Pirates’ collapse vs Brewers proves 12-5 stretch was just a fluke

The Pittsburgh Pirates were riding a wave of momentum into their weekend series against the best team in baseball. But as their 12-5 run came to a crashing halt with three straight losses to the Milwaukee Brewers, that momentum vanished.

Actually, it may never have existed at all.

Sure, there was momentum in the win column, especially after taking series from playoff contenders like the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. But ultimately, those wins masked the Pirates' lack of momentum where it really mattered – at the plate.

Under former manager Derek Shelton, who was fired in May after a 12-26 start, the Pirates ranked 27th in batting average and 28th in runs scored. Under new manager Don Kelly, things haven't gotten much better, with the team sitting at 26th in batting average and 28th in runs.

For the entire season, the Pirates rank 28th in batting average and dead last in runs scored. Their team slash line is an abysmal .233/.306/.351, while their starting pitching staff's combined ERA of 3.77 is the sixth-best in baseball. But you can't win if you don't hit.

Pirates’ collapse vs Brewers proves 12-5 stretch was just a fluke

To be clear, the Pirates' offensive woes can't be fully blamed on Kelly, or even on Shelton. Pittsburgh's lineup is still a hodgepodge of aging veterans and unproven youth, with the production gap widening rapidly in favor of the former, and the blame rests on the shoulders of the man who assembled that roster: Ben Cherington.

When the majority of your offensive production (such as it is) is coming from guys in their 30s, that's hardly a recipe for sustained success for a team that's trying to contend. The Pirates’ offense doesn't just need a few minor tweaks to become playoff-worthy; it needs a complete overhaul, with multiple impact bats.

Look no further than the Brewers, who swept the Pirates over the weekend. Their roster is built around youth, and it’s paying off. Their team batting average is second in the league at .259, and they are averaging more than five runs per game.

At this rate, the Pirates will be lucky if they scrape together 76 wins for the third season in a row. Their recent hot streak shouldn't save Cherington's job this offseason because we're already seeing that this team isn't built to last.