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Bucs confident of playoff push post-Melancon
- Updated: July 31, 2016
MILWAUKEE — In discussing the Pirates’ reasons for trading closer Mark Melancon on Saturday afternoon, manager Clint Hurdle cited the need to be optimistic and realistic.
Hurdle, who turned 59 on Saturday, is both. He optimistically stressed that the Pirates haven’t lowered their standards; they still want to win the division. But he realistically understood that Melancon still may have been a Pirate on Saturday night if the Bucs were closer to the Cubs in the National League Central standings.
Instead, on a day both the Cubs and Cardinals lost, the Pirates gained no ground in either the division or NL Wild Card races. They lost, 5-3, to the Brewers. They are 9 1/2 games behind the Cubs and three games behind the Marlins and Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot.
“There could be a different conversation if we were in first place,” Hurdle said. “You need to be hopeful. You also need to deal with the facts. I think that’s what they’re very good about in here.”
One of the reasons the Pirates held on to Melancon last offseason was their desire to win …
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