Pittsburgh Pirates Report Card for week of 4/28-5/4

Defense: D

This season, the Pirates defense has been among the worst in Major League Baseball. This week, I did not seem to be as frustrated with the defense, or, perhaps more fittingly, “efense,” as usual. Maybe it was because the week wasn’t as lousy. Maybe it was because I’ve just come to expect the futility. In any case, I still give the defense a solid “D” mainly due to the events that took place in the bottom of the sixth inning Monday night at Great American Ballpark.

Coming into the sixth, Gerrit Cole was cruising, and the Bucs were ahead 2-0. Things went awry when an error by second baseman Phil Gosselin allowed Billy Hamilton to get on base. With Hamilton in Cole’s mind, he walked Joey Votto two batters later and proceeded to allow a 3-run bomb to Adam Duvall, giving the Reds the lead.

I’m not one to ever blame a loss on one player. But once again, a play that should have been made wasn’t, and it altered the inning, and who knows how things would have changed otherwise.

The Pirates have lots of work to do defensively. And yes, Phil Gosselin not being on the team would help that effort.