27-year old lefty starting pitcher Zach Duke has been pretty awful for the Pirates this year. He has started 19 games for the Pirates this year and he is 5-10 with a 5.32 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. He has given up 142 hits (17 homers) in only 108 1/3 innings for the Pirates this year as he has been throwing batting practice. Duke burst onto the scene for the Pirates in 2005 when he pitched in 14 games (all starts) and he was 8-2 with a 1.81 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. But since then he has not been a good pitcher. He has pitched in 136 games (135 starts) in his last five years for the Pirates and he is 34-63 with a 4.69 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. I’m thinking the Pirates are going to try to trade Duke before this month is over as he’s not really helping them too much.

The Pirates thought that 38-year old righty reliever Brendan Donnelly was a sound investment for 2010 based on his pitching with the Marlins last year. Donnelly pitched in 30 games (0 starts) with the Marlins last year and he was 3-0 with 2 saves, a 1.78 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. But he has been awful for the Pirates so far this year. Donnelly has pitched in 21 games (0 starts) for the Pirates so far this year and he is 2-1 with a 6.27 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. He has walked 16 batters and he’s given up 5 dingers in only 18 2/3 innings this season for the Pirates. The Pirates will likely keep him around a little while longer to see if he can turn things around but they won’t keep him all year if he keeps pitching poorly.

The Pirates have sent 27-year old righty starting pitcher Daniel McCutchen to the minors and he certainly deserved this demotion. McCutchen pitched in 4 games (3 starts) for the Pirates so far this season and he is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA and a 2.17 WHIP. He gave up 19 hits (5 homers) and he walked 7 batters in only 12 innings for the Pirates this season. The Pirates have brought back lefty Brian Burres from the minors. He pitched in 2 games (1 start) earlier this season for the Pirates and he was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP. Don’t expect much out of him either as he is not a good pitcher.

The Pirates aren’t getting many innings from the starting pitchers so far this season (19 1/3 in four games) and it’s taxing the bullpen. The starters are 1-2 with a 7.45 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP for the Pirates so far this year. That just isn’t going to get the job done. The Pirates thought they were o.k. as far as starters go, and they might be, but they need to start pitching better starting right now.

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.