OnlyBucs

0D33363E2D35353E1E3B2C3F685A0 wrote: One wonders, how in the hell did this group start out

20-8?
They were obviously playing way over their heads. In the first 28 games, Reynolds, Santana, Suwinski, Joe, Delay and Castro were all hitting very well. Even Andujar was recalled and had a couple big games. But of that group, only Reynolds had been expected to hit well. And he has slumped since. Velasquez was pitching well and even Underwood was doing well. It deemed like everyone was playing over their heads and it helped that all of their opponents in that stretch got off to slow starts.



The 20-8 start was against teams that did not get off to good starts:



Reds 5-2 (12-16 in first 28 games)

Red Sox 3-0 (14-14 in first 28 games)

White Sox 2-1 (7-21 in first 28 games)

Astros 1-2 (15-13 in first 28 games)

Cards 2-2 (10-18 in first 28 games)

Rockies 3-0 (8-20 in first 28 games)

Dodgers 2-1 (15-13 in first 28 games)

Nats 2-0 (10-18 in first 28 games)



After those first 4 weeks, the Pirates who were performing well above expectations regressed to a more normal level of production, which isn't much. And as the Pirates regressed, other teams began to improve. Other than losing Cruz and Velazquez, I don't think there's anything wrong with the Pirates that wasn't expected to be a problem before the season began. They have a weak roster and are run poorly. At least it's nice having Davis, Gonzales and Triolo on the roster with Priester due up next. Now they need Endy and scrap Hedges. But as I mentioned, they are ruin poorly.

89,691 watched a possible Pirates sweep turn into an actual Giants sweep.



Just think, one more hit with RISP turns the 3-1 loss into a winner. The bullpen not blowing a late lead turns the 6-4 loss into a winner. Scoring 2 runs instead of one with the bases loaded and no outs turns an 8-4 extra ghost inning loss into a regulation win.



You can talk all you want about analytics, but I can only surmise, had every AB Hedges took been by someone else on the roster (Meaning, Delay and Davis and Palacios), that the Pirates chances of scoring more runs mathematically improved, analytically improved, possibly improved, etc. Things could have remained the same, who knows. But that's just food for thought, when you look at the big picture of it all.

4A6C6B7E777B6C7A72190 wrote: 89,691 watched a possible Pirates sweep turn into an actual Giants sweep.



Just think, one more hit with RISP turns the 3-1 loss into a winner. The bullpen not blowing a late lead turns the 6-4 loss into a winner. Scoring 2 runs instead of one with the bases loaded and no outs turns an 8-4 extra ghost inning loss into a regulation win.



You can talk all you want about analytics, but I can only surmise, had every AB Hedges took been by someone else on the roster (Meaning, Delay and Davis and Palacios), that the Pirates chances of scoring more runs mathematically improved, analytically improved, possibly improved, etc. Things could have remained the same, who knows. But that's just food for thought, when you look at the big picture of it all.




It won't be nice to think about this in October if the team finishes one or two games out of a wild card spot.