Ankle injury. This clears a roster spot for A.J. Burnett.
UPDATE by Charlie: This means it's likely that either Yamaico Navarro or Anderson Hernandez will win the utility infielder job out of camp. I'm hoping for Navarro, who has some offensive upside -- not that it's a huge deal either way. Vlad points out that Chase D'Arnaud or Jordy Mercer might also be possible, since those guys are already on the 40-man roster. If Nunez is out for a while, I'm sure they'd rather have D'Arnaud and Mercer playing more regularly at Class AAA, but if it's just going to be a month or so, that might be different.
i guess that can only improve hernandez's chances to come north.
karreemofwheat - February 20, 2012
Yeah. I really hope Navarro can beat him out.
WTM - February 20, 2012
so sneaky
that Neal
Mingy - February 20, 2012
hes gooooooood
BigB2323 - February 20, 2012
btw random
but apparently AJ Burnett’s wife IS NOT afraid to fly at all. How stupid is that? all of those media people were talking about that endlessly.
Mingy - February 20, 2012
btw random
What? Is it the landing that scares her?
blackmax - February 20, 2012
It's the landing that scares me.
And the takeoff. In between, I really like to fly.
bucdaddy - February 20, 2012
what about turbulence?
we flew through a storm coming into Perth and good golly it was hairy.
This normally fastidious squirrel lost his lunch.
BlindSquirrel - February 20, 2012
Really?
That’s just so strange. Why the limo rides to Toronto then, I wonder. I guess it could be nicer in a limo but I wouldn’t be insisting on 9 hours on the road when I could hop on a plane and be there in 2…
KentuckyPirate - February 20, 2012
Isn't this kind of brazen
even by NH’s Rule 5 standards?
JRoth95 - February 20, 2012
Depends on whether or not he’s actually hurt, I guess.
Vlad - February 20, 2012
thats a hell of a sprain need 60 days of recovery.
plus i imagine the inactivity can’t be good for his tools or conditioning.
karreemofwheat - February 20, 2012
Well, there is some minimum number of days that he’ll have to be on both the 25-man and 40-man rosters, right? If he doesn’t hit that mark this year, he’ll have to do it next year before he can be demoted.
whygavs - February 20, 2012
That’s right.
Vlad - February 20, 2012
FWIW, they could also go with Mercer or D’Arnaud temporarily out of camp, since both are already on the 40-man and have options remaining.
Vlad - February 20, 2012
That’s a possibility. I’d think they’d rather have those guys in AAA, but you’re right, if it’s just for a few weeks, it doesn’t matter much.
Charlie Wilmoth - February 20, 2012
I don’t know how the Pirates feel about it, but I think d’Arnaud and Mercer are both at the point, age- and development-wise, where they’re going to have to prove that they’re not bench players. Whether that’s by tearing it up in AAA or tearing it up off the bench in PIT shouldn’t really matter.
epoc - February 20, 2012
But in April
neither one is going to see any playing time in Pittsburgh. I don’t have a schedule in front of me, but I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of days off – I would expect Barmes to start every single game in the month of April, which leaves the UT a dozen PH appearances – at most.
Point being, they can’t play themselves into more exposure in Pgh the way that a backup C or a 4th OF can.
Honestly, with Barmes’ contract, it seems to me that d’Arnaud’s chance to be a starter for the Pirates has effectively vanished, and Mercer needs to become a monster in AAA to get more than a passing opportunity.
JRoth95 - February 20, 2012
The big assumption being
Pedro decides to be a Major League 3B this year. If he’s not, well then we run into some issues. This is where we get into the NFW to 3rd, Mercer/D’Arnaud to 2B game.
glass0941 - February 20, 2012
more optimistically
we could still get into that game if they ever decide to move Pedro to 1st.
WHYG Zane Smith - February 20, 2012
Yeah, you know, I think I kind of agree.
Charlie Wilmoth - February 20, 2012
That’s about right. Neither has been exactly dominant in the minors up until now.
Vlad - February 20, 2012
Is the long-term view of Navarro as depth, or a potential future starter?
CO_Bucs - February 20, 2012
i think it really depends on his ability to play SS
if he can, i think he’ll certainly have starter value at least for a few years. If not, he should a potential UTIF.
BurgherKing - February 20, 2012
He has some potential as a future starter, but it’ll probably need to be at 3B, given his build. And there’s no guarantee that his bat will carry him that far.
Vlad - February 20, 2012
Annnnnd
let the battle for the 25th roster spot* commence!
*—Hereinafter known as the Ciriaco Spot.
bucdaddy - February 20, 2012
first sighting
white angus - February 20, 2012
dangit
white angus - February 20, 2012
No surprise
That your picture of Pedro Ciriaco didn’t show up.
SuperBaes - February 20, 2012
bud selig should reject tjos move
Joe9195 - February 20, 2012 via mobile
Hopefully it's Navarro on the 25 man.
Kosstic518 - February 20, 2012 via mobile
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