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The Pittsburgh Pirates really aren’t playing all that poorly right now.
Yes, you read that correctly.
I know that the Pirates lost 11-3 to the Braves on Tuesday night.
I know that the Pirates have just dropped their seventh game in a row.
I know that the Pirates keep slipping in the standings and could very well be out of the playoff race.
But they really aren’t playing all that badly right now, all things considered.
Pittsburgh has had to deal with lingering injuries to position players Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, Jordy Mercer and Clint Barmes – household names for the past few seasons and names that will forever be linked to the Pirates’ playoff appearance in 2013.
In their place, Jayson Nix, Brent Morel and Michael Martinez have tried to make a name for themselves. They certainly have – for negative reasons.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, that trio was on a combined 0 for 38 streak at the plate.
Martinez was sent down to Triple-A Indianapolis upon McCutchen being taken off of the 15-day disabled list. The 31-year old native of the Dominican Republic appeared in 26 games with the Pirates, this season. He takes a .128 batting average back to Indianapolis.
More remarkable, Martinez’s slugging percentage (.154) was considerably higher than his on-base percentage (.209).
Nix was signed by the Pirates as an emergency infielder due to the Barmes and Mercer ailments, along with the struggles of Pedro Alvarez at third base.
The six-year Major League veteran hasn’t made a start since Aug. 16, but he hasn’t had a hit since Aug. 12. Nix, 31, is batting just .137 in 73 plate appearances. And, his low throw in the bottom of the 10th inning of the Aug. 3 game at Arizona basically gave the Diamondbacks a victory.
Morel is also a member of the sub-.200 club with a .143 batting average. He most recently went 0 for 4 in the Pirates’ series opening loss to the Braves on Monday.
That was also Alvarez’s debut at first base.
It’s a move that’s been long talked about, even predating his 25 errors at third base, this season.
Alvarez is built like a first baseman, but has the presence of a designated hitter.
But with a .230 batting average and only 15 home runs (he hasn’t hit one since July 11), no American League team is going to want that.
If Alvarez sticks at first base, the Pirates would then have three on their roster, with Ike Davis and Gaby Sanchez being the other two.
There’s a stockpile in the infield and a dumpster fire in the bullpen.
What was the Pirates’ strength in 2013 is now their downfall in 2014. The Bucs bullpen has blown 21 saves this season, second behind Houston.
The shark tank has been more like a minnow pond.
Justin Wilson, Mark Melancon and even All-Star Tony Watson have blown leads in the past week.
The starting pitching hasn’t fared much better with Vance Worley and Francisco Liriano experiencing their worst performances of the year in back-to-back games.
Charlie Morton was recently placed on the disabled list, but Gerrit Cole will return to the rotation after an extended stay on the DL.
The last time the Pirates dropped seven in a row was in September 2012 as part of the second-straight late season collapse.
It’s still too early to call this streak a “collapse.” It certainly is a negative slide, though.
The Pirates are now 7-11 in the month of August. With the injuries and declining output, it’s a shocker that they haven’t lost even more.
They are just two games above the .500 mark, after being nine games over less than two weeks ago.
It’s a shocker that they haven’t slid under that mark, already.
Despite these unscheduled dilemmas, the Pirates are still holding their head above water. But a brutal schedule that includes 15-straight games against National League Central Division opponents is ahead.
That could sink the Pirates. However, there has been plenty of adversity already that hasn’t done them in just yet.
(Peaslee, a Youngstown native, is a sports writer for the Herald-Star and Weirton Daily Times. He can be contacted at mpeaslee@heraldstaronline.com or followed on Twitter at @thempeas)