid players and Roy Oswalt is still a top pitcher, the Astros will slide mightily this year. If they top 75 wins I'll be surprised. Not even an aging Pudge Rodriguez will help.

6. Pittsburgh Pirates - Woe is the Buccos. I honestly think they'll a little more competitive this year than they were after the Bay-Nady trades last year. If they lose less than 90 games this year, it should be considered a successful season. I just don't see it happening.

National League East
1. New York Mets - The third time will be the charm for the Mets. The offense is solid every way around, the starting pitching should hold up and they finally have two, not one, good pitchers at the end of the bullpen in Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz.

2. Atlanta Braves - The Braves have a lot more pitching than they did last year. with Lowe and Javier Vasquez leading the way. They scare me because Mike Gonzalez is the closer, but look for a bounceback year for Jeff Francoeur and Jordan Schafer is a Rookie of the Year candidate.

3. Philadelphia Phillies - The Phillies still have plenty of offense and a top closer in Brad Lidge. I think the starting pitching will falter a bit, especially with Cole Hamels' shaky health.

4. Florida Marlins - There's a ton of young talent here as usual. Their pitching is also very young and needs a year to develop.

5. Washington Nationals - They may not be the worst team in the league, but they will still lose 90-plus games. A couple of bright spots, but not nearly enough to contend.

National League West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers - Manny Ramirez will once again lead the Dodgers to the division title. The Dodgers also have a lot of good pitchers and Jonathan Broxton is turning into a top closer.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks - The D-Backs will push the Dodgers to the last weekend of the season. Brandon Webb and Dan Haren are two of the best pitchers in the league but Chad Qualls scares me as a full-time closer. The offense is solid, but needs more plate discipline.

3. San Francisco Giants - Pitching, pitching and more pitching will bolster last year's lifeless Giants back toward the .500 mark. Young starters Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez along with vets Randy Johnson and Barry Zito make up a strong rotation. The offense still needs help, but will be better.

4. Colorado Rockies - Offense, offense, offense makes the Rockies go. Troy Tulowitzki, Brad Hawpe and Garrett Atkins are just a few of the strong bats in the Rockies' order. The rotation still leaves a lot to be desired.

5. San Diego Padres - Wow, they're bad. Other than Adrian Gonzalez at first base and Jake Peavy (for now) on the mound, there's not much else to cheer about. Look for the Padres to battle the Pirates and Nationals the worst record in the league.

American League East
1. Boston Red Sox - The boys from Boston have the most talent overall. The lineup is outstanding with Youkilis, Ortiz, Bay, Pedroia, Ellsbury, etc. The rotation needs to stay healthy but should be fine. Look for Brad Penny as an A.L.Comeback Player of the Year candidate. The best closer in the league also helps.

2. New York Yankees - All of the money the Yankees spent will pay off. Sabathia is a Cy Young candidate and the rotation is very good with A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, etc. Center fielder Brett Gardner will be one to watch.

3. Tampa Bay Rays - The Rays will still be good, but they played so far above their talent last season that I see them falling back a little bit this season, perhaps to between 85-90 wins. Tampa's rotation doesn't have the depth of the Red Sox and Yankees.

4. Toronto Blue Jays - Roy Halladay is a top starter and B.J. Ryan re-emerged as a top closer. The offense has too many holes to stay competitive in this division.

5. Baltimore Orioles - Don't look now, but the Orioles have a lengthy consecutive losing streak of their own (11 so far, working on No. 12).

American League Central
1. Cleveland Indians - Grady Sizemore will have an MVP-type of season. Cliff Lee will again lead the rotation and Kerry Wood will be a good closer.

2. Minnesota Twins - Every year the Twins are in contention and this one will be no different. Francisco Liriano should return to be a top starter and Cy Young candidate.

3. Chicago White Sox - The White Sox will take a step back from their division title. Carlos Quinten and Alexei Ramirez are excellent players but the starting rotation doesn't have much depth.

4. Detroit Tigers - Miguel Cabrera will once again be a top player. That said, the Tigers have problems. The rotation is shaky and the bullpen is even more unstable.

5. Kansas City Royals - The Royals will have a $70-75 million payroll, their highest in team history. Too bad, it won't be enough to compete in a loaded Amercian League.

