Castillo's Health Concerns Mount

Traditionally, players who were hurt at the end of the previous season report to spring training early with pitchers and catchers. Jose Castillo has yet to join the rest of the rehabbing Pirates. In today's PG, Dejan wrote that Littlefield said Castillo was 'not asked to report to this phase'.

Castillo tore his left MCL in mid-August, was put on the 60-day DL, and never played another game in 2005. Now he is asked not to report to spring training to rehab?

This is the same Castillo who managed to play all of 11 innings in 2005 before he was forced to ride the pine all of April and the first week of May from oblique problems?

Huh?

Oh -- Castillo was a few days late to the January mini-camp as well. He had 'travel problems'.

I can just hear the Pirate optimists saying 'he's making a mountain out of a mole hill.'

One thing I have learned over the last 4 1/2 years dogging behind David Littlefield is how he speaks in circles. I call it Littlespeak.

In Littlespeak, 'travel problems' means I'm mad as he** he isn't here but there isn't a dang thing I can do about it.

In Littlespeak, 'not asked to report to this phase' means Littlefield doesn't want us to see how bad Castillo's shape really is.

Fantasy team owners need to take a step back before they commit to Jose. Looks like this young man very well could be starting his year on the pine.

Tidbit Section --

Did you see Sean Burnett announce to the world that he considers himself to be 'in the battle' for the 5th starting spot in the rotation after throwing about 40 pitches yesterday?

Flash back to September 2004: Burnett had reconstructive left elbow surgery. Just 120 days later, the Pirates had him throwing 20 long tosses at PNC before they would give him a contract.

Three months later while in his throwing program, Burnett feels soreness in his shoulder and is shut down. He eventually has arthroscopic shoulder surgery a month later to repair a rotator cuff tear.

During the 2005 season, Burnett's closest friend in the Pirates organization, Bobby Bradley, was released. That was almost 2 1/2 years after Bradley had the same arthroscopic shoulder surgery as Burnett. Bradley, of course, never found the plate again.

Now Burnett wants to rush. And Littlefield seems eager to allow him to.

Littlefield had said since late 2005 that Burnett will open in AAA on a rehab mission and isn't expected to be in Pittsburgh until a few months into the season.

Bradley was the Pirates #1 pick in 1999.

Burnett was the Pirates #1 pick in 2000.

Both have last names that begin with the letter B, just like the word broken that also best describes the Pirates ability to develop pitchers.

Sure -- let Burnett pitch Dave. What the heck. It's not like you are going to be around much longer to worry about it anyway.