Sunday, May 29, 2005
Now The Laugh's On Us
9-0 after three innings, yoy.
Kip Wells: 2.2IP, 6H, 9R, 4ER, 4BB, 3K, 2HR. 72 pitches, 38 for strikes. Raised his ERA from 3.60 to 3.99. Griffey had one of the homers, and has 4 RBIs already. LaRue had the other. Vogelsong is pitching now. If Kip was trying to look good to boost his trade value, he didn't help his cause any. He's been the victim of poor run support in some earlier starts this year, but today's problems were mostly his own, even though there was more ugly play behind him as well. Can I say that I don't like Wigginton at first even more than I don't like him at third? Can anyone tell me what this guy has done for us since the day we got him? I can't think of a thing, even when I try hard. How much longer do we have to put up with his uselessness, until the bosses admit that he's useless? Kip may not be worth what he'll cost to keep for 2006, but Wigginton isn't worth any more than you'd pay a dead body to lie on the infield dirt and block grounders with his corpse. .196 with 9 RBIs is equally cadaverous.
I am busy cooking stuff for tomorrow's Memorial Day picnic, so I doubt I'll post any more about this game.
(later) I lied. Final score, 11-2.
Kip Wells: 2.2IP, 6H, 9R, 4ER, 4BB, 3K, 2HR. 72 pitches, 38 for strikes. Raised his ERA from 3.60 to 3.99. Griffey had one of the homers, and has 4 RBIs already. LaRue had the other. Vogelsong is pitching now. If Kip was trying to look good to boost his trade value, he didn't help his cause any. He's been the victim of poor run support in some earlier starts this year, but today's problems were mostly his own, even though there was more ugly play behind him as well. Can I say that I don't like Wigginton at first even more than I don't like him at third? Can anyone tell me what this guy has done for us since the day we got him? I can't think of a thing, even when I try hard. How much longer do we have to put up with his uselessness, until the bosses admit that he's useless? Kip may not be worth what he'll cost to keep for 2006, but Wigginton isn't worth any more than you'd pay a dead body to lie on the infield dirt and block grounders with his corpse. .196 with 9 RBIs is equally cadaverous.
I am busy cooking stuff for tomorrow's Memorial Day picnic, so I doubt I'll post any more about this game.
(later) I lied. Final score, 11-2.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Ha Ha, Our Second Laugher
9-2 over Cincinnati in the middle game of the series. The lead was ours from the top of the first, when we scored four times. Lit up central PA native Eric Milton like the proverbial Christmas tree - 9 hits, 3 dingers, and 7 ER in 3.0 innings. Dave Williams one-hit the Reds through his 7.0 innings pitched. I admit I switched channels at 9:00pm when the score was 7-1, in order to tape the first part of Empire Falls for an HBO-less friend. I had the game on in the kitchen though, and popped in a few times just to make sure things were okay. They were.
Lloyd put out a pretty funky starting lineup:
Our other laugher was the 16-2 win over Arizona on the 8th of this month. Did you forget already?
Lloyd put out a pretty funky starting lineup:
Sanchez, 3BWiggy wasn't pretty at first, but it was nice to see Freddy get a start (his first leadoff start ever). Do I need to post box-score links? Oh okay, here's one. Here's a play-by-play. That's enough.
Lawton, RF
Bay, CF
Wigginton, 1B
Castillo, 2B
Restovich, LF
Cota, C
Wilson, J, SS
Williams, P
Our other laugher was the 16-2 win over Arizona on the 8th of this month. Did you forget already?
Jack's Appendix, Lloyd's Brain
Jack Wilson admits that he hasn't felt up to snuff since his emergency appendectomy last December 21st, and that his loss of strength is the key to his subpar offensive performance so far in 2005.
'"First I've heard of it," McClendon said.'
Someone please whup that man upside the head with the extra-large Get-A-Clue stick. Damn, Lloyd, you don't have to be a surgeon or a patient to know that a big, open, emergency operation for a burst appendix is going to set you back for a while. A WHILE, Lloyd. Even if Jack's recovery hasn't been as fraught with problems as Adrian Beltre's was, it's still a big deal, medically. I'm the veteran of several abdomen-slicing operations, and I'm still recovering from the latest and biggest one, in mid-2003. As soon as I heard about Jack's operation last Christmas, I knew immediately that he'd be lucky just to tread water this year. There's no way that Jack should be blamed for the dropoff, it's just the way things are after surgery like that. Those abdominal muscles are crucial for a powerful swing and a speedy bat, and they're just not all there yet. Not nearly.
Gimme that stick, I feel like whupping McClendon myself. Or anyone else who holds Jack to last year's standard.
'"First I've heard of it," McClendon said.'
Someone please whup that man upside the head with the extra-large Get-A-Clue stick. Damn, Lloyd, you don't have to be a surgeon or a patient to know that a big, open, emergency operation for a burst appendix is going to set you back for a while. A WHILE, Lloyd. Even if Jack's recovery hasn't been as fraught with problems as Adrian Beltre's was, it's still a big deal, medically. I'm the veteran of several abdomen-slicing operations, and I'm still recovering from the latest and biggest one, in mid-2003. As soon as I heard about Jack's operation last Christmas, I knew immediately that he'd be lucky just to tread water this year. There's no way that Jack should be blamed for the dropoff, it's just the way things are after surgery like that. Those abdominal muscles are crucial for a powerful swing and a speedy bat, and they're just not all there yet. Not nearly.
Gimme that stick, I feel like whupping McClendon myself. Or anyone else who holds Jack to last year's standard.
Prospecting
In my previous post I referred to Wilbur Miller and his Pirate Player Profiles website, for insight into the dearth of significant talent below our current AAA team (last year's Altoona Curve, now mostly at Indy). Wilbur's skills at gathering information about, and writing cogent analysis of, the players in the Pirates' farm system is to my knowledge unequaled among non-professionals. I'd bet there are more than a few pro scouts who don't do as well. He's an amateur in the classic sense of the word - not only is it not his day job, it's not even his only avocation. (I must issue a bit of a disclaimer: We hang out together in Bradenton when our stays overlap, and he even promised to bail me out a year ago, when I went to DC to express some political opinions. His intervention was not required.)
Wilbur's site is more of a reference document than a blog, so in order to read his thoughts in a less structured format, you've either got to subscribe to the Pirates Mailing List where he is a contributing member (as am I), or poke around until you find his occasional comments on other Pirate blogs, such as this one occasionally, or Honest Wagner.
Or, go read his contributions to onlybucs.net, such as this latest one. Title, 'What Might Have Been'. Indeed. He's got other articles there as well, all worth reading.
Wilbur's site is more of a reference document than a blog, so in order to read his thoughts in a less structured format, you've either got to subscribe to the Pirates Mailing List where he is a contributing member (as am I), or poke around until you find his occasional comments on other Pirate blogs, such as this one occasionally, or Honest Wagner.
Or, go read his contributions to onlybucs.net, such as this latest one. Title, 'What Might Have Been'. Indeed. He's got other articles there as well, all worth reading.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Curve vs Reading, Postgame Report
Curve came away with the victory, 2-1. Box score here, game log here.
Pregame Surprise: I was standing in line with the monkeyboys, in front of the football-toss game. Directly behind me I heard a father say to his young son, "Derrick, come here, stay in line." The voice was VERY familiar, so I turned around. Yup, Dave Littlefield. Ya never know. We had a nice little chat (we've met a few times before, he usually remembers me after I jog his memory). He was up with his wife and kids to take in the game, almost as a civilian. See how the team looked, keep an eye on anyone who was doing anything special. "Always looking for good players." (No, Wilbur, I didn't reply "Then why are you here?", even if I thought it.) No other Pirate office guys were with him. I didn't think to ask if it was his first trip to BCB this season. It was our turn to toss the footballs.
Player Of The Game: RF Rich Thompson. Why: Tie score at 1-1 in the bottom of the 8th, threatening both extra innings and rain. Pitcher's duel, not much offense on either side. Thompson leads off with a single. Takes it upon himself to steal both second AND third during the at-bat of 3B Jose Bautista, who whiffs for the first out. 1B Tom Evans lifts a fly ball to medium right for the second out. Thompson tags and runs. Reading RF Chris Roberson throws a one-hop bullet to C Trent Pratt, easily beating Thompson. But Thompson plows into Pratt like a runaway truck into the side of a house, and from my seat in section 213, I had a perfect view of the collision and the ball popping out of Pratt's glove, almost in slow motion. Ump signals safe, Thompson gets high-fived by his teammates as the crowd cheers, and Pratt, still on his hands and knees, pounds his fist into the dirt in frustration.
That run belonged completely to Thompson, who knew how much we needed to score, and that standing at first base waiting for someone to hit him around the bases wasn't going to get the job done. I can't think of the last time, if ever, that I've seen anyone create a run out of pure blood and guts like that. I sure hope Littlefield saw it.