American League West
1. Los Angeles Angels - Bobby Abreu will bolster the lineup and Howie Kendrick continues to get better. The rotation is a little shaky, but should be good enough to win the division.

2. Oakland Athletics - If Matt Holliday sticks around all season and Orlando Hudson plays as he is capable of doing, the A's will contend. Their rotation is very, very young.

3. Seattle Mariners - After a last place finish last season, the Mariners will improve a little bit. Felix Hernandez is a stud pitcher. There are still a lot of holes on this team.

4. Texas Rangers - Josh Hamilton was a great story last year. I think he drops off a little bit this season. Ian Kinsler's health is shaky, Michael Young could be traded and Kris Benson (yes, that Kris Benson) is the No. 3 starter.

Playoffs
National League
New York Mets defeat Arizona Diamondbacks (Wild card)
Chicago Cubs defeat Los Angeles Dodgers
N.L.C.S. - New York Mets defeat Chicago Cubs

American League
Boston Red Sox defeat Cleveland Indians
New York Yankees (Wild card) defeat Los Angeles Angels
A.L.C.S. - Boston Red Sox defeat New York Yankees

World Series
Boston Red Sox defeat New York Mets 4 games to 2

PIRATES SET ROSTER

The Pirates demoted Evan Meek to Class AAA Indianapolis this morning and placed pitcher Phil Dumatrait on the 15-day disabled list.

That means (look out playoffs!) the 25-man opening-day roster has been set. Here it is:

PITCHERS
Starting: 28 Paul Maholm (LHP), 45 Ian Snell (RHP), 57 Zach Duke (LHP), 49 Ross Ohlendorf (RHP), 27 Jeff Karstens (RHP).

Relievers: 17 Sean Burnett (LHP), 55 Matt Capps (RHP), 43 Jesse Chavez (RHP), 34 John Grabow (LHP), 38 Craig Hansen (RHP), 56 Donnie Veal (LHP), 30 Tyler Yates (RHP).

CATCHERS
41 Ryan Doumit, 35 Jason Jamarillo

INFIELDERS
36 Luis Cruz, 25 Adam LaRoche, 15 Andy LaRoche, 12 Freddy Sanchez, 5 Ramon Vazquez, 2 Jack Wilson

OUTFIELDERS
16 Eric Hinske, 13 Nate McLouth, 18 Craig Monroe, 3 Nyjer Morgan, 44 Brandon Moss

MAJOR CUTDOWN

The Pirates, after sending SS Brian Bixler and OF Andrew McCutchen to the minors on Monday, made eight more cuts today.

Pitcher Virgil Vasquez was optioned to Class AAA, meaning Jeff Karstens is the fifth starter.

Also, sent to minor league camp are: pitchers Denny Bautista, Chris Bootcheck, Jason Davis; outfielders Garrett Jones and Jeff Salazar, utilityman Andy Phillips and catcher Erik Kratz.

That leaves 27 players in camp. With pitcher Phil Dumatrait set to begin the season on the disabled list, that leaves one exta player, likely a relever. According to the Post-Gazette, the finalists for the last cut are relievers Sean Burnett, Evan Meek, Donnie Veal and Jesse Chavez.

That also means that Luis Cruz will be an extra infielder and Craig Monroe has made the team as an extra outfielder.

Pirates cut three, Ohlendorf in rotation

The Pirates cut three players this morning, optioning infielder/outfielder Steve Pearce and (surprisingly) catcher Robinzon Diaz to Class AAA an also assigning infielder Anderson Machado to minor-league camp.

Also, Ross Ohlendorf was named to the starting rotation and Paul Maholm was named the opening-day starter (not surprisingly).

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said Pearce is going to Indianapolis to work at first base. Diaz, who is batting .423 this spring, is being sent down because Jason Jamarillo, who will be the backup catcher to begin the season, is better defensively according to Huntington. Jamarillo is batting .143 this spring.

Ohlendorf has been outstanding, with a 0.59 ERA in four appearanaces and 15 1/3 innings. He, Maholm, Ian Snell and Zach Duke are penciled in for the rotation. Jeff Karstens and Virgil Vasquez are fighting for the final spot.

The spring roster is now at 37 players, with 12 more cuts to be made.

