The Pirates signed Fernando Nieve, Andy Marte and Dusty Brown to minor league deals and invited them to Spring Training, the team announced. Nieve, 28, pitched 42 innings in 2010, posting a 6.00 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 before the Mets granted him free agency. The right-hander has allowed 1.6 homers per nine innings over the course of his four-year MLB career.
Marte, a former top prospect, failed to make an impact in parts of five seasons with the Indians. Now 27, the third baseman has a .218/.277/.358 line in 924 career plate appearances. The Indians released him last month.
Brown, 28, appeared in seven games for the 2010 Red Sox, but has spent most of his ten-year career in the minors. He has a .259/.340/.389 line in a decade's worth of minor league plate appearances. The Red Sox dropped him from their 40-man roster in October.
For a team where most of its starters are bench players or worse on another team, these are great depth signings for the Pirates!
Minimal risk signings that could be productive… Nothing wrong with that.
Exactly, it may not be overwhelming signings that make the difference at the end. Not that the Pirates will compete but its the small deals that usually make the difference.
Right – There are always players that end up having great years based on minor league or minimal 1 year deals (Benoit, for example).
If the Pirates hit on one of these guys, it’s a success. Even if they don’t, it’s not like they mortgaged the future or broke the bank to over pay a free agent.
Right – There are always players that end up having great years based on minor league or minimal 1 year deals (Benoit, for example).
If the Pirates hit on one of these guys, it’s a success. Even if they don’t, it’s not like they mortgaged the future or broke the bank to over pay a free agent.
Amazing!
Marte does have potential to be a cheap utility man but other than that, very uninspiring. Every team signs these types of players though.
He also has a solid career pitching line. Micro sample size, but ERA 0.00 WHIP 0.00 BB/9 0.0 K/9 9.0.
Run him out there!
These are some pretty good minor league signings. I noticed that Ryan Garko was released the same day as Nieve. Would e be a good compliment to Jones?
He’s a lefty too… They’re looking for a platoon partner with Jones.
It doesn’t matter what hand you use, it just matters how you hit the pitches. Garko slugs lefties and Jones slugs righties according to the spilts of LHP vs. RHP for the past 2 seasons.
Garko bats right-handed…
Actually Garko bats right-handed…
baseball-reference.com/players/g/garkory01.shtml
Consider me corrected. I have no idea where I got that or why I thought that..
Can’t say they’re not trying!
Fernando Nieve could be very heflpful in the bullpen as a spot starter long reliever.
Maybe now, they’ll forget about Scott Olsen!
I think at this point for the Pirates, you sign guys like this, who were expected to do big things and fell short in hopes they all just become inspired, looking to play good and show the big teams they’re worth signing.
You never know what a group of underdogs can do…probably nothing but there’s always that chance…
And the mystery continues as to why the pirates have not had a winner in 20 years….. sounds like a case for the Hardley Boys
I’m pretty sure they’re busy investigating the Cubs right now.
Dave Littlefield devolved us back into the stone age. I’m still scratching my head on drafting Daniel Moskos and the Aramis Ramirez trade.
Huntington actually has a plan for long term success
There is no doubt why the Pirates have 18 straight losing seasons, because every year their biggest off season moves are trading a helpful player for nobody or signing a bunch of Fernado Nieves, Andy Martes, Dusty Browns, Ramon Vazque… you get my massage right? good luck with year #19!!!!
The Bucs signed these guys for depth between Pittsburgh and Indy, their Triple-A affiliate, nothing more and nothing less.
The Bucs probably will have their 19th consecutive losing season next year, but this team is moving in the right direction (finally!). They’ve got 4 quality starting pitchers making the move from AA to AAA next season and they should all be in Pittsburgh by the end of 2012. The Pirates are trending upward baby!
I wonder what happened to Bryan Bullington, Kip Wells, Kris Benson, Dave Williams they were supposed to end the Pirates losing ways, were are they now? or what did they brought back? I truly want the Pirates to win but after 10 years waiting I lost my faith. Right know the situation is hopeless, we draft a young pitcher and what happens? what happened to Zach Duke, Oliver Perez and what is going to happen to Brad Lincoln and the Tailison guy some cheap pitching coach comes and before you know it they are signing minor league contracts with other teams or worst traded in some stupid trade.