Monkeyboy Recap: The two little simians were very excited to be at their first game of the season. They got to bounce in the big green inflatable Steamer, they paid a good bit of attention to the action on the field (they're only 5 and 3, so this is a big deal for Leeeny, to inculcate the game into their little heads), and they didn't get tired or cranky in the late innings. They were justly rewarded by the team's win, by two prizes each at the games area, and by the bonus of postgame fireworks. There aren't many things better than being a little kid at a baseball game. Even experiencing it vicariously by watching them enjoy themselves ranks pretty high. Monkey #2 loves to yell "Foul ball!" whenever one goes into the stands, and he laughs at the plate ump's "funny noise" when a loud strike is called. Both boys had their gloves on tonight, but no balls came within range. These seats are well placed for right-handed-hitter fouls - Monkey #1 got one (with just a little help) at the very first game he ever attended.
Overall Thoughts: I didn't see anything especially noteworthy about the team. This sure ain't the 2004 Altoona Curve. They didn't seem to have the same level of physical talent (speed, throwing accuracy, etc.) as the Reading players, even though we're ahead of them in the standings. Mike Connolly did a workmanlike job, with 1 run, 2 walks, 3 Ks, and 4 hits over 7.0 innings, but got no decision. A few of the Curve players are holdovers from last year - Connolly, Ronny Paulino, Ray Sadler (he of the sip-of-coffee with the Bucs a couple weeks ago), and Brandon Chaves (back after an ACL injury last May, which ended his season). Josh Bonifay is still around, but didn't play tonight. Jose Bautista is here now, after all his travels last year. Others are familiar by name (Rajai Davis), and others are entirely new to me. 1B Tom Evans is almost 31, with MLB service time in Toronto and Texas over the last few years, but he was playing ball in Mexico when we acquired him early last August. Not a prospect.
So, Leeeny's summer at BCB will be oriented more toward just watching the games non-analytically, and having fun with the monkeyboys. The team is hovering just over the .500 mark right now, and I'd be surprised if a playoff shot is in the cards. It still bums me out that we got swept in the EL championship last year, because it will probably be a good while before we get there again. If you want more detail as to why I hold that opinion, I recommend you click on over to Wilbur's Pirate Player Profiles.
Pregame Surprise: I was standing in line with the monkeyboys, in front of the football-toss game. Directly behind me I heard a father say to his young son, "Derrick, come here, stay in line." The voice was VERY familiar, so I turned around. Yup, Dave Littlefield. Ya never know. We had a nice little chat (we've met a few times before, he usually remembers me after I jog his memory). He was up with his wife and kids to take in the game, almost as a civilian. See how the team looked, keep an eye on anyone who was doing anything special. "Always looking for good players." (No, Wilbur, I didn't reply "Then why are you here?", even if I thought it.) No other Pirate office guys were with him. I didn't think to ask if it was his first trip to BCB this season. It was our turn to toss the footballs.
Player Of The Game: RF Rich Thompson. Why: Tie score at 1-1 in the bottom of the 8th, threatening both extra innings and rain. Pitcher's duel, not much offense on either side. Thompson leads off with a single. Takes it upon himself to steal both second AND third during the at-bat of 3B Jose Bautista, who whiffs for the first out. 1B Tom Evans lifts a fly ball to medium right for the second out. Thompson tags and runs. Reading RF Chris Roberson throws a one-hop bullet to C Trent Pratt, easily beating Thompson. But Thompson plows into Pratt like a runaway truck into the side of a house, and from my seat in section 213, I had a perfect view of the collision and the ball popping out of Pratt's glove, almost in slow motion. Ump signals safe, Thompson gets high-fived by his teammates as the crowd cheers, and Pratt, still on his hands and knees, pounds his fist into the dirt in frustration.
That run belonged completely to Thompson, who knew how much we needed to score, and that standing at first base waiting for someone to hit him around the bases wasn't going to get the job done. I can't think of the last time, if ever, that I've seen anyone create a run out of pure blood and guts like that. I sure hope Littlefield saw it.
Monkeyboy Recap: The two little simians were very excited to be at their first game of the season. They got to bounce in the big green inflatable Steamer, they paid a good bit of attention to the action on the field (they're only 5 and 3, so this is a big deal for Leeeny, to inculcate the game into their little heads), and they didn't get tired or cranky in the late innings. They were justly rewarded by the team's win, by two prizes each at the games area, and by the bonus of postgame fireworks. There aren't many things better than being a little kid at a baseball game. Even experiencing it vicariously by watching them enjoy themselves ranks pretty high. Monkey #2 loves to yell "Foul ball!" whenever one goes into the stands, and he laughs at the plate ump's "funny noise" when a loud strike is called. Both boys had their gloves on tonight, but no balls came within range. These seats are well placed for right-handed-hitter fouls - Monkey #1 got one (with just a little help) at the very first game he ever attended.
Overall Thoughts: I didn't see anything especially noteworthy about the team. This sure ain't the 2004 Altoona Curve. They didn't seem to have the same level of physical talent (speed, throwing accuracy, etc.) as the Reading players, even though we're ahead of them in the standings. Mike Connolly did a workmanlike job, with 1 run, 2 walks, 3 Ks, and 4 hits over 7.0 innings, but got no decision. A few of the Curve players are holdovers from last year - Connolly, Ronny Paulino, Ray Sadler (he of the sip-of-coffee with the Bucs a couple weeks ago), and Brandon Chaves (back after an ACL injury last May, which ended his season). Josh Bonifay is still around, but didn't play tonight. Jose Bautista is here now, after all his travels last year. Others are familiar by name (Rajai Davis), and others are entirely new to me. 1B Tom Evans is almost 31, with MLB service time in Toronto and Texas over the last few years, but he was playing ball in Mexico when we acquired him early last August. Not a prospect.
So, Leeeny's summer at BCB will be oriented more toward just watching the games non-analytically, and having fun with the monkeyboys. The team is hovering just over the .500 mark right now, and I'd be surprised if a playoff shot is in the cards. It still bums me out that we got swept in the EL championship last year, because it will probably be a good while before we get there again. If you want more detail as to why I hold that opinion, I recommend you click on over to Wilbur's Pirate Player Profiles.
Curve Pre-Game Notes
Altoona puts up a link to their detailed game notes in PDF form. Nice. Since I'll be at the game tonight, here are a few tidbits:
Tonight's starters - LHP Mike Connolly, 3-3, 3.33, vs Reading's RHP Mike Smith, 1-5, 3.56. The Curve are presently 22-21, in 3rd place in the southern division of the Eastern League, 3.0 games back of Erie. They lead the EL in team batting (.268), runs per game (4.88), and home runs (43), but have the worst ERA in the league (4.32).
RHP Matt Peterson was placed on the disabled list today, with 'right shoulder fatigue'. RHP Hansel Izquierdo (1-3, 5.34) has been re-activated from the Temporarily Inactive List, and will start in Peterson's place tomorrow night (Saturday). Izquierdo, 28, was away from the team at the beginning of the week in order to go home to Florida to take his US citizenship exam, which he passed on Tuesday in Miami. He defected from Cuba at age 17, in 1994.
OF Jorge Cortes is 17 for 38 (.447) in his last 11 games. INF Tom Evans is 9 for 21 (.429) in his last 6 games. 3B Jose Bautista has a 13 game on-base streak. RHP Ben Shaffar has thrown 12-2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
Stay tuned for the post-game report, and a review of the fireworks.
Tonight's starters - LHP Mike Connolly, 3-3, 3.33, vs Reading's RHP Mike Smith, 1-5, 3.56. The Curve are presently 22-21, in 3rd place in the southern division of the Eastern League, 3.0 games back of Erie. They lead the EL in team batting (.268), runs per game (4.88), and home runs (43), but have the worst ERA in the league (4.32).
RHP Matt Peterson was placed on the disabled list today, with 'right shoulder fatigue'. RHP Hansel Izquierdo (1-3, 5.34) has been re-activated from the Temporarily Inactive List, and will start in Peterson's place tomorrow night (Saturday). Izquierdo, 28, was away from the team at the beginning of the week in order to go home to Florida to take his US citizenship exam, which he passed on Tuesday in Miami. He defected from Cuba at age 17, in 1994.
OF Jorge Cortes is 17 for 38 (.447) in his last 11 games. INF Tom Evans is 9 for 21 (.429) in his last 6 games. 3B Jose Bautista has a 13 game on-base streak. RHP Ben Shaffar has thrown 12-2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
Stay tuned for the post-game report, and a review of the fireworks.
A Very Good Day, A Year Ago
I'm a day early on this, but Happy First Birthday, Garrett Mackowiak!
Boyoboy, that was a fun day. Made the top of most people's 'best Pirate moment of 2004' list, including mine. Relive the joy here (links for lowband and broadband). The clips have Chip Caray announcing and he doesn't mention any of the good stuff, but at least you can see the crowd and the team going nutso.
