Can't say I'm very happy with Upton being out but one position player is never make or break any team.. I probably wouldn't play AZ for 2 unit more like 1.5, but I'm still feeling good about AZ chances..
Still plenty of reasons to like the D'backs
ARIZONA has owned the Pirates this season 4-0 against them outscored them 26-3. Two teams going in different directions here, AZ has won 18 of their last 28 games, six of their last seven and look at some of these quotes from the teammates there..
STEVEN DREW:
Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">"It feels like last year, where everybody's together, and even though we're down, it doesn't seem like it anymore," Drew said. "Hopefully we keep this thing rolling. ... We're playing better, and it's showing, and we're having fun." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
A.J Hinch
Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">"I just feel like we're unified behind trying to get better," said manager
A.J. Hinch, who took over the team after Bob Melvin's firing May 8. "The amount of stress and anxiety and notoriety that's been on this club all year weighed on a lot of guys and I feel some of that pressure lifting. Our group is a lot closer today than a couple months ago." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Pittsburgh has lost 4 in a row, OBP% barely over .310 last 7 games.. Arizona on the other hand has the highest OBP in the majors over the last 7 games at .378.. Arizona is making things happen right now, thats huge .378 for a NL team??
Pirates have lost 8 out of their last 10 games, have sold most of their good players and are finding ways to lose games lately cause lets face it they simply suck.. They are currently the worst team in the NL. yes worse than the Padres..
Lets also look into their pitcher who they just acquired from the Cubs, Hart his ERA looks nice at 2.60, but have you seen his WHIP this season? Its almost 1.50!!! It was over 2 last season, smoke and mirrors this with this guy..
He has more Walks 18 than Strikeouts 13, and three of his four starts we're against teams who aren't very good at the plate, AZ is good at the plate right now..
Since he barely transitioned into starting games Hart will probably only last 5 innings, maybe 6 at the most. Pirates BP has sucked lately too. I love it. He doesn't have many innings under his belt this season..
Max Scherzer has almost 3 times the strikeouts then Hart, a career 1.31 WHIP and hardly ever pitches two bad games in a row. He gave up 4 runs in his last start and that was one of his worst starts of the season, I like this kid quite a bit.. He should be able to handle a lineup like the Pirates heck take out the one game where the Pirates scored 11 runs and the Pirates offense could only be described as abysmal in the last week and a half.. Team is reeling.
Pirates are 7-14 vs NL West..
Good luck..
