There are a lot of annoying things about baseball. Umpires getting calls wrong, players inexplicably making stupid decisions, pitchers saying they will sign with one team then signing with another, to name a few. Those three examples are all part of the game, though. They are all pieces in the puzzle that, when put together, makes the game we love. The only thing I truly cannot stand in baseball is the fans' obsession over predicting things. We sit, on this February 16th, forty-two days out from opening day. All you can hear is people rambling on about how the Pirates will or won't make the playoffs, or whether the front office blew it, or whether the sky will fall. Nothing but gloom surrounds the Pirates, on the day before Spring Training. I can't stand it. Since when have preseason predictions been anywhere near accurate? Last year, almost every expert picked the Pirates to finish below .500 for the twenty-first consecutive season. And, guess what? They not only achieved eighty-two wins, they racked up ninety-four exciting, heart-pounding, unbelievable wins. So you can keep your predictions. I'd rather just enjoy the season as it comes to me, instead of insisting on trying to rush through it.
Keeping in the optimistic mood, I have a few reasons to believe that the Pirates can repeat their success of 2013. Here are some of them.
Pitching Won't Miss A Beat - Many are looking at the Pirates' pitching staff and wondering "how have they improved?". While that is a hard question to answer, it is also hard to find a place in which it has declined. The only departure was made by an aging AJ Burnett. His loss will be felt, no doubt, but I think his spot will be filled by the aspiring Jeff Locke, or the phenom Jameson Taillon. The rest of the staff looks solid. Francisco Liriano is coming off of a dominant season, and, while an identical repeat would be a lot to ask, it seems reasonable to expect a solid season from Frankie. Gerrit Cole is poised to become a dominant pitcher in the league. He developed over the course of last season, complimenting his 100 mph fastball with an effective curve. Wandy Rodriguez reported yesterday that he threw a bullpen session with no pain in his previously injured forearm. While these injuries can be unpredictable, if all goes well, we could be seeing good old efficient Wandy back on the mound this April or May. Charlie Morton was lights out after returning to the rotation in June, combining his ground-ball inducing sinker with a swing-and-miss curveball. The fifth spot has a bit of uncertainty to it. The Bucs signed Edinson Volquez to fill it, but I really don't like his chances. I'd rather see Jeff Locke or even Brandon Cumpton get a shot, they are two guys who showed promise last year (especially Locke). Jameson Taillon is the next Pirates prospect who is waiting to burst onto the scene, and probably will do so in June. I'm finding it hard to not feel good about this rotation.
Hitting Can Hold Down The Fort - Last year, the Pirates succeeded by having their pitchers shut the opposition down, while their hitters got just enough to win. I firmly believe that we have the pieces on offense to "hold down the fort", and maybe more. Yes, I know we are lacking a first baseman. We also lacked one last year. Obviously, reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen leads the charge. There's no reason not to expect another big year at the plate for Cutch. I personally am really excited to watch Starling Marte this year. We got to see some of his incredible raw talent in the first half of last year, but he declined a bit because of injury. I wouldn't be shocked if he put up a monster season this year. Pedro Alvarez can be frustrating at the plate, with his lack of discipline, but as long as a sends thirty balls over the fence, who are we to complain? Of course, it would be nice if he could raise his average twenty points (to a whopping .260). If Neil Walker can get his consistency back, and Jordy Mercer and Russell Martin can chip in a big hit once in a while, this offense might just do the job. And, hey, there's no rule that says Gaby Sanchez isn't allowed to get hits (although you might think so based on what people are saying around here).
Why Not? - My biggest question to all the doubters is why not? Why should it not be us? Let's assume that St. Louis, LA, and Atlanta will win their respective divisions. That leaves the Buccos, the Reds, the Nationals, the D-backs, and all the bottom-dwellers to contend for the final two playoff spots. Is it so ridiculous that the Pirates would end up in the top two of that list? I don't think so.
Showing posts with label McCutchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McCutchen. Show all posts
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Definition Of Home Field Advantage
Wow. That's the only word that comes to mind right now. Wow. I'm writing this at 9:20 PM, on Sunday, Buctober 6th, 2013. I just got home from PNC Park, where I witnessed the best crowd I've ever seen (having been to Steelers games at Heinz Field and Penguins playoff games at the old Civic Arena). From 2 1/2 hours before first pitch, to long after the final out, the people of Pittsburgh were all hands on deck.
The game was scheduled for a 4:37 first pitch. Naturally, I arrived at the stadium at 2:15. I walked across the Clemente Bridge, tipped the saxophone guy, and grabbed a free "#WeBelieve" sign. I, along with a few hundred others, waited about 15 minutes for the stadium gates to open. At 2:30, when they finally opened, many fans sprinted inside in order to get the best standing room and bleacher spots. The Cardinals were still out taking batting practice, and some fans went down to the front row to get some early taunting in. As we walked in, each fan was given a black rally towel complete with "Raise The Jolly Roger".
