How do you hold the other team to two singles and lose? Heck, it's easy if you're Pittsburgh.
Have your pitchers walk nine guys, commit a timely error, miss a ball by diving past it, and then strike out 13 times when you're at bat. The Pirates did all of that in their 4-2 loss to the Brew Crew tonight.
Two things are glaringly obvious. First, all Milwaukee has to do is show up to whip the Bucs. And secondly, September 29th can't get here soon enough.
> Well, Pedro is finally signed, sealed, and delivered. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, Gorzo was put on the 60-day DL. So now it's time to see if the kid can play ball.
Where is the question. He signed too late to play winter ball, so it looks like he's going to start his career in the Florida Instruction League. Maybe missing three months won't delay his career, but then again...well, it can't help.
He addressed two of the questions his challenge presented. Regarding the lost goodwill of the Pirate faithful, Pedro said "I just want the fans of Pittsburgh to judge me on the field as a player. Starting today, I will work my hardest to be the best I can be."
Alvarez also said that the contract situation and ensuing soap opera was on him, not Scott Boras. "Throughout this whole process, I, myself, wanted a fair [negotiation]," he said. "I thought for myself and made decisions for myself."
Let the Pedro era begin. At last.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Pittsburgh's Pedro Press Release
Major League Baseball announced today that the dispute regarding the status of Pedro Alvarez of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Eric Hosmer of the Kansas City Royals has been resolved by agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association and that both players will be free to begin baseball activities immediately with their clubs.
The agreement with the MLBPA also clarifies how the August 15th deadline for signing selections in the First-Year Player Draft will be administered in future years. The agreement makes clear that deadline extensions can be made only by agreement between the Commissioner's Office and the MLBPA.
"From the beginning our primary concern was allowing Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Hosmer to begin their professional careers as quickly as possible and this settlement accomplishes that goal," said MLB Executive Vice President of Labor Relations Rob Manfred.
"We fully support and welcome the changes to the manner in which the August 15th deadline will be administered. We believe that the changes will result in a cleaner and more consistent application of the deadline which is in the best interests of both Clubs and players."
Yawn. Pedro gets a few more bucks if he's fast-tracked, a couple less if he takes a stutter step every here and there. The policy the MLB suits and MLBPA agreed on has been informally in place for years, and now it's set in stone.
And with a top five pick next year, we hope Scott Boras and Frank Coonelly can share the same sandbox if need be in the future. What a needless waste of time this whole thing has been.
The agreement with the MLBPA also clarifies how the August 15th deadline for signing selections in the First-Year Player Draft will be administered in future years. The agreement makes clear that deadline extensions can be made only by agreement between the Commissioner's Office and the MLBPA.
"From the beginning our primary concern was allowing Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Hosmer to begin their professional careers as quickly as possible and this settlement accomplishes that goal," said MLB Executive Vice President of Labor Relations Rob Manfred.
"We fully support and welcome the changes to the manner in which the August 15th deadline will be administered. We believe that the changes will result in a cleaner and more consistent application of the deadline which is in the best interests of both Clubs and players."
Yawn. Pedro gets a few more bucks if he's fast-tracked, a couple less if he takes a stutter step every here and there. The policy the MLB suits and MLBPA agreed on has been informally in place for years, and now it's set in stone.
And with a top five pick next year, we hope Scott Boras and Frank Coonelly can share the same sandbox if need be in the future. What a needless waste of time this whole thing has been.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Boo!
It's still five weeks before Halloween, but the Pirates took an early trip to their favorite House of Horrors, Miller Field, and remained 0-for-2008 with a 7-5 loss.
The Buc outfield in particular played like a trio of headless horsemen, committing two errors, letting balls fly over their head, and unleashing throws into the netherworld.
The Brewers were handed a pair of runs to start the game - Jeff Karstens actually pitched fairly well tonight - but came back and treated the Pirates in the second, when Dave Bush walked three batters, including Karstens on four piches, and then gave up two-out RBI hits to Nyjer Morgan and Freddie Sanchez to fall behind 3-2.
But with a lineup minus Adam LaRoche, who is day-to-day with a groin tweak, and Brandon Moss, who the Bucs shut down after finding out his knee may need cut after a routine check-up, the only other runs would come on a two run shot by Steve Pearce.
Jesse Chavez, John Grabow, and TJ Beam hung pitches that were turned into a pair of RBI doubles and a homer, and the Brew Crew, in a must-have game, walked off with the win after Prince Fielder's ninth inning, two-out shot.
The Pirates haven't won at Miller since May of 2007. That's downright spooky.
