Hurdle's rare bullpen strategy key for Pirates down stretch

One disclaimer: There are more extra-inning games this season, as a percentage of all games (10.5 percent), than any season since 1965 (11 percent). I've been

Tom Verducci | Jul 26, 2013

Hurdle's rare bullpen strategy key for Pirates down stretch /

Mark Melancon has had to step in to the closer's role for injured fellow All-Star Jason Grilli. — Mark Melancon has had to step in to the closer's role for injured fellow All-Star Jason Grilli :: Keith Srakocic/AP

One disclaimer: There are more extra-inning games this season, as a percentage of all games (10.5 percent), than any season since 1965 (11 percent). I've been telling you that a more equal distribution of talent and better pitching are making for more competitive games. All those extra innings lead to longer games. Still, the time of game for all nine-inning games this year is up by more than two minutes.

Published Jul 26, 2013

TOM VERDUCCI

Tom Verducci is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has covered Major League Baseball since 1981. He also serves as an analyst for FOX Sports and the MLB Network; is a New York Times best-selling author; and cohosts The Book of Joe podcast with Joe Maddon. A five-time Emmy Award winner across three categories (studio analyst, reporter, short form writing) and nominated in a fourth (game analyst), he is a three-time National Sportswriter of the Year winner, two-time National Magazine Award finalist, and a Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Verducci is a member of the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, Baseball Writers Association of America (including past New York chapter chairman) and a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 1993. He also is the only writer to be a game analyst for World Series telecasts. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, with whom he has two children.