Tim Benz: Sick of ex-Pirates yet? Charlie Morton's Cy Young-caliber year continues

Tired of hearing about how those ex-Pirates are blossoming in Tampa after the Chris Archer trade? 

Austin Meadows and that annoying .346 batting average to lead the American League. Tyler Glasnow and that 1.80 ERA before his injury.

Tired of being reminded that Gerrit Cole is leading Major League Baseball with 130 strikeouts in Houston?

OK. I won’t do that anymore.

I’ll just start talking about Charlie Morton some more.

Morton improved to 8-0 with a 2.10 ERA last night. The former Pirates right-hander allowed no runs and just two hits in 6-2 Rays win over Oakland.

Morton described that as simply “feeling all right.” At times, he said he “lost a feel for his stuff.”

Really? This curve looked OK.

Charlie Morton, Disgusting 79mph Curveball. ? pic.twitter.com/vkns4e3aWS

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 11, 2019

Morton says he’s “lucky to be here.”

Yes, in Tampa.

Charlie Morton recaps his dominant win over the A's tonight.#RaysUp #MLB pic.twitter.com/XgyqTU3zPj

— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) June 11, 2019

Granted, Morton got some defensive help from Tommy Pham and Kevin Kiermaier.

Oops, he did it again. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/BDcXULtI4J

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 11, 2019

But, Kiermaier does that for everybody. It’s part of the reason the Rays — and their league-low $53 million payroll — lead the AL East.

Hug it out, we're back home. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/KB10xbh3LR

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 10, 2019

Sigh. Heartwarming, right?

If that’s not enough for you, even former Pirate Jordan Luplow is doing pretty well in Cleveland. He has eight home runs for an Indians team that started Monday one slot out of the second American League wild-card spot.

Luplow’s OPS is .831. Entering play Monday night, that would’ve tied him for second place on the Pirates with Bryan Reynolds behind Josh Bell.

OK, I’m done.

For now.