Pirates Ink Hudson to Two-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates added to the back end of their bullpen yesterday when they signed veteran set-up man Daniel Hudson to a two-year 11 million dollar contract. Hudson has had two Tommy John Surgeries and is looking for a bounce back year in 2017.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been looking to add to their pitching staff all off-season long as both starting pitching and relief pitching are a big need for this team. The Pirates addressed some of the relief questions when they signed veteran Daniel Hudson to a two-year 11-Million dollar contract yesterday adding to the back end of their bullpen.

Hudson pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season going 3-2 with a 5.22 ERA while striking out 58 and walking 22 in 60.1 innings of work. Hudson missed all of the 2013 season and most of the 2014 season after going through two Tommy John surgeries and he has been trying to fight back ever since. Once a top starter for the Diamondbacks, Hudson has had to move to the bullpen following his injuries and he is looking for a new start to his career.

Hudson features a fastball in the upper 90's that he uses effectively to mix in with his off-speed stuff. His average fast ball velocity a season ago was 96.44 mph which would fit nicely between Felipe Rivero and Tony Watson in the back end of the Pirates bullpen. With Hudson, you get a veteran pitcher who is looking to return to form following a couple of down years due to injuries.

One thing I really like about Hudson is his strikeout numbers. He struck out 58 batters in just over 60 innings of work last season and had a K/9 ratio of 8.65. Hudson will more than likely slide into the eighth inning role that Watson held and will use his fastball to get some key outs late in ball games, much like Neftali Feliz did last season for the Pirates. Hudson's walk numbers are a little higher than you would like to see from your set-up man with 22 in 60 innings of work, but Ray Searage will get a chance to work with Hudson and try to bring back his electric stuff that we saw in the 2011 season when he went 16-12 as a starting pitcher.

Another thing I like from Hudson is his passion for the game. This is something that cannot be measured by a stat sheet or a scorecard, but is essential for every good baseball team. When Mark Melancon started as the Pirates closer, you didnt see any big fist pumps or excited yells when he got outs. However, as he continued to close games for the Pirates that passion and excitement got higher and higher and now you see him yell in excitement every time he closes a game.

This fire is something you love to see, especially in the back end of the bullpen. It fires both the fan base up and the players around you. In watching videos of Hudson pitch, he wears his emotion on his sleeve and and gets fired up when he gets big outs. This passion will be a welcome addition to the Pirates bullpen and can light a fire under not only the pitching staff but the offense as well.

With Tony Watson scheduled to be the Pirates closer in 2017, Daniel Hudson will be the guy who comes in in the eighth inning to set up for Watson. However, if Watson does struggle as the closer, Hudson is a guy who can step in and take over the reigns as the Pirates closer. Watson only has one more year on his contract left and if the Pirates feel that they have to let him go, Hudson could step in and close in 2018 for the Pirates as well.

I personally love the addition of Hudson as it adds another strong arm to the back end of the Pirates bullpen. With a starting staff that is projected to be very young this season, it will be essential for the bullpen to perform at the highest level possible. The Pirates are trying to shorten the game with a reliable back end of the bullpen of Rivero-Hudson-Watson to give the starting pitching more of a cushion. Only time will tell if it plays out as planned, but for now the shark tank welcomes another big arm to feast on opposing batters.

Could the Pirates Make a Push for Jered Weaver?

With the Christmas Season fast approaching the Pittsburgh Pirates still have some things they need to check off their list before the 2017 season begins. One of those things is their need to sign a veteran starting pitcher and, in a thin market, Jered Weaver could be the answer for the Pirates.

With the winter meetings done and over with and all of the Andrew McCutchen trade rumors dying down, the Pittsburgh Pirates still have a lot of work to do before the 2017 Major League Baseball season begins. They need to replenish their bench with the losses of Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez and bullpen help would be a big boost for this team as well.

However, the biggest need facing the Pirates this off-season is their lack of veteran presence in the starting rotation. If the season were to begin today, the Pirates rotation would consist of Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Chad Kuhl, and a battle between Tyler Glasnow, Wade LeBlanc, Steven Brault, Drew Hutchison, and Trevor Williams for the final two spots in the rotation. Looking at those names the only player above the age of 26 is LeBlanc and he along with Cole are the only two to have more than one year of MLB experience.

While having the young talent and the fresh arms is nice, there is no one in this rotation who has experience pitching deep into the post-season like the Pirates are aiming to do. Taking a look at the free agent market, there are not many top notch free agent options and the Pirates are not a team that is going to swing a block buster trade. That leaves them to look at the second tier starters and there are some intriguing names on the list.

