Can The Pirates Keep it Going?

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle would remain undaunted as 2012 has shown us
that these are not the same old Pirates that have been rebuilding since
1993. Pittsburgh is currently in the thick of things in The NL Central
race once again, but this time do they have what it takes to remain
relevant in August and September?

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is just beginning to scratch the
surface with his ability. The 25-year old from Fort Meade, Florida
appeared in his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game last season in
Phoenix and Pirates general manager Neal Huntingto rewarded McCutchen
in spring training with a six-year, $51.5 million contract extension
that runs through 2018. McCuthchen is currently in the top ten in The
National League in batting average (.341) and on-base percentage (.397).
McCutchen’s speed in the outfield allows him to cover a ton of ground
at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and his strong arm is not as good as Hall of
Famer Roberto Clemente’s, but with 28 outfield assists in his brief
career, he is in the conversation.

All-Star Closer Joel Hanrahan saved 40 games for The Pirates last season
and he is once again on that pace for a number in that area in 2012.
Hanrahan currently has 19 saves which is third best among NL closers.
Hanrahan’s electric fastball which tends to go up to the high 90s has
allowed him to strike out 34 batters this season in 28 innings of work.
Pirate starting pitchers know that once Hanrahan gets the ball in the
ninth inning that it is usually lights out for the opposition.

Speaking of starting pitching, AJ Burnett has given The Pirates a force
in the starting rotation. Burnett was never the dominant pitcher that
The New York Yankees envisioned him to be after signing him to a
five-year, $82 million contract in 2009. Burnett was his usual self in
The Big Apple with an earned run average consistently around four, but
it was like oil and water as far as the way that Yankee fans felt about
him. Burnett has found a home as he is back in The National League for
the first time since his days as a member of The Florida Marlins.
Burnett leads The Pirates rotation with eight victories and his 3.24 ERA
is the lowest of his career. As inconsistent as Burnett has been
throughout his career, he has pitched over 200 innings in a season four
times in his career, which means that he his durable and his manager can
rely on him to take the mound every fifth day. Burnett is also a
two-time World Series winner with The Marlins and Yankees respectively
and his experience should be valuable in the second half of the season.
The Pirates pitching staff has third best ERA in The NL at 3.43 which
has allowed them to remain competitive despite the fact that the offense
is last in the league in batting average at .231.

Just like Hurdle, this team knows how to roll with the punches. Hurdle
was once a highly touted prospect for The Kansas City Royals in the 70s,
but he never panned out. As a manager, Hurlde led The Colorado Rockies
out of nowhere to win The NL Wild Card in 2007. The Rockies won 22 out
of 23 games including a one-game playoff win over The San Diego Padres,
sweeping The Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division
Series and sweeping The Arizona Diamondbacks in The National League
Championship Series. The Rockies qualified for their first and only
World Series under Hurdle.

Now Hurdle is attempting to bring some of that magic to The Steel City.
The Pirates were competitive in The NL Central in year one under Hurdle
and the future is brighter. The Cincinnati Reds and The St.Louis
Cardinals were expected to contend for The Central Division Title all
season, but neither team has been able to distance themselves from
Pittsburgh. The Bucs are only 7-8 so far this season against The Reds
and Cards, but with plenty of games remaining over the second half of
the season between these three teams, they have the opportunity to
change that