The beginning of the MLB season is upon us, it sure is good to have baseball back on in our lives again. It’s a fresh start that gives all 30 teams a chance to reset and change the trajectory of the team. Each season can be vastly different from the last, there are not always definitive predictions for how a team will do in a season. Its all randomized based on many statistical measurements, the quality of their team, their willingness to spend, and their previous win/loss records of the past years. Look at the San Francisco Giants who after having below .500 seasons (not counting 2020 season) were bound to put another disappointing season. With the Padres trading for new stars to anchor their pitching, and the Dodgers being the NL West Kings for the past 9 years are sure to look like repeat division winners again in 2021. The Giants electrified the world by recording a franchise record of 107 wins in a season, and taking away the NL West from the Dodgers. It can be taken that teams like this can spiral into a new narrative for the next season.

Yet baseball is very mysterious and with such an early start to a season its hard to predict which teams will be apart of the final 12 competing for a playoff spot.

These would contribute to a more clear understanding of how the team might play out the next season after going an abysmal 62-100 the previous season, most would assume these teams would start out poor again and lead to another below average season. Take the small sample size of the season we have by a grain of salt, this won’t be a clear indiction of the end of the season’s standings. But it is still surprising seeing “supposedly bad teams” start off on a hot streak. No one expected these Pittsburg Pirates to start out hot. It is always with great fortune to begin the season on the right note especially when it is your first time not being a bottom feeder. These are some pesky pirates who are changing the dynamic of this team.

Through 20 games the Pirates are currently 12-7. It’s not the same record as the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets. Aware of the sample size but it’s crazy to think that at this pace, the Pirates could go on to win 90+ wins. Seems a bit shocking to think a team that combined for 202 losses the past two seasons is on pace for a contending season. Finally, these ‘small market’ teams begin spending some money again, baseball isn’t as fun if not everyone gives 100% effort and with a right amount of play and some magic sprinkled anything is possible for a team.

The Pirates are doing more than turning heads, they’re winning and proving to their fanbase they want to be competitive again and stop the endless rebuild that has taken over their franchise for over 7 seasons. The Pirates are proving anything is possible, and with the NL Central being a notably weak division over the past 3 years they are showing up and showing up big time.

The star of the show is none other than 2013 MVP and Pirates Legend, Andrew McCutchen. The Pirates finally made the call on signing the veteran back to the club for a one year deal, and it has paid off more than ever. McCutchen has become ‘McClutchen’ this season as he revitalizes his old power back in PNC park. A slash line of .290/.395/.548/.943 gives him a OPS over 50% above league average. McCutchen is back and is providing the needed veteran leadership this club badly needed. There is nothing like being back home playing for the team that drafted you again, and McCutchen has clearly showed the effect it has on his playing.

A winning team must have good chemistry in order to provide wining results. A team cannot be a contender with one playing doing all the heavy lifting, with the presence of McCutchen back in the everyday lineup it has shifted the responsibility and attitude these players bring to the field everyday. The effect it has is doing wonders. These Pirates have 7 players well above league average, not counting the injured O’Neil Cruz who will only spend a brief time on the IL before making an impact on the major league team.

You would think with all this success the Pirates must have spent big on free agents, yes and no. The Pirates spent money needed to fill apparent holes in the lineup to fill the gap for when their minor league talent is ready. But the Pirates did not make no franchise-altering trades or signings this offseason to show they really are going to be different this year. All they did was sign below average players as well as bringing back veteran McCutch to be their DH. Nothing that happened really went over the radar with significance.

Connor Joe who never really managed to get good playing time in his time spent with the Giants and Rockies, only managed to put up an OPS slightly below average last season with the Rockies that was technicality his best season yet. He was traded by the Rockies to the Pirates during the offseason for some minor leagues and bullpen help. No one really saw Joe to be a staple in the everyday lineup, but he quickly showed the haters this Pirates team is different. A slash line of .340/.421/.640/1.061 has given him an OPS over 100 points above league average. Take this with a grain of salt as the sample size isn’t even a month of full baseball, but many of these players were traded in the dusk and not looked as a noble stay in their old teams, so the impact they are making now could just show what they are capable of for 162 games.

Rodolfo Castro never really made an impact on the club for a full season, his best came last year putting up a smidge over league average OPS for half a season. Since O’Neil Cruz went down with a fractured ankle, the shortstop duties have been in Castro’s position and he is shown capability of this hefty position. Offensively his blowing is stat line out of the water, but he is proving he can also handle the field. In 81 innings since he moved to shortstop, he has assisted 14 times with a play and recorded 5 double plays. His defensive stat line is almost perfect standing at. a .912 defensive abilities at short.

