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Friday, July 03, 2009

MLB.com: Jones gives Bucs lift with big bat: Finishes single shy of cycle

I can honestly say I have never heard of this Garrett Jones before. He’s almost a year younger than Nyjer Morgan and apparently got 77 at-bats with the Twins two years ago.

“This is what he’s been doing the whole year—driving the ball,” said Andrew McCutchen, who was Jones’ teammates at Triple-A for two months earlier this season. “When they make a mistake, he makes them pay. It’s real good to have someone like that there.”

Jones would then cap his day with a solo homer off Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano in the seventh.

“That’s what we knew Garrett could do,” Russell said. “He can provide some punch in the offense. Offensively, we got him in there and some guys started swinging better. That’s what we’re looking for, what we did today.”

Jones, who said he has never hit for the cycle at any level, had two other at-bats in the game with which to get a single. He nearly got it in the fifth, when he lined out to reliever Brian Stokes. In the ninth, Jones grounded out to second.

Russell has said that he intends to give Jones every opportunity to prove himself as an everyday starter, and Thursday’s performance—one in which he had three extra-base hits for a team that had just four total in the previous three-game series—should go a long way to help.

Pirates home run leaderboard:

12 LaRoche
~~9 McLouth~~ (traded)
6 Sanchez (sitting out tonight’s game with back pain)
~~3 Monroe~~ (released)
3 LaRoche
3 Wilson
3 Jaramillo
~~2 Morgan~~ (traded)
~~2 Doumit~~ (on DL since April)
2 Young
1 (six players tied, including one who has been traded)

34 MLB home runs this season by the entire active roster.

Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life. Posted: July 03, 2009 at 06:05 PM | 19 comment(s)
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1. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life. Posted: July 03, 2009 at 05:58 PM (#3241650)

Pirates active roster:

Capps, Chavez, Diaz, Duke, Grabow, Hanrahan, Jackson, Jaramillo, Jones, Karstens, LaRoche, LaRoche, Maholm, McCutchen, Meek, Morton, Moss, Ohlendorf, Pearce, Salazar, Sanchez, Wilson, Vasquez, Vazquez, Young

How many of their first names do you know?

2. STEROIDS!!!!! Posted: July 03, 2009 at 06:16 PM (#3241669)

3 Jaramillo

The Rangers hitting coach?

Capps, Chavez, Diaz, Duke, Grabow, Hanrahan, Jackson, Jaramillo, Jones, Karstens, LaRoche, LaRoche, Maholm, McCutchen, Meek, Morton, Moss, Ohlendorf, Pearce, Salazar, Sanchez, Wilson, Vasquez, Vazquez, Young

How many of their first names do you know?

Oooo fun.

Matt Capps
Jesse Chavez
Robinzon Diaz
Zach Duke
John Grabow
Garrett Jones
Jeff Karstens
Adam & Andy LaRoche
Paul Maholm
Andrew McCutchen
Charlie Morton
Ross Ohlendorf

Blanking on the rest.

3. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life. Posted: July 03, 2009 at 06:18 PM (#3241676)

Just give a number...e.g. Shut the #### up, Plaschke's total is 13.

Mine would have been 22 out of 25, before seeing this story and then looking at the roster. And I've been to five Pirates games this year. And read two Pirates blogs religiously.

It's the perfect storm of obscure players and generic names.

4. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: July 03, 2009 at 07:32 PM (#3241777)

Capps, Chavez, Diaz, Duke, Grabow, Hanrahan, Jackson, Jaramillo, Jones, Karstens, LaRoche, LaRoche, Maholm, McCutchen, Meek, Morton, Moss, Ohlendorf, Pearce, Salazar, Sanchez, Wilson, Vasquez, Vazquez, Young

How many can I get without looking at post #2?

Matt Capps
? Chavez
? Diaz
? Zach Duke
John Grabow
Joel Hanrahan
? Jackson
? Jaramillo
? Jones
Jeff Karstens
Andy LaRoche
Adam LaRoche
Paul Maholm
Andrew McCutchen
? Meek
Charlie Morton
? Moss
Ross Ohlendorf
? Pearce
? Salazar
? Sanchez (I know exactly who he is, but don't remember his first name)
Jack Wilson (Again, I know exactly who he is, but dodn't remember his first name.)
? Vasquez
? Vazquez
? Young

Four of the guys I know have played only for the Pirates, six have been on other teams previously, which is presumably why I know them.