The ballpark was packed by 4:10. There was a mix of booing and "Let's Go Bucs" greeting the Cardinals as they were introduced. As soon as PA Announcer Tim DeBacco said "Aaand for your Pirates" the crowd leapt to their feet, screaming and waving their towels. Likable players like Jeff Karstens, Michael McKenry, and AJ Burnett drew loud applause, but the big noise came for the starting lineup. Few got a louder ovation than manager Clint Hurdle, who was greeted by a bowing-down Pirate Parrot.
Pirate ace Francisco Liriano cruised through the first inning, drawing cheers for each strike, and standing ovations for each out. PNC got rocking early when Marlon Byrd hit a single with men on 2nd and 3rd, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead. Liriano would play with fire throughout the day, and eventually he gave up two runs to tie the game, off of a 2 RBI single by Mr. October, Carlos Beltran. Those runs were controversial, however, because shortly before Beltran's single, Jon Jay was called safe at third on a play where he should have actually been called out. Liriano, along with the fans, bounced back and got out of the inning. The fans went bananas as Liriano walked off the field, as they knew it would be his last inning.
The fans chanted the pitcher's name again (KEL-LY KEL-LY), although it didn't seem to rattle Joe Kelly like it rattled Johnny Cueto on Tuesday. Joe Kelly did his job superbly. The problem was, he wasn't very efficient. The Pirates got his pitch count up, and we won the game getting hits off of their bullpen.
In the bottom of the 7th inning, a sacrifice fly scored McCutchen to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. That didn't last long, as Carlos Beltran led off the 8th with a home run to tie the game. Once again, the crowd stayed in it through thick and thin. Trust me, I've been to some tough losses. Take September 20th vs. the Reds. We blew a three run lead in the 9th. After that, half the crowd left and the rest were dead silent. Tonight was the polar opposite. After Mark Melancon let up that tying home run, the fans stood up and cheered louder. And it worked. Melancon got out of the inning with no further damage done.
What the Pirates did in the bottom of the 8th inning is what made this night unforgettable. That inning along was a rollercoaster of emotions. Andrew McCutchen led off with a double, only to be thrown out at third on a ground ball off the bat of Justin Morneau. That was a depressing blow to the rally, but Marlon Byrd came through with a single that moved pinch runner Josh Harrison to third. Pedro Alvarez came up to bat, so Cards manager Mike Matheny decided to play some chess. He brought in lefty Kevin Seigrist, because Pedro tends to be worse against left handed pitchers. Pedro took matters into his own hands. He threw the statistics out the window, and lined a single to left, scoring Harrison to give the Pirates the lead. Russell Martin followed that up with a single to up the lead to 5-3. No exaggeration, I felt the floor beneath my feet shake as the crowd went wild.
When Greg Brown yelled "It's Grilled Cheese Time!" as closer Jason Grilli trotted out for the ninth, the sea of black was pulsating. My ears may still be ringing in fact. Grilli didn't let a leadoff single by Matt Adams get to him. He got the next three outs in short order. The fireworks shot off, "New Pirates Generation" was blasted over the PA, and the crowd went nuts. It's something I don't think I'll ever forget. We stayed to hear some TBS guy interview Pedro, but we couldn't hear it. We walked the winding path down the rotunda, as a loud Lets Go Bucs chant was shared by the thousands exiting the ballpark. The Clemente Bridge was essentially a victory parade. Everyone was in good spirits waiting in line to get their car. Pittsburgh collectively smiled.
The game was scheduled for a 4:37 first pitch. Naturally, I arrived at the stadium at 2:15. I walked across the Clemente Bridge, tipped the saxophone guy, and grabbed a free "#WeBelieve" sign. I, along with a few hundred others, waited about 15 minutes for the stadium gates to open. At 2:30, when they finally opened, many fans sprinted inside in order to get the best standing room and bleacher spots. The Cardinals were still out taking batting practice, and some fans went down to the front row to get some early taunting in. As we walked in, each fan was given a black rally towel complete with "Raise The Jolly Roger".
The ballpark was packed by 4:10. There was a mix of booing and "Let's Go Bucs" greeting the Cardinals as they were introduced. As soon as PA Announcer Tim DeBacco said "Aaand for your Pirates" the crowd leapt to their feet, screaming and waving their towels. Likable players like Jeff Karstens, Michael McKenry, and AJ Burnett drew loud applause, but the big noise came for the starting lineup. Few got a louder ovation than manager Clint Hurdle, who was greeted by a bowing-down Pirate Parrot.
Pirate ace Francisco Liriano cruised through the first inning, drawing cheers for each strike, and standing ovations for each out. PNC got rocking early when Marlon Byrd hit a single with men on 2nd and 3rd, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead. Liriano would play with fire throughout the day, and eventually he gave up two runs to tie the game, off of a 2 RBI single by Mr. October, Carlos Beltran. Those runs were controversial, however, because shortly before Beltran's single, Jon Jay was called safe at third on a play where he should have actually been called out. Liriano, along with the fans, bounced back and got out of the inning. The fans went bananas as Liriano walked off the field, as they knew it would be his last inning.
The fans chanted the pitcher's name again (KEL-LY KEL-LY), although it didn't seem to rattle Joe Kelly like it rattled Johnny Cueto on Tuesday. Joe Kelly did his job superbly. The problem was, he wasn't very efficient. The Pirates got his pitch count up, and we won the game getting hits off of their bullpen.
