Clint Hurdle: NL Manager of the Year?

(Getty Images/Jared Wickerham)

It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.



That’s what the Pirates need to keep telling themselves.



Despite the recent struggles of the Pirates against AL opponents in the past week, the Pirates still hover around the .500 mark at 35-37, and it’s almost July! You might be able to attribute it to the tremendous turn around the pitching staff has shown this year, or the timely hitting that has alluded the Pirates for some time, but really, it all starts with the manager, Clint Hurdle.



In just his first season with the Pirates, Hurdle has already shown that losing will no longer be tolerated. He expects to win. The team plays with a certain confidence now that unquestionably trickles down from Hurdle and his staff, a confidence that has not been shown by a Pittsburgh team since Jim Leyland’s teams in the early 1990’s.



Hurdle has been able to do this, albeit with one of the youngest teams in baseball, an average age of 27.3 years. That ranks third in the majors to only the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins. But maybe that has been an advantage to Hurdle.



With a young and talented ball club, Hurdle is able to shape and mold them the way he sees fit. With a budding superstar in Andrew McCutchen, Hurdle recognizes that building the lineup around McCutchen is what will lead to a productive lineup.



Neil Walker, so far, has been surprisingly good this season. He leads all NL second baseman in RBI with 46, and has shown that he’s capable of hitting the long ball at a traditionally non-power position. I think in Walker, Hurdle sees a guy who can be an above average offensive threat and a potential Gold Glove caliber defender. Although his OBP has dropped to .326, and he’s struck out more than you would like him to, we must remember that Walker is still learning how to be a major leaguer. This guy has barely been in the majors a year. What he has shown so far should give Pittsburgh fans a lot of optimism.



Beyond that, I can’t say there are many other positive offensive notes for the Pirates. Jose Tabata has cooled off considerably since the first two weeks of the season, Pedro Alvarez, who was struggling went he went on the DL, looks like he won’t return until after the All-Star break, Garret Jones has struggled at times this season, and Lyle Overbay has been underwhelming to say the least.



Rather than being sellers at this season’s trade deadline, the Pirates could be in the market to help them go after the infamous .500. They need power at the corner infield and outfield positions, but they’re not going to be willing to make a trade for a player if it’s going to a three-month rental. I couldn’t agree with that strategy more. If the Pirates are going to win long-term they must cultivate their own talent first and foremost. In free agency or trade talks, they must be able to sign the player for multiple years. The one-and-done model is no longer in the vocabulary of the front office.



On the other side of the ball, Hurdle and pitching coach Ray Searage have turned water into wine with the Pirates pitching staff. Off-season acquisition Kevin Correia has flourished in new surroundings, winning eight games with an ERA of 3.60. Paul Maholm, who never gets much run support has been excellent this season with what he’s been given (3-8, 3.29 ERA). He, along with the rejuvenated Charlie Morton (7-4, 3.77 ERA), have kept the Pirates in most ball games and given them the opportunity to win. That’s all a manger can ask for.



Hurdle knows the history of the organization. The past 18 years have been purgatory for Pittsburgh baseball fans, but that’s where it ends, the past. Hurdle brings with him a new, fresh outlook that should give fans the confidence that the drought is almost over. When that day comes Clint Hurdle will be heralded a savior in Pittsburgh, and should unequivocally be named NL Manager of the Year. In doing so he would be conquering the longest losing streak in North American professional sports history.



Hypothetically, even if the Pirates were to finish the season 82-80, a mere two games over .500, and somewhere in the middle of the division, Hurdle would win the award. Managers with lesser performances have won.



What is important is to consider the circumstances. In 2006, the Florida Marlins finished 4th in the NL East, went 78-84, yet Joe Girardi still collected the honor of NL Manager of the Year. How? Losing key players like Carlos Delgado, Juan Pierre, A.J. Burnett, and Josh Beckett to free agency. He won with parts he wasn’t supposed to win with. No difference with Hurdle.



An even bigger turnaround is showcased in Tony Pena’s winning of the 2003 AL Manager of the Year Award. The previous season, the Kansas City Royals finished a dismal 62-100. The next season Pena turned them into a winning ball club, improving their number in the win column by 21 games (83-79).



Am I saying that the Pirates are on the horizon of winning an NL pennant? I think not. But improvements are evident all the way through the organization. The minor league system is becoming deeper with talent and international scouting has once again become a staple in the Pirates organization.



It’s not a matter of IF but WHEN the Pirates will compete for a division title. With potential movement of some big parts in the NL Central this off-season, primarily free-agents-to-be Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols, the Pirates time could be coming sooner than expected, Clint Hurdle reaping all the benefits.



Written by Shane McFarland






Follow me on Twitter @mcfarlands412 or Email stmcfarland5@gmail.com