> The Pirate OF was brutal tonight. Morgan let a soft liner dink off his mitt, leading to a run, and later in the game had trouble playing a ball off the wall and then made a poor throw into his relay, allowing another run to cross the plate. On the other side of the coin, he had four hits. We're guessing he's modeling his game after Juan Pierre.
Nate McLouth left his feet for a ball well over his head and then launched a throw that landed nowhere near his cut-off, and that cost the Bucs a run. Pearce hesitated a second on a liner to right, and it ended up barely over his head. Yep, another Brewer run plated, compliments of the outfield.
> Moss will see a Colorado doctor soon to get a second opinion on his knee. It apparently hasn't bothered him in Pittburgh, but acted up on him in Boston earlier in the year.
He has a structural problem that may need surgery to correct, according to the Buc docs, caused by his tibia and femur grinding together at the knee, technically known as osteochondritis dissecans.
The Vail medico is Dr. Steadman, an expert in microfracture surgery, the recommended course of action to correct the problem. The procedure generally requires 6-8 months of recovery time, and that would put quite a crimp in next year's Pirate plans and Moss' career. Caveat emptor.
> No further word on Pedro. We'll see if the arbitration hearing picks up again tomorrow after being cancelled today. We've seen Rube Goldberg contraptions that were less complicated than this mess. After all, how hard is it to give someone $6M just to play baseball?
> Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors has a telling piece on the value of top draft picks and how they contributed to playoff success this year at Built with First Round Picks.
The Buc outfield in particular played like a trio of headless horsemen, committing two errors, letting balls fly over their head, and unleashing throws into the netherworld.
The Brewers were handed a pair of runs to start the game - Jeff Karstens actually pitched fairly well tonight - but came back and treated the Pirates in the second, when Dave Bush walked three batters, including Karstens on four piches, and then gave up two-out RBI hits to Nyjer Morgan and Freddie Sanchez to fall behind 3-2.
But with a lineup minus Adam LaRoche, who is day-to-day with a groin tweak, and Brandon Moss, who the Bucs shut down after finding out his knee may need cut after a routine check-up, the only other runs would come on a two run shot by Steve Pearce.
Jesse Chavez, John Grabow, and TJ Beam hung pitches that were turned into a pair of RBI doubles and a homer, and the Brew Crew, in a must-have game, walked off with the win after Prince Fielder's ninth inning, two-out shot.
The Pirates haven't won at Miller since May of 2007. That's downright spooky.
> The Pirate OF was brutal tonight. Morgan let a soft liner dink off his mitt, leading to a run, and later in the game had trouble playing a ball off the wall and then made a poor throw into his relay, allowing another run to cross the plate. On the other side of the coin, he had four hits. We're guessing he's modeling his game after Juan Pierre.
Nate McLouth left his feet for a ball well over his head and then launched a throw that landed nowhere near his cut-off, and that cost the Bucs a run. Pearce hesitated a second on a liner to right, and it ended up barely over his head. Yep, another Brewer run plated, compliments of the outfield.
> Moss will see a Colorado doctor soon to get a second opinion on his knee. It apparently hasn't bothered him in Pittburgh, but acted up on him in Boston earlier in the year.
He has a structural problem that may need surgery to correct, according to the Buc docs, caused by his tibia and femur grinding together at the knee, technically known as osteochondritis dissecans.
The Vail medico is Dr. Steadman, an expert in microfracture surgery, the recommended course of action to correct the problem. The procedure generally requires 6-8 months of recovery time, and that would put quite a crimp in next year's Pirate plans and Moss' career. Caveat emptor.
> No further word on Pedro. We'll see if the arbitration hearing picks up again tomorrow after being cancelled today. We've seen Rube Goldberg contraptions that were less complicated than this mess. After all, how hard is it to give someone $6M just to play baseball?
> Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors has a telling piece on the value of top draft picks and how they contributed to playoff success this year at Built with First Round Picks.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Much Ado Over Nothing
Dejan reported that Pedro has agreed to a deal with the Bucs. It looks like little more than a reshuffling of the original offer. Alvarez gets his $6M bonus, but in four annual payments instead of two.
His contract is worth a tad more now, $6.4M, making him the highest paid rookie this year, and he gets a major league contract, meaning it's guaranteed and he goes on the 40-man roster now instead of being exempt for three years (see Andrew McCutchen, if you think that doesn't make a difference, especially in September).
The extra value of the deal is just about what the Pirates save by spreading out his bonus. And, of course, Boras gets his bragging rights, although somewhat belatedly. Our guess is that he would have taken this offer 15 minutes after Alvarez was drafted.
