ALFREDO AMEZAGA

1/16/78; '99 13th (Anaheim); St. Petersburg JC
R/R; 5-10, 165

Level
BA
OBP
SA
AB
2B
3B
HR
BB
K
SB
CS
1999 A- (Ana)
.322
.402
.420
205
6
4
2
23
29
14
 
1999 R (Ana)
.294
.400
.353
34
2
0
0
5
5
6
 
2000 A+ (Ana)
.279
.374
.357
420
13
4
4
63
70
73
 
2001 AAA (Ana)
.250
.307
.330
200
5
4
1
14
45
9
 
2001 AA (Ana)
.312
.370
.425
285
10
5
4
22
55
24
 
2002 AL (Ana)
.538
.538
.692
13
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
2002 AAA (Ana)
.251
.317
.361
518
25
7
6
45
100
23
14
2003 AL (Ana)
.210
.278
.333
105
3
2
2
9
23
2
2
2003 AAA (Ana)
.347
.391
.470
317
20
5
3
20
39
14
8
2004 AL (Ana)
.161
.212
.247
93
2
0
2
3
24
3
2
2004 AAA (Ana)
.259
.329
.370
135
5
2
2
13
18
7
0
2005 NL (Colo)
.333
.333
.333
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

In a baffling move, the Pirates claimed Amezaga when the Rockies put him on waivers. He's a run-of-the-mill, good-field, no-hit middle infielder, who serves no discernable purpose in an organization that's well stocked in the middle IF at the major league level with players who are much better than him. He's out of options, so he had to be retained on the major league roster. The Pirates stated, when they claimed him, that they needed more SS depth "at the upper levels," which implies that they may try to get him through waivers when Jose Castillo is activated from the DL. Even that explanation makes little sense, as they have a very similar player, Jorge Velandia, already in AAA. Amezaga hit fairly well at times in the minors, but has never shown anything with the bat in the majors. He's reputed to be very fast, which no doubt appeals to a team that values speed more than hitting ability. The Pirates have had a tendency at times to focus on players who once were considered good prospects with good "tools" but haven't performed as hoped, as long as they've gotten a fair amount of major league experience. Daryle Ward is an example. They're so focused on tools over performance that they seem to take far longer than other teams to figure out that a player simply isn't going to be very good at the major league level. At the same time, they'll readily give opportunities to players who have failed in the majors but won't give opportunities to players who haven't had a chance in the majors, like Graham Koonce. Reportedly, even the Pirates' players were puzzled by the move. The sole result of it is to make an already anemic offense weaker.

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