Last night, Brian Burres made his third consecutive impressive start since returning to the rotation on September 6th. Over that span, he has allowed just five runs and one walk in 20 innings, while striking out 12. His overall ERA is unimpressive at 4.93, but that number is inflated by some poor relief outings. His ERA is sitting at a much more palatable 4.25 in games he has started.
| ERA | IP | BB | SO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| as Starter | 4.25 | 55.0 | 20 | 32 |
| as Reliever | 8.44 | 10.2 | 7 | 8 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/18/2010.
Burres does not strike out many hitters, and he has a history of inconsistent control. That being said, both he and Jeff Karstens have provided very adequate production as extra depth starters this season, and that was something the Pirates desperately needed. Their presence represents an insurance that may make the front office feel a bit more comfortable about non-tendering Zach Duke this offseason, if they choose to do so.
