Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
March 30, 2005
Don't Grieve for Me Alleghney

Ben Grieve was demoted by the Pittsburgh Pirates today. It's amazing to me that the Pirates can't find a place for a hitter who's never had an OBA under .353. Maybe the Nationals will pick him up and use him to lead off.


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Posted by David Pinto at 04:14 PM | Transactions | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Grieve may have a good OBP, but with little power, negative speed and pooor defense, he's not a regular. But you'd think he could make a good pinch hitter or something. The guy's still a tough out.

Posted by: Crank at March 30, 2005 04:53 PM

The Pirates are going with 12 pitchers to start the season because of durability concerns (Perez, Wells) and poor performances this spring (Fogg, Redman, D. Williams). That leaves only 5 spots on the bench: Mackowiak (2B/3B/1B/OF), Freddy Sanchez (2B/SS), Bobby Hill (2B/3B), Humberto Cota (C), Daryle Ward (1B/OF). It probably came down to Ward vs. Grieve, and Ward won out because he was with the team last year. Additionally the Bucs would have had to drop someone from their 40 man roster to add Grieve, and that someone would have likely been a prospect. I am sure that Littlefield did not want to endure the outcry of losing another prospect to make room for a low-upside veteran.

Posted by: jc at March 30, 2005 05:41 PM

Oh please, let the Kansas City Royals trade for Grieve so that he can be reunited with Matt Stairs and Terrence Long to reform The Worst Defensive Outfield Ever Assembled.

Posted by: Philip M. at March 30, 2005 05:43 PM

The problem with Grieve is, aside from his OBP and ability to draw walks, he offers nothing else whatsoever. His power seems to have completely vanished, he's a trainwreck in the OF, and he's completely station-to-station on the basepaths. If he had any of those three abilities, he would almost certainly have made the roster (I say almost, because, well, I'll be the first to admit that the Pirates rarely act rationally). Even as a pinch-hitter he has little value because you almost have to pinch-run for him if he gets on, and he can't stay in the game to play in the field.

Posted by: calig23 at March 30, 2005 08:29 PM
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