Pirates 2016 Grade Book: Infield

This is week two of a series of a series of six giving a grade to each of the Pittsburgh Pirates position groups in 2016. Our second week takes a look at the Pirates infielders which saw a lot of switching back and forth throughout the 2016 season.

The 2016 World Series teams have been decided in the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. for the Pittsburgh Pirates, its a time to take a look back at the season that was and look ahead to a new year in 2017. The Pirates starting pitching staff is full of guys who keep the ball on the ground so as a Pirates infielder you have to be ready on every single play.

For the Pirates in 2016, the infield was a series of moving parts with many different players playing many different positions. Whether it was because of injury or a platoon situation, the Pirates had multiple infielders play in 2016. The four we will look at for our 2017 grade are Jung Ho Kang, Jordy Mercer, Josh Harrison, and John Jaso.

Jung Ho Kang was back for his second season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and built off of an impressive rookie campaign where he just fell short of the Rookie of the Year Award. He finished the season hitting .255 with 21 home runs and 68 RBI. While the average dropped for Kang, the run-production increased and Kang fit in quite nicely in the clean-up spot for the Pirates.

Kang did start the season on the disabled list after suffering a torn ACL at the end of the 2016 season, but recovered nicely in 2016. While he didn't play as much as he did a year ago his offense stayed where it was a season ago. The power that Kang is able to produce is going to be key for this Pirates lineup that doesnt have the definitive long ball threat. In 103 games Kang hit 21 home runs this year compared to last season where he only hit 15 in 126 games a year ago.

The downfall with the power that Kang brings is his vulnerability in the strikeout category. We see it with so many of the great power hitters in the game, the home runs are great but they strikeout a ton. Kang ended up striking out in 24% of his at-bats this season, 79 in 318 at bats. If he can get that number down to 15%-18% it would put himself and the Pirates as a whole in a much better situation,

One thing that changed for Kang when he came over from the Korean Baseball League is the position he played. A natural short stop, the Pirates moved him over to third base after the struggles of Pedro Alvarez in 2015. In his rookie season at third base he had a sub-par .971 fielding percentage, 5 errors in 174 chances. Well, that defense took another dip in 2016 as his fielding percentage dropped to .934, 17 errors in 257 chances.

With a team full of ground ball pitchers, it is crucial that Kang pick up his defense in the 2017 season. Whether it be because of the knee injury or because of a drop in play, Kang will have to work on his defense here in the off-season. Kang will be entering year three of his four-year 11 million dollar contract and he will look to lead the Pirates in the middle of the order in 2017 once again while handling the hot corner.

Jordy Mercer struggled offensively in 2015, but rebounded nicely for a productive 2016 season. He ended the year hitting .256 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI. It was the second time in his major league career where he hit double-digit home runs and over 50 RBI. Mercer's 59 RBI were a career high for him in his fifth MLB season.

Mercer has been known to be a slow starter throughout his career, but 2016 was a totally different story. Mercer finished the month of April hitting .318 with one home run and 13 RBI. It was the best start to a season for Mercer in his major league career. He continued his great offensive output until the month of August where his average was .179 and it continued into September where he hit .235.

Mercer enjoyed his most productive year at the plate as a major leaguer. His previous career high in RBI was 55 which he set back in the 2014 season. His .256 average was also second in his MLB career behind his 2013 campaign when he hit .285. Mercer spent all of the 2016 season in the number seven or eight hole for the Pirates, and it was good to see him be able to drive in the runs he did.

As Mercer enjoyed success at the plate, he continued his success in the field. He was fifth among MLB short stops in fielding percentage with .985, nine errors in 607 chances. Defense has been what Mercer has been known for since joining the Pirates. He has never let his poor offensive numbers bring down his defense throughout the years.

With all of the ground ball pitchers that the Pirates posses, double plays are a big part of their game. Mercer was a big part of that in 2016 starting 95 double plays, good for second in the National League and fourth in the entire major leagues. The Pirates have always had good short stops in their history from Honus Wagner all the way to Jack Wilson, and Mercer has done a great job of keeping that success going for the Pirates.

