Bearcats in the Big Leagues: Friends Become Foes

Josh Harrison

Anyone that thinks Harrison is going to slow down anytime soon is in for a long wait and a crisp slap of reality. The Pirates' jack-of-all-trades is continuing to scorch with the lumber. During the last seven days he went 7-for-20 with an OBP of .409, lifting his slash line from a stellar .309/.338/.424 to an even better .314/.347/.415. As a team, the Pirates have been strong (25-19) and the play of Harrison, and some of the other guys at the bottom of the order, has been a big lift.

HOWEVER, there are some weak points that should not be swept under the rug. Harrison has not been as good on the base paths as usual, with -0.7 BsR (base running runs above replacement). That would be a career low, as he has posted marks of 2.2 and 3.5 in the last two seasons, respectively. In addition, his glove, which is useful for its ability to be put it all over the diamond, has not been the slickest model and since he has been cemented at second base (all 43 games at that post), that versatility isn't as important as the fact that he has an ultimate zone rating (UZR) of (-1.6).

Ian Happ

The last 10 days have been a return to the strong play of the early season for Happ. He is batting .333 during those 10 tilts and finally added to his home run total with a 3-for-6 effort that included a dinger and two RBI yesterday against the Carolina Mudcats. Happ (.281/.384/.456, 5 home runs, 27 RBI, 6 stolen bases) has the stat line of a guy that will get a call up from Single-A at some point this summer and continuing to string 10-day stretches like the one he just had will help that cause.

Tony Campana

It might not be the same streak that Jackie Bradley has going, but Campana has hit safely in four-straight games and eight of his last 10 appearances. His best effort of the week came Sunday against the Norfolk Tides, as he went 2-for-4 with a stolen base. This short hitting streak has boosted his batting average toward the .300 level (.296) and has helped put his stint on the DL firmly in the past.

Connor Walsh

Walsh made two appearances over the last week and kept the two foes he faced from getting a run across. First, he threw two scoreless innings against Myrtle Beach. Hey, doesn't Ian Happ play for Myrtle Beach? Yes, in fact, he does. That means there was some Bearcat on Bearcat crime! *vuvuzela sound* Walsh faced Happ in the bottom of the sixth inning and struck him out to wrap up the frame. Walsh finished the seventh off as well and earned a save in the shortened game. Walsh also threw a scoreless inning of relief on Sunday and now has an ERA of 2.42 in 22 1/3 innings.