The MLB suits and the MLBPA have to settle their grievance before he's inked, and since it's now a major league deal, we assume the Pirates will give him a physical before the signing.
Our only two questions are 1) whether the arbitration issue will hang things up, and 2) how legit can a deal be when it's reached over a month past the deadline (and remember, now it's a MLB contract, not a minor league deal), while the original ended up in a hearing room for being maybe a 1/2 hour late?
What a tangled web we weave... But until his name is inked on the contract and approved by all the high hats, we're not going to count the Pirate eggs as being hatched. We just hope this isn't a situation where Boras outsmarted himself.
His contract is worth a tad more now, $6.4M, making him the highest paid rookie this year, and he gets a major league contract, meaning it's guaranteed and he goes on the 40-man roster now instead of being exempt for three years (see Andrew McCutchen, if you think that doesn't make a difference, especially in September).
The extra value of the deal is just about what the Pirates save by spreading out his bonus. And, of course, Boras gets his bragging rights, although somewhat belatedly. Our guess is that he would have taken this offer 15 minutes after Alvarez was drafted.
The MLB suits and the MLBPA have to settle their grievance before he's inked, and since it's now a major league deal, we assume the Pirates will give him a physical before the signing.
Our only two questions are 1) whether the arbitration issue will hang things up, and 2) how legit can a deal be when it's reached over a month past the deadline (and remember, now it's a MLB contract, not a minor league deal), while the original ended up in a hearing room for being maybe a 1/2 hour late?
What a tangled web we weave... But until his name is inked on the contract and approved by all the high hats, we're not going to count the Pirate eggs as being hatched. We just hope this isn't a situation where Boras outsmarted himself.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Turn Out the Lights
Except for the love the city has for Jack Splat and he for it, the game was another forgettable exercise in futility for Pittsburgh.
They lost to Houston 6-2 on a collection of dribblers, bloops, walks, misplayed balls, questionable umping, and wild pitches while serving as Roy Oswalt's personal whipping boy. Pretty normal stuff.
But when Jack Wilson stepped in to pinch hit in the fifth inning, the connection between a player and his town was never more obvious.
The fans stood and roared - well, as much of a roar as 20,000 people can make - throughout his at bat, and they pumped up the volume even more when he roped a single into left field. They rose to their feet once again when he trotted into the dugout.
At least one guy will leave with good memories of Pittsburgh.
> Pittsburgh drew 20,311 fans today, just about right on the season average of 20,113. Their total attendance of 1,609,076 was the lowest since 2004, when they attracted 1,583,031 to PNC Park, and that was during a 75-game home slate. The average attendance is the lowest since PNC opened its gates.
The MLB average since 2004 has been around 2.5 million.
When the park opened in 2001, 2,435,867 people spun the turnstiles. That's 30,834 warm fannies per game, and that represents quite a fall from grace for the franchise.
They lost to Houston 6-2 on a collection of dribblers, bloops, walks, misplayed balls, questionable umping, and wild pitches while serving as Roy Oswalt's personal whipping boy. Pretty normal stuff.
But when Jack Wilson stepped in to pinch hit in the fifth inning, the connection between a player and his town was never more obvious.
The fans stood and roared - well, as much of a roar as 20,000 people can make - throughout his at bat, and they pumped up the volume even more when he roped a single into left field. They rose to their feet once again when he trotted into the dugout.
At least one guy will leave with good memories of Pittsburgh.
> Pittsburgh drew 20,311 fans today, just about right on the season average of 20,113. Their total attendance of 1,609,076 was the lowest since 2004, when they attracted 1,583,031 to PNC Park, and that was during a 75-game home slate. The average attendance is the lowest since PNC opened its gates.
The MLB average since 2004 has been around 2.5 million.
When the park opened in 2001, 2,435,867 people spun the turnstiles. That's 30,834 warm fannies per game, and that represents quite a fall from grace for the franchise.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Tag Team Win
Boy, it wasn't easy, but the Bucs pulled out a 6-4 victory over the Astro's tonight in the preliminary to the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert.
The Pirates scored five times in the first inning - and how's that for role reversal? - tacked on another run in the second, and went into a deep coma for the rest of the game. Ryan Doumit did the early damage, driving in three runs with a pair of doubles.
After that, seven Pittsburgh pitchers, with varying degrees of success, held the Astros to four runs. Houston got six of its leadoff hitters on, banged out eleven hits, drew four walks and got an error to aid the cause, but left 10 runners stranded as they sputtered to defeat.
