NewsInbox: What lies ahead this offseason?
MLB.com's Langosch answers Bucs fans' questions
By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
10/12/09 5:37 PM EST
It's the first Inbox edition of what is set to be an interesting offseason for the Pirates. The plan is to put one of these out every week as long as your questions keep flowing. It's a good way to compare what you're wondering and what I'm hearing, so I figured it should be an offseason staple.On that note, let's jump right in.
What positions, if any, will the Pirates look to upgrade in the offseason?
-- Corey B., Irwin, Pa.
The Pirates could obviously use some offensive help, as that was the glaring issue during the second half of the season. It's unlikely they'll try to get it with a corner infielder, considering they have Garrett Jones as an option at first and Pedro Alvarez sits not too far away. You don't want to block Alvarez's path to the Majors. That said, a corner outfield bat might make the most sense given the club's makeup.
Pitching is always an asset, though I'd imagine that the focus would be in finding relievers over starters. The Bucs have more depth in the rotation than they have had under this management team, but are lacking some veteran-type arms for the bullpen. A left-handed reliever would seem to be a must, though general manager Neal Huntington has not labeled it that. Any experienced reliever could be an important addition to a largely inexperienced 'pen.
With Andrew McCutchen and Jones still producing at a high level at the end of the year, who do you think will win National League Rookie of the Year?
-- Andrew R., Burgettstown, Pa.
It's no question that McCutchen and Jones were among the top NL rookies this year. Only problem is, they had quite the competition for the award. From a position player standpoint, I don't think you can put either Jones or McCutchen over Florida's Chris Coghlan, who hit .321 in 128 games.
Then you have pitchers Tommy Hanson (Braves) and J.A. Happ (Phillies) to throw in the mix, too. Both finished with sub-3.00 ERAs, and I'd expect both to finish higher than McCutchen and Jones in the final tabulation as well. That shouldn't, though, take away from the strong first impression both of the Pirates' rookies provided. McCutchen is showing he can be everything he was built up to be, while Jones was the surprise of the season for this team.
On a side note, the winner of all season awards will be announced in the two weeks after the World Series ends. Votes, however, were due before the end of the regular season.
I heard Huntington on his radio show talking about the high points of this year. One player he did not mention was Lastings Milledge. This is consistent with the restrained reaction Milledge has gotten from management all year despite his excellent play. Why are the Pirates not that excited about him?
-- Bruce L., Pittsburgh
I didn't hear the portion of the radio show that you're referring to, but I don't think you should read anything into Huntington's omission of Milledge's name. Trust me, management is plenty pleased with what it saw of Milledge in the last two months of the season. The attitude and less-than-stellar work ethic Milledge may have shown in previous stops in New York and Washington never surfaced. In fact, he was a great clubhouse presence and plenty cordial with the media.
|
Have a question about the Pirates?
 E-mail your query to MLB.com Pirates beat reporter Jenifer Langosch for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content.
|
||||||||
Milledge's defense improved because he was out on the field early just about every day working on it. He began showing some power toward the end of the season and ended up being one the Pirates' most consistent hitters in the final two months. And -- hopefully you all picked up on this, too -- what stood out to me most about Milledge was his hustle. He ran full speed to first every single time he hit ball -- whether it was a hit in the gap or an infield popup.
What does the future hold for Matt Capps? I would hate to see him go, but we do have others who could be groomed to close. And it would seem to me that Capps probably has some interest from other teams in need of an late-inning guy.
-- Jeff W., Orlando, Fla.
Capps' future is probably one of the most intriguing questions this offseason since it's no secret he struggled a lot as the closer this year. Still, management has said it intends to offer Capps a contract for next year and plan to start him in the closer's role. Now, that doesn't mean his leash won't be shorter, especially since the Pirates seem to have some other capable options (Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek, particularly) to step into that ninth-inning role if necessary. But at this point, it remains Capps' job to lose.
Now, the wild card in all this is speculation about whether Capps will be traded. The Bucs will certainly listen to offers, and there were teams interested in acquiring him this year. With Capps in line for a raise next season and the Pirates' possession of those other potential closers-in-the-making, he's not untouchable.
Do we have a good chance of seeing Alvarez in the Majors next year? It seems he is one the fast track.
-- John F., Pittsburgh
Probably not to start the season. Alvarez will likely get a lengthy stay in Major League camp next spring, but you can expect him to start the year in Triple-A. He's a guy that's likely to take a similar path to the one that Andrew McCutchen did this season. The Pirates have a checklist of things they'd like Alvarez to improve upon before he makes his Major League debut, and by keeping him in the Minors to start the season, the Pirates can push back his free agency clock by a year.
Jose Tabata and Brad Lincoln are two other guys who will be in a similar situation.
What do you think the future holds for Danny Moskos? He had an impressive second half for Double-A Altoona, though his strikeouts totals were low, which does not bode well for starting at higher levels of the organization. What do the Bucs do with him from here?
-- Joe S., Morgantown, West Va.
Regardless of how the Pirates are using Moskos now, it's probably a better bet that he ends up as a reliever. That said, it sounds like he'll be a starter again next season, though the Pirates haven't yet committed to that being the case. There is obviously more value in Moskos as a starter, and he can always slide into a relief role if that doesn't work out.
His transition from a want-to-be power pitcher to more of a sinkerball guy this past year gives him a little better chance to make it as a starter as well. He's about to pitch as a reliever in the Arizona Fall League, though don't read too deeply into that. The Pirates want to limit his innings in Arizona, so that is why he will not pitch in a starting role.
Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
