With the best earned run average (ERA) and 4 shutouts to lead the majors, the Pittsburgh Pirates are riding a wave of wins behind strong quality pitching.  Paul Maholm is turning into the best pitcher in the MLB. With a record of 3-0, 2.03 ERA, 10:7, strikeout to walk ratio, and including one of the 4 shutouts, Paul has given the Buccos hope that the Pirate pitching can carry them to the promise land. What is the promise land you ask? An above .500 season would be sufficient, but with the great start of the season, can a hint of the post season linger in the future?

    Not to knock the rest of the Buccos’ starting 5, Zach Duke (2-1) has an ERA of 2.95 which includes the ridiculous gem Duke threw on the home opener.  Duke went all 9 innings to lead the Buccos to a shutout victory over Houston. Great day to be alive.  Duke is showing reminisces of 2005.  Duke went 8-2 with a remarkable 1.81 ERA.

    In Ian Snell’s (1-2, 4.24 ERA) first 2 games, he had to battle St. Louis’s Kyle Lohse (2-0) who threw 7 innings and gave up only 2 runs, and in his second game Ian pitched against Cincinnati’s Aaron Harang (1-2) who went all 9 innings and did not give up one run.  In that game, Ian pitched 6 strong innings only giving up 2.  In Ian’s 3rd game vs Atlanta, Ian went 7 innings to lead the pirates to their third shutout.  Snell has already proved that he is healthier than last year and ready to pitch like he did back in 2006 where he went 14-11 with a 4.74 ERA, and a 169:74 strikeout to walk ratio.

    Ross Ohlendorf (1-2, 3.00 ERA) has had to answer many questions the Pirates have for him to see if he can compete in the starting rotation.  He has showed signs of the ability to answer some of those questions.  Not the hardest throwing pitcher, Olendorf has had a good start to the year as well. In his first outing, Olendorf went 6 innings and only gave up 2.  He then struggled in his second start, giving up 2 in the first and 2 in the 3^rd. Then in his third outing, Olendorf went 7, not giving up a run, leading the Buccos to their fourth, and league leading, shutout.

    Jeff Karstens (1-0, 3.60 ERA) has pitched two games thus far.  In his first outing, Karstens went 4 innings with a no decision. He gave up 3 runs in those 4 innings.  In Jeff’s second start, he went 6 innings and gave up only one run to lead the Pirates to a 3-2 win over the Marlins.

    To stay on the subject of the Marlins, the Pittsburgh Pirates have swept the fish in a 3 game series.  Going into the series, the Marlins had a record of 11 wins and 1 loss, the best record in the MLB.  What did the Buccos do? 8-0, 3-2, and 7-4 sweep.  Remarkable starting pitching, clutch hitting, and a strong bull pen can do wonders for a team.  Look at last year’s Tampa Bay Rays.  They had great starting pitching, a deep bull pen, and hitters like Longoria, Upton, and Crawford.

    Pitching is the key to winning games.  With the best ERA in the MLB, the Buccos hitting has to help their pitchers. A low ERA helps the team in many ways including the fact that they will not need to score 9 runs a game to win.  With an ERA of 3.07, the Pirates only need to get an average of 3 or more runs a game to win.  That takes so much pressure off the hitters to try to score 9 runs a game when they know they will only need 3 to win.  Never the less, the Pirates are in the upper echelons of the National League in hitting stats: .269 batting average (5^th), .438 slugging percentage (4^th), 11 stolen bases (t-2^nd), and 55 extra base hits (1^st).  The Pirates are on an average of about 5 runs a game.

    The key to good pitching is using your fielders.  This is where many young pitcher lack knowledge.  All they want to do is strike out everyone and build their stats.  In reality, good pitching is when you can place the ball where you want and get a ground out or a fly ball.  It is when you walk someone, throw a low inside fastball (to a right handed batter) to get a roll-over ground ball to the shortstop for a double play.  This is where fielding come into play.  It really benefits the pitcher when you have a duo in the middle infield of shortstop Jack Wilson and second baseman Freddy Sanchez.  Together, they make probably the best middle infield in the MLB.

    The Buccos have a fielding percentage of .986 (12^the best in the majors, 6^th in the NL), 161 assists (4^th in the majors), and 21 double plays (1^st in the majors).  That is attest to great pitching and very reliable fielding. Andy LaRoche (3B) leads the Pirates in errors with 3.  He started off bad in the field and at bat going 0-15 in his first 16 at bats, and 3 errors in the first 5 games.  After he settled down, Andy is turning it on going 18-24 (.750) and playing an outstanding third base.

(all stats as of 4/25/09)