Melancon to Pitch for MLB on Japan Tour

MLB finally announced the roster for the upcoming the MLB-Japan All-Star Series.
Closer Mark Melancon is the only Pirates player on the roster.

No surprise Melancon will participate in the Japan tour. He has traveled to China, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as an MLB ambassador.

Also, this the second time Melancon visit Japan as a baseball player. He pitched for the U.S. Collegiate National Team in 2005.

I'm thrilled to be representing @MLB in the Japan All-star Series! Do you have any fun ideas for me while in Japan? pic.twitter.com/2PsJbmBVvS
— Mark Melancon (@Mark_Melancon_) November 8, 2014

Pirates players who played in NPB-MLB All-Star Series.
2004 Jack Wilson
1998 Jason Kendall
1992 Bob Patterson
1990 Barry Bonds, R.J. Reynolds
1988 Bobby Bonilla
1986 Rick Rhoden, Tony Pena


All games will be available on MLB.tv. Here is the schedule.

Nov. 11: Exhibition  @ Hanshin Koshien Stadium (6 p.m. JST/ 4 a.m. ET)
Nov. 12: Game 1 @ Kyocera Dome Osaka (6 p.m. JST/ 4 a.m. ET)
Nov. 14: Game 2 @ Tokyo Dome (6 p.m. JST/ 4 a.m. ET)
Nov. 15: Game 3 @ Tokyo Dome (6 p.m. JST/ 4 a.m. ET)
Nov. 16: Game 4 @ Tokyo Dome (6 p.m. JST/ 4 a.m. ET)
Nov. 18: Game 5 @ Sapporo Dome (7 p.m. JST/ 5 a.m. ET)
Nov. 20: Exhibition @ Okinawa Cellular Stadium (6 p.m. JST/ 4 a.m. ET)

EdVol vs. MadBum..#AceOff

I think this photo is one of my worst photoshop works. BUT it was fun to edit.

I'm not really a fan of MLB.com's #AceOff things.
Also, I don't mean Edinson Volquez is the Pirates' ace. Frankie or Cole should be your choice.

Volquez need to pitch like an ace tonight. At least this is certain.

Don't be wild, Eddie. Throw baseball like past two weeks.

Let me raise the Eddie flag to celebrate tonight's win.

Uehara on His Pitchig vs Pirates

It's rare that Japanese baseball players talk about their performance on their blog or Twitter. Usually most of them write about daily life.

Koji Uehara wrote about his pitching and Pirates hitters' approach on Tuesday's game on his blog.

In beginning of his blog, Uehara said that it was lucky that he didn't gave up a home run.

"If you try to get a strike easily on a first pitch against a clean-up hitter, the result would be like this."  - Koji Uehara

vs. Neil Walker
"First batter, a double to right on fastball. I tried too much to get a first strike."

vs. Russell Martin
"Second batter, strikeout on a splitter. I knew he waited (the splitter), but I think it drop well to the inside."

vs. Starling Marte
"Third batter, strikeout on fastball. Apparently, he was waiting for split based on his swing. He had late swings on not-so-fast fastballs."

I thought Marte took late swings because of Uehara's deception. Uehara has a different perspective.

vs. Gaby Sanchez
"Fourth hitter, strikeout looking on splitter. The movement of the final pitch was like a slider. It was not intentional, but I wish I could throw baseball like that (intentionally)."

Uehara said that he is not at his best.

It is very interesting to see that when a opponent pitcher talks about his pitching approach.

Volquez and Colon At Bat Photo

Edinson Volquez and Bartolo Colon take a pitch over the middle of the plate.

4/21-4/27 Week in Pirates' Shifts

・SHIFTED
Date: April 21

Pitcher: Francisco Liriano (LHP)

Batter: Jay Bruce (LHB)
Fielder: Neil Walker  (2B)
Situation: Runner on 1st,  no outs
Count: 0-2
Pitch Type: 85-MPH Slider

Jay Bruce bunted foul on first pitch and missed a chance to appear This Week in Bunting to Beat the Shift. Do you remember that Bruce tried to bunt against Liriano last September?

4-5-3!!!! The Pirates made fantastic play two pitches later. Bruce got #shifted, and PEDRO ALVAREZ turned a double play.

See. Pedro looks freakin' smooth.

4/14-4/20 Week in Pirates' Shifts

・SHIFTED
Date: April 14

Pitcher: Charlie Morton (RHP)

Batter: Devin Mesoraco (RHB)
Fielder: Neil Walker (2B)
Situation: Bases Empty, 1 out
Count: 1-2
Pitch Type: 75-MPH Knuckle Curve

Neil Walker and the Bucs shifted perfectly. Spray Chat says Mesoraco tends to pull the baseball. There are no GIF or videos of this play because MLB.tv doesn't have the entire video of this game.

4/8-4/13 Week in Pirates' Shifts

Date: April 8

Pitcher: Charlie Morton (RHP)

Batter: Anthony Rizzo (LHB)
Fielder: Pedro Alvarez (3B)
Situation: Bases Empty
Count: 0-2
Pitch Type: 77-MPH Curve

Remember Jordy Mercer played "second base" when Bucs faced John Baker last week? The Pirates let Pedro Alvarez play "second" when Anthony Rizzo is batting. So why there's a difference? I think they want to keep a natural shortstop in "shortstop" against a good hitter like Rizzo.