Is Clint Hurdle the right manager for the Pirates?

Over the past few games the Pirates have shown poor baserunning skills and mental relapses at many different points in the ballgame. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has also been widely criticized for his choice of pinch hitters in certain situations. 

He has used right handed pinch hitters against RHP and left handed hitters against LHP. In last nights ballgame, the Pirates attempted to bunt over a very slow Rod Barajas from 2nd to 3rd with no outs and it backfired big-time in the process.

In his past 10 seasons as a manager he has only compiled a winning record once. However this was in 2007 when he led the Rockies back from the dead to an eventual World Series appearance. But you have to look past the minor mental mistakes and the poor record of Hurdle to see what he has really done for the Pirates.

Last season the Pirates entered the All-star break with winning record for the first time since 1992, the last season they made the playoffs. They would finish 72-90, but the talent that Hurdle had to work with was quite limited. Nearly 40 games into this season they are one game below .500 and in contention for the division lead. 

Hurdle brings a certain charisma to the locker room, and the players seem to respond. He chose to stick with Pedro Alvarez during one of the worst slumps in baseball history and it has paid off big time as of late. 

His work, combined with pitching coach Ray Searage, of the pitching staff has been crucial to the limited success the Pirates have achieved. Remember a few years ago when John Russell would just sit on the bench and do nothing? Hurdle is an up-in-your-face type of manager and it has translated to better baseball for the Bucs.

I'm not saying anoint Hurdle as the manager of the year just yet, but he certainly does not warrant the criticism he has received lately from Bucco Nation.