PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – You hear about the pitching, especially the bullpen. You hear about the six runs per game and clutch pinch-hits. There is another reason the Pirates are off to a National League leading 5-0 start.
Double plays.
More specifically keeping out of them.
“The thing that really stands out to me is we’ve beaten out four double plays,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton during his weekly show on 93.7 The Fan. “Beating out a double play with one out allows you to have another hitter come to the plate. In Miami, we made Weathers throw 14 more pitches and got a run out of that. The next game we beat out a double play ball and scored four more runs.”
Shelton added they’ve been able to get a few bunts down as well, which have led to runs and even driven in one. It’s the little things for the Pirates right now. It’s also not just one person carrying the load.
“The biggest thing that stands out is the fact that 26 guys on our roster and all 26 have contributed to the wins,” Shelton said. “They have been full team victories.”
Rotation
While the bullpen has a 1.85 ERA, a 0.74 WHIP, 27 strikeouts and six walks is leading the pitching, Shelton believes he’s seen some good things from the rotation one time through. Even from lefty Bailey Falter, who gave up five runs in the first inning in his start.
“I think we are exciting,” Shelton told 93.7 The Fan. “We have Mitch (Keller) on the mound (Wednesday) coming back around. Overall been really happy. Even Falter’s start, which started out rough, he was able to go through four for us and his stuff picked up after the first inning. The nerves kicked out of the way.”
“Overall been happy with the rotation and our bullpen has been really good.”
Oh Henry
39 innings behind the plate, no errors for Henry Davis after the 24-year-old couldn’t get a sniff at catcher last year. Davis said it’s really not been a big deal, it’s the position he’s played his whole life.
“He worked really hard this winter,” Shelton said on 93.7 The Fan. “The credit goes to him, working on his receiving, working on his ability to adjust. Then we signed Yasmani Grandal, who is hurt, but Yas being a veteran guy has spent a ton of time in the game-planning stuff. Henry is a sponge, all he thinks about is baseball. We’ve been fortunate that that combination has expedited Henry’s development and it’s a credit to Henry because he’s worked hard to do it.”
Davis will get another voice in the room as newly acquired Joey Bart was added to the active roster on Wednesday.
Closer concerns?
Dealing with a lat injury that eliminated most of his Spring Training work, Pirates right-hander David Bednar has worked in two games this year, blowing a save in one allowing a home run. Bednar was scoreless in the other. Is the Bucs manager worried about his closer?
“The least of my concerns every night is going to be David Bednar,” Shelton told Zeise on 93.7 The Fan. “We know what we have in him. He’s proven that over the last two years in being an All-Star closer. He’s one of the elite closers in the game. No concern there, I’m just happy he’s healthy.”