Some Buried Pirate Treasure

If you are a Pittsburgh Pirates’ fan, you already know that the pitching in the City of Champions has recently, well, been terrible. As a whole, the staff is easily the worst in the league, in my opinion. Considering that the Pirates haven’t had a winning record since the early 90’s, many people have been wondering what can be done to fix this glaring weakness on the team. The answer, in the short team, is bleak, but very promising in the years to come.

The Pirates need to find their defacto ace of the staff, and currently, Zach Duke (left) is not the answer. He has a 5.49 ERA, which is the worst of any headline starter in all of baseball, and the Clifton, TX native has really struggled with runners on base. In such cases, Duke’s entire mindset on the mound completely has shifted to anxiety. On a positive note, his progress, thus far, has to be a bonus for the Pittsburgh organization. He was drafted in 2001 in the 20th round, 594th overall, so expectations were initially nonexistent.

Coming in 2010, Ross Ohlendorf, the team’s number two starter, was supposed to dazzle. The potential is certainly there, but such national hype has not been met by results this season. Although he has struck out more batters per 9 innings than last year, Ohlendorf has walked 3.74 batters per 9 innings, among the worst marks in the entire national league. Furthermore, opponents are batting near .300 against the Pirates’ second best pitcher. The only potential hope for Ohlendorf is that he will eventually figure out the science of pitching. I mean, he graduated from Princeton with a near perfect GPA. If anyone can learn how to succeed in the major leagues, the man would be Ohlendorf.

Regarding the future of the pitching staff, Pirates’ general manager Neal Huntington first looks to right hander Brad Lincoln (right). Ranked among the best prospects in Pittsburgh’s organization, he should be in the major leagues by the end of 2010. I love his fastball that touches 95 miles per hour with movement, and his curveball can be tough to handle. Lincoln needs to refine his changeup more to truly excel in the major leagues, yet his ability to throw strikes is always a bonus. He is often compared to star Rangers’ pitcher Cliff Lee, in terms of mindset on the mound.

Further down the road, expect to see Zack Von Rosenberg and Colton Cain in Pittsburgh’s starting rotation. The 19 year old Von Rosenberg does not have overpowering stuff on the mound, yet his skills are polished to the point where scouts believe he could be in the major leagues by next season. Cain, on the other hand, is a power pitching left-hander. If he can really develop both his curveball and changeup to complement a wicked fastball, the Pirates’ 8th round selection last year should excel in the major leagues.

For now, Pirates fans will have to endure their 18th consecutive losing season, a feat in which no one take pride. I guess Paul Maholm, who has been the team’s best pitcher all year, will continue to anchor a staff that contends with many Triple-A affiliates.

-Zach Parnes