Do ya really want to know what went on at PNC tonight? OK, you masochist...
The Lastings Milledge project continues. He made a sweet sliding catch on a ball to end the second, but played a crucial part in the Red's three-run third when he took a bad angle on a well-stroked ball and played it into a double and eventually two extra runs.
In the Pittsburgh half of the frame, Hart forced Neil Walker at second on a bunt. Andrew McCutchen followed with a double, but the lumbering Hart couldn't come around, and as a result, the Bucs stranded runners on second and third.
The next inning, they left the bases juiced, stymied by a nice two-out stop by Brandon Phillips. JR had opted to let Hart bat in that situation, even though Pittsburgh was down 4-1. It only got worse.
The decision blew up in JR's face when he yanked Hart the next frame, with the bases loaded and a another run in. Phil Dumatrait trotted to the hill and completed the job, allowing all three Reds on base to plate.
Denny Bautista gave up another, and Virgil Vasquez was swatted around too, although he may have escaped if Ronny Cedeno caught a possible DP feed from Garrett Jones.
It was either make the catch or avoid the hard-sliding runner; he bailed out and the ball flew into left field. The Tinman isn't the only guy that needs a heart.
GW's opinion, for what it's worth, is that McCutchen, Jones, Doumit, and possibly Milledge should start in 2010. Every other position should be an open competition.
If Neal Huntington thought that Dave Littlefield's team had a roster of guys that didn't know how to win, maybe he should take a look in his dugout.
-- The MRI taken on Ramon Vazquez’s achy knee showed no internal damage. Vazquez can play as his pain threshold allows. Joel Hanrahan continues to be day-to-day with a sore 'bow. Jose Ascanio may rejoin the team this weekend.
-- Neil Walker obviously heard Huntington's beef about guys taking the winter off. He just announced that he's playing winter ball for Luis Dorante's team in Venezuela.
-- Hey, did you ever wonder what motivates grown men to pay money to come watch a kids game? In some cases, it's because the fans are still catering to their inner child, like the"ballhawkers" discovered lurking in the outfield seats, glove at the ready, by the Post-Gazette's Brian O'Neill.
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