Why Would The Pirates Want A Bad Ass Like Scott Olsen?

The Pittsburgh Pirates are said to be interested in left hander Scott Olsen.  It says here, there could be reason for concern.

But heh, if Clint Hurdle is looking for a challenge on top of the epic turnaround the Pirates need, then Olsen would be his man.  Ray Searage has all kinds of time to work Olsen back into form since many pitchers in the Pirates rotation seem ready for a bounceback.

The Pirates have given an opportunity to players other organizations have given up on.  Scott Olsen could be the high upside poster child for the Pirates.   Olsen

has headlines that make Lastings Milledge’s songs look like an introduction tune for a wanna be MMA fighter at your local Jaffa Mosque.  Andrew Lambo’s hillbilly surfer recreational drug use pales in comparision to Olsen’s ‘tase me ‘bro’ legend around the water coolers of the Aventura, Florida Police Department.

Olsen is a bonafide bad ass.  We have proof.

But only four years ago, the six-foot four lefty finished in the top 10 of the Rookie of the Year voting.  He gave up just 160 hits and posted a 4.04 ERA.  He relied on his heater, worked in a filthy slider and a changeup to strikeout 166 batters in 180 innings with a 70.5LOB%  and a 4.33FIP.

In 2007, he relied less on his fastball, perhaps due to an injury and his numbers tanked.  From the stories about Olsen, maybe his arm hurt so bad, he simply chose to be the star of a country music song and leaned on the sauce to ease the pain?   He threw 201 innings in 2008, but those injuries played havoc with his heat and his strikeouts reduced as a result.  For some reason, the Nats traded for him even though in two years, he went from a swing and miss pitcher to a pitch-to-contact guy thanks to losing two plus mph in velocity.  I don’t know about you, but I have seen my fair share of PTC pitchers in black and gold recently.

He missed most of 2009 with a torn labrum.  We have to presume that he played with some pain and it had an impact on his numbers from ’08.

A little over six months ago, he was placed on the DL by the Washington Nationals again with soreness in his pitching shoulder.  At the time Olsen was 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA in eight starts.   He would have been a star in the Pirates rotation.  He never returned to form after he came off the DL.   In the seven starts he made before being sent to the bullpen, he posted negative WPA in each. 

So the bottom line would be this, the Pirates want a pitcher like Olsen because he fits the Pirates short term plans perfectly.  Olsen would be cheap.  Olsen has had some past success.  He is tall and of course he throws with a downward plane.

In a perfect world, the Pirates could use Olsen as a possible band-aid while Morton, Ohlendorf, Hart, Veal, Morris, Owens, Wilson, Lincoln, Locke, or fill-in-the-blank can be ready or brought up at mid-season.   Olsen also fits the bad ass turned good soldier mold.  In a big way.

And if you look closely at this piece by Adam Kilgore, Olsen was pissed at the end of the Nationals season when he was sent to the bullpen and missed out on his $100K per start.

Clipped from: voices.washingtonpost.com (share this clip)

Maybe the Bucs could use a few hurlers that get pissed off.  Maybe a pitcher that wants to succeed so badly is just what the Pirates need.  Olsen wants to win again.  He wants to shut up  assholes like me who keep digging up his past epic headlines.   Getting a pitcher that is motivated to finally achieve his dream of being the leader of a pitching staff is certainly an interesting thought.  But would you bet a million bucks on Olsen being the leader of a major league staff?

Ponder this Pirates fans….It’s still highly likely that Olsen will only consider a team that allows him to compete for a starting job.  Where else in MLB can he get a shot at redeeming his value?  Where else can he re-establish his goals?   For the once can’t miss prospect, time is quickly running out.

The thing the Pirates need Olsen to do is eat some innings.  They don’t need Olsen to be a leader.  Just a pitcher who can take the ball every five days and provide a few quality starts.  It’s a risky proposition, but could Olsen really be worse than Zach Duke?  He certainly is cheaper.  Bob likes cheap.  But surely, the Pirates big offseason signing won’t be Scott Olsen?  Surely you jest Neal Huntington.  Surely.  You.  Jest.

Remember, before he threw four no hit innings against the New York Mets in a relief role, he had an 8.72 ERA in seven starts since coming off the DL.  Sorry.  That’s that asshole in me again.

Plus Olsen smokes.  We all know how this town feels about that.  Who was the last Pirates smoker?  Oh yeh, nevermind.

Clipped from: deadspin.com (share this clip)

Also, Olsen was hit with a taser and afterward, Olsen wanted his face tattoed on his teammates ass.  Sorry that doesn’t even sound like a leader.

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And Olsen can burn a hole through the lens of a police mug shot camera all night long.  So, when’s the annoucement?