Recent years have seen the Pittsburgh Pirates succeed in large part to their bullpen. A look into that recent performance shows that the 2016 bullpen deserves a great deal of attention.
In 2012 the Pittsburgh Pirates found themselves in the middle of ‘Epic Collapse II.’ While their miserable finish to the season would extend one of the most notorious streaks in professional sports, that particular season served as a blueprint to illustrate how the team could improve its fortunes going forward.
That blueprint was not found at an everyday position; nor was it found with the men tapped to start the game on the pitcher’s mound.
It was found in the bullpen.
In 2012, the team had a record of 28-29 in one-run games with a 4-2 slate in extra innings. The relief pitching corps of that year was one in flux, with Joel Hanrahan manning closing duties, and long-forgotten names such as Chris Resop, Juan Cruz and Evan Meek logging important appearances for a team dangerously close to a winning record.
In the National League, the bullpen could be considered average, ranking seventh out of 15 NL teams in ERA (3.36) and sixth in batting average against at .234.
The magical year of 2013 saw a marked improvement in one-run games for the team with a 29-23 record. The bullpen answered the bell, with the key addition of Mark Melancon strengthening the bullpen. Grilli in particular rose to push the team over the hump, posting a career year with a 2.70 ERA – which should have actually been better given his 1.97 FIP – and a 1.06 WHIP before giving way to an elbow injury in late summer. Melancon filled in wonderfully until Grilli came back to assume the closer’s role, and he, too, sparkled. Melancon’s 2013 numbers are amazing – 1.39 ERA/1.64 FIP/ 0.95 WHIP in 71 innings.
Tony Watson made considerable gains also, posting a microscopic 0.87 WHIP. It should come as no surprise then that the bullpen ranked third in the NL with a .229 batting-average-against and second to the Craig Kimbrel-led Atlanta Braves with a 2.89 ERA.
The team saw first hand how much of a difference maker a solid bullpen could be in between 2012 and 2013, and they were rewarded for their success with a playoff berth.
2014 saw many key relief pieces return. The team took a step back in one-run games with a 31-29 record in that year, and there were some less-then-desired performances to blame. Grilli lost his effectiveness early in the year, giving way to Melancon in the 9th. Grilli was jettisoned, and the arm received in return – Ernesto Frieri – left a lot to be desired in his time with the Pirates. All of this conspired to bring the bullpen down to pre-2013 levels. Though they ranked a respectable fifth in ERA (3.28), the true struggle of the 2014 relievers was in batting average against. Struggling with baserunners all year, the bullpen could only muster an 11th-place ranking with a .243 clip.
Once again the Pittsburgh Pirates set out to invest in their bullpen for the 2015 season. At the 2014 Winter Meetings, they signed accomplished left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo. They took fliers on pitchers with serious velocity in Arquimedes Caminero and Radhames Liz. In mid-season they strengthened an already strong unit with the addition of Joakim Soria.
The renewed focus on the bullpen resulted in a significant improvement in one-run games to the tune of a 36-17 record. The 2015 version of ‘The Shark Tank’ ranked the best in all of baseball with a 2.67 ERA as a unit. They did so despite ranking just 11th in strikeouts in the NL, with 462 on the season.
All of this is presented here only to underline just how imperative it will be for Neal Huntington and company to again focus on the single-best unit on the Pirates as they are currently constructed. With questions still swirling regarding a possible trade of Mark Melancon, the bullpen may look considerably different in 2016.
As recent history shows, the team would do well to keep the ‘pen at the top of their priorities list.
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