You named a bunch of pitchers that didn’t work out… You seemed to forget Bronson Arroyo, Tim Wakefield, Aramis Ramirez (not a pitcher but whatever).
“we draft a young pitcher and what happens? what happened to Zach Duke, Oliver Perez and what is going to happen to Brad Lincoln and the Tailison guy”. I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t say we when you obviously have nothing to say about the Pirates. Duke was taken in the 20th round. How many other 20th rounds players from the 2001 draft are still even in the MLB? Perez isn’t our problem anymore, that’s all on the Mets now. Lincoln is only 25 and Taillon just turned 19 last month.
You’re obviously pissed off at something other than the moves the Pirates make.. Oh and by the way, “or worst traded in some stupid trade.” McLouth is horrible in Atlanta and has had multiple DL stints. Bay played 95 games last year and only hit .259. Sanchez has hit the DL multiple times, Perez will never be a reliable starter again in his career, Nady played 66 games for the Yankees in 2 years, Damaso Marte has a 6.02 ERA with the Yankees.. Do you see why they were traded now or are you too closed minded to see that Tabata, McCutchen, Alvarez, Taillon, Walker and Sanchez are the future of the Pirates? Keep living in the past bud.
You are both ignorant to minor league organizational depth and a horrific speller/sentence constructer. Know (not)= now. where (not)= were… and my personal favorite… “what did they brought back?”
Dude.. if you want a fragment of credibility, take a remedial middle school grammar course
You are both ignorant to minor league organizational depth and a horrific speller/sentence constructer. Know (not)= now. where (not)= were… and my personal favorite… “what did they brought back?”
Dude.. if you want a fragment of credibility, take a remedial middle school grammar course
You are both ignorant to minor league organizational depth and a horrific speller/sentence constructer. Know (not)= now. where (not)= were… and my personal favorite… “what did they brought back?”
Dude.. if you want a fragment of credibility, take a remedial middle school grammar course
You mentioned alot of Dave Littlefield hold overs. May I remind you he was a POOR judge of pitching talent. (Can’t say the same for hitting cuz he found Bay, Walker, and Mcutchen)
Don’t think so? Look at the 2006 Draft, where he picked Lincoln over Brandon Morrow, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum, and Max Scherzer!!
Why not also mention Luis Heredia? He’s the 16 year old Mexican pitcher who the Pirates signed in August. Or Jeff Locke? He was acquired from the Braves in the Mclouth deal last year. He’s currently ptiching for the defending AA champion Altoona Curve.
I wonder what happened to Bryan Bullington, Kip Wells, Kris Benson, Dave Williams they were supposed to end the Pirates losing ways, were are they now? or what did they brought back? I truly want the Pirates to win but after 10 years waiting I lost my faith. Right know the situation is hopeless, we draft a young pitcher and what happens? what happened to Zach Duke, Oliver Perez and what is going to happen to Brad Lincoln and the Tailison guy some cheap pitching coach comes and before you know it they are signing minor league contracts with other teams or worst traded in some stupid trade.
well hopefully the there just signed will help in some way. Gawd knows the Pirates need it.
Sad to see Brown leave Boston. Would have been satisfied with him as a backup catcher but it makes sense if the need wasn’t there at the time. Marte seems to have the most potential upside, no? Though yeah his time to turn into a solid everyday player has likely come and gone, still a decent group of signings for a team that has to hope someone unexpected emerges as an important piece.
Good Depth signings Marte will probably be a partime bench/spot starter to replace Adams lil bro. And i do understand peoples frustration with the bucs, (@Sife) but come on your best examples of players picked are mostly ones nobody should of made anywhere near the first or second round remember i think it was dave littlefield that said when he drafted bryan bullington in the first round and said has a chance to be a good 3-4 starter. Are you F-ing kidding me thats way even i have trouble sometimes being a pirates fan.
Marte is a good man, with a good glove. Cleveland brought him up and down and mess this kid up in my opinion ( i love the tribe) but i want to see marte produce and have a long career. He has a a little pop too. dont forget he use to be the best prospect in all of baseball!
Marte is a good man, with a good glove. Cleveland brought him up and down and mess this kid up in my opinion ( i love the tribe) but i want to see marte produce and have a long career. He has a a little pop too. dont forget he use to be the best prospect in all of baseball!
Can’t really imagine any of these guys actually helping the Pirates, but any team could use a guy like Marte on a minor league deal.