Pittsburgh Pirates

TOP OF THE SYSTEM A look at how the current top 20 prospects did today.  Note that this list doesn’t include players currently in the majors. If a player is in the majors, he will be removed, everyone below him will be shifted up a spot, and a new player will be added to the bottom of the list. Rankings are from the pre-season rankings, and links to each prospect writeup can be found by clicking the player names below. Players who weren’t in the original top 20 are linked to their player page on the site. 1. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Indianapolis (3-3, 3.67) - 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR 2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Altoona (3-5, 2.91) – DNP 3. Gregory Polanco, CF, Bradenton (.311) – 0-for-4 4. Alen Hanson, SS, Bradenton (.285) – DNP 5. Luis Heredia, RHP, Extended Spring Training (Luis Heredia Close to Joining West Virginia) 6. Josh Bell, RF, West Virginia (.279) – 1-for-3, 2B 7. Barrett Barnes, CF, West Virginia (.220) - Low-A DL 8. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, West Virginia (3-0, 2.31) – DNP 9. Kyle McPherson, RHP, Indianapolis (0-1, 19.29) – Triple-A DL 10. Nick Kingham, RHP, Bradenton (6-2, 3.21) – DNP 11. Clay Holmes, RHP, West Virginia (1-3, 6.08) - DNP 12. Dilson Herrera, 2B, West Virginia (.313) – 0-for-3 13. Tony Sanchez, C, Indianapolis (.298) – 0-for-2, RBI 14. Wyatt Mathisen, C, West Virginia (.185) – Low-A DL 15. Adrian Sampson, RHP, Bradenton (2-1, 6.10) – DNP 16. Vic Black, RHP, Indianapolis (0-2, 2.63) – Triple-A DL 17. Andy Oliver, LHP, Indianapolis (3-2, 2.87) - DNP 18. Jin-De Jhang, C, Extended Spring Training 19. Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Altoona (2-3, 3.70) - 4.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR 20. Jordy Mercer, SS, Indianapolis (.333) - In Majors ORDER YOUR 2013 PROSPECT GUIDE The 2013 Prospect Guide is now available, and is the perfect resource to follow the minor league system during the 2013 season. You can order your copy on the products page of the site. Order together with the 2013 Annual and save $5! DAILY SUMMARY Top Pitcher: Joely Rodriguez, LHP (4-3, 2.62) – 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR Top Hitter: Gift Ngoepe, SS (.163) – 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, SB Home Runs: None AAA: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS   Gerrit Cole has still yet to strike out more than five in a game this year Box Score Result: Buffalo 2, Indianapolis 1 Starting Pitcher: Gerrit Cole, RHP (3-3, 3.67) -6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR Top Hitter: Brett Carroll, LF (.262) – 2-for-2, BB Other Notable Performers: Duke Welker, RHP (3.18) – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR Tony Sanchez, C (.298) – 0-for-2, RBI Game Notes: Gerrit Cole had a rough start to the game today against Buffalo, running up his pitch count early. In the first inning, he gave up three straight singles to start the game. After a strikeout, he then walked two batters, before getting a double play grounder to end the inning on his 29th pitch. Buffalo scored two first inning runs. Cole allowed another walk in the second, but only faced four batters. Still, he needed 22 pitches that inning, including eight to get the last out on a strikeout. He had efficient 12 pitch third inning, though he did hit Andy LaRoche with a two-strike, two out pitch. Cole threw 13 pitches in the fourth, retiring the side in order. The interesting part, was that after the third hit to lead off the first inning, the ball didn’t leave the infield again until a lineout to center by Jim Negrych to lead off the fifth. Despite the poor start to the day, Cole threw six no-hit innings after the third hit of the first inning. Indianapolis had just three hits, two by Brett Carroll, who scored the only run on a Tony Sanchez sacrifice fly in the fifth inning AA: ALTOONA CURVE    Box Score Result: Richmond 12, Altoona 5 Starting Pitcher: Stolmy Pimentel, RHP (2-3, 3.70) – 4.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR Top Hitter: Gift Ngoepe, SS (.163) – 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, SB

Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Pedro Alvarez has now homered eight times in 2013. El Toro’s 2013 homerun tracker. APR 18: Pedro Alvarez crushed a no doubter off Julio Teheran that finally landed yesterday. Video of the estimated 454 foot no doubter. APR 19: Pedro Alvarez hit his second no doubter of the season off Atlanta’s Tim Hudson. It was a towering shot that reached 125 feet at its apex and traveled 405 feet. Video Link Pedro Alvarez second homer of the 2013 Season. The GIF A Pedro Alvarez home run is so damn unique. Power is what defines Alvarez. The first round pick out of Vanderbilt has a knack for cracking the bat with such power that it reminds us of some Pirates sluggers past. It’s a gift. This powerful gift is why he is so unique to the Pirates lineup. Nobody wearing black and yellow has the ability to change the game so quickly. A few Buccos players have power, but none have Pedro Power. Just as no two snowflakes are alike, nobody is like Pedro. That’s a rather basic statement – one we learn in grade school – but just like our grade school teacher told us, nobody controls that potential except Pedro. It’s why there was only one Willie Stargell, one Dave Parker, –and why there will be only one Pedro Alvarez. We got some great help with the GIFs which were created by Davidson Teacher. [Follow him on Twitter by clicking that link.] Here is the bigger GIF of the second homer. Pedro Alvarez GIF APR 22: Pedro Alvarez crushed an 83 mph softie from rookie Jonathan Pettibone 406 feet at Philadelphia. The laser shot had an average speed off the bat of 107mph. Here is the Video Link Pedro Alvarez homers in Philly, gone in 1.5 seconds APR 24 : Alvarez hit a solo homer off Antonio Bastardo in the seventh inning and his RBI single in the fourth was the only hit off Roy Halladay all night. Video MAY1: The towering shot, 118 feet at its’ apex, tied the game at one in the second inning. It came off an 82 mile per hour Hiram Burgos delivery and traveled 412 feet coming off the bat at 102.5 mph. Video More details on the ESPN tracker. MAY 9: Alvarez crushed Latroy Hawkins changeup to tie the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field. The 433 foot bomb was smoked off the bat at a season best 108.7 mph. Video MAY 17 A little over a week after his last bomb, Alvarez connected on a two-run blast that bounced into the river. It tied the game with Houston at four and the Bucs came back to walk off the Astros in the bottom of the ninth. Pedro Alvarez hit number seven of the season a long way. Video Here is the landing spot of Pedro’s seventh bomb. MAY 19 Do you notice a pattern yet? For the third time in 2013, Alvarez has hit a bomb in back-to-back games. Pedro Alvarez hit his eighth homer of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Another key situation, another Pedro Alvarez home run. The Bucs and Astros were locked in a scoreless tie at PNC Park. Obviously, the key words in that sentence are ‘were locked.’ A laser of the bat of Alvarez tucked inside the left-field foul pole for the 58th homer of his career. Video Alvarez is now in fifth-place all time among Pirates third basemen. MAY 25 Alvarez had his seventh career multi-hit home run day.  It was his third against the Brewers.  Both home runs were well, ridiculous. The first was a rocket.  Just an absolute rocket.  Video 459 feet.  Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!  Partiers in Milwaukee might want to walk carefully tonight, we aren’t sure this has landed yet.  Video Pedro Alvarez homerun number 10 on the season at Miller Park

MILWAUKEE –  MLB.com’s Tom Singer, who created the K-Rod moniker for Francisco Rodriguez, has dubbed the Pirates’ Locke Ness monster.   The shoe fits.   For starters, as Singer notes, we don’t know if either Locke Ness Monster or the Loch Ness Monster are for real. We don’t know for sure if a 150-foot Cryptid [...]

The Pirates won in Milwaukee. No, really. Okay, it's happened before. It only seems like it hasn't. This game was all about the longball. Well, that and Jeff Locke. All seven runs scored on homers, which is fitting for that House of Horrors known as Miller Park. The Pirates started it off in the first inning with a run that didn't involve the slumping Starling Marte. Andrew McCutchen lined his seventh homer into the left field corner, the ball bouncing off the top of the fence and over. In the second, Pedro Alvarez -- freed from Clint Hurdle's effort to singlehandedly regress Cy Estrada's reverse platoon split -- followed a Neil Walker single with a line drive of his own into the seats in the right field corner. Two innings later, Walker blasted a shot into the second deck in right for just his second longball of the season. All of this gunnery came at the expense of Mike Fiers, who's now allowed seven dingers in just 17.2 IP. Meanwhile, Locke was cruising against a lineup stacked with right-handed hitters, one that includes five hitters batting between .313 and .341. Locke wasn't especially efficient; it took him 100 pitches to get through six innings. He allowed just three hits and three walks, though, and fanned seven. He allowed only two runners to reach second and none reached third. His final inning ended on a nifty double play started by Alvarez. The outing improved Locke's record to 5-1 and his ERA to 2.45. Justin Wilson followed Locke and gave up a homerun to the first batter he faced, the increasingly annoying Carlos Gomez. Wilson and Mark Melancon, though, combined to retire the next six hitters. In the top of the ninth, Alvarez launched his tenth homerun to some remote part of Wisconsin, making it 5-1. If he hadn't done it already, Alvarez provided a conclusive answer to the question, frequently asked of late, of why he's still in the lineup. The Pirates simply don't have anybody else who's capable of this kind of game, one that increasingly includes highlight reel defensive plays. Alvarez' second round-tripper removed the save situation, so Clint Hurdle went with Tony Watson in the ninth. Watson gave up a gopher ball to the same Gomez character, giving him three more career HRs against the Pirates than against any other team, including half of the eight HRs he's hit this year. But Watson allowed nothing else and the game ended, 5-2.

Pedro Alvarez hit his 9th and 10th home runs of the season. (Photo credit: David Hague) Forgive me for the obvious pun, I couldn’t resist. The Pirates took a bite out of Mike Fiers early and often by hitting three home runs, more than enough for Jeff Locke and the bullpen to finish off a 5-2 victory Saturday afternoon at Miller Park. Powering up against Fiers (and later against a reliever) supplied the Bucs’ 9th win in the last 56 games in Milwaukee. Pedro Alvarez and Milwaukee’s Carlos Gomez both hit two home runs at the Wisconsin Launchpad. Andrew McCutchen hit his third home run in as many at-bats against Fiers, a line-drive shot in the Top 1st to give the Pirates a lead they would not relinquish. Alvarez (2nd inning, 9th inning) and Neil Walker (4th inning) supplied the other home runs, huge shots into the right field seats. Alvarez’s second bomb in the 9th off Alfredo Figaro flew 459 feet onto the concourse above the second deck. Both Alvarez and McCutchen now have seven career multi-homer games, tied for 15th in Pirates history. Unlike earlier this season when the Pirates hit four home runs and lost, the pitching staff was able to use the supply of offense to wrap up a victory. Jeff Locke delivered one of his best outings of the season, pitching six shutout innings and striking out seven Brewers’ hitters. Despite getting six baserunners on the Pirates starter, no Milwaukee runner got into scoring position after the 2nd innings. Locke located his pitches terrifically, earning his fifth win with plenty of called strikes to frustrate the Brewers at the plate and notch another quality start. If Locke is going to stave off the regression monsters, a start like Saturday’s would be a good way to do it. His seven strikeouts were a season high, and brought down his season FIP to 4.26 from 4.49. The difference between his FIP and ERA is still 1.81, which would be the largest (by a lot) in more than 50 years. That element of his domination, along with a low BABIP and high rate of stranding baserunners, makes it likely Locke’s run-prevention numbers are still due to go up. However, if he can continue to look this strong against the Tigers, Braves and Giants, his projection will start to be better than that of a back-of-the-rotation starter. Every run in Saturday’s contest came on a home run, including Milwaukee’s Gomez hitting solo shots off Justin Wilson and Tony Watson. If the Pirates want to finally win a series at Miller Park, Wandy Rodriguez can give them a chance going up against Yovani Gallardo.

