How They Were Built: Pittsburgh Pirates
This week, the Pirates clinched their third straight playoff berth, and they’ve been as strong as ever this year, with a 95-win total that ranks second in the Majors. Most successful small-payroll teams are built through their farm systems, and the Pirates do lean heavily on theirs. But they’ve also gotten surprising production from veterans, most of whom they’ve acquired for pennies on the dollar. Here’s how they got their key players.
CF Andrew McCutchen (5.8 fWAR in 2015). In 2005, the Pirates, then led by Dave Littlefield, took McCutchen with the No. 11 overall pick in the draft. That pick sticks out as an outstanding one even in a first round loaded with top-tier talent — other early first-rounders that year included Justin Upton, Alex Gordon, Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki and Jay Bruce. Of course, 2005 was long ago, and McCutchen is still in Pittsburgh thanks in part to his contract. He entered 2015 with over five years of service time, and it’s likely the Pirates would have traded him by now had current GM Neal Huntington not signed him to an incredibly team-friendly $51.5MM extension that allows the Bucs to control him through 2018.
SP Gerrit Cole (5.5). The Bucs made Cole the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, ahead of other potential top picks like Anthony Rendon, Danny Hultzen and Trevor Bauer. A number of first-round picks from that draft have had very good careers so far, including Rendon, Sonny Gray, Jose Fernandez and George Springer, but the Pirates are surely very happy with their choice — Cole didn’t quite turn his elite stuff into elite results in his first couple seasons in the big leagues, but this year he’s emerged as an ace, posting a 2.60 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 201 terrific innings.
IF Jung-Ho Kang (3.9). Kang injured his knee while trying to turn a double play last week and is now out for the season, but he made a big impact in his first year in Pittsburgh. Kang hasn’t matched the 40-homer power he displayed in his last year with the Nexen Heroes in Korea, but he hit .287/.355/.461 in his first season in the US, also adding value with his defense and baserunning. The Pirates got him for an incredibly cheap $11MM over four years, plus a posting fee of approximately $5MM. That deal was possible because no one knew what to expect from Kang, the first position player from the KBO to make the leap to the Majors. Next winter, Kang’s former teammate Byung-Ho Park will likely benefit greatly from Kang’s success.
LF Starling Marte (3.6). Pirates Latin American scouting director Rene Gayo takes pride in finding good players others miss, and he prefers to spread available bonus money around to many player rather than one or two. Marte, right fielder Gregory Polanco and infield prospect Alen Hanson are the gems of the Pirates’ recent efforts in Latin America, and none cost more than $150K. Marte was already 18 — old for an unsigned Latin American prospect — when Gayo signed him for just $85K in 2007. In 2014, Marte finally cashed in, signing a $31MM extension with two options that allows the Bucs to control his rights through 2021.
C Francisco Cervelli (3.6). Russell Martin helped lead the Pirates to playoff berths in 2013 and 2014, but the Bucs had little choice but to allow him to depart when the Blue Jays offered him five years and $82MM last winter. To replace him, they made a low-profile trade with the Yankees, getting Cervelli in exchange for reliever Justin Wilson. The deal hasn’t turned out badly for New York — Wilson has been a key cog in the Bronx bullpen, and the Yankees already had a starting catcher in Brian McCann. But Cervelli has been a revelation in Pittsburgh, hitting nearly as well as Martin did and ranking as the best catcher in the big leagues in pitch framing, all for less than a million dollars. The Bucs also control his services for 2016.
SP Francisco Liriano (3.3). Last offseason, the Bucs signed Liriano to a three-year, $39MM free agent contract last year that’s at least somewhat close to what he’s worth, but they originally signed him to a cheap two-year deal prior to 2013 after two seasons in which he posted ERAs above five. Like many pitchers, Liriano has shined in Pittsburgh thanks in part to the Pirates’ program of ground balls, pitch framing, excellent coaching, and defensive shifts. He’s been arguably the most successful of the Bucs’ pitching reclamation projects, joining current rotation-mates A.J. Burnett (2.8 fWAR) and J.A. Happ (1.7 fWAR since the Bucs acquired him in a low-profile move at the deadline) as starting pitchers who have thrived in black and gold.
