Pirates sign minor league free agents

So....... is Jack gone yet?

The Pirates are a MAJOR league team, right?  When are they gonna start signing some MAJOR league caliber players? I keep asking myself "who", "huh", "what's his name" after every breaking news story.  

Thank the heavens! I was worried we didn't have enough centerfielders!

@LarryZ - "The Pirates are a MAJOR league team, right?  When are they gonna start signing some MAJOR league caliber players? I keep asking myself "who", "huh", "what's his name" after every breaking news story."

Larry, there is a LOT of work to be done on every front, with the re-stocking our minor leagues a MAJORLY big deal. Think about how BAD our minor league system had become. OK, now think of how GOOD other minor league systems are, like the Boston Red Sox.

I mean, they let this guy Haigwood go because they're SO deep (maybe a few other reasons). Check his numbers ... granted it was at AA, but he last summer, he didn't give up a run in his last nine appearances. I bet there were very few of our Pirates minor leaguers we could say that about.

Yeah. I'd like to see us sign some major league caliber players, too, but first things first, or we'd wind up with more Burnitz and Randa types that aren't going to get us anywhere, either.

Just not too much out there in the free agent market this offseason, BUT I have confidence that Huntington has a plan, and that he's moving his chess pieces well.

Plenty! It's not how many centerfielders ... just looking for one with a long neck! Check his out! And the dude stole 45 bases at Columbus, a South Atlantic All-Star! I'm telling you, one day we'll be sitting around smoking cigars with Neal, saying things like, "Remember when you scampered off with Maiko Loyola ... our first Triple Crown winner since ... well, our first Triple Crown winner. I know, Neal, I know ... Maiko makes Frank Robinson look like Derek Bell ...

Call me Party Line, but I think Neal's doing a great job!

Hmmm.  Those are pretty decent numbers for Haigwood.  He's getting a little old, but that seems fairly odd for him to be released.

Larry,

Do you not count players signed on their major league roster as MAJOR LEAGUE?

I think you are saying that signing these minor league free agents are not what you are looking for.

The Pirates have stated their position repeatedly, they are going to sign, draft and develop talent, thats the course, signing a major league caliber player that isn't any better than what we already have isn't supposed to happen and I hope they don't, I don't want to hear they brought in some name for left field that isn't any better than what we have.

The Bench is another story, I think it should be nothing but veterans.  Signing the overthehill guys to play everyday is where Littlefield made his mistakes amoung others. He signed major league talent, what did that get us?

PoH--LOL!  

Are you going to be at Sunday's gathering?

Baywatch - come on, we want Burnitz back?!!  Just kidding. Yeah, I'm just ranting today.  It would be nice if they could throw us just one bone. Someting to hang our hats on right away. Yeah, Haigwood looks pretty good. Put him in the rotation ASAP!  I'd even take Barry Bonds for a season while we're patiently waiting, like I said before. Easy 25 HRs, possibly some in the river, putting butts in the seats during the recession, he retires a Pirate. It won't happen I know.  

Ok, so I get home last night and go to put out the recycling bin.   I open the gate, start pulling the bin out, and feel a tap on my pants leg. I look down and see coiled up rattlesnake where the bin had been.  It’s a baby, about 12” long and only a few rattles.

Thoughts began shooting through my head…Did I really just see a rattlesnake?, How fast are rattlesnakes? How fast am I? What’s that sensation in the seat of my pants? Should I change my pants before I call 911?

Backpedaling faster that Troy Polamalu can run forward, I closed the gate, and looked to see if I have any indication that the rattlesnake made it through to my leg. None. What’s that smell?

I step up on the edge of the wall, peer over the gate, (the rattlesnake now appears to be eight feet long, a foot in diameter, with wings).  I see the still coiled up rattlesnake shaking its tail , daring me to open the gate again. Not being an IT or Acoustics guy, I think better of this and begin to form a plan.

My friends here have told me, you have to kill rattlesnakes, you can’t hope they will just go away and live a life of peaceful coexistence. That’s not a rattlesnakes nature.  Ok, what will kill a rattlesnake? An eagle!  Don’t have one. Mark’s cooking?  The snake may not be hungry. Having to work on a project with Marty? He’s not with me and that would be cruel.  A shovel? Don’t have one.  

So, I go to my golf bag and get my one iron.  Wait, on one can hit a one iron accurately. Better use the five iron.

I go back outside, step up on the edge of the wall, peer over the gate, and see the still coiled up rattlesnake still shaking its tail , pretty much unconcerned that I’m going to do anything.  But, probably sensing fear and thinking I’ll get out of its way, the rattlesnake begins to move slowly towards the gate.

I jump down, got get a big rock, (turn away if you’re squeamish), drop the rock on the rattlesnake and then hit a perfect five iron.   I go through the house, get my pool net on the long handle thing and go to scoop up both sections of the rattlesnake.

Wait! What if Mom and Dad rattlesnake have set up a rattlesnake house back here and aren’t too pleased with my actions?

I start making a lot of noise.  I make eagle sounds.  That’ll scare ‘em.

I get the remains, over the fence, back into the desert they go.

I call Shelley to let her know what just happened.  The first thing she says is “I’m not taking the garbage out anymore, that just became your job.”

The sad part is, that recycle bin may never get off the roof where I threw it and I really like those pants.

Pirate Sun. Nice story, but exactly how is this related to the Bucs signing minor league free agents :) ??  Is Dave Littlefield the 'rattlesnake' ??

Crawling out from my winter slumber to say two things:

1)  WELCOME BACK, DEJAN!!

2)  Pirates:  ZZZZZZZZZZZZ............

FWIW, Baseball America rated Haigwood as the Phillies' 6th best prospect when he was with them in 2006, and also had him listed in the White Sox' and Rangers' top 30 at different points.  His control seems to have deserted him a couple years ago, though.

@ LarryZ

Good one!

Just a humorous version of my night last night.

Pirate Sun - LMAO - been there, don that out west.

I always lay awake the next night worrying about a vengeful family of Rattlesnakes with my picture on their wall, plotting.

Random ridiculous negative thought of the day - Littlefield's passing on Matt Wieters and the inexplicable nature of it all.

His combined a/AA stats for 2008 = 27 HRs, .355 batting average / .454 on-base percentage / .600 slugging average.

Let's pitch in and get Dave not a lump of coal for Christmas but an entire coal mine..  

@Plenty - "I always lay awake the next night worrying about a vengeful family of Rattlesnakes with my picture on their wall, plotting."

Now THAT image, Plenty, gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Pirate Sun - Funny Story ... What's that smell!

Larry Z- I hear you fella ... As for me, I'm with you ... Bring Bonds back for a year ... let him put a few in the drink. Strictly pinch-hitter ... JUST SO WE CAN RUN HIM OFF WHEN WE'RE FINISHED WITH HIM! Aaargh!

Pirate Sun -

>>I...get my pool net on the long handle thing and go to scoop up both sections of the rattlesnake.<<

You have a pool? Way cool! BTW, I wonder if throwing a burning pizza jacket on it can kill a rattlesnake?

PoH -

>>I always lay awake the next night worrying about a vengeful family of Rattlesnakes with my picture on their wall, plotting.<<

I realize you have in-law issues. But calling them reptile names is not going to solve anything.  ;-)

@LarryZ--Coal Mine.

Instead of pitching in to buy one, lets just wait for the new moronic administration to take over in January. That idiot plans on doing away with the entire fossil fuel industry, for Green Energy Development....We should be able to get one for free then...Just send Littlefield an IOU from the PBC fan base.

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

WHO:

ALL INMATES OF THE ASYLUM

WHAT:

GATHERING III A and III B

WHEN:

2 DATES

III A: TOMORROW @ 1:00 PM

III B: SUNDAY 07 DECEMBER 1:00 PM

WHERE:

III A: DUNKIN DONUTS, MARKET SQUARE

III B: VINCENTS PIZZA, MANSFIELD AVE. GREENTREE

WHY:

TO WISH YOUR FELLOW INMATES A HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

SEE YOU THERE!

@Larry Z

Let's pitch in and get Dave not a lump of coal for Christmas but an entire coal mine..  

Larry we have just started to live and die when it comes to Weiters, and whole coal mine? Couldn't we just settle for firing him, coal mines are worth money.

Weiters is a terrific example of how the new organization is different than the old one, if Weiters was available to this orgainzation in this years draft,  he would be in this organization now or Alvarez would be, in Littlefields adminstration neither of these two would have been here. Too bad the Mr. Nutting, if Mr. Nutting makes the changes 1 year earlier we have Weiters and Alvarez, what a bummer!

@G-Man

I have a pool, an in ground spa, a waterfall and a built-in gas grill.  Sweet!

BTW, one of my projects was a building at Wyeth Pear River Campus.

Pirate Sun - you threw the pieces over the fence into the desert?  That a waste of perfectly good rattlesnake meat.  Next time use garden spade or similar shovel whack it on the head then hack it off with the edge then I'll give you few ideas on how to clean and cook it up.  mmmm rattlesnake chili  *drooool*

Eat what you kill man!

Here you go man, just in case that family decided to come after you....

www.rattlesnakerecipe.us/recipes.htm

@UDN

The rattlesnake cocktail sounds good.

This guy was so small you could only make rattlesnake (tater) tots at best.

Pirate Sun -

>>one of my projects was a building at Wyeth Pear River Campus<<

Wyeth acquired Lederle which owned Pearl River around 1995. I went there a few times but never enough to really learn my way around. The first trip there, what struck me was it had a big brick wall around it like a small city. Honestly, I was expecting to find a moat and a drawbridge. That site had a lot of problems with the FDA in the vaccine part of their operation. It and one other site were the reason Wyeth ended up under a consent decree. They were still under that decree when I left last December and probably still are under it. It has been about ten years of that government scrutiny now.

@Pirate Sun

Great story, did you know that baby rattlers are more dangerous then adult ones?  They do not know when to let go after a bite.

