The Pittsburgh Pirates look to wrap up Unfinished Business

Sep 19, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mark Melanccon (35) reacts after securing the final out against the Milwaukee Brewers during the ninth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pirates went 10-16 in March/April 2014 and it cost them the division, hands down.  While there are some that subscribe to the “early season losses don’t hurt as much” way of thinking, I offer this rebuttal:  The Pirates lost the division by two games to the St. Louis Cardinals.  Even having three of those games back and settling for a 13-13 record would have likely won the division,  or at the very least provided the Pirates a bit more margin of error.

Imagine a world in which the August 18, 2014 Pirates, sitting only three games above .500 were instead six games over and tied with the Cardinals for second in the NL Central.  If that had occurred, the Pirates’ need to depend on Michael Martinez, Jayson Nix, etc. becomes less pronounced, and we would not have had to sweat each and every loss.  Looking a bit deeper, it’s very clear that the reason for the lukewarm start could be placed squarely on the bullpen’s shoulders.  The Pirates blew six games in April, good enough to be tied for the major league lead.  Jason Grilli of course took the lion’s share but Mark Melancon chipped in with two blown saves of his own.  Is it any wonder that Neal Huntington focused on the bullpen by bringing in Radhames Liz and Arquimedes Caminero?

Even a marginally better start for the Pirates could mean big things, but when the team gets away from the comforts of home, that presents another challenge.

Next: Step two: Become Kings of the Road