In the bottom of the 7th inning, a sacrifice fly scored McCutchen to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. That didn't last long, as Carlos Beltran led off the 8th with a home run to tie the game. Once again, the crowd stayed in it through thick and thin. Trust me, I've been to some tough losses. Take September 20th vs. the Reds. We blew a three run lead in the 9th. After that, half the crowd left and the rest were dead silent. Tonight was the polar opposite. After Mark Melancon let up that tying home run, the fans stood up and cheered louder. And it worked. Melancon got out of the inning with no further damage done.
What the Pirates did in the bottom of the 8th inning is what made this night unforgettable. That inning along was a rollercoaster of emotions. Andrew McCutchen led off with a double, only to be thrown out at third on a ground ball off the bat of Justin Morneau. That was a depressing blow to the rally, but Marlon Byrd came through with a single that moved pinch runner Josh Harrison to third. Pedro Alvarez came up to bat, so Cards manager Mike Matheny decided to play some chess. He brought in lefty Kevin Seigrist, because Pedro tends to be worse against left handed pitchers. Pedro took matters into his own hands. He threw the statistics out the window, and lined a single to left, scoring Harrison to give the Pirates the lead. Russell Martin followed that up with a single to up the lead to 5-3. No exaggeration, I felt the floor beneath my feet shake as the crowd went wild.
When Greg Brown yelled "It's Grilled Cheese Time!" as closer Jason Grilli trotted out for the ninth, the sea of black was pulsating. My ears may still be ringing in fact. Grilli didn't let a leadoff single by Matt Adams get to him. He got the next three outs in short order. The fireworks shot off, "New Pirates Generation" was blasted over the PA, and the crowd went nuts. It's something I don't think I'll ever forget. We stayed to hear some TBS guy interview Pedro, but we couldn't hear it. We walked the winding path down the rotunda, as a loud Lets Go Bucs chant was shared by the thousands exiting the ballpark. The Clemente Bridge was essentially a victory parade. Everyone was in good spirits waiting in line to get their car. Pittsburgh collectively smiled.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
The Pirates Finally Made It
What a night. What a night for the Pirates, what a night for the fans, what a night for Pittsburgh. If there had been any doubt surrounding whether Pittsburgh was embracing its baseball team, last night cleared it up. Sure the Pirates have had plenty of cool moments at PNC Park over the past few years. All of those paled in comparison to what occurred last night on the North Shore. Michael McKenry had his iconic homer in 2011 (accompanied by an even more iconic call from Greg Brown). That, however, preceded a monumental collapse which all but erased the shine from that memory. Drew Sutton had a memorable walkoff homer in 2012, only to suffer the same fate as McKenry's blast. Nothing compares to winning. Nothing compares to the scene that unfolded last night.
It started hours before the first pitch. fans flooded Federal Street and the Clemente Bridge starting around 5:00. There were long lines at the stadium gates, which opened at 6:00. Fans quickly filled up the standing room sections, and the entire stadium filled out shortly thereafter. A record 40,547 showed up. The blackout was pulled off incredibly well. In addition to that, the Pirates handed each fan a black "Raise The Jolly Roger" rally towel. The place was ready to explode during the announcement of the starting lineups. Chants of "Let's Go Bucs" drowned out most of the Cincinnati names, save for Brandon Phillips who drew a Baltimore Ravens level of booing. All that was left was for Andrew McCutchen's mother to nail the National Anthem, and the game was off and running.
It started appropriately enough, with Francisco Liriano striking out Shin Soo Choo in impressive fashion. The night continued smoothly for "Frank The Tank", who pitched seven innings giving up just one earned run. The crowd roared with every strike, and exploded with every out made by the Reds.
When the Pirates came to bat in the second inning, you knew times had changed in Pittsburgh. Pirate killer Johnny Cueto took the mound. Time after time, he had dominated the Bucs in Pittsburgh. This time was destined to be different. He gave up a solo shot to Marlon Byrd to start things off in the second. As I said before the game, "if the Pirates score first, the crowd can essentially take it from there". That they did. They mercilessly chanted "CUEEE-TTOOO, CUEEE-TTOOO" before every pitch. It obviously got into the Reds' ace's head, because he literally dropped the ball as he was getting ready to pitch to Russell Martin. Just dropped it. He had to walk about five steps off the mound to retrieve it. It was an embarrassment; he had just let the 40,000+ on hand affect the game. On the very next pitch, Martin launched a towering home run into the left field bleachers. The Buccos would chase Cueto after just 3 and 1/3 innings.
The Pirates took a 6-2 lead into the top of the ninth inning. Closer Jason Grilli enters from the bullpen. He promptly struck out the first man he faced, induced a shallow flyout on the second, and the third grounded out to the Pittsburgh Kid, Neil Walker. The dugout, the stadium, and the city erupted after that last out. It took a while, but the Pirates finally have a memory worth showing off. Let's be honest, you were sick of seeing the highlight of that McKenry home run.
