EvanMeek Posts -- FanHouse

Better Know a Prospect: Pirates

Wondering which young players could have an impact in the majors this year? Let MLB FanHouse guide the way in Better Know a Prospect. In this edition we look at three players from the slowly rebuilding Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system.

Andrew McCutchen, CF: It feels like McCutchen's been in the Pirates' system forever, but he just turned 22 in October. That means he spent all of last year as a 21-year-old holding his own in his first full-season stint at Triple-A. He didn't flash much power, but he put up a .372 on-base percentage and drew more walks than he had at any other level in the minors. The Pirates will probably send him back to Triple-A to start 2009 in hopes that the power he showed at the lower levels of the minors shows back up, but it'd be pretty surprising for him to not make his Pittsburgh debut in 2009. On top of his promising bat, he's a true center fielder who would allow Nate McLouth (who's glove doesn't nearly warrant the Gold Glove he won in 2008) to move to a corner position.

Sean Burnett Has a Kid, Gets Cut

There's not many people that can manage to feel bad for professional athletes. Getting paid huge sums of money to entertain and play a kids game isn't exactly a profession that many people find worthy of sympathy. Still, it's not all smooth sailing for every athlete. Some guys spend most of their lives playing baseball and still manage to get a raw deal. Pirates' pitcher Sean Burnett is definitely one of those guys.

The Pirates made Burnett a first round pick out of high school in 2000 and he mostly cruised through the minors towards his major league debut in 2004. After a good beginning with the Pirates (he won five starts in a row at one point), he had some elbow pain and needed Tommy John surgery, resulting in him missing all of 2005. Since he's come back, he's struggled with arm strength and control and turned in two subpar years in AAA, finally resulting in
him being dropped off the 40-man roster this winter in favor of Ray Olmedo.

This spring, new Pirates' GM Neal Huntington asked Burnett to move into the bullpen and he responded beautifully. In ten innings he only allowed one run and three hits, striking out eight. Given his history, that might not be enough to make the pen on most teams, but the Pirates only had three bullpen spots filled when camp opened this year and Burnett far out-performed most of the other candidates for a spot. Still Burnett found himself on the outside yet again this year because he can be demoted to AAA while Evan Meek has to make the team as a Rule 5 pick and Phil Dumatrait is out of options. Unfortunately, he had to receive the news over the phone because he was out of camp. He was out of camp because he was celebrating the birth of his first child.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Huntington said Burnett was "angry, frustrated, and disappointed," over being cut. Indeed.

Latest Baseball Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, right, and catcher Russell Martin wait for the arrival relief pitcher Ramon Troncoso from the bullpen after yanking Joe Beimel during the fifth inning of the exhibition baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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Boston Red Sox's Manny Ramirez is hit by a pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Beimel during the fifth inning of their exhibition baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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Boston Red Sox David Ortiz, right, and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin follow Ortiz's foul ball to the right field pole during the fourth inning of their exhibition baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Friday, March 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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San Diego Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff makes a catch on a hit by Los Angeles Angels' Jeff Mathis in the fifth inning of their spring training baseball game Friday March 28, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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Chicago Cubs' Kosuke Fukudome, of Japan, get safely to second base after hitting a double as Seattle Mariners' Willie Bloomquist, right, reaches for the throw in the seventh inning of their exhibition baseball game in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Chicago Cubs' Kosuke Fukudome, of Japan, runs to the first base as he watches his line drive in the fourth inning of their exhibition baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28, 2008. Fukudome was out on first. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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San Diego Padres' Tadahito Iguchi reacts after striking out in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels in their spring training baseball game Friday, March 28, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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San Diego Padres' Brian Giles slides safely into third with a run-producing triple as Los Angeles Angels' Brandon Wood awaits the late throw in the sixth inning of their spring training baseball game on Friday, March 28, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki, of Japan, hits a single against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning of their exhibition spring baseball game in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Boston Red Sox Dustin Pedroia, left, is late in tagging Los Angeles Dodgers James Loney as he steals second base during the second inning of their exhibition baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Friday, March 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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