Michael Crotta #60

Michael John Crotta...Is a 2003 graduate of Martin County (FL) High School...Went 5-1 with a 0.51 ERA and struck out 86 batters in 54.0 innings during his senior season and was named first-team All-State...Played three seasons with Florida Atlantic University, where he went 12-10 with a 5.69 ERA in 64 career games (22 starts)...Also pitched for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2005...Was originally selected by Philadelphia in the 47th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft...Signed by Pirates scout Joe Salermo.

2011

Michael John Crotta...Is a 2003 graduate of Martin County (FL) High School...Went 5-1 with a 0.51 ERA and struck out 86 batters in 54.0 innings during his senior season and was named first-team All-State...Played three seasons with Florida Atlantic University, where he went 12-10 with a 5.69 ERA in 64 career games (22 starts)...Also pitched for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2005...Was originally selected by Philadelphia in the 47th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft...Signed by Pirates scout Joe Salermo.

2010

Went 7-10 with a 4.42 ERA in 28 combined starts between Altoona (AA) and Indianapolis (AAA)...Established minor league career highs in strikeouts (105) and innings pitched (156.2)...Matched career high in starts (also in 2008)...Was Altoona's Opening Day starter and gave up one run in 6.0ip in victory vs. Harrisburg...Tossed 7.0 scoreless frames in his second start with the Curve, but received a no-decision...Did not surrender a run in 13.1 consecutive innings from 4/8-19...Was victorious at Akron on 4/19 (6.0ip/3er)...Made fourth and final Double-A start on 4/24 vs. Erie (6.0ip/1er)...Was promoted to Indianapolis on 4/29 and won his first Triple-A start on 5/2 at Lehigh Valley (7.0ip/3r/2er)...Pitched season-high 8.0 innings in second start with Indy on 5/8 vs. Buffalo...Went 4-3 with a 4.25 ERA (48.2ip/23er) in his first eight starts with Indianapolis thru 6/9; went 1-7 with a 5.33 ERA (82.2ip/49er) in his last 16 assignments...Won final game on 7/23 vs. Charlotte...Lost his last five decisions...Gave up just three earned runs in three-start stretch from 8/8-19 (19.1ip - 1.40 ERA), but posted an 0- 1 record...Was charged with 14 earned runs while losing his last three starts (11.0ip)...Tossed season-low 1.0 inning in final start on 9/3 vs. Louisville.

2009

Spent entire season at the Double-A level...Led Altoona in strikeouts and ranked fourth among all Bucco farmhands in that department...Also ranked second on the staff in innings pitched...Was the winning pitcher on 4/18 vs. Erie when Altoona snapped a franchise record eight-game losing streak to begin the season...Won his first three decisions...Tossed season-high 8.0 innings on 5/12 at Harrisburg...Lost three straight decisions from 5/17 thru 6/9...Was victorious on 6/20, but then lost three straight again from 7/5-22...Won back-to-back starts on 8/4 and 8/11...Suffered losses in consecutive starts on 8/16 and 8/23...Pitched 7.0 scoreless innings while winning final start on 9/7 at Binghamton.

2008

Spent entire season with Lynchburg (A)...Established minor league career high in starts and shared Carolina League lead in that department....Also led league in hits allowed and ranked third in innings pitched...Ranked first in fewest walks per 9.0ip (1.48) among starters...Led staff in victories and shared lead in that category among all Bucco farmhands...Also ranked third in minor league system in strikeouts...Pitched 6.0 perfect innings in his first start before allowing three runs on no hits in the 7th inning in a win at Frederick on 4/6...Did not allow an earned run in back-to-back starts on 4/27 at Kinston (5.0ip) and 5/2 vs. Kinston (5.0ip)...Won three straight decisions from 5/29 thru 6/13...Gave up 10 runs (nine earned) in 1.0ip on 6/19 at Kinston, raising season ERA from 4.75 to 5.88...Tossed 7.0 scoreless frames while winning his seventh decision on 7/1 at Wilmington...Did not surrender a home run in his last eight starts (48.0ip) and gave up just two long balls in his final 18 assignments (93.2ip)...Participated in the Arizona Fall League and went 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA (17.0ip/13r/9er) in 12 relief appearances with Scottsdale.

2007

Went 10-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 27 minor league games (26 starts)...Established minor league career high in wins and tied for fourth in the system in that department...Spent majority of season with Hickory (A), where he led the staff in victories...Began season with three straight no-decisions before suffering loss in third start on 4/23 at West Virginia...Made only relief appearance (3.0ip/2er) on 4/20 at Lexington...Pitched 5.0 perfect innings before allowing a run on two hits in 6th inning while winning first game on 4/28 vs. Greensboro...Had a no-hitter thru 7.1 innings on 5/21 vs. Kannapolis, but ended up with a no-decision...Suffered his last loss on 6/11 vs. West Virginia...Yielded a season-high 16 hits and seven earned runs (4.2ip) in a no-decision on 6/29 at Asheville...Made an emergency spot start for Altoona on 7/4 at Trenton, becoming the first player from the 2006 draft class to reach Double-A...Won his last eight decisions with Hickory...Was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher-of-the-Week after going 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA (13.0ip/2er) in two starts on 7/31 and 8/6...Tossed first and only professional complete game (7.0ip/2er) in game one of a doubleheader on 7/31 at Chattanooga...Gave up just two earned runs in a three-start stretch from 8/6-18 (18.2ip), dropping ERA from 4.59 to 4.07...Gave up eight runs in 4.0ip on 8/24 vs. West Virginia before closing out the regular season with 3.0 scoreless frames on 8/30 at Asheville...Started Game One of the best-of-three Divisional playoff series vs. West Virginia on 9/5 and took the loss (4.0ip/7er).

2006

Went 2-5 with a 4.87 ERA in first professional season after being selected by Pittsburgh in the 17th round of the First-Year Player Draft...Began season with Williamsport (A) and made pro debut in relief on 6/23 at Mahoning Valley (3.0ip/1er)...Tossed 1.1 scoreless frames while making first start in game two of a doubleheader on 6/28 vs. Auburn...Was charged with just one run in his first three starts (10.0ip) thru 7/8...Suffered first loss in relief (4.0ip/2er) on 7/15 vs. Lowell...Lost three straight decisions from 7/15-26...Won lone game with Williamsport after tossing 5.0 scoreless innings in his start on 7/31 at Jamestown...Tossed 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings from 7/31 thru 8/5...Walked just four batters and gave up one home run in his 43.2 innings of work with Williamsport...Was promoted to Hickory on 8/12 and received a nodecision in first start on 8/15 at West Virginia (4.1ip/6er)...Picked up lone win with Crawdads in second start on 8/20 vs. Greensboro (7.0ip/1er)...Suffered losses in his final two starts (6.0ip/13er).