Pirates Finally Learning To Adapt...And Its Paying Off

The Pirates Ability to Adapt this Season Has Been
A Huge Factor in Their Success

The Pirates have had their share of disappointments over the last 20 years.  Any Pirates fan will attest to that, but this Bucco team seems to be learning from their past, especially the past 2 seasons that ended in those "Titanic-like" collapses.  What changes has Clint Hurdle and company made?  Well, let me give you some insight on the differences I'm seeing in this team that I didn't last year:

- Ability to "Turn the Page" - No, I'm not talking about the Bob Seger song.  I'm talking about this Pirates team's ability to not get too high over a huge series win, or too low after being swept.  This team seems to be taking the "one day at a time" approach, and it has certainly paid dividends.  At this point in the season, where the halfway point is still a ways off, series can be viewed as drops in the proverbial bucket.  When the Pirates were swept by the Reds last month, some fans were claiming the sky was falling.  Its easy to go into "Pessimist Mode" with this team, but they seem to be taking the same approach fans SHOULD be taking...one day at a time and willing to "turn the page".  In the past a rough stretch of only winning 1 of 5 would leave this team battered and bruised, but now the team just puts it in their rear view and keeps plugging.  This maturity is what makes a team a legitimate contender and not just a flash in the pan.

- Willingness to Change - There are a lot of examples of this, and some might point to the pitching rotation and the fact that the Pirates have had 11 starting pitchers this season...but if you ask me...that isn't Clint Hurdle looking to change things up, that's change due to necessity.  What I see in terms of the clubs new willingness to change is making roster moves, lineup decisions, and the style of play changes that can lead to wins.  Moving Russell Martin up to the 2 spot has paid dividends for this team and has allowed Pedro Alvarez to terrorize the bottom half of the lineup.  Hurdle FINALLY realizing that although Clint Barmes is a solid SS defensively...he is a liability at the plate.  Enter Jordy Mercer who has been average in the field, but has shown some pop at the plate that the Pirates haven't had in years at the SS position.   Lastly, Clint Hurdle finally seems to have accepted the statistic analysis that finds its way to his desk before every series.  What does this mean?  He is finally deploying a defensive shift and it has worked way more than it hasn't.  At times if feels like I say "Welcome to 2013 Major League Baseball, Mr. Hurdle." but I must say that the changes that Hurdle is making so far this year are working.

- Quality Production From Young Players - I cannot even tell you the last time the Pirates have had players come up from AAA and actually show solid success and immediate potential in the "big leagues".  The Pirates coaching staff have done a great job getting players acclimated to the "bigs" and making them feel comfortable.  No 2 players stand out bigger in the past 2 seasons than LF Starling Marte and P Gerrit Cole.  Marte wasn't the 1st overall pick like Cole, but both have made immediate impacts on the team in their young careers.  Marte has shown tremendous speed and ability in the field and the knack to finding his way onto the base paths that is exactly what you want in the leadoff spot.  Gerrit Cole on the other hand has exploded onto the scene and just improved to 3-0 after defeating the LA Angels last night.  What I noticed about Cole wasn't his 100mph fastball, but the fact that the Pirates pitching staff has eased him into the rotation and even limited his pitch selection early in his young career.  It wasn't until last night that we saw Cole's slider really put on display for the baseball world to see.  The production of players like Marte, Cole, Crumpton, etc shows a team that is able to adapt to its players and still see success.

Aggressive Attitude - The Pirates have been a HORRIBLE base running team during the "Hurdle Era", and frankly, that hasn't changed.  However, although they are still making bone headed decisions on the base paths, the majority of mistakes are the baserunners being aggressive...and that is something that I don't have as big a problem with.  If baserunners are simply making stupid mistakes that's one thing, but when the runners are playing aggressive...then you can still be angry but at the same time you have a glimpse of what the coaching staff and the players are trying to accomplish.  I think back to the game where Russell Martin tried to stretch a routine single into a double and a perfect throw gunned him down.  Most probably yelled "What is he thinking?", but he is trying to make a hustle play and get into scoring position.  I think about when Michael McKenry tried to advance from 2nd to 3rd on a blocked pitch that squirted away from the catcher.  Both of these plays resulted in outs, but I at least understood the aggressive attitude that the team has taken this year.  The Pirates have improved in the stolen base category as well...another way that the aggressive mentality is a change that is helping the Buccos win.

These Pirates are a work in progress, but they have remained consistent to this point keeping pace with the Cardinals and Reds in the NL Central race.  If they keep adapting to the situation...this team will be relevant for the long haul.