5. Steve Sparks Flying Everywhere Posted: July 03, 2009 at 08:55 PM (#3241844)

Capps, Chavez, Diaz, Duke, Grabow, Hanrahan, Jackson, Jaramillo, Jones, Karstens, LaRoche, LaRoche, Maholm, McCutchen, Meek, Morton, Moss, Ohlendorf, Pearce, Salazar, Sanchez, Wilson, Vasquez, Vazquez, Young

How many of their first names do you know?

Matt Capps
Jesse Chavez
Diaz ?
Zach Duke
John Grabow
Joel Hanrahan
Steve Jackson
Jason Jaramillo
Garrett Jones
Jeff Karstens
Adam LaRoche
Andy LaRoche
Paul Maholm
Andy McCutchen
Evan Meek
Charlie Morton
Brandon Moss
Ross Ohlendorf
Steve Pearce
Jeff Salazar
Freddie Sanchez
Jack Wilson
Virgil Vazquez
Ramon Vazquez
Young ?

23 of 25

Now the real question is can you name how the Pirates acquired all of those players.

6. Teal & Black Posted: July 03, 2009 at 10:19 PM (#3241924)

Freakin' Pirates.

7. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: July 03, 2009 at 10:29 PM (#3241929)

25 of 25.

Capps, Duke, Grabow, Maholm, McCutchen, and Pearce were drafted. Chavez was traded for Kip Wells. Diaz was traded for Jose Bautista. Hanrahan was traded in the package for Nyjer and Burnett. Jackson and Vasquez were claimed on waivers. Jaramillo was traded for Joggin' Ronny. Jones and Salazar were signed as minor league free agents. Karstens and Ohlendorf were traded in the package for Nady and Marte. Adam LaRoche was part of the package traded for Gonzalez and Lillibridge. Andy LaRoche and Moss were part of the package traded for Bay. Meek was chosen in the Rule 5 draft, and then his rights were retained by separate agreement. Morton was part of the package traded for Nate McLouth. Sanchez was acquired in a rather Byzantine trade with Boston, as part of a make-good on an initial deal at the deadline after Brandon Lyon's arm didn't pass muster with the medical staff. Wilson was traded even-up for Jason Christiansen. Vazquez was signed as a major league free agent. Young was acquired for a PTBNL or cash, later designated as Eric Krebs.

Nothing but net.

8. MM1f Posted: July 03, 2009 at 10:37 PM (#3241936)

Now the real question is can you name how the Pirates acquired all of those players.

Matt Capps.... draft. 3 or 4th rounder from a GA HS. Also a big catching prospect in HS.

Jesse Chavez.. uh, waivers or trade? I know he was traded at the deadline once for someone but I don't know if he was traded to the Pirates

Diaz ... Robinson Diaz. Ex-Blue Jays futures gamer who was kind of a bust. Waivers I guess?

Zach Duke... 10th-12th round pick from a TX HS.

John Grabow.. uh. Draft?

Joel Hanrahan.. from Nationals for Morgan. Originally a Dodgers farmhand.

Steve Jackson.. uh?

Jason Jaramillo.. uh?

Garrett Jones.. Minor League free agent. Ex-twins farmhand.

Jeff Karstens. Tradw with Yanks for X Nady

Adam LaRoche. Trade with ATL for Mike Gonzalez

Andy LaRoche. Traded from LA in Manny/Bay three way with BOS

Paul Maholm. First round pick from Miss St

Andy McCutchen. First round pick from an FL HS

Evan Meek.. waivers? minor league FA? I want to say he was an ex-Devil Ray farmhand

Charlie Morton.. Trade with Braves for McLouth

Brandon Moss.. Trade with Boston/LA for Jason Bay/Manny/ect

Ross Ohlendorf.. trade with Yanks for X Nady

Steve Pearce.. Univ of South Carolina. Drafted by Pirates?

Jeff Salazar.. One time 30-30 man for the Asheville Tourists (yeah, I know my NC baseball : )
I guess he was a minor league FA by now. I still think he has a future as a reserve OF

Freddie Sanchez. Ex Bo Sock. Traded for... ?

Jack Wilson. Cards farmhand picked up in trade probably over a decade ago by now. Who knows who for.

Virgil Vazquez. Ex Tiger. Waivers?

Ramon Vazquez. Solid journeyman IF (Rangers, Pads, Mariners). Probably a FA signing

Young ? (Delwyn). Ex-Dodgers farmhand. Trade, but not the Manny/Bay LA/BOS/PIT three way. No idea who he was traded for

How did I do?
EDIT-
Vlad whupped me

9. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: July 03, 2009 at 10:37 PM (#3241937)

Minor addendum: Young was originally announced as up to two PTBNL, but the Dodgers later said that they were cool with just Krebs.

10. rLr Is King Of The Romans And Above Grammar Posted: July 03, 2009 at 10:42 PM (#3241941)

Minor addendum: Young was originally announced as up to two PTBNL, but the Dodgers later said that they were cool with just Krebs.

I heard that guy repeatedly hit for the cycle.

11. STEROIDS!!!!! Posted: July 04, 2009 at 12:41 AM (#3241974)

Diaz was a complete guess for me. I knew it wasn't Matt and as a Jays fan I have heard of Robinzon; he was the only other one I could think of.

I have no idea how he wound up on the Pirates nor did I know he was on the MLB roster.

I know who Hanrahan is but couldn't remember his first name (kept thinking Jack)

12. SouthSideRyan Posted: July 04, 2009 at 02:49 AM (#3241990)

22 out of 25.

I think Virgil Vazquez just started against the Cubs, and I still didn't know him. Blanked on Robinson Diaz. I've still never heard of Steve Jackson.

13. RollingWave Posted: July 04, 2009 at 05:09 AM (#3242001)

What the hell? they have 2 guys with more than 3 home runs?

So.. Albert Pujols has essentially hit as many HR by himself as the entire Pirate team. awesome.

14. AJM Posted: July 04, 2009 at 06:29 AM (#3242003)

How many of their first names do you know?

12. I don't think I've ever heard of about 7 of those guys.

So.. Albert Pujols has essentially hit as many HR by himself as the entire Pirate team. awesome.

The Pirates have hit 3 more homers than the Mets on the season. As of the other night Pujols had one more than the Mets active roster, but I see they've pulled ahead now!

15. Dinner With Frenchy Posted: July 04, 2009 at 06:44 AM (#3242006)

I got 23 out of 25. I believe that places me in the "loser, but not a virgin" bracket.

16. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: July 04, 2009 at 07:43 AM (#3242017)

Another game: how many of these guys will be on the Pirates on the final day of the 2011 season?

Actually, how many of them will be on anybody's major-league roster on the final day of the 2011 season?

17. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life. Posted: July 04, 2009 at 11:51 AM (#3242087)

The recent rash of trades that Neal Huntington has embarked on has really got me thinking. What exactly is the phase that we are in? Are we in an all out rebuilding mode or not? Or is this a much quicker rehabilitation? I got to thinking about it as I started to look at the major league roster. Of the 25 men on the active roster, 14 of them have come in the past year. Huntington has added 15, as Evan Meek came a little over a year ago.That is a heck of a lot players to add in one year.

I've been going to Pirates games since 2003. Jack Wilson played shortstop in every game except one. The other positions have changed a lot, and yet so little really changed.

Pirates starters, 2001-2009, according to Bb-ref:
C Jason Kendall -> Humberto Cota -> Ronny Paulino-> Ryan Doumit -> Jason Jaramillo
1B Kevin Young -> Randall Simon -> Daryle Ward -> Sean Casey -> Adam LaRoche
2B Pat Meares -> Pokey Reese -> Jeff Reboulet -> Jose Castillo -> Freddy Sanchez
3B Aramis Ramirez -> Ty Wigginton -> Freddy Sanchez -> Jose Bautista -> Andy LaRoche
SS Jack Wilson
LF Brian Giles -> Jason Bay -> Nyjer Morgan -> ?
CF Gary Matthews Jr. -> Adrian Brown -> Kenny Lofton -> Tike Redman -> Chris Duffy -> Nate McLouth -> Andrew McCutchen
RF John Vander Wal -> Craig Wilson -> Reggie Sanders -> Matt Lawton -> Jeromy Burnitz -> Xavier Nady -> Brandon Moss

The Reboulet/Ward/Redman era was particularly tough.

18. Arjun Posted: July 04, 2009 at 01:06 PM (#3242154)

21 out of 25.

Missed Diaz, Jackson, Salazar, and Vazquez.

19. Walt Davis Posted: July 04, 2009 at 04:41 PM (#3242297)

Damn, I was really hoping that was Walter Young. That would be fun to watch.

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Friday, July 03, 2009

MLB.com: Jones gives Bucs lift with big bat: Finishes single shy of cycle

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