Well, the Pirates finally named their 5th starter. Why does it seem like every team has a competition for their 5th starter? Anyway, after Kevin Hart basically did everything in his power to assure himself a spot in Triple-A, Daniel McCutchen was given the job. He definitely earned it this spring, and I am thrilled to see him in the starting rotation. You’re only as strong as your weakest link, and I think he will do an amazing job as starter number five.
I am hopeful that Hart can work out his control problems in Triple-A; otherwise, he will be considered a major trade bust. He’s young enough that he can get better, but it will be an uphill battle for the young man. D. McCutchen was the best choice for the job, and I think he will surprise a lot of people this year with his performance.
I am glad that there was an actual battle for the 5th spot; one thing I hate on teams like the Pirates is when some people are just given jobs. Yeah, it’s a given that Andrew McCutchen is going to be the CFer and lead-off hitter, but other than him and a few other people, every job could be up for grabs, especially the bottom spot of the rotation. D. McCutchen earned the 5th starters role; it was not given to him. Most people had Hart penciled in, but D. McCutchen proved that he was the much better option, by completely out-pitching Hart the entire spring. Many people might not realize the importance of a 5th starter, but when you’re a young team like the Pirates, every spot in the rotation is valuable, and he might not be the 5th starter the entire season. Depending on how other players perform, he could move up, and if he plays poorly, he could be in the bullpen. I am hoping everyone in the staff plays up to their potential. Because, you’re only as good as your days starting pitcher, and the Pirates need their 1-5 pitchers to consistently keep them in games.
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