Pirates Thoughts

Well, there sure isn't a whole hell of a lot that can be said of the beat down that the Cubs laid on the Pirates over these last three days.  It was Ugly with a capital U.  To be sure, the Cubs are a good team, very good, although let's not make them the '27 Yankees just yet, please, no matter how brilliant Joe Maddon (just ask him and the media who fawns over him) may be.  Let them play 162 games first, AND get through the post-season before we  canonize them.

So, rather than slice-and-dice that horrendous three game series, let's talk about what may be the biggest concern for the '16 Bucs, the starting pitching, by looking a little spread sheet I put together this morning:

	GS	IP	W-L	ERA	K	BB	WHIP	BA Against
Jon Niese	6	33.1	3-1	5.94	25	14	1.68	0.309
Jeff Locke	5	26.2	1-2	4.73	21	17	1.84	0.341
Juan Nicasio	6	31.1	3-3	3.16	32	15	1.34	0.231
Tyler Glasnow	5	26.0	2-1	2.08	30	9	1.12	n/a
Jameson Taillon	5	30.1	2-0	1.19	26	3	0.76	n/a

DISCLAIMER:  The numbers for Niese, Locke, and Nicasio are against Major League hitters, while Glasnow and Taillon are still facing Triple-A teams, and that thought must always be kept in mind. (Also, "n/a" means "Not Available".)

So what are we to make of this?  Here are my own opinions.

• Since Jon Niese came here in the trade that sent the Pittsburgh Kid packing, he's not going to be going away any time soon, so no use even considering that option.
• Despite the hand wringing over Juan Nicasio's lack of a "third pitch", he has clearly been the most effective of these three starters.  Whether that continues or not is a big question.
• While Locke has been surprisingly effective in his last two starts - and what does that say about his first three starts? - there isn't much good that can be said about him.  I mean, just look at those numbers!  They stink, and except for a good half of a season that got him on the All-Star Team a couple of years ago, they are representative of his career.  He is not going to wake up tomorrow and turn into Babe Adams or Bob Friend.  He is what he is, and that ain't good
• We all know that Jameson Taillon has missed the last two years due to injuries, but really, what has he left to prove in Triple-A?  He is totally and completely dominating down there.  Two or three more starts in Indy, and if those numbers continue, it's time to get him to Pittsburgh.  He's 24 years old, and it's time.

• What I just said about Taillon, is probably applicable to Glasnow, too.  Although he is two years younger than Taillon, so a case could probably be made to keep in in Indy longer, but as the Pirates starters keep getting bombed, it will be harder and harder to make that case as the season progresses.

The Pirates now stand at 8-7 within the Central Division, and the next nine games are all on the road with Central teams, three each with the Cardinals, Reds, and Cubs.  A 6-3 record over those games would sure be nice.