Morning Rundown: Billy Cook makes major league debut, Bradenton wraps up season, Greensboro takes five of six
Morning Rundown: Billy Cook makes major league debut, Bradenton wraps up season, Greensboro takes five of six
Cook picks up double in first at-bat, Bradenton season over, Greensboro heads into the playoffs
With a win on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Pirates ended up with a series split against the Washington Nationals. Joey Bart, Andrew McCutchen, and Michael A. Taylor all went deep, as the offense scored seven runs on 12 hits.
Billy Cook made his major league debut on Sunday, picking up a pair of hits, including a two-run double.
Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Patrick Reilly, Cook hit home runs in back-to-back games leading up to getting the promotion to the majors.
He hit .276/.389/.486 with five home runs, 21 RBI, and nine stolen bases in 30 games with Indianapolis.
Jared Jones held things down for the final five after allowing a run in each of the first two innings.
He picked up his sixth win of the season after striking out nine over seven innings pitched. More importantly, he didn’t issue a walk on Sunday.
Four Pirates ended up with multiple hits, and only Bryan Reynolds was held hitless.
The Pirates pick things right back Monday with a series against the Miami Marlins. Paul Skenes is currently listed as the starting pitcher on MLB.com.
After losing the first game of their series against Bowling Green, the Greensboro Grasshoppers won the last five, heading into the playoffs on a five-game winning streak.
Scott Randall pitched four shutout innings, striking out four, and Jack Brannigan hit a triple and scored twice out of the lead-off spot.
The Grasshoppers will have Monday off before starting their best-of-three series against the Hudson Valley Renegades. Game one will be at Hudson Valley, and the rest will be at First National Bank Field.
Greensboro won five of six against Hudson Valley earlier this season.
The Bradenton Marauders wrapped up their season on Sunday, losing to the Daytona Tortugas 2-1. A bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth was the deciding factor.
Yordany De Los Santos hit his first home run at the Single-A level this year. It’s been another disappointing stint at the level for De Los Santos, but he’s still just 19.
Zander Mueth started and pitched three shutout innings, walking three and striking out another.
After struggling to miss bats in previous games, Carlos Castillo picked up nine whiffs in 2.1 innings pitched. He allowed five hits, but also only walked one and struck out five.
Pittsburgh Pirates sent LF Billy McKinney outright to Indianapolis Indians
Pittsburgh Pirates selected the contract of 3B Billy Cook from Indianapolis Indians
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Top Exit Velocity
Joey Bart - PIT - 110.5 mph - Home Run
Billy Cook - PIT - 109 mph - Single
Joshua Palacios - IND - 107.2 mph - Home Run
Michael A. Taylor - PIT - 106 mph- Home Run
Nick Gonzales - PIT - 105.9 mph - Single
Top Pitch Velocity
Jared Jones - PIT - 99.9 mph
Jared Jones - PIT - 99.8 mph
Jared Jones - PIT - 99.7 mph
Jared Jones - PIT - 99.7 mph
Jared Jones - PIT - 99.6 mph
Most Whiffs
Jared Jones - PIT - 15
Mike Burrows - IND - 9
Emmanuel Chapman - ALT - 9
Scott Randall - GBO - 9
Carlos Castillo - BRD - 9
Indianapolis Indians - 9 vs Toledo Mud Hens - 7
Top Hitter - Joshua Palacios: 3-3, 3 R, 5 RBI, BB, 2 2B, HR
Top Pitcher - Ryder Ryan: 1.2 IP, H, BB, 3 K
Altoona Curve - 9 vs Hartford Yard Goats - 5
Top Hitter - Nick Cimillo: 2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B, HR
Top Pitcher - Jaden Woods: 1.2 IP, 3 H, SV
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 6 vs Bowling Green Hot Rods - 2
Top Hitter - Jack Brannigan: 2-5, 2 R, 3B
Top Pitcher - Scott Randall: 3 IP, 4 H, 4 K
Bradenton Marauders - 1 vs Daytona Tortugas - 2
Top Hitter - Yordany De Los Santos: 2-4, R, HR, RBI
Top Pitcher - Carlos Castillo: 2.1 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 5 K
In terms of building the team, I would prefer the approach of scouring strong systems for guys who are blocked and trying to pick up promising players in trades. I am so tired of the mediocre vet approach. Even Ryan O’Hearn —- he was so bad with the Royals. I don’t know what magic potion the Orioles gave him, but I fear that if the Pirates pick him up he’ll fall off a cliff.
The early returns from Cook and Yorke are encouraging, though admittedly there’s only one game at the major league level. I’d like to see them do more of this.
No more mediocre vets!
Bucs need to go 14-5 to break .500 this year.
Looking at next year:
C: Bart and Endy? Davis and Delay bubbling under.
1B: Cook, Tellez and Joe
2B: Gonzalez
SS: IKF
3B: Hayes
Utility: Triolo and York
OF: BRey, O'Cruz, BDLC with MAT and York and Gorski bubbling under
*
Rotation: Keller, Skenes, Jones, Chandler, Harrington
with Ashcraft, Burrows, Falter, M.Gonzales, Ortiz and Oviedo bubbling under
*
Bullpen: Depending on the condition and status of Bednar and Chapman first and foremost. However, you've got Holderman, Mlod, Nicolas, Santana with Heller and Moreta bubbling under... and Borucki?
*
And, I know they are in AA, but (kiss of death here, says the big fan of Cannan Smith-Njigba) Emmanual Chapman and Nick Dombkowski have been good when I've seen them.