Around the Curve

Although there is still a little snow on the ground here in Curve, PA, things are in full swing down in Bradenton, Florida where the high temperature today is 83 degrees. The Pittsburgh Pirates are well into their Spring Training schedule (5-6 so far) and the Minor League players have arrived and will have also began their work for the 2011 season, but where do they go from here?

There is a common misconception that most Minor League Baseball players know their 2011 assignment even as early as January, but that is not the case. Outside of the widely publicized Pirates Spring Training games, the players ticketed to a Minor League destination will play in their own games as well on a daily basis in Spring Training as well. Typically, the team will break down into a rough idea of what each level will look like, with exceptions being made as the parent club is usually over-stocked with players. The Minor League managers will manage their squad against other similar affiliated teams in the area and form their own evaluations. Some players know where they’re going right now, but others will be late-March or even early-April decisions based on their in-game performances and work ethic.

After all is said and done in Florida for the Pirates, each team will announce the 25 (or so) players headed to each AAA, AA, A+ and A with the others remaining in Extended Spring Training, which mimics the routine the players are experiencing right now. The team’s will likely practice only a few times at their new destinations, take pictures, speak to the media, and for the new Altoona Curve players, head off to Erie, PA to play in their first game by April 7th.

Everything comes together pretty quickly at the end of the month and the early parts of April. Stay tuned to CurveBall Blog as well as AltoonaCurve.com for more information as to who will take the field at BCB come April 14th.

For now, follow Jim Lane’s updates from Pirate City and get caught up in the excitement of the season by attending the Curve’s Baseball Bash this Friday from 5:30-8pm…Enjoy the commercial here.