Buc Notes: February 21, 2016

RHP Ryan Vogelsong is a hot topic among the baseball writers covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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MLB.com’s Mike Bauman just wrote a glowing story about Vogelsong, particularly noting his drive and his motivation. Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington had this to say about Vogelsong: “We saw some good things, we saw some things we thought we could help him with,” and “He’s hungry. He’s driven. He wants to come back.”

A lot of ink has been spent reporting on Vogelsong, and rightfully so – the club’s starting rotation is always a hot topic come spring training. In the case of the Pirates, it is compounded by the presence of top pitching prospects Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Taillon. Both are perceived to be right around the corner ready to join the rotation.

Meanwhile, Jeff Locke, was rated by Baseball Prospectus, as one of three Pirates starters likely to improve this season:

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang (27) hugs starting pitcher Jeff Locke (49). Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

(%breakout / %improve)

Jon Niese, 27%/61%
Gerrit Cole, 24%/60%
Jeff Locke, 18%/50%
Francisco Liriano, 13%/44%
Ryan Vogelsong, 15%/40%

Certainly, Vogelsong is a feel good story about the 38 year old returning to Pittsburgh for a second tour of duty with the Wizard of Bradenton, Pirates Pitching Coach Ray Searage- but his numbers were certainly not as good as Locke’s in 2015 and they certainly were below those of Jon Niese. Plus, Locke was reported putting in a lot of extra time working with Searage. Either way, the Pirates are sitting in a decent enough position pertaining to their starting rotation. Yes, A.J. Burnett’s control and predictability will be missed but one of the trio of Niese, Locke or Vogelsong will surely improve substantially this season.

Adam Berry was busy reporting on the role, if any, Kyle Lobstein and Juan Nicasio might play. With top prospects Glasnow and Taillon slated to imminently arrive and a set rotation of Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, Jon Niese, Ryan Vogelsong and Jeff Locke ready to start the season, Lobstein and Nicasio are the deep depth the club needs in case something goes terribly wrong. Nicasio, for sure, seems to be a lock for a spot in the Pirates bullpen when the season starts.

The Tribune-Review’s Rob Biertempfel wrote on the major expectations facing Tyler Glasnow and reminded us of the baseball economics behind Glasnow not joining the rotation early in the season: “If they keep Glasnow in the minors until at least mid-June; the Pirates can stall his arbitration-eligibility clock from ticking.

In a separate piece (Birtempfel’s cranking out copy from Pirate City), he takes us thru Bucs history re-imagined: a win in game 7 of the 1992 NLCS versus the Atlanta Braves. Pirates instructor, Mike “Spanky” LaValierre and then game 7 catcher for the club, still maintains that Sid Bream was out at home. For Spanky, it was “the lowest point of his career.”

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