{"id":68464,"date":"2024-03-16T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2024-03-16T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=68464"},"modified":"2024-03-15T23:51:33","modified_gmt":"2024-03-16T03:51:33","slug":"pirates-spring-breakout-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/03\/16\/pirates-spring-breakout-game\/","title":{"rendered":"Impressions From the Pirates’ Spring Breakout Game"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thursday\u2019s Spring Breakout Game<\/a> between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles provided a look at many highly touted prospects. It was the biggest game between the two franchises since Game 7 of the 1979 World Series. Maybe it wasn\u2019t the same for older fans without Earl Weaver<\/a> baiting the umpires. The event attracted an enthusiastic crowd, who jostled for autographs before the game. Also in attendance were Jim Leyland<\/a> and Joe Torre<\/a>, who sat together stone-faced and silent as though they were managing one of the teams.<\/p>\n

Impressions From The Pirates’ Spring Breakout Game<\/h2>\n

The proverbial small sample size makes evaluating the participants difficult, if not impossible. Nevertheless, here are some impressions from Pittsburgh\u2019s 3-1 victory. (from now on, the Pirates and Orioles prospects teams will be referred to as the Pirates and Orioles, even though they’re not the<\/em> Pirates and Orioles. It’s easier.)<\/p>\n

Cherington’s Plan is Working<\/h3>\n

When Ben Cherington took the Pirates\u2019 general manager\u2019s job late in 2019, he set out to rebuild the farm system. He acquired Liover Peguero, David Bednar, Endy Rodriguez, and Jack Suwinski well by trading Starling Marte<\/a>, Joe Musgrove<\/a>, and Adam Frazier<\/a>. However, he got almost nothing for Josh Bell<\/a>, Clay Holmes<\/a>, Richard Rodriguez<\/a>, and Jacob Stallings<\/a>. Unless Roansy Contreras finds himself, the Jameson Tallion deal won\u2019t yield much. Of the Pirates\u2019 27-man Spring Breakout roster, only Abrahan Gutierrez<\/a>, Estuar Suero<\/a>, and Jhonny Severino<\/a> were acquired in trades. The rest were draftees or international signings.<\/p>\n

Thus, if Pirates fans feel Cherington doesn\u2019t measure up to Trader Jack McKeon<\/a>, they should be satisfied with the glimpse of the farm system provided by the Spring Breakout Game. Billed as a battle between Major League Baseball\u2019s top two farm systems, it was easy to see that the Pirates have come about their number two ranking<\/a> honestly.<\/p>\n

Skenes Shows His Stuff<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s the part where this writer shows off his advanced degree from the Greater Pittsburgh Institute for Stating the Obvious. Paul Skenes<\/a> is good. Real good.<\/p>\n

Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023’s draft, started the Spring Breakout Game on the mound for the Pirates. In what had to have been a first in baseball, the crowd sat reverently silent and still during his inning. Perhaps they were that much into seeing Skenes, or they just wanted to hear the pop of the catcher\u2019s mitt. In any event, Skenes didn\u2019t disappoint. He needed just 10 pitches to dispose of the first three Orioles prospects. One had to feel sympathy for the first batter, Enrique Bradfield<\/a>, who looked at a 101-mph fastball, then swung through two more that measured 101 and 102.<\/p>\n

The highly anticipated matchup was the next one when Jackson Holliday<\/a> stepped up to bat for the Orioles. Skenes again brought the heat, throwing fastballs at 101, 102, and 101 that missed the strike zone. In between, Holliday fouled off a change-up. With the count 3-1, Skenes got Holliday to miss a 91-mph slider and then a 90-mph change. Skenes showed himself to be much more than a fireballer with that sequence. After Connor Norby<\/a> broke his bat on a routine grounder to third, Skenes\u2019s night was over. Skenes wanted another inning, but the Pirates proceeded carefully with him. Besides, they had other pitchers to show off.
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