Top prospects doing well in Class AAA, but …
The Pirates’ top two prospects have made a rather seamless transition since being promoted to Class AAA Indianapolis from Class AA Altoona on Aug. 1.
However, according to a source with knowledge of the Pirates’ thinking, it is doubtful either right-hander Tyler Glasnow or switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell will be promoted on Tuesday when the major league roster limit expands to 40 from 25 or even after Indianapolis’ season ends.
Indianapolis’ last regular-season game is scheduled for Sept. 7 but the Indians are in playoff contention in the International League.
The Pirates’ plan is for Glasnow and Bell to begin next season back at Indianapolis then make their major league debuts at some point in 2016.
A scout from another major league team that recently saw Indianapolis gave both players sterling reviews.
Glasnow is 0-1 despite a microscopic 0.82 ERA in six starts. He has struck out 39 in 33 1/3 innings but walked 17 and allowed 26 hits. With Altoona, the 22-year-old was 5-3 with a 2.43 ERA in 12 starts.
“His stuff is just overpowering and once he learns to command it better against advanced hitters he is going to be awfully tough to beat,” the scout said. “He’s got the look of a No. 1 (starter).”
Bell, 23, was hitting .352 with two home runs, 14 RBIs, two stolen bases, a .434 on-base percentage and a .527 slugging percentage in 25 games with Indianapolis entering the weekend. He batted .307 with five homers, 60 RBIs and seven steals in 96 games with Altoona.
“He’s gotten much better defensively as the season has gone on,” the scout said, referring to Bell making the transition from right fielder this season. “The power is starting to come, too, and he looks like he’s primed for a breakout next year.”
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Going into Saturday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park, the Pirates had a 78-49 record, putting them 29 games over .500.
The last time the Pirates were that many games above the breakeven point before September was in 1972. That year, the Pirates got to 31 over at 77-46 when they swept the San Diego Padres in a three-game series at Three Rivers Stadium to end August.
The 1972 team finished 96-59, missing a chance at 100 wins because the first players’ strike in baseball history forced the cancellation of the season’s first week of games.
This year’s Pirates are on pace to win 99 games, which would be the second-most in the franchise’s 133-year history. The 1909 team holds the record, going 110-42 in the regular season before beating the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.
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The Pirates have raved about the improvement of right-hander Charlie Morton’s curveball all season.
An opponents’ batting average of .136 on the curve — 12-for-88 — bears out the idea that Charlie has shown a pretty wicked Uncle Charlie.
The only two major league pitchers who have a better opponents’ average on curveballs this season are Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw (.093, 14-for-150) and Cleveland Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer (.119, 12-for-101).