Pirates send Gorzelanny to Triple-A Indianapolis

March 19, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Left-hander Tom Gorzelanny, one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ top two starters at the beginning of last season, was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis in a surprising move Wednesday.

The Pirates were unhappy with Gorzelanny’s lack of progress coming off a season in which he went 6-9 with a 6.66 ERA, the highest among major league pitchers with 20 or more starts.

Gorzelanny did not talk to reporters before leaving the Pirates’ clubhouse.

Gorzelanny was the club’s top starter in 2007, going 14-10 with a 3.88 ERA on a team that lost 94 games. He was demoted to Triple-A last July 4 before returning to Pittsburgh, where he had a 7.13 ERA over his final four starts.

This spring, Gorzelanny was 0-0 with a 7.00 ERA in only nine innnings.

General manager Neal Huntington said the left-hander needs considerable work to get back to being the pitcher he was two years ago.

“He’s frustrated. He doesn’t want to be a minor leaguer,” Huntington said.

The Pirates have had two open spots in the rotation most of the spring and, until making the move, had not indicated that Gorzelanny was no longer under consideration.

After allowing two runs on five hits in three innings Sunday against Tampa Bay, Gorzelanny said he was focusing on pitching well in his final few spring training starts to get ready for the season.

Left-handers Paul Maholm and Zach Duke and right-handers Ian Snell and Ross Ohlendorf appear to have rotation spots secured, with right-handers Virgil Vasquez and Jeff Karstens competing for the remaining spot.

The Pirates also optioned outfield prospect Jose Tabata to Double-A Altoona. The 20-year-old Tabata, dealt by the Yankees late last season, was impressive during his first spring training stay with the Pirates, hitting .407 with five RBIs in 11 games.

Also sent down were third baseman Neil Walker, a former first-round draft pick and Indianapolis’ 2008 MVP, left-hander Dave Davidson and non-roster right-hander Brian Slocum.

The moves left 40 players in the Pirates’ camp. Walker and Davidson, who spent time with Canada in the World Baseball Classic, were assigned to Indianapolis. Slocum was reassigned to the minor league camp.