Earlier in the off-season I made the case that the Pirates need to re-sign free agent starting pitcher Ivan Nova. Nova is still on the market as of now and the Pirates have expressed interest in him but, if they are not able to strike a deal with Nova that is team friendly, another name that jumps out for me is right handed pitcher and free agent Jered Weaver.

Weaver is coming off an average year for the Los Angeles Angels where he went 12-12 with a 5.06 ERA while striking out 103 and walking 51 in his 178 innings of work. Weaver is a ten year major league veteran and pitched the Angels all the way to the playoffs four times including three straight seasons from 2007-2009. Weaver is entering his age 35 season and has not pitched for any other team besides the Angels throughout his career.

Weaver has a track record of success, but has hit a bump in the road these last two seasons. He has seen his ERA jump all the way to 5.06 last season, which was the highest mark of his career, and his strikeout numbers have been down over the last two seasons. However, he has kept his good control that has been a staple of his career as he only walked 51 batters in 178 innings of work last season. 

This control is something that pitching coach Ray Searage can work with and hopefully get Weaver back to his dominant nature that he possessed for so many years with the Angels. He is a three time all-star and finished in the top ten in ERA in all of MLB from 2009-2012 and in 2014 as well. Weaver's struggles in 2016 were partially due to injuries he suffered throughout the season as he ended the 2016 season with lower back tightness pulling him from his final start of the year.

One of the positives when looking at Weaver is that his strikeouts were still up last year despite some struggles. Weaver was able to strike out 103 batters in 178 innings of work for a K/9 of 5.21. His 103 strikeouts would have been third on the team behind Juan Nicasio, 138, and former Pirate Francisco Liriano, 116. The strikeouts would be a welcome addition to the rotation and Weaver would fit quite nicely in between Cole and Taillon at the top of the Pirates rotation.

Weaver has also been very consistent in terms of ERA throughout his career. Last season was the only year in Weaver's 11 year career that his ERA was over 5.00 and he has only had two other seasons when his ERA was above 4.00. Weaver is a pitcher who has had a lot of success throughout his major league career and could help the Pirates out tremendously in 2017.

When the Pirates brought in AJ Burnett back in the 2011 season, he was able to help a young rotation finish the season strong and then come back and compete in 2012. James McDonald, the Pirates young phenom at the time, saw his numbers increase so much that he became an all-star in the 2012 season. Jered Weaver could have the same effect on this year's team guiding and mentoring the young Pirates pitchers to success this year and beyond.

If the Pirates could swing a two year deal of about 14-16 million dollars for Weaver it would be a deal that needs to be done. Weaver would add a veteran presence and proven success to the Pirates rotation. And, as we have seen in the past, Ray Searage knows how to work his magic and turn pitchers who have had down years into perennial all-stars the next season. In the season of giving, I feel the Pirates should give Weaver a chance to shine in a Pirates uniform.

Starling Marte named to 2016 Sporting News NL All-star Team

Sporting News released their annual 2016 National League All-Star team today. The Pittsburgh Pirates received good news as outfielder Starling Marte was named to the team after having a career year in 2016.

Every year, Sporting News releases its All-Star teams featuring the best players from each league including all nine position players, a starting pitcher, and a closer. The National League All-Star team was released today and the Pittsburgh Pirates got some good news along with the announcement.

Pirates left fielder Starling Marte was named to the Sporting News All-Star team for the first time in his major league career. Marte had a career year for the Pirates setting a career best in average and keeping up the run production while in the middle of the Pirates order.

Marte finished the year hitting .311 with nine homeruns and 46 RBI. Marte also added 104 strikeouts and 23 walks while stealing a career high 46 bases. Marte slipped nicely into the middle of the Pirates order and helped the team drive in runs.

Marte's 46 RBI in 2016 are second in his career behind his 2014 season when he drove in 56 runs. His home run numbers were down from a year ago as he only hit nine home runs, but he was able to get on base more this year then in any other season.

While being able to drive in runs at a high rate, Marte also upped his speed on the base paths as he stole a career high 47 stolen bases in 59 attempts which was also good to lead the Pirates team.

Marte turned up his defensive play in 2015 winning both the Gold Glove award and the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award. He continued his solid defensive play in 2016 as well as he is once again a nominee for that Gold Glove Award.

Marte finished the year with a .982 fielding percentage, four errors in 217 total chances. In his early career, Marte showed some lackadaisical tendencies and let some balls that he could get to that other cannot.

His arm, or should I say cannon, is another perk of Marte in left field. Marte had a total of 222 put outs in 2016 including 17 assists. Marte has saved the Pirates many runs throughout his career as his W.A.R sits at  19.25 for his career. In 2016 alone, his W.A.R. sat as high as 4.96.

