Pirates Allow Golden Opportunity Pass By - Drop 1st of 3 to Padres

Looks Like a Scene From "Bull Durham"
(Photo Courtesy - Post-Gazette.com)

The Pittsburgh Pirates were given a gift before the first pitch in San Diego.  That gift was a Philadelphia Phillies win over the red-hot Cincinnati Reds.  Sure, the Pirates were coming off of a marathon 19-inning game vs the Cardinals, but in baseball you have to just show up and play.  The Pirates showed up, and that was about the extent of it.  The 3-1 to the Padres not only made it crystal clear that the Pirates weren't going to gain any ground on the Reds and extend their 2nd place lead in the Wild Card.  Instead, its mediocrity as normal since the All-Star break. 

The Pirates pitching staff was taxed to the maximum in the 19-inning game, but Kevin Correia took the mound (the first Pirate pitcher since 1981 to start a game after pitching in relief the previous game) and gave the team 4 1/3 innings before exiting the game.  The biggest story from this game isn't the pitching, its the hitting.  The Pirates are now hitting like they did at the beginning of the season, and that means that they AREN'T hitting.  The Pirates struck out 13 times last night to the Padres.  I'll say that again...13 times!  For major league batters to not be able to put the bat on the ball still astounds me.  Sure, major league pitching is good, but it isn't like they are facing Nolan Ryan or Sandy Koufax in their prime.  They made Edison Volquez (not really a household name) look like a Cy Young contender as he pitched 6 2/3 innings against the Buccos on his way to a victory. 

The Pirates are a home run hitting team, I get that, but they are a team that needs to rely on contacting the baseball and putting into play.  Too many players take too many pitches and therefore are put into a hole early in the count.  This type of game happened about a month ago when the Pirates were riddled with striekouts and they followed that up with the complete opposite game plan.  They looked as if they were swinging at any pitch that was thrown and that lead to routine groundouts and lazy fly balls.  You might be reading this thinking, "All this guy does is complain!"  A part of that is true, but I'm also a guy who played the sport of baseball for over 10 years and want to see my favorite team play the game well, and what I believe is the CORRECT way.  I've never been a believer in teams that rely on the Home Run as teams that can legitimately contend.  As the games get tighter, so do the big hitters.  The teams that get runners on base, steal bases, run the bases well, and can move runners over are the teams that win championships.  The Pirates have a long way to go, but all is not lost.  They can still win the next two games in San Diego and get some momentum as they head back to PNC Park.  The Pirates have AJ Burnett going to the mound today in search of his 16th win of the season.  He will have his work cut out for him, but who knows which Pirates team will show up to bat...literally.