How International Baseball Players Are Doing on the Pirates

Hey guys, I’m IBAF Baseballs newest writer, Kyle Bright. I will be providing the blog with analysis of how international baseball players are doing in the major leagues. Our first team we will look at is the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Now before you laugh, the Pirates are one of the surprising teams in the league this year, contending in the NL Central. They have intriguing young talent and an abundance of international baseball players on the forty man roster, plus Brad Lincoln, a top prospect that pitched for team USA, and is good enough to be on the forty man roster. Now we will dive into the players on the Pirates roster that play international baseball.

 Jeff Karstens delivers a fastball.

Photo Credit: post-gazette.com

Jeff Kartens

International Credentials:  Ace for Team USA in Baseball World Cup, which the USA won.

What is Happening Now: Kartens is enjoying the best season of his professional career, with a chance at an all-star game if he pitched in a bigger market. He has a 2.66 ERA and a WHIP around one, but his record of only 4-4 is a product of Pittsburgh’s anemic offense.  Besides this being the best season of his career, he appears to have locked down a full time starting job for the first time in his career. After being a top prospect in the Yankees organization, he moved onto Pittsburgh and seems to have found a solid home in the major leagues, with an organization that is willing to take on disappointments like Karstens, Charlie Morton, and Brandon Wood.

Joel Hanrahan chills at the World Baseball Classic in Miami.

Photo Credit: flickr.com

Joel Hanrahan

International Credentials: Pitched for team USA during the World Baseball Classic in 2009.

What is Happening Now: Hanrahan is also enjoying the best season of his professional career. He is supposedly garnering the interest of several teams to trade for at the trade deadline, but there is no indication that the Pirates are willing to sell. Hanrahan is a perfect 22 for 22 in save opportunities. His ERA is 1.27 and he will more than likely make the all-star team for the first time in his career. He is a hard throwing right hander that is on the upswing in his career. Pirates fans hope the team keeps him as opposed to what the Bucs did with Matt Capps, cutting him when he was eligible for arbitration.

Andrew McCutchen is turning into one of the best players in the game.

Photo Credit: thebackwardsk.tumblr.com

Andrew McCutchen

International Credentials: Played on the 2004 junior team, where he hit only .133.

What is Happening Now: McCutchen is rising star for the Pirates a speedster who can also hit for pop and is a very good fielder. He is on pace to join the 20/20 club, and is surprisingly adept at drawing walks, at 3^rd in the national league. He is only in his third season, and is already the best and most complete player on his team. His performance continues to astound, along with his uncanny consistency. Many Pirates fans figure he could end up on the Yankees in a few years, and he certainly may be good enough. He is a five tool player, the type scouts love to rave about. He has the speed, power, fielding, arm, and ability to hit for average. Andrew McCutchen has great upside. Hopefully someday he will play for regular team USA, not just the Junior team.

Pedro Alvarez plays for team USA.

Photo Credit: reclinergm.com

Pedro Alvarez

International Credentials: Has played for team USA several times, including the 2007 Pan American Games.

What is Happening Now: Pedro is the first of the Pirates international baseball players that is trending down in terms of production and career outlook. The former 2^nd overall pick in the draft is hitting just .208 this year. He has been out for an extended period of time, and is not expected to return before the all-star break. Not that the Pirates miss his production, or lack thereof. He is a poor fielder and does not run well, making his hitting the way he must contribute. But when he is not being productive at the plate, he harms the team, and that is what is going on with the Pirates. He also strikes out a lot, lessening his chances of getting hits. He struck out 42 times in 125 at bats this year, a very high percentage. Alvarez needs to work hard in the future, although he was only drafted a couple of years ago, so he has time.

 Neil Walker is a rare second basemen because he gets so many RBIs.

Photo Credit: cloudfantasy.com

Neil Walker

International Credentials:

What is happening Now: Walker was the 3^rd pick in the amateur player draft many years back, and struggled to find a position in the minor leagues. He is a good story because he is a Pittsburgh native, and he is on pace for over 100 RBIs this year. He is not the best fielder, which is why he was forced to stay in the minors for years, when his hitting was more than ready to play in the major leagues. Of late, however, Walker has struggled, hitting just .229 in June, which has dropped his average all the way down around .250. He is still having a good year considering how some second bsaemen hit in this league, so he will probably have a long and very good career.

So that was a recap of the main Pittsburgh Pirates that have played international baseball. We will try to do a series on each team, but, as you can see, that may take a while.