Pirates 2016 Grade Book: Outfield

This is week one of a series of a series of six giving a grade to each of the Pittsburgh Pirates position groups in 2016. Our first week takes a look at the Pirates outfield who as a group endured some great highs and some all-time lows as well. However, as a whole, they were still the leaders of the 2016 Pirates team.

Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco. Hearing these three names as the Pirate starting outfield prior to the 2016 season made many Pirates fans very optimistic. McCuthcen was a five time all-star, Marte was coming off a career year, and Polanco was due for a break-out season. This trio was considered by many to be the best outfield in baseball coming into the 2016 season. 

Marte would build upon his fantastic 2015 season in 2016 for the Pirates. He finished the year hitting a team leading .311 with nine home runs and 46 RBI while spending most of the season in the number six or seven spot in the order. The .311 average was a career  high for Marte and he was a much more patient hitter at the plate as the season moved on.

Strikeouts have plagued Marte throughout his career, however, in 2016 he struck out only 104 times in a total of 489 at-bats. That is the lowest number of strikeouts in a season for Marte since he became a full-time starter for the Pirates in the 2013 season. Marte has found a home in the middle of the Pirates order. He started his career hitting in the number two hole behind Polanco, but he tried to do too much to get on base and it would cost him. 

One thing that did not go down with Marte's movement to the middle of the order was his stolen base numbers. Marte stole a career high 47 bases in 2016 in 59 chances. Marte has been known for his speed his entire career stealing at-least 30 bases in each season he has been named a starter. That speed helps him in the field as well as he is able to run down many balls that other outfielders can't get to. He posted a .982 fielding percentage in 2016, four errors in 217 chances. His efforts last year in the field earned him the 2015 Wilson Defenisve Player of the Year award and he will look to win it again in 2016.

Among Marte's other accomplishments was he being named to his first ever all-star game in 2016. He, along with Mark Melancon, were the Pirates representatives for the all-star festivities in San Diego, California. He did get into the game playing center field and went 1 for 1 at the plate with a single.

For as good of a season as Marte had, Polanco had that and much more. Polanco was a prospect who was struggling offensively and defensively for his first two years in the league. However, he put it all together in 2016 and set career highs in every offensive category including average, .258, home runs, 22, and RBI, 86. He finally grabbed a stronghold on the right field position and proved that he belonged at the major league level.

Prior to this season, Polanco had only had over ten home runs twice in his professional career, his professional baseball high was formerly 16 home runs hit in 2012 at the single A level. As a corner outfielder, you expect a little pop in the bat, and Polanco delivered on that this year. I dont know if the power is something we can expect from Polanco in the future, but it would be an added plus to his game.

Polanco is another Pirates who benefited from a move down in the order. Early in his career, he was a guy who was routinely on top of the Pirates lineup. However, this year he hit sixth or seventh, wherever Marte was not, and drove in a career high and a team high 86 RBI. Polanco is a guy the Pirates are counting on for the future to lead this team to the promised land.

Out of the three names mentioned early in the article, nobody expected McCutchen to be the worst of the three in 2016, but that is just what happened. McCutchen struggled through the worst year of his career hitting a career low .256 with 24 home runs and 79 RBI. McCutchen had struggles in the field as well with a .991 fielding percentage, the lowest of either of the other three Pirates outfielders.

McCutchen had carried this Pirates team on his back ever since his call-up to the major league level. The five-time all star routinely lead the Pirates in every offensive category and was a big part of all three Pirates playoff teams. His power numbers were still up in 2016 as he hit over 20 home runs for the sixth consecutive season.

McCutchen just did not look like himself at the plate this season striking out a career high 143 times at the plate and walked the a career low 69 times. Usually one of the most patient hitters in baseball, McCutchen swung at a lot of bad pitches this season and it cost him some stats at the plate. McCuthcen is going into his age 30 season, so the age is something to keep in mind as you evaluate this season.

Outfield 2016 Grade: A-

Despite the struggles of its star Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates outfield gets an A- this year in my book due to the breakout seasons of both Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco. Both had career highs in average and Polanco had a career high in RBI. Both played an integral part in the middle of the Pirates order and look to stay there for years to come. Even with rumors circling about the Pirates shopping Andrew McCutchen, this outfield looks poised and ready for another great season in 2017.

Pirates Offense Explodes for Ten Runs in Win Over Cardinals

The Pittsburgh Pirates offense broke out for ten runs in todays 10-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Gregory Polanco and John Jaso gave the Pirates the insurance runs they needed as both hit home runs that put the Pirates ahead for good. 

