Ongoing Roster Shuffle

[MaineBucs1]

Lots of transactions involving the pitching staff in the past 10 days.

8/15 - Priester down, Ramirez up

8/20 - Moreta up, Perdomo injured

8/23 - Moreta down, Ortiz up

8/24 - Ramirez down, Z guy now up (and announced as tonight's starting pitcher)

Pirate pitchers have generally done a lot better than anyone had a right to expect in the number of bullpen games that are happening with more frequency post the Hill trade and Priester failing to perform as a starter. While Ramirez is not a world beater, he did help keep the score close in his 2.1 innings of pitching yesterday.

The current practice of dedicated bullpen games and games in which the starter doesn't go deep results in the constant need for fresh(er) bullpen arms to pitch multiple innings; both as relievers and short-term starters. Perdomo's loss (60 day injured list) eliminates a LH arm that was generally reliable, and now sending out Ramirez (who has pitched better in the majors than the minors this year) and replacing him with the Z guy who likely won't make it through 2 innings as tonight's announced starter. If Contreras is not ready to pitch in the majors, and Ortiz and Bido both demonstrating that they are not yet suited to pitch as starters, BC needs to go find someone in the minors who can suck up some innings as a starter for the month of September.

[fjk090852-7]

Let Wolfe start a game or two. Sure he is in Altoona, but he did start a games for the Padres before he was traded to the Pirates. Also he is on the 40 man roster, so nobody needs designated or placed on 60 day IL.