Spring training games are finally set to begin for the Pittsburgh Pirates. What should you be looking for over the next month?
Today officially kicks off spring training games for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yes, yesterday many fans were probably excited to see some of the Pirates’ players scrimmage in the annual Black & Gold game, but that was an inter-squad game. Today, the Bucs face off against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium, the Tigers’ spring training park. From today forward, the Pirates will embark on 32 exhibition games before they face the Cardinals on Opening Day on April 3rd. I know, we still have a month before the games actually matter. But at least we get to see a number of different major and minor league players in action as the roster slowly gets trimmed down until we’re left with the final 25 men that will hopefully lead the team to another successful season.
While the games don’t count, there are certain a number of important storylines to follow in March. The front office and the coaching staff will certainly be keeping an eye on these topics, and so will we. When spring training workouts kicked off, we gave you a list of things to keep an eye on before the games got underway, so we won’t go into detail on those (namely Jung Ho Kang‘s health and John Jaso‘s move to first, which are obviously two of the biggest storylines). Let’s keep it broad and throw out some of the main things we should be keeping an eye on in spring training.
Injuries – players returning and injuries suffered
No one wants players to get injuries in exhibition games, but, inevitably, injuries always happen. Fortunately, the Pirates have been able to escape mostly scot-free the past few seasons when it comes to the health of major league players. On the flip side, this is typically the time of year when the Pirates see a minor leaguer or two go down to Tommy John surgery. Jameson Taillon and Nick Kingham both suffered their injuries this time of the year, and the Pirates as an organization has seen its fair share of Tommy John surgeries. Hopefully that trend doesn’t continue this spring.
Last season, Andrew McCutchen battled a knee injury during the spring and rarely played in any games. This season, McCutchen’s knee should be squared away and we’ll get to see if that soreness is still bothering him at all. I doubt it is, but it’s still something to keep an eye on.
We’ll also want to see Taillon in actual game action after being out of that atmosphere since 2013. And, of course, we’ll get to see Jung Ho Kang and how his timeline progresses. Optimistically, he’ll be ready for Opening Day. But if he’s not, he should be ready sometime in April.
The bevy of talented prospects on the cusp
2016 is going to be a special year for the Pirates in terms of young talent reaching the majors. The team has four top prospects that could and should hit the majors this season in Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Taillon, Josh Bell, and Alen Hanson. The first three names won’t be with the big league team until June at the earliest, but Hanson has a chance to make the team out of the gate, especially if Kang is a no-go. And while performance in the spring doesn’t usually determine who makes the big league club, it could influence the team’s decision with Hanson.
March is our first chance of the year to see these top prospects in action. Glasnow and Taillon already faced off against each other in the Black & Gold game, but it will be exciting to see how Glasnow does against major leaguers. Will his fastball blow experienced players away like Cole’s did in his rookie year? Again, Glasnow, Taillon, and Bell won’t make the Opening Day roster, but it will certainly be exciting seeing how they do against major league competition.
Position battles and competing for final roster spots
Where spring performance does sometimes come into play is in determining the final roster spots. Two years ago, Andrew Lambo didn’t make the roster because of his terrible spring play. Last year, John Holdzkom was the odd man out in the bullpen, even after lighting up the previous September in his short time up. This spring, there will be at least some minor controversy when the final roster cuts are announced, even though many of the players that don’t make the roster will return to the majors at some point in the season. Some players will be sent to the minors because they have options remaining, while others will just be the odd men out. Players that don’t have options will have to pass through waivers in order to remain with the team. Last year, Pedro Florimon was able to clear waivers after not making the Opening Day roster.
This March, the stiffest competition will be for the final bullpen spot, which is typically the case every year. The bullpen will almost certainly include Mark Melancon, Tony Watson, Jared Hughes, Neftali Feliz, Juan Nicasio, and Arquimedes Caminero. But the seventh and final bullpen spot will be up for grabs as a number of different players will be competing for it, including Kyle Lobstein, Eric O’Flaherty, John Holdzkom, Rob Scahill, Trey Haley, and Daniel Bard, among others. Lobstein and O’Flaherty may have the edge if the team wants to keep a second lefty behind Watson, but there are no rules saying Clint Hurdle needs two lefties. Many would like to see Holdzkom be given another shot at the majors after battling injuries last year, and Rob Scahill was effective in a small sample size last season.
The bench will also be interesting to watch, especially the final spot. Sean Rodriguez and Jason Rogers figure to be locks, but after that it gets murky. Does the team trust those two to handle the fourth outfield position, or will Matt Joyce emerge as a better option in that capacity? Does Pedro Florimon’s defensive prowess and major league experience give him an edge over Alen Hanson? Will the team surprise us and go with three catchers from the get-go and carry Elias Diaz? There will likely be five bench spots if the team goes with a seven-man bullpen, with Chris Stewart and the other end of the first base platoon (John Jaso or Mike Morse) occupying two of those spots. If Rodriguez and Rogers make the team like they should, that leaves Florimon, Joyce, Hanson, Diaz, and Jake Goebbert likely battling for that last spot, or two if Kang isn’t ready for Opening Day.
These final spots in the pen and the bench are important for the roster, as the team will need every contributor possible to compete in the top-heavy NL Central.
Player improvements from last season
Major league players, especially the better ones, don’t see too much action in spring training. And when they do, many use that time to tinker with things or to try to find little ways to improve their game. This spring, there are definitely a few players that will look to work on some things and improve in certain areas from last year.
Gregory Polanco will likely try to improve his discipline on the base-paths, while John Jaso looks to get as much time at first base as possible. Josh Harrison will adjust to being the full-time starting second basemen, and while he’s played there as a utility man, we saw him struggle defensively at times transitioning to a starting role at third last year. Will Starling Marte build upon the improved power he showed last season? How will Ray Searage work to improve new acquisitions Jon Niese, Ryan Vogelsong, Neftali Feliz, and Juan Nicasio? Can Jordy Mercer put together good offensive half-seasons into one full quality season?
This spring training for the Pirates will not be short of storylines and topics to keep an eye on. Remember not to focus on the outcomes of the games as lineups and pitching match-ups will change frequently and often seem arbitrary. Rather, focus on injuries, prospects, position battles, and players moving to new positions. And as March moves forward, just know that in a little over a month, regular season baseball will finally be back.
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