After losing on a walk-off home run by Matt Carpenter yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates offense turned it on in today's game as they scored 10 runs in the Pirates 10-5 victory today over the St. Louis Cardinals. Gregory Polanco and John Jaso each hit big home runs to help the Pirates secure the victory.

Gerrit Cole started the game and struggled early on as he allowed the Cardinals to load the bases in the first inning while throwing over 30 pitches. However, as the afternoon went on, Cole settled down and turned in what turned out to be a solid start going 6.0 innings giving up two runs on six hits while walking two and striking out seven.

Cole has not been his normal self so far this season struggling early on in starts, and hopefully today is the start of a turn around because if the Pirates are to be successful they need their ace to come through. One of Cole's problems this season has been the number of walks Cole has given up this year. Coming into today's game, Cole had allowed 10 walks in 27.1 innings pitched. Today, he took a step in the right direction today as he only walked two in his 6.0 innings of work.

Cardinals starter Michael Wacha was the opposite of Cole as he retired the first nine Pirates batters on the day, and only threw 16 pitches through the first three innings of work. However, as Wacha's afternoon went on, it got worse as he ended up throwing 6.0 innings giving up four runs on six hits while walking two and striking out six.

The St. Louis Cardinals drew first blood in this contest in the bottom of the third as after Matt Carpenter and Stephen Piscotty singled, Matt Holiday hit into a double play to give the Cardinals a runner at third with two outs. Then, Cole threw his first mistake pitch of the day as Brandon Moss hit an RBI double to right field to score Carpenter and give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

The Pirates offense got itself going in the top of inning number five after struggling mightily against Wacha through the first four innings. Things got started when Jordy Mercer drew a one out walk to give the Pirates a runner at first with one out. Then, Chris Stewart hit an RBI double to left field to score Mercer and tie the game at one. The Pirates would add two more in the inning as two batters later, John Jaso inched his third home run of the year over the right field wall to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead.

The offense would keep coming for the Pirates as the next inning Starling Marte hit a one out ground-rule double bringing up St. Louis native David Freese with one out in the sixth. Freese would proceed to hit an RBI single extending the Pirates lead to 4-1. The Pirates would eventually get runners at first and second with two outs, but Stewart popped out to end the inning and strand the runners.

The sixth inning started a back and forth between the Cardinals and Pirates for the next couple of innings. The Cardinals responded to the Pirates in the bottom of the sixth as Jeremy Hazlebaker hit his sixth home run of the year trimming the Pirates lead to 4-2. The back and forth would continued the next inning as both teams continued to score runs in bunches.

In the seventh, Matt Joyce walked followed by a Jaso double to give the Pirates second and third with nobody out. Then Andrew McCuthcen hit an RBI single to left field to score Joyce and give the Pirates a 5-2 lead. Then Gregory Polanco delivered what turned out to be the biggest hit of the day for the Pirates as he hit a three-run home run off of the foul pole putting the Pirates in front for good as they lead 8-2.

Kyle Lobstein, who is normally very reliable, came into pitch the seventh inning to relieve Cole. Lobstein struggled giving up three runs in just 0.2 innings of work. It all started when after one out Carpenter walked, Piscotty singled, and Holiday walked. Brandon Moss grounded into a force out that scored Carpenter and trimmed the lead to 8-3. Arquimedes Caminero came into the game trying to get the final out of the inning, but allowed Yadier Molina to deliver an RBI single to right that scored both Piscotty and Moss to trim the lead to 8-5.

Neftali Feliz came in to get the final out of the inning as he got Hazlebaker to strike out to end the Cardinal threat. The Pirates had to use three different pitchers in the seventh inning to get the job done as the bullpen has been taxed and struggling lately. The Pirates need one of their five starters to step up and give them a long start to save the arms in the Pirates bullpen.

The Pirates would add two more insurance runs in the ninth inning. With two outs, the Pirates had Marte on second when Josh Harrison hit an RBI single to left field and advanced to second on the throw. Then Mercer was walked followed by a Stewart RBI single to cap the scoring and give the Pirates a 10-5 lead.

The Cardinals would not go down without a fight, however, as they managed to load the bases with one out and threatened to come back in the game. Manager Clint Hurdle then called on Mark Melancon to shut the door and he did just that getting Yadier Molina to ground in to a double play to seal the victory for the Pirates.

The Pirates start a three game series with the Cincinnati Reds tomorrow at Great American Ball Park. On the mound for the Reds will be right hander Dan Straitly (1-1 3.56) and the Pirates will oppose with left hander Jon Niese (3-1 5.94). First pitch for the start of this three game series is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

Pirates Lose Heartbreaker in 11 Inning Loss

The Pittsburgh Pirates had their six game winning streak snapped by the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon losing 6-5. Jeff Locke turned in a strong 7.0 inning start but the bullpen couldn't hold strong in the loss.

