2024 Pittsburgh Pirates

Hopefully, you're not as cursed as SM. Bring us some thunder to go along with last night's lightning. Cruz was so on fire last night. That double steal was such a risk but great reward play that led to an amazing W. Just asking to make it exciting. Let's stack up some W's this homestand because the upcoming road trip to AZ and Houston will be tough.

 

Holderman era 1.72, hopefully he put them couple of bad games behind him

 

Ortiz era 2.57

 

BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Raise the jolly roger!! Bucs are 50-48! What! Cruz is on fire! Lets go!

 

Bednar era 5.18… gave up complimentary hr

 

Ortiz now 5-2

 

Holderman should probably have Bednar’s role.
Bednar looks like he eats too many rolls anyway.

 

Man what a night! I had a great time. A really nice win by the buccos. Stadium was almost full. There may have been more Philly fans. A few Philly fans sat in front of me and we talked about PNC park and the Philly's park. They said PNC was a lot prettier. Got to see two homeruns by the Pirates and Bednar giving up his obligatory homerun. Hope this team is for real!! Great birthday present from my son

 

OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been to Philly's ballpark. It is bigger then PNC for obvious reasons and I'd say it is just as nice inside. The HUGE difference is the setting. PNC is in an incredible area. Philly stadiums are in the meat packing district. When they have firework night it is in a motel parking lot. I was there after yet another Pirate loss I saw and it felt like a war zone.

 

The folks in front of me said the same exact thing. He said they had an opportunity to build it at the waterfront but chose the current one.

 

I was so pissed that Keller and Skenes were not pitching this series but now they are ready for the Cardinals. Makes Shelton look brilliant. Gonzales has done decent job so far, big test today.

Not for nothing but the Pittsburgh Pirates have a MLB pitching staff. Please don't F us at the trade deadline Bob. PNC is doing well so you know the jerk won't add to the team.

If we could get in Playoffs with this staff.

 

We'd still be dealing with this anemic offense. Like today. They're getting dominated by good pitching

 

OK 2 out of 3 from Phillies. I was just thinking we might win 1.

Every ML team wins 50 and loses 50 games, it's those other 62 the Bucs have trouble with. Need 2 of 3 from Cardinals.

 

I actually like their shot against the Cardinals. Looking at the Cards’ run differential, their record may be an illusion, i.e., they have been very lucky. I think they are about six games better than they really should be. And they will face the best Pirates pitchers in this series. Of course, things have a way of not going according to plan, but I do like the Pirates’ chances.

 

Cards’ record is 52-47, .525.
Scored 414 runs, allowed 425. Pythagorean wins says they should be 48-51, .488.
The Pirates are a game or so above expectations too. So, on the season, the Cards and Pirates are about as good as each other.
Pythagorean wins and actual wins get closer to each other as the season progresses. Four wins above expectation is a lot at this point of the year.

 

I bet you are beaming with pride after the Dodgers smoked the Bosox.Hey that HR Ohtani hit was a hell of a shot in a ballpark that doesn't like the long ball. Know this, our own Willie Stargell (sorry) has the record there at 507 feet.

 

Until yesterday's 5-0 shutout, Bucs were inching closer to breakeven on run differential at -5, but now back to -11. Probably one of the lesser important stats in MLB as wins relative to others in your respective division and league matter most (relative to post season chances) - duh! How many times have we seen teams like the Dodgers have a positive run differential in the hundreds only to bow out quickly in the playoffs? I do like these 6 game winning streaks though coupled with consecutive series' wins. Stay relevant boys!

 

Don't follow the Brooklyn Bums much but I was at the game where Wilver hit 3 and just missed on a 4th that bounced high off the right field wall for a double or triple. That was long before he snubbed my brother for an autograph at their hotel. The best I saw at Chavez Ravine (tickets given to me) was the Card's Fernando Tatis Sr hitting 2 grand slams the same inning both off of Chan Ho Park. It's considered one of those highly untouchable records.

 

I would not argue with anything you said. Pythagorean wins are not important in the grand scheme of things. At the end of the year no one crowns the Pythagorean win champion. But they are a good indicator of what a team is, really, compared to what their record is. Kind of like OPS. We never understood, back in the day, that a hypothetical team of 9 Willie Stargells hitting .240 would produce more runs than a team of 9 Matty Alous hitting .340.

 

Hmm. Interesting synopsis. Anomalies prevail however - look at the last place Oakland A's - they have 3 of the highest runs scored victories this season - 20-4 over Miami, 19-8 over Baltimore and 18-3 over the Phillies yet are in last place 14 games back in their division and -70 in the run diff column. Not to mention still in search of a home City. Stats will drive you crazy when morphed with logic and reality.

I'm with Yogi Berra when he said that baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.

 

Don't want to undermine our youngster at SS nor take away from his very impressive (at times) bat, but other than 120mph shots to 1st base Mr. Cruz Missile is acting like a liability at SS. He had 3 major fielding flubs yesterday and thankfully it wasn't a close game, albeit would have been without the flubs. Is DH more his attribute? While he has a potential at 1st base, not sure he scoops out wide throws even as well as a much shorter Connor Joe. With his speed and leap potential perhaps in the outfield he would've snagged those 2 HR's that Reynolds couldn't quite reach yesterday? Any thoughts?

 

Yep -

5 longest home runs hit at Dodger Stadium: Shohei Ohtani joins exclusive list

1. Willie Stargell: 506 ft., 6 in.; Aug. 5, 1969
2. Mark McGwire: 483 feet; May 22, 1999
3. Mike Piazza: 478 feet; Sept. 21, 1997
4. Giancarlo Stanton: 475 feet; May 12, 2015
5. Shohei Ohtani: 473 feet; July 22, 2024

 

Mission accomplished. Thunder was applied. Outcome relished.