Raise the Jolly Roger - A Pittsburgh Pirates Road to Redemption

[KHarmo88]

PNC Park Named Top Ballpark in America

PITTSBURGH — On March 21, 2013, the world’s largest travel site, TripAdvisor, named PNC Park the top ballpark to visit in the United States.

The site announced the top 10 ballparks in the U.S. according to popularity, and Pittsburgh’s PNC Park was No. 1.

The site said, “Perched along the Allegheny River, this renowned ballpark features spectacular sights of the Steel City skyline and the beautiful Clemente Bridge. A unique two-level ballpark that opened in 2001, PNC Park provides an intimate setting and spectacular views and sightlines from anywhere in the stadium.”

A TripAdvisor traveler commented, “The views of the city from the ballpark are beautiful; great food and beer selections.”

The other parks to make TripAdvisor’s list were, in order, AT&T Park in San Francisco, Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Fenway Park in Boston, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Petco Park in San Diego, Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and Wrigley Field in Chicago.

“Nothing says Americana like a day out at the old ball game, and the TripAdvisor community has identified these popular stadiums as the finest,” said Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications at TripAdvisor. “From the architecture of the buildings, to the stunning views of the surroundings, to the local culinary delights, these parks provide travelers with baseball-rich experiences that will last a lifetime.”

[KHarmo88]

by Tom Singer / MLB.com

McDonald Brings Solid Reputation to Pirates

BRADENTON, Fla. -- John McDonald, the newest Pirate, wasn't yet in camp on Thursday. Safe to say, the veteran's reputation preceded him.

"He's a good teammate. Good attitude, hard worker," said A.J. Burnett, a teammate of McDonald's with the 2006-08 Toronto Blue Jays. "He brings a great glove to have around. My time with Johnny was good. He's a veteran guy who has been around both leagues, and brings a lot to the table."

Burnett's memories of the 14-year veteran may be a little faded, so it is notewrothy that his most recent manager described him in similar terms.

In fact, considering the D-backs spent much of the offseason chasing their manager's vision of a crew of hard-edged gamers, it was quite difficult for Kirk Gibson to see McDonald become the victim of infielder overcrowding.

Calling McDonald "the ultimate professional," Gibson said that if the Bucs were seeking a clubhouse mentor, they got the right man.

"Great leadership on and off the field," Gibson told MLB.com of the 38-year-old. "Really helped drive us to a different place as a team. Contributed a ton. I told him, 'I don't know how much longer you're going to play, but you have a great gift for the game and I know you have children, but please consider staying in the game after you're done playing.' I think he just has a great gift."

[KHarmo88]

by Tom Singer / MLB.com

BRADENTON, Fla. -- The next visitor in the Pirates' Spring Training camp will be the Grim Reaper -- as old-timers referred to the annual rite of cutting players. Before the weekend is out, possibly two sets of trims will reduce the 49 players still in big-league camp.

That number includes 21 pitchers, including five non-roster invitees, several of whom could be reassigned and/or released even prior to Friday afternoon's game against the Rays.

If the tentative lineup for that game is any indication, moves affecting position players could soon follow. Whether by coincidence or by design, that lineup is comprised almost exclusively of players on the bubble:

Alex Presley CF; Jose Tabata LF; Felix Pie RF; Brandon Inge 2B; Brad Hawpe 1B; Josh Harrison 3B; Michael McKenry C; Ivan De Jesus SS; Jeanmar Gomez P.

Of interest, Inge and Hawpe both can opt out of their Minor League deals on Tuesday if not placed on the 40-man Major League roster. Left-hander Jonathan Sanchez,who started Thursday night's game against the Orioles, gets to make the same decision this Sunday.

After this weekend, the Bucs will have only six games remaining in Florida. They will break camp and head north next Thursday.

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Sanchez Throws Five Scoreless in Bid for Rotation

Pittsburgh Pirates at Baltimore Orioles
Mar 21, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Pittsburgh (10-14-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	1
Baltimore (15-6-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Pirates starter Jonathan Sanchez and the Orioles' Jake Arrieta swapped zeroes in an impressive pitching duel in a 10-inning, 0-0 tie on Thursday night at Ed Smith Stadium.