The Pittsburgh Pirates saw their six game winning streak come to an end this afternoon as they lost to the Cincinnati Reds by a score of 6-5. The game started out as a pitchers duel, but by the end of the game turned into an offensive juggernaut as each team took turns scoring on the afternoon.

Pittsburgh Pirates starter Jeff Locke turned in his second consecutive quality start as he went 7.0 innings giving up three runs on four hits while walking two and striking out six. Locke again showed the good control he had in his start in Colorado and it helped him on the mound once again.

Cincinnati Reds starter Tim Adleman pitched just as well in his major league debut. He ended up throwing 6.0 innings giving up three hits while walking two and striking out six. Adleman kept the potent Pirates offense at bay all afternoon. The only Pirate who could hit off of him was Gregory Polanco who went 2 for 2 against the Reds starter.

Both starters threw up zeroes through the first four innings of work before the Pirates were finally able to break through in the bottom of the fifth. Polanco got the first hit of the game for the Pirates as he sent his third home run of the season over the right field wall to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

Polanco's home run was the first home run ball to hit the river since Pedro Alvarez did it in July of last season. The Pirates have been on a home run tear recently after not hitting a home run until their first game of the season. The recent power success has helped the Pirates offense get the extra boost that it needs.

The Reds responded the very next half inning as a Tucker Barnhart double and a Zack Cozart walk set the Reds up with first and second with two outs. Then Joey Votto hit an RBI single to right field to tie the game at one. The Reds added another run in the inning as after an intentional walk to Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce hit a double to right field to score both Billy Hamilton and Votto to give the Reds a 3-1 lead.

The Pirates would respond in the bottom of the seventh as After a Starling Marte single and a Polanco strikeout, Sean Rodriguez tripled into the left field corner to make the score 3-2 Reds. Then Matt Joyce delivered a pinch hit single just over the second baseman's head scoring Rodriguez and tying the game at three.

This is where the back and forth started as both teams scored in the eighth to make it 4-4 going into the ninth inning. Then the Reds scored in the top of the ninth on a Scott Schelber RBI double that scored Adam Duvall and gave the Reds a late 5-4 lead.

It looked like the game was over for the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth as Chris Stewart and Jason Rogers each got out to start the inning. Then John Jaso hit his second home run of the season to tie the game at five as they went into extra innings.

Ryan Vogelsong came into pitch the tenth for the Pirates and made the Red go 1-2-3 in the tenth, but he ran into trouble in the eleventh. He let up a leadoff triple to Eugenio Suarez and set the Reds up with a runner at third and no outs. Then Schelber burned the Pirates again as he hit a one-out RBI double to right field to put the Reds up 6-5. The Pirates were unable to score in the bottom of the inning as they lost the game.

The Pirates commuted four errors in the loss and that ended up hurting them in the end. While he had a good day at the plate, Polanco committed two costly errors in the field that cost the Pirates in the end.

The Pirates start a big three game series against the Chicago Cubs tomorrow night at PNC Park. Right hander Jason Hammel (3-0 0.75) will be on the mound for the Cubs and the Pirates will oppose with right hander Gerrit Cole (2-2 2.78). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh Pirates Highest Team OBP In the MLB

The Pittsburgh Pirates Lead Major League Baseball in On-Base Percentage. Francisco Cervelli and Gregory Polanco Lead the Team. The Pirates ability to get on base has fueled their offense this season creating many run scoring opportunities.

Offense Comes Alive as Pirates Defeat Tigers

After being held to just one run in the last two game against the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates offense came alive this afternoon for seven runs as the Pirates defeated the Tigers by a score of 7-4.

The Pittsburgh Pirates offense was on a cold streak the last couple days only scoring one run in each of the last two games. However, the bats came alive today scoring seven runs en-route to defeating the Detroit Tigers by a final score of 7-4. The offense was able to help out starter Jon Niese who started the game out well, but got a little roughed up late in the outing.

In total, Niese threw 6.0 innings giving up four runs, three earned, on five hits while walking one and striking out five. The home run ball was a problem for Niese as he gave up two on the afternoon. However, both were solo shots so the damage was not as great as it could be against the Pirates starter.

One thing Niese has been very good with to start out is his command. He has only walked one batter in each start and currently has a strikeout to walk ratio of 6.00. Last season he had a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.05 meaning for every walk he struck out two batters. If he can continue to show the control he has in the first two starts, it will be a much better 2016 for the left-hander.

