Bucs Signings Getting Noticed

The plaudits are beginning to come in for the job the new Bucco regime has done so far. First, the tide has begun to turn on the trades they pulled off, and now, people are taking notice of their draft signings and how it sure looks like things are being done differently in the Bucs front office:

• Jayson Stark of ESPN retracts his criticism of the trades:

Out of the Pitts: In the hours after the trading deadline, we were critical of the Pirates for dealing three high-profile players without getting back a single can't-miss, centerpiece prospect back. But in the days since, we've been convinced by executives of several teams that the Pirates actually did better in their two big deals than we originally gave them credit for.

"There are no stars in there, but they need that depth of talent," an official of one club said. "They need numbers. And they accomplished that."

"I think they're on the right track," one NL scout said. "At least they decided they couldn't keep doing the same thing they've been doing and took some chances."

One NL executive even defended them on the widely hammered Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte deal, saying: "If they got three major league pitchers in that deal, and I think they did, then great for them. And all three guys (Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf and Daniel McCutchen) are either ready or close. So that's a good deal, not a bad deal."

Nevertheless, when asked to name the best player of the eight this team received in those trades, the baseball men we spoke with had a tough time finding a clear-cut Pirates acquisition they'd buy stock in. The name we heard most: 21-year-old right-hander Bryan Morris (3.15 ERA in low Class A). "If he stays healthy, he's definitely the best talent in that group," one GM said.

• Perrotto at the Beaver County Times notes that thing look to be on the right track.
• Wilbur Miller at onlybucs.org details the changes going on
• Baseball America counts two Bucs picks as coups:
  

Biggest Coups, First 10 Rounds

1. Tim Melville, rhp, Royals (fourth round, $1.25 million, No. 15 on BA Top 200)

2. Brett Hunter, rhp, Athletics (seventh round, $1.1 million, No. 51 on BA Top 200)

3. Ross Seaton, rhp, Astros (supp. third round, $700,000, No. 28 on BA Top 200)

4. Robbie Grossman, of, Pirates (sixth round, $1 million, No. 49 on BA Top 200)

Athletic switch-hitter adds to Pittsburgh's burgeoning outfield talent.

5. Ryan Westmoreland, of, Red Sox (fifth round, $2 million, No. 113 on BA Top 20)

Biggest Coups, Rounds 11-50

1. T.J. House, lhp, Indians (16th round, $750,000, No. 100 on BA Top 200)

2. J.P. Ramirez, of, Nationals (15th round, $1 million, No. 155 on BA Top 200)

3. Quinton Miller, rhp, Pirates (20th round, $900,000, No. 158 on BA Top 200)

He shows flashes of a low-90s fastball, plus slider and average changeup.

4. Dusty Coleman, ss, Athletics (28th round, $675,000, No. 185th on BA Top 200)

5. Bryce Stowell, rhp, Indians (22nd round, $725,000, unranked on BA Top 200)