Bullpen Notebook: Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle on Melancon, Caminero; Usage
Scahill stands tall in return, recent call-ups getting work early
Rob Scahill’s first call-up to the Pittsburgh Pirates this season lasted only 16 days and wasn’t a very confidence-inspiring visit, allowing six hits and four earned runs over six innings in eight appearances. He was sent back to Triple-A Indianapolis when Jared Hughes was activated from the disabled list on April 30.
So far, Scahill’s second visit is off to a very good start since being re-called Wednesday. He made his first appearance Thursday in the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, entering in the seventh inning with runners on first and second with no outs in relief of Kyle Lobstein, who also made his first appearance since being called up Wednesday, but couldn’t retire either of the two batters he faced.
“We didn’t put him in an easy spot by any means,” manager Clint Hurdle said after the game. “Once the count got to 2-0 (against Chris Owings), he was able to attack.”
Scahill forced Owings to ground into a 6-4-3 double play, and then got Yasmany Tomas to fly out to right field to end the inning.
“He threw strikes, the velocity played, the location of the fastball played,” Hurdle said. “The double play was a nice tipping point for us.”
Schugel gets 1st big league win the hard way
Rookie right-hander A.J. Schugel also made his second appearance for the Pittsburgh Pirates since being re-called from Triple-A on Tuesday. He was tasked with protecting a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning, but after getting a ground out and a strikeout from the first two batters, he loaded the bases with two singles and a walk before Paul Goldschmidt lined a base hit to center field to tie the game.
Schugel eventually finished the inning with a fly out by Jake Lamb, but had lost the lead for Gerrit Cole, who had been the pitcher of record. But Josh Harrison’s pinch-hit RBI double in the bottom half of the inning re-gained the lead and the Pirates held on, earning Schugel his first Major League victory.
Hurdle praises Melancon’s selflessness
Hurdle called on closer Mark Melancon in the ninth inning, even though it wasn’t a save situation and the Pirates led by five. Melancon allowed a one-out single by Lamb, but then got a strikeout and a pop out on the infield to end the game.
Hurdle explained after the game that he chose Melancon because he didn’t want to go to Jared Hughes after having pitched three days in a row and in four of the last five.
“We didn’t have as many options as it might have looked like,” Hurdle said. “Hughes was not going to pitch today unless he had to. Once Melancon’s pitch count got to where it was in the ninth, we got (Hughes) up.”
Hurdle had already used four relievers to get through the eighth inning, and Wilfredo Boscan threw 64 pitches in Monday’s win against the Colorado Rockies, making him unavailable.
“That’s not the time you want to send your closer out there,” Hurdle said. “But it speaks to Mark’s mentality and grit. He’s been fantastic that way, and I can’t tell you what a blessing that is as well to have a closer that doesn’t act like one because I’ve been through different situations where that can be challenging if you have a closer that acts like a closer. We don’t have that here.”
Caminero’s struggles remain a mystery
One of the reasons for the influx of bullpen arms was Arquimedes Caminero being placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a quadriceps strain. Caminero was shelved after hitting Jean Segura and Nick Ahmed with high and inside pitches in back-to-back innings Tuesday night.
Caminero was ejected for hitting Ahmed in the eighth inning after both benches had been warned when David Freese was hit by Arizona’s Evan Marshall in the bottom of the seventh.
Control has been an issue for Caminero this season, having walked 13 batters in 17.1 innings and hitting three more.
“We’ve continued to have conversations with him and talk with him,” Hurdle said after Tuesday night’s 12-1 victory. “I’m trying to keep it simple, trying to keep the work positive. It’s hard to pitch him in leverage situations. That was one of the areas where he was able to do a lot of different work for us last year. Basically, now it’s when you’re underneath and behind or you’re ahead, so it has been a challenge.”
Caminero recorded 29 walks with 73 strikeouts in 74.2 innings last season with a 3.62 ERA.
“These are some of the things that he probably was experiencing before we got him,” Hurdle said. “We’re doing everything we can to try to slow this thing down and get it back in the right lane.”
Clubhouse gets lift from Vogelsong
Before Thursday’s game, long reliever Ryan Vogelsong visited the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse for the first time since being hit in the face by a pitch. Hurdle said he talked with Vogelsong in his office before going out to the dugout.
“To be able to come here and see him today was really good for everyone because it’s been heavy on our hearts and heavy on our minds,” Hurdle said. “It’s a good community here.”
Vogelsong made a spot start against the Rockies in the re-scheduled game Monday after Sunday’s game was rained out. He was batting against Jordan Lyles in the second inning when a 92-mph fastball hit him in the cheek. He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital with facial fractures and the team placed him on the 15-day DL.
“It’s good to see him up and moving around,” said Gerrit Cole. “You know he wanted to be here and get back with the boys. It’s always nice when you can get a brother back in the clubhouse, especially after a scary moment like that.”
The trip to the ballpark Thursday came immediately following Vogelsong’s release from the hospital, per his wife Nicole’s Twitter account.
“He wanted to see a game,” Hurdle said. “He needed to get out of that environment. He got to see a long one, too. He got to see a whole lot of stuff.”
Josh Taylor is an award-winning sports personality who currently serves as a producer/host on Trib Live Radio as well as appearing on KDKA‘s sports coverage and programming.
Featured Image Credit – Daniel Decker Photography
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