The Pirates offense wasted no time providing run support for their starter. The Pirates scored at least one run in each of the first innings of today's game. Before Niese even took the hill he was already staked to a 1-0 lead. The offense jumped on Justin Verlander scoring early and often putting the Pirates out to a big lead.

In the first, Jon Jaso started things off with a double followed by an Andrew McCutchen fly out that moved him to third base. Then designated hitter Matt Joyce singled to left to score the first Pirates run of the ball game. It was questioned coming into the series, as it always is, who would serve as the DH for the Pirates. Joyce got the call today and performed quite nicely for the Bucs.

Joyce finished the day going 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Making the squad as a non-roster invitee, Joyce had not seen a lot of time in the starting lineup before today. He only had six plate appearances and was 0 for 3 with three walks in a pinch hitting role. Today, he got his shot in the starting lineup and contributed early on.

The Pirates continued the scoring in the second as the Bucs loaded the bases with one out after a Gregory Polanco Double, a Josh Harrison single, and a Sean Rodriguez walk. Then, Jordy Mercer stepped up and lined a two-RBI single to center field scoring both Polanco and Harrison and giving the Pirates an early 3-1 lead.

The scoring would continue for the Pirates in the third and fourth innings as two sacrifice flies by Jon Jaso and Francisco Cervelli put the Pirates up 5-1 after four innings of play. The Pirates would finish their scoring in inning number five as an RBI double by Gregory Polanco and an RBI single by Sean Rodriguez made the score 7-1 Pirates after four and a half innings.

The Pirates bats were able to get to Justin Verlander as he threw 111 pitches in 4.1 innings giving up seven runs on ten hits while walking two and striking out two. Verlander struggled in his first start of the year against the Miami Marlins giving up three runs in six innings in that game. At one point, Verlander was considered one of the best arms in the game, however, the last couple seasons he has been hit hard and it has effected him on the mound.

Niese gave up what would be his second run of the day in the bottom of inning number five when he gave up a home run to Nick Castellanos, the second one he had given up in the game to make the score 7-2 Pirates. They would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on an error by Mercer that allowed Jose Iglesias to score and an RBI single by Victor Martinez.

That is all of the offense that Detroit could muster on the day, however, as the back end of the Pirates bullpen came in and shut the door once again. Neftali Feliz, Tony Watson, and Mark Melancon each threw scoreless outings in the final three innings of the game to give the Pirates the victory today. The group has combined to give up only one run through the first seven games of the season.

Feliz pitched the seventh and threw a perfect inning striking out one batter. Watson followed with a scoreless inning of his own while walking a batter and striking one out. Finally, Melancon finished the game throwing his 1.0 inning giving up one hit and striking out a batter while collecting his third save of the season.

Overall, the offense combined for 17 hits on the day, which is a season high for the team. The offense wasnt able to cash in on some key situations the last two days, but today they capitalized on the opportunities handed to them. However, they still left 17 runners on base, so this score could have been a lot worse, but the Pirates scored in bunches today and picked up a much needed victory.

The Pirates and Tigers will play game two of their four game home-and-home series tomorrow afternoon at Comerica Park. On the mound for the Tigers will be right hander Anibal Sanchez (1-0 3.60). Last time out Sanchez faced the Miami Marlins throwing 6.0 innings giving up two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out three. The Pirates will oppose with right-hander Juan Nicasio (1-0 1.50). Nicasio is coming off a great Pirates debut in which he went 6.0 innings giving up one run on two hits while striking out seven St. Louis Cardinal batters. First pitch for tomorrow afternoon's game is scheduled for 1:10 p.m.

Pirates Offense Locked and Loaded To Start the Season

The Pittsburgh Pirates outscored the St. Louis Cardinals in the first series of the 2016 season by a score of 15-7. Even with the loss of power this season, the offense is still clicking on all cylinders and scoring runs allowing the Pirates to win ball games early on.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been graced with some good pitching performances to start out the season. Juan Nicasio and Francisco Liriano each threw 6.0 innings while holding the St. Louis Cardinals at bay, and the bullpen came in and pitched fantastic after a rough outing in the Pirate debut of Jonathan Niese.

However, these pitchers have all had some support behind them to start the season. The Pirates scored a combined 15 runs in their three game sweep of the Cardinals and for the most pat played with the lead. The only time they were down was in game 2 against the Cardinals when Jed Gyorko hit a two run home run to give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead.

With the losses of Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez, many expected the Pirates offense to suffer this season. At least early on, that has not been the case as the Pirates have been able to string together hits and score runs in bunches. All of these runs have been coming with a very conventional lineup by today's standards lead by Jon Jaso who only has 15 career stolen bases in nine years in the MLB. 

