Pirates GM Neal Huntington Show: Pedro Alavez Available Today.

The Neal Huntington Show

notes from today. Once again, this is recapped as quickly and briefly as possible. If you have questions send them to us on Twitter and we will give our take on the show.

The tweet question of the week was from @silkychubbs:

The secondary stats of Lincoln are good, why not give him a shot in the rotation?

Brad had a tough stretch.  His fastball was elevated.  His change and curve couldn’t be thrown for strikes when he was behind in counts.  Obviously, sample size is important when looking at Lincoln.  Subjective is important.  We are looking for more good starts, Neal then said whether that is… one, three, five, or ten starts.

GB: Are Karstens and Lincoln seperate? Or would Lincoln take Karstens spot if he struggles: 

We can’t take away what Karstens has done.  Jeff has given us a chance to win.  He deserves a better fate.  We need more time– (on Lincoln)  The sixth starter would be in AAA.  Burres has had some tough starts then good starts.  Lincoln next.

We probably would be deciding between Brian Burres and Brad Lincoln right now.

Greg Brown:  What impact did your Mom have on you?

Dad and Mom, two brothers.  My Mom is one of the most special people I will ever meet.   My wife and I have three great kids.  You realize what you put your parents through and trying to reach that standard that my Mom and Dad set for me.  I have called her.  I don’t call her enough.  I need to call her more.  My Dad is in his mid-70’s and works everyday.  My Mom told me she retired from nursing.

Neal then said the famous Bear Bryant quote: “guys please call your Mom, I wish I could.”

GB: Has Daniel McCutchen found his nitch?

We hate to pigeon hole or give up on a guy as a starter.  Sometimes you get that guy in no mans land.  It’s tough to argue with what he has done.  He has been able to pitch effectively off his changeup.  Chad Durbin is a guy like this.

GB: Did Ohlendorf suffer setback?

Good days and days that aren’t as good.  My statement of day-to-day was misunderstood.  Week by week would probably been a better statement.  Each day builds upon the other.  If we have a day where we don’t move forward.  Series of good days and some days where we took sidesteps.

It’s more than getting healthy.  Making a mechanical adjustment.  Big picture is want him healthy.  And effective for us.

GB: Disabled list for Pedro?

He is available for Clint today off the bench.  Pedro could pinch hit today.

GB:  Alex Presley wouldn’t come up if Pedro would go to DL, is Josh Harrison a possibility?

We always like Josh.  He can swing the bat, run.  He is a tough out.  The groin strain ten days ago would be awfully tough to ask him to come up.  Alex continues to take step forward.

He is almost pigeon holed with Steve Pearce.  (Hurdle) is limited what he can do with him.  Ciriaco is on the roster.  Maybe that’s just as easy.

GB:  Starling Marte is wowing people at AA.

Starling can do a lot of things on a baseball field.  We are still working through some strike zone discipline with Marte.  We are very pleased with where he is right now.  But we still have some work to do.

GB:  Outfield in three years if you were to project a little bit…

If Gorkys continues to develop, that bat continues to play, he is shortening his swing. But sometimes it gets long.   If Lambo can become the kind of hitter we think he can become…. if Presley continues….it could be a fun group.  ( It was easy to feel Huntington’s smile through the radio)

To look three years from now, you look at Tabata, Jones, McCutchen first.  What we hope is we are going to have a lot of options.  They are all very athletic.  We may not have a thirty home run hitter in that group, but the game is shifting.  Those guys seem to be few and far between.

GB:  McCutchen extension?

It makes it so difficult to discuss if we respond to every rumor out there.  (Neal started talking about other players getting extensions and the risk going to the club.)  We are always going to stay vague.

GB: What about from a fan commitment side?  Or fans who say, I will believe it when they sign McCutchen? 

I guess some of the feedback we received in year one when we signed Snell, Capps, Doumit was good.  But we need to sign good baseball deals.  If they aren’t producing in year five of that deal, that hurts the club.  We can’t worry about appeasing people, we need to do the right things to put winning team on the field.

GB: Charlie Morton success?

There was a reason we stuck with Charlie.  His four seamer moves more than most two seamers.  He is still learning on the fly with this new arm slot.  (More gushing on Morton’s confidence and mechanics.)

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