Vin Mazzaro, Chris McGuiness Elect Free Agency

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Vin Mazzaro

has declared free agency” width=”414″ height=”504″ /> Vin Mazzaro has declared free agency

Right handed pitcher Vin Mazzaro and first baseman Chris McGuiness have declared free agency.  Mazzaro pitched well for the Pirates during the 2013 season, but the Bucs seemed disinterested in him during the 2014 season.  He did not receive a call up during September.  McGuiness hit well for the AAA Indianapolis Indians, but could never get the call to the big leagues despite the Pirates struggles at the first base position.

During the 2014 season, Neal Huntington made it a point to express his surprise that no other Major League Club picked up Mazzaro who was outrighted twice during the year.  Mazzaro couldn’t crack the Buccos roster after being the go to guy in long relief during the 2013 season.  Mazzaro had something the Bucs didn’t like during 2014, perhaps his lower velocity?  How nobody in baseball wanted Vin Mazzaro was surprising.  Perhaps, and this is just a wild guess, teams were as curious as we were on why he couldn’t crack a Bucs bullpen that was anything but stellar for better parts of the year.

Vin Mazzaro has been lights out in the long relief role for the Pittsburgh Pirates

McGuiness came over from the Rangers for Miles Mikolas in December.  The Pirates had very few options at the first base position at that time. But during spring training McGuiness failed to land a roster spot.  While with Indianapolis he failed to impress and was designated for assignment.   Until he destroys pitching at the AAA level, it’s hard to see McGuiness getting a spot on a big league roster especially when one considers how badly the Bucs needed a first baseman in the 2014 season.