JOSE TABATA STATEMENT

Here is the satement from Pirates minor-league outfielder Jose Tabata regarding the arrest of his wife. Wow. This poor guy was duped more than one time. No one should have to go through this.

“I was completely surprised when I was told that my wife had been arrested this Tuesday because she had never shown any malicious behavior. I had no idea what to think because this news was one of the hardest blows I have had in my life and I don’t have many words that can effectively communicate all of my feelings at this time.

“What I do know is that I am a Pittsburgh Pirate and my life-long idol is Roberto Clemente. And because of that, when presented with this difficult situation, I asked myself “what would Clemente do in this situation?” I know Clemente was a man known for his decency, responsibility, doing what he says, and always doing the correct thing. And I believe the only correct thing in this moment is to tell the truth.

“The truth is that my wife told me many lies that, until this whole situation began, I did not know. One that hurt me a lot was her history as a criminal- that she had spent years in prison, that she had robbed and committed fraud. But the worst lie was that she completely falsified her pregnancy and the eventual birth of a baby girl, which would have made me a father for the first time. Imagine how that made me feel.

“As you and Pirates fans get to know me, you’ll understand that, when this is all over, I will never be able to forgive her for her cruel actions. You will also understand that I will do everything possible, with the support of God and my family here with the Pirates, to overcome this craziness. The truth is that I would never wish this situation on anybody, but I know that life has its good and its bad, and I know that the good times are not too far off in the future.

“With respect to my wife’s case, I, like you, have questions that remain unanswered. However, the Sheriff’s deputies have told me not to speak about the details of her criminal case, including the details of our history together and the lies she led me to believe about her. Therefore, I will not be able to comment further or answer any of your questions until the investigation is complete. I do give thanks to God that no harm was made to that baby girl and that she is in safe hands with her parents. My thoughts will always be with them.

“Finally, I am thankful for the strong support of my teammates, coaches and everyone within the Pirates organization during this difficult time. I appreciate everyone’s concern for me and I ask that you respect my privacy both now and in the future.”

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa

Due to some personal and family obligations, there hasn't been much of a view over the last week and for any of you loyal readers I do apologize.

Basically, at least from the Pirates side, only two major things happened:

1. Outfielder Brandon Moss injured his thumb. There doesn't appear to be any ligament damage and he might be ready in time for the opener.

Unless the swelling goes down and his strength improves dramatically, I see Moss beginning the season on the 15-day DL. It's a touchy injury and one that could be aggravated easily. I don't see the cautious Pirates taking any chances with a starting outfielder.

2. Relief pitcher Romulo Sanchez was one of the first cuts and sent to Class AAA on Monday.

Sanchez was thought to be in the running for a relief spot at the beginning of camp but management has to be very displeased with Sanchez, either from a fitness standpoint, a work ethic standpoint, or a combination of both. It's a move similar to what happened to Josh Sharpless last year and Sharpless ended up out of the organization.

That's about it. All of the other crap about this guy through one scoreless inning or this guys walked two etc. means a lot in the long term but not in the short term.There's still 3 1/2 weeks for the roster to take shape and a lot will happen between now and then.

Pirates sign 26

The Pirates have agreed to terms with 26 players for the 2009 season. Most of these players will receive around the league minimum salary though there are a few exceptions.

The players are: pitchers Jimmy Barthmaier, Sean Burnett, Jesse Chavez, Dave Davidson, Phil Dumatrait, Tom Gorzelanny, Craig Hansen, Jeff Karstens, Evan Meek, Ross Ohlendorf, Romulo Sanchez, Jeff Sues, Ronald Uviedo, Virgil Vazquez, Donnie Veal.

Infielders: Brian Bizler, Luiz Cruz, Andy LaRoche, Steve Pearce and Neil Walker.

Outfielders: Nyjer Morgan, Brandon Moss and Jose Tabata.

Catchers: Robinzon Diaz, Jason Jamarillo, Steve Lerud.

Tabata OK, Grabow to WBC

Pirates outfielder Jose Tabata had a MRI done on his sore right shoulder Monday but appears to be ok, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"He does have some mild rotator cuff inflammation, but is able to return to activities as (the pain is) tolerated,' Pirates general manager Neal Huntington told the Tribune-Review.

Tabata, acquired from the Yankees in the Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte deal, is 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and three walks in three games this spring.

