Jose Tabata News

Grant Desme, the Oakland outfield prospect who led the Arizona Fall League with 11 homers, has been chosen as the recipient of the league's Joe Black Most Valuable Player Award.

The Pirates enter the opening of free-agent season today as patient, prudent investors in pursuit of a bat and bullpen arms.

Haven't done one of these in a while, so let's catch up with the Pirate prospects playing in various parts of the Western Hemisphere this fall.

Insanity . Jose Tabata is now 6-for-6 with two doubles in Scottsdale's game against the Peoria Javelinas.

Phillies catching prospect Tuffy Gosewisch is putting together a positive close to his third stint in the Arizona Fall League.

Wilton Lopez is likely done pitching this fall and he ended his second Arizona Fall League campaign with his best effort of the season.

For my Baseball Insider, I spoke with Pirates GM Neal Huntington about two players with New York roots, Lastings Milledge and Jose Tabata .

The secret of Yonder Alonso's success comes from sticking with the basics. Alonso drove in two key runs for Peoria in the Saguaros' 6-3 victory over the Scottsdale Scorpions on Thursday afternoon.

The World Series may still be fresh in your mind, but MLB GMs are already focusing on next season.

For Jay Buente, every strikeout in Arizona this fall moves him a little closer to a roster spot in Florida next spring.

Latest sign that things are slowly changing on Federal Street: when the Red Sox traded for Jeremy Hermida yesterday and only gave up two minor league arms, I didn't go apopletic about the Pirates not being involved.

Delwyn Young will return to a bench role with the addition of Akinori Iwamura. Pirates president Frank Coonelly participated in his monthly live online chat with Pirates fans on Wednesday.

Strasburg's last start created some undue panic in a small set of fans in our nation's capitol, but he proved everything was fine on Tuesday by not allowing a hit and lighting up that elusive third digit on the radar gun on multiple occasions.

I love it when someone is willing to stand behind his team. I'll get to exactly what I mean in a minute.

Here is part two in a seven-part series that will take an in-depth look at how each of the Pirates' Minor League affiliates fared during the 2009 season.

Stephen Strasburg did not disappoint in his Arizona Fall League debut Friday night.

22, 2008 file photo, USA starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws against Cuba in their semifinal baseball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

BUCCO Fans.com: Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata top IL prospects >> Posted By buccofans 23 hours, 11 minutes ago in Sports Baseball America released their top 20 prospects from the 2009 International League.

Stephen Strasburg was as advertised in his highly anticipated Arizona Fall League debut for the Phoenix Desert Dogs.

Here is part one in a seven-part series that will take an in-depth look at how each of the Pirates' Minor League affiliates fared during the 2009 season.