For his efforts in the 2016 season, Starling Matte was named to his second straight MLB all-star game and played in center field where he was one for one at the plate. He adds his first ever Sporting News All-Star game with the selection today.

The other players that made the team include:

Giants catcher Buster Posey

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman

Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy

Dodgers short stop Corey Seager

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant

Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes

Nationals starter Mac Scherzer

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen

Marte had a career year in 2016 and he will be asked to do it again in the 2017 season as the Pirates look to make it back to the playoffs. If Marte keeps playing the way he is capable of, there is no doubt in my mind he will lead this team for years to come.

Pirates 2016 Grade Book: Infield

This is week two of a series of a series of six giving a grade to each of the Pittsburgh Pirates position groups in 2016. Our second week takes a look at the Pirates infielders which saw a lot of switching back and forth throughout the 2016 season.

The 2016 World Series teams have been decided in the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. for the Pittsburgh Pirates, its a time to take a look back at the season that was and look ahead to a new year in 2017. The Pirates starting pitching staff is full of guys who keep the ball on the ground so as a Pirates infielder you have to be ready on every single play.

For the Pirates in 2016, the infield was a series of moving parts with many different players playing many different positions. Whether it was because of injury or a platoon situation, the Pirates had multiple infielders play in 2016. The four we will look at for our 2017 grade are Jung Ho Kang, Jordy Mercer, Josh Harrison, and John Jaso.

Jung Ho Kang was back for his second season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and built off of an impressive rookie campaign where he just fell short of the Rookie of the Year Award. He finished the season hitting .255 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI. While the average dropped for Kang, the run-production increased and Kang fit in quite nicely in the clean-up spot for the Pirates.

Kang did start the season on the disabled list after suffering a torn ACL at the end of the 2016 season, but recovered nicely in 2016. While he didn't play as much as he did a year ago his offense stayed where it was a season ago. The power that Kang is able to produce is going to be key for this Pirates lineup that doesnt have the definitive long ball threat. In 103 games Kang hit 21 home runs this year compared to last season where he only hit 15 in 126 games a year ago.

The downfall with the power that Kang brings is his vulnerability in the strikeout category. We see it with so many of the great power hitters in the game, the home runs are great but they strikeout a ton. Kang ended up striking out in 24% of his at-bats this season, 79 in 318 at bats. If he can get that number down to 15%-18% it would put himself and the Pirates as a whole in a much better situation,

One thing that changed for Kang when he came over from the Korean Baseball League is the position he played. A natural short stop, the Pirates moved him over to third base after the struggles of Pedro Alvarez in 2015. In his rookie season at third base he had a sub-par .971 fielding percentage, 5 errors in 174 chances. Well, that defense took another dip in 2016 as his fielding percentage dropped to .934, 17 errors in 257 chances.

With a team full of ground ball pitchers, it is crucial that Kang pick up his defense in the 2017 season. Whether it be because of the knee injury or because of a drop in play, Kang will have to work on his defense here in the off-season. Kang will be entering year three of his four-year 11 million dollar contract and he will look to lead the Pirates in the middle of the order in 2017 once again while handling the hot corner.

Jordy Mercer struggled offensively in 2015, but rebounded nicely for a productive 2016 season. He ended the year hitting .256 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI. It was the second time in his major league career where he hit double-digit home runs and over 50 RBI. Mercer's 59 RBI were a career high for him in his fifth MLB season.

Mercer has been known to be a slow starter throughout his career, but 2016 was a totally different story. Mercer finished the month of April hitting .318 with one home run and 13 RBI. It was the best start to a season for Mercer in his major league career. He continued his great offensive output until the month of August where his average was .179 and it continued into September where he hit .235.

Mercer enjoyed his most productive year at the plate as a major leaguer. His previous career high in RBI was 55 which he set back in the 2014 season. His .256 average was also second in his MLB career behind his 2013 campaign when he hit .285. Mercer spent all of the 2016 season in the number seven or eight hole for the Pirates, and it was good to see him be able to drive in the runs he did.

As Mercer enjoyed success at the plate, he continued his success in the field. He was fifth among MLB short stops in fielding percentage with .985, nine errors in 607 chances. Defense has been what Mercer has been known for since joining the Pirates. He has never let his poor offensive numbers bring down his defense throughout the years.

With all of the ground ball pitchers that the Pirates posses, double plays are a big part of their game. Mercer was a big part of that in 2016 starting 95 double plays, good for second in the National League and fourth in the entire major leagues. The Pirates have always had good short stops in their history from Honus Wagner all the way to Jack Wilson, and Mercer has done a great job of keeping that success going for the Pirates.

