Pittsburgh Pirates report card for 5/9-5/19
By Joe Smeltzer
![SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 19: Cole Tucker #3 and Starling Marte #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrate after defeating the San Diego Padres 6-4 at Petco Park May 19, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 19: Cole Tucker #3 and Starling Marte #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrate after defeating the San Diego Padres 6-4 at Petco Park May 19, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Frumbunter-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F07-2F1145120909-850x560-54737d99f7e8c6c4298f02e58174e523.jpg)
Managing/coaching
The Pirates are 24-20. If the team was all healthy, this wouldn’t be a bad place to be. The fact that the Bucs are not only treading water, but starting to swim a little bit with all of there injuries is a testament to the job Clint Hurdle has done in 2019
The skipper will always make decisions that leave us scratching our heads (taking Musgrove out after just 75 pitches in Arizona is the latest example of this). With that said, the fact that the Pirates haven’t come unglued yet, let alone are in contention, is something Hurdle deserves a large pat on the back for.
When this road trip started, it looked like it might be the beginning of the end. Now, the Pirates are four games above .500 with the underwhelming Rockies coming to town. Hurdle’s in-game managing lost the Pirates the last game of their previous homestand, and he can redeem that by keeping the good vibes going back at PNC.
Next. Cal Mitchell’s Hot Start Continues. dark
Next up for the Pirates is a six-game homestand against the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers. Hopefully the team will continue to play well during the homestand. And, let’s hope, there are no more injuries. At least not until a few of the injured return.