First place again

A lot has happened since my last update and I've been too busy watching baseball to post about it. The Pirates had a nine game winning streak in late June that finally moved them ahead of St. Louis and Cincinnati. They were two games up in the division, but slipped a bit and went into the All-Star break one game back with a 56-37 record. Late July had a much awaited five game series against the Cardinals, including a double header. The Bucs started the series back by 1.5 games to the Cards. The Pirates took the first four out five games in the series, but got shellacked in the final game 13-0. Still this moved the Pirates back into first for the third time this season. Last time, they held first place for twelve days. And their current streak is at eight days, with a current 2.5 game lead over the Cards, pending the outcome of the StL-LAD game tonight.

The 2013 club is ahead of the 2012 team by 4 games, and ahead of the 1992 team by 6. Last year's effort fell short by three wins, so we would need a meltdown even more dramatic than last year's to finish below 0.500. Here's hoping we can break the streak and maybe even get a playoff berth. Just three years ago, Pittsburgh had 38 wins. This year's team had that by Jun 11.

Standings for Aug 6
2013  68  44 .607 --
2012  62  46 .574 4.0
1992  60  48 .556 6.0
1999  54  54 .500 12.0
1997  56  58 .491 13.0
2011  54  58 .482 14.0
2003  52  59 .468 15.5
1994  51  58 .468 15.5
1993  51  59 .464 16.0
2004  49  58 .458 16.5
2008  52  62 .456 17.0
2002  51  61 .455 17.0
1998  51  64 .443 18.5
1996  50  63 .442 18.5
2000  47  63 .427 20.0
1995  39  53 .424 19.0
2005  47  64 .423 20.5
2009  45  63 .417 21.0
2007  45  64 .413 21.5
2001  43  67 .391 24.0
2006  42  70 .375 26.0
2010  38  71 .349 28.5

Yeah, that's right

Last week, ESPN power rankings had Pittsburgh at #7 with the following comment and warning: "With 22 of their next 34 on the road, the Buccos needed a strong homestand. Taking two of three versus both the Giants and Dodgers qualifies." The Pirates took off for a nine game road trip with four games against division rival Cincinnati, and five interleague games against the Angels and Mariners. A split of the series in Cincy didn't help the Pirates move up to second place, but winning the next five games did. I'll take a 7-2 road trip any time. I'm actually disappointed that the Bucs have travel days on both Monday and Thursday of this week. I'd actually like to see more of this team. And maybe we'll see on the third of July. Heading home to WPA for a family reunion and Kennywood, and the Pirate are playing Philly the 2nd through the 4th.

Standings-wise, the 2013 has a 4.0 game lead over their 1992 counterparts, and a 3.5 game lead over the 2013 Reds. Alas, St. Louis is stil a ril bunch of jags n'at, so we are currently a half game out of first place pending the outcome of the St. Louis @ Houston game tonight. And Houston, currently at 0.372 is actually worse at home this year than on the road. It would be real nice if they could improve that record tonight.

Standings for Jun 26
2013  48  30 .615 --
1992  41  31 .569 4.0
2012  38  35 .521 7.5
2011  39  38 .506 8.5
1999  36  36 .500 9.0
1994  36  36 .500 9.0
1993  35  37 .486 10.0
1998  38  42 .475 11.0
2008  37  42 .468 11.5
1997  36  41 .468 11.5
1996  36  41 .468 11.5
2009  34  39 .466 11.5
2005  34  40 .459 12.0
2002  34  42 .447 13.0
2003  33  43 .434 14.0
2007  32  44 .421 15.0
2000  31  43 .419 15.0
1995  22  32 .407 14.0
2004  28  43 .394 16.5
2001  27  47 .365 19.0
2010  25  49 .338 21.0
2006  26  51 .338 21.5

In the meantime, while this may not be Better than Ezra, it's still "Good"

Halfway there before we are halfway there.

The Pirates got their 41st win of the 2013 season on father's day, meaning they are halfway to 82 wins and a winning season. And the All-Star break is still a month away. This is the fastest the Bucs have gotten to 41 wins since their last winning season in 1992. In 2010, by they time they got halfway to 82 wins, they were 101% of the way to 82 losses.

Win #41
2013 Jun 16  41  28 0.594
1992 Jun 23  41  29 0.586
2012 Jun 29  41  35 0.539
2011 Jul  1  41  40 0.506
1997 Jul  4  41  43 0.488
1999 Jul  6  41  41 0.500
2008 Jul  7  41  47 0.466
1993 Jul  9  41  45 0.477
1994 Jul 10  41  45 0.477
1998 Jul 13  41  51 0.446
2003 Jul 13  41  50 0.451
2002 Jul 14  41  50 0.451
1996 Jul 16  41  52 0.441
2004 Jul 17  41  47 0.466
2000 Jul 21  41  54 0.432
2005 Jul 21  41  55 0.427
2007 Jul 21  41  55 0.427
2009 Jul 21  41  52 0.441
2001 Aug  1  41  65 0.387
2006 Aug  3  41  68 0.376
1995 Aug 16  41  60 0.406
2010 Aug 22  41  83 0.331

In terms of Pirates vs Pirates standings, the 2013 squad is in first place since "the streak". While they are tops in this fictional 22 team division, they are 3rd in their real five team division of the 2013 NL Central, three games behind StL (jagoffs), a half game back of Cincy, and and a full twelve games ahead of the fourth place Cubs. The Midwestern powerhouse of Stl, Cin, and Pit are currently the top three teams in all MLB right now and Pittsburgh has a five game lead over San Francisco for the the second wild card spot. Edit: The standings have been updated slightly. I had a small bug in my standings script after I added the "fastest to win NN" feature. Binary search problems. I should study Computer Science some day.