Sanchez, who can opt out of his contract on Sunday, cruised through his outing with four strikeouts. Third baseman Manny Machado had both of the Orioles' hits against Sanchez with a pair of singles. Sanchez issued a walk to Lew Ford in the second inning for Baltimore's only other baserunner through his five innings.

Starling Marte reached twice for the Pirates, with a leadoff double in the first and a fifth-inning walk, while Travis Snider doubled in the sixth off Ford's foot on a ball that he lost in the lights.

Pittsburgh's Gaby Sanchez was scratched before the game with an allergic reaction, with Brad Hawpe replacing him as the designated hitter.

Arrieta -- who is fighting for the Orioles' fifth rotation spot -- tossed six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts while Sanchez allowed just two hits over his five frames.

Last year's Opening Day starter, Arrieta extended his scoreless inning streak to 14 2/3 innings in the process, allowing six hits and two walks in an impressive outing. The 27-year-old, who also pitched in an exhibition game against Spain, has appeared in five spring games (four starts), allowing three earned runs on 13 hits and eight walks with 16 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings.

Orioles reliever Luis Ayala pitched a scoreless seventh.

Up next for the Pirates: Pittsburgh will face the Rays, who are playing a split-squad game, at 1:05 p.m. ET on Friday at McKechnie Field. Jeanmar Gomez will start against Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb.

[KHarmo88]

by Tom Singer / MLB.com

Morris, De Jesus Among Pirates' Roster Cuts

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Right-hander Bryan Morris was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday morning by the Pirates, who also reassigned to Minor League camp infielders Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Jared Goedert.

The moves left 37 players in the Bucs' camp, including an injured quartet not actively participating in preseason action.

De Jesus was one of four players acquired from Boston in the deal featuring former Pirates All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan, and he had a productive spring, batting .406 in 21 Grapefruit League games.

De Jesus' exploits in camp followed his batting title in the Puerto Rico Winter League, so he left with a growing list of credits.

The 25-year-old's exit prompt could not have been more obvious: The original lineup for Friday's game against Tampa Bay had him playing at shortstop, but that start instead went to newcomer John McDonald.

"He did a lot of good things to open some eyes," general manager Neal Huntington said of De Jesus. "As we told him, we got one of the better defensive infielders in the game to be a backup for us, and that impacted him."

De Jesus had been in camp on a non-roster invitation, as was Goedert, 27, who was signed as a Minor League free agent out of the Cleveland organization.

Morris, who is ranked as the Pirates' No. 14 overall prospect, was considered a top candidate to land a relief job, but despite a win and a save this spring, he dealt with inconsistency. He posted a 5.14 ERA in seven appearances.

The 25-year-old's main drawback, however, was having recently been given a fourth option, making him eligible for the Pirates to farm him out without fear of losing him to another team on a waiver claim.

"Yeah, options sometimes do come into play," Huntington conceded. "In Bryan's case, it allows him to get down and refine all his pitches, because when he does, he'll be a very good Major League pitcher for a long time. There's very little doubt he's going to help us at some point this season."

"I'm not far away," said Morris, who would not use the abundance of hurlers in camp, which limited his innings, as an excuse for his erratic pitching. "I have to go down there and put myself in a good position to get back up here with more time on the mound.

"When I did get opportunities, I wasn't as sharp as I should've been, and that's part of the game. My body just wasn't right with my mechanics. I hope I can get back to what I need to be doing."

The 37 players in camp include Chase d'Arnaud, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list following surgery Monday on his left thumb, and rehabbing pitchers Charlie Morton, Jose Contreras and Francisco Liriano.

[KHarmo88]

by Tom Singer / MLB.com

Infielder McDonald Just What Bucs Need for Bench

BRADENTON, Fla. -- John McDonald checked into the Pirates' clubhouse, checked out his incongruous No. 80 uniform and described what his role will be -- and why he is so well-suited for it.

Listening to the 38-year-old veteran was eerie. His words exactly echoed what manager Clint Hurdle had pined for last summer.

"It's an extremely tough job to do, to sit for a couple of weeks, and then go out and play defense in the eighth inning and be perfect," McDonald said. "But the challenge of that is something I think about all the time. And it's something I want."

With the 2013 Bucs, it is something McDonald will get. He has played 125-plus games at each infield position, save first base. Shortstop Clint Barmes needs a break, or third baseman Pedro Alvarez needs to sit out a nasty lefty? Page McDonald -- who will also be Mr. Double-Switch.

