It's obvious the Pirates don't stay up at night and worry about bad games. After playing a stinker yesterday, they swatted the Cubbie staff around in the nightcap, 8-2, and swept today's twin bill, after winning just three times on the road since the All-Star break.
The Pirate pick-a-number rotation got Jeff Karstens a win after five decent innings. Five Bucco hurlers held Chicago to seven hits, and may make Joe Kerrigan lobby for a 15-man staff next season so he can go with four starters and a grab-bag for the fifth day.
The Buc bats were led by Ryan Doumit, who banged out a 4-for-4 day with a homer, double, three runs and four RBI. Andrew McCutchen had two hits, one a triple, plus a walk and two runs scored. Hey, we don't know why people are so hot to drop him in the order; he's doing just fine at the top of line up, creating havoc and producing runs.
Lastings Milledge added a pair of knocks and drove in a run, while Brandon Moss scored once and brought home a pair.
For once, a good day to be a Pirate. And if they go 2-2 in October, they'll avoid 100 losses, which seemed unthinkable just a week ago. Heck, make that a day ago.
-- Teke, on FSN's post-game show, had an interesting thought on Matt Capps' woes. He believes that the Mad Capper is using too much off-speed stuff, and that's the cause of him losing command of his bread-and-butter heater. Teke's take: more heat, less junk, and Capps will be good as new.
He also suggested that with the dearth of lefties in the Pirate's bullpen, don't be surprised if Daniel Moskos gets a chance to fill the role sometime in 2010.
Yeah, I could see Moskos in Pittsburgh sometime in 2010, and unlike many Pirate "fans", I don't have an irrational animus against him simply because he was an obvious draft reach by the previous administration. That said, I think he is John Grabow V 2.0 at best, and while that's not a bad thing, I'd much rather see us bring back Mike Gonzalez (assuming he'd come back) or another harder-throwing leftie, and add him to Veal and Moskos and, if healthy, Dumatrait. NOW we're talkin'!
ReplyDeleteThat said, I suspect Grabow won't be long for the Cubs, who have gone straight into the tank in a year in which they were supposed to be contenders. I haven't heard that he hates it there, but he was the kind of supposed-to-put-you-over-the-top acquisition that often doesn't stick around if things don't work out as planned.
I don't think all the animus is because of the draft, Will; some of has to do with his performance.
ReplyDeleteDumatrait will be interesting; they don't seem to be in any rush to stetch him out or use him as a starter at all. Makes me wonder if he's considered part of the rotation mix next season or just another bullpen arm, as you suspect.
I've read the Cubs are talking to Grabow. If they tender him, right now he's an "A" free agent, meaning a first or second round draft pick has to go to the Cubs if someone else signs him, quite the detriment, no?
Now Gonzo, there's an interesting name. The Braves got LaRoche back, and it's sure be ironic if Pittsburgh got Gonzalez back.