Pedro Florimon saw limited action for the Pirates last season. However, in 2016 he is looking to crack the 25-man roster and be a force to help the Pirates out throughout the season.
If Opening Day were to start tomorrow, the Pittsburgh Pirates roster would pretty much be set except for one position, the fifth and final spot on the Pirates bench. The Pirates are looking for someone to be able to come into games and provide defensive support when a player is tired, injured, or just not performing.
One of the players the Pirates are looking at for 2016 is Pedro Florimon. A man who can play multiple positions across the field and can play them well. Defense is the name of the game for Florimon and in 2016 the Pirates are looking for someone who can be a defensive guru off the bench.
Florimon signed on with the Pirates two off-seasons ago after leaving Minnesota in free agency. During his time with the Twins, he showed defensive skills that were above average for the major leagues. This is what has kept Florimon in the big leagues throughout his career. He is not as strong offensively, but he uses his defense and speed to help the team he is on. Florimon could be a key player on the Pirates bench and looks to prove himself in 2016
Florimon saw some time for the Pirates in 2015 and he provided one of the highlights of the year when he hit a walk off triple in a game on August 18th against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Other than that game however, the season did not go very well for Florimon. He finished with an .087 average 0 home runs and 1 RBI in 24 games played. He spent most of the 2015 season in Triple A Indianapolis where he hit .245 with 2 home runs and 18 RBI.
Florimon's strikeout to walk ratio sat at 2.62 last season in Triple A. This is about average for a professional baseball player. Florimon is a patient hitter as he saw 4.07 pitches per at bat last season. Florimon's patience is something that would be good for the Pirates coming off the bench in 2016. Florimon would provide just that. Not very well known for his offense but he could get by substituting for Mercer and Harrison every now and then in the Pirates lineup.
A positive note on the offensive side for Florimon is his BABIP which sat at .326 last year in the minor leagues. Florimon doesn't make contact with the ball that often, but when he does it usually finds a hole. For Florimon, a key for him will be working on his offensive numbers. If he can increase his batting average and find a way to get on base, he can use his legs to create run scoring opportunities for the Pirates.
The thing Florimon is most noted for is his defensive ability. Florimon is a player who can play multiple positions and play them well. Last season in Triple A he played second base, short stop, third base, left field, and right field. Most of those games were played at the short stop position where he obtained a .973 fielding percentage committing 5 errors in 360 innings. Florimon's glove has been a strong suit for him throughout his career.
Florimon has been a good defender throughout his professional career. In 5 years Florimon has averaged to save 14 runs a year. For a player with limited playing time that is pretty good. If Florimon can come on and play solid defense for the Pirates he could make an impact on the 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates team.
The final factor in Florimon's game is his speed on the base paths. Last season in Triple A he stole 12 bases in 15 attempts. Speed will be a key to the 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates offense as they lost some key power bats in Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker. Having a guy like Florimon on the bench late in the game could prove beneficial if you have a guy like John Jaso hitting a late game single. Florimon could come into pinch run and use his legs to get into scoring position.
This small ball offense will be something that Pirates fans will have to get used to and guys like Florimon will be key in making that offense happen. He can be used as a defensive replacement late in games or as a pinch runner when needed. If Florimon makes this Pirates roster, he could be an unsung hero in 2016.
His numbers may not look very flashy on the surface, but Florimon is a guy who could be key to the Pirates 2016 season. I feel that Florimon will make the Opening Day roster and will help out in a big way in 2016. To make a complete team your starting players have to be good, but so do the guys backing them up. Each member of the bench has to bring a different skill set whether it be power, clutch hitting, defense or speed. For Florimon speed and defense are the key to his game and it will help the Pirates tremendously in 2016.
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