SP A.J. Burnett (2.8). After a year with the Phillies, Burnett turned down a player option with Philadelphia and signed a one-year deal with the Pirates for significantly less ($8.5MM) so that he could finish his career with the Bucs. Burnett battled through hernia issues with the Phillies, but his significantly better performances with the Pirates as compared to the Phillies and Yankees are no accident — the Bucs’ ballpark and pitcher-friendly system are great fits for him.
2B Neil Walker (2.5). The Bucs selected Walker in the first round of the draft the year before they picked McCutchen, and Walker has enjoyed a strong career playing in his hometown. Unlike with McCutchen, though, the Pirates haven’t extended Walker, perhaps figuring his skills aren’t as likely to age as well. Walker played catcher and third base before moving to second in the big leagues and isn’t an outstanding defender there, and it’s unclear how much defensive value he’ll have as he ages. He’s still a good and consistent hitter with excellent power for a second baseman, but he turned 30 this month and is eligible for free agency after next season. He’ll be an interesting qualifying offer candidate a year from now.
CL Mark Melancon (1.5). After the 2012 season, the Bucs traded then-closer Joel Hanrahan and utilityman Brock Holt to the Red Sox for Melancon and three other players. Holt has had a surprisingly good career, but the key player in the deal at the time was Hanrahan, who got hurt soon after the trade and never recovered. The Pirates, meanwhile, turned Melancon, who had posted a 6.20 ERA the year before, into a setup man and then a closer. The Bucs were surely intrigued by Melancon’s peripherals (8.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9) and ability to generate ground balls. Since the trade, he’s emerged as a dominant reliever.
Playoff Notes: Cubs, Blue Jays, Pirates
The latest teams to clinch playoff spots are the Cubs (who earned theirs when the Giants were eliminated with a loss last night) and Blue Jays (who won their spot with a win over the Rays and a Twins loss to the Tigers. For both teams, it’s been a long time coming. The Cubs haven’t been to the playoffs since 2008, when they fell in the NLDS to the Dodgers. The Jays, meanwhile, haven’t been to the playoffs since 1993, when Joe Carter walked off against the Phillies in the World Series. Here are more quick notes on playoff-bound teams.
- The Blue Jays are well positioned for a playoff run, John Lott of the National Post writes. The additions of David Price (via trade) and Marcus Stroman (via a return from injury) have given the Jays two front-line starting pitchers of a type they lacked early in the season.
- After 20 straight losing seasons, the Pirates are now playoff regulars, the Associated Press writes. After Bob Nutting took over as the face of Pirates ownership and Neal Huntington as their GM, the Bucs’ transformation started at the bottom. They spent heavily on the draft, reorganized their scouting department, and invested in their Latin American program. After the Pirates’ collapse in 2012, though, the team nearly decided to change course. “Everything was up for discussion, for review, for throwing us all out,” says Nutting. They Pirates kept their front office in place, and they’ve made the playoffs in three consecutive years since then.
NL Central Notes: Counsell, Happ, Marshall, Wainwright
If newly minted Brewers GM David Stearns elects to keep Craig Counsell in the manager’s role, the two appear to be a very good fit with one another on the surface, writes David Laurila of Fangraphs. Laurila spoke to Counsell recently about how his time working in the Brewers’ front office gave him an appreciation of analytics and how his years working with Doug Melvin have made him receptive to input from the front office. “Part of what working in the office did for me was provide a lot of exposure to the analytics side,” said Counsell. “That was valuable, because every day it plays a part in your decision-making. You’re challenged by what your eyes are telling you, you’re challenged by what the information is telling you, and you strike a balance. That’s managing. … [A] great thing about working in the front office was that it gave me a different perspective. You see the game differently. When you’re in the forest every day, you always don’t see it.” The entire interview is well worth a read, as Counsell offers an insightful, forward-thinking take on the evolving role of a manager and the incorporation of data and analytical information into his job.
A few more notes from the league’s toughest division…
- In the final minutes leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline, J.A. Happ had heard nothing about a trade, writes MLB.com’s Jack Etkin, leading to a very surprised reaction from the lefty when he learned after the deadline had passed that he’d been dealt to the Pirates in a last-minute swap. Happ’s trade didn’t make too many headlines, but he’s been a vital component to the Pirates’ stretch drive, Etkin notes, pitching to a brilliant 2.28 ERA in nine starts with Pittsburgh. Happ appears to be yet another triumph for vaunted Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage, as his ERA, along with his 10.2 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 rates, rank as the best work of his career. Happ, however, is just happy to have the opportunity to contribute to a playoff push — a sensation he hasn’t had since 2008-09 with the Phillies. “You come in and kind of realize what this team’s doing and what they’re capable of,” Happ said. “It’s been a lot of fun. It feels good to contribute.”
