pmeares17
09-12-2001, 09:37 PM
since nothing is going on i thought i would post this and maybe refect on where the bucs were and where they have ended up.
Injuries Begin to Mount
By Cam Bonifay
General Manager
Moving into the final two weeks of August and the first week of September, we face two major decisions concerning our pitching staff for the rest of the season.
Jason Schmidt, who has been on the disabled list and in rehab for the past month, experienced a setback and had surgery this week. Jason has been bothered by a sore right shoulder, and an MRI test has shown that he has damage to the labrium and rotator cuff area.
Dr. James Andrews will operate on Jason’s shoulder, and we will determine his status for next year after the surgery is completed. Jason will have to undergo extensive rehab to get his pitching shoulder strong, so that he will be able to pitch at the beginning of the 2001 season.
Another one of our starters, Francisco Cordova, has been diagnosed with a bone spur in the elbow and will also have corrective surgery. Francisco underwent surgery on Aug. 17 and should be able to be ready for the 2001 season.
Without any further complications, this surgery should not be as severe or serious as Jason Kendall’s, but will require some time off before rehab can begin. Both pitchers have figured into our pitching plans for the 2001 season, so adjustments will have to be made, not knowing their health for next year.
Dan Serafini, who was acquired in a trade from San Diego during the year, has taken the spot of Francisco Cordova in the rotation and has pitched effectively in his first two starts. He is a former No. 1 draft pick of the Minnesota Twins and has been in the major leagues during the past two years, primarily as a relief pitcher.
We hope that he can continue to give us effective starts, and we look to him to be a prospective starter for the 2001 season.
In looking at our pitching staff for next year, we will have the option of eight pitchers coming back and being ready to begin the season, but this will depend on the health and decision process with Jason Schmidt and Francisco Cordova over the winter.
With the moves that have been made over the past two weeks, we acquired a young relief pitcher from the New York Yankees for Luis Sojo by the name of Chris Spurling. Spurling is currently pitching on the Lynchburg club, and has pitched very effectively in his first two outings.
Bruce Aven was traded to the Dodgers for a “player to be named later,” which we should acquire by Sept. 15. We are currently scouting the Los Angeles Dodgers’ system to acquire the best player possible to complete this deal.
The waiver process this year has seen more major-league clubs claiming players on major-league waivers to obtain or block possible players from being traded. With the upcoming deadline for players being eligible for the playoff roster, clubs will continue to make moves throughout the rest of this month to obtain the best players before Aug. 31. The waiver process makes it more difficult to trade at this time, but there are some players who will be eligible to be traded because teams have major-league waivers in effect on some of their major-league players.
The minor-league season will conclude on Sept. 4. Currently, we have three clubs fighting for playoff positions in their respective leagues. Hickory is currently in second place in the South Atlantic League. Lynchburg is currently in first place in the second half of the season in the Carolina League, and Altoona remained three games back of the playoff spot in mid-August in the Eastern League.
We hope that these clubs can play well down the stretch so that they will have the opportunity to go through the playoff experience that young players need in their development. But perhaps our brightest spot should be the Bradenton Pirates who, under the leadership of Manager Woody Huyke, are only one game back in their pennant race in the Gulf Coast League.
Woody has done a fine job with the young club and has rounded their talent into a well-balanced team. Several outstanding young players from the Dominican and Venezuela, as well as our draft choices in this year’s draft, have contributed to their success.
As we near Sept. 1, the decision will be made on September call-ups for our major-league club. We will look closely at the players at the Class-AA and Class-AAA levels to decide upon those to bring up for the month of September.
Also, we will expand our staff to handle the added players, so that all players get the work they need. Because of these things, the next two weeks will be a very exciting time for the Pirates and the organization.
Injuries Begin to Mount
By Cam Bonifay
General Manager
Moving into the final two weeks of August and the first week of September, we face two major decisions concerning our pitching staff for the rest of the season.
Jason Schmidt, who has been on the disabled list and in rehab for the past month, experienced a setback and had surgery this week. Jason has been bothered by a sore right shoulder, and an MRI test has shown that he has damage to the labrium and rotator cuff area.
Dr. James Andrews will operate on Jason’s shoulder, and we will determine his status for next year after the surgery is completed. Jason will have to undergo extensive rehab to get his pitching shoulder strong, so that he will be able to pitch at the beginning of the 2001 season.
Another one of our starters, Francisco Cordova, has been diagnosed with a bone spur in the elbow and will also have corrective surgery. Francisco underwent surgery on Aug. 17 and should be able to be ready for the 2001 season.
Without any further complications, this surgery should not be as severe or serious as Jason Kendall’s, but will require some time off before rehab can begin. Both pitchers have figured into our pitching plans for the 2001 season, so adjustments will have to be made, not knowing their health for next year.
Dan Serafini, who was acquired in a trade from San Diego during the year, has taken the spot of Francisco Cordova in the rotation and has pitched effectively in his first two starts. He is a former No. 1 draft pick of the Minnesota Twins and has been in the major leagues during the past two years, primarily as a relief pitcher.
We hope that he can continue to give us effective starts, and we look to him to be a prospective starter for the 2001 season.
In looking at our pitching staff for next year, we will have the option of eight pitchers coming back and being ready to begin the season, but this will depend on the health and decision process with Jason Schmidt and Francisco Cordova over the winter.
With the moves that have been made over the past two weeks, we acquired a young relief pitcher from the New York Yankees for Luis Sojo by the name of Chris Spurling. Spurling is currently pitching on the Lynchburg club, and has pitched very effectively in his first two outings.
Bruce Aven was traded to the Dodgers for a “player to be named later,” which we should acquire by Sept. 15. We are currently scouting the Los Angeles Dodgers’ system to acquire the best player possible to complete this deal.
The waiver process this year has seen more major-league clubs claiming players on major-league waivers to obtain or block possible players from being traded. With the upcoming deadline for players being eligible for the playoff roster, clubs will continue to make moves throughout the rest of this month to obtain the best players before Aug. 31. The waiver process makes it more difficult to trade at this time, but there are some players who will be eligible to be traded because teams have major-league waivers in effect on some of their major-league players.
The minor-league season will conclude on Sept. 4. Currently, we have three clubs fighting for playoff positions in their respective leagues. Hickory is currently in second place in the South Atlantic League. Lynchburg is currently in first place in the second half of the season in the Carolina League, and Altoona remained three games back of the playoff spot in mid-August in the Eastern League.
We hope that these clubs can play well down the stretch so that they will have the opportunity to go through the playoff experience that young players need in their development. But perhaps our brightest spot should be the Bradenton Pirates who, under the leadership of Manager Woody Huyke, are only one game back in their pennant race in the Gulf Coast League.
Woody has done a fine job with the young club and has rounded their talent into a well-balanced team. Several outstanding young players from the Dominican and Venezuela, as well as our draft choices in this year’s draft, have contributed to their success.
As we near Sept. 1, the decision will be made on September call-ups for our major-league club. We will look closely at the players at the Class-AA and Class-AAA levels to decide upon those to bring up for the month of September.
Also, we will expand our staff to handle the added players, so that all players get the work they need. Because of these things, the next two weeks will be a very exciting time for the Pirates and the organization.