It started hours before the first pitch. fans flooded Federal Street and the Clemente Bridge starting around 5:00. There were long lines at the stadium gates, which opened at 6:00. Fans quickly filled up the standing room sections, and the entire stadium filled out shortly thereafter. A record 40,547 showed up. The blackout was pulled off incredibly well. In addition to that, the Pirates handed each fan a black "Raise The Jolly Roger" rally towel. The place was ready to explode during the announcement of the starting lineups. Chants of "Let's Go Bucs" drowned out most of the Cincinnati names, save for Brandon Phillips who drew a Baltimore Ravens level of booing. All that was left was for Andrew McCutchen's mother to nail the National Anthem, and the game was off and running.
It started appropriately enough, with Francisco Liriano striking out Shin Soo Choo in impressive fashion. The night continued smoothly for "Frank The Tank", who pitched seven innings giving up just one earned run. The crowd roared with every strike, and exploded with every out made by the Reds.
When the Pirates came to bat in the second inning, you knew times had changed in Pittsburgh. Pirate killer Johnny Cueto took the mound. Time after time, he had dominated the Bucs in Pittsburgh. This time was destined to be different. He gave up a solo shot to Marlon Byrd to start things off in the second. As I said before the game, "if the Pirates score first, the crowd can essentially take it from there". That they did. They mercilessly chanted "CUEEE-TTOOO, CUEEE-TTOOO" before every pitch. It obviously got into the Reds' ace's head, because he literally dropped the ball as he was getting ready to pitch to Russell Martin. Just dropped it. He had to walk about five steps off the mound to retrieve it. It was an embarrassment; he had just let the 40,000+ on hand affect the game. On the very next pitch, Martin launched a towering home run into the left field bleachers. The Buccos would chase Cueto after just 3 and 1/3 innings.
The Pirates took a 6-2 lead into the top of the ninth inning. Closer Jason Grilli enters from the bullpen. He promptly struck out the first man he faced, induced a shallow flyout on the second, and the third grounded out to the Pittsburgh Kid, Neil Walker. The dugout, the stadium, and the city erupted after that last out. It took a while, but the Pirates finally have a memory worth showing off. Let's be honest, you were sick of seeing the highlight of that McKenry home run.
Note: Am I the only one who was extremely annoyed by TBS showing the clip of Sid Bream's slide in '92 before the 9th inning? Horrible timing.
Monday, September 30, 2013
It's Time
It's here. It's actually here. The Pittsburgh Pirates will play a playoff game at PNC Park tomorrow. It's a very surreal thought. Twenty years of playoff absence is about to be erased. 162 games of joy, depression, thrills, and heartbreak all comes down to this. On Tuesday, October 1st, 2013, the Pirates will host the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Wild Card game at PNC Park. It's all or nothing, winner take all, must-see baseball. No players will be resting to prepare for future games. It's all hands on deck.
Pirate ace Francisco Liriano starts for the home team. Liriano sports an amazing 1.47 earned run average when playing in Pittsburgh. He works well against lefties, too, which is a large asset considering Cincinnati's Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, and Shin Soo Choo are all left handed. Liriano started a game against the Reds nine days ago at PNC Park, and he turned in a fantastic performance with two earned runs, nine strikeouts, and eight innings pitched.
The Reds are sending Johnny Cueto to the mound to try to spoil the Pirates' fun. This is a daunting development, considering Cueto's history of being very, very good pitching at PNC Park. However, there is reason for optimism. Cueto has spent much of this season on the DL, and is only two starts removed from his last injury. Those two starts came against the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs. In other words, he has yet to be tested by a winning lineup. Andrew McCutchen has three home runs off of Cueto, however only bats .189 against him. That shouldn't be too much of a concern, because, well, it's Andrew McCutchen. One important note is that Marlon Byrd, acquired by the Pirates at the end of August, has terrific career numbers against Cueto (Cueto has not faced the Bucs since Byrd's arrival). Cueto's health concerns, combined with a bolstered lineup for the Pirates makes me sweat a bit less over the pitching matchup.
It can not be understated how important home field advantage is in this game. Let's remember, it's the first playoff game in nearly twenty-one years, and the first ever at PNC Park. Tickets for the game sold out in minutes, and stubhub.com has standing room only tickets listed at over $150. The players, led by Andrew McCutchen and Michael McKenry, launched a Twitter campaign calling for fans to wear black to the game, to create a unified atmosphere. You can expect an excitable, Jolly Roger waving, unprecedentedly loud 40,000+ on hand tomorrow night. You can bet the team will feed off of that.
Let's Go Bucs.
Pirate ace Francisco Liriano starts for the home team. Liriano sports an amazing 1.47 earned run average when playing in Pittsburgh. He works well against lefties, too, which is a large asset considering Cincinnati's Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, and Shin Soo Choo are all left handed. Liriano started a game against the Reds nine days ago at PNC Park, and he turned in a fantastic performance with two earned runs, nine strikeouts, and eight innings pitched.
