In 2011, the Pittsburgh Pirates got off to a blazing hot start. By the All-Star Game, they were 47-43, and in prime position to make a run for the playoffs. Something they hadn’t done since 1992.
But the team completely fell off in the second half. Not only did they miss the playoffs, but they finished with a below .500 record for the 19th season in a row. One of the biggest culprits was pitching. While Paul Maholm, Charlie Morton and Jeff Karstens had put up overall solid in 2011, many of their other rotation arms like Kevin Correia and James McDonald did not carry their own weight, especially down the stretch.