I had an episode with one myself while whitewatering down the Merced on a two day raft trip.  Needless to say we had bears, snakes and other crawley and wild animals about.  You slept in the open by a fire at night along the river bank.

It was so hot (dry heat) that we we awoke the next morning you had to toss water on the rafts to keep them cool.  Low and behold a baby rattler was under a lifevest on the raft.  Well I was lucky enough to be a few feet away and no one was bitten.  One of the guides used a paddle to remove and toss it back into the woods.   except for the snake and sinking a raft over a waterfalll it was a great time.

PS the bear did not eat anyone either.  I gues with everyone having beans for dinner it kept them far enough away.

Mad -

>>except for the snake and sinking a raft over a waterfalll it was a great time. PS the bear did not eat anyone either.<<

Sounds just like Christmas morning.  ;-)

No disrespect to those who like the outdoors (my oldest brother got that gene), but I like spending my recreational time indoors except for golf and public sporting events and I always sleep in my house or the Holiday Hotel. I have yet to find a snake, bear, coyote, scorpion or spider that carries keys and can open a lock. Srsly.

I went camping with my dad and younger sister at Yosemite once and we had a spot up in Tuolomne Valley.  They had bear lockers in all the campsites and at night you could hear the bears trundling around.

They left the tents and cars alone for the most part, if you were smart and put your food in the lockers.  

@Gman...Some of us have limits to our outdoors experience.  I prefer there to be at least hot running water and flush toilets within walking distance of my tent.  *grin*

Oh boy--now we are the Outdoor Nature Network :)

Never met a rattler but have met some friendly snakes.

DMac -

>>They had bear lockers in all the campsites<<

So much for my theory of bears not being able to open locks.

Any interest I may have had for the outdoors died when I saw the film "Deliverance" the first time.

JAL -

>>Never met a rattler but have met some friendly snakes.<<

Me, too. In fact, I have worked for a few of them.

@G-Man

"I have yet to find a snake, bear, coyote, scorpion or spider that carries keys and can open a lock. Srsly."

You need to go to the right kind of ares to find those ones. :)

@Dmac

"Yosemite"

I went rock climbing there. Ther bears will come into your camp and eat whatever they can find.  Someone left a cooler under a car and it destroyed the car trying to get to it.  We were told to make sure any food was strung up in the trees and NOt keep any in your tent or car.  In the morning we haeards a comotion and went to see what was going on.  There was a mother and three cubs up in a tree.  People were milling about about and taking pictures.  Dumb dumbs didn't know enough to stay back away from the tree. You know how a mother will protect their young and all.

It was a good thing that a ranger came by and moved people back far enough so as not to have the mama bear feel threaten.

Did you happen to climb half dome while there?

G-man

I have worked for some too but I also met some friendly snakes in the wild.  Once found a king snake sunning right in front of my car tire so I picked it up and moved it to the side.  didn't seem bothered at all by me.

@Mad...The rangers told us the same thing about food in the cars or tents.  

No, we didn't climb Half Dome. I haven't given rock climbing like that a go...yet.  

afternoon links

Love Letters: Moose, Mariners, Manny and making Series changes

www.sportsline.com/.../11154356

Greg Vaughn

bleacherreport.com/.../89482-greg-vaughn-remembered

1974 at the ca. state park near Ft. Hunter liggett about 40MP'swent camping one weekend.

very early in the morning these little boys age 8 or so wnt down over the hill to the lake and we herd them laughing and having a good time of it.

They come running up the hill and yelling to thier mother that they caught some snakes.

one very alert mp stoped them to see what they had and you guessed it five baby rattlers  in a brown bag.

Tenmp confiscated those snakes from the boys

From the looks of threads on this blog, it appears as though the emergency shipment of prozak, valium and lorizopan hasn't made it.

Nurse Cratchett is currently looking for rubber suits.  She will be earning her money this weekend.

Srsly ;}

But here again, we sign other teams A and AA guys and put them in AAA. That says a lot, but I'm not exactly sure what. Maybe, "Our AAA team can beat your A or AA team!" It definitely says how weak our farm system is. Our pro team is loaded with AAA talent. Signing A and AA talent for AAA isn't really going to help them anymore then the Pirates using guys like Meek, An LaRoach, Moss, et al.

But I suppose the more potential talent we have to pick from, the better. It's just too darn bad the talent level is so sub-par.

See some of you Sunday!  Have a great weekend!

Snakes, we used to catch them mostly gartner and black snakes and put them around our handlebars on our bikes and ride around and scare the girls with them.

Last time I caught a snake for my boys and they took it home.  It got loose in the house and needless to say that the ex was not very happy about it.

Snakes are about the only thing that gives my dad the willies. That scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark?  Totally made him shiver.

One time we were clearing out a rock pile before staining a new section of fence and found at leat 5 little garter snakes.  I was calmly moving them out of the way, my dad giving me a WTH look.  He looked at me like I was handling a rattler or something...they were just harmless little garter snakes.  :-)

I'm out for the night...catch you all tomorrow.