Pittsburgh Pirates Wake-Up Call – Rained (Snowed?) Out

In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates were set to go for the four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Thursday afternoon, but inclimate weather led to the game being cancelled. Some would say that this halts the momentum the Pirates had. I say it’s a break for the Pirates, who could use an off day in the middle of a long stretch of games without a day off. Pittsburgh radio stations also probably breathed a sight of relief, as they have one less topic to discuss with the NFL Draft and the Penguins game on the same day.

The Pirates currently sit 3.5 games out of the division in second place in the NL Central, also one game up on the St. Louis Cardinals. After a rough few game stretch, the Pirates have rebounded nicely, with a dynamic offense that seemingly picks up a poor start or a blown relief stint every night. Oh, and here’s a few friendly stats to keep you optimistic about your Buccos: they’re first in all of baseball in batting average, first in on-base percentage, third in runs scored, fourth in total bases, sixth in slugging percentage, and second in OPS. Every Pirate batter is hitting well, including Andrew McCutchen, who is getting back on track after he struggled for a few games. Now we wonder how long this offense can keep this success going.

Both Jared Hughes and Jung Ho Kang are nearing their returns to the Pirates, and even though both are struggling in their rehab stints, both should make the big league club immediately better. Kang’s return strengthens the bench by relegating someone like David Freese to that role, while Hughes’ addition to the bullpen will help out a struggling unit if he can return to the form he’s shown the past couple seasons.

Baseball Talk Around the Web

• Second baseman Dee Gordon of the Miami Marlins, the reigning National League batting champion, was suspended 80 games today for PED use. That’s a big blow for the Marlins.
• Ken Rosenthal gives his take on the Gordon suspension, and how other players might view it.
• Want to know how to handle top pitching prospects in fantasy? CBS Sports has a good debate on that.

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