In West Virginia’s recent history, being able to put a winning baseball team on the field while consistently preparing prospects for the next level has been a formula that has been hard to come by, that is until recently. Dilson Herrera has been a big part of the West Virginia lineup hitting ahead of Josh Bell and Stetson Allie. The Power have one of the most talented rosters in the South Atlantic League with players like Stetson Allie, Josh Bell, Tyler Glasnow and Dilson Herrera calling Charleston home this summer. The team has ridden hot starts by a handful of players and consistent performances from others to climb back into the SAL Northern division race. West Virginia entered play Saturday at 26-22 and riding a five-game winning streak. Wins were hard to come by in April since the emergence of Glasnow as a must-see pitcher the Power have been an especially tough team to beat. Glasnow has been a strikeout machine in his last five starts but has also been good at keeping the opposition off the scoreboard. During that span he has posted at least seven strikeouts and two or fewer earned runs in every appearance. For the season Glasnow now has 62 strikeouts compared to just 23 walks in 39 innings pitched. Allie appeared to be cooling off a few weeks back but has since gone back to being one of the most dangerous hitters in all of the minor leagues. He’s got a .345/427/.650 line and leads the SAL with a 1.077 OPS. Herrera has been doing the majority of his work hitting from the No. 2 spot in the lineup. He has a .319/.374/.494 line and has been a fixture on the bases with Bell and Alllie hitting behind him. Allie leads the league with 45 RBIs and is tied for the home run lead (13). Bell’s batting average is down compared to some other on the team, but he has been productive with a .278/.356/.461 line. Add in solid contributions from Eric Wood, Walker Gourley, Ashley Ponce and Francisco Diaz (among others) and you get a lineup that can punish a pitcher that is prone to mistakes. Injury News: West Virginia placed catcher Wyatt Mathisen and left-handed pitcher Josh Smith on the disabled list (retroactive to May 24 for both) on Saturday prior to its home game against Lakewood (Philadelphia’s Low-A affiliate). Mathisen had a .185/.256/.210 line in 119 at-bats and left Thursday’s game after being hit by a pitch. Smith has appeared in 13 games out of the Power bullpen and had posted a 1-1 record with a 6.75 ERA in 13 innings pitched. Barrett Barnes continues to work to get back to West Virginia after going down with a hamstring injury on May 2. Power manager Mike Ryan said Barnes was doing rehabilitation work in Florida and did not have a timetable for his return.

