Opening Up Shop

Welcome, everyone, to the Pirates' Cove. I'm starting up this blog to cover a topic and a team that does not get enough love in my eyes: the Pittsburgh Pirates. Using my tremendous knowledge of the team and its failures over the past 15 or so years (I have a vague memory of being at the NLCS in 1990 at age 5, although it's so vague it could just as easily been '91) along with my stellar wit, I'll offer my two cents on the Buccoes. I'll also cover two of the Pirates' farm squads, the Altoona Curve (AA) and State College Spikes (short-season A ball), although it will not be as expansive as it could, because when I am at the games I am working rather than watching. I can offer a bit of insight, such as lampoon Andrew McCutchen. The eleventh overall pick in 2005 has struggled mightily this season for the Curve, batting only .178 in 135 at-bats and only stealing four bases. MC Cutch has lost the plate discipline and strike zone recognition that made him the top prospect in the Pirates' organization. On the year he has struck out 37 times against only 11 walks, and a lot of the whiffs I've seen have been of the frozen pizza variety, although there have also been some flailers. For the guy projected by Baseball America to be the best for-average hitter in the Pirates's system (see above link), Andrew's performance has been disappointing.

It also calls to mind the Pirates's current center fielder and leadoff hitter, Chris Duffy. The Duffman is having the same problem: an inability to regularly put the ball in play and get on base. It is a damning problem for a leadoff hitter and a major reason the Bucs have struggled to score more than three runs a game, this past week's explosion notwithstanding. The struggles of LaRoche, Sanchez and Paulino have received more coverage, but Duffy has fallen apart in May, rather than turn the corner as those three appear to be doing. How much longer will Jim Tracy keep him at the top of the order? With Duffy and Jack Wilson usually batting 1-2, the Pirates have a combined .299 OBP in the lineup spots that get the most at-bats. I hope Billy Beane doesn't see that stat. He'd have a heart attack.