Blog : The Pirates Of This Year Vice Last Year

So this is my first ever Pirates blogpost. I will admit upfront that my knowledge of the Pirates, and really all baseball in general, is quite limited. So please forgive me in advance if I come across as ignorant to some of the obvious and/or subtleties of baseball. As most of you know, I am a huge statistics guy. And yes, this post is mostly statistics based. But I will give the same disclaimer as I always do. Statistics aren't facts per se, they are data that support a particular position/point.
This year thus far, has been an amazing ride for both the Pirates and BUCN as a whole. The success the Pirates have garnered up to this point has been phenomenal. In fact, for the first time since well, 1992, the Pirates are breaking or tying records with each successive win; as a team and as individual players/sub groups. It really is quite amazing, and as a member of BUCN that is displaced from Pittsburgh proper, it is nice to finally be able to hold my head high as I root and cheer and brag about the Pirates. For the record, I have been laughed at vehemently over the past 7-8 years I have lived outside of Pittsburgh as I've rooted and cheered for the Pirates, in spite of their lack of success.
So where am I going with this? The overall premise of this blogpost is to put into perspective how successful this Pirates team is, compared to last year. The results are surprising, and quite sobering. Now, I am not here to "burst anyone's bubble" rather, I want to show how the 2013 Pirates in spite of their similar record to the 2012 Pirates are actually quite different.
So let's dive in to the data:
2012 Record @ the ASB (July 8): 48-37 (85 games)
2013 Record @ the ASB (July 14): 56-37 (93 games)
But that statistic is skewed due to the unevenness of the games played. So lets break that down to the 85 and 93 game records of both seasons.
2012 (85 Games, July 8): 48-37
2013 (85 Games, July 5): 53-32 (+5 Wins better)
2012 (93 Games, July 21): 53-40
2013 (93 Games, July 14): 56-37 (+3 Wins better)
Wow, amazing how similar these two records are. In 2012, at the 85 game mark, the Pirates were 11 games over .500. In 2013, the Pirates were 21 games over .500, but only +5 wins better. At the 93 game mark, the 2012 Pirates were 13 games over .500. The 2013, the Pirates were 19 games over .500, this time +3 wins better. On a sidebar, this is why I hate the argument that a team is "good/bad" based off of their "X number of games over .500"). It is an okay metric, just not one I put a ton of stock in. But I digress.
So now this leave us at the current state of the Pirates after 111 games.
2012 Pirates (111 Games, August 9): 63-48 (15 games over .500)
2013 Pirates (111 Games, August 4): 67-44(23 games over .500)
Once again, from a record standpoint these two records look strikingly similar, only a +4 game difference. But there are several reasons why I think this Pirates team is so much better off than the 2012 Pirates.
First, the starting rotation of the 2013 Pirates is much better than the 2012 Pirates. In fact, the current rotation of Pirate starters is deeper and more talented than last year. Remember the team hasn't had Wandy in nearly 2 months, and their spot starter Cumpton, is pitching incredibly well. Add in the success of Cole and the addition of Liriano and this 2013 starting staff is deep. The 2012 Pirates weren't this deep nor this talented. The 2013 Pirates boast a league best 3.09 ERA. Secondly, the bullpen is infinitely better and in my opinion MUCH younger. This rotation in the SharkTank also seems to have that "It" factor, that past Pirates bullpens never had. They have that mental mindset that NO ONE can hit them, and it has led to a very successful rotation. The bullpen boasts a 4th overall ERA of 2.94. Furthermore, from starter to closer, this pitching rotation seems to be very close. I can't verify that, but if true, that is a huge force multiplier. Couple that with the mixture of vets and youth, this pitching staff is amazing. With respect to the offense, it seems to me that their hitting has been much more timely than years past. There has been nary a time that the Pirates were down late and I ever gave up hope. This offense just finds a way. And as many have mentioned on Twitter, the offense's non-reliance on the long ball while boasting a better record, is a huge upgrade. If they can sure up their RISP numbers, the Pirates have the potential to be unstoppable. I can't say that about past Pirates teams. Finally, this Pirates team has managed to contain their losing streaks, which I think is the most telling sign that this team "gets it". They are sick of losing and sick of being labelled "collapsers". This team has bought into what Hurdle is preaching and they follow his lead; and it is leading to victories.
So, while the records are eerily similar, this 2013 Pirates team is so much more mature and mentally tough than last years Pirates. That resiliency and toughness, along with better pitching talent and depth is what I think will propel the Pirates into their 1st post season appearance since '92. The Pirates are 25 wins from 92, which should get them into the post season, but regardless of the actual number, this team is better prepared physically and mentally, than the Pirates of last year. Here's to the Pirates and their continued success! #LetsGoBucs