Jaso has been key at the top of the lineup for the Pirates. In the series against the Cardinals, he went 3 for 12 with an RBI a triple and two runs scored. Jaso has been known for having a high on-base percentage and working the count throughout his career. So far as a Pirate, he has been having success at the top of the lineup and looks to continue as the season progresses.

He got a hit in each game, two of which coming in key situations. While the .250 average to start the season does not look all that impressive, Jaso has contributed a lot to this team in the short time that he has been a Pirate. Since becoming a full-time major league player, Jaso has never had an OBP under .337. If he can continue this during his time as a Pirate, many good things will come for the Pirates out of the lead-off position.

Andrew McCutchen also had a good series for the Pirates going 5 for 11 with an RBI, two walks, and a run scored. McCutchen will be looked upon to lead this team from an offensive stand-point in 2016. He has won the silver slugger award in each of the last four season and is currently a five-time all star. He is batting in the second spot in the order for the first time in his career and is getting on base to set-up the three and four hitters in the lineup.

As expected, one thing we have not seen from the Pirates yet in 2016 is the home run ball. The closest the Pirates came was last night when both Jaso and Sean Rodriguez hit balls that missed home runs by mere inches. However, a high number of home runs does not necessarily translate into a winning team. According to Forbes magazine, no team that has won the regular season home run title has won the World Series.

Pittsburgh ranked 23rd in the league last year with 140 home runs and still won 98 games and finished second in the National League Central. Home runs are not everything over the course of a major league season. As long as the Pirates continue to hit the gaps and drive in runs on a consistent basis, they will be just fine in 2016.

There have been a couple of surprise faces on the offensive leaderboards early in the season. Gregory Polanco and Francisco Cirvelli have really stepped up at the plate and given the Pirates the run production they have needed. Both players delivered big hits in key situations and helped the Pirates sweep the Cardinals.

Polanco, who just signed a five-year $35 million extension with the club, went 3 for 7 in the series with five walks, three RBI, and four runs scored. Polanco's move to the middle of the order seems to be really helping him this season. Polanco's plate discipline has greatly improved from last season to this season. In total last season he walked 55 times in 120 games played. He already has five walks in three games and drew a big bases loaded walk yesterday after taking a pitch that was just off the outside corner.

Moving to the number six spot in the lineup will allow Polanco more opportunities to drive in runs and contribute in big situations. Polanco looks like a totally different player at the plate in 2016 and it bodes well for the Pirates future. Polanco is currently second on the team with a .429 average and looks to continue his hot streak into Cincinnati this weekend.

Another player who has come through big for Pittsburgh is catcher Francisco Cirvelli. Cirvelli went 4 for 11 against the red birds with two walks, a triple, three RBI, and two runs scored. This included a big two-run double in yesterdays contest that scored David Freese and Starling Marte putting the Pirates ahead 4-1. Cirvelli is another guy who looks locked in at the plate right now with no signs of slowing down.

Cirvelli had a break out year last season with career highs in both average and RBI. The key for Cirvelli will be staying healthy all season. Last season was the first year that Cirvelli caught more than 100 games in a season. If he can continue to stay healthy for Pittsburgh, there is no doubt in my mind that he will once again be a key contributor for this team.

These players alone are not the only contributors to the Pirates early season success. Currently Marte is the only position player hitting below .250. Jordy Mercer came through with the big walk off single on Tuesday night, Josh Harrison has two RBI and has been a productive out at the plate, and David Freese has two multi-hit games in his first three with the Pirates and posseses a .357 batting average. The current offense is firing on all cylinders.

There are no easy outs in this 2016 Pirates lineup. While the threat of the home run is not there as in years past, there is no one person in the lineup that you can look at and say "That's an easy out." Each player poses their own challenges to opposing pitchers. The Pirates can hurt you in a lot of ways with their speed and defense, but do not count out their offensive abilities either. 

The offense will look to continue its hot streak tomorrow in Cincinnati when the Pirates face off against the Reds. They will look to right the ship this year against the Reds as they were a combined 6-11 against them last season. The Reds will have Alfredo Simon on the mound as he makes his season debut. The Pirates will counter with Francisco Liriano (1-0 0.00) as he come off of an Opening Day start in which he struck out 10 Cardinals in a 4-1 Pirates victory. First pitch at Great American Ball Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

Polanco Agrees to 5-Year Extension With Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to a five year 35 million dollar contract extension with right fielder Gregory Polanco with two club options. Polanco started off the 2016 going 2 for 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Earlier today, the Pittsburgh Pirates and right fielder Gregory Polanco agreed on a five-year 35 million dollar contract extension with two club options for the 2022-23 seasons. The announcement comes one day after the Pirates defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in their home opener by a score of 4-1, winning their third straight opening day game.

