The Pirates - 20 Games In

I usually wait for more than twenty games to be played before commenting on how the Pirates are shaping up in any given season, but the start of the 2023 season has been so surprising, so above expectations, and so downright fun, that I couldn't wait any longer to opine on the subject.

The team now stands at 13-7, in second place in the NL Central, 1.5 goes behind the Brewers, and they are tied for the second best record in the National League.  Who besides Pirates Chief Propaganda Minister Greg Brown saw that coming?  They are playing good and winning baseball, and they are doing so with a  joie de vivre that is so infectious, that you can't wait to watch the next game.  From the drawing of an imaginary sword when someone gets a hit, to the rubber sword that they wield in the dugout after someone hits a home run, to the outfielders doing jumping chest bumps and the infielders doing that goofy dance after every win, you just see a spirit there that you haven't seen for a number of years with the Bucs.

Then there was the McCutchen-like leap from Ji Hwan Bae after his walk-off three run home run against the Astros earlier in the month.

There has been excellent starting pitching led by Mitch Keller, Roansy Contreras, and Juan Oviedo (the team has had a dozen consecutive games from pitchers going at least six innings), some excellent relief work from guys like Dauri Moreta, Robert Stephenson, Colin "H.R." Holderman, and Duane Underwood, leading to All-Star closer David Bender.

The hitting was led by Brian Reynolds who has cooled off a bit from a first week of the season where he had 5 HR's and 14 RBI's, but his cooling off has been accompanied by Jack Suwinski heating up and hitting 5 HR's is recent games.  Perhaps the most amazing performance thus far, however, has been that of Andrew McCutchen.

McCutchen's signing in the off-season was seen by many, including The Grandstander, as a cynical attempt by Cheapskate Bob Nutting to sell tickets and spread a coat of whitewash over the generally lousy performance of the team over the past three seasons.   Through the first 12.3% of the season, however, the signing of McCutchen may prove to be one of the best moves that the Pirates have made since, well, drafting Andrew McCutchen back in 2005.  He has seemed to eagerly adopt the "elder statesman/leader in the clubhouse" role on a team that for the most part is comprised of younger players.   And he has shown that he can still play.   While playing right field and DH'ing, he has hit .290 with 5 HR, 9 RBI, 10 Runs scored, and carrying OPS of .943, and you could make the case that he has been the best player on the team.

Of course, it hasn't all been sweetness and light, and the one event of the year casting an early shadow was the fractured ankle of Oniel Cruz during the first week of the season.  The most optimistic outlook mentioned thus far is that Cruz will be out for four months, which would get him back in the lineup in mid to late August.  The team has weathered his absence thus far, but it is almost impossible not to think that the long term effects of that injury will be disastrous for the Bucs.  To their credit, no one connected with the team has taken a "woe is us" attitude.  Rather, it has been, "we'll get guys to pick up the slack and move on."

The team still is a flawed one, and no one expects pennant or even post season contention for the Pirates, but they have shown improvement, and they have been, as I said at the outset, a blast to watch.  It would be nice to think that they could maintain this level of performance through, say June, and then, well, who in the Hell knows what might happen.  So in the meantime, we'll just keep raising the Jolly Roger.

Beat 'em Bucs!