With the Penguins having an eight day layoff, Pittsburgh got its first extended look at the Pirates this past week. And the Buccos put on a show going 5-1 combined against the Brewers and Tigers. I just hope that Yinzers realize how special this team is and enjoy them without fearing the possibility of a third collapse.
We all know the story by know. In 2011, the Pirates were in first place in July before limping to a 72-90 record. Next season the Bucs hit a high water mark of 63-47 before going on to win just 16 more games to finish 79-83. But none of that matters now. It is 2013, not 2012 or 2011.
This Pirate team appears to be more prepared to sustain their success than the previous two seasons, but that’s not what I want to talk about. I want to encourage all of the Pirates’ fans out there to simply enjoy this team. They are as entertaining as a baseball team that I have ever seen wear a Pirates’ uniform since 1992.
Their pitching has been tremendous. The team has a 3.14 ERA. All five starters have an ERA under three except Wandy Rodriguez, who is sporting a 3.58 ERA. The bullpen has been just as good as the rotation. Mark Melancon is 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA and has given up THREE RUNS all year. Jason Grilli is leading the league with 22 saves.
They have a tremendous amount of heart. They have won four 1-0 ballgames this season, including two 11 inning games with the Tigers this week. They have a substantial amount of come behind wins as well.
If anyone needs to see one game that explains what this team is all about, they should watch the April 14 game against the Reds. The Pirates fell behind 5-0 before scratching back to make it 5-4 in the bottom of the 7th. The Reds gained a run back in top of the 8th to make it 6-4. In the bottom of the 8th, Michael McKenry hit a game tying two-run homer. That was followed by a two-run go ahead shot by Starling Marte. The Pirates continued to pile on to score 10 runs that game. The final was 10-7. It was a game they had no business winning, but they kept at it and stole a win from a division rival.
This Pirates team is special. They have put all they have into every game this year. They have passed every test so far this season so far, including going 6-4 against the daunted Brewers. It’s too early to start thinking about playoffs yet, but I hope Pirates’ fans aren’t letting the past two seasons’ collapses get in the way of enjoying this season’s team.
Take a deep breath, step back, and enjoy Pirates’ fans. It is May 31th and the Pirates, 34-20, have the second best record in baseball.
Photo Credits: Sporting News