Polanco had a big day in that game going 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored for the Pirates. Polanco enjoyed his first full season in the big leagues last year as he was named the starting right fielder for the Pirates. He struggled at times during the season, but for the most part played pretty well and manned the right field position effectively.

In total he hit .256 with nine home runs and 52 RBI hitting mostly out of the lead-off spot in the Pirates batting order. This season, we have seen John Jaso hitting in this spot with Polanco being placed in the middle of the order. While this is very unconventional given Polanco's speed, I feel that the move to the middle of the batting order will be a good one for Polanco as it allows him more opportunities to drive in runs.

A positive that Polanco brings to the Pirates lineup is his speed. He is a threat to run when he is on the base paths and that can reign havoc on any pitcher. As stated before, the Pirates are going to have to play small ball this year with a loss of power. Polanco's speed will allow them to do just that by stealing bases, putting on the hit and run, and advancing that extra base on a base hit.

In a very small sample size, Polanco has shown that he can be a streaky hitter at the plate. He can go from being as hot as anyone in the league to being so cold he couldnt hit a fly. If he can become a more consistent hitter at the plate, he can definitely help the Pirates grow in 2016 and contend for the National League Central title.

Last season, 32 percent of Polanco's hits fell for extra bases (50 out of 152). With Polanco's speed, a ball that lands in the gap is a very dangerous thing. Now with Polanco in the middle of the order, gap shots provide an opportunity for Polanco to drive in runs and help the Pirates win ball games. Polanco;s role on this team has changed this season from just trying to get on base to becoming a run producer. I think that Polanco can handle this new found role and it will help him in the long run become a big producer for this Pirates team.

Defensively, Polanco is a part of one of the speediest outfields in all of major league baseball with Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte rounding out the outfield. While Polanco has the speed of McCutchen and Marte, he is probably the worst out of the three from a defensive standpoint. He takes awkward paths to the baseball and it sometimes causes him to misplay balls that would otherwise be easy outs.

Last season he had a .970 fielding percentage in right field committing eight errors in 268 chances. If he can limit the errors he commits in 2016 it could mean the world to this Pirates team in their hunt for the playoffs. Their is little room for the ball to fall in the outfield with these three manning the position, and if Polanco can improve his defense it will be a big step forward for the Pirates.

One thing you cant discredit is Polanco's arm in right field. Last season he had 260 put outs from the outfield along with 13 assists. Polanco's arm is one that many base runners do not want to take a chance running on. Polanco has saved many runs for the Pirates with his arm alone, but has also cost the Pirates some runs with his poor decision making.

Overall, I really like the Polanco signing. It gives the Pirates control over a young talented outfielder for many years to come. Polanco can have time to learn and develop in the outfield and prove he has what it takes to be the Pirates everyday right fielder. Polanco gives the Pirates a speedy right fielder with the ability to become  a star player in major league baseball.

Gregory Polanco and the rest of the Pittsburgh Pirates return to action tomorrow when they take on the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:05 p.m. at PNC Park. The pitching match-up will be Michael Wacha for the Cardinals taking on Jonathan Niese for the Pirates, who will be making his Pittsburgh debut after being acquired in a trade from the New York Mets this off-season.

Liriano Shines as Pirates Down Cardinals on Opening Day

Francisco Liriano threw six shout out innings and got an RBI single as the Pittsburgh Pirates downed the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 on Opening Day.

Francisco Liriano shined on the mound for the Pirates for his first start of the season. After a rough spring, Liriano showed glimpses of greatness on the mound today. He threw 6.0 shut out innings giving up three hits while walking five and striking out 10. Although he was caught up in a couple tight spots, he managed to keep the Cardinals off the board and keep the Pirates in the lead.

Liriano had his strikeout pitch working this afternoon especially early on. Between the second and third inning he accumulated five strikeouts in a row by striking out the side in the second and striking the first two batters out in the third. Liriano got batters to swing on many pitches that were outside of the strike zone.

With his 10 strikeouts on the day, Liriano became only the second active major league pitcher to strikeout 10 plus batters in multiple opening day starts, joining Felix Hernandez from the Seattle Mariners. Liriano lead the Pirates in strikeouts last season and is looking to do so again in 2016. When his slider is on, he is one of the nastiest pitchers in baseball. However, when he is having trouble locating it, it can be a long day for the Pirates.

Liriano also proved he can handle the bat. He drove in the first run of the major league season when he hit an RBI single to right field in the second inning that scored Gregory Polanco. Last season, Liriano had a decent average for a pitcher hitting .169 with one home run and seven RBI. While he will never win a silver slugger, it is nice to see him get the bat going early on this season.

