A review of the Pirates' players who spent two or more months on the 25-man roster and finished the season with them, grades based on how they compared to positional or role peers in the National League:

Paul Malholm

• Key numbers: 9-9, 3.71 ERA, 139 K, 63 BB in 206 1/3 innings
• Highlight: From May 31 onward, his 3.11 ERA ranked fourth among National League left-handers behind CC Sabathia, Johan Santana and Cole Hamels
• Lowlight: If can stretch those four months into six, the Pirates have a star on their hands
• Grade: A-
• 2009 status: First-year arbitration-eligible after making $424,500 and will be tendered, but could be approached about multiyear extension

Ian Snell

• Key numbers: 7-12, 5.42 ERA, 135 K, 89 BB in 164 1/3 innings
• Highlight: Regained stuff after two-week midseason shutdown and performed best in final seven starts, including 35 strikeouts in 38 innings
• Lowlightf: Focus, preparation and ERA all needed an upgrade much earlier than that, something Snell now seems to understand
• Grade: D+
• 2009 status: Signed, $3 million

Tom Gorzelanny

• Key numbers: 6-9, 6.66 ERA, 67 K, 70 BB in 105 1/3 innings
• Highlight: Rediscovered some of 2007 form during seven weeks with Class AAA Indianapolis
• Lowlight: Mere fact that a 14-game winner spent so much time on demotion the next year speaks volumes. One of baseball's biggest disappointments
• Grade: F
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $419,000 salary

Zach Duke

• Key numbers: 5-14, 4.82 ERA, 87 K, 47 BB in 185 innings
• Highlight: 2.67 ERA in final five starts provided reminder he can be a competent, competitive -- and healthy -- part of rotation
• Lowlight: Opponents' average dropped to .304 from .359 last year, but still too many hits
• Grade: C-
• 2009 status: First-year arbitration-eligible after making $400,000 and will be tendered

Phil Dumatrait

• Key numbers: 3-4, 5.26 ERA, 52 K, 42 BB in 78 2/3 innings
• Highlight: Was Pirates' best through May and early June, including nine-K gem in Cincinnati
• Lowlight: Most of his negative numbers can be traced to shoulder trouble that shut him down in July, and no telling how long full recovery will take
• Grade: C-
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $390,500 salary

Jeff Karstens

• Key numbers: 2-6, 4.03 ERA, 23 K, 13 BB in 51 1/3 innings
• Highlight: What else? Came within four outs of perfect game Aug. 6 in Phoenix, right after blanking Chicago over six in Pirates debut
• Lowlight: Quickly quashed hype by losing next six starts, though he pitched better than numbers
• Grade: C-
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $390,000 salary

John Grabow

• Key numbers: 6-3, 2.84 ERA, 62 K, 37 BB in 76 innings
• Highlight: ERA ranked third among league's left-handed relievers and, in a key figure for him, he allowed just eight of 33 inherited runners to score
• Lowlight: Nine of 60 hits allowed were home runs, and walk total was uncomfortably high
• Grade: A-
• 2009 status: Third-year arbitration-eligible after making $1,135,000 and will be tendered

Matt Capps

• Key numbers: 2-3, 3.02 ERA, 21 for 26 in saves, 39 K, 5 BB in 53 2/3 innings
• Highlight: Came back from two-month layoff to rest shoulder looking far more effective
• Lowlight: Did not report to spring in top shape, and that loomed large in shoulder issue and still-missing peak velocity
• Grade: B-plus
• 2009 status: Signed, $2.2 million

Tyler Yates

• Key numbers: 5-3, 4.66 ERA, 63 K, 41 BB in 73 1/3 innings
• Highlight: Was scored upon once in September and fanned nine of final 13 batters.
• Lowlight: Averaged hit per inning and, coupled with walks, made for too many shaky late-inning situations
• Grade: C+
• 2009 status: Second-year arbitration-eligible after making $800,000 and likely will be tendered

Denny Bautista

• Key numbers: 4-3, 6.10 ERA, 34 K, 28 BB in 41 1/3 innings
• Highlight: Had promising June, July after being acquired, determined to ditch no-control tag
• Lowlight: Oh, well. Averaged walk per inning in final two months and, as a result, was hit hard, too
• Grade: D
• 2009 status: First-year arbitration-eligible after making $395,000 and might be tendered

T.J. Beam

• Key numbers: 2-2, 4.14 ERA, 24 K, 20 BB in 45 2/3 innings
• Highlight: Held right-handed batters to .216 average and stayed mostly consistent, even when shuffled into long relief
• Lowlight: One of every seven hits allowed was a home run, six in just 45 innings
• Grade: C
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $450,000 salary

Sean Burnett

• Key numbers: 1-1, 4.76 ERA, 42 K, 34 BB in 56 2/3 innings
• Highlight: Carving a roster spot, then late-inning duty after two major arm surgeries and spring conversion from starting was one of season's feel-good stories
• Lowlight: Took nearly two months -- and a mechanical tweak -- to gain management's trust to do more than mop up
• Grade: B-minus
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $400,000 salary

Ryan Doumit

• Key numbers: .318, 15 HR, 69 RBIs, 34 2B, 55 K, 23 BB in 431 at-bats
• Highlight: Average led all league catchers -- though missing six weeks kept him out of batting race -- and quashed doubt about hitting from right side with .330 average, five home runs
• Lowlight: Receiving improved defensively, but game-calling and managing basepaths -- threw out 21 percent of base-stealers -- still need work
• Grade: A-minus
• 2009 status: First-year arbitration-eligible after making $412,000 and will be tendered, but will be approached about multiyear extension

