Pittsburgh Pirates: Terrifying Times

Mar 3, 2014; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez (24) is congratulated by teammates after he scored during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Are the Pittsburgh Pirates really this good?  The Pittsburgh Pirates are usually garbage in Spring Training.  So what exactly is happening this year in the Grapefruit League?  The pitching staff is usually ahead of the offense, but really…the Red Sox are the World Champions how do some of their starters only have one hit in Fort Myers today?

Mar 3, 2014; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) singles during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Pirates offense has us mesmerized!  Russell Martin has two home runs in three games?  What?  During his first season as a Pirate catcher last year, Martin didn’t hit any homers in the Florida sunshine.

Mar 3, 2014; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez (24) hits a 2-run home run during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Pedro Alvarez has hit a bomb already this Spring.  El Toro hit none last year.  He only hit .170 two ST ago and .241 last year.   Alvarez is off to a .417 start this year.  What the hell is going on?

Andrew McCutchen is hitting over .600!

Josh Harrison hit a blast yesterday.  Josh Harrison?  What–JHay hasn’t hit a Spring Training homer in the past two years!

But wait, here it is…Starling Marte is always solid during Spring Training, but this year…oh never mind all he does is jog home after bombs hit by his teammates.

Gregory Polanco has looked like a manchild thus far and of course the kid only knows one speed. Polanco isn’t going to slow down even though he knows he won’t break camp with the club.

Just as strange as the offense coming to life, the pitching staff has been unbelievable, well until about an inning ago.  But screw it we’re on a roll.

Mar 3, 2014; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mark Melancon (35) throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Watson was awful last Spring and then went on to a solid season.  A.J. Burnett gave up thirteen hits in eleven innings.  Frankie Liriano wore a robo-like cast on his arm, but his year has been rock solid with two more easy innings today against the champions of the world.

Surely this pitching is going to fall apart a bit right?   Edison Volquez is going to nuclear sooner rather than later so everyone on twitter who has been bashing the pick up looks like Yinzerdamus right?

Mar 3, 2014; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Russell Martin (55) comes and talks with pitcher Edinson Volquez (36) during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Usually in Spring Training you see a guy coming into a game and you realize you have some time to head to the beer meister or the concession stand if you’re at the game.  Some guys just aren’t ready for Grapefruit League action…the wind is blowing out, hitters are free swinging trying to open some eyes with their wind aided power or whatever.

But thus far for the Bucs it’s hard to distinguish between the pitchers that will definently make the Pirates roster and those that won’t.    The first week has been nuts to watch pitcher after pitcher either work quickly through innings or work around some trouble caused by the errors that the Bucs have been piling up in the first week of action.

It’s hard to imagine the Pirates are really this talented.

And right on cue, the Red Sox get a couple homers….oh Mike Carp homered in front of the Bucs brass, that might have peeked their interest , but it did come off minor leaguer Zack Thornton.

The Sox went on to tie the game, but in perfect fashion, Chris McGuiness..yeh, Chris McGuiness, that Chris McGuiness, 5-for-10 this Spring Training, wins the Pirates fourth game this Spring with a big hit.

Terrifying.