Kovacevic: Another Hutchison disaster, more denials of obvious

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Drew Hutchison has been an unmitigated disaster for the Pirates this spring.

No need to pile on. You've seen it. We've all seen it.

There it was again Tuesday night in the 9-2 loss to the Red Sox at LECOM Park:







No seagulls were harmed in the making of those motion pictures, but that's a minor miracle: Those were home runs by Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr., followed by a triple from the No. 9 hitter Heiker Meneses. And those were all in the first inning, mind you, but I'll spare the rest of Boston's six runs there because this is a family site.

The eventual sum of Hutchison's damage: 3 2/3 innings, nine runs, 10 hits, three strikeouts, two walks, a wild pitch and 92 pitches with only 57 strikes.

The sum of his final three starts: 21 runs, 27 hits and six walks over 11 2/3 innings.

The sum of his spring ERA: 10.02.

You don't need my opinion of that.

And yet this pitcher is still, as officially as it gets, in the running for the opening day rotation, according to all concerned, including Clint Hurdle after this game, who spoke calmly and no doubt dutifully about Hutchison's latest: