Five draft picks agree to deals
The Pirates were host to some of their recent draft picks for contract signings at PNC Park on Friday.
It wasn’t catcher Henry Davis or any of the myriad high school prospects they selected, but it’s progress nonetheless.
All five of the Pirates’ selections from rounds 6-10 were present in Pittsburgh to sign on the dotted line: San Diego State shortstop Mike Jarvis (sixth round), San Diego State catcher Wyatt Hendrie (seventh), California right-hander Sean Sullivan (eighth), Louisville outfielder Luke Brown (ninth) and Eastern Michigan right-hander Justin Meis (10th round).
Meis may have outsized importance for Pirates fans because he was born here and graduated from Bethel Park High School before heading to Ypsilanti, Mich., for college.
Though the bonuses given to each of these picks is unknown, it is thought that they, along with Davis, played a part in the Pirates’ strategy to sign some players under their slot value in order to land four straight high school prospects from the second through fourth rounds of the draft.
Those four high schoolers signing would be a relief for the Pirates. Though at least one, third-rounder Bubba Chandler, has explicitly said he plans on signing with the Pirates, all four have college commitments and other options, so the Pirates will be eager to get their John Hancocks.
As for the five draft picks who have signed, all have been assigned to the Florida Complex League, according to the Pirates’ press release.
Roster moves
Thirty minutes before Friday’s first pitch, the Pirates still had not posted their starting lineup. Typically, that forecasts a roster move. And that was the case this time.
The Pirates announced shortly before the game that right-handed reliever Nick Mears had been recalled to the majors. Additionally, utility man Phillip Evans had been reactivated from the 7-day concussion-related injured list. To make room for Evans, infielder Cole Tucker was optioned back to Class AAA Indianapolis. Obviously, Evans’ return to the Pirates is injury-related, but so is Mears’. Over the All-Star break, the Pirates announced that lefthanded reliever Sam Howard would be moved to the 10-day injured list withinnings an oblique strain. At the time, they did not announce a replacement for Howard. It’s Mears.
As for Tucker, he got just eight plate appearances in seven games since his most recent call-up, going 1-for-7 with a walk in that time. He is now slashing .143/.182/.190 in 22 plate appearances with the Pirates this season.
Evans regaining full health about the same time Howard lost his is indicative of the way things have gone for the Pirates recently. As it stands, the Pirates now have seven players on the 10-day injured list. Manager Derek Shelton gave a few updates on them, but nothing groundbreaking.
Outfielder Gregory Polanco is back running the bases. Right-hander Luis Oviedo continues making rehab appearances in Class AAA Indianapolis. The rest are slowly making progress.
In theory, the Pirates could get a lot healthier in a hurry. Oviedo, Polanco, first baseman Colin Moran, infielder Erik Gonzalez and outfielder Ka’ai Tom are all eligible to return from the injured list at any time now. Right-handed reliever Duane Underwood Jr., can come back any time starting Sunday. Howard will have to wait until Tuesday.
MLB rule changes
One of the big news items to come out of this season’s All-Star game came from commissioner Rob Manfred.
The extra-inning rule where a runner starts on second base, and seven-inning doubleheaders, Manfred said, were just temporary changes forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The changes were intended to make games shorter and avoid dragging, 18-inning affairs where teams’ bullpens are ruined for days to come. So far, that’s worked. The longest game since the extra-inning rule was implemented has been 13 innings. Most, however, are settled in 10 frames. achieved Because their the rules intended have purpose, Shelton doesn’t want to see them go. “As you guys know, I am a big fan of the seven-inning doubleheader; I like it a lot,” Shelton said Friday. The extrarule, in general I like the premise of the rule. I’ve stated before that I wish we played an inning with regular [rules] before we went to something else. I’m a little disappointed about the seven-inning rule; I really like that.” The New York Mets, the Pirates opponent in a threegame series this weekend, are a good example for how these rule changes have helped. They have played a league-high 11 doubleheaders this season. If all of them were 18 innings long, as opposed to 14 innings, there’s a couple more relievers burned per outing. Granted, the Mets would be rewarded if they were able to navigate those situations well, but it also isn’t their fault that they’ve been part of so many rain delays and cancelled games. Shelton’s point — that there should be an extra inning of regular rules before imposing the runner-onsecond rule — is only to point out that the runner on second to start the inning potentially cheapens game outcomes, the baseball equivalent of a hockey shootout. Still, in Shelton’s mind, the goal should be to try to eliminate the longest baseball games, especially in the midst of an already-grueling season. “I think we initially went into it thinking you were going to get multiple runs to win. I think the one thing that it has done, and I don’t know the stats on it, but has there been a 14- or 15-innning a game since it started? I think the reason it was put in place was for the bullpens. If we go back to a regular [rules] you’re gonna see more position players pitching later in games.
“Going 16 or 17 innings has a great effect not only on that night, but the coming nights and if you have to option a guy or if you have to use a starter or use a position player. So in that respect, not knowing those numbers, it probablyserved its purpose.”