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 had a chance to win a four-game series versus the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
They could not capitalize.
In fact, you could say they had two chances by virtue of having won the first two games of the four game series.
Still, they could not capitalize.
And that seems to be an emerging theme with this club. Some can point to positives — the Pirates did lose by only three combined runs in the two losses at Miller Park — yet the overarching sense is that the Pirates are a team that lacks the ability to close out in certain situations.
Winning three out of four against any team is a hard thing to do. But the better teams seem to find a way to close out more often than not.
Sponsored By
The Brewers are looking more legitimate by the day, and have a talent level that may have eclipsed the Pittsburgh Pirates. Even with Ryan Braun and Jonathan Villar out, Milwaukee can still roll out the likes of Travis Shaw and Eric Thames in the middle of the lineup. Their rotation has been a surprise, and they may have found a gem in closer Corey Knebel.
For the Pirates, the path to the postseason is a one-way street. They must take the NL Central to get in, and that makes games like the last two against the Brewers all that more frustrating for a team like Pittsburgh.
Meadows hurt again
Austin Meadows — one of the more star-crossed Pittsburgh Pirates in recent memory — finds himself on the DL again after suffering a hamstring strain. At the time of this writing, there is no timetable for a return.
It goes without saying that the sixth-ranked overall prospect is important to the Pirates’ future plans. And it has become apparent that his health and development affect Pittsburgh in many ways off the field. His timeline almost directly informs the team on the timeline to trade Andrew McCutchen.
Should this latest injury to Meadows linger and hinder his development, the team may feel locked in to exercising McCutchen’s 2018 option — which was likely, regardless.
The Meadows injury saga is the latest reminder that even the most impressive prospect’s path to MLB is sometimes akin to a dice roll.
Baseball Talk on the Web
- Max Scherzer seems to have found a new level of dominance.
- Is Jon Lester overcoming some yips?
- Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen have been incredibly great.
Subscribe To Pirates Breakdown Radio
Our podcast feed has been reborn as Pirates Breakdown Radio. On one singular feed, you will find a variety of shows, interviews, quick hits and much more. All designed to keep Pittsburgh Pirates fans informed and entertained no matter where they are.
We are on all the major podcast platforms, including iTunes and Google Play. So whether or not you have an Android or an iPhone/iPad, click on the corresponding button below to get subscribed!
Download Our Mobile Apps
The introduction of our new FREE Mobile Apps gets fans closer to their favorite Pittsburgh Pirates coverage than ever before. Click here to learn about some of the features of our new app – or, if you just can’t wait, click the corresponding app store for your device and grab your copy now.
Thanks for checking us out here at Pirates Breakdown. Please make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook for the best Pirates coverage all year long!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
