“It’s hard because it was so unexpected,” Capps said. “My dad was great. I owe everything to him. He wasn’t one of those Little League dads who always pushed me, but he was always supportive. He was always there, always helping with all the leagues I was in. It puts things in perspective when you lose someone that close to you.”
Capps, the Pirates’ closer, had the worst of his five major league seasons this year, as he went 4-8 with a 5.80 ERA while converting 27 of 32 save opportunities. Once a fan favorite, he was often booed during the second half of the season when he entered games at PNC Park.
The Pirates have been actively shopping Capps, 26, in trade talks. Despite the eight losses and poor ERA, Capps figures to get a significant raise over his $2,425,000 salary through the arbitration process.
Atlanta is one of the teams interested in Capps, as Braves co-closers Mike Gonzalez(notes) and Rafael Soriano(notes) have both filed for free agency. Detroit, Florida and Houston also have the need for a closer, but it appears none of those teams is able to take on much salary. Thus, The Braves look like a logical landing spot for Capps, who grew up as a big fan of the team in Douglasville.
However, Capps is not as eager to leave Pittsburgh and return home as one might suspect. He has spent his entire career in the Pirates organization, getting selected in the seventh round of the 2002 draft and making his major league debut three years later.
“I really like playing for the Pirates, and I think we’re in the beginning stages of something special,” Capps said, referring to general manager Neal Huntington overhauling the roster by making seven trades from June 3 to July 30 last season. “We’ve got a lot of good young players and more good ones coming in the farm system. We’re on the right track, and I think we’re going to start winning in the not-too-distant future. I want to be a part of it.
“And Pittsburgh is like a second home to be. I love Pittsburgh, and I’m not looking to leave.”
NOTES, QUOTES
RHP Evan Meek, who did not pitch after Aug. 11 because of a strained muscle in his ribcage, has been cleared by doctors to begin throwing. He is expected to be 100 percent when spring training begins. The hard-throwing Meek said he is working out diligently this offseason in an effort to crack 100 mph with his fastball in 2010. Meek was 1-1 with a 3.45 ERA in 41 relief appearances this year.
RHP Kevin Hart recently participated in a conditioning camp at PNC Park and admitted making the transition from reliever to starter just before being acquired from the Cubs in a July 30 trade took its toll. Hart was 1-8 with a 6.92 ERA in 10 starts for the Pirates and will have to battle to retain his spot in the rotation in spring training. Hart said he would report to camp ready to be a starter after being used in relief by the Cubs at the outset of the 2009 season.
3B Andy LaRoche spent a month in the Florida Instructional League learning how to play second base, only to see the Pirates trade with Tampa Bay for 2B Akinori Iwamura(notes) on Nov. 3. However, LaRoche said he was not upset by the trade and realizes being able to play another position only enhances his versatility and value.
LHP Justin Thomas, claimed off waivers from Seattle last month, recently took part in a conditioning camp at PNC Park to get acquainted with his new organization. Thomas stands a decent chance of making the Pirates next season, as they finished this year without a proven left-handed reliever.
RHP Eric Hacker and RHP Virgil Vasquez were outrighted to Class AAA Indianapolis, and C Steve Lerud was outrighted to Class AA Altoona, dropping them from the 40-man roster. Hacker, 26, was 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA in three relief appearances with the Pirates this year. Vasquez, 27, was 2-5 with a 5.84 ERA in 14 games, seven starts. Lerud spent the entire season at Altoona.
Director of baseball operations Bryan Minniti left the organization to become Washington’s assistant general manager. Minniti was effective the Pirates’ assistant GM—without the salary or title—since Neal Huntington replaced Dave Littlefield as GM in 2007. Minniti joined the Pirates in 2001 as an intern in the baseball operations department while still a student at the University of Pittsburgh.
The Pirates will finish their exhibition schedule outside of Florida for the first time since 2001 when they play a pair of games against the National League champion Phillies at Philadelphia on April 2-3. The Pirates will play 33 exhibition games, including six against the Phillies, which are as many times as the cross-state rivals will face each other in the regular season. The Pirates’ Grapefruit League opener is set for March 3 against the World Series champion New York Yankees at Tampa, Fla.
The Pirates purchased the Sarasota franchise in the high Class A Florida State League team from the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates will move the team 12 miles north to Bradenton, Fla., in time for the 2010 season. The Pirates have held spring training in Bradenton since 1969. The move to Bradenton ends the Pirates’ 13-year affiliation with high Class A Lynchburg in the Carolina League.
By The Numbers: 13—Players who participated in a recent conditioning camp at PNC Park: LHP Phil Dumatrait, LHP Justin Thomas, RHP Jose Ascanio, RHP Matt Capps, RHP Craig Hansen, RHP Kevin Hart, RHP Evan Meek, 1B Jeff Clement, 1B/OF Steve Pearce, 3B Andy LaRoche, INF/OF Delwyn Young, LF Lastings Milledge and OF Jonathan Van Every.
Quote To Note: “It is what it is. There’s really nothing more I can say.”—INF/OF Delwyn Young, on losing his starting second base job when the Pirates acquired 2B Akinori Iwamura from Tampa Bay in a trade on Nov. 3.