Jason Davis pitched a pair of scoreless innings for the win, his second, and Matt Capps, despite some drama, shut the door in the ninth for his 20th save.
GW followed the game on MLB.com's Gameday - FSN had that crucial early season clash between Texas and Rice pre-empt the Pirates - and according to their gun, the Mad Capper was hitting 93 with his heater, even touching 96 against Lance Berkman. That's good news for 2009.
Well, one last hurrah at home, and PNC can call it a year. The 2008 season has been a long, strange journey.
> Jack Splat made his return from his finger injury, pinch hitting for the pitcher. He flew out to center. Hopefully, he can take a possible final bow tomorrow.
> The Pirates named Jim Negrych their Minor League Player of the Year and Jeff Sues their Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the 2008 season on Saturday.
Negrych, the Pirates' sixth-round selection in the 2006, hit a combined .359 (170-for-473) with five home runs, 72 RBIs and 87 runs scored in 129 games between Class A Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona.
Sues, a fifth-round selection in 2005, also made the jump from Lynchburg to Altoona this season. The 25-year-old right-handed reliever posted a combined record of 4-2 with three saves, a 3.22 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 37 appearances.
The Pirates scored five times in the first inning - and how's that for role reversal? - tacked on another run in the second, and went into a deep coma for the rest of the game. Ryan Doumit did the early damage, driving in three runs with a pair of doubles.
After that, seven Pittsburgh pitchers, with varying degrees of success, held the Astros to four runs. Houston got six of its leadoff hitters on, banged out eleven hits, drew four walks and got an error to aid the cause, but left 10 runners stranded as they sputtered to defeat.
Jason Davis pitched a pair of scoreless innings for the win, his second, and Matt Capps, despite some drama, shut the door in the ninth for his 20th save.
GW followed the game on MLB.com's Gameday - FSN had that crucial early season clash between Texas and Rice pre-empt the Pirates - and according to their gun, the Mad Capper was hitting 93 with his heater, even touching 96 against Lance Berkman. That's good news for 2009.
Well, one last hurrah at home, and PNC can call it a year. The 2008 season has been a long, strange journey.
> Jack Splat made his return from his finger injury, pinch hitting for the pitcher. He flew out to center. Hopefully, he can take a possible final bow tomorrow.
> The Pirates named Jim Negrych their Minor League Player of the Year and Jeff Sues their Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the 2008 season on Saturday.
Negrych, the Pirates' sixth-round selection in the 2006, hit a combined .359 (170-for-473) with five home runs, 72 RBIs and 87 runs scored in 129 games between Class A Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona.
Sues, a fifth-round selection in 2005, also made the jump from Lynchburg to Altoona this season. The 25-year-old right-handed reliever posted a combined record of 4-2 with three saves, a 3.22 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 37 appearances.
A Pack of Pups
We will say that the Pirates have been full speed ahead in their youth movement. At an average player age of 26.6, they're way younger than the next two NL puppy mills, the Giants (27.1) and Nationals (27.4).
And if they remake their bench, as expected, they get rid of more gray hair. The current B-team consists of Chris Gomez (37), Raul Chavez (35), Dirt Dog Doug (34), Jason Michaels (32), and Luis Rivas (29).
The only other players on the current 40-man roster not in their twenties going into spring camp are Tyler Yates, Freddie Sanchez, and Jack Splat, who will be 31, and John Grabow, who will be 30.
The cloud outside this silver lining is finding an alpha dog to lead the pack. Jack Wilson and Sanchez should be the heir apparents, but injuries have limited them (along with won't-go-away trade rumors regarding Wilson), and Mientkiewicz, a natural born fireball who is iffy to re-up with the team.
A lot of next year's load will fall on the shoulders of Ryan Doumit, Nate McLouth, and Adam LaRoche, who has shown some signs of stepping up his presence since the trades. As they and the team embark on a maturing process, their ability to lead by more than example will be a needed element in 2009.
> Next year's chance to reload through the draft sees Pittsburgh sitting pretty solidly in the four hole, behind Seattle, Washington, and San Diego, and ahead of Atlanta and Baltimore.
And speaking of drafts, the Pedro soap opera airs its next episode Tuesday and Wednesday in New York. Stay tuned.
And if they remake their bench, as expected, they get rid of more gray hair. The current B-team consists of Chris Gomez (37), Raul Chavez (35), Dirt Dog Doug (34), Jason Michaels (32), and Luis Rivas (29).
The only other players on the current 40-man roster not in their twenties going into spring camp are Tyler Yates, Freddie Sanchez, and Jack Splat, who will be 31, and John Grabow, who will be 30.