The scoring continued as John Jaso followed Liriano's RBI single with one of his own as Jordy Mercer scored and the Pirates took a 2-0 lead. Jaso was the lead off hitter for the Pirates and finished the day going 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Jaso signed a two year deal with Pittsburgh over the off-season and will serve as the teams first baseman throughout the 2016 season.

We could see a platoon as the season goes on with Jaso and David Freese, but for the time being, with Jung Ho Kang on the disabled list, it will be Jaso starting full-time at the position. Jaso has always been known for his ability to get on base. Last season, he had an on-base percentage of .380. His ability to get on base is the reason he will be batting lead-off for the Pirates throughout the course of the 2016 season.

The Pirates tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth when Francisco Cirvelli lead off with a triple. Cirvelli scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Harrison that extended the Pirates lead to 3-0. Harrison finished the day 0 for 2 with that RBI. Cirvelli, on the other hand, had a very successful day at the plate going 2 for 3 with a triple, a run scored, and a walk.

Cirvelli broke out for the Pirates last season setting a career high in both batting average and RBI. In his second year with Pittsburgh, Cirvelli looks to again lead this pitching staff and this team from behind the plate. Cirvelli has proven to be one of the best catchers in all of major league baseball, and looks to continue that trend in 2016.

The back-end of the bullpen was tested right away on opening day as Tony Watson pitched the seventh inning and Neftali Feliz pitched the eighth. Both pitchers threw 1-2-3 innings and were very effective on the mound. Watson struck out one in his inning and Feliz struck out two. Both Feliz and Watson will be instrumental to the Pirates success in 2016. If they can be effective, it gives manager Clint Hurdle the option to rest his closer if he needs to and still have a reliable person to replace him.

The Pirates capped their scoring in the eighth when Jordy Mercer hit a two-out RBI double to right center to score Gregory Polanco and give the Pirates a 4-0 lead. Mercer finished the day 1 for 3 with an RBI and a walk. Mercer had a decent spring training with the bat hitting .275 with one home run and two RBI. Mercer has traditionally been a slow starter, but he looks to turn things around in 2016 and become a productive hitter in the Pirates lineup.

Mark Melancon came into close the game and was a little shaky. He gave up one run on two hits and struck out one in his 1.0 inning of work. The Cardinals Matt Carpenter hit an RBI single to right field that scored Yadier Molina. Melancon had trouble locating pitches today and had to throw a lot of pitches. However, it is only game one and there is no reason to throw up the red flag on Melancon just yet. He set a club record in saves last year for the Pirates and looks to be just as effective this season.

Gregory Polanco and David Freese also had good days each going 2 for 3. Polanco scored two of the four Pirates runs today and was hitting the ball well. Freese hit two singles in his Pirates debut and made a plethora of great defensive plays to help the Pirates in the victory today. Freese has a track record of being a clutch hitter and it helped the Pirates in their game today.

For Pittsburgh, today was their third straight opening day win as they beat the Detroit Tigers last season 5-4 and the Chicago Cubs the year before that 1-0. The Pirates made the playoffs in each of those seasons and look to continue the trend in 2016. The Pirates have a good team and I have no doubt that they will continue that success this season.

The Pirates and Cardinals have an off day tomorrow and will return to action on Tuesday night. The Cardinals will send 24-year old right-hander Michael Wacha to the mound. Wacha finished last season with a record of 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA. The Pirates will counter with left-hander Jonathan Niese. Niese will be making his Pirates debut after coming over in the trade that sent Neil Walker to the New York Mets. First pitch is schedule for 7:05 p.m. at PNC Park.

Outfield Homers as Pirates Defeat Orioles

The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 6-5 yesterday. They were lead by home runs from Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco. Jeff Locke threw 5.0 innings in the start

The Pittsburgh Pirates took on the Baltimore Orioles yesterday and emerged victorious winning 6-5. The home run ball was a major factor as the Pirates hit three on the day in the one point victory. The battle for the fifth spot continued as Jeff Locke took the mound for the Pirates in hopes of gaining the trust of manager Clint Hurdle.

Locke had an ok outing throwing 5.0 innings giving up three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out three. Locke has struggled for the majority of spring training with only a few good starts here and there. He is in a contest with Ryan Vogelsong and Juan Nicasio for the last two spots in the Pirates rotation.

Locke currently has a 6.63 ERA over the spring giving up 14 earned runs in 19.0 innings pitched. Overall, his outings this spring have not been that good. In his five spring outings he has given up four, zero, two, five, and three runs. His shut out against the Phillies and his two-run game were his best outing of the spring. When Locke gives up a lot of hits, it causes trouble for him. In the two good games this spring he has given up two hits a piece. In the games in which he gave up three runs or more he has given up four plus hits.