Boyoboy, that was a fun day. Made the top of most people's 'best Pirate moment of 2004' list, including mine. Relive the joy here (links for lowband and broadband). The clips have Chip Caray announcing and he doesn't mention any of the good stuff, but at least you can see the crowd and the team going nutso.
I Have a Bad Feeling About This
A new website, www.statecollegebaseball.com, has been created already for the recently-announced minor league team coming to yet-to-be-built Medlar Field in State College next year.
That's not the worrisome part. This is. If you're too lazy to click, it's a Name The New Team contest. Two rounds, no less - the first round is public submissions beginning today through June 10th, and then a second round to pick from the "best" of round one, June 19 through 26. Winner to be announced sometime shortly afterwards.
You've got to understand, my concern about this is well founded in experience. Back in 1998 they tried to do this for what became the Altoona Curve. Ballots in the newspaper. Among the names vying in contention, before the team wised up and picked the name themselves, were: the Altoona Ridge Runners (the context escapes me to this day), the Altoona Lake Monsters (because the ballpark sits beside Lakemont Park, get it?), and the Altoona Fish (just think about it). So I trust you see my point.
This contest sounds like an idea that will result either in something generic and insipid, or blow up in their faces. We'll find out in July, I guess.
Feel free to post your own State College Whatevers suggestions in the comments. You Big Ten folks ought to be able to come up with a few.
That's not the worrisome part. This is. If you're too lazy to click, it's a Name The New Team contest. Two rounds, no less - the first round is public submissions beginning today through June 10th, and then a second round to pick from the "best" of round one, June 19 through 26. Winner to be announced sometime shortly afterwards.
You've got to understand, my concern about this is well founded in experience. Back in 1998 they tried to do this for what became the Altoona Curve. Ballots in the newspaper. Among the names vying in contention, before the team wised up and picked the name themselves, were: the Altoona Ridge Runners (the context escapes me to this day), the Altoona Lake Monsters (because the ballpark sits beside Lakemont Park, get it?), and the Altoona Fish (just think about it). So I trust you see my point.
This contest sounds like an idea that will result either in something generic and insipid, or blow up in their faces. We'll find out in July, I guess.
Feel free to post your own State College Whatevers suggestions in the comments. You Big Ten folks ought to be able to come up with a few.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Lost Love
Smilin' Joe Randa just doubled in two runs in the bottom of ninth, pinch hitting. I still miss you so, Joe.
(a few minutes later) Final score, 8-4, us. A comparison of us playing St. Louis versus us playing Cincinnati reminds me why they use handicaps in golf and bowling and horseracing. Or have divisions in European football.
Sorry no detailed game summary tonight - the monkeyboys were here for dinner and into the evening during the first part of the ballgame, and then I got sidetracked writing this instead. Don't let the link address fool you, it isn't about dogs. But it isn't about baseball, either.
Tomorrow night (Friday) we'll be at Blair County Ballpark for the first time this season. So even if I'm not able to write much about the Pirates, I should at least have some impressions to convey about the 2005 Altoona Curve. I'm not sure who will be pitching - I'll amend this post if I find out before the game.
(a few minutes later) Final score, 8-4, us. A comparison of us playing St. Louis versus us playing Cincinnati reminds me why they use handicaps in golf and bowling and horseracing. Or have divisions in European football.
Sorry no detailed game summary tonight - the monkeyboys were here for dinner and into the evening during the first part of the ballgame, and then I got sidetracked writing this instead. Don't let the link address fool you, it isn't about dogs. But it isn't about baseball, either.
Tomorrow night (Friday) we'll be at Blair County Ballpark for the first time this season. So even if I'm not able to write much about the Pirates, I should at least have some impressions to convey about the 2005 Altoona Curve. I'm not sure who will be pitching - I'll amend this post if I find out before the game.
Pigs Fly, ESPN Mentions The Pirates
(props to Pat for the tip on this one)
I usually ignore ESPN for anything except raw numbers and gamecasts, because their organization-wideraving bias editorial slant toward the Yankees and Red Sox is enough to make me nauseous. The fact that they're owned by the Evil Mouse Empire just adds another touch of ipecac.
But once in a while they deign to acknowledge Pittsburgh's existence in a manner that isn't mockery, or at least isn't 100% mockery. A recent example of the former case was PNC's emergence as the best ballpark in the majors, based on a summer-long series of pieces they did in 2004, sending their writer Jim Caple around the country to attend games at all thirty fields. That one was very well done, with no whiff of "Holy crap, we're actually picking PITTSBURGH" to it.
Today's reason to bring up this subject is this article on the upcoming weekend's Pirates-Reds series, highlighting the century-old rivalry between the two teams. Brings back some good memories and some very bad ones, but it's worth a read. There's some sub-surface mockery going on, but you've got to consider the source.
I usually ignore ESPN for anything except raw numbers and gamecasts, because their organization-wide
But once in a while they deign to acknowledge Pittsburgh's existence in a manner that isn't mockery, or at least isn't 100% mockery. A recent example of the former case was PNC's emergence as the best ballpark in the majors, based on a summer-long series of pieces they did in 2004, sending their writer Jim Caple around the country to attend games at all thirty fields. That one was very well done, with no whiff of "Holy crap, we're actually picking PITTSBURGH" to it.
Today's reason to bring up this subject is this article on the upcoming weekend's Pirates-Reds series, highlighting the century-old rivalry between the two teams. Brings back some good memories and some very bad ones, but it's worth a read. There's some sub-surface mockery going on, but you've got to consider the source.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Flunked
Did we scrape by with a passing grade in Advanced Intradivisional Play 101? Nope. 11-5, and it wasn't that close. Back to the remedial class (Cincinnati branch campus) tomorrow.
Revenge of the Sith was a big letdown, too.
Revenge of the Sith was a big letdown, too.
Final Exam
Tonight we'll see if we can salvage a squeak-by passing grade in this three day course. Mark Redman, 3-3, 2.48, vs Mark Mulder, 6-1, 3.71. Both lefties have been mensches of late.
DogBoy and I are going out tonight for my belated birthday dinner-and-movie (or in tonight's case, the other way around), so I may miss the first part of the game. Yes, we're going to see Star Wars, did you need to ask?
DogBoy and I are going out tonight for my belated birthday dinner-and-movie (or in tonight's case, the other way around), so I may miss the first part of the game. Yes, we're going to see Star Wars, did you need to ask?
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Beat Me In St. Louis
I hate trying to describe games like these last two. (Monday's 4-2 loss to the division-leading Cards, and tonight's 2-1 loss in 12 innings.) Hard enough it is to sit through the games as they're happening, much less to live them over again while writing a recap. I'm not getting paid enough. Here's CBS's summary of tonight's game, here's ESPN's, and here's the extended box score and detailed breakdown at USAToday. Me for this stuff, you need not.
Mainly, though, I'm going to need a while to recover from the psychic trauma caused by the ignominious shame of intentionally walking Abraham Nunez. This just smacks every other thought I own clean out of my head. I've tried to distract myself by coming up with an explanation for the anomalously bad defense we've played in these two games, or why I should be happy that we're at least getting men on base, even if we're leaving them there (11 LOB tonight, 7 last night). But all that comes out of my skull is McClendon told Mesa to put Abe on base. Setup: sudden death in the bottom of the 12th. One out and a guy on second, and the batter on deck was a slowpoke hitting near the Mendoza line. Abe's been performing above all personal precedent during most of his recent spate of playing time, but his batting average has dropped almost 90 points in his last 10 games. The Book says, put him on and go for the DP. I don't give a damn about any of that. The only background that matters is: we got RID of this guy, after all or part of eight seasons' worth of pain and suffering and rending of garments and gnashing of teeth, because the only thing he knew how to do was kill a rally. Kill it deader than rocks, by the mere act of taking a bat in his hands and stepping to the plate. We called him THE TORPEDO BOAT, fercripesake.
So tonight. Our Veteran Presence, our Go To Guy, our Shut Them The Hell Down Now CLOSER, tucks tail and throws him four wide ones.
It was a craven act by all concerned, and it is karmically just that the very next pitch brought in the game-loser.
Mainly, though, I'm going to need a while to recover from the psychic trauma caused by the ignominious shame of intentionally walking Abraham Nunez. This just smacks every other thought I own clean out of my head. I've tried to distract myself by coming up with an explanation for the anomalously bad defense we've played in these two games, or why I should be happy that we're at least getting men on base, even if we're leaving them there (11 LOB tonight, 7 last night). But all that comes out of my skull is McClendon told Mesa to put Abe on base. Setup: sudden death in the bottom of the 12th. One out and a guy on second, and the batter on deck was a slowpoke hitting near the Mendoza line. Abe's been performing above all personal precedent during most of his recent spate of playing time, but his batting average has dropped almost 90 points in his last 10 games. The Book says, put him on and go for the DP. I don't give a damn about any of that. The only background that matters is: we got RID of this guy, after all or part of eight seasons' worth of pain and suffering and rending of garments and gnashing of teeth, because the only thing he knew how to do was kill a rally. Kill it deader than rocks, by the mere act of taking a bat in his hands and stepping to the plate. We called him THE TORPEDO BOAT, fercripesake.
So tonight. Our Veteran Presence, our Go To Guy, our Shut Them The Hell Down Now CLOSER, tucks tail and throws him four wide ones.
It was a craven act by all concerned, and it is karmically just that the very next pitch brought in the game-loser.
Monday, May 23, 2005
On Interleague Play
I'm cribbing this gem directly from Batgirl - you need to go over and read the whole post, complete with her always-fabulous Photoshopped illustrations. In fact you need to take a two-week vacation from your job and read her entire blog, without skipping one post or comment or LegoVision recap. If only I could blog like Batgirl. (Where does she get the time?)
Not much more you need to say about interstellarleague ballgames. I'm glad we had the Rockies instead.
Until recently, the Brewers were controlled by Darth Seligous -- an evil Sith Lord with a ballpark financing plan so powerful that it could destroy an entire city. Darth Seligous believes in "rivalries," and where no rivalries exist, he will create them, dammit. So under Darth Seligous's dark reign, love is replaced by hate, admiration by envy, and -- in the case of the Brewers and Twins -- apathy by, well, more apathy. But for Darth Seligous, there's always hope that someday we will learn to hate each other.
Not much more you need to say about inter
Absolute Value
I am not thinking about baseball too much today, as I am still verklempt over last night's Deadwood season finale. Big-time withdrawal coming up for me now, as season 3 won't commence until NEXT MARCH. The horror, the horror.
Anyway. Bucs in Saint Louie tonight. 8:10pm eastern on FSNP. Dave Williams (4-3, 3.73) vs Chris Carpenter (6-2, 4.07). Now we'll get a hint as to how good we are when not grading on a curve.
Anyway. Bucs in Saint Louie tonight. 8:10pm eastern on FSNP. Dave Williams (4-3, 3.73) vs Chris Carpenter (6-2, 4.07). Now we'll get a hint as to how good we are when not grading on a curve.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Andrew Squiggman, the Bucs, and MS
Gene Collier writes about actor and Pirate fan David Lander, of Laverne & Shirley TV fame. David, who played Squiggy, is in the radio booth with Greg and Bob as I type this - the voice is unmistakable. (Here's a pic - Squiggy's on the right, you youngsters.) From his comments, you can tell that he definitely keeps up with the ballteam. He's now an associate scout for the Mariners, and a spokesman for Multiple Sclerosis, which he has. He's written a book about that. I always forget he's a Pirate fan until he shows up in the booth every year or so, and reminds me. Michael Keaton is another Pirate-fan-actor who comes to mind. Any others?
Sunday Pinstripes
Josh Fogg vs Joe Kennedy (is his middle initial P?). Just getting under way. Lovely lovely weather, the game's on the tube, and Walkie and Brownie are on the radio together. Lawton gets his first non-start of the season.
No LeeenyCast® today, sorry. If had gone to Pittsburgh this weekend, I might have been at the park, with my SPF 500 and wide-brimmed hat. I do love day games.
I have tickets for this coming Friday night's Curve game (vs the Reading Phils), so I'll finally be able to provide some first-person AA reporting, even though the monkeyboys will be something of a distraction. I blame the much-chillier-than-normal weather this spring for my lack of Blair County Ballpark attendance to date, but I hope to make up for it over the summer - I'll also be at the game vs Binghamton (Mets) on June 9. After that, we'll see. It's not like the team is the juggernaut that they were last year (alas), but when my favorite seat in section 213 sets me back a whopping seven bucks, and the Curveburgers are smokin' on the grill, there's not a lot of reason not to show up.
No LeeenyCast® today, sorry. If had gone to Pittsburgh this weekend, I might have been at the park, with my SPF 500 and wide-brimmed hat. I do love day games.
I have tickets for this coming Friday night's Curve game (vs the Reading Phils), so I'll finally be able to provide some first-person AA reporting, even though the monkeyboys will be something of a distraction. I blame the much-chillier-than-normal weather this spring for my lack of Blair County Ballpark attendance to date, but I hope to make up for it over the summer - I'll also be at the game vs Binghamton (Mets) on June 9. After that, we'll see. It's not like the team is the juggernaut that they were last year (alas), but when my favorite seat in section 213 sets me back a whopping seven bucks, and the Curveburgers are smokin' on the grill, there's not a lot of reason not to show up.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Ollie's Outs
I've got to sit here at the computer to listen to the game anyway (see the end of the previous post), so I may as well do something while I listen. Here are Ollie's outs (plus our offense in the inning bottoms, at least when we score), updated whenever I hit the Publish button:
T1. Fly out, pop out, fly out. 3 up 3 down.
T2. Swinging K, walk, walk (balls low out of the strike zone, thank you Gameday), looking K, foul-tip K.
B2. Bases loaded (2 walks by Jennings), Cota clears the bases! Three-run double, 3-0 Buccos. Lawton triples, Cota scores, 4-0. Jack singles, Lawton scores, 5-0.
T3. Ground out, swinging K (2-3 putout), walk, fly out.
B3. Ward doubles to lead off the inning. Stuff happens, then Tike sac-flies him in. 6-0.
T4. Pop out, walk (lot of pitches being thrown, many foul balls), DINGER (2 runs), swinging K, swinging K. 6-2.
Ollie through 4: 6 Ks, 4 walks, and 1 hit (the homer). Gameday lists the pitches per batter, but it's hard to add them up to get a pitch count, maybe I'll do it after the game is over. I have not heard from the Rockies' announcers what sort of speeds his fastballs are coming in at.
T5. Swinging K (full count), swinging K, single, fly out (full count).
Ollie through 5: 96 pitches, 57 for strikes (thanks, billscat). Wonder if we'll see him come out for the 6th, as I know he was to be kept to a pitch count tonight, probably below 100.
B5: Mack doubles. Tike doubles, Mack scores. 7-2. Jennings avoids the hook. Cota singles, Tike scores. 8-2. Jennings does not avoid the hook. New pitcher, Blaine Neal. Wiggy in to pinch-hit for Ollie (told ya). Stuff happens, no more runs. 8-2.
Ollie's line: 5.0 IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 4W, 8K, 1HR. 96 pitches, 57 for strikes. The pitch count could be lower for 5 innings' work - by extreme comparison, Carlos Silva threw a 74-pitch CG for the Twins yesterday. But all things considered, this was very encouraging, and a big relief.
Meadows is on to pitch the 6th, but I'm not going to keep up with the LeeenyCast®, because my wine glass is empty, and must be attended to.
... 9:43pm - final score 8-3. Read the box score.
T1. Fly out, pop out, fly out. 3 up 3 down.
T2. Swinging K, walk, walk (balls low out of the strike zone, thank you Gameday), looking K, foul-tip K.
B2. Bases loaded (2 walks by Jennings), Cota clears the bases! Three-run double, 3-0 Buccos. Lawton triples, Cota scores, 4-0. Jack singles, Lawton scores, 5-0.
T3. Ground out, swinging K (2-3 putout), walk, fly out.
B3. Ward doubles to lead off the inning. Stuff happens, then Tike sac-flies him in. 6-0.
T4. Pop out, walk (lot of pitches being thrown, many foul balls), DINGER (2 runs), swinging K, swinging K. 6-2.
Ollie through 4: 6 Ks, 4 walks, and 1 hit (the homer). Gameday lists the pitches per batter, but it's hard to add them up to get a pitch count, maybe I'll do it after the game is over. I have not heard from the Rockies' announcers what sort of speeds his fastballs are coming in at.
T5. Swinging K (full count), swinging K, single, fly out (full count).
Ollie through 5: 96 pitches, 57 for strikes (thanks, billscat). Wonder if we'll see him come out for the 6th, as I know he was to be kept to a pitch count tonight, probably below 100.
B5: Mack doubles. Tike doubles, Mack scores. 7-2. Jennings avoids the hook. Cota singles, Tike scores. 8-2. Jennings does not avoid the hook. New pitcher, Blaine Neal. Wiggy in to pinch-hit for Ollie (told ya). Stuff happens, no more runs. 8-2.
Ollie's line: 5.0 IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 4W, 8K, 1HR. 96 pitches, 57 for strikes. The pitch count could be lower for 5 innings' work - by extreme comparison, Carlos Silva threw a 74-pitch CG for the Twins yesterday. But all things considered, this was very encouraging, and a big relief.
Meadows is on to pitch the 6th, but I'm not going to keep up with the LeeenyCast®, because my wine glass is empty, and must be attended to.
... 9:43pm - final score 8-3. Read the box score.
Radio Only
DAMMIT! I forgot about the stupid lack of Saturday home games on FSNP - I AM PISSED! I thought I was going to get to see how Ollie was going to do tonight, but nooooo, I can only LISTEN to the game.