After bouncing around for the past couple of seasons, Josh Harrison finally found a home as the everyday starter at second base for the Pirates. Harrison finished 2016 hitting .283 with four home runs and 59 RBI in 131 games played. Unfortunately, Harrison would end the year on the 60-day disabled list.

Harrison is two years removed from his all-star campaign in 2014 and his average has dropped slightly in every year since. His .283 average is his lowest average since the 2013 campaign. Even with the lower average he still managed to drive in a career high 59 runs in the top of the Pirates order.Harrison continued to control the base paths as he has throughout his career. He stole a career high 19 bases in 23 chances this season. He was second on the team behind Starling Marte who had 47 stolen bases. Harrison is one of the hardest workers on the Pirates team and uses that hustle everyday on the field.

Harrison also was able to find a defensive home at second base as well. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 first year player draft by the Chicago Cubs as a second baseman. He brought back that natural second base talent in 2016 as he finished fourth among NL second baseman with a .989 fielding percentage, seven errors in 635 chances. That was better than guys like Neil Walker, Brandon Phillips, and Ben Zobrist

Double plays were a big part of the 2016 season for Pittsburgh and both middle infielders did their parts. Harrison finished second among NL second baseman turning 97 double plays on the season. The Pirates were second in all of major league baseball behind the Texas Rangers in double plays per game with 1.06. Harrison turned into one of the top defensive years of any Pirates infielder this season and will look to recover and continue that string in 2017.

The final member of the Pirates infield was trying his hand at a new position in 2016. John Jaso was trying his hand at first base for the first time in his career in 2016. He had been a catcher and an outfielder in previous seasons, but was signed to a two year deal to help the Pirates at the first base position. He performed rather well with a .994 fielding percentage, five errors in 800 chances.

Jaso was a welcome sight in the field for the Pirates this season and played like a natural first baseman. The Pirates have been known for wanting versatility in their players and Jaso will have to resort to that in 2017. With Josh Bell at the major league level the Pirates are asking Jaso to take reps at third base for the 2017 season.

Jaso's offense was league average in 2016 finishing the season hitting .268 with eight home runs and 42 RBI. All of Jaso's numbers were average for his career. The one stat that jumps out on his seat is the career high 74 strikeouts in 380 at-bats. In 2017, he will work to lower the number of strikeouts for 2017 so he can be a productive member of the Pirates bench.

2016 Pirates Infielder's Grade: B+

The 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates infielders produced impressive defensive numbers all season long. The middle infielders were some of the top in all of major league baseball in terms of double plays turned and fielding percentage, and we saw the emergence of John Jaso at first base. Offensively the Pirates infielders had some of the best production numbers on the team. Three of the infielders had career highs in RBI in 2016 and will look to continue to build on that in 2017. 

Ranking the Top Five Pirates Closers Since 2000

The closers role has been a very successful part of the Pirates roster here in the 21st century. When the Pirates were winning late in games, you could always count on the guy coming in to get the job done. We are going to rank the top five closers since the 2000 season that have pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have accomplished a lot in the 21st century. They broke a 21-consecutive year losing streak by making the playoffs in 2013, saw the rise of players like Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco, and opened one of the best ball parks in all of major league baseball in PNC Park. A lot has changed with the team over the years, but one thing has remained consistent. You can always trust the man that is throwing in the ninth inning will get the job done.

Since the 2000 season the Pirates have seen several names jump into the closers role and lead the Pirates from victory. Whether it be a wiley veteran found off the market or a young guy getting a chance to prove himself, the Pirates have always seemed to find a way to get it done at the back end of the bullpen. They haven't had the bonafide stars such as Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman, but their guy has always been able to get the job done.