The Reds are sending Johnny Cueto to the mound to try to spoil the Pirates' fun. This is a daunting development, considering Cueto's history of being very, very good pitching at PNC Park. However, there is reason for optimism. Cueto has spent much of this season on the DL, and is only two starts removed from his last injury. Those two starts came against the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs. In other words, he has yet to be tested by a winning lineup. Andrew McCutchen has three home runs off of Cueto, however only bats .189 against him. That shouldn't be too much of a concern, because, well, it's Andrew McCutchen. One important note is that Marlon Byrd, acquired by the Pirates at the end of August, has terrific career numbers against Cueto (Cueto has not faced the Bucs since Byrd's arrival). Cueto's health concerns, combined with a bolstered lineup for the Pirates makes me sweat a bit less over the pitching matchup.
It can not be understated how important home field advantage is in this game. Let's remember, it's the first playoff game in nearly twenty-one years, and the first ever at PNC Park. Tickets for the game sold out in minutes, and stubhub.com has standing room only tickets listed at over $150. The players, led by Andrew McCutchen and Michael McKenry, launched a Twitter campaign calling for fans to wear black to the game, to create a unified atmosphere. You can expect an excitable, Jolly Roger waving, unprecedentedly loud 40,000+ on hand tomorrow night. You can bet the team will feed off of that.
Let's Go Bucs.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Why The Pirates Are So Good This Year
The Blog is officially back from Summer break. We left off at the beginning of June. The Steelers were distant memories, the Penguins were still in shock from their playoff loss to Boston, and the Pirates were holding their own in the NL Central.
Since then, the Pirates have gone from "holding their own" to being one of the best teams in baseball. As I write this, at 6:30 on August 22nd, they sit in 1st place in the NL Central, one game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and two games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds. The Buccos sport a record of 74-52. They need just eight more wins to ensure their first winning season since 1992.
The past twenty seasons have been filled with disappointment. At the end of each year, naturally, the fans look for places to assign blame. At the end of each of the past four seasons, fans and media have consistently ripped on Neal Huntington, the Pirates' general manager. People complained that he didn't do enough at the trade deadline to set the team up for success, and they ridiculed his offseason moves. There's no telling how this season will end for the Bucs, but one thing is for sure: Neal Huntington has done all that he could. Here's a look at how he set these 2013 Pirates up for success.
Lets start with his offseason moves. There were two gaping holes in the roster: catcher and starting pitcher. First, they went out and signed free agent pitcher Francisco Liriano. Liriano was once a highly successful pitcher, although he hadn't performed well over the past couple years. Huntington and the Pirates' staff saw potential in him, and they signed him. This story took a weird turn, when, on Christmas Day, Liriano broke his (non-pitching) arm while playing with his kids. They reworked the contract, and eventually settled on a new one. The injury ended up costing Liriano the first month of the season. He made his Pittsburgh debut on the mound in early May, and impressed early on. Since then, he has established himself as the staff ace, and forced himself into National League Cy Young discussions, with his 14-5 record and 2.53 ERA.
Another major offseason acquisition was catcher Russell Martin. The catcher position was one of the biggest weak spots for the Pirates in 2012, with Rod Barajas as their No. 1 catcher. He struggled mightily offensively and defensively, recording outs on only 6% of attempted steals against him. Martin was coming off of an off year with the New York Yankees, and expectations weren't very high. Martin was one of the biggest surprises this year for the Bucs, posting a .248 batting average, .350 on-base percentage, and 11 home runs. He has been no stranger to clutch hitting, racking up four walkoff hits so far this season. Defensively, he has been one of the best catchers in the NL, throwing out 27 batters so far, causing base runners to think twice before stealing.
There was one big trade in the offseason. When the trade was announced, many were unenthusiastic. It looked like we would break even, if we were lucky. Over the past 5 months, the trade proved to be one of the most important moves to ensure success in 2013. The Pirates traded their elite closer, Joel Hanrahan, and infielder Brock Holt to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for reliever Mark Melancon, and prospects Ivan de Jesus, Jerry Sands, and Stolmy Pimentel. First of all, trading Hanrahan meant dropping his salary, which allowed the team to re-sign Jason Grilli, who would become the closer in place of Hanrahan. Grilli became the agreed-upon best closer in the NL, posting 30 saves through the end of July. Mark Melancon moved into the setup role (pitching the 8th inning, to set up for Grilli), and quickly became one of the best relievers in all of baseball, posting a .93 ERA over 58 appearances. Stolmy Pimentel and Jerry Sands have been progressing with AAA Indianapolis. This trade was so instrumental to the Pirates' success this season.
You can credit the farm system, for bringing up great prospects like Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Pedro Alvarez, Gerrit Cole, and others. You can credit manager Clint Hurdle for working his confidence magic yet again with this team. But GM Neal Huntington deserves one heap of credit. After last season's failure, he went out and made several moves to boost this team to an elite level. Now buckle up, and lets watch this team finally fight for a playoff spot.
Since then, the Pirates have gone from "holding their own" to being one of the best teams in baseball. As I write this, at 6:30 on August 22nd, they sit in 1st place in the NL Central, one game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and two games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds. The Buccos sport a record of 74-52. They need just eight more wins to ensure their first winning season since 1992.
