Jason Grilli and Mark Melancon are the first bullpen duo to make the All-Star game from Pittsburgh in the history of the Midsummer Classic. That\u2019s 83 years without this happening. It goes to show you how important the back end of the bullpen, also known by fans as \u201cMark and Cheese\u201d, has been for the Bucs this season.<\/p>\n
Jason Grilli\u2019s numbers have been solid in his first year as closer for the Pirates going 29 of 30 in save opportunities while holding a 1.99 ERA in 40 2\/3 innings (9 ER). He has also struck out 63 out of 158 batters which gives him a 13.9 K\u2019s per 9 inning ratio. That ranks him in the top three in that category. He was a lock to make the team with these numbers alone.<\/p>\n
What the player-voters and coaches didn\u2019t recognize though, was that Mark Melancon has numbers that are just as good as or even better than Grilli\u2019s. He owns a 0.81 ERA in 44 1\/3 innings (4 ER) while striking out 46 out of 170 batters. That\u2019s good enough for a 9.3 K\u2019s per 9 ratio. He, however, was overlooked for the midsummer classic due to the fact that non-closers in the bullpen rarely make the squad. Just ask Grilli, who had the same numbers last season but missed out because he was not a closer.<\/p>\n
This story didn\u2019t end the same way as last year though, as Melancon did make the squad last-second when Pirates starter, Jeff Locke, was pulled from the roster due to \u201cback tightness\u201d. \u201cI\u2019m just glad I got my throwing partner,\u201d said Grilli.<\/p>\n
Melancon was just as humbled when asked if he and Grilli had talked about going back-to-back innings in the game, \u201cI think Grilli and I are on cloud 9. I don\u2019t think we\u2019d care if we threw the third and fourth. We\u2019re just very humble to be there and thankful for the guys that have helped us get there.\u201d<\/p>\n
He, along with his wife and daughter, packed up their car and drove to New York after the game on Sunday. Yes, you read it right, they drove from Pittsburgh to the Big Apple because travel arrangements had already been made for the other All-Star\u2019s before he was chosen.<\/p>\n
Since I’m a replacement in the @AllStarGame<\/a> @mlb<\/a> they made me drive to New York & I don’t even care! pic.twitter.com\/Np4P0hBTw4<\/a><\/p>\n