The Pirates have announced a slew of non-roster invitations to Spring Training, including some new signings. Former big leaguers Tom Koehler and Nik Turley have evidently inked new deals with the Pittsburgh organization after qualifying for minor-league free agency at the end of the 2019 season.
Koehler spent last year with the Bucs, making some strides in his effort to return from shoulder surgery but not fully turning the corner. The 33-year-old is now two full seasons removed from the majors. In 784 1/3 innings at the game’s highest level, he carries a 4.39 ERA. Koehler obviously showed enough for the club to think there’s still a shot at a rebound.
As for the left-handed Turley, he hasn’t recorded any professional stats at all in the past two seasons owing to suspension and injury. He briefly made it to the majors in 2017 with the Twins but was knocked around in 17 2/3 innings.
Among the other players now slated to participate in MLB camp are Montana DuRapau, Luis Escobar, and Williams Jerez. All three were outrighted in one fell swoop at the outset of the offseason. Having cleared waivers, they remained with the Pittsburgh organization. The same occurred a few weeks earlier for James Marvel, who also gets an invite after debuting last year with the Bucs. Also receiving camp invitations are minor-leaguer catchers Christian Kelley and Jason Delay, hurlers Nick Mears and Blake Weiman, and outfielder Jared Oliva.
dont think the former two ever elected for free agency. neither ever left Indianapolis’s roster per milb.com
Why can’t we bring in anyone good? I’m fine with Escobar and Oliva making the trip.
I’d also keep an eye on Oliva here. he could take CF out of spring training if Marte is dealt.
I wonder how many guys named Montana made it to the big leagues?
There’s Hanna
Lol
Wasn’t Montana DuRapau Lando Calision’s co-pilot?
Hope the new gm does well. Since they didn’t sign any real free agents they need to get the most out of their expiring contract players and move them at deadline. Only marte and Frazier have max value now. Maybe archer, kela, bell can increase their trade value. Unless the new pitching coach is amazing then they can contend for the division. Crazy odds that happens. Just saying all their starters at one point have shown elite talent.
They’ve already claimed last place in the central my man. I sure appreciate your wishful thinking, but win the division? come on. There are so many question marks, and pitching is #1. It’s wonderful a whole new regime was brought in, it’s going to be a nice change, however, same owner, same unwillingness to EVER spend real money to be bring in done REAL talent. Pirates are set to have The lowest/second lowest payroll in all of baseball at 69 million. And that’s with Martes cap hit. If he’s traded, the payroll will be a record low 60 million. Is this like for real? No one is asking the clown owner to even be in the top half of the league in spending. They are going to be 30b something million below what MILWAUKEE will spend this year. That should never ever happen, but it is.
How in the hell can you look at this owner and think actual winning is important to the guy? Based on that payroll number, you just can’t. He is hated by so many in Pittsburgh, I wish he’d gtfo and never come back, with that jerkoff face of his and that fake smile. Please save us from this man, doing such a disservice to the city of Pittsburgh.
Think any comparison to the brewers payroll is a bit silly when they annually draw 700,000 to a million more fans per season then the pirates.
That said, I mostly agree with you .. in my opinion owners are the biggest plague on the game currently…. Total b…s..t tax funded stadiums and sweetheart agreements all around the country only to have owners act as middle men and hold fan bases captive..
the massively profitable MLB should own all 30 teams with proper revenue sharing.. team owners should be share holders in mlb only.. and teams should be ran by mlb employees. It’s total crap that some teams have all star owners while other teams are ran by the too cheap or too poor. The dodgers and yankees can’t play each other every series, so it’s total crap they have more money to play with..
Or atleast make it like the premier league and reshuffle divisions based on spending, maybe Yankees redsox dodgers cubs etc, would think twice about going north of 200 million if only one playoff spot available or make a wild card. Def would reduce odds of two high spenders making the world series that way.
Too be fair the Brewers have consistently been better than the Pirates owing some of that attendance difference. Pittsburgh has shown that if the Pirates are contending they support them.
No one at MLB offices truly wants to “call out” what the league has become. They appear to have no interest in providing true parity for all Teams. The model is broken and it’s been a sham for many years.
wouldn’t surprise me if they invited tom Prince or john wehner
…
Or,maybe film the opposing pitcher & catcher from CF and bang out the sign on a bubble gum can –OH, THAT WAS DONE ALREADY TO “win” A CHAMPIONSHIP!! Last year, pirate pitchers seemed to just yell out what’s coming, except in rare occasions where Brault or Musgrove had nice games.
I said if by some crazy odds the new pitching coach is amazing. I know their pitching is terrible. Was just saying that a couple years ago Williams was one of the better pitchers stats wise. Low era. Archer at one time was good. Musgrove has shown flashes of greatness. He would be great at relief. Kuhl had good stuff. They say Keller is a elite prospect. I havnt seen it yet. I am sure the pitching coach won’t fix them all. But the division is weak. The winner might not even have 90 wins.
The team never has a high pay roll but usually does the right thing. The big expensive free agents usually don’t pan out and the 200 million dollar ones are too much for a small market. They locked up clutch marte. Signed Martin when they needed a good catcher. Resigned lirano n nova. Now they should of kept happ. They spend money smartly. Main problem where they fail and are cheap or weak is development. Unless they had a high draft pick they didn’t develop much home grown talent.
Pirates always seem to bank on rotations where everyone will need to have a career year for them to compete, even when they were winning. Always too many question marks.
darn lot of planets have to allign for the pirates to compete
I’m ok with Marvel. He’s certainly worth a look
Yucko. Surprised they didn’t sign Willie Mays Hays, Pedro Cerrano and Rick Vaughn.
Major League is exactly what came to my mind.
He’s dead!
Then cross him off the list.
Would like to see them take on Happ if his return can net a decent prospect or two. I know, never going to happen but it’s the kind of thinking pirates need to engage in.
undoubtedly these moves will put the buccos over the top and chase the NL pennant! what a joke
The pirates arent going to sign any free agents. They are rebuilding even though they won’t say so. So why would you sign s bug name then. Give the new team a chance. Only major changes will come through trades. The yinzers are so predictable with their ignorance
Sounds like they are trying to field a college team.
Sitting on my desk is a team signed baseball of the worst team the Pirates ever had, the 1952 Pirates who were 40 and 112 but then the rebuilding began in earnest. Branch Ricky had a reported 500 players under contract and it took time and patience for finally in 1958 they came in fourth , prompting Bob Friend to comment that their share of the World Series money “would at least pay for the coal for winter.”
Well we all know what happened then as in 1960 they took it all and the only day I ever stayed home from work when I was not sick was that memorable 7th game and suddenly it was all worth the pain and anguish of seeing constant 7th and 8th place finishes.
Now we are building again and there are a lot of prospects who may be our next Roberto,,Law, Face, Maz , Groat , Burgess, Virdon or even Christopher who scored two runs in the series and never was at bat.
Keep the faith there are a lot of frogs before you find a prince .
Sitting on my desk is a team signed baseball of the worst team the Pirates ever had, the 1952 Pirates who were 40 and 112 but then the rebuilding began in earnest. Branch Ricky had a reported 500 players under contract and it took time and patience for finally in 1958 they came in fourth , prompting Bob Friend to comment that their share of the World Series money “would at least pay for the coal for winter.”
Well we all know what happened then as in 1960 they took it all and the only day I ever stayed home from work when I was not sick was that memorable 7th game and suddenly it was all worth the pain and anguish of seeing constant 7th and 8th place finishes.
Now we are building again and there are a lot of prospects who may be our next Roberto,,Law, Face, Maz ,