After bouncing around for the past couple of seasons, Josh Harrison finally found a home as the everyday starter at second base for the Pirates. Harrison finished 2016 hitting .283 with four home runs and 59 RBI in 131 games played. Unfortunately, Harrison would end the year on the 60-day disabled list.

Harrison is two years removed from his all-star campaign in 2014 and his average has dropped slightly in every year since. His .283 average is his lowest average since the 2013 campaign. Even with the lower average he still managed to drive in a career high 59 runs in the top of the Pirates order.Harrison continued to control the base paths as he has throughout his career. He stole a career high 19 bases in 23 chances this season. He was second on the team behind Starling Marte who had 47 stolen bases. Harrison is one of the hardest workers on the Pirates team and uses that hustle everyday on the field.

Harrison also was able to find a defensive home at second base as well. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 first year player draft by the Chicago Cubs as a second baseman. He brought back that natural second base talent in 2016 as he finished fourth among NL second baseman with a .989 fielding percentage, seven errors in 635 chances. That was better than guys like Neil Walker, Brandon Phillips, and Ben Zobrist

Double plays were a big part of the 2016 season for Pittsburgh and both middle infielders did their parts. Harrison finished second among NL second baseman turning 97 double plays on the season. The Pirates were second in all of major league baseball behind the Texas Rangers in double plays per game with 1.06. Harrison turned into one of the top defensive years of any Pirates infielder this season and will look to recover and continue that string in 2017.

The final member of the Pirates infield was trying his hand at a new position in 2016. John Jaso was trying his hand at first base for the first time in his career in 2016. He had been a catcher and an outfielder in previous seasons, but was signed to a two year deal to help the Pirates at the first base position. He performed rather well with a .994 fielding percentage, five errors in 800 chances.

Jaso was a welcome sight in the field for the Pirates this season and played like a natural first baseman. The Pirates have been known for wanting versatility in their players and Jaso will have to resort to that in 2017. With Josh Bell at the major league level the Pirates are asking Jaso to take reps at third base for the 2017 season.

Jaso's offense was league average in 2016 finishing the season hitting .268 with eight home runs and 42 RBI. All of Jaso's numbers were average for his career. The one stat that jumps out on his seat is the career high 74 strikeouts in 380 at-bats. In 2017, he will work to lower the number of strikeouts for 2017 so he can be a productive member of the Pirates bench.

2016 Pirates Infielder's Grade: B+

The 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates infielders produced impressive defensive numbers all season long. The middle infielders were some of the top in all of major league baseball in terms of double plays turned and fielding percentage, and we saw the emergence of John Jaso at first base. Offensively the Pirates infielders had some of the best production numbers on the team. Three of the infielders had career highs in RBI in 2016 and will look to continue to build on that in 2017. 

LeBlanc or Locke: Who Should the Pirates Keep

With Arbitration Time looming of the horizon the Pittsburgh Pirates have a total of eight arbitration eligible players including five starters. The two starters that have questionable futures with the Pirates are Wade LeBlanc and Jeff Locke. Each has MLB starting experience but which one will the Pirates want to go with moving forward.

We are about a month into the Pittsburgh Pirates off-season and while the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs are still thinking about this season, the Pirates are already taking a look ahead to try to top the Cubs in the 2017 season. That means its time to take a look at the arbitration eligible players on this years Pirates team.

The Pirates have a total of eight arbitration eligible players including Tony Watson, Juan Nicasio, Jared Hughes, Jordy Mercer, Jeff Locke, Drew Hutchinson, Wade LeBlanc, and Gerrit Cole. Of that list Watson, Hughes, Mercer, Hutchinson, and Cole are almost guaranteed contracts for the 2017 season. Nicasio was only signed to a one year contract by the Pirates this off-season and will more than likely not be tendered a contract.

That leaves the Pirates with two question marks on this list in LeBlanc and Locke. Both have starter experience throughout their careers and both pitched out of the bullpen in 2016 for the Pirates. The Pirates are still looking for a long-relief man, but the rotation looks to be in good shape, so the Pirates only have to keep one of these two options.

The first option has been with the Pirates since the 2011 season and has had an up and down career overall to say the least. Last season he went 9-8 with a 5.44 ERA striking out 73 and walking 44 in 127.1 innings of work. Locke started the year off in the Pirates rotation, but of his 19 starts he allowed four or more runs eight times throughout the season and his ERA skyrocketed.

