The 2012 Pirates are currently the "most efficient" team in baseball, Acta Sports writes, grabbing six "extra wins" so far this season.
↵Being "efficient" might sound like a good thing, but really what it means is that the Pirates are outperforming expectations based on runs scored and allowed, and components thereof (singles, doubles, triples, homers and walks accumulated and allowed, and so on).
↵The concept of "efficiency", as we mean it here, asks the question "Does this team put together the elements of wins in combinations that work?" Given the number of singles, doubles, triples and whatnot that the team’s hitters have, do they score the number of runs that they should score? Given the number of hits and walks and such like that the pitchers surrender, do they give up the number of runs that we would expect them to give up? And, given the number of runs that they score and allow, does this team win the number of games that they should win?↵
The Pirates are currently 29-27, but a team that's winning by outperforming expectations in this way isn't usually a team that's built to last. Who knows -- maybe the Pirates can keep this going all year. But I doubt it. Fans who think the Pirates should be making big trades to improve the Bucs' offense should take note.
↵Via David Todd.
↵For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout.