Friday, August 2, 2013

Cole v Chacin to Open Rox Series; Hughes Back

Gerrit Cole (5-4, 3.56) continues the home stand against Colorado's Jhouly Chacin (9-5, 3.54) tonight. The 22-year-old will be making his 10th MLB start tonight. His last outing was a 3-2 loss to Jose Fernandez in Miami, but he looked pretty good, finally breaking out his slider and actually punching people out. To us, his learning curve is right on track. Chacin, 25, is developing into a solid, mid-rotation or better type guy, but hasn't had much luck against the Bucs. He's gone 1-3/ 6.97 in his Pittsburgh outings.

The game starts at 7:05 and will be aired on Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

Pirate lineup: Starling Marte LF, Neil Walker 2B, Andrew McCutchen CF, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Russ Martin C, Garrett Jones 1B, Alex Presley RF, Clint Barmes SS and Gerrit Cole P.

Rockies lineup: Dexter Fowler CF, DJ LeMahieu 2B, Corey Dickerson LF, Troy Tulowitzki SS, Todd Helton 1B, Wilin Rosario C, Charlie Blackmon RF, Nolan Arenado 3B and Jhoulys Chacin P.

Carlos Gonzalez has missed time lately due to a nagging middle finger sprain.

  • The Pirates have recalled RHP Jared Hughes from the 15-day DL and optioned Vic Black back to Indy.
  • The Rockies are coming into town on the same note that the Cards did - swept by Atlanta. 
  • In his three seasons as the Pirates manager, Clint Hurdle has recorded a 216-216 record.
  • Colorado manager Walt Weiss earned his coaching stripes on Clint Hurdle's Rockies staff, starting there in 2002.
  • What was the offer for Giancarlo Stanton? According to Josh Baumgard of Page Q Sports (via  Marlins Way), Pittsburgh offered Jeff Locke, Jameson Taillon, Gregory Polanco and Nick Kingham and the Fish thought it was too little.The names haven't been verified anywhere else, so take with the usual dose of salt. Clark Spencer, who covers Miami, tweeted that the Bucs did not make an offer.
  •  Reese McGuire was named the GCL Player of the Month for July after he hit .369 with nine doubles, 12 RBI & a .424 OBP.

4 comments:

WilliamJPellas said...

If Huntington made that offer for any player in the game, he should be taken out and shot, on live TV, right there in front of the Clemente Statue. I can't believe for a second that he would make that kind of a trade. No way. No how. The only guy I'd give that much away for would be Albert Pujols in his prime. Yeah, I could see that kind of a deal for him. But Stanton, while all that, has also piled up a long injury history for a guy as young as he is. No, no, NO to that trade, if it was ever even contemplated.

Ron Ieraci said...

Just a rumor, Will, as far as I can tell, and unverified by any other source. I just threw it out there because the Marlin site considered it too weak, so it was a demonstration of what the perceived market value placed on Giancarlo is.
The beat man said there was no offer by anyone; in another tweet, the Marlins told everyone they weren't moving him. Think of it as a little hot stove fodder on my part, nothing more.

WilliamJPellas said...

I figured as much, Ron, and I was indulging a little hyperbole, myself. No harm done, I trust.

Ron Ieraci said...

No foul, Will. I didn't emphasize enough that it's just a blog report to use for a talking point, and nada else.