He was then moved to the bullpen permanently late in the season where he was relegated to long relief duties. He actually performed well in the Pirates bullpen compiling a total of five shutout outings as well as not giving up more than three earned runs in any of his bullpen appearances. 

With Jeff Locke their are two scenarios you can encounter. Either he will pitch like a number one starter in any rotation or you will get a guy who doesnt belong in the big leagues. These inconsistencies have killed Locke throughout his Pirates career. The biggest example of this coming in 2013 when he was named to the all-star game for his stellar first half. However, in the second half he would fall apart and would end the year with a record of 10-7 and a 3.52 ERA. That season would be the best one of his career.

About the only thing Locke has been consistent with over his MLB career is the number of innings he logs for the Pirates. In each season since he was named to the Pirates starting rotation, he has pitched at least 130 innings. Injuries have not been a problem for Locke throughout his career and he has been able to stay healthy over the course of his career.

One key contributing factor to Locke's struggles is the number of hits he has given up over his career, especially in the last two seasons. In 2016, he through 127.1 innings of work and gave up a total of 151 hits. In 2015, he gave up 179 hits in 168.1 innings of work. The more batters can put the bat on the ball, the more runs you are going to give up.

While Locke has struggled throughout his career, it hasnt been easy sailing for Wade LeBlanc either. LeBlanc came to the Pirates in a waiver trade that sent LeBlanc to the Pirates and a player to be named later or cash to the Seattle Mariners. LeBlanc slipped right into the Pirates bullpen and helped to add depth for the final month and a half of the season.

LeBlanc pitched very well out of the Pirates bullpen through eight games putting together an 1-0 record with a 0.75 ERA striking out 10 and walking two over 12 innings of work. LeBlanc was used mostly as a middle reliever for the Pirates at the end of the 2016 season helping to bridge the gap between the starters and Tony Watson at the end of the bullpen.

However, LeBlanc does have some starting experience in his career. For the Mariners last season he appeared in 11 games and made eight starts going 3-0 with a 4.50 ERA striking out 41 and walking nine through 50 innings of work. LeBlanc has played for five different MLB teams throughout his career and has spent a lot of that time as a starter.

He broke into the big leagues with the San Diego Padres and struggled as his ERA rose just a little bit every single year. He then joined the, at that time, Florida Marlins where his downward spiral continued. He then moved to the bullpen in 2014 where brought his ERA back down to a respectable 3.94. He missed all of the 2015 season and came back this year with the Mariners.

One plus with LeBlanc is his experience both as a starter and in the bullpen. LeBlanc could be used anywhere from a one to two inning guy all the way up to starting in games for the Pirates. Manager Clint Hurdle loves to use his pitchers in multiple roles so LeBlanc fits that aspect just from his experience alone.

One concern with LeBlanc, however, is the high ERA throughout his career. His career low ERA came in his first full big league season where it sat at 3.69. It has gone up every year since then, with exception  to 2014 and 2016. LeBlanc is another guy who gives up a lot of hits throughout his career and can get into trouble in that aspect.

LeBlanc will strike out his fair share of batters as the Pirates saw this season when he struck out 10 in 12 innings of work. Over his career, LeBlanc has a K/9 ratio of 6.25 which is a little bit above the league average. He has also been able to keep his number of walks down throughout his career with a 3.01 BB/9.

Another positive for LeBlanc is that he is a right handed pitcher pitching in PNC Park. With the spacious left-field that goes all the way out to 410 feet in the notch, and coupled with the fact that the Pirates have an all-star left fielder in Starling Marte, LeBlanc is going to be able to limit the number of hits he gives up with his good defense. He has already begun that transformation with the Pirates as in 12 innings of work he only gave up seven hits.

So, the Pirates have a choice to make going into arbitration this season. Stay with Locke who has been with the club for so many years or go with the veteran who has bounced around the league. If you ask me personally I would rather see LeBlanc in a Pirates uniform next season, but that is up to the Pirates organization to decide. Whichever one the Pirates decide to part ways with, it will open up some extra money for the Pirates to use in the free-agent market to acquire a veteran starting pitcher.

Pirates Back-up Back Stop in Question for 2017

The Pittsburgh Pirates locked up starting catcher Francisco Cervelli to a three-year deal earlier this season securing their starting catcher for the next three seasons. However, they have to make a decision at the back-up catcher role as to who can be reliable in 2017.

The starting catcher role is one that has been answered for the Pirates for the next couple of seasons when they inked Francisco Cervelli to a three year 31 million dollar contract extension earlier this season. However, with as physically demanding as the catching position is,The question for 2017 is who will be the guy backing up Cervelli when he needs a night off.

