Who would have thought that the Pirates, in relying on Adam LaRoche for offense in April, would be able to play so well? This past weekend the injuries just seemed to come in waves as the Bucs went to San Diego, but the team continued to roll.
Nate McLouth has a 'tweaked' back. Craig Hansen his neck. Jack Wilson, after that horrible bunt on Friday, says that maybe his finger is hindering him. Up comes Evan Meek and Brian Bixler to the big league club. Fortunately for the club, the injuries have not hit the starting pitching, which despite the offensive output, is what is carrying the club.
One has to wonder though how much longer the pitching can keep it up? Is this really the start of a new trend or is it just the luck of the draw to start the season? I cannot tell, as it seems everyone of the starters is pitching better and rather consistently. Sooner or later there is going to have to be some sort of regression to the mean, and hopefully that does not happen for the foreseeable future. The offense cannot carry the team.
Adam LaRoche though is somehow proving that he can indeed carry the team. What may have once seemed so unlikely is indeed happening as LaRoche is hitting like he would do in June and July. But looking at the numbers, it is not just him. Everyone is seemingly contributing to the output, it is just LaRoche's is so eye-catching.
Take for instance the play of Jaramillo and Diaz. They have came up big offensively, and perhaps juggled correctly, they may not be a huge a drain offensively in Doumit's absence.
These early wins have not been a fluke, they have played well to win. I can only hope that the winning continues as they move to a 10 game stretch within the division.
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