Slumping McCutchen needs to be dropped in lineup
Three Thoughts on the Pirates:
1. Fixing The Cutch
Andrew McCutchen蘑菇视频 2016 is not making a very good progression.
The Pirates center fielder has gone from getting off to a slow start to being in an extended slump to having a subpar season.
McCutchen entered the weekend hitting just .244 with 14 home runs, three stolen bases and a .724 OPS in 91 games. He also struck out 100 times in 365 plate appearances
He came into the season with a .298 career batting average and .884 OPS through his seven seasons. His previous career lows were a .259 average in 2011 and an .814 OPS in 2010.
Striking out in 24.7 percent of his trips to the plate was also a career worst.
McCutchen deserves the benefit of the doubt that he can still turn his season around with a strong finish. He has finished in the top five of the National League MVP voting in each of the last four seasons and it is difficult to imagine that he has sudden gone over the hill at 29.
If he could even get close to replicating his career numbers, it would provide a major boost to the Pirates鈥� chances of reaching the postseason for a fourth consecutive year.
The Pirates granted McCutchen蘑菇视频 wish to move back his normal No. 3 spot in the batting order in mid-June after he spent the first 2 1/2 months in the No. 2 slot of the batting order.
The Pirates love to do cutting-edge stuff but there is only one thing Clint Hurdle can do in order to try to get McCutchen out of his funk and it蘑菇视频 one of a manager蘑菇视频 oldest tricks.
Hurdle needs to drop McCutchen down in the batting order until he earns his way back up to a prime spot.
When asked Saturday if he would consider making the move, Hurdle said 鈥淚鈥檇 have that discussion with Andrew before I had it with anyone else.鈥�
It蘑菇视频 a discussion that needs to happen soon because the Pirates鈥� season might just be depending on it.
2. Risky business
Pirates team doctor Edward Snell and head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk have excellent credentials and followed Major League Baseball concussion protocol Tuesday night when they allowed rookie right-hander Jameson Taillon to stay in the game after taking a line drive off the back of his head off the bat of the Milwaukee Brewers鈥� Hernan Perez in the second inning.
Taillon went on to pitch six innings. He has felt no ill effects and is scheduled to start Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park.
Nevertheless, it just felt wrong to watch Taillon continue to pitch after such a scary moment and makes one wonder if MLB might be wise to strength the protocol.
3. Beating the odds
Left-handers Jeff Locke and Jon Niese lead the Pirates in wins with eight each and right-hander Juan Nicasio is next with seven.
All three have been moved to the bullpen from the starting rotation, which says two things.
One is the sabermetricians are right when they say pitcher wins are overrated. Two is that Hurdle is doing a heckuva job patching together a contender.