The Pirates essentially have three options going into 2017 with each having both good and bad elements. Chris Stewart, Elias Diaz, and Jacob Stallings are the top three candidates to help back-up Cervelli in 2017. Each catcher saw time in 2016 and produced for the team in one way or another and will look to crack the Pirates opening day roster come April.

The first option the Pirates have is veteran backstop Chris Stewart. When the Pirates signed Stewart to a two-year contract extension last off-season, it was with the notion that he would be able to back-up Pirates catchers for the next couple of seasons. However, after an injury plagued 2016 season that saw him only catch 34 games, his lowest total since 2010, Stewart will be looking to hit the comeback road in 2017.

Stewart underwent knee surgery by Dr. James Andrews at the end of the season to repair an ailing left knee that forced him on the 60-Day Disabled list ending his season. At 34 years of age knee surgery is going to be a rough thing for Stewart to come back from. The recovery time for his surgery is six to eight weeks putting Stewart at worst a return date sometime in April which puts him in the running for the main back-up catcher.

Stewart's offensive numbers have skyrocketed since he joined the Pirates prior to the 2014 season. In that season Stewart hit a career high .294 with 10 RBI as the Pirates back-up catcher. His offensive numbers dropped a little bit during the 2015 season where he hit .289 but drove in 15 RBI throughout the course of the season. Stewart is not a guy who will provide pop off the bench as he hit his first Pirates home run in three years during the 2016 season in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, but he can be a serviceable MLB player at the plate.

Stewart's calling card throughout his major league career has been defense. He has a career .989 fielding percentage behind the plate committing 19 errors in 2798.2 career innings of work. Stewart also served as the personal catcher for Gerrit Cole during his 19-8 all-star 2015 campaign. With Stewart behind the plate that season Cole went 14-4 and kept his fiery spirit in check. Stewart is a guy focused on all-business. His numbers wont jump out at you, but he does the job he is needed for and does what he can to produce for the team.

The big question with Stewart for 2017 is can he be healthy for an entire season. He will be 35 years old entering the 2017 season coming off an extensive knee surgery. Stewart has never been a full time starter at the major league level, and the Pirates hope he can continue that in 2017. Only time will tell how his knee will be able to hold up and if we will see him behind the dish for the Pirates in the 2017 season.

If Stewart is not ready to go the Pirates do have two younger options that could step in behind the plate in Elias Diaz and Jacob Stallings. Neither have much experience at the major league level and it would be a chance to get their feet wet at the major league level. The problem you run into here is that you are taking away valuable playing time to a young prospect who you are hoping to take over the role one day.

Elias Diaz only caught one game at the major league level in 2016 before himself being place on the 60-Day Disabled list ending his season. Diaz went 0 for 4 in that game and did not commit an error behind the plate. However, that is a very small sample size so lets take a look at the Triple A numbers for Diaz.

Between Double A and Triple A in 2016 Diaz hit .290 with one home run and 16 RBI in 34 games played. Diaz was picked up by the Pirates as an undrafted free agent in the 2008 season and quickly rose through the Pirates system making it as high as the number nine prospect in the Pirates organization, and many regarded him as the catcher of the future for the Pirates.

However, defense has not been Diaz's strong suit throughout his minor league career. He has a career .983 fielding percentage committing 64 errors in just over 4000 minor league innings caught.  These numbers are going to have to improve if Diaz wants to succeed in a position that is ruled by defense. He is also not too hot in the stolen base department either as he has only caught eight men in 13 chances. In a position ruled by defense, these numbers dont help Diaz's case.

The other young Pirates option is catcher Jacob Stallings. Stallings caught in five major league games this season and offensively did pretty well hitting .400 (six hits in 15 at-bats) with two RBI. Those numbers, however, are no where close to his Triple A numbers in 2016 where he hit .214 with six home runs and 28 RBI in 80 games for the Indianapolis Indians.

Stallings had one good offensive year when he hit .275 in 2015 with the Altoona Curve at the Double A level, but other than that his average has not gone above .240 in any other year. Stallings has average power numbers hitting single digit home runs each season and ok run production, but nothing that jumps off the screen.

However, where Diaz fails in defense Stallings excels. In four years in the Pirates minor league system Stallings has committed only 20 errors for a fielding percentage of .992. Stallings does a good job of blocking balls in the dirt as well as he only allowed two pass balls in over 650 innings caught last season. However, the run game is a problem with Stallings as well as he allowed 46 stolen bases in 72 chances for Triple A this season. Again if the young backstops cant stop the run, they dont have that good of a chance to overtake Stewart.