"My mindset is, it does not matter if you don't play me for a while. I want to go in when no one else wants to go in. I'm never sitting there worrying about the fact I'm not playing. It's OK by me. I'm in the big leagues, and there is no other place that you want to be, playing baseball. And trying to help my team win."

So when general manager Neal Huntington acquired McDonald a couple days ago from Arizona for a player to be named, Hurdle got the patient veteran he wanted to see on his bench. While acknowledging McDonald's persona, however, Hurdle knows that is not enough, and touched on it in his first conversation with him.

"All that other stuff is great," Hurdle said to McDonald. "But can you still play?"

That broke up McDonald, which was all Hurdle had wanted.

"Sometimes," the manager said, "you've just got to lighten the mood."

OK. But can the 38-year-old McDonald still play?

As good as he has, which might seem as light praise for someone who has not had more than 353 at-bats in any of his 14 seasons. But McDonald has always been the do-everything type. He is the latter-day Ducky Schofield, the 1960 Pirates hero who averaged 70 games in a 19-year career.

Since 2009, McDonald has committed a total of 11 errors while playing 272 games at four different positions.

Huntington -- Cleveland's farm director when McDonald broke in with the turn-of-the-century Indians -- portrayed in candid terms the appeal of McDonald, who has already forced Ivan De Jesus out of Major League camp and also has Josh Harrison's status in jeopardy.

"Josh and Ivan have done some good things in camp," Huntington said, "but they're nowhere near the defensive ability of John McDonald."

Knowing all spring there was no room for him in the D-backs' overcrowded infield, the New England native and resident is stoked that the inevitable move brought him closer to home.

"I was pretty aware something would happen with too many middle infielders in Arizona, and when this opportunity came up as a possibility, I started to get excited right away," McDonald said. "Watching from the other side what this club did last year was fun. To be part of this franchise, the history of it ... it was fun just to walk in here and see the uniforms."

As for his own No. 80? McDonald wore No. 16 with the D-backs, and for seven years prior to that was No. 6 in Toronto.

"As long as I got a spot in the locker room, it's all good," said McDonald. "When you wear a Major League uniform, there are no negatives. I try to instill that in younger players, that they should appreciate putting on one of these 30 uniforms."

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Pirates' Rally Follows Solid Effort by Gomez

Tampa Bay Rays at Pittsburgh Pirates
Mar 22, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Tampa Bay (14-11)	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	4	9	0
Pittsburgh (11-14-1)	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	3	X	6	7	2
W: Hughes, J (1-0, 0.96) L: De La Rosa (0-2, 9.45) S: Alderson

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Stefan Welch's three-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning helped the Pirates stun the Rays in a 6-4 comeback victory on Friday.

Welch, a member of Australia's World Baseball Classic team, connected off Kirby Yates on his first Grapefruit League at-bat. Welch was one of several players imported from the Pirates' Minor League camp for the game.

The rally began with Jeff Larish's two-out double off Dane de la Rosa. Lucas May drew a walk to bring up Welch.

Jared Hughes struck out two in a perfect eighth inning to earn the win, with Tim Alderson earning the save.

The Rays had previously attempted a comeback of their own. Run-scoring doubles by Luke Scott and Chris Gimenez capped a three-run go-ahead rally in the sixth. Ben Zobrist's leadoff homer touched off that scoring against left-hander Mike Zagurski.

Alex Cobb went 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs while walking three and striking out five.

John McDonald, the newest Pirates player, had snapped a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the fourth, and pinch-hitter Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly later in the inning had given the Pirates a 3-1 lead.

Jeanmar Gomez went four innings in his start and allowed three hits and a run.

Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead on Shelley Duncan's run-scoring infield grounder in the second, and Felix Pie tied it up for the Pirates with a run-scoring double in the third. Pie's eighth RBI also tied Andrew McCutchen for the team's spring lead.

Up next: Lefty Jeff Locke, in what suddenly appears to be a heated duel with veteran lefty Jonathan Sanchez for a spot in the rotation, will seek his third spring win on Saturday, when the Pirates visit Fort Myers for their rubber game against the Red Sox, live on MLB.TV. The teams have split four meetings heading into the 1:35 p.m. ET contest.

[UK0wnag3]

Nice start! And you can't help but love John McDonald.