Snell sent down
PITTSBURGH — Ian Snell, the Pittsburgh Pirates' No. 2 starter, was demoted to the minors after winning only once in his last 12 starts.
The former 14-game winner was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis Thursday to work on throwing more first-pitch strikes and improving his breaking ball.
Snell is 2-8 with a 5.36 ERA in 15 starts, allowing 87 hits in 80X\c innings.
"We're going to try to help Ian Snell reach his potential because it is still in there. We've seen glimpses of it, and that's why he's remained in the big leagues," general manager Neal Huntington said. "It's still in there, but as to how we reach it, we're not quite sure just yet."
Virgil Vasquez will be called up from Triple-A Indianapolis to start tonight against Kansas City, with rookie Charlie Morton, who has been bothered by tightness in his left hamstring, moving back to Sunday.
Snell's demotion means the Pirates' top two starters at the beginning of the 2008 season, Tom Gorzelanny and Snell, will be at Indianapolis. Gorzelanny was sent down at midseason last year and has spent all but a couple of weeks in Triple-A this season.
After going 14-11 in 2006, Snell was 9-12 with a 3.76 ERA in 2007. He was the Pirates' opening-day starter in 2008 after signing an $8 million, three-year contract, but slipped to 7-12 with a 5.42 ERA, allowing 201 hits and walking 89 in 164Z\c innings. He is 11-27 with a 5.24 ERA in his last 61 starts.
Snell said it was his choice following several nights of discussion with Huntington and manager John Russell to go down.
"I just felt like it was the best decision for me and this team," he said. "I went with my gut, and I feel like I need to work on some stuff. I'm not going to be able to do it here. There's too much negativity, and I don't want to be a negative person. ... I don't want to ruin this team."
Gorzelanny and Jeff Karstens, who was recently demoted to the bullpen, are options if the Pirates need another starter soon, Huntington said.