- Sean Marshall‘s career has been dramatically altered by shoulder surgeries, but the 33-year-old Reds left-hander tells C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he still hopes to play beyond the 2015 season. Marshall, who thought the surgery he underwent in May (his second shoulder operation) could be career-ending, now hopes to pitch for the Reds before the season comes to a close. He’s dropped his arm angle about four to six inches, he estimates. “I want to keep playing,” Marshall tells Rosecrans. “I’m not ready to hang ’em up yet. I still feel great.”
- Adam Wainwright threw 25 pitches to teammates yesterday, reports Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, the injured Cardinals ace, who hopes to return for the postseason as a reliever, said he still feels “a hair off,” even though he considers his pitches to be “game-ready.” The next step for Wainwright is a simulated game without a screen (he threw from behind a screen Wednesday) so that he can field his position. Manager Mike Matheny wouldn’t offer any definitive take on whether or not Wainwright would pitch in the playoffs, stating that the decision would come down to what’s best for the team. He did, however, note that he’s a firm believer that, come the postseason, experience is an important factor.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/21/2015
Here are the day’s minor moves …
- The Pirates have selected the contract of outfielder Keon Broxton, according to a club release and as reported previously by Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh cleared a 40-man spot by placing injured infielder Jung Ho Kang on the 60-day DL. Broxton, 25, could see action as a pinch runner down the stretch; he’s swiped 150 bags over seven minor league seasons. He’s also enjoyed another solid season at the plate this year, following up on a good 2014 with a composite .273/.357/.438 line over 571 plate appearances split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Once a well-regarded Diamondbacks prospect, Broxton lost his 40-man spot there and ended up in Pittsburgh in a minor trade. He’s bumped his stock back up since. By adding him to the 40-man now, the Bucs are now set up to protect Broxton in this winter’s Rule 5 draft.
Quick Hits: Zito, Giants, Cespedes, Stearns
Barry Zito tossed an inning in the Athletics‘ 5-1 loss to the Astros today, marking his first Major League appearance since 2013. It wasn’t exactly a triumphant return (Zito allowed a hit, a walk and a two-run homer to Colby Rasmus in his one inning) but it still represented a milestone for the veteran southpaw, who worked his way back to the Show after sitting out 2014 and spending most of this season at Oakland’s Triple-A affiliate. Here’s more from around the game as we begin a new week…
- David Stearns was involved in all facets of baseball operations as the Astros’ assistant GM, which Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets was one of the many reasons why the Brewers wanted him as their new general manager. Stearns’ multi-tasking ability made him the ideal choice as Jeff Luhnow’s lone second-in-command in Houston, as Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle notes that many teams have multiple assistant GMs who oversee different departments. Stearns’ departure, therefore, leaves the Astros with a big hole to fill. The Astros have several highly-touted members of the organization who could potentially be promoted to assistant GM, and Drellich notes that promoting from within could help the Astros retain these front office talents before they’re lured away by other clubs.
- There is some thought in rival front offices that the Giants could bid on Yoenis Cespedes this winter, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes (Insider subscription required). Cespedes would likely be deployed in left, though some time in center field wouldn’t be out of the question if the Giants wanted to keep him playing every day while also finding time for Angel Pagan and Nori Aoki (assuming Aoki is brought back). It could be a moot point, however, as Olney wonders if Cespedes’ demands for a six-year deal are too rich for the Giants’ liking.
- From that same piece, a rival executive told Olney “the Giants are the quickest fix” of any of the non-playoff teams. While San Francisco has some clear needs in the rotation, they have a lot of payroll coming off the books as well as a solid core of proven veterans and controllable younger players.
- Like most GMs, Alex Anthopoulos uses both analytical and scouting data to inform his decisions, and he gave a bit of insight to Fangraphs’ David Laurila about which methods were used in some recent Blue Jays transactions. Edwin Encarnacion and Dioner Navarro may have been more inspired by scouting reports, whereas Justin Smoak may have been more of an analytics call. Both departments endorsed signing Jose Bautista to an extension in February 2011, a contract that has been a major bargain for the Jays.