Also, Pirates reliever John Grabow has been named to replace Angels reliever Brian Fuentes on Team USA's roster for at least the first round of the World Baseball Classic.

Gorzelanny-Snell: Tale of two pitchers

Tom Gorzelanny and Ian Snell appear to be headed in slightly different directions this spring.

Gorzelanny came into camp in very good shape, dropping 20 pounds from last season. He started off his spring season Friday with two scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves and reportedly looked very sharp.

"It felt good, I felt strong out there," Gorzelanny told the Associated Press. "I want to prove to everybody that I do belong in this rotation and on this team."

Snell, meanwhile, allowed two unearned runs and walked two in his first outing on Thursday, though he struck out three. He is headed to the World Baseball Classic for a couple of weeks where he will pitch for Puerto Rico.

Snell is coming off the worst season of his career. He was 7-12 with a 5.42 ERA. He is also not that far removed from an elbow injury he had in the middle of last season which caused him to miss time.

Snell talked glowingly about new pitching coach Joe Kerrigan in today's Post-Gazette. Here's the thing, he's done so about the other pitching coaches who have been in Pittsburgh the last two years - Jim Colborn and Jeff Andrews.

There was also a very interesting quote in Chuck Finder's story about the adjustments being made.

"Mechanical. Not mental. I'm always there mentally. Mechanically, I was doing one thing wrong," Snell said in the P-G article. "He (Kerrigan) looked at the film one time. And that was it. Solved."

Snell might have the mechanical thing down, but the mental part remains in question. Anyone who has been around the Pirates more than a week knows that Snell has the tendency to go off. He lets his emotions get to him on the mound and he can also be less than polite in the clubhouse. I know because I've seen it first-hand.

Snell should be the last player to be going off to the WBC for a couple of weeks, basically unsupervised. He needs to get himself in check in a hurry if he wants any chance of keeping his spot in the rotation for the entire season.

Game 2, Ohlendorf's opening statement

If Ross Ohlendorf is one of the two top finalists for the fifth starter's job, he made a strong opening argument Thursday that the job should be his.

Ohlendorf was dominant during his two innings against the Red Sox. He retired all six batters he faced in the third and fourth innings and struck out three.

After being traded along with Karstens, pitcher Daniel McCutchen and outfielder Jose Tabata in the Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte trade, Ohlendorf was roughed up with the Pirates. He was 0-3 with a 6.35 ERA in five starts. He allowed 36 hits in 22 2/3 innings, struck out 13 and walked 12.

Not exactly numbers that scream starting rotation, but a good beginning Thursday definitely helped his case.

In other news:
* The Pirates play Atlanta today at 1:05 p.m. Tom Gorzelanny is scheduled to go two innings, followed by Zach Duke, Jason Davis and Dan McCutchen.

* Third baseman Andy LaRoche, who had a back injury which sidelined him for several days, started and went 1-for-2.

* From the Now We can Go On With Our Lives Department, Doug Mientkiewicz signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers.

Look, Mientkiewicz is a good guy and a gritty player. But COME ON. The way some people in Pittsburgh wrote about the guy you would have thought it was Mickey Mantle. Some writers get their man-crushes and it was clear some in Pittsburgh had one on Mientkiewicz. But in all honesty, WAAYYYYY too much was written about a guy with two home runs and 30 RBI.

Good luck, Doug.

What I saw on the radio, Spring game 1

Here are some random thoughts from the Pirates first spring game Wednesday.

* Don't read too much into it. Chris Bootcheck pitched a very nice inning and Matt Capps had a rough one though neither gave up a run. The exact opposite could happen the next time out.

* Sanchez starting off with two hits a good sign considering all of the problems he had last season

* The hitters are usually ahead of the pitchers at this stage of the spring and the 8 runs the Pirates had prove that.

* Nyjer Morgan and Steve Pearce both made nice first impressions. They'll need to do continue to play well to solidify spots.

* Second baseman Shelby Ford, who will be at either Class AA or AAA to start the season, gave a glimpse of what he can bring when he hit a home run. He'll be Sanchez's replacement in the near future, maybe next season.

* For those that listened to the game, give new play-by-play man Tim Neverett a chance. Yes, on first impression he sounds like a cross between Whitey Wilson (Scott Paulsen's old character from the DVE days) and Skip Caray, but he has a different style than we're used to.

