With April 2012 now come and gone, Andrew McCutchen enters May with zero home runs. This marks the first month in his career that he has not hit at least one home run. Additionally, McCutchen has no triples and only 6 doubles. The fewest extra base hits McCutchen has previously ever had in one calendar month was 5 in July 2010 (4 doubles and 1 HR).
Neil Walker also had a power-free month of April. His 2 doubles mark the fewest amount of extra base hits in his career during any full month of service (he had 1 double in his September 2009 cameo). Like McCutchen, his zero homers in April also mark the first time he has gone homerless in a full month of games (he had zero homers in Sept 2009 and May 2010 when he was called up for the last 7 games of the month).
If these two cogs in the middle of the order can start driving the ball, both into gaps and over the fence, the offense could finally break out of their doldrums fully. With Pedro Alvarez gaining confidence in his swing each game, coupled with steady production from the tandem of McGehee/Jones, the Pirates could have legitimate power at spots 3 thru 6 in their order.
