McCutchen’s soft contact at 37%, Tom Brady/Steelers Week 1, Patrick Kane, Guy Boucher/Pens & more in Today’s TIOPSDailyFive

*Rumblings, Musings Opinions*

1. Anyone who watches Andrew McCutchen knows he’s playing hurt. When he’s batting it’s all hands as he’s getting no power from his legs. McCutchen has a batting line of .185/.280/.293 in 107 plate appearances and it’s reaching the point where maybe a 15-day DL stint would be beneficial but the player and the team deny the knee is bothering him that much.

After an 0-4 night vs the Reds on Tuesday, there’s no excuse making coming from McCutchen. “I take full responsibility for how we’re playing, and I know I’m a big part of it,” McCutchen said Tuesday night. “I’m not doing what I should be doing for the money that I’m making. I’m sick and tired of going 0-for-freaking-4,” McCutchen said.

“It ain’t fun taking right turns when you’re used to taking left ones. I’m not saying my legs are hindering me from being able to drive the ball the way I want to drive. I don’t feel like that. I feel great. I just think something is a little off. I can’t stand here and say my knee is the reason, or something like that. I don’t believe my knee has anything to do with it,” McCutchen said.

Despite what he says, the impact of McCutchen knee injury can be seen with this stat. Last season only 11% of batted balls were soft contact, this season that number is up to 37%.

2. The Pirates need a jolt offensively and right away. The Cardinals are the first team to 20 wins and you can’t fall 9-10 games out of first place by mid-May and count on the first place team free falling the final couple months of the season like the Brewers did last season.  That won’t happen with St. Louis. The Pirates two best hitters from last season, Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison, are in big time slumps. That jolt needs to come from Harrison starting tonight who has been dropped to seventh in the lineup.

3. The Wells report came out today on Deflate Gate and implicated Tom Brady and the Patriots. Does the league really have it in them to suspend Tom Brady on the NFL’s Opening Season Kickoff game? Vegas believes so and suspended the line. The Patriots were 6.5 point favorites.

4. Patrick Kane has 6 goals in nine playoff games after coming back five weeks early from a broken collarbone. Sidney Crosby has 4 goals in his last 25 playoff games. Something must be in the water in Chicago where the stars over there are able to take it to another level when the post-season hits.

5. Penguins ownership top choice last summer was to hire Guy Boucher when they immediately started their pursuit of Pat Brisson after firing Ray Shero. After not being allowed to pursue jobs last summer due to a clause in his contract, Boucher can now leave again for the NHL. “I’ve never hid the fact that I definitely do want to go back,” Boucher told TSN Toronto on Tuesday. “I have another year on my contract here. Family’s happy, had a terrific year, saw a lot of good things, learned and grew. I’ve got no problem staying here. Last year I couldn’t accept it because I didn’t have an out-clause. This year I do have an out-clause.” He’s a name to remember if things go south for Mike Johnston during next season.