Skipperron
Guru
I thought I had seen it all in the Pirates attempt to erase the whiteness of their team, but this hits the bottom of the barrel. We now are signing African "players".
The Pirates, trying to mine all areas to get prospects into their minor league system, hope they've found a diamond in the rough in Mpho Ngoepe from South Africa.
Ngoepe, 18, is a switch-hitting shortstop who signed with the Pirates about a month ago, then made a cameo appearance in the Instructional League in Bradenton, Fla.
"We need to find talent wherever it is," general manager Neal Huntington said. "It will be a great story if he makes it to the big leagues."
It also will be historic.
No player from South Africa has played in the major leagues.
"It's going to be a challenge for him," said Jeff Banister, the Pirates' minor league field coordinator who watched Ngoepe in Bradenton. "But he doesn't lack confidence. He's very inquisitive about baseball.
"He has the tools and skills of a young, athletic high school or junior college shortstop. I look forward to working with him in spring training."
Ngoepe, 5 feet 9, 165 pounds, is from Randburg, South Africa -- a suburb of Johannesburg -- and will play for his country in the World Baseball Classic next year. Then he'll report to the Pirates and probably will begin his professional career with Bradenton in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.
"He's an interesting guy," Huntington said. "He made a great impression in Bradenton. He's a good athlete. He has a chance."
Ngoepe's middle name is Gift -- and he would be quite the present for the Pirates if he makes it to the major leagues.
The Pirates sent scouts Tom Randolph and Jack Bowen to Pisa, Italy, in late August to watch Ngoepe in a showcase of European and African talent.
"He just started switch-hitting and he took to it easily. That intrigued me," Bowen said. "He's not polished. He's still learning the game. But he has good hands and good defensive actions. We'll see what happens."
Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin worked with Ngoepe at an academy supported by Major League Baseball.
"That doesn't surprise me," Banister said. "Players usually take on some of the actions of players they like, and some of [Ngoepe's] actions are the actions Barry had."
"There have been a lot of people who have got me to where I am, but Barry took me up a level at the academy," Ngoepe told The Citizen, a Johannesburg newspaper. "I learned a lot from him and he kept on encouraging me, telling me that people were interested in me."
The Pirates demonstrated they were more than interested.
"It's a great feeling to be signed," Ngoepe said. "I've worked all my life for this. I've always wanted to be a professional baseball player."
In another move, the Pirates declined their $2.6 million 2009 option on outfielder Jason Michaels, 32, who will not get a buyout. Michaels batted .271 last season.
This is the start of a horrible trend for major league baseball. Not enough African-American players? No problem we will just get African players.
The Pirates, trying to mine all areas to get prospects into their minor league system, hope they've found a diamond in the rough in Mpho Ngoepe from South Africa.
Ngoepe, 18, is a switch-hitting shortstop who signed with the Pirates about a month ago, then made a cameo appearance in the Instructional League in Bradenton, Fla.
"We need to find talent wherever it is," general manager Neal Huntington said. "It will be a great story if he makes it to the big leagues."
It also will be historic.
No player from South Africa has played in the major leagues.
"It's going to be a challenge for him," said Jeff Banister, the Pirates' minor league field coordinator who watched Ngoepe in Bradenton. "But he doesn't lack confidence. He's very inquisitive about baseball.
"He has the tools and skills of a young, athletic high school or junior college shortstop. I look forward to working with him in spring training."
Ngoepe, 5 feet 9, 165 pounds, is from Randburg, South Africa -- a suburb of Johannesburg -- and will play for his country in the World Baseball Classic next year. Then he'll report to the Pirates and probably will begin his professional career with Bradenton in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.
"He's an interesting guy," Huntington said. "He made a great impression in Bradenton. He's a good athlete. He has a chance."
Ngoepe's middle name is Gift -- and he would be quite the present for the Pirates if he makes it to the major leagues.
The Pirates sent scouts Tom Randolph and Jack Bowen to Pisa, Italy, in late August to watch Ngoepe in a showcase of European and African talent.
"He just started switch-hitting and he took to it easily. That intrigued me," Bowen said. "He's not polished. He's still learning the game. But he has good hands and good defensive actions. We'll see what happens."
Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin worked with Ngoepe at an academy supported by Major League Baseball.
"That doesn't surprise me," Banister said. "Players usually take on some of the actions of players they like, and some of [Ngoepe's] actions are the actions Barry had."
"There have been a lot of people who have got me to where I am, but Barry took me up a level at the academy," Ngoepe told The Citizen, a Johannesburg newspaper. "I learned a lot from him and he kept on encouraging me, telling me that people were interested in me."
The Pirates demonstrated they were more than interested.
"It's a great feeling to be signed," Ngoepe said. "I've worked all my life for this. I've always wanted to be a professional baseball player."
In another move, the Pirates declined their $2.6 million 2009 option on outfielder Jason Michaels, 32, who will not get a buyout. Michaels batted .271 last season.
This is the start of a horrible trend for major league baseball. Not enough African-American players? No problem we will just get African players.
