Controversial Draft Pick Moskos Signs With Pirates

Remember when the Buccos used the 4th overall selection to take the 5th best pitcher in the 2007 baseball draft? Well, the team is expected to announce that Daniel Moskos is officially on board, as he signed with the team today.

I'm trying to keep an open mind about Moskos, and he could potentially be a great closer. He's just going to have to live up to the fact that the team passed over super prospect Matt Wieters, who the Orioles then snatched with the next pick.

We've been quick to point out that Moskos was the 5th best pitcher available, but he did enter last season as the premier relief pitcher.

The hard throwing Moskos does have a decent fastball (clocked at up to 96 mph) and a pretty quick slider (clocked at up to 83 mph), but Moskos could become a closing terror if he develops his changeup a little more. I've said that more closers need to emulate Trevor Hoffman, primarily because he throws an excellent changeup. Scouts are saying that Moskos doesn't necessarily need the changeup if he does stick to closing. I say keep the changeup. What's there to lose? Buccos fans have already cast a cloud over Moskos, so why not try something different to prove us naysayers wrong?

Could Moskos be a bust? Definitely. All us fans have to go off is the past 12 years, in which the Buccos have taken 9 pitchers. Hopefully, Moskos proves us all wrong.