The past twenty seasons have been filled with disappointment. At the end of each year, naturally, the fans look for places to assign blame. At the end of each of the past four seasons, fans and media have consistently ripped on Neal Huntington, the Pirates' general manager. People complained that he didn't do enough at the trade deadline to set the team up for success, and they ridiculed his offseason moves. There's no telling how this season will end for the Bucs, but one thing is for sure: Neal Huntington has done all that he could. Here's a look at how he set these 2013 Pirates up for success.
Lets start with his offseason moves. There were two gaping holes in the roster: catcher and starting pitcher. First, they went out and signed free agent pitcher Francisco Liriano. Liriano was once a highly successful pitcher, although he hadn't performed well over the past couple years. Huntington and the Pirates' staff saw potential in him, and they signed him. This story took a weird turn, when, on Christmas Day, Liriano broke his (non-pitching) arm while playing with his kids. They reworked the contract, and eventually settled on a new one. The injury ended up costing Liriano the first month of the season. He made his Pittsburgh debut on the mound in early May, and impressed early on. Since then, he has established himself as the staff ace, and forced himself into National League Cy Young discussions, with his 14-5 record and 2.53 ERA.
Another major offseason acquisition was catcher Russell Martin. The catcher position was one of the biggest weak spots for the Pirates in 2012, with Rod Barajas as their No. 1 catcher. He struggled mightily offensively and defensively, recording outs on only 6% of attempted steals against him. Martin was coming off of an off year with the New York Yankees, and expectations weren't very high. Martin was one of the biggest surprises this year for the Bucs, posting a .248 batting average, .350 on-base percentage, and 11 home runs. He has been no stranger to clutch hitting, racking up four walkoff hits so far this season. Defensively, he has been one of the best catchers in the NL, throwing out 27 batters so far, causing base runners to think twice before stealing.
There was one big trade in the offseason. When the trade was announced, many were unenthusiastic. It looked like we would break even, if we were lucky. Over the past 5 months, the trade proved to be one of the most important moves to ensure success in 2013. The Pirates traded their elite closer, Joel Hanrahan, and infielder Brock Holt to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for reliever Mark Melancon, and prospects Ivan de Jesus, Jerry Sands, and Stolmy Pimentel. First of all, trading Hanrahan meant dropping his salary, which allowed the team to re-sign Jason Grilli, who would become the closer in place of Hanrahan. Grilli became the agreed-upon best closer in the NL, posting 30 saves through the end of July. Mark Melancon moved into the setup role (pitching the 8th inning, to set up for Grilli), and quickly became one of the best relievers in all of baseball, posting a .93 ERA over 58 appearances. Stolmy Pimentel and Jerry Sands have been progressing with AAA Indianapolis. This trade was so instrumental to the Pirates' success this season.
You can credit the farm system, for bringing up great prospects like Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Pedro Alvarez, Gerrit Cole, and others. You can credit manager Clint Hurdle for working his confidence magic yet again with this team. But GM Neal Huntington deserves one heap of credit. After last season's failure, he went out and made several moves to boost this team to an elite level. Now buckle up, and lets watch this team finally fight for a playoff spot.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Don't Panic... yet
It's April 7th, and the panic is already on. We're only one week into the six month journey that is baseball season, and people have already written off the Pirates. I'm not saying there's no reason to do so.
This has been a very disappointing start. One win, five losses to start the year. The total inability to get hits, let alone runs. A series loss to the divisional rival Chicago Cubs, and a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It wasn't pretty. The Bucs wasted two beautiful pitching performances by AJ Burnett. They wasted a surprisingly decent showing by Jonathan Sanchez. Today's loss to the Dodgers marked the first time this year where the pitching staff did not give them a legitimate chance to win. The offense took a step forward, with Andrew McCutchen crushing the team's first home run of 2013. Hits weren't quite as scarce as before. People seemed to be getting better quality contact. But still, there's not much good to take out of the first six games of the season.
But amid all of the widespread depression among the Pirates community, I'm about to say why it is absurd to panic just yet. Here's why:
Pitching is the foundation for success. It is absolutely the most important thing for a winning baseball team to have. The Pirates have it. AJ Burnett has turned in two top-notch starts. Wandy Rodriguez delivered a handling of the Cubs' lineup. Even Jonathan Sanchez turned in a quality start, pitching through six innings allowing three earned runs. The bullpen has performed well, with Jared Hughes succeeding in both of his outings, Tony Watson getting out of a bases-loaded situation unscathed. The pitching is certainly there.
The obvious, glaring issue with this team is the hitting. The team collectively has hit below .200. Until today, there were zero home runs, and only two doubles. The only player to have two hits in one game was Starling Marte, and they were both singles. Alvarez isn't looking good, if you know what I mean. However, you should wait before hitting the panic button. Look at last year's season. We started in a very similar fashion, with excellent pitching and extremely bad offense. But they pulled through. Eventually (May 25th to be exact) the offense lit up. And don't be fooled, the Pirates have some serious weapons. Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Jones, Neil Walker, and Starling Marte make for a formidable core. If something, anything, can spark this offense, it could easily light on fire once again. It's not a lack of talent, at least I don't think so. It's something intangible.
