ICYMI – The Best of Pirates Breakdown – May 15, 2016

If the cold weather cancelled your weekend plans, here’s some of the best from Pirates Breakdown this past week concerning the Pittsburgh Pirates, which you may have missed.

Thank you to you, our readers, whether this is your first time checking out the site or you’ve been with us from the start.  We can’t thank you enough for all of the support and interaction you bring on a daily basis, and we hope we return some of that in some way by providing quality coverage of the Pittsburgh Pirates in return.  In case you missed anything, here’s a rundown of some of the highlights from Pirates Breakdown this week.

• Coming off of an 11 strikeout performance in which he allowed three earned runs, hopes for Jameson Taillon are a mixed bag of emotions. In his start yesterday afternoon, he struggled with control, allowing the runs before getting into a rhythm. It will be a rhythm Taillon hopes to get into at the major league level. Justin Kosanko provided a case why history may be on his side. You can view it here.
• On the opposing hand, the expectations surrounding the Pirates top pitching prospects should essentially be nil. The majors still has a learning curve, and success at the highest levels in the minors should not lead to expectations following a promotion. Tyler Waite broke down the analytics on why fans should not expect Tyler Glasnow or Taillon to repeat the performance they’ve had this season in the minors, or at least not right away. Check it out here.
• Continuing the “Hidden Heroes File” series, Joy Frank-Collins gave readers an in-depth look into the workload of one of the most recognizable men in the Pirates’ organization Joe Klimchak. The in-game host is known for a vibrant personality, and all that hard work pays off to provide an experience in, arguably, the most unforgettable sports stadium in North America. View the file on Klimchak here.
• Gregory Polanco has gotten off to a great start this season. His improved patience at the plate has led Clint Hurdle to move Polanco up in the lineup. A free-swinging, inexperienced right fielder, who has yet to live up to his power potential, isn’t exactly the first choice to protect one of the best hitters in baseball, but there are a few keys to Polanco being able to stay near the top of the lineup. Jarrod Prugar breaks down his three keys here.
• The Pirates showed patience waiting on Polanco. Have they showed enough patience for Tony Watson and Jared Hughes to breakthrough their own respective slumps? After returning from a lat strain disabled list trip, Hughes has been showing consistent improvements. Watson is finally showing signs of being a dominant setup man. Sean Riley breaks down their slumps and expectations moving forward here.
• In his weekly minor league report, Justin Frazee talks about everything you need to know concerning the Pirates’ minor league system. Two of the four active teams are riding high on a recent hot streak, while the other two are muddled in a fight to stay over .500. He also breaks down the trends from the future of the franchise with standout players. You can view the whole report here.
• With a month left until the first-year plater draft, we took a look at two outfield prospects the Pirates have been keeping an eye on before they’re on the clock with the 22nd pick on June 9th. Alex Kirilloff out of Plum High School, who could be the best hitter in the draft, and William Benson, who has garnered Jason Heyward comparisons, could hear their names called. Tyler Thomas gives you a full rundown on what fans can expect from each of them, including quotes from both coaches. View the draft profile here.
• The Pirates pitching has struggled at times this season. It’s an unusual scenario for a team with a prized pitching coach like Ray Searage to be in at this point. One of the big question marks before the season was how the team would handle the departure of Jim Benedict to the Miami Marlins. Aaron Benedict, with the assistance of Steve Kubitz and Jason Rollison, took a look at just how badly the Bucs miss an expert at discovering and developing pitching talent. You can find it here.
• One thing the Pirates certainly do miss is the dominance John Jaso provided at the top of the lineup during the first month of the season. His production may not have been as effective as it could have been had Andrew McCutchen been at least passable at the plate during that time. Jason Rollison took a look at Jaso’s struggles in early May and how he can find a way to rebound, available here.

That’s a wrap for this week.  Be sure to come back frequently for more in-depth analysis and editorials and look for ICYMI next Sunday for anything you might miss this coming week.

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