Truth & Rumors > MLB
Pirates remove one-time ace from rotation
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08:13 AM ET 09.17 | The second half of the season has not been kind to James McDonald, and he paid for it over the weekend. The Pirates removed [McDonald], one of the National League's better starters in the first half of the season, from the starting rotation Sunday because of the sharp decline in his second-half production. Rookie right-hander Kyle McPherson will take McDonald's place Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers. "As the games count down, we've got to look to give ourselves the best shot that we can of winning the game," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. McDonald has a 7.08 ERA in the second half of the season after finishing the first half with a 2.37 ERA. He has walked more batters in 61 second-half innings than he did in 110 first-half innings.
Clint Hurdle, Getty Images
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Comments (15) Add A Comment
One or the other he has run out of gas or the league has caught up with him.
toad
Total Comments (1693)
He's probably mentally and physically Drained!!!
Not4Nutten
Total Comments (10096)
wiseup: Hurdle should have thought of that the first of sept. when he brought up the extra ptchers . Too late to worry about that now.
wiseup
Total Comments (813)
I am really rooting for them to finish above .500, but it looks like the pitching has run out of gas....it was only a matter of time for McDonald. More surprising is the bad pitching by Burnett.
27RINGS!
Total Comments (1093)
the pirates should remove somebody but not a player instead it should be the manager itself,,,,
alacran
Total Comments (14677)
when a manager does nothing but lost confidence in his players and in himself,,, best thing to do is let him walk away,,,,
alacran
Total Comments (14677)
the manager is the problem can't see it? who you going to blame the cat or the dog?? while the manager can't find the right formula to achieve the pirates goals the franchise will achieve another shamefull lost season!!
alacran
Total Comments (14677)
Pirates took a nice step forward this year, need to build on it for next year. Take a look at some new guys, let McDonald have a rest.
Traded to Seattle
Salem , OR
Total Comments (1539)
Definitely. For a franchise with its recent record of futility, it's going to be baby steps getting back to the top. They had a good year this year -- they just need to start building on this success.
h2opololpunk
Gainesville, FL
Total Comments (2261)
Surprised by the Bad Pitching by Burnett?
He's finally rounding into the form that is more typical of Burnett...
He hasn't had a sub- 4 ERA since '07 (and maybe if they shut him down he can break that streak :-)
It was only a matter of time for AJ & the Bucs.
TheBone
Total Comments (1363)
Dude is out of gas. So is his team.
...the best policy
Harrodsburg, KY
Total Comments (4344)
<SIGH!>
Formerly from Ewa…
Sand Patch, PA
Total Comments (6247)
As a Pirates fan, I HATE to say I saw this coming, but I did! JC! can't we just have a winning season????? What a tank-job this was.....terrible all the way around......
Joe Willie
Alexandria , VA
Total Comments (105)
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