This bodes well for the Pirates because it means things could turn around at any moment. Today we could hit this horribly, but as soon as tomorrow we could have a big day at the plate. I'm not saying it will turn around tomorrow. I'm saying that it could turn around tomorrow. And there's no reason to say it won't be tomorrow. They face the Arizona Diamondbacks, who play in a very hitter-friendly ballpark, which could be just the thing to get this offense going.
I'm not pretending that this first week hasn't been bad. All I mean to say is that the potential is there to pick things up any day now.
This has been a very disappointing start. One win, five losses to start the year. The total inability to get hits, let alone runs. A series loss to the divisional rival Chicago Cubs, and a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It wasn't pretty. The Bucs wasted two beautiful pitching performances by AJ Burnett. They wasted a surprisingly decent showing by Jonathan Sanchez. Today's loss to the Dodgers marked the first time this year where the pitching staff did not give them a legitimate chance to win. The offense took a step forward, with Andrew McCutchen crushing the team's first home run of 2013. Hits weren't quite as scarce as before. People seemed to be getting better quality contact. But still, there's not much good to take out of the first six games of the season.
But amid all of the widespread depression among the Pirates community, I'm about to say why it is absurd to panic just yet. Here's why:
Pitching is the foundation for success. It is absolutely the most important thing for a winning baseball team to have. The Pirates have it. AJ Burnett has turned in two top-notch starts. Wandy Rodriguez delivered a handling of the Cubs' lineup. Even Jonathan Sanchez turned in a quality start, pitching through six innings allowing three earned runs. The bullpen has performed well, with Jared Hughes succeeding in both of his outings, Tony Watson getting out of a bases-loaded situation unscathed. The pitching is certainly there.
The obvious, glaring issue with this team is the hitting. The team collectively has hit below .200. Until today, there were zero home runs, and only two doubles. The only player to have two hits in one game was Starling Marte, and they were both singles. Alvarez isn't looking good, if you know what I mean. However, you should wait before hitting the panic button. Look at last year's season. We started in a very similar fashion, with excellent pitching and extremely bad offense. But they pulled through. Eventually (May 25th to be exact) the offense lit up. And don't be fooled, the Pirates have some serious weapons. Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Jones, Neil Walker, and Starling Marte make for a formidable core. If something, anything, can spark this offense, it could easily light on fire once again. It's not a lack of talent, at least I don't think so. It's something intangible.
This bodes well for the Pirates because it means things could turn around at any moment. Today we could hit this horribly, but as soon as tomorrow we could have a big day at the plate. I'm not saying it will turn around tomorrow. I'm saying that it could turn around tomorrow. And there's no reason to say it won't be tomorrow. They face the Arizona Diamondbacks, who play in a very hitter-friendly ballpark, which could be just the thing to get this offense going.
I'm not pretending that this first week hasn't been bad. All I mean to say is that the potential is there to pick things up any day now.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Happy Easter... I mean Opening Day-Eve
Finally. The most mind numbingly boring thing in sports, MLB Spring Training, is over. The team is finally at PNC Park, preparing for Opening Day against the Chicago Cubs tomorrow. After an entire month of speculation of what will happen this season, in particular the 20 year old question of "Will the Bucs make .500?". Well, after a month of thinking, one thing has become clear: Nothing is certain, there are too many variables.
So, on this Opening Day-Eve, I'm taking one last stab at a preview to the 2013 season.
Four players you can expect big things from in 2013
Andrew McCutchen, CF-- This one is so obvious, I considered not even writing it. Last year, Cutch established himself as a true superpower in the MLB. He had a bit of a drop-off in the final 1/3 of the season, which coincided with the team's collapse. He is hungry to put up big numbers the whole way through, and more importantly, he is hungry to carry this team into the playoffs.
Starling Marte, RF-- Marte was called up from the minors in late July of 2012. He famously crushed a home run on his first pitch of his first at-bat, which happened to be the first pitch of the game. A big statement indeed. The next 2.5 months were so-so for Marte. He didn't meet the unfair expectations that come with such a statement, however he wasn't all that bad. He is very young, and has lots of potential. Look for him to try to establish himself as a quality MLB hitter in 2013.
Clint Barmes-- In this case, you need to thing of "big things" in a relative way. Barmes was terrible for most of 2012. He showed signs of life in parts of August and September, but that was it. I see him making a comeback this year, posting something like a .250-.260 batting average.
Wandy Rodriguez-- Wandy was acquired by the Bucs at last year's trade deadline. As a starting pitcher, he turned in solid outings in nearly every start. He had been doing that for a long time with Houston, but couldn't be seen behind all that failure by the Astros.
Two players NOT to expect big things from in 2013
Neil Walker-- Walker entered the Big Leagues in 2010. He has been a fairly good player his whole career. Last year he hit very few home runs and showed very little power. Also, he was injured for most of August and September. This is just one person's opinion, but I don't thing Walker will have a good 2013.
Jeff Locke-- Jeff was called up from the minors in August of 2012, and never really put together an impressive performance. While he is young with good potential, I see him having a poor start to 2013 and being replaced by a healed Jeff Karstens or Charlie Morton.
