Pirates 2016

Maybe I had a case of premature dejection here (and worse yet - admit it!) - who would have thought that the Pirates would go 8-2 exactly at the same time the Cubbies went 2-8? That just doesn't happen in the real world. Good thing this is just a game. Sure liked Friday's effort - too bad they couldn't juxtapose this game with last year's Wild Card game. Maybe Josh Bell gets some time in right if Polanco's hammy is injured again. Say want you want about Serpico but man that dude is athletic where ever they play him - he's essentially the poor man's Josh Harrison.

 

I think some people forget how long a baseball season really is? I am not sure if the Pirates have it in them, but I do
like the young talent I have seen so far this season come up and into the majors. Who knows maybe this young talent(see Penguins)
maybe able to get us over the top?

 

Another one of my boys from Altoona, Josh Bell, who I watched play 1st base, hits a grand slam on his second day in the Majors!

I. Love. The. Cubbies! Haha!

 

Bravo. You coached him well Ms Steel. This game was wild enough even before JB came to bat - what an incredible moment in Pirate folklore. Aren't you glad this isn't mid-September and we're sweating out all the what ifs just to get into the playoffs? Plenty of time to put it all together. Just read where there have been two rookies this year who have hit pinch hit grand slams as their first MLB homers - Bell and some guy for SD and BOTH were off of this same pitcher Warren. Freaky. He may want to return to his day job as a Walmart greeter. ha ha. This same thing happened a few years ago when we were chasing the Cards and got real hot just before the ASG break and then came out rather flat in the second half. Maybe Bucs should just start with the bullpen and then find a starter mid-game.

 

Sigh................................................

 

Haha!

 

I think you should change your theme song to the Shangra La's "Leader of the Pack" cause your boyfriend 's been a little slow on his return so far and I'd like to see him take charge of this sluggish group. You notice how they beefed up this re-mix of the Boyfriend song? It was much tinnier in its original form and here the harmonies are all blended and the vocals are more mature - on the original release the lead Angel sounded like about 14-15. Funny stuff!

 

So how do you guys feel about us getting Chapman?

 

This is what I had to say about it when he went to Yanks. I wish they'd let him bat just once against the Bucs. He'd be put in a coma on the first pitch. That guy is evil ("Must feed Jobu some rum!")

 

Yeah there's some character issues there for sure but that dude can sling a fastball like nobody's business. I don't think it was a bad trade for us though because we're so stacked anyway and who can even say if those guys would have ever even sniffed the field? Post season games pretty much come down to pitching so I'm fine with the trade. We're slumping bad though so I'm not exactly expecting the curse to end this year.

 

Yeah I was happiest person on the planet (other than McCutcheon) when this nasty dude left the Bucs division and the National League - figured we see him maybe every 5 years until he lost his fastball and was out of baseball. Maybe his face will run into a batted ball again like in spring training last year. The Cubs don't need any more ringers and not sure who would give them competition in the National League this year before the WS. They've handled all the top teams so far.

 

I've got a bad feeling about Washington and SF. I've got a really bad feeling about Baltimore overall. Also I've got a bad feeling about the White Sox even though we are finally thumping them today. Chapman is bringing the heat at Wrigley for sure. His "offspeed" pitch was a breaking ball at 91. That's a fastball for a lot of guys. Just insane how much power is in his arm.

 

Cubs got Chapman which is awesome but cubs also have been struggling offensively, and Jake Arrieta ran out of PEDS.

 

Dexter Fowler coming back is huge. Him getting hurt was really bad. Addison Russell's bat has came to life and Baez is becoming a good hitter and very reliable defender. Jake is looking more human but as long as we can mount some offense then we will be fine.

 

The only difference I see from last year to this is that Jake isn't Godly anymore. He was last season, and halfway this season. Now he is like postseason jake, which has no command. Our bats need to take the same approach as last year, be patient and wear out starting pitcher then jump on the pen. Our Bullpen is elite now. Edwards, montgomery, then the 3 man knockout punch, strop/rondon/chapman.

 

I think he's hurtin'.

 

Wow look's like the Buc's are dumping salaries? I am not sure how we got any better after these trades?
Not sure if we can catch the other wild card teams?

 

Getting swept by the Brewfarts at a pivotal point of the season tells it all. Liriano and Niese were total embarrassments this season and Cutch isn't far behind. I think Kang just ran out of steam or there's enough video on him now to get him to wiff more often than not. Even so - their hitting is above-average with an awesome bench (for a change) but that pitching has been just awful - starters through most of the bullpen. It was fun while it lasted. The pitching was so nearly perfect last year which is how we managed 98 wins. Just hope we can stay ahead of the Brewers at this point.

 

I think you're now officially "prophetic" Ms Steel - he had to leave the game after getting beaned at the plate last night and it wasn't by a big pizza pie. I hope he doesn't have to take the John Jaso route to playing 1st base. Poor guy needs to take the Nestea plunge for a while and get refreshed.

 

How does Bob Nutting get away with this? I believe the Pirate players don't believe
in Pirate ownership.

 

The Pirates are in a surprisingly good position to take the second wildcard spot, They need to play well over the next few games and string a couple of 3 or 4 game win streaks together. Then they beat the first wildcard team in the infamous one game series and go on to play and beat the hated perennial losers called the Cubs. You know the Cubs will choke it's only a matter of who benefits from them choking. It might as well be us.

 

I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop but I'm enjoying right now. The Cubbies are vastly more talented and deep than the Pirates. Also the Mets and Nats would eat the Pirates alive too. I don't want to play either of them but I really would dread the Cards the most because nothing would please them more than to spoil our magical season. I wish the Pirates could knock the Cards out. Sorta the way Rodriguez did that cooler last year when Arrieta and the boys sent them packing in their own house. LOL!

 

Keep dreaming. If you are still a preacher you could try some praying too. I'm not saying what should happen - just what will happen. If not the Pirates knocking the Cubs out then I guess I would hope the Cards get the job done.

 

The biggest problem we have is the bullpen. Aside from that we are easily the best all around team in baseball.