- Also from Laurila’s piece, he spoke with Mark Melancon about his development into a star closer with the Pirates after an unsuccessful stint with the Red Sox. Melancon credits ex-teammate Russell Martin with encouraging him to use his cutter more, and he admitted that he’s satisfied that he was able to prove to his critics in Boston (both within the fanbase and the organization) that he indeed has “the closer mentality.”
Quick Hits: Walker, Cespedes, Gyorko
The Pirates may say goodbye to second baseman Neil Walker after the season, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittburgh Tribune-Review. He’s set to earn at least $10MM in his final year of arbitration eligibility. Due to a balky back and the availability of Jung-ho Kang, Jordy Mercer, and Josh Harrison, Pittsburgh may prefer to commit that money to another position. Of course, the Pirates will probably never reach the point of actually non-tendering Walker. Plenty of teams should be interested in a one-year flier on the 30-year-old. Biertempfel offers a fascinating look at Walker who is actually a Pittsburgh native. It’s well worth a read.
- Pittsburgh should actually extend Walker, opines Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Rossi refers to Walker as a fan favorite and lauds his clubhouse presence. Rossi suggests a four-year, $47MM contract as a reasonable compromise. Of course, the notoriously penurious club does have a wealth of affordable middle infield depth with Kang, Harrison, and Mercer on the roster. Prospect Alen Hanson is also close to major league ready. Presumably, Walker could return a decent player via trade too. While it’s tough to part with a hometown fan favorite, sometimes it’s the right thing to do.
- A hot October could lead Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to his desired six-year contract, writes Mark Townsend of Yahoo. While teams may be concerned about offering a big guarantee through his age 36 season, they may be willing to swallow the risk if they can bank on production early in the contract. Of course, no player is a sure thing to repeat past exploits. Postseason success would certainly go a long way towards assuaging any doubts. I said the same earlier tonight when examining the players who most improved their free agent stock.
- The Padres are pleased with Jedd Gyorko‘s development at shortstop, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com. The Friars began the experiment to keep both Cory Spangenberg and Gyorko in the lineup. While there is obviously concern about his defense, his offense easily ranks among the best at the position. Advanced statistics like UZR aren’t a fan of his work, but a one month sample is way too small to form a judgment. He hasn’t committed an error and makes all the routine plays. A NL West scout even suggested that he looks more comfortable at short than second. If the club thinks he can continue to man the position in 2016, it could save them from scrounging through the free agent shortstop market.
Quick Hits: Turner, Beane, Cumpton, Reed
Justin Turner‘s rise is one of the game’s underplayed stories. Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports writes that the minor league free agent-turned-star is loving life with the Dodgers. The picture painted is one of a player whose success and positivity have fed more of the same. As I explained recently, Turner looks to be a possible extension candidate this winter.
Here are some more stray notes from around the league:
- If the Athletics follow through on their reported plans to promote Billy Beane, he’ll take a position akin to that of Tony La Russa’s with the D’backs, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains (Twitter links). Club president Michael Crowley will remain in his current role, says Rosenthal. It’s still somewhat unclear exactly how day-to-day responsibilities would change from the present arrangement, but the GM title is reportedly likely to go to assistant GM David Forst.
- Pirates‘ right-hander Brandon Cumpton entered the 2014 season as the organization’s 11th-best prospect, in the eyes of Baseball America, but has seen injuries derail his career since. After undergoing Tommy John surgery already in 2015, Cumpton has now had a “right shoulder subacromial decompression” procedure performed, as Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports (Twitter links). In addition to raising concerns in another area of his arm, that will bump his recovery time to 13-15 months away.
- Though some Astros fans want to see the team give a late-season call-up to fast-rising prospect A.J. Reed, that’s almost certainly not going to happen, writes Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. Reed has had an excellent season, but only reached Double-A for the second half and does not need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason.
Jung Ho Kang Out For 6-8 Months After Knee Surgery
9:49pm: The Pirates announced that Kang’s surgery will keep him away from competition for an estimated period of six to eight months. That would seem to make a return late in Spring Training the best possible scenario.
The procedure that was ultimately required, per the announcement, was a “reduction/internal fixation of a displaced lateral tibial plateau fracture with a lateral meniscal repair.”
