After the 2007 season the Pirates thought that they had a building block for the foundation of the pitching staff, but he has been awful this season. He has started 12 games this season and he is 4-5 with a 6.83 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP. His big problem has been his control as he has walked 43 batters in only 59.1 innings this year. If that continues he might find himself back in AAA ball soon. That is a shame because Gorzelanny was so good last season. He was 14-10 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in 2007.

Ian Snell started off this season like a ball of fire but he has had a rough time since the All-Star Break.  In the 2nd half of the season, Snell has started 13 games and he is 2-7 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP.  In 78.1 innings, Snell has allowed 94 hits, walked 29 batters and whiffed 73.  Overall, Snell’s numbers look solid.  He has started 30 games this season for the Pirates and he is 9-12 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP.  In 195 innings he has allowed 198 hits, walked 62 batters and whiffed 166.  The Pirates are now 66-85 on the season which is good for 5th place in the N.L. Central, 12.5 games behind the Cubs and Brewers and 1 game ahead of the Astros.

The Pirates couldn’t have thought it was a good idea to sign a 39-year old Japanese pitcher in the off-season but they did it.  Kuwata has been overmatched since Day #1 with the Pirates and he had to go because he was pitching batting practice.  He pitched in 19 games this season for the Pirates and he was 0-1 with a 9.43 ERA and a 1.90 WHIP.  In 21 innings he allowed 25 hits, 6 homers, walked 15 batters and whiffed 12.  The Pirates have called up Matt Kata to take Kuwata’s spot on the roster.  Kata has played in 17 games this season for the Pirates and he is 6 for 28 (.214 avg) with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs.

The two biggest disappointments on the Pirates pitching staff have been Salomon Torres and Tony Armas.  Salomon Torres was the closer at the start of the season but he lost his job by pitching poorly.  He is 0-3 with 12 saves, a 5.14 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP so far this season.  He likely won’t have another chance as a closer this season unless Mike Capps gets injured.  Tony Armas was given $3 million bucks to be one of the Pirates starting pitchers this season but he pitched so poorly this year that he is now an expensive mop up man.  Armas is 0-3 with a 8.69 ERA and a 2.03 WHIP so far this season.  The Pirates had high expectations for Zach Duke this season and he has pitched horrible before hurting himself.  Duke is 3-7 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP this season.  He has been throwing batting practice after the game has begun as he has allowed 141 hits in only 93.1 innings this season.

The Pirates have replaced Tony Armas in their starting rotation due to his poor performance so far this season.  In 8 games (7 starts) this season, Armas is 0-3 with a 8.16 ERA and a 2.09 WHIP.  In 28.2 innings, he has allowed 43 hits, 6 homers, walked 17 batters and whiffed 22.  Shawn Chacon will replace Armas in the rotation and he will now be the mop up man in the bullpen until he starts to pitch better.