And Walkie's got the night off, to add insult to injury. For an ex-pitcher, you sure don't get much useful description of the pitching from ol' Number 28.
:::sigh:::
... It's only the bottom of the 1st, and I've turned off the radio in favor of the Rockies feed at MLB audio... I just can't deal with Frattare and Blass at the same time, it's beyond my endurance.
And Walkie's got the night off, to add insult to injury. For an ex-pitcher, you sure don't get much useful description of the pitching from ol' Number 28.
:::sigh:::
... It's only the bottom of the 1st, and I've turned off the radio in favor of the Rockies feed at MLB audio... I just can't deal with Frattare and Blass at the same time, it's beyond my endurance.
Tied For Second, Sort Of
This might be euphoria of very short duration, so enjoy it on this lovely Saturday.
Ollie goes tonight, against Colorado's Jason Jennings. Ollie hasn't pitched since May 6th. The importance of his performance this evening, on his own Bobblehead Night no less, cannot be overstated. An effective, flamethrowing Ollie-Of-Yore will shake off the worries of a lurking or hidden injury, while another lousy outing will convince people that way more's been wrong all along than has been admitted to. The Word is that it's been a mechanical error in his delivery that has now been corrected. We can only hope. I'm sure nobody's praying harder than the Pirates' marketing department. If Ollie ends up on the DL, at AAA, or on a plane to Birmingham (don't read that one if you tend toward paranoia over worst-case scenarios), those guys will have to do something fast about all the burnt-cookie commercials that make up a large part of this year's insipid "Come Hungry" advertising campaign. I've always thought it was risky to tout a one-year wonder in marketing programs, no matter however a whiz he was, based on the assumption that year two is going to be equally wonderful. It's even riskier with a pitcher than with, say, last year's ROY. Sample size is just too small, you've got that whole sophomore-slump thing and regression to the mean going on - and too many bad things can happen too quickly.
That being said, I hope Ollie blows their doors off tonight. That would be so fun.
Team W L PCT. GBOh, o-kay, I guess it's really third place, since Milwaukee is .001 better than us and the Cubs. But I prefer to look at the games-behind standing instead of the win percentage.
STL 26 15 .634 -
MIL 19 22 .463 7.0
CHI 18 21 .462 7.0
PGH 18 21 .462 7.0
CIN 15 26 .366 11.0
HOU 15 26 .366 11.0
That being said, I hope Ollie blows their doors off tonight. That would be so fun.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Wet Tater
Matt Lawton just bounced one into the Allegheny - another 15 feet and it woulda been in the drink on the fly, oh well. Mackowack had a three-run homer earlier in the game. Score's now 4-2, bottom of the seventh, and Lawton's first-pitch homer sent Wright to the showers.
(B-H Kim pitching now)
9:11pm - Jack triples! Still nobody out.
9:12pm - JBay swinging K. 1 out. (This is becoming a ersatz Gamecast, isn't it. Friday Night Fun.)
9:14pm - D. Ward intentional walk, Castillo up.
9:17pm - Castillo singles to right, Jack scores. 5-2.
9:19pm - Macko HBP.
9:20pm - Tike singles for his 4th hit of the night, Ward scores. 6-2.
9:22pm - My boy David Ross Ks swinging. 2 outs. Hill bats for Grabow.
9:24pm - Hill singles to left, Castillo scores. 7-2. Bases still loaded. Lawton up, who led off the inning.
9:25pm - Lawton singles to right, two runs in ... and Bobby Hill makes the 3rd out at 3rd base. Oops.
Well, I'll certainly take it. 9-2 after 7 innings! Enough of this live typing - if you want more of this kind of thing, go here, I'm heading for the fridge for some celebratory chardonnay (La Crema, 2002).
(B-H Kim pitching now)
9:11pm - Jack triples! Still nobody out.
9:12pm - JBay swinging K. 1 out. (This is becoming a ersatz Gamecast, isn't it. Friday Night Fun.)
9:14pm - D. Ward intentional walk, Castillo up.
9:17pm - Castillo singles to right, Jack scores. 5-2.
9:19pm - Macko HBP.
9:20pm - Tike singles for his 4th hit of the night, Ward scores. 6-2.
9:22pm - My boy David Ross Ks swinging. 2 outs. Hill bats for Grabow.
9:24pm - Hill singles to left, Castillo scores. 7-2. Bases still loaded. Lawton up, who led off the inning.
9:25pm - Lawton singles to right, two runs in ... and Bobby Hill makes the 3rd out at 3rd base. Oops.
Well, I'll certainly take it. 9-2 after 7 innings! Enough of this live typing - if you want more of this kind of thing, go here, I'm heading for the fridge for some celebratory chardonnay (La Crema, 2002).
Regaining Momentum
I'm finding it hard to think that there's much juice remaining from the 7-3 road trip, after three late-game losses out of the subsequent five at home, and two freakin' off days this week. Killer. Win just two out of those three meltdowns, and we'd be at .500 now. Instead, here's where we are, and I've got to admit that this looks better than it feels to me right now. We're very lucky that there's still a bit of room between 4th place and 5th/6th. This division really is Saint Louie's for the taking this year, isn't it.
Pirates Pitching, team totals to date:
Um, yup. Don't need to be a geek to grok those results.
Colorado HAS to live and die by run production, because they are never going to be able to build a team around pitching in that vacuum-chamber of a ballpark. So if their offensive production is even slightly stinky, they have even less hope of competing than we do. Wellll, that would be true if all other things were equal, like attendance and revenue and purse-string-tension, which are not. But I digress.
So, it would appear to my stat-glazed eyes that our pitching is better than theirs, and our offense is about equally dismal. I didn't have the stamina to break our offensive numbers down into first-three-weeks and second-three-weeks, to see how our recent improvement in power might (if it hasn't disappeared) help tip the balance in our favor for this series. I'll just hope that the thought is correct, and that maybe we can get enough of a lead in these games to render Mesa moot.
Tonight: Jamey Wright (2-3, 6.31) vs Mark Redman, who is also 2-3, but with a much nicer 2.44 ERA. Mark's also going for his third consecutive complete game, which hasn't been done by a Pirate in many many moons (and with McClendon as manager, has to be near to miraculous). See Dejan's nice feature on Redman. I am really happy with the results we've seen so far from the Lawton+Rhodes-Rhodes+Redman-Kendall equation. Redman and David Ross have been my most pleasant personnel surprises so far in 2005. I think they're both fine. And even if it takes another year or two to happen, the idea of Ryan Doumit as our starting catcher, with Ross as his backup (and as Personal Catcher to Redman, which I have no problem with), really lights me up. After nine years of Kendall's lame bat and lamer arm (Nine? Holy Handgrenade of Antioch!), I'm still jazzed whenever I see runners gunned down at second by laser-bullets from David's gun. He's like the Big Ben of the Bucs. Give him #7.
Let's Go Bucs, dammit. (That's for Walt.)
(This was my 2nd attempt at this post, after the browser crash mentioned directly below. I think this try ended up being better, although it probably wasn't worth all the time it took. One could easily say that about the whole blog, though, so what the heck.)
NLCentCompare to the Rockies, our opponents for the weekend series beginning tonight at 7:05 at PNC:
Team W L PCT. GB
STL 25 15 .625 -
MIL 19 21 .475 6.0
CHC 18 20 .474 6.0
PGH 17 21 .447 7.0
HOU 15 25 .375 10.0
CIN 14 26 .350 11.0
NLWestPirates Hitting, team totals to date (all stats below come from CBS Sportsline's website):
Team W L PCT. GB
SD 25 16 .610 -
AZ 25 17 .595 0.5
LA 22 18 .550 2.5
SF 19 21 .475 5.5
CO 12 26 .316 11.5
GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG TB SLG%Rockies Hitting, team totals to date:
38 1281 141 314 67 11 36 137 .245 511 .399
GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG TB SLG%I am no Stats Geek, but what do I see in these numbers? Firstly, Colorado's power-hitting capability is worse than ours, if the raw numbers are roughly equal while they're playing half their games at Coors (very hitter-friendly) and we're playing half of ours at PNC (hitter-neutral at best, maybe a tad pitcher-friendly). Looks to me like they're playing small ball because that's all they can do, with more ABs, hits, runs, and RBIs than us, and a decent team batting average. I never have been very good at remembering what sort of slugging % represented a good figure, but I'm guessing that .435 isn't anything special (.399 even less so, despite our recent signs of returning from DeadWood - please chip in with a comment if I am wrong about that). But small ball is anathema to the Rockies. They can't win that way when the other teams bring big bats into thin air. Despite the difference in offensive output,the Rockies have won five fewer games than we have. That leads me toward pitching, the perennial bane of Mile High Baseball. Their opponents must be whaling on 'em. Let's see.
