Pirates Mid-Season Review

Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Roger L. McNamara

A summary of the 2022 Pirates as they crossed the first-quarter pole left the team with a 16-24 mark, at or near the bottom rung in several MLB categories, and without serious hope for a material improvement.  The All-Star Game season pause seems a suitable time for a check-up.  Readers may recall that earlier season hopes were placed on a handful of regulars.  Beginning with pitchers, where Wins, Losses, , IP, ERA, KO/Walk Ratio and Saves (if applicable) are numbered, the arms on the hill have delivered as follows:

• Right Hander JT Brubaker, Age 28, with 18 starts in the books and still with a respectable 2.43 KO/Walk ratio, has managed to lower the ERA down to 4.02. But he logs fewer than 6 innings per outing, and although flashing recent improvement in line-drive surrender percentage, opponents are hitting .249  against him, and his 2-8 record speaks for itself;  Grade C -
• Veteran Southpaw Jose Quintana, Age 33 has put in numbers remarkably similar to Brubaker’s.  Examples are his 18 starts, a 3.99 ERA, a 2.79 Whiff/Walk ratio and just over 5 innings per outing.  Opponents hit .258 against him, which matches his career average, but a 2-5 W/L mark is far below his career .500 mark;  Grade C –
• 26 year old right hander Mitch Keller is putting in his 4th Pirate season, joining his mound mates with 18 starts.  Some needed improvement is noticeable over his three recent outings, as a season long 4.55 ERA leads to a 3-7 record, tugged lower by a 1.461 runners allowed per inning of work.  Keller’s 2.26 KO/BB ratio is not especially impressive.  Grade C –
• Above average rescue from the bullpen has fallen mostly on the shoulders of 27 year old right hander David Bednar, as mentioned earlier a local hero out of Mars High School.  His appearances number 36, 29 finishing efforts and 16 Saves. He has kept opposing bats mostly silent at just barely over .200 against him.  A Sparkling  4.31 Strikeout/Walk Ratio has contributed mightily to a commendable 2.95 ERA, just over one baserunner per inning.  Bednar’s efforts have eased some of the pain, as Pirate staff totals rank in the lower reaches of the 15 team National League.    Grade A

Hitting and Scoring.  Any octane needed to overcome the pitching holes is nowhere to be found.  The following three regular bats are marked by a familiar “slash” line with HR and RBI totals.  Rankings in the NL are printed below:

• 1st sacker Mike Chavis             .240/.280/.419     10 HR, 32 RBI
• SS Diego Castillo                       .208/.247/.381     10 HR, 25 RBI
• 3rd Baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes  .251/.325/.356      4 HR, 28 RBI
• NL Rank                                         15     15    15                                           



Glimmer of Hope.  As the overall offensive effort earns a Grade of F --- at or near the bottom of the League in most categories --- no harm was done, and perhaps some excitement was introduced --- in turning to the farm system for a highly rated prospect.  It is not often that a 6’7” middle infielder is sprouted, but 23 year old shortstop Oneil Cruz fits that description.  Out of Nizao in the famed Dominican Republic, Cruz has started or appeared in 26 games this year.  The batting average has yet to sparkle, but once he learns to cut back on strikeouts it likely will --- he hits at a .281 clip on balls put into play.  The stolen bases have begun to mount, and he has displayed flashes of brilliance in the field.  Obtained via a trade with the Dodgers, Cruz had been the unmistakable prize in the Pirate minor league pool.  He merits regular, and hopeful, scrutiny.