Pittsburgh Pirates

Yes, I know.  It's a long season.  You have to play 162 and win at least 82 to have a chance (unless, perhaps, you're playing in the AL West) at glory.

And yes, I also know statistics rule baseball with an iron fist.

But let's take a look beyond the numbers with the 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates and recognize some things that make this 9-7 start all the more astonishing and impressive.

The numbers tell the tale of the rejuvenated pitching staff.  There's not much need to dig deeper there to be impressed, but there is something more about this year's staff.

San Diego Padres vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Free Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 (-185)
Friday, April 24, 2009 10:05 p.m.; MLB Baseball Odds
Visit Touthouse.com for more MLB Baseball Picks and MLB Baseball Betting Predictions from Steve Merril

A pair of 9-6 teams begin this series in San Diego with the Padres hosting the Pirates.

At 9-6, the Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten off to their best start since 2002. After sweeping the first place Florida Marlins this week, things are looking pretty good in Pirate-ville right now.

What started as a Spring Break with the prospect of seeing multiple games at several venues on a variety of levels ended with us arriving home a day early having seen just a few innings of baseball.

That’s okay. Quality can supersede quantity especially when it comes to peanuts and cracker jacks. I’m not quite sure that makes sense, but we’ll go with it.

Most of you have seen the following situation at least once at work. There is a lackluster performer, call him Joe, who sometimes meets normal standards of work productivity, and sometimes doesn't. Management gets on his case and gives him a warning, and a second, and a third.

Finally, Joe gets the message and starts to shape up. But management has "had it" with him, and sends him to a subsidiary in the boondocks. On the day he is demoted, he is at least an average performer.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired switch-hitting outfielder Delwyn Young from the Los Angeles Dodgers for either two unnamed minor league players or cash.

After returning from the disabled list, Young found himself buried on the Dodgers depth chart and has not recorded any playing time in 2009. The 5-foot-8 outfielder carries a .267 career average, but has been susceptible in the field.

There are no questions he can hit, though. With only 165 career at-bats, he just never found a place with the Dodgers.

The Cincinnatti Reds' bats were quiet today at Great American Ballpark, and the Pirates' pitcher Paul Maholm had an easy day at the office.

The Reds, as a unit, only mustered six hits with the only extra base hit being a double by pinch hitter Micah Owings.

Shortstop Brandon Phillips went 2-3 with a pair a singles.

Pittsburgh Pirates (2-2) vs. Cincinnati Reds (1-2)

Great American Ballpark

Attendance: 22,276 

The rain from last night certainly didn't slow down the Pirates today.

Paul Maholm was machine-like, retiring the first 11 Reds he faced before finishing with seven innings pitched and just one earned run allowed.

Yesterday, we went to the Indianapolis Indians season opener. It was great fun, until they started getting blown out. Then we made our own fun. More on that later.

The game opened up with some promise, as Indians pitcher Jason Davis sat the Toledo Mud Hens down quickly. Two flyouts started the game, followed by a hit, which then became a stolen base and an advance to third on a throwing error by catcher Erik Kratz on the steal attempt. However, Davis then got Mike Hessman (he still plays baseball?) to fly out to right. No runs scored.

On behalf of the ever-suffering Pittsburgh Pirates' deck crew, I'd like to offer a small proposal. This flagship has had some dreadful leadership in the past, but as the new skipper, let's not start out by making mistakes, alright?