Standings for Jun 16
2013  41  28 .594 --
1992  37  26 .587 1.0
1999  33  30 .524 5.0
2012  33  31 .516 5.5
2011  35  33 .515 5.5
1997  33  34 .493 7.0
1998  34  36 .486 7.5
2008  34  37 .479 8.0
2002  32  36 .471 8.5
1996  32  36 .471 8.5
2009  30  34 .469 8.5
2005  30  34 .469 8.5
1994  29  35 .453 9.5
2000  29  36 .446 10.0
1993  28  35 .444 10.0
2007  29  39 .426 11.5
2004  25  36 .410 12.0
2003  27  39 .409 12.5
2006  26  42 .382 14.5
1995  17  28 .378 12.0
2010  23  42 .354 16.0
2001  22  43 .338 17.0

You gotta fast start

You got a fast [start]
And I want a ticket to go anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Any place is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
But [the Bucs themselves] got nothing to prove

-Tracy Chapman "Fast Car"

0.623 in the Month of May. Won two out of three in Milwaukee and won three out of four against Detroit including two 1-0 games in 11 innings. I'm sleeping well tonight. If only St. Louis could lose once in a while. In second place in all of MLB, but still two games back in their division behind StL. Jagoffs.

Standings for May 30
2013  33  20 .623 --
1992  26  21 .553 4.0
1999  25  24 .510 6.0
1997  26  26 .500 6.5
2012  25  25 .500 6.5
2004  23  23 .500 6.5
1993  23  24 .489 7.0
2008  25  29 .463 8.5
2011  24  28 .462 8.5
1998  25  30 .455 9.0
2002  24  29 .453 9.0
2009  22  27 .449 9.0
2005  22  27 .449 9.0
2007  23  29 .442 9.5
2000  22  28 .440 9.5
1994  21  27 .438 9.5
2003  23  30 .434 10.0
1995  12  17 .414 9.0
1996  21  32 .396 12.0
2010  20  31 .392 12.0
2006  18  34 .346 14.5
2001  17  34 .333 15.0

Memorial Day Weekend Preview

The Pirates are heading to Milwaukee this weekend, so better get out the good news now. Strong Pirates pitching has the Bucs off to their best start since before 1992. The pitching staff is second in the majors in ERA at 3.24. It doesn't help that St. Louis and Cincinnati are first and third respectively and thus are still bunched at the top of the NL Central. Pirate pitching is first in batting average (.224), second in WHIP (1.20), and fourth in strikeouts at 388, led mostly by Burnett (79 in 63IP) and Grilli (34 in 21). Full standings below

Standings for May 24
2013  29  18 .617 --
1992  24  18 .571 2.5
1999  22  22 .500 5.5
1997  23  24 .489 6.0
2004  20  21 .488 6.0
1993  20  21 .488 6.0
1998  24  27 .471 7.0
2008  23  26 .469 7.0
2011  22  25 .468 7.0
2002  22  25 .468 7.0
2012  20  24 .455 7.5
2009  20  24 .455 7.5
1994  19  23 .452 7.5
2005  19  24 .442 8.0
2000  19  25 .432 8.5
2010  19  26 .422 9.0
2007  19  27 .413 9.5
1995  10  15 .400 8.0
2003  19  29 .396 10.5
1996  18  29 .383 11.0
2001  15  30 .333 13.0
2006  14  33 .298 15.0

First Place

After a 1-5 start, Pittsburgh made it over .500 against Atlanta on April 20th and after taking two games out of three against the Cardinals in St. Louis, the Pirates are in first place at 15-10. A road trip to Milwaukee is next, where the Pirates tend to struggle. Despite a good April performance, the 2013 squad is behind 1992 and 2002.

Standings for Apr 28
1992  14   5 .737 --
2002  14   8 .636 1.5
2013  15  10 .600 2.0
2009  11   9 .550 3.5
1993  11  10 .524 4.0
1997  12  11 .522 4.0
2007  11  11 .500 4.5
1994  10  10 .500 4.5
2004   9  10 .474 5.0
1999   9  10 .474 5.0
2012   9  11 .450 5.5
2011  11  14 .440 6.0
1996  11  14 .440 6.0
2010   9  12 .429 6.0
1998  11  15 .423 6.5
2003  10  14 .417 6.5
2001   9  13 .409 6.5
2000   9  13 .409 6.5
2008  10  16 .385 7.5
2005   8  13 .381 7.0
2006   6  18 .250 10.5
1995   0   3 .000 6.0

2012 Recap

Well, as you could have guessed, the lack of posting in October was a sign the Pirates did not have a winning season. But they did tie for second against other Pirate teams since 1992.  After being 15 games over .500 at the start of August, the Bucs went a dismal 11-17 in August and an abysmal 7-21 in September. October's .667 (2-1) eked out July's .654 for the best month's performance, but it wasn't enough to save the season.

Final Standings
1992  96  66 .593 --
2012  79  83 .488 17.0
1997  79  83 .488 17.0
1999  78  83 .484 17.5
1994  53  61 .465 19.0
2003  75  87 .463 21.0
1993  75  87 .463 21.0
1996  73  89 .451 23.0
2004  72  89 .447 23.5
2002  72  89 .447 23.5
2011  72  90 .444 24.0
2000  69  93 .426 27.0
1998  69  93 .426 27.0
2007  68  94 .420 28.0
2008  67  95 .414 29.0
2006  67  95 .414 29.0
2005  67  95 .414 29.0
1995  58  86 .403 29.0
2009  62  99 .385 33.5
2001  62 100 .383 34.0
2010  57 105 .352 39.0