(Image Source: Houston Chronicle)
BY TOM MARTIN
ANCHOR BLAKE HANSON
You're watching multisource sports video news analysis from Newsy.
Party time in Pittsburgh -- the city’s beloved Pirates are in first place this late in the season for the first time in fourteen years.
“The pitch, and a fly ball - left center field, McCutchen is under it. And your Buccos are tied for first in the National League Central Division! Raise the Jolly Roger in Houston!”
First place in July -- it’s unfamiliar territory for the Pirates in recent years. They haven’t had a winning season since 1992, when a much skinnier Barry Bonds led them to a National League Championship Series appearance.
So who’s responsible for this Pittsburgh renaissance? Hardball Talk’s DJ Short says
it all starts with the stunning improvement of pitcher Jeff
Karstens:
“... Isn’t it appropriate that Jeff Karstens was the one to get them there? ... Believe it or not, Karstens now ranks third in the National League with a 2.34 ERA ... That’s some deal with the devil he has going on.”
Most preseason predictions tabbed Pittsburgh to finish under .500 and miss the playoffs. As a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer
puts it, those predictions now mean next to nothing:
“Honestly, I’m not interested in projections anymore. Mine were wrong. Yours were wrong. Everyone’s were wrong ... I’m just taking it in. I’m taking in the team’s enthusiasm, its pitching, its overall improvement in other areas, and I’m taking in that kid walking down Sixth Street this afternoon Downtown with a T-shirt that read: ‘I was a PIRATES fan before it was cool.’”
Others say a stint in first place may be nice, but if the Pirates want to challenge for a division title, the team’s lackluster offense will need a few changes. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
presents a few possible trade options:
“Trading for a strong hitter would make the most sense for the Pirates, who rank in the bottom third of the league in most offensive categories.. They could attempt to acquire players from teams that are no longer in contention, such as the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, or from teams who face financial difficulties, such as the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers.”
Transcript by Newsy.
