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Jaramillo excited to be a Pirate

By JOHN PERROTTO

POSTED: February 15, 2009

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BRADENTON, Fla. - When the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Ronny Paulino at the winter meetings last December, few tears were shed.

"Ronny didn't want to be here anymore," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said after dealing Paulino to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jason Jaramillo in an exchange of catchers. "He wanted a change of scenery and it was best for us, too, that he move on."

In return, the Pirates received a catcher who definitely wants to play in Pittsburgh. Jaramillo said he could barely contain his excitement when Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. phoned to tell him of the trade.

"I knew I was going to have the chance to play for Russ again and I can't help but be enthused about that," Jaramillo said before the Pirates' pitchers and catchers held a spring training workout Sunday at Pirate City.

Russ is Pirates manager John Russell. Two years ago, Russell was the manager of the Phillies' Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre farm club and Jaramillo was one of his catchers.

Now, the two are reunited and it feels so good for Jaramillo.

"Russ knows as much baseball as anyone I have ever come across," Jaramillo said. "His knowledge of the game is just amazing and I can't tell you how happy I was when the Pirates gave him the shot to be a major league manager. I learned so much about baseball the year I played for him and I'm so excited to be back together with him. It's great."

Jaramillo is competing with another rookie, Robinzon Diaz, for the backup catcher job behind Ryan Doumit. Diaz was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays last August in a trade for third baseman Jose Bautista. While Jaramillo and Diaz appear relatively even at this stage, Jaramillo likely rates at least a small edge because of Russell's familiarity with him.

"I hope that helps but I'm certainly not going to sit back and think I'm going to make the team just because John knows me," Jaramillo said. "I fully understand that I have to earn it and I'm fine with that."

Jaramillo spent the past two seasons at Class AAA and seemed stuck in the Phillies' organization. Carlos Ruiz was the primary catcher for the World Series champions last season and Chris Coste is a solid backup.

"I wouldn't say it was frustrating because I knew I was behind two pretty good catchers but I think I was definitely in a situation where I needed a change of pace," Jaramillo said. "I honestly don't know if there was anything left I could have done with the Phillies to get a shot at the major leagues. It was just a matter of circumstances there where they had two guys in front of me. I was just in the wrong place."

Now, the 26-year-old Jaramillo, the Phillies' second-round draft pick in 2004 from Oklahoma State, seems to be in the right place.

The scouting report on the switch-hitting Jaramillo is that his strong suit is defense as he is mobile behind the plate with an above-average arm. He is primarily a gap hitter who is willing to take a walk. He was ranked as the Phillies' 10th-best prospect going into last season by Baseball America then hit .266 with eight home runs and 39 RBIs in 115 games with Lehigh Valley.

"He's a really solid defensive catcher and a hard worker," Russell said. "When I had him in Triple-A two years ago, he probably had been promoted there a little before he was ready but he really improved. The question is whether he can hit at this level and I think he has a shot to do that."

Baseball is certainly in Jaramillo's blood as his two older brothers also played professionally, though neither reached the major leagues. Frankie was the Texas Rangers' 45th-round pick in 1995 from Southern Illinois and Lee was Milwaukee's 31st-round choice in 1998 from Wisconsin-Milwaukee and later worked in the Brewers' marketing department.

"They are 10 and nine years older than me, so I had the chance to go to spring training and visit them and be around them and learn a lot," Jaramillo said. "It definitely helped prepare for a career as a professional player."

While Jaramillo is changing organizations for the first time in his career, he is blending in quite well in the Pirates' clubhouse. Jaramillo played with the gold medal-winning Team USA at the World Cup in Chinese Taipei following the 2007 season along with three other players now with the Pirates, first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce, third baseman Andy LaRoche and infielder Brian Bixler.

"It's funny how things work out," Jaramillo said. "I get traded for the first time and I wind up with a team where I know the manager, know the hitting coach (Don Long, who was the Phillies' minor-league hitting coordinator before joining the Pirates) and was teammates in an international competition with some of the guys. It's pretty neat and really makes me feel like I belong here. I really feel this is a good situation for me."

John Perrotto can be reached at jperrotto@piratesreport.com

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