Pirates pitching future looks very bright

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

You dont think SS is a problem? Barmes has been awful at the plate and according to the defensive metrics has slipped in the field too. The young kid platooning with him is sure to regress.
1b for Pitt is a below average position.

He's not platooning with him. Mercer is now the everyday starter.

Barmes lost the job. His defense was outstanding. He was robbing people of hits and making great plays every other game. He is just terrible with the bat.

I suppose it's a relative thing ... but I'm not worried at all about shortstop and I don't think the team is either.

The team has been a lot more successful since benching Barmes, but I still feel very good about having him.

Gabby Sanchez and Garrett Jones are both terrific defensive 1B's ... and they are a perfect platoon, because Gabby only hits left-handed pitching well and Jones is great against right-handed pitching but useless against lefties.

All this team needs is a good Right-handed bat in RF. The team is 8-0 when Jenmar Gomez starts games. He's just 25 years-old, he has a .276 ERA, a .114 WHIP, he pitched 5 innings of no hit-ball in his final AAA rehab start, and pitched very well today ... yet he's out of the starting rotation and headed back to the bullpen when Wandy and A. J. Burnett get back into the rotation.

The bullpen is unbelievable. I can see why AAA Indianapolis has been the best minor league team in baseball over the last few years.

This is not even close to the same team as last year. Last year, McCutchen, A. J Burnett, Walker and the bullpen were carrying the team by themselves for a long time. Those three guys have all been banged up this year, especially the latter two, and they've played below expectations.

This team got a monumental upgrade at catcher in Russell Martin. Liriano has been a nice addition to the starting rotation. And Melancon has been sensational in the bullpen. But, it's the youth movement that has made all the difference.