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Corey Hart on his shoulder, Futures Game representatives

Bill Brink 8 years ago

Corey Hart first hurt his left shoulder, which sent him to the disabled list Wednesday, when he reached to catch a batted ball while playing catch, he said today.

“During BP, somebody hit a ball and I kind of just reached back to grab it and it kind of jerked it back,” he said. “Ever since then it's been kind of ongoing.”

Hart said it hurt whenever he extended it. A short, tight swing didn’t bother him as much, but if he had to reach out over the plate to protect away, it hurt.

“I think I overdid it trying to hit during the games and just kind of aggravated it enough to where it needed to take three, four, five days off and try to start back,” Hart said. “It's more cautious than anything. It hurts, so I'm just trying to nip it in the bud so it doesn't cost me longer than a couple weeks.”

***The Pirates will send three representatives to the Futures Game in Cincinnati on July 12, two players and a coach.

Class AA Altoona first baseman Josh Bell (U.S. team) and Class AAA Indianapolis catcher Elias Diaz (World team) will represent the Pirates on the field. Altoona manager Tom Prince will work on the U.S. team’s coaching staff.

Bell went to the Futures Game last year in Minneapolis. He is hitting .318/.390/.438 with three homers. Members of the organization say his defense at first base, a relatively new position for him, is getting better with repetitions and his athleticism is playing well there.

Diaz is hitting .281/.344/.393 with Indy and has a 25/20 strikeout to walk ratio. 

***Scouting report on Anthony DeSclafani: Throws a four-seamer at 93-94 mph 37 percent of the time and a sinker 28 percent of the time. ... Uses 10 percent changeups (86 mph) and 20 percent sliders (87 mph). ... Has a rarely-used curveball (3 percent, 78 mph). ...  Slider usage increases to 33 percent against righties, while changeup usage drops to 3 percent. ... Changeup usage increases to 14 percent against lefties, while sliders drop to 11.7 percent. ... His most recent start (three runs in five innings) followed five consecutive strong starts. ... Has allowed five runs and 12 hits in 11 innings, with five walks and seven strikeouts, in two career starts against the Pirates. ... Walks almost 3.6 batters per nine innings but has only a 5.4 percent home run to fly ball rate.