RISP

Pirate fans spill more ink about hitting with RISP than most other subjects.

Focussing on this stat is a lose-lose situation. If the team is hitting well with RISP, and you call attention to it, everyone will think we're due for a correction. If the team is hitting poorly, the only thing attention to this stat will do is stress out the guys. No doubt they'll be giving it their all and being as focussed as they can etc. when they go up with a runner on second and third. Who doesn't want to hit with RISP? It's like going into a bar as a bachelor and finding it crowded with available ladies. If the Pirates can "score" 30% of the time someone goes to the plate with a man in RISP, they will be jumping for joy when the season ends. Focus on the positives. Attention to a hitless streak with RISP is only going to make the situation more difficult.

The other important thing is that RISP is a meaningless stat, especially if you sample it just over one series. It's like walking downtown, asking 45 people who they are going to vote for in the next election, and thinking the election is over because you got some kind of lopsided result. Over the course of a season or over the course of a career it means something for sure, but not over the course of three games.

Focus on the positive. The Bucs got a bunch of runners into scoring position yesterday. If they do that every game, they'll score a bunch of runs and be happy in short order. All the focus on the inability to score runners in scoring position is going to look foolish if/when the Bucs struggle just getting them into scoring position.