About a week ago, I made the comparison that Erik Bedard is this year’s Paul Maholm. In 2011, the Pirates averaged just 4.16 runs per game for Maholm, third worst in the majors trailing only Tim Lincecum (3.82) and Doug Fister (4.08). Maholm finished the year with a 6-14 record, but a very respectable 3.66 ERA. While it is still early, the comparison between the two isn’t a reach at all.
The Pirates lost their opening game of a three-game set to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night, thanks in part to home runs by Gerardo Parra, Aaron Hill and Chris Young. The Pirates struck early with an RBI single by Neil Walker driving in Andrew McCutchen in the first inning, but they were blanked after that as they lost 5-1. The losing pitcher for the Pirates was none other than Bedard.
After three starts this season, Bedard has an 0-3 record, and despite getting into three-ball counts often, he has pitched some of the best baseball in his career this season. It goes back to my comparison and the fact that the Pirates are simply not scoring runs for Bedard. In his three starts, the offense has scored a total of two runs. Breaking that down, it’s .53 run support average, which is the second worst in baseball of pitchers who qualify.
After talking to Bedard after opening day, you could tell he was frustrated because he just went toe-to-toe with the greatest pitcher of the past decade in Roy Halladay, but lost 1-0. Bedard has a 2.65 ERA and has given up just five runs over 17 innings on the season, so he is doing everything in his part. The trouble goes back to the offense, as always.
Pittsburgh has a league worst .58 run support average, .08 points worse than the Washington Nationals. The Pirates pitching staff has the fifth best ERA in the league at 2.57, but they have a league low 18 runs, 10 less than Oakland, and a league worst .188 batting average.
McCutchen has recognized the lack of scoring this season, especially for Bedard.
“Bedard has done a great job on the mound for us and I wish we were able to score some runs for him,” McCutchen said.
The good news for Bedard is that he has stayed healthy so far in the early season and has shown the repertoire that made him be considered one of the best pitchers in baseball just a few years ago. If Bedard is able to continue to pitch the way he has and the offense comes around, his record could rival the likes Halladay, Cliff Lee and Clayton Kershaw. If the run support continues to be low, then it’s Maholm version 2.0.
Photo credit: Associated Press
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