Kyle McPherson

And now, McPherson is taking a short break before he heads down to my neck of the woods and plays some Fall Instructional League ball with the Pirates.  Kyle believes that the time in Florida will allow him to pick up his velocity.  If he follows suit, he will be one guy you never want to see on the mound as a batter on the opposing team.

McPherson recently talked again with a website that has become a big fan of the black belt baseball player.  Rum Bunter’s interview posits why McPherson was sent down last year (their assumption is correct), talks to Kyle about his 2009 season, asks some questions about next year, and compares McPherson’s numbers with Rudy Owens’ numbers (another great Pirates prospect).

Here is my favorite Q&A of the piece:

KYLE WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE NEXT YEAR?

“My overall goal is make it to the big leagues. Of course, the organization will place me where they see fit for me to reach that goal. My goal is to have a healthy spring training and offseason.  I’m going to go down to the Instructional League and I will be all ears. I will pick many things up for the betterment…to take with me for next year.”

“Wherever they decide that they want me to end up is up to them, I cant control that, so I will give myself every opportunity I can and let the chips fall where they may.”

McPherson also had an interview with George Von Benko of Scout.com and PiratesDugout.com.  A lot of the same topics were discussed in the article on Rum Bunter.  I particularly liked the very end of the interview:

GVB — Are you pleased with your progress through the minor leagues, do you have any sort of timetable?

KM — Age has been very beneficial for me since I was drafted at 19. This is my third professional season and I’m 21 now. I’m just as old as the new draft guys are and looking at it from that standpoint it’s progressing just fine.

While Kyle’s stats are extremely impressive with the Spikes, him receiving this award is much more noteworthy when one realizes that he spent roughly half the year with a different affiliate in the Pirates organization.  While with the other affiliate, the West Virginia Power, McP was 5-2 with 32 strikeouts and only 6 walks.  But those stats were not taken into account when the voters selected Kyle as Pitcher of the Year.

Congrats, Kyle!  Finish the year strong.  Everyone is looking forward to seeing what type of campaign you will put together in 2010.

The MLB Draft occurred just last week, but already, three first-round picks have signed with the teams who picked them.  The disadvantage of signing early is that you forfeit seeing what other players are signing for.  There is a possibility that you sign for less than you could make if you hold out until the deadline.  The positive is that you show goodwill to your signing team and get started within the organization as soon as possible.  Many teams will start you on a higher level, and you will be well on your way up the system while your colleagues are holding out for more money.

Normally, the signing deadline for drafted players is August 15th.  Because August 15th falls on a Saturday this year, the MLB has pushed the deadline  back to August 17th.  Expect a lot of first rounders to sign within minutes of the deadline.  But then there are those who have already signed, two months earlier than they had to.  Tony Sanchez is currently playing with the West Virginia Power of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization (where Dynasty has 2 clients: Kyle McPherson and Ryan Kelly), Drew Storen is with the Hagerstown Suns of the Washington Nationals organization, and Eric Arnett will be sent to Brewers Rookie Ball (Helena).

To be able to start playing in Class A or Rookie Ball now, is definitely a plus.  What about the signing bonuses?

• Tony Sanchez (#4 overall) – $2.5 million. College Junior – Catcher.
• Drew Storen (#10 overall) – $1.6 million. Draft-eligible College Sophomore – RHP.
• Eric Arnett (#26 overall) – $1.2 million. College Junior – RHP.

Last year, the #4 overall pick (Brian Matusz, College Junior – LHP) signed for $3.2 million, higher than Tony Sanchez’s bonus.  Left-handed pitchers are very valuable, but so is the skilled position of Catcher.  Additionally, the #5 overall pick was a College Junior Catcher named Buster Posey.  Drafted one slot later than Sanchez, Posey received the largest bonus of the draft – $6.2 million.  The Pirates spent $6 million on their 1st round pick last year (Pedro Alvarez), so Sanchez really could have probably made more if he held out a little longer.  But again, the positives of signing early..

Last year’s #10 overall pick (Jason Castro) was a College Junior Catcher from the same university as this year’s #10 overall pick – Stanford University.  Castro also signed for more money than this year’s #10 pick.  He received a bonus of $2.07 million.  Again, a highly skilled Catcher is very valuable, but Storen was seen as someone who could help out the Nats immediately.  Storen was also probably drafted in this position because of his signability.  Presumably, the Nationals knew that he would be a quick sign, which is why he was taken at #10 overall.