So, the Pirates have a choice to make going into 2017. Go with the ailing veteran catcher trying to come back from knee surgery or go with an inexperienced catcher who is trying to make it at the major league level. The Pirates have minimal holes to fill in 2017 and this is one they can fill from within. Only time will tell who the Pirates use in the back-up role, but whoever is slotted there will be trying to help lead the Pirates back to the playoffs in 2017.

Ranking the Top Five Pirates Closers Since 2000

The closers role has been a very successful part of the Pirates roster here in the 21st century. When the Pirates were winning late in games, you could always count on the guy coming in to get the job done. We are going to rank the top five closers since the 2000 season that have pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have accomplished a lot in the 21st century. They broke a 21-consecutive year losing streak by making the playoffs in 2013, saw the rise of players like Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco, and opened one of the best ball parks in all of major league baseball in PNC Park. A lot has changed with the team over the years, but one thing has remained consistent. You can always trust the man that is throwing in the ninth inning will get the job done.

Since the 2000 season the Pirates have seen several names jump into the closers role and lead the Pirates from victory. Whether it be a wiley veteran found off the market or a young guy getting a chance to prove himself, the Pirates have always seemed to find a way to get it done at the back end of the bullpen. They haven't had the bonafide stars such as Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman, but their guy has always been able to get the job done.

We will take a look at the top five Pirates to step into that closers role since the 2000 season. The list includes pitchers who had at least 10 save opportunities in any season from 2000 to present. This list does not include set-up men who jumped in for a save or two so no Damaso Marte or John Grabow on this list. Here are the top five closers since 2000 who have pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

#5 Jason Grilli: 44 Saves in 50 Chances (Closed from 2013-2014)

Jason Grilli emerged onto the baseball scene as the Pirates closer in the 2013 season, but he was with the Pirates for two-years prior to that. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Pirates on July 21, 2011 and was the set-up man for Joel Hanrahan. He got the call as the Pirates full-time closer in that 2013 season after Hanrahan was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a deal that brought Mark Melancon, Jerry Sands, Stolmy Pimentel, and Ivan Dejesus Jr. to the Pirates.

Grilli would take off that year collecting 33 saves in 35 opportunities and being named to his first ever all-star game in his then 10 year career. He would strike out 74 batters and walk only 13 in 50.0 innings of work for the Pirates. When Grilli came into the game, with "Whipping" by the Who playing in the background, you knew the game was over.

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of Jason Grilli's Pirates career was when he got the final out of the 2013 National League Wild Card Game against the Cincinnati Reds. That win marked the first playoff win for the Pirates since the 1992 NLCS. The 2013 Pirates would go on to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, but when Grilli got Zack Cozart to ground out to end the game a new era of winning would begin in Pittsburgh.

The 2014 season was not as good to Grilli, however, he would save 11 of his 15 opportunities with the Pirates before he was traded at the deadline to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Ernesto Frieri. The number of hits Grilli gave up went up in 2014 and he never really found the magic that he conjured up in his successful 2013 campaign.

During his time with the Pirates Grilli saved 88% of his games and brought new life to the Pirates organization. Ray Searage conjured up some magic again with Grilli and made him into a great reliever. Unfortunately his struggles in his second season proved his demise in Pittsburgh. Grilli is still in the league and is currently pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS as they face the Cleveland Indians.

#4 Matt Capps 67 saves in 89 Chances (closed from 2006-2009)

"The Mad Capper" as he was called by beloved Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown was part of the Pirates bullpen from 2005-2009. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2002 first year player draft and became the Pirates full-time closer in the 2007 season. He spent two seasons as a set-up man for Jose Mesa and struggled in save opportunities during the 2006 season only picking up one save in 10 chances. Given these stats, many fans were puzzled as to why he got thrown into the closers role in 2007.

However, he ran with the opportunity and turned in a successful 2007 season saving 18 of his 21 save opportunities and establishing himself at the back end of the Pirates bullpen. He struck out 64 batters that season in 79.0 innings of work while only walking 16. This was only the beginning of Capps's success as a Pirate.

His breakout year would be in 2008 when he saved 21 of 26 games and earned the Pittsburgh Pirates Heart and Hustle Award. Capps made the most of his opportunity pitching for a team who was in a total rebuild mode. In that season he compiled a 3.02 ERA in 53.0 innings of work. He would continue his success into the 2009 season where he saved 27 of 32 chances but compiled a much higher 5.80 ERA.

