Thursday, June 23, 2016

Thursday Matinee: Jon Niese v Albert Suarez, Lineup, Notes

Today: The getaway game starts at 12:35 and is Gerrit Cole bobblehead day. The game will be sent over the airwaves of Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan. The tarp came off the field at 11:45, so...

Pitchers: Jon Niese (6-4, 4.74) closes the set against Albert Suarez (2-1, 3.69). Jon put together a streak of six starts during which he gave up just nine runs, but has been tagged for 12 runs in his last two outings, mainly bitten by five HR balls. Like any Bucco starter not named Gerrit Cole, his only constant is inconsistency. Jon has a good resume against the Giants, with a lifetime 2-3/2.51 slash in nine outings.  Suarez, a minor league vet, will be making his fourth major league start. The Venezuelan has been in and out of the pen, taking the rotation spot of Matt Cain right now. He's given up three runs in each of his three starts, lasting 16 innings total and getting past the fifth once.

Jon Niese is on the bump today (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Lineup: JJ 1B, Josh Harrison 2B, Gregory Polanco CF, Jung Ho Kang 3B, Matt Joyce RF, Jordy SS, S-Rod LF, Erik Kratz C, Neise P. Getaway day lineup; Cutch gets a blow, Starling still has a sore wheel, Erik is the day-after-night catching caddy. This is El Coffee's first start in center this season, though he has covered the position a couple of times late in games.

  • The team is trying to figure out how to kickstart Cutch. Clint told the press gang in the pre-game scrum that a few days off to recharge may be an option down the road, but isn't on the agenda yet. 
  • Starling's foot is still an issue. In the post game wrap last night, Clint said that he wasn't an option to play the field or even run the bases, and that Marte pinch hit in the hopes that he had one big swing in him.
  • St Louis swept the Cubs in a three game set at Wrigley last night.
  • Indy's Tyler Glasnow (P), Josh Bell (1B) and Adam Frazier (OF) lead their positions in the International League fan voting; Jameson Taillon and Chad Kuhl are third & fourth behind Glasnow in the pitching vote.

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