We will take a look at the top five Pirates to step into that closers role since the 2000 season. The list includes pitchers who had at least 10 save opportunities in any season from 2000 to present. This list does not include set-up men who jumped in for a save or two so no Damaso Marte or John Grabow on this list. Here are the top five closers since 2000 who have pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

#5 Jason Grilli: 44 Saves in 50 Chances (Closed from 2013-2014)

Jason Grilli emerged onto the baseball scene as the Pirates closer in the 2013 season, but he was with the Pirates for two-years prior to that. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Pirates on July 21, 2011 and was the set-up man for Joel Hanrahan. He got the call as the Pirates full-time closer in that 2013 season after Hanrahan was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a deal that brought Mark Melancon, Jerry Sands, Stolmy Pimentel, and Ivan Dejesus Jr. to the Pirates.

Grilli would take off that year collecting 33 saves in 35 opportunities and being named to his first ever all-star game in his then 10 year career. He would strike out 74 batters and walk only 13 in 50.0 innings of work for the Pirates. When Grilli came into the game, with "Whipping" by the Who playing in the background, you knew the game was over.

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of Jason Grilli's Pirates career was when he got the final out of the 2013 National League Wild Card Game against the Cincinnati Reds. That win marked the first playoff win for the Pirates since the 1992 NLCS. The 2013 Pirates would go on to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, but when Grilli got Zack Cozart to ground out to end the game a new era of winning would begin in Pittsburgh.

The 2014 season was not as good to Grilli, however, he would save 11 of his 15 opportunities with the Pirates before he was traded at the deadline to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Ernesto Frieri. The number of hits Grilli gave up went up in 2014 and he never really found the magic that he conjured up in his successful 2013 campaign.

During his time with the Pirates Grilli saved 88% of his games and brought new life to the Pirates organization. Ray Searage conjured up some magic again with Grilli and made him into a great reliever. Unfortunately his struggles in his second season proved his demise in Pittsburgh. Grilli is still in the league and is currently pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS as they face the Cleveland Indians.

#4 Matt Capps 67 saves in 89 Chances (closed from 2006-2009)

"The Mad Capper" as he was called by beloved Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown was part of the Pirates bullpen from 2005-2009. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2002 first year player draft and became the Pirates full-time closer in the 2007 season. He spent two seasons as a set-up man for Jose Mesa and struggled in save opportunities during the 2006 season only picking up one save in 10 chances. Given these stats, many fans were puzzled as to why he got thrown into the closers role in 2007.

However, he ran with the opportunity and turned in a successful 2007 season saving 18 of his 21 save opportunities and establishing himself at the back end of the Pirates bullpen. He struck out 64 batters that season in 79.0 innings of work while only walking 16. This was only the beginning of Capps's success as a Pirate.

His breakout year would be in 2008 when he saved 21 of 26 games and earned the Pittsburgh Pirates Heart and Hustle Award. Capps made the most of his opportunity pitching for a team who was in a total rebuild mode. In that season he compiled a 3.02 ERA in 53.0 innings of work. He would continue his success into the 2009 season where he saved 27 of 32 chances but compiled a much higher 5.80 ERA.

Injuries plagued Capps in the 2009 season and was a source for that high ERA. Capps elected free agency after the 2009 season and was signed by the Washington Nationals. He was an all-star in the 2010 season for the Nationals, and was traded mid-season to the Minnesota Twins. Ever since that 2010 season he has bounced up and down between the majors and the minor leagues and is currently in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

#3 Jose Mesa 70 saves in 82 chances (closer from 2004-2005)

Jose Mesa stepped in as the Pirates closer in the 2004 season as a proven veteran entering his 17th season in the major leagues. That first season with the Pirates was a very successful one for Mesa as he saved 43 games in 48 chances for the Bucs while striking out 37 over 69.1 innings of work. Those 43 saves were the most since the 2002 season when he saved 45 games for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Mesa broke out as a closer in the 1995 season with the Cleveland Indians where he saved a career high 46 games. Mesa was named to the all-star game that season and in the 96 season as well and at that time was one of the most dominant closers in the game of baseball. He came to the Pirates via free agency in 2004 and took over the closers role after Mike Williams had held the role for the previous six seasons.

