The Pirates released infielder Garrett Atkins, reports Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 31-year-old veteran had been competing for the team's backup corner infield job with Andy Marte, Steve Pearce, and Josh Fields after signing a minor league deal in December. All along, the expectation was that Atkins would either make the team or become a free agent.
In 17 Spring Training games this year, Atkins hit .129/.182/.290 in 33 plate appearances. His last useful season was 2008, so he'll probably have to crush Triple-A pitching to earn another shot in the Majors.
LOL not even good enough for the pirates lol o’s got rid of him for a reason last year. Like a struggling team the o’s was last year they got rid of him. So now we got lee vlad reynolds hardy… LETS GO O’s
Yes, but it took six months of wasting a roster spot for the O’s to realize he was toast, whereas the Bucs figured it out in less than six weeks.
I was hoping for a comeback from Atkins.
But, where would he fit in? You have Alverez and the utility guy Ciriaco at 3b. Marte is having an excellent Spring Training and has the potential to break camp as a back up to Alverez. Pearce, with one option left, starting the year at AAA at 3b (just a prediction). So, pretty much slim to no playing time for Atkins, even at AAA. I guess the next on the bubble is Fields unless he accepts a minor league contract and bench role at AAA.
As a just my opinion comment, Pearce should be spending some time at 2b as well if he wants to give the flexibility of a bench role. I understand that Walker is at 2b, but who is really the backup to Walker if he underproduces his Sophomore year (aka…pulls a Crosby)?
I was hoping for a Ms. America contest in my living room. My wish is more likely than yours.
Hey…if Eric Chavez could make a comeback, why not Atkins?
Did you really just compare Garrett Atkins to Eric Chavez?
…..Really?
Chavez’s career was derailed because of injuries.
Atkins’ career was derailed because he’s Garrett Atkins.
He should be “retiring” any day now…
I was surprised he was still getting jobs at all. In every year except one (2006) he was a product of Coors Field.
remember how hot and bothered everyone got about this being such a horrible signing?
lesson: minor league signings w/ invite to spring training = low risk
I love Atkins! We could use him here in Cleveland! Send Hafner to the bench! Atkins could have as much productivity with half the salary
He did fine here in Colorado until he got pull-happy and started swinging for the fences. If he had continued hitting it gap to gap like he did in his first couple of seasons (and taking the 20-25 HR that went with it) then he could have had a productive career. Sad to see a guy to that route.
that’s what so many here don’t get. When he came up he had a really nice swing. Made good solid contact. Then he got pull-happy, then he got out of shape..and now he’s about to be out of baseball.
There was talk of him as a potential batting title winner the first couple of years after he came up, but he definitely peaked in 2006 and headed downhill from there, picking up steam as he went.
The sad part was that he really made strides in his defense at 3B after converting from 1B in the minors and had become at least reliable and competent at the hot corner.
Honestly, I think the dollar signs got in his eyes. He was offered a couple of very reasonable extensions by the Rockies and turned them down every time. He cost himself many millions of dollars by swinging for the fences in an attempt to garner even more.
this shows that the Pirates arent messing around this year, they wont keep guys around as favors such as Clement last year
On an optimistic side note, Charlie Morton pitched 6 innings of 1 run ball against the Astros yesterday. Hopefully he pitches decently this year.
I highly doubt that.
he has a 1.29 ERA this spring, and his stuff is nasty, soo give me one good reason you don’t think he can’t turn it around??
Yeah what one does in spring doesn’t nessacary translate to the season. if that was the case, Uggla would be hitting pretty bad come april.
His control improved after he started working with Ray Searage. You don’t see him at least keeping his era under 5.00 for a majority of the season?
Happy they made what looks like the right move so far. I’d rather see Pearce as the righty bench bat to spell Overbay and Alvarez, he wasn’t bad last year and has more potential than Atkins.
I wouldn’t be able to hit my way out of a paper bag either if I was squinting all the freakin time. Maybe the dude just needs some glasses.
Wow… He has officially hit rock bottom…