The cloud outside this silver lining is finding an alpha dog to lead the pack. Jack Wilson and Sanchez should be the heir apparents, but injuries have limited them (along with won't-go-away trade rumors regarding Wilson), and Mientkiewicz, a natural born fireball who is iffy to re-up with the team.
A lot of next year's load will fall on the shoulders of Ryan Doumit, Nate McLouth, and Adam LaRoche, who has shown some signs of stepping up his presence since the trades. As they and the team embark on a maturing process, their ability to lead by more than example will be a needed element in 2009.
> Next year's chance to reload through the draft sees Pittsburgh sitting pretty solidly in the four hole, behind Seattle, Washington, and San Diego, and ahead of Atlanta and Baltimore.
And speaking of drafts, the Pedro soap opera airs its next episode Tuesday and Wednesday in New York. Stay tuned.
Friday, September 19, 2008
The Meek Shall Inherit the Cellar
Man, it's painful to watch this team. Eight more walks, and three of them scored in the Astro's 5-1 victory. The Bucs only had four hits, and electing to watch paint dry seems to be the paying public's reaction to the play of the past two months.
Pittsburgh only drew 26,000 for a fireworks night, their one sure-fire attraction. At last check, they have 25,000 sold for tomorrow night's Lynyrd Skynyrd concert. It looks like the best laid promotional plans are finally losing steam to the product on the field. Football and hockey have started, and the Bucs can't compete.
EDIT - Boy, did we miss that. Not only did the Bucs sell out with 36,000 fans, but Pitt drew 50,000 and the Pens sat 16,000 on the same day. Over 100,000 locals backed their home teams Saturday, not too shabby a turnout for a "small market".
Ian Snell was wild, walking five, and his velocity was still down. But he didn't give up a hit until the fourth inning, and that was a ground ball single through the hole.
But it exposed a season-long Pirate bugaboo, the free pass - there were two on via the walk before the hit - and the double-edged sword that's Nyjer Morgan.
Morgan fielded the ball in short left and had an easy toss to the plate, no more than 200'. Any kind of on-line throw would nail the runner, the plodding Lance Berkman. They don't call him Fat Elvis for nothing.
But he threw it belt-high to relay man Andy LaRoche, who was on the infield grass, instead of throwing it through him to home. LaRoche's relay was airmailed to the backstop, and that was about all she wrote for the Pirates. How a guy can be so aggressive on the bases and so passive making a throw is beyond us.
Denny Bautista had another forgettable performance to hand the game to Houston. John Russell, who has changed pitchers virtually every other batter since the horde of call-ups arrived to stock the pen, left Bautista to struggle on the hill. In two innings, he threw 44 pitches, and gave up three hits, three walks, and three runs.
In fairness, one hit ricocheted like a Super Ball off of the first base bag, and another fell inches in front of a diving Nate McLouth. Still, both were smoked, and Bautista's fall into the abyss has more to do with his poor pitching than the baseball gods.
On the plus side, Ryan Doumit nailed two would-be base stealers and Adam LaRoche hit his 23rd homer. That's it. Oh, and the Pirates are one game closer to another top five pick in next years draft. Hmmmm...could that be part of the plan?
> Pirate pitching this year has rung up a 5.17 ERA. The NL average is 4.29. Their 615 walks are the NL's most, with ony the SF Giant staff within hailing distance. Just St. Louis has struck out fewer batters than the Buc's 909 whiffs.
Finding the plate and getting some bats to miss balls has to be job number one for Pittsburgh next year. A 3:2 strike out to walk ratio doesn't cut it.
Throw in the fact that Pirate hurlers have given up the NL's most hits (10.2/game, compared to the league average of 8.9), 101 hits more than the next worse team...well, Jeff Andrews will need Luke Ravenstahl's PR person to spin his term in office.
The hitting, although skewed by the pre-trade production, is right about at the NL average, scoring 4.6 runs per game with a .260 team average and .406 slugging percentage.
> Remember how the new ballyard was supposed to rejuvenate the Pirate franchise? Pittsburgh, which dropped to 38-41 at home, will finish with a losing home record for the seventh time in eight seasons at PNC Park.
The Buc attendance is next to last in the NL, at 19,647/game. They're ahead of Florida, which draws 16,179, and behind the Reds, which have 25,615 spin the gates every game.
> The Bucs record is now 64-90, giving them their fourth straight 90-loss season. That puts them in the same company as the Rickey-Dinks of the early 50's that lost 90 games or more in six consecutive years.
