A “Really Fun Team”

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 5-3 this season. They’ve scored, and also given up, 41 runs in those 8 games. However, as the club’s announcers like to gush, "this is a really fun team." Add to that catchphrase "[t]hey will really battle you." The goal, of course, is to mold the narrative about these exciting Bucs "turning a corner." And "Cutch is back!" Fans should definitely flock to PNC Park to enjoy the great thrills ahead, say the serenading broadcasters led by Head Cheerleader Greg Brown. Wow. Just wow!

Actually, avoid buying in just yet. Temper expectations. We need to probe a bit further . . .

There is genuine joy about the way the team, which has won just 37% of its games over the last three seasons, has not fallen flat out of the gate. Yet, the players’ performances have run hot or cold. Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Santana, and Oneil Cruz have been better than anticipated. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Jack Suwinski, ji-Man Choi, and starting catcher Austin Hedges (out with a concussion) have faltered. While Ji-Wan Bae and Connor Joe seem surprisingly productive, Rodolfo Castro, among others, well, not so much. As to pitchers, it is a similarly-mixed bag. Starting pitchers Mitch Keller and Roansy Contreras look ready to shine. Meanwhile, veteran hurlers Rich Hill, Vince Velaquez, and Johan Oviedo serve as batting practice for opposing hitters. In the starters’ 38 & 1/3 IP to date, their ERA is 6.57 and they average 86.1 pitches per outing. Not good. The bullpen has fared considerably better with a 3.41 ERA in 31 & 2/3 IP. Despite manager Derek Shelton’s claim of earning "team wins," the positive outcomes largely reflect stellar individual efforts—some by long-time stars and others from up-and-comers. Authentic overall improvement is hard to gauge at this time.

Though the club has faced three decent opposing squads, those teams did not offer much in terms of frontline pitching. Beyond that, like the Pirates, others are coping with rule changes like the strict pitch clock. Until there are further adjustments to revised policies, including a revamped schedule, a certain degree of flux is apt to be the norm. Ergo, not only is the season quite young, the manner of play is a work in progress requiring adaptation.

Should these developments preclude folks from attending and enjoying ballgames? Certainly not. Fan enthusiasm is characteristic every April. The "fun" narrative customarily thrives at the start of the campaign. And moderate success is usually inflated as a consequence. The organization is riding a hardy buzz and cannot be faulted for taking advantage of the prevailing mood while selling beer, soft pretzels, and merchandise. The return to Pittsburgh of one of the club’s most popular players (and fine leader) in McCutchen helps spur on the excitement. As for Reynolds, the front office continues to miss a true opportunity to facilitate local support to a greater extent by failing to extend the contract of, arguably, its best player. That they would not capitalize with emotions stoked is also representative of the frugal and often tone-deaf franchise. Ownership is always swift to recognize costs instead of rewards.

There are 154 games to follow. Eventually, Cutch’s homecoming is bound to lose its luster. Certain regulars’ stats will return to earth though other players could pick up steam. We really don’t know what’s ahead. Hence, view the 5-3 mark at face value—a nice lift. Pundits who are revising predictions as if a playoff contender has arrived cannot get impacted by the hype promoted by the flaks of the club and its area media surrogates. In wrestling, there are "smart" fans, and there are "marks"—the naive bunch. The Bucco market has its share of marks. They want to believe, and perspective is lost.