Are the Pirates this bad?

[Pghfan987]

Very simple question. Their record is 5-13. I think they have been a victim of bad luck and timing. Who would have thought that Jack Wilson, Jason Bay, Craig Wilson, and Jose Castillo would all be clicking offensively, and yet they would be 8 games below .500 at this time?

The pitching, of course, has been bad. Is this start an omen for a terrible season, or do you think that the pitching will come around, their hot bats will continue, and the Bucs will get back to respectibility?

Mark

[KCGHOST]

I think that it is just a case of the pitching sucking right now. It will improve.

[Bukanier]

I think the consistency hasn't been there. Sometimes they hammer competition, but can't get anything done in close games. Perez and Duke have some solid games, and then again some awful ones. And I wish the team had anything like a middle reliever :(

Well realistically they will improve a litte, which would be 65-72 wins.

[skeletor]

can't believe they are still having some of the same problems..and
with Tracy coming aboard, thought it would help some of the players
escape from the rancor of the past few seasons..

any help down on the farm ? i still think this club could win 75-79 ..

[Ravenlord]

they're bad, but not this bad. they'll get over it and win about 73 games.

[Buczilla]

Our bats are on, our pitching is off.

Our bats are nowhere to be found, but our pitching is red hot.

Starting pitching knocks the other team down, the bullpen sets them back up again.

The starters stink up the joint, the bullpen pretty much shuts the opposing team down.

etc...

Many of many games over the years, especially recent years have been plagued with such....any one of those at any time. As was so evident in the early goings of this year when our bats were on fire, but pitching was nowhere to be found....starting and in relief. As of recent(excluding Maholm getting creamed yesterday), our pitching staff woke up, but our bats fell asleep.

There is alot of baseball to be played, and alot of time to turn this sinking ship around. They started out pretty cold last year and hit .500 by game 60(before going back into the tank again). In 2002 they came out the gate 14-8 only to turn back into a pumpkin again. Anything can happen, but it's still way to early to judge.

BP 2006

Do We Count Time Passing as Progress? page 360

If on a yearly basis, you need more than a few lucky breaks just to compete, then as an organization, you're missing several crucial middle steps between Existence and Competence. "If Sean Casey returns to his 2004 form, and Jeromy Burnitz hits 30 homers in his new digs, and Joe Randa is more Cincinnati Red (.289/.356/.491) than San Diego Padre (.256/.303/.395), and Zach Duke and Paul Maholm each continue to throw 2.00 ERA ball, and Oliver Perez throws like he did in 2004, and the Cardinals and Astros regress, and the Cubs flounder, and the Milwaukee rebuilding plan takes another year to get going, then maybe we have a shot at the Wild Card." That's not planning, it's prayer.

Not many expect the Pirates to actually compete in 2006, but if you squint hard enough, there may be something resembling a rebuilding effort above and beyond the usual Pittsburgh illusion of activity. It's not clear whether it's the right plan, or even if it will remain the plan the day after tomorrow, but with a new on-field coaching staff and 25-man roster increasingly populated by homegrown talent, it's clear the organization has reached a turning point. But is it enough to make the team relevant? The lure of a new ballpark is wearing off -- despite PNC's charms, Pittsburgh was last in the league in attendance last year.

[Bucco Fanatic]

i cant hardly stand to watch them because no matter how good we're hitting right now our pitching staff CANNOT get it done. Does anyone else see the Penguins in this team right now?? Lots of great talent on board and still the same old problems.

They'll come around I'm sure....and as a Pirates fan I have put up with this losing crap for so long (as well as the rest of you) that I'm shocked that any of us are actually disappointed. But again, I still believe we'll start clicking and bringing the W's.

[#1SportsFan]

i cant hardly stand to watch them because no matter how good we're hitting right now our pitching staff CANNOT get it done. Does anyone else see the Penguins in this team right now?? Lots of great talent on board and still the same old problems.

They'll come around I'm sure....and as a Pirates fan I have put up with this losing crap for so long (as well as the rest of you) that I'm shocked that any of us are actually disappointed. But again, I still believe we'll start clicking and bringing the W's.

Until the front office addresses the pitching, the Pirates cannot cut it. IMO

[Goooooo]

Meh, not horrible just bad.

[Brownie31]

Apparently so. The way it stands now, the Pirates and the Royals
could meet in a post-season series to determine MLB's worst team of
2006.

Shades of Ziegfield! The Follies of '06!

Brownie31

[Pghfan987]

This is attrocious. Seriously. I don't ever recall being this upset in April (at the Pirates). At least keep us interested until Steelers training camp starts; that's not too much to ask. If I have done the math right, at this pace, I think we could be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention in about four days.

Hopefully we will get two all-stars this year. I am going and would like to see both Jason Bay and Jack Wilson there. Craig has an outside shot.

Mark

[Goooooo]

The way bay's been producing...things will only get worse.