WASHINGTON Changes are coming to the Double-A Altoona roster, as Pirates management is unhappy with the performance of several players.
Yesterday, outfielder Brad Corley was taken off the Curve’s active roster and reassigned to short-season Class A State College. The move is merely a formality, though: The Pirates are working to trade Corley.
Corley, 25, was the Pirates’ second-round draft pick in 2005. In 21 games with Altoona, Corley hit .221 with four homers and 21 RBI.
The Curve is 12-24 and has lost two in a row. Corley’s departure is part of a larger shakeup. In the past couple of days, two players acquired via trades righty Randy Newsom and outfielder Jeff Corsaletti have been added to Altoona’s roster.
Among the players who are struggling are outfielder Jason Delaney (12th round, 2005), who’s batting .198; Jeff Sues (fifth round, 2005), who’s on the 40-man roster and has a 5.18 ERA in 11 relief outings; and Dan Moskos (first round, 2007), who has a 4.41 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in seven games (six starts).
“We’re sorting through some options and have had a number of players there not perform last year or this year,” farm director Kyle Stark said. “I imagine we’ll have resolution (with Corley) sooner rather than later.”
• Brad “Big County” Eldred hit a solo homer Monday night off Daniel McCutchen to help Syracuse beat Triple-A Indianapolis, 4-2. Eldred played for the Pirates in 2005 and ’07. Indy third baseman Neil Walker went 2 for 4 with two RBI. In a two-game stretch, Walker has driven in all five of Indy’s runs.
