Note before you read that I wanted this to be posted Thursday, but that did not happen, so last night’s game against Washington is not part of this blog.
Today is May 2nd. The Pittsburgh Pirates have played 28 games in the 2013 season. They just came off of a brutal series in Milwaukee, in which they lost 2 games out of 3, somehow avoiding a sweep. They now sit a half game behind the Cardinals of St. Louis, good for second place in the NL Central. I continuously hear all the time about the surprising Pittsburgh Pirates. I am not surprised. I am however, pleased. I am surprised because if you look at the start to the past two seasons, I expected this. But with that expectation, you must remember that you are still talking about the Pittsburgh Pirates. Therefore, pleased could describe my feelings toward the first 28 games.
The Pirates are 4 games above .500. That is more than you can ask of them. They won more games in April than they have since 1992. The last season that a winning team was in Pittsburgh. 4 games above .500 is a great start to the season because, if you are being honest with yourself, you will realize this team probably isn’t a 90 win team yet. But an 85 win team? I would say so. As long as the Pirates continue to hover around .500, they are playing to their potential. We don’t need them to be 16 games above .500 at the All-Star break. We saw how that turned out. We need them to continue to play to their potential as a team, and as individuals.
Position by position, this is the deepest Pirates team in recent years. The Pirates vastly improved their catching game, they have a solid infield, a super-star outfield, solid starting pitching, (not to mention all of the injured starters and our minor league options), and a good bullpen, including Jason Grilli having an All-Star start to the season. The Pirates quality at shortstop still continues to worry me, but with all of the other puzzle-pieces falling slowly in place, it is something we can work around for a while.
Hitting
When talking about the beginning of the 2013 season, the obvious biggest improvement from last years 79 win team is at catcher. The Pirates going out and getting a proven catcher in Russell Martin was a perfect move. For starters, Martin has thrown out the most runners in MLB since 2007. Now if you know anything about the Pirates, you know that prior to this season, they couldn’t throw out a sloth running from the outfield wall to second base. In 2012, the Pirates threw out a runner at whopping total of 19 times! Good for 11 percent. This season, Russell Martin has already thrown out 8 runners, good for 38 percent. That 38 percent is 6th in the league. I’ll say that’s a steady increase. If you take a look at the offensive production, it just makes the move look even better. In 24 games, Martin is batting .274, with 6 HR’s and 10 RBI’s. Last year, starting catcher Rod Barajas batted .206 across the entire season, with only 11 home runs, and 31 RBI’s. In comparison, Martin is on pace to hit 58 RBI’s, and 35 home runs. Now, will Martin hit 35 home runs? Most likely not. But this stat does prove even more so how much of an improvement the Pirates have behind the plate this season. You can’t help but applaud Neil Hunnington for going out and getting this guy.
Across the infield you have a mixture of proven stars, and total inconsistency. Let’s take a look at the offensive production of the Pirates from the first base position. Garrett Jones has carried the majority of the workload to start 2013 at first base, with Gaby Sanchez also finding himself time at first. Jones is hitting .296 with 3 HR and 15 RBI’s. We have come to expect this from Garrett Jones. Gaby Sanchez is hitting .245 with 4 home runs and 16 RBI’s. Sanchez has had 32 less at bats than Jones, while hitting 1 more home run and 1 more RBI. The RBI factor could be a combination of Sanchez hitting well with RISP, and the hitters batting ahead of them in the lineup. Regardless, I have been happy with the first base play this season, as I was for the majority of last year. (Well, when Casey McGehee wasn’t playing) Second base has been around what can be expected as well. Neil Walker has played 23 games, batting .254. Not as good as he could be hitting, but for a player still climbing upwards, I wouldn’t dwell on his average being about 30 points low.
