Gag me

Halfway through a game my team is currently losing 12-3, here are some thoughts, though hardly profound thoughts.

--Many rookie pitchers do get shelled. It happens. Two seasons ago, Ian Snell was getting shelled in his first few big league starts. Of course, Snell was 23 years old and threw high heat. The former first round picks who have already been shelled today are in their late twenties and don't throw high heat in addition to already having had to rehabilitate significant arm injuries. So, I guess the point is that while you don't want to draw too many conclusions from even a couple of rough outings, you have to look beneath those outings and see if there's anything that will reveal a future ability to get outs at the MLB level. Despite only following the game online, here's my prognosis: Neither of today's pitchers have any business pitching games in the major leagues at the present moment in time, and neither have shown glimpses that the ability to get outs at the MLB level will soon be forthcoming.

While I'm not delusional and fatally optimistic like the PBC propaganda machine, it was pretty recently certain fans and bloggers were saying the same things (should still be in AAA, won't amount to much of anything) of a couple of our current starting pitchers. The difference: those starting pitchers were significantly younger and significantly healthier and had better statistics at the AAA level.

The lesson: Would the Pirates, pretty, pretty, please, obtain a CEO who will insist that the organization prioritizes drafting high upside talent while also putting the right people in place to develop such high upside talent?
My lesson: Why do I never learn? I must stop dreaming delusional dreams until the people at the top change.

The Outside Perspective: In order to amuse myself while following this untelevised game, I lurk on the opposing team's blog. Even if the pitchers are getting shelled, at least the Cardinals' fans love Freddy Sanchez enough to want him in the AL. But unless Sanchez could add being a quality fifth starter with a league average ERA to his offensive and defensive talents, the Pirates aren't going to start winning more games than they lose anytime soon.

Seriously, contritely: I don't want to root against our pitchers; I really don't, and I don't want to be mean to them. I want them to succeed, but if this is your season back from surgery (Bullington) or you still have numerous issues to work out in order to be able to get outs in the majors (JVB), your organization may be allowing you to pitch in MLB games--but they're not putting you in a situation where success should be expected. And that's not indicting the pitchers; it's indicting the organization. But, really, what else is new as far as the Pittsburgh Pirates are concerned?