The Pirates showed the baseball world that they are not going anywhere.Coming out of the All-Star break & looking down the barrel of nine straight division games, the Pirates responded with heart that has been absent from Pittsburgh for nearly two decades.
The Bucs beat Houston & Cincinnati two out of three times & avoided a sweep by St. Louis in dramatic form. They went from a game back in the standings to being in a three-way tie for the Central Division pennant. Not bad, & certainly not where many experts thought the Pirates would be this late in the season.
This week, the Pirates looked like a team that belongs at or near the top.The fought back several times (in victory & defeat) & where never reallyout of any game. Well, maybe Saturday. . . regardless, the team is playinglike a winning team does. The fans have been too, selling out PNC Park on a regular basis & becoming the best clappers in the league (the stadium echoes with the smacking of hands). September is shaping up to be exciting as the Central seems to be a four horse race.
Now time for some bad news. The series against the Red Birds revealed the Pirates most glaring need; power. When the Cardinals roughed up quality starters Paul Maholm (six innings, ten hits, five earned runs) & Kevin Correia (4.2 innings, eight hits, seven earned runs), the games were essential over. The Pirates lack the kind of big bat that can generate quick, explosive offense. Andrew McCutchen is not nearly enough. Small ball is nice when a team gets solid pitching (which the Pirates have gotten a ton of this year), but it can never dig a team out of deep hole.Speed has been at a premium this year, but the does not help when your down six runs with half a game to play.
The Pirates are going to win a lot of games like they did Sunday (timely hitting, speed, good pitching), but will also lose their fair share without hitting the long ball. Hell, the Bucs have not hit a dinger since Saturday. . . last Saturday! Power needs to be had, whether achieved in-house or acquired by trade. Running with teams like the Brewers &Cardinals demands it.
Now time for some more good news. Ronny Cedeno came back from injury just in time for the series against St. Louis. His timing could not have been better considering Chase d'Arnaud's uncharacteristically horrible game at shortstop on Wednesday. Cedeno is money defensively & gives the Pirates decent at-bats. His return should remind fans that Jose Tabata, Ryan Doumit, & Pedro Alvarez are on their way back too. Despite the amazing play the Pirates have received from fill-ins, these guys give them the best opportunities to win.
The bullpen flexed their muscles this week. After each game, it becomes more clear that the bullpen might be the Pirates greatest assent. Tony Watson was the lone bright spot of Saturday's 9-1 lose to St. Louis
pitching inning scoreless innings, Daniel McCutchen was solid in the six games he throw in, & Joel Hanrahan picked up two more saves. Going into extra innings with guys like Chris Resop & Joe Beimel makes the hitters jobs a little less stressful & gives the Pirates a edge heading down the
stretch.
The road does not become any less hazardous for the Pirates has they begin a challenging seven game road trip against the top two N.L. East teams (four games against Atlanta & three with the Phillies). The road to the trade-deadline awaits too. Keep tuned in Pittsburgh, things could get real interesting.
Written by, Andrew Brown
This week, the Pirates looked like a team that belongs at or near the top.The fought back several times (in victory & defeat) & where never reallyout of any game. Well, maybe Saturday. . . regardless, the team is playinglike a winning team does. The fans have been too, selling out PNC Park on a regular basis & becoming the best clappers in the league (the stadium echoes with the smacking of hands). September is shaping up to be exciting as the Central seems to be a four horse race.
Now time for some bad news. The series against the Red Birds revealed the Pirates most glaring need; power. When the Cardinals roughed up quality starters Paul Maholm (six innings, ten hits, five earned runs) & Kevin Correia (4.2 innings, eight hits, seven earned runs), the games were essential over. The Pirates lack the kind of big bat that can generate quick, explosive offense. Andrew McCutchen is not nearly enough. Small ball is nice when a team gets solid pitching (which the Pirates have gotten a ton of this year), but it can never dig a team out of deep hole.Speed has been at a premium this year, but the does not help when your down six runs with half a game to play.
The Pirates are going to win a lot of games like they did Sunday (timely hitting, speed, good pitching), but will also lose their fair share without hitting the long ball. Hell, the Bucs have not hit a dinger since Saturday. . . last Saturday! Power needs to be had, whether achieved in-house or acquired by trade. Running with teams like the Brewers &Cardinals demands it.
Now time for some more good news. Ronny Cedeno came back from injury just in time for the series against St. Louis. His timing could not have been better considering Chase d'Arnaud's uncharacteristically horrible game at shortstop on Wednesday. Cedeno is money defensively & gives the Pirates decent at-bats. His return should remind fans that Jose Tabata, Ryan Doumit, & Pedro Alvarez are on their way back too. Despite the amazing play the Pirates have received from fill-ins, these guys give them the best opportunities to win.
The bullpen flexed their muscles this week. After each game, it becomes more clear that the bullpen might be the Pirates greatest assent. Tony Watson was the lone bright spot of Saturday's 9-1 lose to St. Louis
pitching inning scoreless innings, Daniel McCutchen was solid in the six games he throw in, & Joel Hanrahan picked up two more saves. Going into extra innings with guys like Chris Resop & Joe Beimel makes the hitters jobs a little less stressful & gives the Pirates a edge heading down the
stretch.
The road does not become any less hazardous for the Pirates has they begin a challenging seven game road trip against the top two N.L. East teams (four games against Atlanta & three with the Phillies). The road to the trade-deadline awaits too. Keep tuned in Pittsburgh, things could get real interesting.
Written by, Andrew Brown
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