Raul Chavez

• Key numbers: .287, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 4 2B, 14 K, 4 BB in 116 at-bats
• Highlight: Was superb behind plate, throwing out 8 of 15 base-stealers and picking off three others
• Lowlight: His age -- he will be 36 next year -- has management looking elsewhere for backup
• Grade: B
• 2009 status: Can be free agent after making $550,000

Ronny Paulino

• Key numbers: .277, 2 HR, 18 RBIs, 5 2B, 24 K, 11 BB in 118 at-bats
• Highlight: Did enough after three-month banishment to Indianapolis to convince management to bring him for sparing September duty
• Lowlight: No one has fallen harder in Pirates' eyes, and he surely will be shopped in offseason to teams that see more
• Grade: F
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise -- or reduction -- on $423,500 salary if he stays

Adam LaRoche

• Key numbers: .270, 25 HR, 85 RBIs, 32 2B, 3 3B, 122 K, 54 BB in 492 at-bats
• Highlight: Second half ... again
• Lowlight: First half ... again
• Grade: C
• 2009 status: Third-year arbitration-eligible after making $5 million and will be tendered

Freddy Sanchez

• Key numbers: .271, 9 HR, 52 RBIs, 26 2B, 63 K, 21 BB in 569 at-bats
• Highlight: Only Manny Ramirez and Albert Pujols had better second-half averages than his .346, and he went final 83 games error-free
• Lowlight: Was batting .225 as late as June 25, slowed all summer by ailing shoulder, blurry vision
• Grade: C
• 2009 status: Signed, $6.1 million

Jack Wilson

• Key numbers: .272, 1 HR, 22 RBIs, 18 2B, 27 K, 13 BB in 305 at-bats
• Highlight: Never looked more valuable than when he was gone, particularly given awful replacements on defense
• Lowlight: Never appeared on disabled list before 2008, but missed half of season to strained calf, broken finger
• Grade: C-
• 2009 status: Signed, $7.25 million

Andy LaRoche

• Key numbers: .166, 3 HR, 20 RBIs, 5 2B, 37 K, 24 BB in 223 at-bats
• Highlight: Getting chance to play every day after being blocked in Los Angeles system
• Lowlight: Doing nothing with it, offensively or defensively
• Grade: F
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $392,500 salary

Luis Rivas

• Key numbers: .218, 3 HR, 20 RBIs, 6 2B, 27 K, 13 BB in 206 at-bats
• Highlight: All of his RBIs came in his 20 starts
• Lowlight: Who needs a bench player who gets all his RBIs when he starts?
• Grade: D
• 2009 status: Can be free agent after making $525,000

Doug Mientkiewicz

• Key numbers: .277, 2 HR, 30 RBIs, 19 2B, 28 K, 44 BB in 285 at-bats
• Highlight: In addition to leadership, had .374 on-base percentage, showed super-utility skills for first time and ranked fifth in league with 14 pinch-hits in 43 at-bats
• Lowlight: Still has not been offered contract by management, which says it needs more of exactly what he brings
• Grade: A-minus
• 2009 status: Can be free agent after making $750,000

Chris Gomez

• Key numbers: .273, 1 HR, 20 RBIs, 8 2B, 30 K, 13 BB in 183 at-bats
• Highlight: Provided consistent presence, on and off field, and popular with teammates
• Lowlight: Inability to back up at shortstop was more management's failing in acquiring him than his own
• Grade: C
• 2009 status: Can be free agent after making $1 million

Brian Bixler

• Key numbers: .157, 0 HR, 2 RBIs, 2 2B, 36 K, 6 BB in 108 at-bats
• Highlight: Seemed more composed in September return than during disastrous early callup
• Lowlight: Can neither lay off nor hit high fastballs, which is quite the flaw
• Grade: F
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $390,000 salary

Nate McLouth

• Key numbers: .276, 26 HR, 94 RBIs, 46 2B, 4 3B, 93 K, 65 BB in 597 at-bats, 23 for 26 in steals
• Highlight: Home runs, RBIs ranked third among center fielders in majors, and one-error defense has him in Gold Glove consideration
• Lowlight: A .214 June and .226 August illustrated that the everyday grind got to him at times, though September surge nullified such talk
• Grade: A
• 2009 status: First-year arbitration-eligible after making $425,500, but will be approached about multiyear extension

Jason Michaels

• Key numbers: .228, 8 HR, 44 RBIs, 9 2B, 52 K, 23BB in 228 at-bats
• Highlight: About as clutch as one can be, with 23 of his hits and half his home runs coming with runners in scoring position
• Lowlight: Batted .208 as starter
• Grade: B-
• 2009 status: Can be free agent after making $2.15 million because team will not exercise $2.6 million club option for next year

Nyjer Morgan

• Key numbers: .294, 0 HR, 7 RBIs, 13 2B, 32 K, 10 BB in 160 at-bats, 9 for 14 in steals
• Highlight: Finished on .347 tear after Aug. 19 recall from Indianapolis, scoring 20 runs in 32 games to liven up drab offense
• Lowlight: Looked thoroughly lost when given bench role out of spring training and was demoted
• Grade: C
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $391,000 salary

Brandon Moss

• Key numbers: .222, 6 HR, 23 RBIs, 10 2B, 45 K, 15 BB in 158 at-bats
• Highlight: Showed effortless power stroke to all fields, as promising a sign as any from the two big trades
• Lowlight: Will have knee surgery Friday that could cost him part of next season
• Grade: C-
• 2009 status: Will get marginal raise on $400,000 salary

 

First published on September 30, 2008 at 12:00 am