Walker, Vasquez joining Pirates

 Yes, Walker is coming. at least there is an option.

YES!! This is great news! Congrats Neil!

How will they fit "Pine-Richland's Neil Walker" on the back of his jersey

Club Record as GM thru 8/31/2009:

A doubleheader sweep by that juggernaut of a club in Cincy has  Wrong Way Huntington running in his usual direction:

====================================

Bonifay-------- 616 - 775 = .442 % - 4 / 9

Littlefield------ 421 - 549 = .434 % - 2 / 6

Huntington--- 120 - 172 = .411 % - 1 / 1

Winning percentage + last place finishes during tenure.

I hope they give him some playing time and I hope his hot streak continues.  We know his defense is there.  If he can continue to hit it may be time for a switch for the rest of the season.  We need another HR hitter and maybe Neil is one of the solutions.  Hopefully he's not an Adam LaRoche and only hits in September and October.  3rd base is one position where they're looking for power production.  Show them what you can do Neil.    

pittsburghsportsbuzz.blogspot.com

What about Robinzon Diaz?

I hope Walker gets a lot of playing time. It's obvious that LaRoche does not provide what a team needs offensively from 3B. Let's hope Walker performs better on the major league level than Bixler does every time he's here.

Nice! Give the kid a shot, he's been on fire.

Diaz needs to stay until Indy's season is finished.

Hopefully Neal lights a fire under Andy's butt.

And if somehow Neal wins the position next year, when Andy gets traded, haters will be saying he was a "star" because he led the team in RBI.  Because the Bucs only trade their stars.

I'm glad to see him coming up.  You got guys in AAA that light it up and fail when called to be big show, not as often, some struggle in AAA and then come to the show and the lightbulb comes on, you never know.

DK/Chuck, I may have missed it, sorry if I have ...

Have either of you actually asked Russell if Walker will play and how much?

It's not that I don't want to see Walker succeed, it's just that it is not likely given his talent.  However, if he struggles with this last month, does he receive the Pearce/Bixler where is deemed a AAAA player and out of chances, or does he receive the Moss treatment where he is given unlimited chances to get better and prove he's not a bust?

I can't help but shake my head as to why some people are already to write off Neil Walker and some of the other young ball players because of minor league statistics? Anyone who has followed baseball has witnessed numbers of players whose statistics at A, AA, or AAA are far from outstanding but who yet blossom into outstanding major league players. Likewise, there are also those highly sought and highly drafted players who never reach the potential expected of them even when their statistics are quite impressive. My concern is that while accurate evaluations can often be made at the minor league level, there will also be those future major league players who may fall through the cracks, so to speak, if statistics are the only measurement. I commend the Pirate organization for recognizing the need to more highly upgrade the quality of those evaluating talent. I am excited that the Pirates are willing to call up some of these so-called questionable players and in no way write them off because of statistics that underevaluate their true potential. I think there are definitely more positive things happening within the Pirate organization than can be seen at this time.

Give the kid a shot!

There is ZERO reason for him to come up and sit.

Give Neil the ba....er....

Let Neil field!

It's not like you lose much offensively by replacing "pop-out Andy LaRoche" (Baywatch made me laugh out loud with that one.)

**BLOG QUESTION ALERT**

I just posted the following question on the Morning Links thread.  We have people on all three threads, but suggest any who want to play do so over there where we have had the most posters this morning.

---

Question: Who of our newer players is more likely to have a breakout, SUPERSTAR year in 2010...and you can only vote for one:

A) AClutch

B) Big Bones Jones

C) The Big Oh

D) Return to Form Ryan

- or up from the minors in June

E) All Star Alvarez

F) The Ageless Tabata

G) Someone else not listed (dont have to list name, all together as one entry)

H) No one

We're not talking All Star selection...SOMEONE has to go...we're talking buzz of baseball kinda year.

MY VOTE: AClutch (A)

if you all want to play, let's keep a running total.  I have to go out for a bit but will read responses when i return.

RAKE ON, NEIL

seriously, dude we are glad to see you.

I've posted a number of messages the last 2 months mentioning Walker.  If you projected the 44 games he has played since the All-Star break into a 162 game season...

.291 Avg, 59 Doubles, 25 HR's, 136 RBI's,

This guy has been hitting well and for power for almost 2 months.  He needs more plate discipline, but he is only 23 years old and had a major position change.  He could be quite good, and needs to get a substantial look.  That may not be this year, but he needs one.

An 0 for doubleheader pushes his seasons Neal Huntington Scholarship awardee, former 39th round draft pick, and Bob Nutting cleanup hitter down to .245.

The Andy LaRoche Line - Career as a Major Leaguer:

===========================================

Games: 234

HR: 13 / RBI: 74

Ave: .219 / OBP: .309 / Slg%: .327 / OPS: .635

The attendance at games is going to spike - and that's a good thing. The Bucs need the fan support now as much as ever.

Pine Richland's Neil Walker (will that say that for his at-bat? "Now batting, third baseman Pine Richland's Neil Walker!"

This guy has a whole boatload of local fans - I saw many of them at Bradenton, they took a little community trip to watch him play at Pirate City during ST.

Good luck to you Neil!

And I may be the only one woo-hooing this, but "Vasquez is back! WWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I can't believe Kip Wells is still in the majors.