The Pittsburgh Pirates looked to bounce back from their horrendous homestand when the played four games in their House of Horrors. Things went better than expected!
The Pittsburgh Pirates had a pretty terrible homestand. When they set out to play a four-game series at Miller Park, most weren’t optimistic. Miller Park is referred to as ‘The House of Horrors’ for a reason. Not only did the Pirates manage to win the series but they swept the Brewers. Losses by the other wildcard contenders made this a very successful series in Milwaukee.
The team presently finds itself as 67-61 and are only half a game out of the second wildcard spot. Given how inconsistent this team has been for a large chunk of the season, that is pretty unreal. The Pirates still have a lot of work to do but I doubt any fans is complaining right now. Can’t be too overconfident but things are certainly looking up only days after the nightmarish homestand against the Marlins and Astros.
Hero of the Series
Baseball is a game where momentum can flip as quickly as a switch. Last week’s Goat turns into this week’s Hero. Andrew McCutchen is my Hero of the Series.
Andrew McCutchen went 7-18 (.388) in the series with a home run, four RBIs, and three runs scored. He was dynamic at the plate and the Brewers really wanted nothing to do with him. Because of how good he was in the series, he was intentionally walked in game three, which resulted in Gregory Polanco‘s clutch, pinch-hit bases-clearing double. If McCutchen wasn’t hitting as well as he has been, the Brewers don’t give Polanco that opportunity and who knows what happens. It’s one of those little underrated moments in baseball.
It seems like since I started this new format, McCutchen has been all over it. Once as Goat and now twice as the Hero. The former MVP hasn’t played up to his standards for most of the season but he certainly has been better lately. His month of August is way closer to the superstar player he has been than the slump that has consumed most of his season. He’s slashed .304/.421/.468/.889 for the month and really has looked more like himself. He’s no longer as pull-happy and seems content with taking pitches and not trying to force the issue. It’s been a welcomed sight for a team trying to secure its fourth straight postseason appearance.
Goat of the Series
Several superstar players for the Pirates haven’t been pulling their weight for most of the season. That could bury a lot of teams but the team has benefited from the contributions of several role players. One such player performed so well, he was rewarded with a new contract. David Freese is my Goat of the Series.
Freese did not have a particularly strong series. He went 1-10 (.100) with one walk and five strikeouts. Freese couldn’t consistently put the ball and play and simply put was a detriment to the team when he stepped up to the plate. He had a few moments in the series where the team needed him to put the ball in play but he struck out. Luckily his teammates picked up the slack and he didn’t cost the team any games with his performance.
Since he signed his extension, Freese has hit a paltry .176/.300/.176/.476 with seven strikeouts in 17 at-bats. That’s below the line and Freese needs to be better. I have zero doubt that Freese is simply in a slump and will soon return to the form that earned the contract extension.
Final Thoughts
The Pittsburgh Pirates needed to respond and bounce back from their horrendous homestand. I am sure most didn’t thin they would with four games looming in Miller Park. This Pirates team may not be as talented as last year’s bunch but no one can deny they shower well, to use a Clint Hurdle expression. A lesser team would have been buried from a poor 1-5 homestand but this team refused to give into negativity. They played four fairly solid games and swept a series in a stadium they have massively struggle at for years.
A lot can happen in one series. The entire mojo of a fanbase can go from cynical and depressed to thrilled and optimistic. In just four games, the Pirates likely made believers out of many fans that previously had given up on them.
Naturally, this can change again depending on how the series with the Chicago Cubs goes. If the Cubs beat up on the Pirates, it’s back to thinking about 2017 for many. If, however, the Pirates manager to play well and win the series, you’re going to see a lot of people really excited about this team’s playoff potential. That’s the beauty of baseball. With so many games you have the opportunity to change your mind 162 times.
The Pirates will look to another young pitching prospect in game one as Steven Brault looks to play the role of a giant killer when he faces Jake Arrieta. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05pm.
Series Result: Pirates win 4-0
2016 win/loss record: 67-61
2016 series record: 21-17-3
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