6:06pm: Kang is out for the year with a significant injury, according to a report from Dejan Kovacevic of DKPittsburghSports.com (subscription required). Kang has a torn MCL and meniscus as well as a fractured tibial plateau.
That’s bad news for the playoff-bound Pirates, of course. A recovery timeline remains unclear, but the club’s offseason plans will be heavily impacted by Kang’s outlook.
1:21pm: Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang suffered a knee injury in this afternoon’s contest when Chris Coghlan slid into second base to break up a double play effort. As Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes, Kang exited the game with the help of two trainers and did not put any weight on his left leg. To this point, the Pirates have announced only that the knee is being examined, though the injury certainly looked to be fairly serious in nature (video link).
Kang has been one of the best rookies in all of baseball this year, riding a .287/.355/.461 batting line, 15 homers, five steals and solid defense to legitimate Rookie of the Year candidacy. His outstanding rookie campaign has already more than justified the Pirates’ modest $16MM offseason expenditure (when including the posting fee), and a loss for any significant amount of time would be a huge loss for Pittsburgh as the team has pulled within four games of the Cardinals for the NL Central lead.
Pittsburgh is likely to end up in the postseason as a Wild Card team even if they don’t catch the Cardinals, but the difference between staking a season on a one-game playoff versus a best-of-five series is sizable. Without Kang, the Pirates will lean even more heavily on Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer in the infield. While Mercer has a history of reasonably productive seasons, he’s slumped to a .240/.291/.306 batting line in 2015 (including today’s two hits), so the Pirates will hope that Kang’s injury is one from which he can return in relatively short order.
Injury Notes: Nelson, Travis, Tulo, Banuelos
A serious knee injury to Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang will have immediate impact as the post-season nears, and that’s not the only injury to watch today. Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson exited his outing tonight after being struck in the head by a line drive. It was a scary situation, and he’s obviously being handled with extreme care, but the 26-year-old righty was able to walk off and is reportedly coherent as he heads to a hospital for treatment.
As we send our best wishes to Milwaukee, here’s the latest on some other medical situations around the league:
- Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis will undergo exploratory surgery on his left shoulder, as MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm was among those to report on Twitter. That will end whatever hope had remained for him to return this year. It’s unfortunate for both Travis and the Jays that he won’t have a chance to rejoin the club late in the year. Travis, 24, was a revelation for Toronto after coming over in an offseason swap for Anthony Gose. He owns a .304/.361/.498 slash over 239 plate appearances. With good baserunning and fielding added in, he was certainly one of the league’s most impressive rookies, though he’s been out since late July. His progress over the fall and winter will certainly be important as the Jays plan for next season.
- Of course, the Blue Jays are also waiting to learn when shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will return from his own shoulder issues. As Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter, the club is still looking for a full understanding of the situation and does not yet have a timeline. Tulo saw a specialist today in hopes of learning more. There is no indication at present that the collision which led to the injury will post any long-term difficulties for the star infielder.
- Young Braves left-hander Manny Banuelos underwent a procedure today to remove a bone spur from his elbow, as David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Twitter links). It went as well as could be hoped, says O’Brien, as there was no ligament damage found. The former top prospect, now 24, made his big league debut after generating solid results at Triple-A in his first season with the Atlanta organization.
Pirates Designate Radhames Liz, Recall Vance Worley
The Pirates have designated right-hander Radhames Liz for assignment, as Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review first reported on Twitter. He’ll lose his roster spot to clear 40-man space for the return of fellow righty Vance Worley.
Liz was a surprising big-league signee this offseason, given that he’d last appeared in the majors in 2009. The 31-year-old has shown the ability to miss bats, with 10.4 K/9 on the year. But he has also struggled to keep hitters from reaching base, surrendering four and a half walks and ten hits per nine.
All told, Liz owns a 4.24 ERA in 23 1/3 innings at the major league level on the year, though he put up good results during a mid-season stint at Triple-A (much of it as a starter). Regardless whether he makes it back to the bigs this year, Liz has certainly shown enough — including a nearly 95 mph average fastball — to draw interest again this coming winter.
Worley, 27, had a bounce-back season last year for the Bucs. While he hasn’t been quite as good in 2015, at least in terms of bottom-line results, he’s been effective enough at the big league level with a 3.78 ERA over 69 innings. And he has been been quite effective against Triple-A hitters since being outrighted this summer.