He isn’t cold anywhere, proving to big a staple even when O’Neil Cruz comes back in 3 weeks. He is showing major improvement, since entering the season Castro was a career .215 hitter. But with a surge in power and a strong eye at the plate he’s risen to a .300 hitter and that hopes to remain the same.

And of course you cannot forget the ‘Golden Doves’ of the team, all star centerfielder; Bryan Reynolds and defensive wiz 3rd baseman; Ke’Bryan Hayes, all producing at the most important time for these pesky pirates. Hayes is more for his defense than offense, since 2021 Hayes has over 48 OAA, beating out Nolan Arenado who had 43 OAA. He hasn’t been good enough with the glove, but I don’t think that’ll stop the Pirates from having him play everyday. Surprisingly Reynolds has the lowest OPS among the 3 everyday OFs in Jake Suwinski and Connor Joe. But with 22 hits and a team leading 17 RBIs which is tied for 5th for the NL will definitely provide the spice a team with much adversity needs to succeed.

The Pirates pitching was anything but pretty over the last seasons, after poor trades striping away of all their previous pitching talent in Gerrit Cole, Charlie Morton, Joe Musgrove, Shane Baz, James Taillon, Jose Quintana and even Joey Luchessi. All talent for their pitching that has gone down the drains. So little was to be expected of this ‘on paper’ below average pitching rotation, but as of now they have confused many people.

The Pirates defined ace ‘Mitch Keller’ has adjusted his mechanics to throw inside the zone more causing his strikeout rate to increase from 7.9% to 9.2% this year. His better contact rate is leading to quicker innings and more swinging strikes. In his season debut he accumulated 15 swinging strikes on just 100 pitches. His control has vastly improved causing hitters to look silly at the plate. It cuts his era to a 3.64 ERA and a perfect record of 2-0.

Though it seems now the Pirates have found their formidable ace in the making in Johan Oviedo. It is his 4th year in the league and Oviedo looks comfortable than ever, disciplined and throwing harder than he was ever before gives him ace type numbers. Already a 2-1 record but a 2.22 ERA gives him a ERA+ almost double league average. These two look like they will anchor down the rotation for years to come.

And then there are the veterans in the oldest active pitcher, Rich Hill who is 43 years old and won’t stop playing even though it may look like at times he doesn’t have it anymore, he still fights every 5 days on the mound putting up a quality start. If the Pirates knew just how good they would be this year they would not have signed Vince Velasquez and Rich Hill to major league contracts, as both average an over 5.00 ERA in the first 4 starts. Not a pretty attraction to be admiring when you realize the renaissance season the Pirates could be having.

David Bednar is back to his old role as a strong closer to anchor the back of bullpen. An ERA a smidge under 1.00 gives Bender a remarkable, 10SO/9 in 10 innings and 7 saves already collected. The back of the bullpen is a bit shaky except for Collin Holderman who has held down the back during troublesome times and has helped with many holds for Bednar. His era is not even 2.00 and he looks filthy everyday.

To gain a lead is one thing but to maintain it is another. Teams like the Pirates are repeatedly known to sell quick on their team and dismantle it as soon as the players got situated. Usually resulting in poor trades that always turned to haunt the Pirates in the end. As we speak now the Pirates are currently tied for most wins in the NL Central with the Brewers. Two teams no one expected to be THIS good, the Pirates are having themselves a renaissance season similar to the Orioles last year who were in the running for the wildcard but sadly fell short to the Blue Jays.

With proper call up and the magical engine still running as the Pirates go on this insane tear just brings light that baseball is fun. And its more fun when all teams get to contribute to winning on a daily basis, that it has become too corrupted by big market teams wanted the best of the best for their lineup and will take away the stars from struggling teams just to boost themselves, and the year in and year out process for the Pirates just showed they are never getting out of this mess.

With insanity spurring out at the ownership calling to sell and that they are failures for not putting a winning ball club for Pittsburg in 8 seasons, the controversy that small market teams won’t be that strong to compete or that being in endless ruins of 100+ losses every year won’t change the end result of the next season. Owner ‘Bob Nuttig’ had heard enough of all this blame on him and the staff that it was time for a new revitalized change to the organization. And what we’ve been seeing for the past 3 weeks of ball is that anything no matter what your past was doesn’t define the success you may optimize in the future. It goes deeper than baseball to define core values, that money isn’t the root to all success, and just with a little magic anything is possible.