Is Ross Ohlendorf the "Ace" of the Pittsburgh Pirates Rotation?

The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Ross Ohlendorf in the fourth round of the 2004 MLB draft.

The scouting report on him at that time was:

Body Type: Strong as an Ox, thick muscular build.

Delivery: Low 3/4 arm. Slow easy high leg kick with good hip rotation. Loose for his size.

Pitches: 89-92 mph fastball with occasional hard sink and bore. Can reach for extra and does it easy. Small tilt to occasional tight slider. Deceptive change with sink.

Command: Has improved.

Additional Notes: Same velocity from stretch, good athlete, Bulldog.

Ohlendorf made his major league debut with the New York Yankees on September 11, 2007 and appeared in six games for the Yankees, going 0-0 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.

In 2008, he struggled in 30 appearances with both the Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 1-4 with a 6.46 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP.

Last season he appeared to establish himself as a major league pitcher going 11-10 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

The latest scouting report on him is:

Body Type: Big, strong body; workhorse

Delivery: Long 3/4 arm action. Has smoothed out his delivery some, but still pitches over a stiff front leg

Pitches: Heavy 90-94 mph fastball with good sink; works both sides. Still developing a hard curveball with an in-between break. Also developing a change-up with sinking movement. Will throw it back-to-back when he has a good feel for it.

This season Ohlendorf has pitched well. His 1-7 record does not reflect how well. With the exception of a three game stretch in June, he is 1-3 3.12 ERA. Even so, he is 1-7 and leads the rotation with a 4.22 ERA.

GO BUCS.