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Pittsburgh Pirates Homestand Report Card 7/6 – 7/15
By Joe Smeltzer
Conclusion
There isn’t a lot to say about the Pirates right now except for that they’re playing really well. Of course, people in this city will always take any positivity the wrong way, not understanding that acknowledging a quality run of baseball isn’t the same as proclaiming the Pirates to be World Series contenders. Any reasonable person should be pleased with what’s transpired over the past two weeks.
One good stretch isn’t enough to put the Pirates into playoff contention. They’re still 5.5 games out of a wildcard spot, with six teams to jump over, so the chances of a magical run remain slim. With the last place Reds first on the horizon after the break, Pittsburgh has another chance to creep further in the standings and finally move back above .500.
Maybe the Pirates will continue to ride this wave, and maybe they won’t. But when these guys are playing well, it wouldn’t kill fans to enjoy it for a few minutes. Unfortunately, most people won’t take that advice.
Overall grade: A