15-19 A Lot Better than Deserved

J:  You like Friday, I think he will project to a 2B - in his Soph year at Rice he was alternating in the middle infield with Josh Rodriguez who Cleveland drafted and who is at SS at AA right now.  He was a 20-20 guy last year at Hi A if my memory serves me right, and did pretty decent with the glove.  How about him as a SS prospect?  Reunite the folks from Rice.

The kid who played at Pitt is a bulldog and can hit, but the only player with more E's than Negrych is Friday.  I like Shelby Ford a switchhitting 2B who had a nice year at Hi A last year.  6'3" and hit .281 with 38 Extra base hits last year and 14 SB's.  He also had a tremendous year on defense - only 5 E's in 90 games and over 400 chances.  To address your previous statement, folks like Elvis Andrus and Marcus Lemon already have at least 2 years of minor league play behind them and Josh Rodriguez had 3 years of D-1 college ball and now 2 additional years in the minors. 

Taking Beckham as a SS out of HS is a huge gamble, but one that could set the Pirates on a winning course for the future.  I have seen kids like McC and Quincy Latimore come in and not be intimidated.  If Beckham has that in him, and he wants to forego the ride to USC, he could be well worth the effort.  Who is his agent?  That could mean a helluva lot especially to a team like the Pirates.  I guess that is another reason I will be more apt to take a shot with guys who have already exhibited good arms/soft hands and better-than-average bats in the minors.  I think we will trade for a SS prospect, and/or negotiate an extension with Jack Wilson.  At only 30, he could be a solid Top 5 in the NL performer at SS for 4 more years at least.   

I am still looking at Aaron Crow being our first pick.                 

9 wins thus far in May with 14 more to play.  We need 14 total wins to stay on pace for a winning season  and need to win another 3 to make up for the 11 wins in April. 

We have two more in Wrigley and then 3 more with the Cubs at home.  We also play the Brewers, Reds, and another short series with the Cards.  We know we can play with Cincy and Cardinals, Brewers have yet to come alive, but the key is the 5 games left this month with the Cubs.

SP must step up, Gorzo gets rocked by the northsiders and I cannot figure out the problem with Snell.  At least the bats are coming around.  Let's see what Russell can do.

BR91:  The team has played very well in May, but the pitching is still very spotty, and the hitting, if anything, has fallen off.  When I wrote this Thread the Bucs were 15th in the ML in hitting.  They are now 23rd.  I think that the fielding has stayed the same at 29th, and the pitching has gotten better, but the team is still 29th. 

It was obvious to me watching yesterday's game that the Cubs batters were dug in and were going to take their cuts without fear of getting a message from the pitcher.  I watched Gorzo repeatedly throw away from RH hitters by staying in the middle to outside corner of the plate.  That works if you have taken control of the inner third of the plate.  And, it was laughable watching Adam LaRoche look like an average high school swinger as we had 2 men on and no outs early in the game and that Cubs Rookie pitcher throws offspeed curves that Adam did not seem to know what to do with.  He is now O'fer in his last 8 AB's as our Cleanup Hitter.  But, we have him, Bixler in the .170's, Bautista struggling just above .200, and Paulino about the same.  

The pitchers have to keep us in the games at least until the 4th or 5th, and we have to get some folks in the lineup that can help the offense.  Wilson will return shortly which should help the lower end of the order.  And, we have Bautista hitting against lefties and Mient hitting against RH, and Neil Walker a switchhitter is sitting at AAA.  He is struggling just above .200, but his D has been superb, and if we ever hope to compete, we are going to have to start putting some of these players in our lineup at PNC.  Please NH give these kids a chance!