The Greatest Hits of Pittsburgh Pirates Pitching Wizard Ray Searage

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Ray Searage has been a god send for Pittsburgh Pirates’ fans. He’s helped build the Pirates into one of the best pitching teams in the league, though he would undoubtedly refuse the credit for it. Uncle Ray has helped make Pittsburgh into a destination ball club for struggling pitchers looking to rebound and find success. You’re seeing it this season in the midst of a pennant race as J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton have become valuable members of the Pirates pitching staff almost out of no where. The talent was always there, but Ray Searage seems to have a knack on making just the right changes to a pitcher for them to succeed and succeed often.

Ray Searage deserves a lot of the credit, but I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention Jim Benedict. He is often referred to as the pitching guru and he helps out Ray Searage with the mechanical stuff and also helps Neal Huntington find pitchers that he believe can be improved by Ray’s wizardry. He is just as vital to the success of the Pirates’ pitchers as anyone. He and Ray Searage are a fantastic tandem and it’s because of them that Pittsburgh has become a fix-all for pitchers looking to refine their skills and become quality major league arms.

Please come back next week as we take a look at Uncle Ray’s best work with relief pitchers.

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