The Pirate bullpen was an anchor of the team last year as they were handed small leads many times over the course of the 2013 season and, for the most part, succeeded in bridging the gap between starter and setup/closer.
Jeanmar Gomez: 2013: 3 – 0, 3.35 ERA in 80 2/3 IN with 53 strikeouts and 28 walks.
Gomez proved more valuable than just a reliever last season as he made 8 spot starts for the Pirates in place of the injured Wandy Rodriguez. In those eight starts between May 1st and June 26th, the Pirates were a perfect 8 – 0 with Gomez allowing only 11 earned runs in 35 1/3 innings. He also appeared in 26 relief appearances as the long man for the Bucs giving up a combined 16 runs (9 given up in two appearances) over 45 1/3 innings.
Look for Jeanmar to keep the same role in 2014 with the capability of spot-starting in emergency situations.
Bryan Morris: 2013: 5 – 7, 3.46 ERA in 65 IN with 37 strikeouts and 28 walks.
Last season, Morris was called on 26 times with the game within one run allowing him to place fourth on the team’s season holds list (7). The former minor league starter (79 starts) also played some long relief along side Jeanmar Gomez as Morris made 11 appearances of two innings or more. In those appearances, he gave up a combined 7 runs in 27 2/3 IN.
Morris, however, led the bullpen with seven losses which was far more than anyone else in the pen (second highest had three losses) and allowed two or more runs in 7 appearances. He didn’t fair well against left-handers allowing a .265/.392/.745 split against them compared to .226/.376/.674 against right-handers.
Morris was used mostly in the 7th and 8th innings of close games and closed out in non-save situations. Look for him to be a 6th/7th inning guy behind Grilli, Melancon, Watson and Wilson with some 8th inning work when the others are on rest.
Vin Mazzaro: 2013: 8 – 2, 2.81 ERA in 73 2/3 IN with 46 strikeouts and 21 walks.
Mazzaro was a pleasant surprise to the bullpen last season as he allowed 23 ER in 73 2/3 IN (10 ER came in 3 games). Hurdle came to him 26 times with the game within one run as he recorded six holds and a save while only blowing two saves. Vin’s two losses came in back-to-back games against the Dodgers and Reds in June.
Mazzaro also was used as a jack-of-all-trades as he came into the game 41 times between the fifth and eighth innings with no specific consistency to the score. His highlight of the 2013 season came in late-June when he pitches five innings of perfect relief for after an injury to Charlie Morton knocked him out after two innings. The Pirates would later win the game in 14 innings.
Left-handers had minor success against Mazzaro in 2013 as they only hit .211/.316/.616 with eight doubles, two triples and no home runs while allowing a .272/.327/.637 clip to right-handers with only three extra base hits (all homers) showing that no matter what side of the plate you hit from, it would most-likely be an out or a single.
Vin could be used as more of a long relief specialist this season, but don’t be surprised if you see him as a situational reliever against leftys or as a mop-up man when needed.
Jared Hughes: 2013: 2 – 3, 4.78 ERA in 32 IN with 23 strikeouts and 16 walks.
Hughes had a frustrating 2013 as he spent half of the season working on his control at AAA Indianapolis. He allowed 17 ER in 32 innings while allowing a .392/.510/.967 clip to left-handers. He did fare better against rightys as Hughes only allowed a .224/.342/.664 line against right-handers while totaling 20 of his 23 strikeouts against them.
It’s tough to say where Hughes will add into the equation as he will be fighting for one of the few vacant spots in the pen.
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