38 1339 188 379 71 12 36 182 .283 582 .435
Pirates Pitching, team totals to date:
GP W L SV SVO CG SHO R ERA IP Ks BB OBARockies Pitching, team totals to date:
38 17 21 14 17 2 3 167 4.23 336.1 210 151 .256
HA S 2B 3B HR ER HBP WP BK IPS MB9 OBP IRA
320 199 77 8 36 158 12 14 0 6.2 12.9 .338 15
GP W L SV SVO CG SHO R ERA IP Ks BB OBA
38 12 26 4 13 1 0 220 5.69 330.2 206 188 .288
HA S 2B 3B HR ER HBP WP BK IPS MB9 OBP IRA
374 238 88 4 44 209 21 21 4 5.8 15.9 .383 20
Um, yup. Don't need to be a geek to grok those results.
Colorado HAS to live and die by run production, because they are never going to be able to build a team around pitching in that vacuum-chamber of a ballpark. So if their offensive production is even slightly stinky, they have even less hope of competing than we do. Wellll, that would be true if all other things were equal, like attendance and revenue and purse-string-tension, which are not. But I digress.
So, it would appear to my stat-glazed eyes that our pitching is better than theirs, and our offense is about equally dismal. I didn't have the stamina to break our offensive numbers down into first-three-weeks and second-three-weeks, to see how our recent improvement in power might (if it hasn't disappeared) help tip the balance in our favor for this series. I'll just hope that the thought is correct, and that maybe we can get enough of a lead in these games to render Mesa moot.
Tonight: Jamey Wright (2-3, 6.31) vs Mark Redman, who is also 2-3, but with a much nicer 2.44 ERA. Mark's also going for his third consecutive complete game, which hasn't been done by a Pirate in many many moons (and with McClendon as manager, has to be near to miraculous). See Dejan's nice feature on Redman. I am really happy with the results we've seen so far from the Lawton+Rhodes-Rhodes+Redman-Kendall equation. Redman and David Ross have been my most pleasant personnel surprises so far in 2005. I think they're both fine. And even if it takes another year or two to happen, the idea of Ryan Doumit as our starting catcher, with Ross as his backup (and as Personal Catcher to Redman, which I have no problem with), really lights me up. After nine years of Kendall's lame bat and lamer arm (Nine? Holy Handgrenade of Antioch!), I'm still jazzed whenever I see runners gunned down at second by laser-bullets from David's gun. He's like the Big Ben of the Bucs. Give him #7.
Let's Go Bucs, dammit. (That's for Walt.)
(This was my 2nd attempt at this post, after the browser crash mentioned directly below. I think this try ended up being better, although it probably wasn't worth all the time it took. One could easily say that about the whole blog, though, so what the heck.)
Car Trouble
I had a big entry all ready to post about 11:00 this morning, but my browser suddenly threw a rod and ate the whole thing. Stats even, I had, and pithy analysis, all vaporized. Unfortunately, I'm not accustomed to using Ctrl-D to save in-progress drafts. (Why, Oh Gods Of Blogger, don't we stay on the compose screen when we save a draft? What a pain to have to navigate back to the typing window again after saving; no wonder I don't make a habit of it.) Since I was rather peeved when this happened, I stopped to cook some dinner for DogBoy to take to work with him (yes, cooking dinner at noon sucks), then the monkeyboys came over and monkeyed around for an hour or so, then I sat down with a glass of wine and caught most of The Winslow Boy, a fabulous upper-class Edwardian British film by David Mamet (not often do you use "upper-class Edwardian British" and "David Mamet" in the same sentence - Glengarry Glen Ross it ain't). It stars the also-fabulous Jeremy Northam.
Anyway, I'm going to try to reconstruct what I typed before, although it will probably be inferior to what I had the first time. Blogging is hard for me to re-do, it's got to be spontaneous or else it doesn't seem worth the trouble. But I'll give it a try, and post Take Two when I get it done.
Anyway, I'm going to try to reconstruct what I typed before, although it will probably be inferior to what I had the first time. Blogging is hard for me to re-do, it's got to be spontaneous or else it doesn't seem worth the trouble. But I'll give it a try, and post Take Two when I get it done.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
$#!7
@#$*&++@#$@%$!!*^$+&#@#@#
I got nuttin' to say right now that ain't full of asterisks, so I won't.
And on my BIRTHDAY.
I got nuttin' to say right now that ain't full of asterisks, so I won't.
And on my BIRTHDAY.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Only Two Games Under .500
National League CentralAnd we'd have been even at .500 and had 2nd place to ourselves had we not screwed up with that stupid first-game-of-the-series loss to the Brew Crew on Friday. I leave it to you stathounds to tell me when was the last time we were this far up in the standings at least this far into the season. The '97 Freak Show? It feels like it was that long ago, even if it wasn't.
Team W L Pct. GB
STL 24 13 .649 -
MIL 18 18 .500 5½
PGH 17 19 .472 6½
CHC 16 20 .444 7½
CIN 14 23 .378 10
HOU 13 23 .361 10½
However, before you start sending flowers to the Nuttings, kissing your bedside picture of Kevin McClatchy, or ordering playoff tickets, remember this:
The fact that a blind squirrel finds an occasional acorn should not be misconstrued as proof that the squirrel has regained its sight.
----- Leeeny The Wise, obscure late-20th-century sage, from ancient e-scrolls
Enjoy it while it lasts, because it won't last. Yes, I'm a pessimist, at least where the Pirates are concerned. Experience has taught me that it hurts less.
Saturday, May 14, 2005
A Useful Giveaway, For Once
No dust-collecting bobbleheads, or Jack Wilson In The Boxes for the kiddies tonight. What else would you want as a promotional freebie when there's an 80% chance of rain at gametime?
Last night's game: dumb to lose it at the end, just dumb. Can't be DOING that, whether it's Mesa's fault or not (some of those road-trip RUNS would have been nice, to render Jose's imperfection irrelevant). I'm starting to get annoyed with this line of "we're more tense in front of the home crowd, trying harder to win, pressing too much, etc." bullshit. If you're trying less hard to win on the road than you are at home, then your ass needs toasted and/or your manager needs fired. Who's in the stands should make NO difference whatsoever. The team will very very quickly burn up the rare flush of fan enthusiasm that their 7-3 trip generated, if they don't take the serieses during this home stand. Put up or shut up, boys. It's clear to see that people WANT to be enthused about this team (that's the only thing that's saving your ass right now, Kevin McClatchy). But how can that enthusiasm be sustained when the only wins the fans see occur on television? May as well be watching WTBS.
Last night's game: dumb to lose it at the end, just dumb. Can't be DOING that, whether it's Mesa's fault or not (some of those road-trip RUNS would have been nice, to render Jose's imperfection irrelevant). I'm starting to get annoyed with this line of "we're more tense in front of the home crowd, trying harder to win, pressing too much, etc." bullshit. If you're trying less hard to win on the road than you are at home, then your ass needs toasted and/or your manager needs fired. Who's in the stands should make NO difference whatsoever. The team will very very quickly burn up the rare flush of fan enthusiasm that their 7-3 trip generated, if they don't take the serieses during this home stand. Put up or shut up, boys. It's clear to see that people WANT to be enthused about this team (that's the only thing that's saving your ass right now, Kevin McClatchy). But how can that enthusiasm be sustained when the only wins the fans see occur on television? May as well be watching WTBS.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Friday Night Under The Lights
Game just getting underway.
Anxious to see how Restovich does in his first game as a Bucco.
Milwaukee PITTSBURGH
... AVG HR RBI ... AVG HR RBI
Brady Clark CF .341 4 18 Matt Lawton RF .287 3 14
Junior Spivey 2B .255 3 14 Freddy Sanchez SS .273 0 4
Geoff Jenkins RF .261 3 10 Jason Bay CF .313 6 17
Carlos Lee LF .257 6 28 Daryle Ward 1B .255 7 17
Lyle Overbay 1B .337 7 24 Jose Castillo 2B .294 2 5
Bill Hall SS .286 2 8 Ty Wigginton 3B .200 2 6
Russell Branyan 3B .264 5 15 Michael Restovich LF .290 1 3
Chad Moeller C .111 1 2 Humberto Cota C .190 2 4
Chris Capuano LHP .077 0 0 Kip Wells RHP .214 0 0
(2-2, 4.04) (3-3, 4.53)Jack Wilson's out with a stomach virus.Anxious to see how Restovich does in his first game as a Bucco.
Medlar Field at Lubrano Park
This is an artist's rendering of the new ballfield in State College PA, final approval for which was given today by Penn State's Board of Trustees. The full announcement is here, and my previous post from late March on this subject, which included an architect's plan-view sketch of the field, is here. Click the image above or here to see a big version of the rendering (1250x928 pixels).
I can't say as I'm terribly impressed with the name, but at least it's named after people, and not banks or insurance companies or pet stores or orange juice. (Charles Medlar was a PSU baseball coach, and Anthony Lubrano is a big donor to the project.) My alma mater has one of these double names (Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field), and I don't like that one either.
But the field itself looks like it will be wonderful. Here are some of the highlights from today's PSU announcement. There are a lot of details in the press release, so this is just a small sampling:
• Bids to be let and awarded as soon as possible, with the goal to have the park ready for use by June 2006. I'd presume this means we'll have our low-A NY-Penn League ball team playing here next season. Excellento.
• The park will be owned by the university, but leased and operated by the Altoona Curve's ownership group, who will also own the minor-league franchise that will play in the park. (See the earlier post for speculation about that team, which might be relocating from Oneonta NY and should become the Pirates' affiliate.) The PSU varsity baseball team will also use the facility.
• The park will face east, affording a great view of Mount Nittany, as you can see from the rendering. Nice.
• Budget goal, $23.9 million.
• Seating will include 4,027 seats in the main seating bowl, 500 right field bleacher seats, a picnic deck for 600 and a standing-room-only deck for about 600 people. The suite level will include 18 suites with space for 12 people in each, and two larger suites accommodating 24 people each.
• Note to those of you who do your Nittany Lion football tailgating on the east side of Beaver Stadium, near the intersection of Curtin and Porter Roads: your parking spaces are seriously hosed.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Bringing Heat
John Perotto highlights some of the increasing frustration and disillusionment with ownership that Pirate fans (yours truly among them) are beginning to express in a variety of public forms. He mentions the Tambellini's Restaurant petition deal that I blurbed in this post on 5/3, although that post was taken down (for administrative reasons) from Eric Bowser's Pirates Ownership Must Go! blog. Sounds like the petition will end up at the onlybucs.net website (and at the restaurant) before long. By the way, you definitely want to hit Eric's blog and read this interview with Andrew Zimbalist, economics professor at Smith College, whom Eric interviewed at some length. Zimbalist was one of the sources quoted by Dejan Kovacevic in his shot-across-the-bow Post-Gazette article from 5/1 describing the Pirates' finances, whose 'insinuations' Kevin McClatchy got so pissy and paranoid about.
I'm home from my trip a little early, and am listening to the ballgame from SF on MLB audio as I type this. Back on my broadband connection, thank heavens. Lordy, dialups are painful when you aren't used to them anymore. You could take away my hot water heater before I'd let you have my cable modem.
I drove past Blair County Ballpark as the Altoona Curve were in the 9th inning of their win today against Harrisburg. Score was 13-6 when the inning started, but the final was 13-10 ... a mini-meltdown by the bullpen, but they managed to pull it out, giving the team their first series sweep of the season. I have yet to turn a lot of my attention to the Curve this year, but I should be doing that soon, as the temperatures have finally reached the point where I'll be able to spend some time at the park. (I am only a fair-weather fan in the literal sense of the phrase.) Since most of last year's best Curve players are now at Indianapolis, I don't think we can expect the same level of success in 2005 that we had in 2004. Last year the team made it to the Eastern League finals, but were swept by New Hampshire, the Toronto affiliate. But the pipeline of quality Pirate prospects is very thin below AA, for reasons pointing back to (surprise, surprise) Pirate management. If you want excellent evaluations of all the players in the system, and sound analysis as to why the well is running dry, check out Wilbur Miller's player profiles - he says everything on this topic far more knowledgeably than I ever could.
But when it comes to watching Curve games, my monkeyboys could care less who wins or loses, as long as they get to eat hot dogs and bounce around in Diesel Dawg's Doghouse. So we'll be there regardless.
I'm home from my trip a little early, and am listening to the ballgame from SF on MLB audio as I type this. Back on my broadband connection, thank heavens. Lordy, dialups are painful when you aren't used to them anymore. You could take away my hot water heater before I'd let you have my cable modem.
I drove past Blair County Ballpark as the Altoona Curve were in the 9th inning of their win today against Harrisburg. Score was 13-6 when the inning started, but the final was 13-10 ... a mini-meltdown by the bullpen, but they managed to pull it out, giving the team their first series sweep of the season. I have yet to turn a lot of my attention to the Curve this year, but I should be doing that soon, as the temperatures have finally reached the point where I'll be able to spend some time at the park. (I am only a fair-weather fan in the literal sense of the phrase.) Since most of last year's best Curve players are now at Indianapolis, I don't think we can expect the same level of success in 2005 that we had in 2004. Last year the team made it to the Eastern League finals, but were swept by New Hampshire, the Toronto affiliate. But the pipeline of quality Pirate prospects is very thin below AA, for reasons pointing back to (surprise, surprise) Pirate management. If you want excellent evaluations of all the players in the system, and sound analysis as to why the well is running dry, check out Wilbur Miller's player profiles - he says everything on this topic far more knowledgeably than I ever could.
But when it comes to watching Curve games, my monkeyboys could care less who wins or loses, as long as they get to eat hot dogs and bounce around in Diesel Dawg's Doghouse. So we'll be there regardless.
Read All About It
Something worth typing via dialup:
I received an email last night from Peter Handrinos, who writes at www.unitedstatesofbaseball.com. He's recently posted a very interesting four-part series entitled 'Fire Kevin McClatchy'. Peter explains how revenue-sharing among MLB owners has done much to create Pittsburgh's present baseball misery, whereby the Pirates' current ownership has no incentive to spend money to compete on the field. Why should they, when a rock-bottom payroll and a $12 million welfare check results in black ink on the bottom of the page, and keeps everyone in the corner offices happy? The series is a nicely done piece of work. Peter concludes with a suggestion for Pirate fans that echoes what I've said here, and here, and here too. Strong medicine and painful to administer, but it's the only way to kill a parasite: starve it to death.
I received an email last night from Peter Handrinos, who writes at www.unitedstatesofbaseball.com. He's recently posted a very interesting four-part series entitled 'Fire Kevin McClatchy'. Peter explains how revenue-sharing among MLB owners has done much to create Pittsburgh's present baseball misery, whereby the Pirates' current ownership has no incentive to spend money to compete on the field. Why should they, when a rock-bottom payroll and a $12 million welfare check results in black ink on the bottom of the page, and keeps everyone in the corner offices happy? The series is a nicely done piece of work. Peter concludes with a suggestion for Pirate fans that echoes what I've said here, and here, and here too. Strong medicine and painful to administer, but it's the only way to kill a parasite: starve it to death.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
FYI
I'm out of town for a couple of days, and I am not going to tie up the phone line blogging from a dialup. I'll be back by the end of the week.
Bummer about Craiggers. He shoulda kept those Samsonesque tresses - that whole invincibility thing.
Bummer about Craiggers. He shoulda kept those Samsonesque tresses - that whole invincibility thing.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Sixteen Runs
The mind boggles. (That's three different links - ESPN, MLB, and CBS Sportsline, respectively.)
Friggin' Torres, though. Get the job done a little more expeditiously next time, please. Nice to see Altoona's Ray Sadler not only get into the game, but get the start and make a wonderful catch right off the bat (so to speak), just a few hours after he got off the plane. 0-fer-three at the plate, but that's okay.
And Ryan Burr, of FSNP's tag-team of handsome young sportsdudes, did the 8th inning in the TV booth with Bob, while Lanny took some sort of mid-game constitutional. Ryan did a great job. Better than Lanny.
A big Bucco win and a new Deadwood episode, both in the same evening. What fun.
Friggin' Torres, though. Get the job done a little more expeditiously next time, please. Nice to see Altoona's Ray Sadler not only get into the game, but get the start and make a wonderful catch right off the bat (so to speak), just a few hours after he got off the plane. 0-fer-three at the plate, but that's okay.
And Ryan Burr, of FSNP's tag-team of handsome young sportsdudes, did the 8th inning in the TV booth with Bob, while Lanny took some sort of mid-game constitutional. Ryan did a great job. Better than Lanny.
A big Bucco win and a new Deadwood episode, both in the same evening. What fun.
Santia-GONE!
Subtitle: Dave Littlefield Demonstrates Possession Of At Least One Clue
Bye bye Benito, the mini-me version of Derek Bell. His release has not been announced on the Pirates' website yet, but the 25-man roster has been modified to reflect it. Way to earn your spot, David Ross.
Bye bye Benito, the mini-me version of Derek Bell. His release has not been announced on the Pirates' website yet, but the 25-man roster has been modified to reflect it. Way to earn your spot, David Ross.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Go Eat Dinner At Tambellini's
Here's why. Don't forget to take your pen. Enjoy the manicotti.
... addendum, Sunday 5/8, 5:26pm ... For some reason that link is dead; the whole Tambellini thing is missing from that website now. I'll write to the site's owner to find out what happened, but for the time being, don't bother clicking on the above link.
Also:
My Snapping Point was sooooooooo close to being reached in the bottom of the first. Houston had two runs before they had one out. I'm barely hanging on by my fingernails, it's the bottom of the 2nd just starting.
Wanna read some excellent impromptu work on the concept of Suck Ratings? Try this.
