7-21-2021 By Craig W. Toth (aka @BucsBasement)
The Pittsburgh Pirates, as a whole, are not a good baseball team. The same goes for their current opponent in the first three games of this West Coast Road Trip, the Arizona Diamondbacks. As it stands currently the Pirates are the fourth worst team in all of Major League Baseball with a record of 36-59 and a run differential of -125, while the Diamondbacks are dead last with a record of 29-68 and are 147 runs in the red.
Statistically speaking these are relatively inferior ball clubs, to say the least. And one plays in arguably the toughest division in MLB at the moment. Hint, it’s not the Pirates or the NL Central. However, I would like to see what the Pirates record would be if they had to play the likes of the Giants, Dodgers and Padres on a regular basis.
It’s a battle of the bad. There’s no other way to put it. But please, let’s get upset about Derek Shelton removing a fatigued Tyler Anderson-one of your main trade chips-after 77 pitches in a meaningless game at the end of July. Or, better yet, let’s debate whether or not Clay Holmes or Austin Davis should have been DFA’d instead of Kyle Crick, because I’ve got some news for you…none of these guys, including Crick deserve to be on a Major League roster with the way they are performing. And in all actuality there are still about another seven or eight players that could be jettisoned of the 40-Man today and I wouldn’t even bat an eye.
I mean honestly, what are we even doing here?
There is so much more to be focused on.
How about our All-Star Centerfielder that learned how to fly last night?
Or, maybe that when Nick Mears finally got to pitch on his fourth call up-the third in July-of the season, and proceeded to strike out two in a scoreless eighth. He’s only 24 by the way.
Or maybe, just maybe that Ke’Bryan Hayes has leveled out a little bit after his mid-season funk; slashing a solid .288/.362/.423 in his last 15 games. Although, I have to say that the 9 Ks vs. 0 BB over the last 7 don’t give me the warm fuzzies.
Sure, the Pirates fell to the Snakes 11 to 6; thanks to an 8 run bottom of the 7th. However, as the title states, this is Far From The Entire Story.
News and Notes
- Tyler Anderson has posted a 3.89 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP over his last 3 starts. He now has 7 quality starts on the season; including the one last night. Now, I am not saying the Trade Value/Return for him is super high, but I would much rather have a “lottery ticket” in hand than a bunch of nothing at the end of the season.
- The Big Nogowski has homered.
- Gregory Polanco also homered, because he he still has power. It is the making of regular contact that’s the problem. However, I can’t argue with keeping a guy in the lineup, for now, who can do that to a baseball 15 to 20 times a year.
- I seriously can’t wait until the Trade Deadline has passed, so that we don’t have to see anymore ridiculous trade offers. Plus we can focus on more important stuff, like being mad about who we traded, who we didn’t and the list of Minor Leaguers we got in return; most of whom many Pirates Fans will know little to nothing about.
- Also, can we please pump the brakes on ranking prospects before some of them are even signed. I get wanting to be out in front of a story, but at this point it is just getting ridiculous.
The Pirates and Diamondbacks are back at it again in a few hours at 3:40 PM EST-Hooray for no night game-as Pittsburgh looks to avoid the sweep.
Max Kranick (1-1, 3.38 ERA) takes the mound against an old foe, Madison Bumgarner (4-6, 5.35 ERA).
Oh, and Happy 24th Birthday Max!
Inside The Bucs Basement 
The Pirates aren’t great and will probably lose more than they will win in the second half but they definitely have a ton of grit are competitive in these games and there are still reasons to be excited to see who continues to excel during this back half. I know Frazier is most likely to be traded but he is so fun to watch play and selfishly I hope he sticks around but probably not.
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