The Pittsburgh Pirates had a disappointing 2016 season. As the off-season begins, it is time to grade out the club. Today we look at a surprising bullpen arm
When the Pittsburgh Pirates claimed relief pitcher A.J. Schugel off waivers from the Seattle Mariners in January, it seemed like just another move to add pitching depth in the minor leagues.
Little did they know at the team that because of struggles up and down the roster, Schugel would play a decent sized role out of their bullpen in 2016.
Not a Rookie, Not Yet A Veteran
The 26-year old made his MLB debut in 2015 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and allowed 13 runs (five earned) in nine inning of work. Once Schugel got the call to the big league roster on April 13, he was nothing but solid for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In his 36 appearances, Schugel allowed multiple runs in just five appearances and in 52 innings pitched, finishing with a 3.63 ERA. That wasn’t bad work from a guy who wasn’t on the radar coming into the season.
Pretty much all of Schugel’s outliers were positive as well.
Throwing Stikes. Keeping the Ball in the Yard. You Know, the Basics
He kept the ball in the ballpark, allowing just 0.69 homers per nine innings. He had a FIP at 3.14, which was well below the MLB average of 4.19. Schugel also limited opposing hitters to a .216 batting average and a .264 BABIP.
Schugel’s other hallmark was that he just threw strikes, period. He wasn’t overpowering, but did strike out eight batters per nine innings. He also finished with a WHIP of 1.04. That’s due to allowing just 41 hits in his 52 innings of work.
Overall there wasn’t much not to like about the season Schugel turned in as he became a guy out of the bullpen that Pirates’ manager Clint Hurdle could get multiple innings from if needed.
You Know What’s Cooler Than Two Pitches? Three Pitches
If Schugel is going to remain effective and break Spring Training with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he will need to develop his breaking ball.
He was primarily a fastball and change-up pitcher this season, both of which were very good pitches for him. However Schugel went to the breaking ball just 4.9 percent of the time. Developing a consistent third pitch could be big for him going forward.
Another aspect that could improve is the ability to strand more runners.
Schugel finished the season stranding 67 percent of the runners that reached base. That is below the MLB average of 73 percent, so there is a little area that Schugel can focus on during spring training. That’s also an area where having a solid third pitch can help.
Conclusions And Final Grade
Overall, Schugel was a pleasant surprise for many on the season and he has earned a solid grade of B for the season. With a solid debut season with the Pittsburgh Pirates behind him, the questions around Schugel now swirl about his 2017 role. Based on what we’ve seen thus far, it would appear that he has an inside track towards a spot in the 2017 Pirates bullpen.
Gradeouts You May Have Missed
As we continue with our 2016 gradeouts, here a few you might have missed. Keep in mind you can check the full archive right here.
- Josh Bell earned a solid grade for a solid debut.
- Everyone knows that Ivan Nova had a fantastic stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Does that translate to a high letter grade?
- Gregory Polanco took huge strides this season. Did his grade take a stride as well?
What grade would you give Schugel?
Agree with our grade? Disagree? Cast your vote below to let your voice be heard!
[irp posts=”10535″ name=”Pittsburgh Pirates should not be afraid to drop McCutchen in order”]Our grade drops at noon, but what grade would YOU give AJ Schugel, aka Schug Knight?
— Jason Rollison (@jrollisonpgh) October 19, 2016
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