Pitching pair a boost for Pirates
PITTSBURGH — Closers with nothing to close.
That description fits Pirates right-handers Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek.
Most major league teams have one certified closer, if that. The last-place Pirates had three at one point before moving Octavio Dotel and his 21 saves to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a deadline deal.
Hanrahan and Meek remain.
"We can both do it," said Hanrahan, 28. "Splitting the role is fine with me."
"We're different type pitchers," said Meek, 27. "I can strike people out. Joel can strike anybody out."
Only two National League relief pitchers average more strikeouts than Hanrahan's 12.76 per nine innings.
Carlos Marmol of the Chicago Cubs averages 16.01 per nine innings and Colorado's Rafael Betancourt averages 12.81.
Entering this season, Hanrahan had 208 strikeouts in 199 innings over his career. Heading into Friday night's game in Cincinnati, he's fanned 86 and walked only 19 in 60 2/3 innings this year.
"I've always been a strikeout guy and sometimes that gets me in trouble," he said. "I've caught myself trying to strike guys out with the first pitch.
"In situations where we need a double play ... I try to get one," he added. "But if I get two strikes on a hitter, I figure, punch him out, pop the next guy up and let's go home. I don't get many ground balls."
Hanrahan's fastball regularly hits 97 mph. His slider is just as fast and his offspeed pitches are 85 mph.
"The guy's slider is nasty," Meek said. "When he gets a hitter behind 0-2, it's pretty much over."
Meek's earned run average was below 1.00 at the All-Star break, earning him a roster spot for the National League team. Before Friday's game, his ERA stands at 2.05 and he has 56 strikeouts and 25 walks in 70 1/3 innings.
"While Dotel was here, I pitched the seventh inning and Joel worked the eighth," Meek said. "Now we sort of mix and match. It depends on the situation."
Hanrahan has four saves and Meek two. Since Dotel was traded at the end of July, the Pirates have won only 11 games.
Opposing batters are hitting .209 against Hanrahan, .194 against Meek.Meek learned one lesson recently, hanging a slider Aug. 29 in Milwaukee that Ryan Braun sent back through the middle, clipping Meek on the hand."That was scary," Meek admitted. "It could have been much worse than it was (a contusion). It could have been broken and my season would have been over."Hey, live and learn. I was ahead in the count and hung a pitch. For now on, my slider in that situation is going down. I don't care if I have to bounce it up there."My future in this game is as a closer. I know that now. There's a different feel to pitching the ninth inning. It's awesome," Meek added.Hanrahan was the Washington Nationals' closer briefly in 2008 and 2009. He saved 14 games with the Nats being traded to Pittsburgh."I'm suited for the bullpen somewhere," he said. "Things didn't work out for me as a starter in Washington."I've always been a strikeout guy. When that's needed late in a game, I'm the guy, I guess, regardless of the inning."<B>Notes: </B>Since being claimed off waivers from the Braves Aug. 4, Chris Resop has been scored upon only three times in 16 outings with the Pirates and has 18 strikeouts in 14 innings. ... The Pirates have used 47 different players this season. The club record is 49 in one year.