Well, that didn't take too long. With two down in the first, Cutch launched his seventh homer, a screamer down the LF line, off Mike Fiers and the Bucs had a quick 1-0 lead for Jeff Locke. He left a fastball in and a little up to Ryan Braun with two down, and he took it the opposite way for a double. Locke got A-Ram to bounce out to short to end the frame. The Brewers have been patient in the opening frame; all four went to two strikes, but each drew at least two balls as Locke tossed 22 pitches.With an out in the second, Neil Walker dug out a hook and roped it into right for a single. Pedro got ahead 3-0, fouled off a fastball down the middle and then ripped another, this one on the inside half, over the right field fence just inside the foul pole to make it 3-0.After Jonathan Lucroy lined out, Gomez fell behind 0-2, but watched the next four miss the mark, getting the call on the 2-2 pitch on the black, to earn a walk. Weeks followed with a single the opposite way. Locke caught Alex Gonzalez looking and Fiers swinging. But the Brew Crew is making him work. Except for Weeks, who singled on a first pitch heater, every batter has taken at least four pitches and two strikes, and Locke is at 44 pitches.Marte opened the third by banging a 3-2 change to third; Ramirez booted it. He stole second and went to third on a bad throw. Travis Snider couldn't bring him in, K'ing on a fastball pretty much down the middle. Fiers went soft on Cutch, throwing nothing but off speed stuff, and whiffed him on a foul tip of a changeup that was shin high. Garrett Jones took a ball to the wall in center, but it was hauled in and so the Bucs refused to take advantage of a Brewer gift. Locke went through the top of the order on ten pitches to calm his pitch count.Like Estrada yesterday, Fiers started with fastballs and then worked in a heavy dose of changeups; he got Russell Martin swinging at one. It's easy to see why; after falling behind 2-0 to The Kid, he came in with a heater and Walker went yard with it into the second deck in right center to make it 4-0. Fiers went back to the soft stuff with Pedro and got a comebacker. Clint Barmes turned the order over with an infield knock to the right side before Locke bounced out. After K'ing Ramirez, Locke lost Lucroy on five pitches. Gomez popped a short fly to right and Weeks went down looking to leave him stranded.Tom Gorzelanny took over in the fifth for the Brew Crew. Gorzo got Marte fishing for a change away, then lost Snider on a full count walk. he worked out of that by getting Cutch to bang a change to short for a 6-4-3 DP. With one down, pinch hitter Yuniesky Betancourt rolled a curve through the right side. Locke pounded Norichika Aoki inside with heat, then caught him looking at a fastball away. Jeran Segura hit a liner to right that Snider ran down, and Milwaukee was finished in the fifth. At 88 pitches, maybe Locke is, too.Burke Badenhop took the ball, and was greeted by a Jones' single; Martin followed with another. Walker bounced into a 3-6 force to put runners on the corners; a short wild pitch moved The Kid to second. Pedro was walked to juice the sacks. Good move; Barmes banged the first pitch to short for a 6-4-3 DP to end the frame, blowing another chance to run away and hide. Saved the pinch hitting choice, Locke was sent back out for the sixth to face the middle of the order. Braun grounded out, followed by a Ramirez walk. That was cleaned up by an around the horn DP, courtesy of Lucroy, to end the frame.The Bucs went down in order in the seventh, and Justin Wilson climbed the hill. Locke went six scoreless, giving up three hits, three walks and seven K while tossing 100 pitches. Gomez yanked Wilson's second delivery into the left field stands to make it 4-1, but the lefty recovered nicely, getting the next three Brewers routinely.John Axford toed the rubber, and gave up a lead off knock to Cutch up the middle; the Brewers weren't in their shift, and it cost them. But not for long;

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com The Cardinals and Dodgers meet on national TV this afternoon, as John Gast goes for his third win in as many Major League starts. But before the Cardinals go for win no. 32, manager Mike Matheny provided a few medical updates on his group of ailing pitchers. Here’s a quick hitter on the injuries; for more details, check out the cardinals.com notebook later today: The Cardinals have scratched plans to have Chris Carpenter face hitters in live batting practice on Tuesday. Instead, he will continue to throw long toss and bullpen sessions. The change in directions was made after Carpenter’s arm did not respond as well to his extended bullpen session (somewhere around the 80-pitch mark) on Thursday. He’s not experiencing pain that requires him to shut down. Rather, it was explained to us as soreness that likely cropped up as a result of Carpenter pushing himself so quickly. Jake Westbrook continues to play catch, but the Cardinals are going to send him out for a second opinion on his right elbow next week. That visit will likely be with Dr. James Andrews. Lance Lynn, who came out of Friday’s game early due to lower back/hamstring, tightness, said he is fine today. The Cardinals do not anticipate the issue affecting his ability to be ready for his next start on Wednesday. Also in today’s notebook, you’ll be able to read about Shelby Miller’s focus to be more efficient on Sunday, as well as Mark McGwire’s thoughts about his new job and old team. Consider this a tease… CARDINALS LINEUP: Matt Carpenter (2B) Carlos Beltran (RF) Matt Holliday (LF) Allen Craig (1B) Yadier Molina (C) David Freese (3B) Jon Jay (CF) Pete Kozma (SS) John Gast (LHP) DODGERS LINEUP: Nick Punto (3B) Mark Ellis (2B) Adrian Gonzalez (1B) Matt Kemp (CF) Andre Ethier (RF) Scott Van Slyke (LF) A.J. Ellis (C) Dee Gordon (SS) Ted Lilly (LHP) Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB

Bucs up 4-0 as Locke continues his Cy Young campaign in the fourth. Cutch, Petey, and Walker have all went yard. Prepare to untuck.

OK, so last night didn't go all that well. Mike Fiers is starting for the Brewers today. That's a good chance for something to go better. First pitch today is at 4:10.