Bucco Blitz: Gimme a Break Edition

So, I had intended to write an entry earlier today about how overworked the bullpen continues to be, as evidenced by last night's extra-inning craziness, but Blogger has been giving me problems at my place of regular employment (something about cookies, oddly enough). Then, of course, this happened. Five blown saves in less than a month (the only five all season) was apparently enough of a warning sign for the team to suggest he get an MRI. I'll throw Neil Huntington a bone and say that the team is at least being proactive, though it doesn't help to lose your closer for eight weeks. Things like this happen randomly, but wouldn't it be a little more reasonable to think that the guy was getting just a little too much work? I'm not going to draw a conclusion until I get that internet medical degree in the mail, but hopefully the same ailment (or something worse) doesn't befall the other three guys in the bullpen that are being used just about every day (Mssrs. Marte, Grabow, and Yates).

Speaking of which, are we to assume that Damaso Marte steps into the closer role, given that he filled in earlier this year, and LHPs outnumber RHPs in the bullpen? Probably. Marte's OPS+ is 72 in high leverage situations, which is above his OPS+ in middle and low leverage situations, but still more than respectable. Let the Marte era begin. The bullpen is dead; long live the bullpen.

Speaking of said bullpen, yes, it is still overworked. The bullpen has already pitched 293 innings this year, which would put them well beyond last year's 514 2/3 if the current pace keeps up. The team the Pirates "could be," those plucky Devil Rays, have only had to make use of their bullpen for 246 inning so far this year. Basically, this all just reinforces the point that the starters have to pitch better, thus the bullpen has to pitch less, for the team to be competitive in the second half. This should not be news to anyone.

Also worth mentioning is that the Pirates have the worst Defensive Efficiency Rating in all of baseball at 0.682, just behind the Reds at 0.683. What that means, basically, is that the Pirates have the lowest percentage of balls in play converted to outs. For a staff that doesn't strike many batters out (and thus puts a lot of balls in play), that's a recipe for disaster, and the defense bears an unrecognized chunk of the responsibility for the pitchers' poor performance so far.

And in other news...

- Steve Pearce will take Capps' spot on the 25-man roster.

- Dejan convers some more ground regarding batting the pitcher in the eighth spot in his Q&A today. AOL also has an article on the same topic. Paul Meyer also says we haven't seen the last of it. (He's right, as JVB is in the eight spot against the Reds this evening.)

- The geniuses (genii?) over at Fire Joe Morgan had about five updates today, one of which included some priceless Dusty Baker comments on Dunn and Griffey matching up against Pirate pitchers. Find the entry for "Gallimaufry Time!" and read to the bottom. Priceless.

- Joe Starkey turns in the same column from last week. Go Joe! To quote the man himself: "It's easy to be critical now." Keep going for that low-hanging fruit, buddy.

- The Pirates are waiting to exhale before signing Tanner Scheppers, who may or may not be injured still. He's expected to come to Pittsburgh on July 27 to do various tests, including throwing a few pitches for assembled dignitaries.