Because it seems that no one else on the Pirates’ roster can.
The team batting average is .230. They lead the league in time struck out at 295. After their hot start, they now have assumed their familiar spot in last place in the NL Central Division.
They make up for their lack of power (27th in Slugging Percentage and 26th in HRs) with a lack of speed (21st in SB). Their offensive savior O’Neill Cruz is batting .239 with 3 HRs. But, those 3 HRs sure have a high exit velocity and that is all that counts. The only Cruz who baseball people are talking about is the one who plays in Cincinnati. The guy with 8 HRs and 19 SBs.
Don’t despair though. As always is the case with the optimists about the Pirates’ future, the saviors are in the minors. Their top prospect, Tamar Johnson, who people gushed about in Florida, is hitting a robust .179. In A Ball. And, it’s only a matter of time before Henry Davis, who the Pirates took #1 in the entire draft 3 years ago, raises his batting average from .169 to the Mendoza line. Maybe he will even hit a HR.
Welcome back to the reality of the Pirates as long as Nutting is the owner. The dreams of March are now the realities of May.
The team batting average is .230. They lead the league in time struck out at 295. After their hot start, they now have assumed their familiar spot in last place in the NL Central Division.
They make up for their lack of power (27th in Slugging Percentage and 26th in HRs) with a lack of speed (21st in SB). Their offensive savior O’Neill Cruz is batting .239 with 3 HRs. But, those 3 HRs sure have a high exit velocity and that is all that counts. The only Cruz who baseball people are talking about is the one who plays in Cincinnati. The guy with 8 HRs and 19 SBs.
Don’t despair though. As always is the case with the optimists about the Pirates’ future, the saviors are in the minors. Their top prospect, Tamar Johnson, who people gushed about in Florida, is hitting a robust .179. In A Ball. And, it’s only a matter of time before Henry Davis, who the Pirates took #1 in the entire draft 3 years ago, raises his batting average from .169 to the Mendoza line. Maybe he will even hit a HR.
Welcome back to the reality of the Pirates as long as Nutting is the owner. The dreams of March are now the realities of May.
