Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 by Adam Wagner
Pirates give Meek performance on Opening Day
The Pirates continued multiple trends on Opening Day, failing to realize that whole “new hope” thing and instead just continuing down the same routine pattern of finding new, bizarre ways to lose. Today’s way prominently featured one of last year’s best pitchers, a rookie shortstop and a pitcher who should not be in the major leagues.
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Many people are blaming Brian Bixler for not realizing that the suicide squeeze could be happening with Jose Bautista at the plate. Bautista laid down his bunt, but Bixler apparently didn’t realize that the play was on and ended up standing at third and leaving Bautista to be tagged out as he ran up the line. This, of course, came after the Pirates’ ginormous comeback and ended up with the Pirates eventually losing the game. To blame Bixler for the loss is not completely incorrect, but even more absurd is the idea that the suicide squeeze is “always an option” for the hitter in that situation. The suicide squeeze is something that should be signaled for and that everyone on the offense should know is occurring. Otherwise, situations such as the one that occurred on Monday happen.
The other person who can be partially blamed for this loss is Evan Meek, who managed to give up two runs without giving up a hit, walking five batters and throwing two wild pitches. Meek just should not be in the major leagues and that fact is becoming more and more obvious each time he pitches, possibly resulting in some difficult decisions for the Pirate braintrust. The sensible thing, of course, would be to trade for his rights and send him to AA or AAA if they want him so bad, but if he performs the way he did, even in the major leagues, nobody will actually want his rights.
Just as disturbing from the Pirate pitchers was starter Tom Gorzelanny, who managed to last only 2.1 innings while giving up seven earned runs. The Pirates’ offense was good enough to win today’s game. Gorzelanny let his team down by walking four hitters and giving up six hits. Those numbers are astoundingly bad, but Gorzo is not the type of pitcher who will be consistent each time out. He will get hit hard on occasions. He will be completely dominant on other occasions. Today’s performance was frustrating, but it is typical of a bad Gorzelanny start.
As disturbing as those three aspects of today’s game were, the Pirates were solid offensively, taking advantage of a weak Chicago bullpen and putting up a fight in a game that it seemed like they were going to be blown out of early on. The home opener, for all that it resembles in terms of hope and fanfare, can definitely be labeled a moral victory. Unfortunately, it is a victory only in moral terms and the magic number is now at 78.
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