Its Not Just the Pirates: Kevin Correia Shuts Down Former Team, Now What?

We admit, we chuckled when the Pittsburgh Pirates set their 2012 starting rotation. As we wrote, we were more than pumped when Erik Bedard getting the Opening Day nod.  Bedard sent waves through the Buccos fanbase, not surprisingly Doc Emrick was pumped about Bedard’s work.

But when Neal Huntington said, Kevin Correia would open on the West Coast based on his success last season, we chuckled. It would only be a matter of time until Correia was traded or moved to the bullpen we thought.  We were’t alone in those thoughts.

Correia has had something to say about that.

Let’s face it, we know the organization spent a great deal of time working on the projected matchups heading into the season. But we never thought it would match up like it has thus far. It’s paid off.  We tip our hat to the people involved in lining up the magic.  Just imagine if there was any semblance of offense from this Bucco squad?

After impressive start after impressive start from Pirates starters,  Kevin Correia was the first Pirates starter to earn a win.  You’re not surprised are you?  Correia always manages to bring out the best in the Bucs offense.

Look, the bottom line is we never thought Kevin Correia would be pitching this well. Shame on us.  It’s apparent he has worked hard in the offseason.  It’s just that all the attention has been on the work that the more prominent Pirates players.

Our impression of Correia is primarily based on our five minute conversation, or lacktherof, we

had

attempted to have with him at his first PirateFest. The California kid was standing near the RootSports booth waiting for an interview when we walked up with a few questions.

He wasn’t real interested in talking. Probably had jet lag we surmised. Even when we brought up the subject of golf, Correia didn’t seem too interested. Heh, whatever we thought.

So when Correia represented the Bucs in the All-Star game after being the benefactor of the Pirates offense, we just smiled.  Who cares if he isn’t real talkative.  But when he disappeared in the second half last season, we thought the right hander would be lucky to make it until the trading deadline of 2012.

It looks like Correia, who has given up just two runs in twelve innings, could have the last laugh in that regard.

Correia held the Giants to three hits. He held the formidable Dodgers lineup to four hits. In both outings, Correia went six innings. The big number for us in both games was the groundball outs by Correia–he had twelve in both games.

A.J. Burnett will make a rehab start tonight.  When asked about if Burnett will join the Pirates club after the start, Pirates GM Neal Huntington addressed it on his radio show before the game with a we will wait and see non-comment.

So on a day when Bucs fans had to hear so much about how Vogelsong has turned his career around with the Giants, it was nice to watch a former Giants fourth rounder turn the tables.  Correia appears far from the obvious choice of being bounced from the Pirates rotation when A.J. Burnett returns.

Where it all ends up for Correia is hard to predict, but he’s not making it an easy decision for the Pirates brass.  And for one day, we really enjoyed watching him pitch.