Drew Aller

shortstop, you know, if he ends up being a 240-pounder, very possible that maybe he moves to third base or he moves to the outfield.

But I don't think that's an issue right now.

I think he moves very, very well right now at 225 pounds.

And I think he probably projects as the best of the group at shortstop, although I don't say that as an affront to Jared Triolo, who

as a gold glove utility guy and who handled shortstop much better than anyone expected last year when he played there for the first time as a major leaguer, I think.

But Griffin, that's why the writers and the people that are coming through and seeing Connor Griffin, we're seeing a guy who looks different than major leaguers.

He looks like a cut above them already.

And he's only 19 years old and he's not played above double A.

I would say when you see the guys come back from the WBC, and some will be coming back sooner than others.

I don't know how Nick Gonzalez might have a chance with Team Mexico, but some of these guys are going to be coming back.

I think you're going to get a better understanding of what this lineup is going to look like because I think some of these guys, whether it's Triolo or Nick York, are going to get long looks at certain positions, but I think we already know that first base is either going to be Ryan O'Hearn or Spencer Horwitz.

Second base is going to be Brandon Lau, and the way things look right now,

Jared Triolo could be at third base, although he could play shortstop and they could try Gonzalez or York or Manuel Valdez at third base.

I think when the WBC is over and the team is back together, I think we'll have a pretty good idea.

At that point, it'll be mid-March.

I think it's interesting that the Pirates didn't say from the very beginning that

Connor Griffin was going to start the season in the minors like they did with Paul Skeens.

They were very upfront about that.

With Connor Griffin, you know, it was leaked out to the national writers that they were going to give him a chance to compete.

It was very obvious from the first day of camp that this is a guy who belonged physically.