One major positive, he actually talked about the game rather than Bob and Mary O'Donnell from Baldwin coming down to Bradenton and saying "Hi' for the 28th straight year.

Let the games begin

In a matter of hours, Chris Boothceck will take to the mound for your Buccos to begin the exhibition season (can you feel the excitement kids, Chris Boothceck!)

Anyway, with the spring training games beginning this afternoon at 1 p.m. (WPGB-FM 104.7), it's time to take a look at some potential spring training battles as the games wear on this spring. There isn't a ton of turnover from the end of last season (sadly), so many of the names will be the same. Still, there are a couple of position battles ready to play out between now and opening day April 6 in St. Louis.

Let's start first with the locks. Here are the guys virtually guaranteed to be on the 25-man roster to begin the season barring trades or injuries:

Catcher - Ryan Doumit
Infield - Adam LaRoche (1st base), Freddy Sanchez (2nd base), Jack Wilson (shortstop), Andy LaRoche (third base), Ramon Vasquez (utility).
Outfield - Nate Mclouth, Brandon Moss, Nyjer Morgan, Eric Hinske.
Starting pitchers - Paul Maholm, Ian Snell, Zach Duke, Tom Gorzelanny.
Relief pitchers - Matt Capps, Tyler Yates, John Grabow, Sean Burnett.

That's 18 of 25 spots. Here's a look at who will have a chance to fill the remaining seven position on the opening day roster.
Catcher - Either Robinzon Diaz or Jason Jamarillo. I think Jamarillo has the inside track here. He played for manager John Russell in 2007 in Class AAA and is a bit more experienced. This race is pretty even, however.

Utility - I'm not totally convinced the Pirates will add another infielder just for the sake of adding one. Since Vasquez can play three infield positions and Hinske can play two corner infield and outfield positions, the Pirates have some flexibility for this role. It could be infielders Brian Bixler or Luis Cruz, or an extra outfielder like Steve Pearce, Craig Monroe or even Andrew McCutchen if one of those three do not win the job for the fifth outfielder's spot. The early bet here Cruz, provided he gets healthy after sustaining a hip injury Tuesday.

Outfield - If Monroe impresses, I have a feeling it's his job to lose. Pearce will need to show A LOT to make the rosterand I think the club is convinced that McCutchen will need a bit more time at Class AAA before he arrives in Pittsburgh later this season.

Starting pitcher - Though there are six guys up for this spot, my money is on either Ross Ohlendorf or Jeff Karstens. The loser of that battle will head to the bullpen and look for the rest (Jason Davis, Jimmy Barthmaier, Phil Dumatrait, Daniel McCutchen) to wind up in Class AAA.

Relief pitchers - Either Ohlendorf or Karstens will take up one spot. I have a hunch Rule Five pick Donnie Veal will win the second. That leaves Romulo Sanchez, Ronald Uviedo, Juan Mateo, Craig Hansen, Evan Meek and Jesse Chavez likely battling for the final position.

Enjoy the games and if you have any different opinions, pass them along and lets discuss. It should be an interesting spring.

Baseball America's top prospects list

Baseball America, THE authority on prospects and the minor leagues, has put out its annual top 100 prospects list.

There are three Pirates on the list - Pedro Alvarez (No. 12), Andrew McCutchen (33) and Jose Tabata (75).

For the complete list, follow this link:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2009/267698.html

Bad baseball cards

Sunday was photo day for the Pirates, which included pictures for wire services and baseball card companies.

Who knows yet how this year's cards (which go for about $9 a pack now I think?) will look, but hopefully they will look better than these ones. Here are a couple of the worst cards in history.

If you have your own least favorites, or any good baseball card stories, pass them along and share them with us.

Pirates give Russell another year

The Pirates have exercised the contract of manager John Russell for the 2010 season.

“JR met or exceeded expectations in his first year as the Pirates manager. His club worked hard to play the game properly and battled from the first out until the last,” said general manager Neal Huntington.

“His leadership, knowledge, attention to detail, ability to see the big picture and passion for things being done the right way made him the ideal choice as our manager a year ago and made the decision to pick up his option for 2010 an easy decision. I look forward to working closely with him for years to come as we build a consistent championship caliber organization in Pittsburgh.”

