Pirates/MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates
LATEST PIRATES BUZZ Not everyone is Bryce Harper or Mike Trout. That continues to be Neal Huntington’s stance towards questions about whether the Pirates should send Gregory Polanco back to Triple-A.
“The Bryce Harper’s and Mike Trout’s make it look relatively easy,” Huntington said on Sunday.
“There are growing pains, there are challenges and there is an evolution of a young player. We still see the ability in Gregory Polanco, it’s just a matter of him applying it consistently and us helping him do that. We believe Gregory Polanco is going to be a quality Major League player. The large majority of young Major League players that have gone on to be successful veteran major-league players, had some struggles their first year or two in the big leagues. We forget that.”
Huntington told reporters Sunday that sending Polanco down hasn’t even been a discussion. “It hasn’t even been a conversation,” Huntington said.
Since 2014, Polanco has ranked among one of the worst right fielders in baseball, 37th out of 42 in weighted runs created.
HURDLE PUSHED FOR WAIVER CLAIM OF ISHAWKAWA
Manager Clint Hurdle pushed for the Pirates to place a waiver claim on journeyman infielder Travis Ishikawa who started the 2014 season with the Pirates.
“It wasn’t an easy move when we moved him out before,” Hurdle said of letting Ishikawa go last season. “He’s done some nice things since then. Got some experience and I do think it’s a guy that can help our club.”
Ishikawa did hit .274 last year with the Giants in 74 at-bats but had just six at-bats with the Giants this season. Ishikawa hit .271/.342/.421 with 4 home runs and 19 RBIs in 133 at-bats in Sacramento (Triple-A) this season.
TRADE OF CLAYTON RICHARD DOESN’T HAVE HURDLE CONCERNED
The Pirates organizational depth with the starting rotation has taken a big hit this season after the top-5 with injuries to Jameson Taillon, Nick Kingham and Brandon Cumpton.
Clayton Richard moved into the 7th spot on the depth chart recently but was shipped off to Chicago a few days ago. Richard allowed 2 runs and 8 hits in 6 1/3 innings, picking up his first MLB win since 2013.
“I still think we are in a place where we are covered,” Hurdle said of the organizational depth at the big league level. “If something were to happen here and we lost two starters, that might change. We have lost our surplus. We had great depth at one point, now our depth isn’t as deep.”
