’Cats built on pitching, scrappy offense

By Andy Bitter

Published: April 3, 2008

The power hitters? They’re gone. Steve Pearce, Jason Delaney and Brad Corley have all moved up in the Pirates’ system.

The speedster? He’s gone too. Pedro Powell, the Hillcats’ stolen base king, finally got his chance at Double A.

How about the experienced pitchers? Unlike last year, Lynchburg doesn’t have too many. In fact, less than half the staff has ever pitched in High A.

So what exactly is the identity of this year’s Hillcats, who open their season at Frederick tonight at 7 p.m.?

“We have a team that gets the job done,” starting first baseman Kent Sakamoto said. “We’ve got versatile players from one through nine.”

No, the Hillcats are nothing like last year’s team, but considering how that squad fared, that’s a good thing.

Despite a middle of the order filled with sluggers, a lineup headed by the fastest player in the organization and a veteran pitching staff flush with High-A experience, Lynchburg slumped to a 55-82 record last season, its worst since becoming a Pirates affiliate in 1995.

About the only thing that stayed the same is the coaching staff. Manager Jeff Branson is back for his second season in Lynchburg and pitching coach Bob Milacki begins his fourth year with the Hillcats.

The roster, however, has a radically different makeup:

ä Of the nine players who played in Lynchburg last year, only catcher Steve Lerud and second baseman Angel Gonzalez are returning starters.

ä Twelve players finished last season with the Low-A Hickory Crawdads, who went 43-26 in the second half and qualified for the South Atlantic League playoffs.

ä Last year’s No. 1 pick, pitcher Daniel Moskos, and shortstop Brian Friday skipped Hickory altogether, making the leap from short-season State College to Lynchburg. Opening day starter Tony Watson, a ninth-round selection last year out of Nebraska, made the jump after getting just three starts with the Crawdads.

The biggest difference from last season’s team comes on offense.

“We had some bangers last year, some guys who could put the ball out of the park and knock down some walls,” Lerud said. “But this is definitely more of a speed team.”

Of the projected starters, only three reached double digits in home runs playing the majority of their games in Hickory’s hitter friendly L.P. Frans Stadium — left fielder Jared Keel (17), Sakamoto (14) and center fielder Alex Presley (11).

As a result, the Hillcats will have to manufacture runs. Friday and Gonzalez, who have good speed, will hit near the top of the order. Branson hasn’t settled on a lineup but expects Lerud, Sakamoto and Keel to hit in the middle.

Presley, right fielder Albert Laboy, third baseman Jim Negrych and whoever is the DH (most likely Eddie Prasch or Tony Mansolino) will round out the lineup in some order.

“We’re going to have to put pressure on the other team,” Branson said. “We’re going to have to bunt. We’re going to have to hit and run. We’re going to have to squeeze. It’s totally opposite of last year. We’ll do whatever it takes to score runs, because I think our pitching staff has the ability to keep us in games.”

That staff is highlighted by Watson and Moskos, two members of the 2007 draft class. Watson went 7-2 with a 2.81 ERA between State College and Hickory and was rated by Baseball America as having the best changeup of the organization’s prospects.

Moskos, who went fourth overall in last year’s draft, is the first No. 1 pick to start a season in Lynchburg since pitcher Paul Maholm in 2004. Catcher Neil Walker’s arrival was delayed by a wrist injury in 2006, center fielder Andrew McCutchen jumped straight to Double-A Altoona last year and pitcher Brad Lincoln sat out last season following major elbow surgery.

“Anytime you’re a first-round pick, you’re going to have all the hype,” Branson said. “I think (Moskos is) a very level-headed kid, and he’s handled this — the No. 1 on his back — very well. He’s a very confident kid that knows how to pitch.”

The old Pittsburgh front office selected Moskos with the idea of making him a reliever, but the new regime has shelved that plan, putting the 21-year-old in the starting rotation. It’s not a foreign concept for Moskos, who started the final 10 games of his Clemson career.

The 6-foot-1, 208-pound lefty throws four pitches — a two-seam and four-seam fastball, changeup and slider — and is touted by Baseball America as the Pirates’ fifth best prospect, armed with the best slider and fastball.

“But power doesn’t get your far when you get into High A and Double A,” Moskos said. “You’ve got to be able to locate too, because hitters are pretty good.”