The #26 overall pick last year was Daniel Schlereth, a College Junior LHP from the University of Arizona.  As previously stated, LHPs are often valued higher than RHPs.  Schlereth received only a little more of a bonus ($1.33 million) than Arnett.

All three first round players that signed, did so below slot value.  I believe that Storen and Sanchez have legitimate reasons for doing so.  But maybe Arnett should have taken a little bit more time before agreeing to the terms of his deal.  What are your thoughts?

Anyway, McPherson picked up the win; it was his third straight victory.  For the season, he is 4-1. In his previous start, Kyle went 6.2 innings, struck out 3 batters, and gave up only 1 earned run.  So, for the last 11.2 innings pitched, McPherson has 2 wins, 9 strike outs, and has allowed two runs to cross the plate.

West Virginia has an overall record of 18-27.

Amato is a hard throwing sinkerball pitcher whose fastball touches in the low/mid 90’s.  At the advice of his pitching coaches, Amato started throwing from a sidearm motion for the 2009 season and it has paid off. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Amato in the 2007 draft. He has been used primarily as a reliever/closer ever since.

Amato is Dynasty’s seventh signed client on a Minor League professional roster and is the first Pittsburgh Pirate organization client for the company.  Bryan Swalley will serve as Amato’s primary agent.

Veterans of selling tickets with a bad team, the economy is only part of the puzzle the Pirates have to solve when it comes to putting fans in the seats. Posting 16 straight losing seasons forces the Pirates marketing and ticket sales divisions to get creative.

Some of the new strategies Pittsburgh has employed are keeping prices at the same level for the last seven years, offering good, affordable season tickets, and giving value in areas that would attract fans to the ballpark, such as concessions.

The Pirates offer a full-season ticket plan that is only $399. Fans can also sit in the first few rows of left field for $599. That breaks down to about $5 and $7 respectively per game. This pricing approach makes it very easy for people to make it out to every home game.

Pittsburgh also offers an all you can eat ticket for $35 where fans can enjoy all the food they want in the right field bleachers. The team originally targeted families for this package, but it is also popular among college students. The Pirates are also offering $1 hotdogs for Friday games.

The one advantage that the Pirates may have over some places is the ballpark in which the team plays. It is widely regarded as one of the nicest stadiums around baseball. Another advantage that may be overlooked is the state of the fans in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh fans enjoy annual success of the Steelers and more recently of the Penguins, so why would they care about a team that finished 67-95 a year ago? Because Pittsburgh is a sports town and these fans want to see nothing more than the Pirates put a competitive team on the field.

It would be much easier to sell tickets if the product that the Pirates put on the field matched the level of enthusiasm of the fans, but it hasn’t been that way for a while. This is why it’s so important for the Pirates to use other methods to fill the seats when the team isn’t performing as well as its city counterparts.

The Pirates will also have a full slate of giveaway promotion days such as bobble head days and hat days. They are proving that despite a poor economy, corporate sponsors are still investing in sports as an avenue to market their company. The only difference is sponsors are very meticulous in making sure that they will see a return on investment. Since the Pirates are working hard to find different ways to keep the ballpark full, it will ease some of the sponsors concerns.

Innovation becomes that much more essential for the lackluster Pirates to weather the economic storm. But the Pirates have shown that tough times are only part of the job when selling baseball tickets in Pittsburgh.

Back in November, I wrote about the Pittsburgh Pirates global recruiting effort, especially the pickup of Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, contestants in India’s “Million Dollar Arm” reality TV contest.  While their future within the Pirates’ organization is still unknown, Darren Rovell reported on Monday with updates to their story.  When I mentioned last time that the two were being represented by Jeff Borris, Barry Bonds’ agent, I was unaware that they had employed Bonds’ marketing agent Jeff Bernstein as well.  Bernstein was also the creator of the “Million Dollar Arm” show.

Singh and Patel have yet to even be assigned to a team in the Pirates system, but Bernstein is busy creating marketing opportunities for the duo.  Film producer Mark Ciardi is shopping the film rights to their story to Disney and Miramax, among other financiers and studios.  Bernstein noted that he will seek out product placement deals once the film rights have been sold.  He has also had success in finding the two pitchers a substantial amount of sponsorships, considering the hard economic times.  These deals include UnderArmour, Wilson, Upper Deck and Playoff (trading cards).  Bernstein has also used their ethnicity to their advantage, garnering a sponsorship deal with Ethnic Kitchen, a frozen Indian food producer.