Injuries plagued Capps in the 2009 season and was a source for that high ERA. Capps elected free agency after the 2009 season and was signed by the Washington Nationals. He was an all-star in the 2010 season for the Nationals, and was traded mid-season to the Minnesota Twins. Ever since that 2010 season he has bounced up and down between the majors and the minor leagues and is currently in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

#3 Jose Mesa 70 saves in 82 chances (closer from 2004-2005)

Jose Mesa stepped in as the Pirates closer in the 2004 season as a proven veteran entering his 17th season in the major leagues. That first season with the Pirates was a very successful one for Mesa as he saved 43 games in 48 chances for the Bucs while striking out 37 over 69.1 innings of work. Those 43 saves were the most since the 2002 season when he saved 45 games for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Mesa broke out as a closer in the 1995 season with the Cleveland Indians where he saved a career high 46 games. Mesa was named to the all-star game that season and in the 96 season as well and at that time was one of the most dominant closers in the game of baseball. He came to the Pirates via free agency in 2004 and took over the closers role after Mike Williams had held the role for the previous six seasons.

Mesa saved 85% of his games as a Pirate and added the security factor to the back end of the Pirates bullpen. Mesa was not a guy who relied on the strikeout to get batters out, but rather put the ball where he knew you would pound it into the ground. The most strikeouts he ever had in a season was 70 in 162.1 innings of work in 1992 between the Cleveland Indians and the Baltimore Orioles.

Mesa would leave the Pirates via free agency after the 2005 season and went on to pitch for the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies before ending his 20 year MLB career. In total he racked up 321 saves in his career and was a strong closer who helped the Pirates in the mid 2000's.

#2 Mike Williams 117 saves in 133 chances (closed from 1998-2003)

Mike Williams closed for the Pirates from the 1998 season to the 2003 season. We will not count the 98 or 99 season since this list starts in the 2000's, but Williams still had a very successful Pirates career. In the 2000 season he saved 24 of 29 Save opportunities while striking out 71 in 72.0 innings of work. Williams was a guy who fed off the strike out and used that to his advantage. In 2001 he saved 22 out of 24 chances while striking out 43 in 41.2 innings of work. 

During that 2001 season Williams was traded to the Houston Astros for Tony McKnight, a Triple A pitcher, Williams would then come back with the Pirates in the 2002 season and that is when his career would really take off. In 2002 Williams collected 46 saves in 50 opportunities for a Pirates team that fell just short of making the playoffs and ending what at that time was a 10-year playoff drought.

With that season, Williams set the record for the most saves in a season by a Pirate with 46 and was named to his first ever all-star game. In that season, he posted a career low 2.93 ERA and struck out 43 batters in 61 innings of work. He was third in the National League in saves that season and was a key part of the Pirates success.

He would continue that success in the 2003 season where he saved 25 of 30 opportunities and was once again named to the MLB all-star team. However, he would be traded to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the trade deadline and his career would be over. He retired after the 2003 season after posting the worst ERA of his career at 5.40. He ended his term with the Pirates second on the all-time saves list behind Kent Tekulve with 140 saves.

#1 Mark Melancon 130 saves in 144 chances (Closed from 2013-2016)

Mark Melancon came to the Pirates in a very unpopular trade that sent Joel Hanrahan to the Boston Red Sox in the 2013 off-season. Melancon was a struggling pitcher looking to rebuild himself with the Pirates. He did that and much more as he became the Pirates all-time single season saves leader collecting his 51st save in the 2015 season. 

Melancon started his Pirates career as the set-up man to Jason Grilli. However, due to Grili's age, Melancon got quite a few save opportunities in that first year and ended up saving 16 of 21 save opportunities that year. As the struggles of Grilli in 2014 continued Melancon benefited taking over the closers role going 33 for 37 in save opportunities. Melancon was having the most success he had since he was with the Houston Astros in 2011, but the best was yet to come.

His historic 2015 season in which he saved 51 of 53 games landed him his first ever all-star selection. His efforts lead the Pirates to their third straight playoff appearance against the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 National League Wild Card Game. Melancon was the closer at the start of the 2016 season as well and earned his second straight NL all-star nod as one of two representatives for the Pirates.

Due to the Pirates struggles in 2016, the Pirates parted ways with Melancon before the July trade deadline in a deal that sent Melancon to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Felipe Rivero and Taylor Hearn. Melancon saved 90% of his games as a Pirate, the most out of any pitcher on this list, and even coined the nickname "Mark the Shark." Melancon's hard work paid off with the Bucs and allowed him to be third on the all-time Pirates save list behind Tekulve and Williams.

In conclusion, the Pirates have had many great closers here in the 21st century. This off-season will be one of the first in a while where the closers role is no guarantee. As of right now it will be Tony Watson and Felipe Rivero battling it out for the ninth inning role. Only time will tell what happens, but the tradition of good closers will have to continue for the Pirates to make that next leap in 2017.