Pittsburgh Pirates Wake Up Call – Pirates play a complete game

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

Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates played a “complete game” versus the Milwaukee Brewers, winning 8-1.

In this case a “complete game” means that every facet of the Pirates’ roster was flat out working yesterday. Among Pirates hitters, only Josh Bell was left hitless as the team racked up 11 knocks. Overall, the club was 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position, showing a great ability to string hits together.

Gerrit Cole was highly effective, a Travis Shaw home run not withstanding. Jhan Marinez capably gave the club two innings, allowing Clint Hurdle to save many of the bullets in his bullpen.

We talked yesterday in this space about the Pirates’ erratic offense and how it amounts to the club pushing a boulder uphill. Nights like last night do not happen all that often for this club, but when they do, it is a tantalizing glimpse at what this club could be when all cylinders are firing.

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The McCutchen Dilemma

As part of last night’s offensive display, Pittsburgh Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer as part of a three RBI night.

Let’s dispense with any pretense. McCutchen is absolutely “back.” For the month of June, McCutchen is slashing .377/.435/.705. While that gaudy batting average is pretty unsustainable and that slugging percentage also a bit high, to me the on-base percentage speaks volumes.

McCutchen has always been a high OBP-guy, but prior to this hot stretch and move to the sixth spot in the order, that too had left him. His mark of .301 through the season’s first two months would easily hold as his lowest mark of his career, and a truly bad mark for any regular hitter. McCutchen had five straight seasons of .400+ OBP prior to the 2016 season. To see this metric get back to normal McCutchen levels could speak volumes to his much improved approach at the plate.

His resurgence will undoubtedly be music to the ears of Pittsburgh Pirates executives, but they will now face a tough choice as the trade deadline approaches.

Baseball Talk On the Web

• Paul Goldschmidt has reached the next level.
• So has Andrelton Simmons, or so Fangraphs says.
• Rich Hill, on the other hand, has not.

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