Saturday, July 24, 2010

I blame JR (11-21)

The Pirates are now in a skid, but McCutchen is coming back tomorrow. This loss was avoidable, and I believe it is JR, the manager's fault. Here is why:

Karstens is a good pitcher. But there is a reason he is not on another team's roster after being waived by the Pirates in the off-season. He has a few problems. One he has a slight problem with the long ball. Two, and more important for this game, is that he tires out too early to be a consistent starter. By the 6th inning he is done. In the first say four innings, his stuff has just a little extra on it that helps him get out of innings and jams. It helps him get the ground ball double play in the fourth. But, he gave up one in the fifth, and his stuff was starting to go. Just like in the last several Karstens starts, he pitches well enough to get the win, but gives a run back in the 5th and then loses it in the 6th. Add in an enemic offense and the Pirates lose. So it happened again. But after just giving up the tying run and with Lopez loose in the pen, Karstens continued to pitch. They then went down 3-2. And then again 4-2 before Karstens got the third out. Lopez came in to start the 7th after the Pirates were down. That is a manager not knowing his pitcher. Sure, taking the guy out in the 6th inning taxes a bullpen, but that is why Karstens is not an ideal 5th starter for any team. He is great spot starter, and was fine as a bullpen guy last year. I like Karstens and I do think he is the best 5th starter option we have, but let us not pretend that he is something that he is not. And I am sure Karstens would rather have been pulled and have the Pirates hold up a 2-1 led for a win rather than get a loss after completing the 6th. That is JR's job. He is just not that good at it.

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