Clint Hurdle has been forced to piece together lineups using players who shouldn’t be in the lineup every day because the Pirates are short-handed.
That’s why it’s hard to get frustrated when Alen Hanson, John Jaso, Phil Gosselin, Gift Ngoepe and Jose Osuna can’t get the job done on a nightly basis. They’re bench players who have been asked to fill larger roles. The same excuse can’t be used for left fielder Gregory Polanco — he’s supposed to be one of the Pirates’ best players.
Polanco has the tools, talent and experience to be emerging as superstar, but he has become the Pirates’ biggest enigma because he seemingly hasn’t progressed since his rookie year in 2014.