Sunday, July 22, 2012

Pittsburgh Pirates showing no signs of fading this season

By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/
July 22, 2012


A.J. Burnett (11-3, 3.59) of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with Casey McGehee after scoring a run against the Miami Marlins at PNC Park on July 21, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates won 5-1 to improve to 53-40. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images North America)
 
Baseball gave the Pirates a polite pat on the back last season. In late July, they were tied for first place in the National League Central at 53-47.

In Pittsburgh, where the Pirates have lost for 19 straight seasons, playing winning baseball in July offered the population a nice diversion until the NFL Steelers started training camp. So much for diversions -- the Pirates finished 72-90.

Well, they're doing it again this year . . . only better.

The Pirates, through Friday, were 12 games above .500 at 52-40. They trailed the division-leading Reds by a half game. They're no longer accepting polite pats on the back. They're, in fact, the ones doing the patting, and it's not gentle or polite.

Oh, and regarding last year, forget about it.

"We don't even talk about last year," closer Joel Hanrahan said. "This is a different team. We're a much better team than last year. We have more experience. We have guys who have been in the playoffs before.

"We're not sitting in the clubhouse worrying about if we lose today we've got to face so-and-so tomorrow. We're not talking ourselves out of games. If we lose today, we're going to be ready tomorrow and come out and swing it."

And swing it they have.

The Pirates lead the big leagues with 89 runs in July. They did the same thing in June with 146 runs.
They have the top hitter in the big leagues in Andrew McCutchen. He's hitting .372 (125-for-336) with 65 runs, 17 doubles, five triples, 22 homers and 14 steals. He leads the big leagues in OPS, slugging percentage and total bases.

McCutchen didn't hit his first home run until May 8, meaning he's hit 22 in his past 63 games. That's as many as Toronto's Jose Bautista hit over the same span. The Angels' Mark Trumbo is the only player with more (23).

"He sets the tone for the whole team," Hanrahan said. "He runs everything down in center field. He's special if he gets one hit a game. I tell him, 'You only got two, three hits today? Is that all you got?' He's fun to watch."

McCutchen is hitting .500 (28-for-56) with seven homers and 15 RBI in July.

"We're just playing with confidence," McCutchen said. "We're going out there knowing we can do it regardless of the score, regardless of whether we're down five in the first inning. We know we have the offense and pitching to do it."

The Pirates have become a force at PNC Park and have the best home record in the big leagues at 30-14. After selling out 17 games last year, they're at 10 and counting this season.

They've won 10 of their past 12 games at home and the fans are loving it. They've embraced the Pirates' "Z" sign, a hand signal players flash after getting an extra-base hit. They lifted it from the movie "Dude, Where's My Car?" in reference to a character in the movie named Zoltan.

"It's hard to tell if there's a difference in the fans," Hanrahan said. "Last year, they were unbelievable as well. I mean every weekend we're sold out, that's for sure.

"The fans are even buying into the whole Zoltan thing. . . . I don't know who the inventor of it was. Every team has something . . . that's been working for us."

Last year, the Pirates went from first place in late July to 10 games out in 13 days. It was the fastest drop from first to a double-digit deficit in history.

This year's Pirates aren't so delicate.

The rotation is led by James McDonald (10-3, 2.93), A.J. Burnett (10-3, 3.78) and Kevin Correia (7-6, 4.31). McDonald looks like a legitimate No. 1 starter. Burnett won nine straight starts at one point and Correia has won his past four starts.

In the bullpen, Jason Grilli (1-3, 24 holds, 1.96) and Hanrahan (4-0, 2.17, 27 saves) have locked down the eighth and ninth innings. Pirates relievers have allowed just 17 percent of inherited runners to score. It's the best percentage in the big leagues.

Asked what it would be like if the Pirates made the postseason for the first time since 1992, Hanrahan said: "I can't even begin to explain what it would mean. These people have been waiting for 19 years on something like that."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158
On Twitter: @hoynsie

 

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