Pittsburgh only drew 26,000 for a fireworks night, their one sure-fire attraction. At last check, they have 25,000 sold for tomorrow night's Lynyrd Skynyrd concert. It looks like the best laid promotional plans are finally losing steam to the product on the field. Football and hockey have started, and the Bucs can't compete.
EDIT - Boy, did we miss that. Not only did the Bucs sell out with 36,000 fans, but Pitt drew 50,000 and the Pens sat 16,000 on the same day. Over 100,000 locals backed their home teams Saturday, not too shabby a turnout for a "small market".
Ian Snell was wild, walking five, and his velocity was still down. But he didn't give up a hit until the fourth inning, and that was a ground ball single through the hole.
But it exposed a season-long Pirate bugaboo, the free pass - there were two on via the walk before the hit - and the double-edged sword that's Nyjer Morgan.
Morgan fielded the ball in short left and had an easy toss to the plate, no more than 200'. Any kind of on-line throw would nail the runner, the plodding Lance Berkman. They don't call him Fat Elvis for nothing.
But he threw it belt-high to relay man Andy LaRoche, who was on the infield grass, instead of throwing it through him to home. LaRoche's relay was airmailed to the backstop, and that was about all she wrote for the Pirates. How a guy can be so aggressive on the bases and so passive making a throw is beyond us.
Denny Bautista had another forgettable performance to hand the game to Houston. John Russell, who has changed pitchers virtually every other batter since the horde of call-ups arrived to stock the pen, left Bautista to struggle on the hill. In two innings, he threw 44 pitches, and gave up three hits, three walks, and three runs.
In fairness, one hit ricocheted like a Super Ball off of the first base bag, and another fell inches in front of a diving Nate McLouth. Still, both were smoked, and Bautista's fall into the abyss has more to do with his poor pitching than the baseball gods.
On the plus side, Ryan Doumit nailed two would-be base stealers and Adam LaRoche hit his 23rd homer. That's it. Oh, and the Pirates are one game closer to another top five pick in next years draft. Hmmmm...could that be part of the plan?
> Pirate pitching this year has rung up a 5.17 ERA. The NL average is 4.29. Their 615 walks are the NL's most, with ony the SF Giant staff within hailing distance. Just St. Louis has struck out fewer batters than the Buc's 909 whiffs.
Finding the plate and getting some bats to miss balls has to be job number one for Pittsburgh next year. A 3:2 strike out to walk ratio doesn't cut it.
Throw in the fact that Pirate hurlers have given up the NL's most hits (10.2/game, compared to the league average of 8.9), 101 hits more than the next worse team...well, Jeff Andrews will need Luke Ravenstahl's PR person to spin his term in office.
The hitting, although skewed by the pre-trade production, is right about at the NL average, scoring 4.6 runs per game with a .260 team average and .406 slugging percentage.
> Remember how the new ballyard was supposed to rejuvenate the Pirate franchise? Pittsburgh, which dropped to 38-41 at home, will finish with a losing home record for the seventh time in eight seasons at PNC Park.
The Buc attendance is next to last in the NL, at 19,647/game. They're ahead of Florida, which draws 16,179, and behind the Reds, which have 25,615 spin the gates every game.
> The Bucs record is now 64-90, giving them their fourth straight 90-loss season. That puts them in the same company as the Rickey-Dinks of the early 50's that lost 90 games or more in six consecutive years.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Fat Lady Works Overtime
GW was part of a jailbreak from work at lunch with buds Tom DiNuno, Frank Garnett and Chaz Durham, escaping to catch a slacker's special on a beautiful September afternoon. And while we were treated to a competitive game, there wasn't much beautiful about the play.
The Dodgers won in twelve, 4-3. John Russell stuck to who brung him when he made up the getaway day lineup, running Jason Michaels, Chris Gomez and Raul Chavez out along with the fall wonders, Nyjer Morgan and Luis Cruz.
That tells us all we need to know about Steve Pearce, Luis Rivas, Brian Bixler, Ronny Paulino and Robinzon Diaz's places on the Pirate totem pole.
As for the game...well, start with eight Pittsburgh pitchers giving up eleven walks, four of the intentional variety.
Paul Maholm was uncharacteristically wild, giving up a half dozen free passes. Craig Hansen, predictably, faced four batters and walked three in earning a well-deserved loss. Three of the four Dodger runs were scored by a runner who walked.
Throw in a dribbler or three that could have been outs, Nyjer Morgan being easily tossed out trying to score from third with the second baseman holding the ball (we suppose Lance Berkman's lesson hasn't quite sunk in yet), and the Pirates left plays - and the game - all over the field.
EDIT - Paul Meyer said in the PBC Blog that Tony Beasley took the hit for Morgan's doomed gallop home. Doesn't anyone watch the ball?
Still, they made a run at it in the twelfth inning, putting runners on second and third with two away. They don't quit, and the fat lady didn't get to sing until Michaels popped out to second.
What the heck, nice day for a ballgame. Too bad the Bucs didn't join in the fun.
> A sight to behold: Apparently, the Blue Crew initiate their September call-ups with a bit of hazing silliness. When the Dodger relievers walked out to the bullpen in the middle of the first inning, the newcomers didn't carry their stuff in gym bags.
They had pink and blue "Hello Kitty" backpacks instead, much like you'd see on opening day - of first grade! Every now and then, you need reminded that beyond being a big business, baseball is still, and hopefully will forever remain, a little kid's game at heart.
> The Pirates announced that the club has extended its working affiliation agreement with Class A Lynchburg through 2010.
The Dodgers won in twelve, 4-3. John Russell stuck to who brung him when he made up the getaway day lineup, running Jason Michaels, Chris Gomez and Raul Chavez out along with the fall wonders, Nyjer Morgan and Luis Cruz.
That tells us all we need to know about Steve Pearce, Luis Rivas, Brian Bixler, Ronny Paulino and Robinzon Diaz's places on the Pirate totem pole.
As for the game...well, start with eight Pittsburgh pitchers giving up eleven walks, four of the intentional variety.
Paul Maholm was uncharacteristically wild, giving up a half dozen free passes. Craig Hansen, predictably, faced four batters and walked three in earning a well-deserved loss. Three of the four Dodger runs were scored by a runner who walked.
Throw in a dribbler or three that could have been outs, Nyjer Morgan being easily tossed out trying to score from third with the second baseman holding the ball (we suppose Lance Berkman's lesson hasn't quite sunk in yet), and the Pirates left plays - and the game - all over the field.
EDIT - Paul Meyer said in the PBC Blog that Tony Beasley took the hit for Morgan's doomed gallop home. Doesn't anyone watch the ball?
Still, they made a run at it in the twelfth inning, putting runners on second and third with two away. They don't quit, and the fat lady didn't get to sing until Michaels popped out to second.
What the heck, nice day for a ballgame. Too bad the Bucs didn't join in the fun.
> A sight to behold: Apparently, the Blue Crew initiate their September call-ups with a bit of hazing silliness. When the Dodger relievers walked out to the bullpen in the middle of the first inning, the newcomers didn't carry their stuff in gym bags.
They had pink and blue "Hello Kitty" backpacks instead, much like you'd see on opening day - of first grade! Every now and then, you need reminded that beyond being a big business, baseball is still, and hopefully will forever remain, a little kid's game at heart.
> The Pirates announced that the club has extended its working affiliation agreement with Class A Lynchburg through 2010.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
It's Not Over Until the Third Out...
Maybe it was because Dirt Dog Doug questioned his teammate's desire in this morning's Dejan Kovacevic piece. Maybe it was because Joe Torre stuck to the book instead of his eyes. But whatever it was, the Bucs should bottle it.
They brought down the thunder and rolled to a 15-8 vicory over the Dodgers tonight. It wasn't as easy as the score would indicate, with some sloppy fielding and another very pedestrian performance by the Zachster.
But the Bucs scored four times in the fifth inning and added eight more in the seventh frame, all with two outs and the bases empty. It was plenty enough to thwart LA, and proof positive of the old admonition to not be the third out.
Dodger ace Chad Billingsly was cruising along with a 4-2 lead, and struck out the first two Pirates he faced in the fifth. He'd finish the inning on the bench after giving up two hits, a walk, and Adam LaRoche's grand slam, a shot that hit the batter's eye backdrop in dead center.
By the seventh, it was 7-7, and Scott Proctor had mowed down five straight Pirates. But Torre went with the odds and brought in lefty Scott Elbert, their #1 draft pick in 2004, with Nate McLouth due up. He walked, and Ryan Doumit went yard.
And that was just the start. The Bucs pounded out 7 hits, the Dodgers added an error, and eight Pirates in all crossed the dish.
The Zambellis weren't in the house tonight, but the Pirates provided a Skyblast of their own for the faithful.
A couple of things became painfully obvious tonight. The Pirate attack will go as far as their first five hitters will take it, the pitching has miles to go, and Brian Bixler doesn't have much of a future in Pittsburgh.
Those have to be addressed for 2009. For tonight, just enjoy the show.
> The Pirates seem to be rethinking moving Adam LaRoche in the off season. He's under team control for one more arbitration year, and they plan to talk to him after the year on extending his contract. That's a good move, with no one else in the system ready to take over first base. The results of those talks will determine his future in Pittsburgh.
> The Pirates announced today that they've come to an agreement to affiliate with the Class-A West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League through the 2010 season. Charleston plays in Appalachian Power Park, which opened in 2005.
"We are very pleased to move to Charleston and re-establish Pirates roots with a great community," said Neil Huntington. "It is an opportunity for us to have another of our affiliates close to Pittsburgh and develop players in a beautiful facility."
The move from Hickory marks the return of Pirates baseball to Charleston. From 1971 through 1976, the Charleston Charlies were Pittsburgh's Triple-A affiliate in the International League. From 1978 to 1979, Charleston was Pittsburgh's Single-A entry in the Western Carolinas League.
You can go home again.
> The Pirates also announced their schedule for the 2009 season, which will start late because of the World Baseball Classic.
The Bucs are slated to begin the 2009 campaign on Monday, April 6 in St. Louis. Following a seven-game road trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati, Pittsburgh will return home for a nine-game homestand.
The PNC Park lid lifter is scheduled for Monday, April 13, against the Houston Astros. The Pirates will also face the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins during the first homestand
The Bucs will face all five members of the AL Central during interleague play, taking on the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers (June 12-14) and Kansas City Royals (June 26-28) at PNC. The Pirates will travel to Chicago to face the White Sox (May 22-24) and to Minnesota (June 16-18).
That three-game set against the White Sox will be followed a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Double your pleasure...
They brought down the thunder and rolled to a 15-8 vicory over the Dodgers tonight. It wasn't as easy as the score would indicate, with some sloppy fielding and another very pedestrian performance by the Zachster.
But the Bucs scored four times in the fifth inning and added eight more in the seventh frame, all with two outs and the bases empty. It was plenty enough to thwart LA, and proof positive of the old admonition to not be the third out.
Dodger ace Chad Billingsly was cruising along with a 4-2 lead, and struck out the first two Pirates he faced in the fifth. He'd finish the inning on the bench after giving up two hits, a walk, and Adam LaRoche's grand slam, a shot that hit the batter's eye backdrop in dead center.
By the seventh, it was 7-7, and Scott Proctor had mowed down five straight Pirates. But Torre went with the odds and brought in lefty Scott Elbert, their #1 draft pick in 2004, with Nate McLouth due up. He walked, and Ryan Doumit went yard.
And that was just the start. The Bucs pounded out 7 hits, the Dodgers added an error, and eight Pirates in all crossed the dish.
The Zambellis weren't in the house tonight, but the Pirates provided a Skyblast of their own for the faithful.
A couple of things became painfully obvious tonight. The Pirate attack will go as far as their first five hitters will take it, the pitching has miles to go, and Brian Bixler doesn't have much of a future in Pittsburgh.
Those have to be addressed for 2009. For tonight, just enjoy the show.
> The Pirates seem to be rethinking moving Adam LaRoche in the off season. He's under team control for one more arbitration year, and they plan to talk to him after the year on extending his contract. That's a good move, with no one else in the system ready to take over first base. The results of those talks will determine his future in Pittsburgh.
> The Pirates announced today that they've come to an agreement to affiliate with the Class-A West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League through the 2010 season. Charleston plays in Appalachian Power Park, which opened in 2005.
"We are very pleased to move to Charleston and re-establish Pirates roots with a great community," said Neil Huntington. "It is an opportunity for us to have another of our affiliates close to Pittsburgh and develop players in a beautiful facility."
The move from Hickory marks the return of Pirates baseball to Charleston. From 1971 through 1976, the Charleston Charlies were Pittsburgh's Triple-A affiliate in the International League. From 1978 to 1979, Charleston was Pittsburgh's Single-A entry in the Western Carolinas League.
You can go home again.
> The Pirates also announced their schedule for the 2009 season, which will start late because of the World Baseball Classic.
The Bucs are slated to begin the 2009 campaign on Monday, April 6 in St. Louis. Following a seven-game road trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati, Pittsburgh will return home for a nine-game homestand.
The PNC Park lid lifter is scheduled for Monday, April 13, against the Houston Astros. The Pirates will also face the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins during the first homestand
The Bucs will face all five members of the AL Central during interleague play, taking on the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers (June 12-14) and Kansas City Royals (June 26-28) at PNC. The Pirates will travel to Chicago to face the White Sox (May 22-24) and to Minnesota (June 16-18).
That three-game set against the White Sox will be followed a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Double your pleasure...
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