James McDonald. I bet that’s a name you haven’t heard in a while, other than Monday’s atrocious rehab start in AA Altoona. And if the Pirates want to be serious contenders this season, they need to cut ties.
McDonald has been just about everything for the Pirates since arriving in 2010 for Octavio Dotel. He has been the ace, the worst pitcher in the rotation, a solid number three starter and a reliever.
McDonald made his debut in 2010 for the Pirates. He started 11 games and went 4-5 with a 3.52 ERA. He showed a lot of promise for the next season. In 2011, he was a middle of the road kind of guy. He went 9-9 with a 4.21 ERA in 31 starts. He had his high points and low points, but nothing too extreme.
Then came 2012. McDonald got off to a hot start, that most people just shrugged off. Yet, he continued to dominate the National League all the way until the All-Star Break. He compiled a 9-3 record with a 2.37 ERA and 100 strikeouts and was a snub for the NL All-Star team. He seemed to have figured out how to pitch effectively and added a slider to his arsenal that was one of the main reasons for his success. Then the second half of the season started and he went 3-5 with a 7.52 ERA and was removed from the rotation. He was the key to success for the 2012 team, but not this season.
He went 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA in just six starts before being placed on the 15 day DL with shoulder discomfort on May 7th. The Pirates haven’t missed a beat without him. Jeanmar Gomez has effectively filled his spot in the rotation with a 1-0 record and 2.15 ERA in six starts, culminating in a masterful performance in last night’s game against the Tigers in which he threw seven scoreless innings on just 73 pitches.
Add in to the mix that Charlie Morton is in the middle of his rehab and will return in the near future. Not to mention the tremendous amount of pitching depth in AAA including Phil Irwin, Kyle McPherson and top prospect Gerrit Cole.
There is no room for McDonald on this year’s club, and with his age (he turns 29 in October) there is no room for him in the future either. The Pirates cannot afford to have his inconsistency in the starting rotation or the bullpen. It would be best for the Pirates to keep him on the DL as long as possible and then figure out a way to get rid of him, possibly throwing him into a trade as a final piece.
And to think, it was only two months ago, that many people (myself included), thought McDonald would be an integral piece to the Pirates’ success this season.