The 27-year old will receive a $300,000 signing bonus with $2.05 million next season and $3.55 million in 2010 and $5.1 million in 2011. The contract also bears a $7.25 million club option for 2012 with a $500,000 buyout; if that option is exercised, Doumit will receive a $8.25 million option for 2013. Depending upon awards, Doumit’s option years could rise by $1 million.

In the 2008 season, Doumit hit .318 with 15 home runs and 69 RBIs in 116 games. He was the Pirates’ second round pick in the 1999 draft.

Real pirate ships aren’t the only pirates in the news for their global endeavors anymore.  Recently, the Pittsburgh Pirates have made additions to their club from around the globe, including Monday’s signing of Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel from India, and the South African Mpho “Gift” Ngoepe a few months ago.

The 20-year-old “pitchers” Singh and Patel are a gamble for the Pirates, as neither had picked up a baseball before entering India’s reality TV contest “Million Dollar Arm” in March.  In fact, neither won the contest, but both came to America following the show.  After working out for several months with Coach Tom House, the two held a tryout in Arizona attended by 30 major league scouts.  The two hurlers are believed to be the first athletes from India to sign professional baseball contracts outside of India.  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that it is believed the Pirates signed Singh and Patel for bonuses between $15,000 and $20,000 each.

Perhaps the Pirates are turning over a new page; in the past the organization rarely searched for players in nontraditional markets.  Pirates’ general manager Neal Huntington had this to say about the new players:

“The Pirates are committed to creatively adding talent to our organization.  By adding these two young men, the Pirates are pleased to not only add two prospects to our system but also hope to open a pathway to an untapped market. We are intrigued by Patel’s arm strength and Singh’s frame and potential.”

Whether or not Singh or Patel ever make the Pirates’ major league club is questionable, but Huntington doesn’t seem to be the only one confident in their ability to play at the highest level.  Jeff Borris, Barry Bonds’ agent, signed both after watching them workout in Southern California and liked their raw potential.

Likewise, the 18-year-old Mpho Ngoepe could become the first player from South Africa to reach the majors.  The switch-hitting shortstop is scheduled to play for his country in the World Baseball Classic, after which he will likely join the Pirates’ Gulf Coast Rookie League team in Bradenton, FL.  Also like Singh and Patel, Ngoepe is a project for the Pirates, as his game is rather unpolished but shows promise.  The “Gift” had the opportunity to train with former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin at an MLB sponsored academy, and Ngoepe appears to be integrating some of Barry’s style into his own.

If any of these players make a major league squad it would mean a great deal for the globalization of baseball.  No longer will Asia and the Americas be the only source for young talent.  Regarding the signing of Singh and Patel and the Pirates leading the way in new markets, scout Ray Poitevint expressed that, “For the Pirates to be at the forefront with this is really a coup for them.  I admire Pittsburgh for coming and taking charge.  Usually it’s Boston or the Yankees, but the Pirates took charge.”  If I had to guess, as soon as these guys show some real promise, Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein will both be sending a team of scouts to India and Africa.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Tuesday that they have put a freeze on season-ticket prices and offered an interest-free payment plan. Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Jeff Moorad says his club has lost a corporate sponsorship with their ballpark pool. The San Diego Padres, general manager Kevin Towers said, are braced to cut payroll to $40 million.

Maybe the Yankees, Mets, and White Sox will survive the economic storm unscathed, but smaller market teams may take a big hit.

Besides injecting their persuasive words into negotiations to sway owners to give up more bucks in a hurting economy, agents are looking to what the future may hold in taxes now that Obama has been declared the next President of the United States.  Obama would like to raise the top federal income tax rate from 35% to 39.6%.  At this point, it is merely a wish.  There is no knowing whether such a plan ever goes into effect.  If the tax rate were to be increased for the next fiscal year, then signing bonuses paid before Jan. 1 should not be taxed at the higher rate.  Thus, some agents are thinking about getting their free-agents into an established uniform earlier this time around due to potential tax breaks over signing later on.

My thoughts are that the teams who notoriously spend money will continue to do so, while the Marlins, Rays, Royals, etc. keep their low payrolls.  The real change may be seen with those clubs that spend somewhere in the middle.  If sponsorships and/or ticket sales go down, expect those teams to cut salaries.  However, I do not see teams adopting such measures proactively.  Instead, I think that any salary cuts will be based off of lower figures once they start rolling in next year (if numbers are indeed down at all).  As far as the federal income tax rate, it should be interesting to see if free-agents tend to sign earlier this year due to the potential of a raise in rate by the new Democratic administration.