10 Pittsburgh Pirates Offensive Hits & Misses

Ten offensive stats to make you look like a star at your local watering hole this afternoon: 

If there is one thing that drives us nuts it’s when talking heads don’t really base things on reality.  Case in point: last night on 104.7 Pirates gameday the host was Greg Linelli, no idea if I spelled it correctly, said this:  ‘what about Chris Snyder?  I don’t know his numbers, but what about Chris Snyder?’

Sorry.  That’s weak.

Here is what’s up with Snyder.  He is hitting .194 in his past ten games.  He has worked six walks in those 31 at-bats, but we don’t believe Snyder will ever be an offensive star.  He is a bully that wants pitchers to listen to him and pitch strong games.  Heh, that works for me.

We do feel Ryan Doumit is finding his offense as he has historically done early in the season. Doumit will get the start today.  He is 8-for-25 in his past ten games and also has worked six walks.  We love Doumit’s bat in April and May, hate his glove.

But for us right now, Snyder should catch four out of every five games regardless what he does with his bat if he can provide that much support for the Pirates pitching staff.

So if you want to know some numbers here you go:

On offense Pedro Alvarez is breaking out of his skid.  Did you know that he is hitting .367 in the sixth spot in the lineup?   Pedro is hitting 242 in his past ten.

If only Johnny Cueto was left handed….Ronny Cedeno is hitting .310 off lefties this year.  Ronny has come to life since Rickie Weeks bounced off Cedeno like a pinball.  Thanks Rickie.

Matt Diaz kills lefties right?  Isn’t that why the Pirates picked him up?  Diaz is hitting .308 off right handed pitching, just .147 off lefties.

Garrett Jones is hitting .091 against lefties which isn’t real surprising (only 11 at-bats,) but in his last ten games Jones is hitting just .200.

Does clutch hitting exist?  If so, …..Andrew McCutchen is 7-for-his-last-13 with RISP.

Lyle Overbay has hit safely in seven of his last nine starts and has been on base in 10 of 12 games this month.

Steve Pearce is hitting .435 with RISP, he has ten hits in 23 at-bats in such situations.

Jose Tabata is showing some positive signs,  he has reached base safely in nine straight games.  Tabata has hit safely in four of past six games.

Neil Walker is hot, he has hit safely in 17 of 21 games going 24-for-79 with six multi-hit games.

How scary is it to think ‘what if ‘ when looking at this fact:  Pirates pitchers have allowed 73 less runs in 2011 after 42 games than they did in 2010.   This year Pirates pitchers on average have allowed 1.74 less runs per game.  Sure the Brewers series from last year skews that, but still, it’s hard not to see the Pirates having a couple more wins if only the big four on offense were average this season.   Through 42 games, the Bucco offense has scored just eight more runs than last season.

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