Looking at the current field for the fifth starter spot, Locke's chances look to be dwindling. Nicasio has yet to give up a run this spring and Vogelsong has a 4.00 ERA in 9.0 innings pitched. As the field stands right now, it looks like Locke is the odd man out. His performance has not been up to par and it has effected his status in spring training.

The back-end of the bullpen was up next as Mark Melancon and Tony Watson each threw a scoreless inning of work. Melancon gave up no hits and struck out one while Watson gave up one hit and struck out two. Both pitchers were efficient and got the necessary work in for the game. They are both very reliable pitchers and will help the Pirates succeed this season.

The Pirates bullpen is something I am very high on this year. Along with Melancon and Watson at the back-end, you also add Neftali Feliz who has closer experience. This essentially gives the Pirates three closers at the end of the game. If the starting pitchers can do enough to keep the team in ballgames and the offense can score just enough runs, the game could be over by inning number seven with these three pitching in the later part of games.

Having these three also gives the Pirates some flexibility at the closer position. If Melancon has pitched too many days in a row, you can always turn to Watson or Feliz and have a very capable pitcher closing out games. While this might take away from Melancon's save numbers, it will save the Pirates in the long-run because Melancon will be well rested and more effective on the mound.

Up next, it was Cory Luebke in his third spring training appearance since coming back from, elbow surgery. He struggled today throwing 1.2 innings giving up two runs on two hits while striking out two batters. Luebke has given up three earned runs in 3.2 innings of work this spring. He is trying to revitalize his career with Pittsburgh after not pitching in the league since the 2012 season.

Once regarded as a top prospect in the Padres minor league system, Luebke has had some success at the major league level. In his career he is 4-3 with a 5.16 ERA and 53 strikeouts. Luebke is a strike out pitcher and has used that to his advantage in past seasons. He will more than likely start the 2016 season with Triple A Indianapolis to finish rehabbing his elbow. After that we could see him as a spot starter during the regular season for Pittsburgh.

Rob Scahill got the final out for the Pirates as he threw 0.1 innings giving up one hit and getting Drew Dosch to ground out to Josh Harrison to end the game. Scahill is also competing for a spot in the middle of the Pirates bullpen after pitching their last season.

Overall, I was impressed with the Pirates pitching this afternoon. Locke struggled on the mound again, but the bullpen came through for the Pirates and held the Orioles at bay. A positive from yesterday's game is that the home run ball was a non-factor. That has been troubling the Pirates for the entirety of spring training. It was nice to see the ball stay in the ball park tonight.

On the offensive side, the Pirates were lead by three home runs from Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco. The starters played most of the day for the Pirates and as spring training is winding down that's a good thing to see. For a small ball type team, the power really shined through and it was just enough for the Pirates to take this one.

The offensive star in this game was Gregory Polanco as he went 2 for 4 with a home run, an RBI, and a run scored. Polanco has struggled at time during spring training as he is currently hitting just .237 with one home run and one RBI. Polanco had an up and down season last year as well and he cannot let that effect him in 2016.

Polanco is a key player for the Pirates this season. Last year he hit .256 with nine home runs and 52 RBI. If Polanco is able to break out this season, the Pirates could have one of the best outfields in all of major league baseball. Polanco has struggled against left handed pitching throughout his career and that is something he needs to work on in 2016. The Pirates do have a back up option in Michael Morse if Polanco continues to struggle. However, this season will be a big one in determining what the Pirates should do in terms of long term action with Polanco.

Francisco Cirvelli shined today as well also going 2 for 4 with an RBI. Currently hitting .280 on the spring, Cirvelli is looking for another big year behind the plate for the Pirates. He will be key to keeping the pitching staff on track and keeping the Pirates in ball games. Cirvelli has proved to be the heart and sole of this team in the past and needs to continue that here in 2016.

New comer David Freese also had a good day going 1 for 2 with a walk and two runs scored on the afternoon. The second half to the Pirates first base platoon, Freese is looking for a good year with Pittsburgh. He had success against the Pirates while playing for the Cardinals and is looking to transfer that success to Pittsburgh. In the beginning of the season he will be used at third base until Jung Ho Kang returns from injury.

Today the Pirates travel to Ed Smith Stadium to take on the Baltimore Orioles again. The Orioles will be sending right hander Trevor Wilson (0-0 2.89) to the mound. The Pirates will counter with Jon Niese (0-2 14.40) making his third appearance of the spring. First pitch for today's game is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.