Mesa saved 85% of his games as a Pirate and added the security factor to the back end of the Pirates bullpen. Mesa was not a guy who relied on the strikeout to get batters out, but rather put the ball where he knew you would pound it into the ground. The most strikeouts he ever had in a season was 70 in 162.1 innings of work in 1992 between the Cleveland Indians and the Baltimore Orioles.

Mesa would leave the Pirates via free agency after the 2005 season and went on to pitch for the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies before ending his 20 year MLB career. In total he racked up 321 saves in his career and was a strong closer who helped the Pirates in the mid 2000's.

#2 Mike Williams 117 saves in 133 chances (closed from 1998-2003)

Mike Williams closed for the Pirates from the 1998 season to the 2003 season. We will not count the 98 or 99 season since this list starts in the 2000's, but Williams still had a very successful Pirates career. In the 2000 season he saved 24 of 29 Save opportunities while striking out 71 in 72.0 innings of work. Williams was a guy who fed off the strike out and used that to his advantage. In 2001 he saved 22 out of 24 chances while striking out 43 in 41.2 innings of work. 

During that 2001 season Williams was traded to the Houston Astros for Tony McKnight, a Triple A pitcher, Williams would then come back with the Pirates in the 2002 season and that is when his career would really take off. In 2002 Williams collected 46 saves in 50 opportunities for a Pirates team that fell just short of making the playoffs and ending what at that time was a 10-year playoff drought.

With that season, Williams set the record for the most saves in a season by a Pirate with 46 and was named to his first ever all-star game. In that season, he posted a career low 2.93 ERA and struck out 43 batters in 61 innings of work. He was third in the National League in saves that season and was a key part of the Pirates success.

He would continue that success in the 2003 season where he saved 25 of 30 opportunities and was once again named to the MLB all-star team. However, he would be traded to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the trade deadline and his career would be over. He retired after the 2003 season after posting the worst ERA of his career at 5.40. He ended his term with the Pirates second on the all-time saves list behind Kent Tekulve with 140 saves.

#1 Mark Melancon 130 saves in 144 chances (Closed from 2013-2016)

Mark Melancon came to the Pirates in a very unpopular trade that sent Joel Hanrahan to the Boston Red Sox in the 2013 off-season. Melancon was a struggling pitcher looking to rebuild himself with the Pirates. He did that and much more as he became the Pirates all-time single season saves leader collecting his 51st save in the 2015 season. 

Melancon started his Pirates career as the set-up man to Jason Grilli. However, due to Grili's age, Melancon got quite a few save opportunities in that first year and ended up saving 16 of 21 save opportunities that year. As the struggles of Grilli in 2014 continued Melancon benefited taking over the closers role going 33 for 37 in save opportunities. Melancon was having the most success he had since he was with the Houston Astros in 2011, but the best was yet to come.

His historic 2015 season in which he saved 51 of 53 games landed him his first ever all-star selection. His efforts lead the Pirates to their third straight playoff appearance against the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 National League Wild Card Game. Melancon was the closer at the start of the 2016 season as well and earned his second straight NL all-star nod as one of two representatives for the Pirates.

Due to the Pirates struggles in 2016, the Pirates parted ways with Melancon before the July trade deadline in a deal that sent Melancon to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Felipe Rivero and Taylor Hearn. Melancon saved 90% of his games as a Pirate, the most out of any pitcher on this list, and even coined the nickname "Mark the Shark." Melancon's hard work paid off with the Bucs and allowed him to be third on the all-time Pirates save list behind Tekulve and Williams.

In conclusion, the Pirates have had many great closers here in the 21st century. This off-season will be one of the first in a while where the closers role is no guarantee. As of right now it will be Tony Watson and Felipe Rivero battling it out for the ninth inning role. Only time will tell what happens, but the tradition of good closers will have to continue for the Pirates to make that next leap in 2017.