I touched on it earlier that shortstop was last year, and continues to be the Pirates biggest hole. I know, it’s an obvious statement. Between Clint Barmes and John McDonald, I don’t think I would want a player with both of their talents combined. Actually, I’m sure of it. So far, both players are batting below the Mendoza line, with McDonald batting below .100. This is unacceptable. From early season observations, McDonald can’t field either. I’m not really sure why this guy isn’t in AAA, or even AA. Clint Barmes can field thank God, but when you play shortstop in the MLB, you are expected to do a little more than hit .181 and field. The problem is, the Pirates can’t even look to the minors for a shortstop. They have nobody. Barmes is in his second and final year of a two year contract, and I don’t expect him to step it up any. I don’t have a solution in mind for shortstop, but I am praying the Hunnington does.
On to Pedro Alvarez. I think I must be El Toro’s biggest fan. I still believe this guy is going to be one hell of a hitter. Despite hitting .194 in April, he has smashed 5 home runs and 13 RBI’s. I know what everyone is thinking. .194?? Yes .194. It is ugly, but will continue to get better. I think Pedro gets more patient as the season goes on. He leads the team in Strikeouts, but that can be fixed. Pedro is not a hopeless cause like half of you Pirate fans think he is. The man has potential to be a .260 35 homer guy. If any of you would turn down a .260, 35 home run third basemen, then you don’t understand this team. Pedro Alvarez will never hit .300 in his career. Book it. But .260? I see that within reason. I think it can be within reason THIS YEAR. He hit .244 last season, to go along with 30 home runs. I know he’s been giving a lot of time, but he works as hard as anyone on our roster. Hard work pays off. He will learn to be patient. And as far as he can hit the ball, he will be OK. There’s my Pedro rant.
Onto the surprising outfield. All around, all 3 starters have been in one way or another, a surprise in the first month of the season. In left field, Starling Marte, has torn it up from the leadoff spot. He is batting .321, with 3 HR and 13 RBI. Who could’ve predicted that good of a start. It’s what the Pirates have needed in the leadoff spot. Our leadoff spot was terrible last year. Between Barmes and Presley, it wasn’t much of a spot at all. Having him playing like he is in the leadoff role makes this team so much deeper. Hitting right below Marte is right fielder Travis Snider. Snider is having a stellar start to his season. Snider bats .306 in 24 games. He is facing a minor injury right now. Having the top two guys in our everyday lineup batting over .300 makes a big difference in run production. It helps support guys like McCutchen, Jones, Walker, and Alvarez. It makes those solo shots turn into three run blasts. One of the biggest surprises has got to be that McCutchen has been the worst of the three starting outfielders. McCutchen is batting .238, but still leads the team in RBI’s. McCutchen doesn’t worry me though. I think it speaks volumes about the Pirates that they won 15 games in April with Cutch only batting .238. Imagine what happens when he heats up? I think that the offense will carry this team this season, and all in all, right now, I am very pleased with the start to the season for the Bucco bats.
Pitching
Pirates pitching. A different story. So far the Pirates pitching rotation can be described by one word. Unpredictable. Mostly. The Pirates have had six starters this season. They have had a sixth because Jonathan Sanchez was worse than terrible, so Jeanmar Gomez got his opportunity. How have they faired individually?
AJ Burnett . Quality. So far, AJ has been predictable. You can predict that he will give you a good outing every time he goes out there. He has started six games to begin the season, and hasn’t allowed more than 3 runs in a game all year. He has given up 2 HR’s in 35 innings, and only 14 walks. 2.83 ERA. Great. We know we have 1 guy we can rely on to be consistently good, if not great. I can honestly say I have been very pleased with AJ’s start to the season.
James McDonald. Unpredictable. JMAC has had two very stellar starts, two decent starts, and two ugly starts. He has two starts with seven runs or more allowed, and two starts with only one run allowed. You never know who you’re going to get when he steps on the mound. That scares me for a full season outlook. If the Pirates are going to continue to succeed, they are going to need JMAC to find his good stuff, every time he pitches. JMAC has the talent, so I’m not sure what his issue it. I EXPECT a quality start every time he is on the mound, and if we continue to get less, we might have to look in a different direction.
Wandy Rodriguez. Phenomenal. Sorta. This man was great, except for that one game. That one game that allows me to say that he wasn’t perfect. Wandy has started in five games this year, and one of those starts he only pitched two innings because of his injury. In his first three full starts, Wandy didn’t allow more than three runs and only gave up two home runs. But on Monday, Wandy came out and completely **** the bed. He went three and two-thirds, giving up seven runs, and three home runs. He threw 88 pitches in three and two-thirds. It was that bad. All in all though, besides the game in Milwaukee, I am satisfied with Wandy Rodriguez to start 2013, and I expect him to keep it up and make it one of his best seasons.
Jonathan Sanchez. Awful. Sanchez started five games this season. Three of them he allowed two earned runs, in less than four innings before being pulled, or ejected. Another one he gave up nine runs in three and a third. His best start of the season was his first, and he only pitched five innings, giving up three runs. Sanchez’s ERA stands at 11.85. In his five starts, he gave up 7 HR’s and 18 earned runs, in 13.2 innings. Sanchez was designated for assignment. Nothing much more to say about him, except for the fact that he was really terrible.
Jeff Locke. Promising. Locke won a spot in the rotation this spring training, with help from the fact that Liriano, Karstens, and Morton are all hurt. It has paid off. Locke has stared five games this season, and has posted a 2.83 ERA. That is easily the second best in the rotation, and only a few points behind AJ Burnett! He holds onto a 3-1 record as well. The only issue I have with Locke is how deep he is going into games. In five starts, he has pitched 28 and two thirds of a inning. That does not average out to even six innings per game, and while I’m sure our coaching staff wants to keep tabs on his inning count, him being a rookie, but it does not help when our bullpen has to be used that often.
The Pirates have started two other pitchers this season. Jeanmar Gomez, and Phil Irwin. They have both started one game apiece. Irwin’ start was not impressive, going four and two thirds, with five runs allowed, four of them earned. Gomez, who is now in the Bucco bullpen, pitched four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers, and gave up 3 runs.
The Pirates Bullpen is what will make or break them right now. For the most part, the starting pitching is solid, the offense is scoring. They just called up Jose Contreras from the minors after putting Neil Walker on the 15 day DL. I don’t expect to see him in a tight ball game right away, but hopefully he can prove himself ready over time. Others in the Pirate bullpen right now include Jason Grilli, Justin Wilson, Mark Melancon, Tony Watson, Jeanmar Gomez, Vin Mazzaro, and Bryan Morris. To start the season, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli have been spectacular. Melancon, in the setup role, holds a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings pitched, and Grilli with a 0.69 ERA in 13 innings. Grilli is also 12 for 12 in save opportunities, good for best in the entire Major Leagues! Justin Wilson is another reliever that has been doing a fantastic job. He has pitched in nine games to start the season, and he a 1.47 ERA, and is only giving up 2.9 hits per nine innings. Gomez, who I touched on earlier, is doing an OK job as a reliver. He has a combined ( Starting and Relief) ERA of 3.06. He has also givin up 16 hits in 17 innings. We need to have guys that can come into the game and get a three up three down type of inning. Hopefully Gomez can continue to settle in and find a groove in May. Morris has only pitched in three games this year, so it is too early to evaluate how much his 1.59 ERA really means to the team. The real bullpen problems for the Pirates come from Tony Watson, and Vin Mazzaro. Watson has pitched in 13 games, 13 innings, and has allowed 7 earned runs. He has a 4.73 ERA, and that really doesn’t cut it for someone who we look to, to pitch only one or two innings in a tight game. Vin Mazzaro has been really bad, pitching in seven games, and has a 6.14 ERA. In seven innings, he has given up 13 hits! Mazzaro needs to get it together, or I expect him to be designated for assignment.
As you can see, the biggest question mark for the Pirates right now is the bullpen. However, the Pirates are still 16-12, and in second place. To me, what that means though, is nothing. The past two seasons, the Pirates were in playoff contention at the All-Star break or later, to fall both years to a losing record. This shows us that our record as it stands is meaningless, however it also shows us what the Pirates are capable of. I expect in May that the Pirates continue to have good starts from our pitching. I expect Andrwe McCutchen to heat up, and Starling Marte to cool off. It will balance out. The Pirates will continue to play good baseball, and hopefully start to get a grip on what it will take to keep up this level of play for an entire season.