There must be a reason why the Pirates have not added Bryan Morris to their bullpen, right? Maybe he offended someone's mother? Perhaps, he gave Neal Huntington a dirty look? It certainly couldn't be because of his performance at AAA. Morris sports a 2.51 ERA, a 1.128 WHIP and a dazzling 4.56 SO/BB ratio in 75.1 relief innings with Indianapolis. Has he been struggling lately? Not at all. In his last 10 games, Morris has a 2.33 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP and a 4.0 SO/BB ratio. On the year, he's averaging almost a strikeout per inning. So, why haven't the Pirates called Morris up?
Perhaps, they don't need him? That argument might have stuck earlier this season, but not anymore. Most folks saw him filling a Brad Lincoln-type role: a guy who could go multiple innings or pitch in late-game situations. Once Lincoln was traded, it seemed only a matter of time before Morris was called up. But it hasn't happened. We've seen lesser options like Chad Qualls, Daniel McCutchen and the recently DFA'd Juan Cruz. We've seen all-too-brief stints by future starters Justin Wilson, Kyle McPherson and Jeff Locke in the Pirates bullpen; but there's been no sign of Morris, a power arm with a future as a late-game reliever. It's becoming inexplicable.
Morris is a big, strong righthander. He throws in the mid-90s out of the pen, with an upper-80s slider. There was talk of giving him a September call-up last year, but that never materialized either. Instead, the last remaining piece of the Jason Bay trade, has languished in AAA, proving that hitters at that level are no longer much of a challenge. Plus, Morris is on the 40-man roster, so there would be no need to clear a spot to bring him up. I can only hope that by week's end, lesser options like Qualls and McCutchen will give way to young guys with great stuff like Morris and Wilson. You think the Pirates are worried about how rookie pitchers will fare during a playoff race? Take a look at Jared Hughes.
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