This will be Russell's second year as manager. The Pirates were 67-95 last season.

Ex-Pirate Benson to sign with Texas

The Texas Rangers are on the verge of signing former Pirate pitcher Kris Benson to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to mlb.com.

Benson hasn't pitched in the majors since the 2006 season. He was forced to miss the 2007 season after a torn rotator cuff and had 11 starts for Class AAA Lehigh Valley last season. he was 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA.

Benson, the former No.1 overall pick of the Pirates in the 1996 draft, has a 68-73 career record. He was traded by the Pirates to the New York Mets in 2004 and, if possible, his career has taken a sharp downward turn since.

Though she hasn't been in the headlines much lately, the soft-spoken Benson is known as much for his wife, model/ex-stripper Anna and her exploits. For those who forget, here's a reminder of Anna in action.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2006/12/photo-archives-hosts-of-christ.html

Why is Andy LaRoche a sure thing?

I recently did a story on Pirates third baseman Andy LaRoche. In it, I questioned why LaRoche has been already named the club's starting third baseman for this season despite having proven anything, and I mean ANYTHING, last season?

Barring injury, all indications are that LaRoche will be at third and batting either seventh or eighth when the Pirates open the 2009 season in St. Louis. I say that because LaRoche left workouts Thursday with muscle spasms in his lower back, though the team listed him as "day to day."

Assuming this is a minor injury, LaRoche will be back soon and his progress will not be stunted. Lord knows if it is stunted any more, he might as well go work on his brother Adam's ranch rather than play across the diamond from him.

Though it was a small sample size (to use a Joe Bendel term), LaRoche proved worthy of earning nothing last season. Yes, he played with a torn ligament in his thumb for much of the season and there is something to be said for playing through pain.

But a .152 batting average and nine errors in 49 games isn't a healthy resume from which to build on.

I'm not saying it's LaRoche's fault, he seemingly tried the best that he could. The question is with management. In an organization where there is such little room for error, why just give a position to a player who underperformed and who is looking like an injury liability?

There are guys who could give LaRoche competition, including free-agent pickups Eric Hinske and Ramon Vasquez, along with Neil Walker.

To just give this guy the starting third baseman's job seems premature to me. This could turn out to be the dumbest move to begin a season since a computer thought that Tike Redman could bat third.

Late-night shows have fun with A-punchline

Both David Letterman and Jay Leno are having fun at Alex Rodriguez's expense in the wake of his steroids admission.

From David Letterman:
"The results are in: A-Rod has tested positive for bullshit."

From Jay Leno:
"Over the weekend they named the baseball field at the University of Miami after Alex Rodriguez. They also named the chemistry lab after him as well."

Griffey Jr. headed back to Seattle

In what will likely be one of those walking-off-into-the-sunset moves, Ken Griffey Jr. is headed back to the Seattle Mariners this season.

Griffey, 39, has reportedly signed a one-year contract with the Mariners worth $2 million, according to mlb.com, with the chance to reach as much as $4 million based on incentives.

Griffey played his first 11 seasons in Seattle and hit more than 40 home runs six times with the Mariners and drove in more than 100 runs seven times. There is a good chance this will be Junior's last season in the majors.

This is a great move for both sides. It will give the sagging Mariners a boost in attendance and it will give Griffey the chance to have one more year in the sun with the team that drafted him. This is also a no-lose situation for both sides, since the Mariners aren't likely to have a winning season this year with or without Griffey and he won't make them appreciably better. It has the chance to turn into a nice story and here's hoping it does.

Since I worked in Washington County for almost seven years, I dealt with Griffey a lot as a member of the Reds since both he and his father, Ken, were born in Donora, Pa. which is also in the county. As big of a player as Griffey has been, he has also been one of the better players to deal with, never refusing an interview request and being very gracious during the interviews. He is also a very personable player to talk to off the record, something missing from a number of today's players.

Good luck Junior, and here's to solidifying your final steps to the Hall of Fame.

A-Fraud? A-Roid? A-bad liar!

Alex Rodriguez is one of the best baseball players in the world. There is no denying that. He was before he started to use performance-enhancing drugs and he is now that he is allegedly clean.

