2008 Rule 5 Draft

[Illini Iceman]

Veal to Pirates

 

Probably just about the last team we would have wanted to take him.

 

Pittsburgh sure does love the lefties with injury histories.

 

Fixed that for you. :D

 

I checked Veal's stats today and he is not doing too bad but he does have 5 walks in 5 innings pitched so that may be of some concern to the Pirates.

 

On the other hand, David Patton looked like he has pretty good stuff in the one inning I saw him pitch in the game yesterday. Admittedly this is a very small sample size but he looks to have the potential to pitch in middle relief and be pretty effective. May come down to whether they want to keep him or Guzman since they will most likely lose either of those guys if they don't make the 25 man roster out of spring training and most likely won't have room for both.

[Illini Iceman]

Update on Veal:

 

That business side also will play into the team's decision with left-hander Donnie Veal, the team's Rule 5 Draft pick. Veal would have to be offered back to the Cubs if he does not make the team out of camp. The concern with him continues to be his control.

 

After making five consecutive scoreless appearances early, Veal has had a handful of outings late where he struggled mightily in finding the plate. He's walked 10 hitters in his last five outings.

 

"Donnie Veal at times flashes why we feel we may have found something pretty good as a Rule 5," Huntington said. "At times he flashes why we were able to get him in the Rule 5."

 

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090323&content_id=4052230&vkey=news_pit&fext=.jsp&c_id=pit

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Speculation is that Veal will stick with the Pirates.

 

Link.

 

Lefty Donnie Veal still hasn't been told he's made the club, but it appears to be a fait accompli.

 

"He's got a very good fastball and his changeup's very good against right-handers," Russell said. "Not too many guys have really centered him up, and that's a really good sign."

 

Management believes Veal, a Rule 5 pick, is closer to being major-league ready than Meek was at this time last year.

[Illini Iceman]

13 BB and 3 HBP in 13 innings pitched this spring.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So will he basically be the Pirates loogy?

[TruffleShuffle]

"He's got a very good fastball and his changeup's very good against right-handers," Russell said. "Not too many guys have really centered him up, and that's a really good sign."

 

he also doesn't appear to have centered up home plate, and that's a really bad sign.

[Illini Iceman]

I see Veal has 3 BB's in the whopping one inning of work the Pirates have given him so far this season. Of course he also has 3 K's. In the batters he has faced he has either walked them, struck them out or given up a homer.

[Guest]

I see Veal has 3 BB's in the whopping one inning of work the Pirates have given him so far this season. Of course he also has 3 K's. In the batters he has faced he has either walked them, struck them out or given up a homer.

LOL, Donnie is a three true outcome pitcher.

 

They could do a Bingo Long thing and have the defense sit down when he pitches.

[Little Slide Rooter]

How have the Pirates kept Veal on their roster this long? Hes pitched 3 innings all season.