On Sunday, Chris Archer didn't win or lose.
But he seemed to have lost again.
Who knows what is all going on? But this is getting very, very, very puzzling.
Archer went 5 innings, surrendered seven hits (gave up a three-run home run) as he struck out eight and walked three.
It was about as "blah" an eight-strikeout performance as you will ever see. He registered a no-decision in helping the Pirates to a 5-4 win as they took the series from the Marlins.
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We probably would feel better about such an outing if it came in the middle of a bunch of good ones, but it didn't.
So there's that. It's just kind of "blah."
But what happened next, when Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage joined Dan Zangrilli on 93.7 The Fan's postgame show, well, that's when it got very intriguing. Sounded to me at least like Searage hasn't been perfectly pleased with how Archer --- who now carries a 5.85 ERA --- has been going about his business. Or how he's been going about communicating with the pitching coach in between starts.
"It seems to be a priority with him," Searage said. "It's not like I told him, 'alright, you're going to have to throw two-seamers all day long.'
"In the course of the game there is no way I have pounded the two-seamer with Chris Archer."
Pressed some more by Zangrilli, the always-affable Searage took a very difficult question head on. The man who has been the Pirates' pitching coach since the 2010 season was asked if it was hard getting through to an established veteran who might have a certain way of doing things already decided upon.
"Yes it is," Searage said.
So there you have it, make of it what you want.
Is this pupil and teacher at an impasse?
Is this a whole lot of nothing?
Is this a guy who should show some humility and listen to his pitching coach some more?
Is this a guy who should pitch independently and do what he thinks is best because there have been others who have gone other places --- away from Searage's advice --- and thrived?
Again, who really knows what the truth in all of this is. What I do know is that things like this get magnified when you're the centerpiece of a high profile trade and haven't pitched up to expectations.