There was a lot of good conversation regarding Edinson Volquez and what his role will be with the Pirates. JoeRuth pointed out just how Volquez tends to fade quickly for a starting pitcher. Over the course of his career there is a pretty dramatic jump once he goes over 75 pitches. Going through his splits I'm not sure if it is due to him simply tiring or if it has to do with the fact that hitters do much better against him in their third plate appearance compared to their first and second appearances. So I'm not sure if it is the chicken or the egg or both.
Jeanmar Gomez has similar trends which is why the Pirates never let him go beyond 50 pitches or so per appearance. Could they be trying a similar approach with Volquez? Possibly, as five million dollars isn't much for a starter these days and really fits more into a 6th starter/long reliever role. I have a feeling they are still looking for another starting pitcher at this point and if they do go with Volquez it will be interesting to see if he typically has a short leash (hopefully not because of poor performance early of course). Gomez is a great fit in the pen to match up with a pitcher like Edinson if you go into a game knowing your goal is to get your starter through the 5th inning and anything else is gravy.
I have a feeling there is a plan here but I guess time will tell.