-
... addendum, Sunday 5/8, 5:26pm ... For some reason that link is dead; the whole Tambellini thing is missing from that website now. I'll write to the site's owner to find out what happened, but for the time being, don't bother clicking on the above link.
Also:
My Snapping Point was sooooooooo close to being reached in the bottom of the first. Houston had two runs before they had one out. I'm barely hanging on by my fingernails, it's the bottom of the 2nd just starting.
Wanna read some excellent impromptu work on the concept of Suck Ratings? Try this.
-
Hey Joe
Compare the following pairs of quotations:
Leeeny, April 18:
"I don't think this [losing] scenario will change until people STOP. BUYING. TICKETS., and the Nuttings are forced by their own declining balance sheet to sell the team."
Joe Starkey, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 3:
"A drastic drop in attendance might force McClatchy to try to sell the team."
Leeeny, April 20:
"What incentive do the owners have to change anything, when we support the lousy status quo?"
Joe, May 3:
"Pirates ticket buyers [are] subsidizing the problem."
Leeeny, May 1:
"We the people must decline to pay for a product that is not worth its cost."
Joe, May 3:
"McClatchy is selling crud. We're buying it."
I pat myself on the back to conclude that I scooped him pretty thoroughly here, however my pride is mitigated by the fact that he trumps me on readers, and he really trumps me on compensation. Welcome aboard, Joe, very glad for your company.
Leeeny, April 18:
"I don't think this [losing] scenario will change until people STOP. BUYING. TICKETS., and the Nuttings are forced by their own declining balance sheet to sell the team."
Joe Starkey, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 3:
"A drastic drop in attendance might force McClatchy to try to sell the team."
Leeeny, April 20:
"What incentive do the owners have to change anything, when we support the lousy status quo?"
Joe, May 3:
"Pirates ticket buyers [are] subsidizing the problem."
Leeeny, May 1:
"We the people must decline to pay for a product that is not worth its cost."
Joe, May 3:
"McClatchy is selling crud. We're buying it."
I pat myself on the back to conclude that I scooped him pretty thoroughly here, however my pride is mitigated by the fact that he trumps me on readers, and he really trumps me on compensation. Welcome aboard, Joe, very glad for your company.
McClatchy Responds, Petulantly
You knew he would. Here are some of his rejoinders to the valiant Dejan K.'s story from Sunday's P-G. Selections follow, with rejoinders of my own.
Circus Game have to do with any of this? I get so incredibly f*ckin' pissed off with this All-Star Magic Pill bullshit. McClatchy very shamelessly queue-jumped to obtain the 2006 game from Selig, who conceded out of some Commissarial combination of pity and impatience, the way you'd throw a bone to a mangy barking dog to get it to shut the hell up and go away. Does anyone think that this one-shot injection of cash and publicity that McClatchy will garner as the game's host will solve any of the team's real problems? Or that the descending swarms of media and non-local string-pullers able to get tickets are going to cause some great re-awakening of the Dormant But Faithful Pirate Fans in all their millions? Reality Check: The stringless locals will be watching the game on WPGH from their living rooms in Bellevue and Beltzhoover, seeing nobody at all from the Pirates on the playing field until Tony LaRussa sends in (oh let's think positively) Ollie Perez to pitch to a couple of Yankee batters in the top of the eighth. All we'll be hearing from those imported media clones will be, "The taxpayers paid the bill for this beautiful park, but the ownership hasn't even begun to fulfill its promise to compete in it, as the penny-pinching Pirates are mired in the middle of what looks to become their 14th consecutive losing season." The last thing this team needs (or that I would think the ownership would even want to attract) is a whole mess o' national publicity.
McClatchy's continual beating on the All-Star Game drum, as if we're gullible enough to believe it will fix the problems he is unwilling or incapable of fixing for himself, is an affront to common sense. I don't know what the team's take will be from the midsummer event, or how many of those new expense-account season ticketholders will be back in 2007, but even at best the windfall will only be a temporary green band-aid, covering up the untreated infection beneath. And I wonder if the publicity McClatchy seeks from this mega-media boondoggle won't end up backfiring on him. More and wider attention to his group's failures and breaches of faith and responsibility may do little more than provide the impetus for the remaining Undormant fans to, as he says, "jump off the wagon". (Why a wagon instead of a ship, Kevin? Let's stick with the proper team metaphor, please.)
If there are any still left by then to jump.
I'm no authority on semantics, but the phrase "I wouldn't be surprised if McClatchy was doing it" does not accuse him of anything. Even insinuation is a bit of a stretch. I also believe that Zimbalist's use of the word 'McClatchy' was probably meant to represent all the owners collectively, therefore Kevin's comment about "having other investors to answer to" means nothing if they had agreed to skim profits as a group. Even the most suspicious investigator would be unlikely to think that McClatchy would be pocketing profits behind the other backers' backs."I didn't like the insinuation that I was taking money out of the team and sticking it in my pocket," McClatchy said by phone from his PNC Park office. "I definitely didn't pocket any money. I've got other investors to answer to. That would be illegal. That's Enron stuff. All of the team's profits are going right back into the team."
Zimbalist said for the article that it is common among low-revenue teams not to put revenue-sharing into player payroll, adding, "That's what's happening in some places, and I wouldn't be surprised if McClatchy was doing it." Sanderson said, "You could have an owner who says, 'Hey, I can go to the bar and put nine drunks out on the field and maximize my profit.'"
"Anybody who knows me knows I'm not [content to field a losing team]," he said. "This team needs to win. And we need for that to happen soon. Fact is, if we don't win and the All-Star Game comes and goes next year, we're going to have a lot of people jumping off the wagon."What the hell does the All-Star
McClatchy's continual beating on the All-Star Game drum, as if we're gullible enough to believe it will fix the problems he is unwilling or incapable of fixing for himself, is an affront to common sense. I don't know what the team's take will be from the midsummer event, or how many of those new expense-account season ticketholders will be back in 2007, but even at best the windfall will only be a temporary green band-aid, covering up the untreated infection beneath. And I wonder if the publicity McClatchy seeks from this mega-media boondoggle won't end up backfiring on him. More and wider attention to his group's failures and breaches of faith and responsibility may do little more than provide the impetus for the remaining Undormant fans to, as he says, "jump off the wagon". (Why a wagon instead of a ship, Kevin? Let's stick with the proper team metaphor, please.)
If there are any still left by then to jump.
Monday, May 02, 2005
Bye Bye, Big Country
Happy but unhappy news for Curve fans - Brad Eldred, he of the all-of-professional-baseball-leading 13 home runs, is being promoted from AA Altoona to AAA Indianapolis, as of tomorrow (5/3). Since there was preseason speculation that he'd even begin the season at Indy, I guess we at least got an extra few weeks to see him. Only spent the tail end of last season and the front end of this one at AA.
So here's hoping he continues to smite the ball, makes a quick adjustment to AAA pitching (the K rate will be a worry), and gets his ass and bat to Pittsburgh in short order.
The 1B situation at Indy will be a bit unsettled now, with Graham Koonce having been the starter so far. He was one of the few players who made a positive impression on me in Bradenton this spring, so I hope he doesn't entirely get the short end of the bat as a result of Eldred's promotion. We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out.
So here's hoping he continues to smite the ball, makes a quick adjustment to AAA pitching (the K rate will be a worry), and gets his ass and bat to Pittsburgh in short order.
The 1B situation at Indy will be a bit unsettled now, with Graham Koonce having been the starter so far. He was one of the few players who made a positive impression on me in Bradenton this spring, so I hope he doesn't entirely get the short end of the bat as a result of Eldred's promotion. We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
May Day Mayday
Like go read these two articles RIGHT NOW.
1. Dejan Kovacevic: Pirates' profit is there, but where is it going? Make sure to read the whole thing, there's a good set of tables at the bottom.
2. Bob Smizik: McClatchy has broken his promise to fans. About damn time someone put this in non-blog black and white.
May Day's a good time to begin the liberation of the Pittsburgh masses, eh? (And a Bloody Sunday too, even.) I hope this is the beginning of a lot more public pressure on the Oligarchs, combined with the Proletariat's doing the only thing it can, short of lining our failed leaders up against a wall and shooting 'em (tempting and effective though that is). We the people must decline to pay for a product that is not worth its cost. I believe that's a feature of running-dog capitalism, but hey, whatever works.
1. Dejan Kovacevic: Pirates' profit is there, but where is it going? Make sure to read the whole thing, there's a good set of tables at the bottom.
2. Bob Smizik: McClatchy has broken his promise to fans. About damn time someone put this in non-blog black and white.
May Day's a good time to begin the liberation of the Pittsburgh masses, eh? (And a Bloody Sunday too, even.) I hope this is the beginning of a lot more public pressure on the Oligarchs, combined with the Proletariat's doing the only thing it can, short of lining our failed leaders up against a wall and shooting 'em (tempting and effective though that is). We the people must decline to pay for a product that is not worth its cost. I believe that's a feature of running-dog capitalism, but hey, whatever works.