Final prediction for 2013
Record: 88-74
Wild Card appearance
So, on this Opening Day-Eve, I'm taking one last stab at a preview to the 2013 season.
Four players you can expect big things from in 2013
Andrew McCutchen, CF-- This one is so obvious, I considered not even writing it. Last year, Cutch established himself as a true superpower in the MLB. He had a bit of a drop-off in the final 1/3 of the season, which coincided with the team's collapse. He is hungry to put up big numbers the whole way through, and more importantly, he is hungry to carry this team into the playoffs.
Starling Marte, RF-- Marte was called up from the minors in late July of 2012. He famously crushed a home run on his first pitch of his first at-bat, which happened to be the first pitch of the game. A big statement indeed. The next 2.5 months were so-so for Marte. He didn't meet the unfair expectations that come with such a statement, however he wasn't all that bad. He is very young, and has lots of potential. Look for him to try to establish himself as a quality MLB hitter in 2013.
Clint Barmes-- In this case, you need to thing of "big things" in a relative way. Barmes was terrible for most of 2012. He showed signs of life in parts of August and September, but that was it. I see him making a comeback this year, posting something like a .250-.260 batting average.
Wandy Rodriguez-- Wandy was acquired by the Bucs at last year's trade deadline. As a starting pitcher, he turned in solid outings in nearly every start. He had been doing that for a long time with Houston, but couldn't be seen behind all that failure by the Astros.
Two players NOT to expect big things from in 2013
Neil Walker-- Walker entered the Big Leagues in 2010. He has been a fairly good player his whole career. Last year he hit very few home runs and showed very little power. Also, he was injured for most of August and September. This is just one person's opinion, but I don't thing Walker will have a good 2013.
Jeff Locke-- Jeff was called up from the minors in August of 2012, and never really put together an impressive performance. While he is young with good potential, I see him having a poor start to 2013 and being replaced by a healed Jeff Karstens or Charlie Morton.
Final prediction for 2013
Record: 88-74
Wild Card appearance
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Pirates Batting Order
There are 25 days until Opening Day for the Pirates. Over two weeks into Spring Training, we already have a good idea of what the team should look like. Here's what I (not necessarily Clint Hurdle) think the batting order should be.
1. Jose Tabata, RF
2. Starling Marte, LF
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Garrett Jones, 1B
5. Pedro Alvarez, 3B
6. Neil Walker, 2B
7. Russell Martin, C
8. Clint Barmes, SS
9. A.J. Burnett, P
1. Tabata has the skills to be a good Major-League player. As he showed last year, he lacked some of the motivation and effort. If he gets it together, he should make the lineup. He is in the leadoff spot over Marte because Marte is known to be more of a free-swinging type of player, which is not ideal for leadoff.
2. Marte is speedy, and has some power, but isn't a true home run guy. Perfect for the 2-hole.
3. No brainer. McCutchen played every game last year in the 3-spot, putting up a .327 average. He got 195 hits, including 29 doubles and 31 home runs. Don't change a thing.
4. I have Jones batting cleanup not because he is a better power hitter than Alvarez, but because Alvarez has NEVER played well in the 4-spot. Most of his notorious slumps can be traced back to being put there.
5. Being in the 5-spot gives Alvarez a chance to clear the bases with his mighty power, but without some of the pressure of the cleanup spot.
6. Not much debate here. Walker is a solid hitter, but without very much power. Easily better than the two below him.
7. Martin is coming off of a poor season with the Yankees, but, hey, so was A.J. Burnett last year. The only reason I didn't put him in the 2-hole is because the bottom of the lineup needs more stability.
8. Not much thought here. The worst hitter in this group of eight, although he showed signs of life at the end of last year.
1. Jose Tabata, RF
2. Starling Marte, LF
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Garrett Jones, 1B
5. Pedro Alvarez, 3B
6. Neil Walker, 2B
7. Russell Martin, C
8. Clint Barmes, SS
9. A.J. Burnett, P
1. Tabata has the skills to be a good Major-League player. As he showed last year, he lacked some of the motivation and effort. If he gets it together, he should make the lineup. He is in the leadoff spot over Marte because Marte is known to be more of a free-swinging type of player, which is not ideal for leadoff.
2. Marte is speedy, and has some power, but isn't a true home run guy. Perfect for the 2-hole.
3. No brainer. McCutchen played every game last year in the 3-spot, putting up a .327 average. He got 195 hits, including 29 doubles and 31 home runs. Don't change a thing.
4. I have Jones batting cleanup not because he is a better power hitter than Alvarez, but because Alvarez has NEVER played well in the 4-spot. Most of his notorious slumps can be traced back to being put there.
5. Being in the 5-spot gives Alvarez a chance to clear the bases with his mighty power, but without some of the pressure of the cleanup spot.
6. Not much debate here. Walker is a solid hitter, but without very much power. Easily better than the two below him.
7. Martin is coming off of a poor season with the Yankees, but, hey, so was A.J. Burnett last year. The only reason I didn't put him in the 2-hole is because the bottom of the lineup needs more stability.
8. Not much thought here. The worst hitter in this group of eight, although he showed signs of life at the end of last year.
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