Can you recall when the Pirates have had three starting pitchers pitch so well for so long as Cole, Liriano and Burnett have this season? I honestly can't and go back to the late '60s. Blass, Ellis and ?; Drabek, Smiley and ?
Pirate fans: Cole, Liriano and Burnett - when have we had 3 starters pitch so well?
- Thread starter john4psu
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Maybe back in 72' with Blass, Ellis, Briles, but I don't think they were as good as our current guys.
Doug Drabek John Smiley and Zane Smith? They were never this good.....but - of course - these guys haven't completed a full season yet.
Bob Moose might have been the better "third" to go along with Steve Blass and Dock Ellis.
The year the Buccos had Candelaria and Blyleven, they had a guy who joined the rotation a month or two into the season - and was lights out most of the season as well (one of those "career year" guys). That trio was awfully good too.
Wasn't Smith a late season trade for Moises Alou? That trade we lost out on long term but I realize why we did it at the time. I thought of Moose and Briles but I don't think they pitched lights out like these guys are for this length of time.
I seem to recall Smith being in that rotation the entire season........maybe it was an off-season trade. But I couldn't say for sure.
Anyway.....I can't think of any group that has pitched THIS well for 1/2 a season. The scary part - in many ways - is that Liriano (who I think has the nastiest stuff of the entire staff, including Cole) has been - IMHO - extremely unlucky thus far. He had 1 or 2 bad outings, but every other time out he had stuff that makes you think he could toss a no-hitter (with a couple lucky breaks). His stuff on his last start was unfair to hitters.
I still like Worley over Locke for that fifth spot.....and imagine what "coulda' been" if Taillon hadn't blown out his elbow last year.
We may have to add Morton into the conversation.....
And Locke has been shaky at best. I'd bring up a starter from the minors, maybe alternate a few from the minors, to try and find a good 5th starter. That would likely result in better depth down the stretch as well.
And Locke has been shaky at best. I'd bring up a starter from the minors, maybe alternate a few from the minors, to try and find a good 5th starter. That would likely result in better depth down the stretch as well.
Top three depth options at AAA all out with Tommy John......Taillon (who is currently working his way back through rehab) and Cumpton and Kingham (neither of whom will be back until next season).
However, Sadler and Sampson are two young guys who are legit prospects at AAA, but probably not nearly as good an option as Worley at this point. Also have the "reclamation project" du jour pitching in AAA right now (Clayton Richard, who had some success earlier in his career with the Padres).......so there should be a safety net there for when/if guys run into injuries.