What A-Rod isn't is a good liar, or at least a good storyteller. The Swiss cheese story he told Tuesday had too many holes still to be filled in. And because he likely didn't come clean - again - it will likely cost him more down the road.

Here are just some of the holes in A-bad liar's story, there are so many the list needs to be whittled down:

How did he get the drugs? First, A-bad liar blamed himself. Now, a cousin in the Dominican Republic is involved?

And where did the drugs come from? A week ago it was a GNC, now it was an over-the-counter drug in the Dominican smuggled into the U.S.

HUH?

Hell, a week ago A-bad liar didn't remember was he was taking. Tuesday, he magically remembered it was Primobolan, or "boli" as he called it, because he wanted an "energy boost."

Please.

The thing that gets me about all of these guys who take performance-enhancing drugs is when they play the "I didn't know exactly what it was card." Bull. These guys are some of the top athletes in the world and their bodies are their temples and, more importantly, their moneymakers. These guys ALWAYS know what they are putting into their bodies. Don't be fooled otherwise.

Funny too, that a week ago Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts was on a witchhunt to get Rodriguez, according to the interview with Peter Gammons. Then, two days later he apologizes and says well she wasn't exactly on a witchhunt.

If A-bad liar wanted people to believe him Tuesday and to move on from this episode, he definitely struck out.

McLouth update

The salaries on Nate McLouth's new contract are out.

He reportedly gets a $1.5 million signing bonus and a $2 million salary this season. In 2010, that jumps to $4.5 million and $6.5 in 2011. There is also a $10.65 million club option for 2012 with a $1.25 million buyout. There are also performance bonuses included in each year of the contract that, if reached, could make the total value of the contract around $27 million.

“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with Nate on a multi-year contract that gives us the ability to keep him in a Pirates uniform through at least the 2012 season,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement released by the club. “Nate is a quality person off the field and a talented, intelligent player that plays the game the right way on the field. His dedication, work ethic and commitment should serve as an example on how to approach the game."

This a good move for the Pirates and a much-needed P.R. boost to boot.

McLouth, along perhaps catcher Ryan Doumit, is the new face of the franchise. He's been built up as much all winter and is an important part of the organization moving ahead off the field.

On the field, he is coming off a career year and should be rewarded as such. A team needs to be strong up the middle in baseball and the Pirates have two important pieces in McLouth and Doumit.

Both Huntington and team president Frank Coonelly have a plan and they are sticking with it, signing the young talent to long-term deals to take away their arbitration years. Huntington knows the plan can work as he saw first-hand as a member of the Cleveland organization and he's hoping the same happens in Pittsburgh.

It will be up to the players to perform and earn these new contracts.

McLouth, Pirates agree to three-year deal

The Pirates and All-Star outfielder Nate McLouth have reportedly agreed to a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported that the two sides agreed to the deal early this morning, thereby avoiding their scheduled arbitration hearing set for this afternoon in Arizona.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is reporting the deal is worth $15.75 million guaranteed.

The contract wipes out all three of McLouth's arbitration seasons and the option year would cover his first year of free agency. The deal will formally be announced in Bradenton, Fla. at the Pirates spring training home later this afternoon after McLouth returns from Arizona.

McLouth, 27, had a breakout season in 2008, where he was named to his first All-Star game and won his first Gold Glove in center field.

McLouth hit .276 last season with 26 home runs, 94 RBI and stole 23 bases.

Image from mlb.com

Welcome all

Welcome to the first day of my new blog: "Doug's View from the Cheap Seats."

My name is Doug Street and I have been a sports writer for 10 years and a baseball writer for seven, though my days of covering Pirates games date back to 1998. I have covered the lowest of the minor leagues (short-season rookie ball in the Appalachian League for two seasons) to the best the majors has to offer (though that was usually the Pirates opponents.)

The view of the game used to be from a different (albeit higher) locale at PNC Park. To use a baseball term, I have been designated by assignment. So now, the view is from a different part of the park, but the love for the game remains.

My hope is that you will find something a little bit different with this blog from others. Sure, I will do my best to keep you updated ont he latest information around baseball. However, I hope do so with a style not seen in other places, especially since this blog can be a bit ore uninhibited than my last one.

I hope that you enjoy the blog and I welcome all comments, questions, etc. I want this to be very interactive and I appreciate feedback about the blog.

Thanks you.