Month: April 2022

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 1 BREWERS 6

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: THIS TIME NOT HAVING A RIGHT FIELDER COST THE PIRATES DEARLY, BUT ALTOGETHER IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT. THE PIRATES COULD NOT HIT, FIELD, PITCH OR MANAGE. ZACH THOMPSON STRUGGLED BUT FOUGHT HARD FOR 3 AND 2/3 INNINGS BUT GAVE UP THE BIG HOME RUN TO YELICH, A BATTER HE SHOULD NOT HAVE EVEN FACED. SHELTON FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND DID NOT HAVE THE LEFT HANDER DILLON PETERS READY IN TIME TO FACE YELICH. CONSIDERING THERE WAS A WALK, A SACRIFICE FLY AND ANOTHER WALK, HE HAD PLENTY OF TIME. THE FACT THAT THOMPSON WAS PROBABLY GETTING TO THE LIMIT OF HIS PITCH COUNT JUST MADE IT WORSE.

PLAY OF THE GAME: A REAL EASY ONE HERE, THE YELICH GRAND SLAM. SOME WOULD LOOK AT THIS AND SAY THE PIRATES ONLY SCORED ONE RUN ANYWAY, SO WHAT DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE. BASEBALL IS A GAME OF HIGH LEVERAGE SITUATIONS AND PRESSURE. EVEN THOUGH THE PIRATES GOT SOME RUNNERS ON BASE IN THE LATER INNINGS, IT IS A HELL OF A LOT EASIER PITCHING IN THAT SITUATION WITH A 6-1 LEAD RATHER THAN JUST A ONE RUN LEAD.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, BREWERS IN MILWAUKEE. THE PIRATES ARE GOING UP AGAINST ONE OF THE BEST PITCHING STAFFS IN BASEBALL. WILL SEE IF THE BATS ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE. THEY DIDNT DO ALL THAT BAD, CONSIDERING MY PREVIOUS COMMENT, BUT THEY WERE JUST TOO FAR BEHIND TO PUT SOME REAL HEAT ON THE STAFF. COME ON, SHELTON THERE IS A GAME GOING ON OUT THERE, STAY AWAKE. SPEAK UP BENCH COACH.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 5 NATIONALS 3

WHY THE PIRATES WON: DESPITE ANOTHER BIZZAR STARTING LINE UP, THE PIRATES WON BECAUSE OF SOME TIMELY HITTING, A WIDE STRIKE ZONE BY THE HOME PLATE UMP AND ANOTHER SHUT DOWN PERFORMANCE BY THE BULLPEN. MICHAEL CHAVIS HAD ANOTHER GREAT GAME. THEY OVERCAME ANOTHER BASERUNNING BLUNDER AND IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND THEY HAD 1ST AND 3RD AND NOBODY OUT AND FAILED TO SCORE. IT WAS NOT THE GREATEST PERFORMANCE BUT QUINTANA HUNG IN THERE THROUGH 4 INNINGS GIVING UP 3 RUNS WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.

KEY PLAYS OF THE GAME: YOU COULD SAY THE PIRATES WON THIS GAME BY A HALF STEP AND A HALF A HAND. THE HALF A HAND WAS HOW MUCH JOSH BELL WAS OUT AT HOME PLATE IN THE TOP OF THE 7TH, WHICH COST THE NATIONALS A RUN. THE HALF OF STEP WAS HOW MUCH YOSHI TSUTSUGO WAS SAFE AT FIRST WHICH ALLOWED THE PIRATES TO SCORE A RUN, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE GAME.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WIN: THIS WAS THE PIRATES FIRST SERIES WIN IN OVER A YEAR. LAST YEAR, THEY WERE THE FIRST TEAM IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY TO GO AN ENTRIRE SEASON AND NEVER WIN A SERIES. THEY ENDED THAT STREAK YESTERDAY.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, THE BREWERS IN MILWAUKEE. WILL WE SEE THE A TEAM? HIGHLY UNLIKELY BUT POSSIBLE, SINCE THE OLD MEN REYNOLDS AND HAYES ARE NICE AND RESTED.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 6 NATIONALS 4

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE PIRATES HAD 3 OUTFIELDERS. THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME A BASERUNNING BLUNDER. THEY GOT AWAY WITH GIVING UP SIX WALKS. THEY HAD OUTSTANDING DEFENSE AND A FEW LINE DRIVES THAT WERE HIT RIGHT AT SOMEONE. THEY HIT IN THE CLUTCH. THE BULLPEN WAS GOOD AGAIN DESPITE HAVING A SHAKY NINTH INNING. SHELTON HANDLED THE BULLPEN VERY WELL, BRINGING BEDNAR IN DURING A HIGH LEVERAGE SITUATION IN THE 7TH INNING.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: WITH THE PIRATES CLINGING TO A 3-2 LEAD IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH, MICHAEL CHAVIS CAPPED OFF A GREAT GAME BY LEADING OFF THE INNING WITH WHAT LOOKED TO BE A ROUTINE DOUBLE AND TURNED IT INTO A TRIPLE, WHEN THE NATIONAL’S LEFT FIELDER MADE A LEISURLY TOSS TO THE SHORTSTOP. THIS BASE RUNNING GEM SET UP THE ENTIRE INNING THAT ENABLED THE PIRATES TO SCORE 3 INSURANCE RUNS, THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE MARGIN OF THE VICTORY.

NEXT GAME: TODAY, NATIONALS, AT PITTSBURGH. WITH PATRICK CORBIN PITCHING FOR THE NATIONALS, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THE PIRATES WILL HAVE 3 OUTFIELDERS AGAIN BUT DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 2 NATIONALS 7

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: DEREK SHELTON MADE UP ANOTHER GOOFY LINE UP WITH ONLY 2 OUTFIELDERS AND PLAYING PARK OVER NEWMAN. ANOTHER POOR PERFORMANCE BY MITCH KELLER SEALED THE DEAL. HE FACED 21 BATTERS WITH 10 GETTING ON BASE AND GIVING UP 4 RUNS, THROWING 84 PITCHES IN JUST 3 AND 2/3 INNINGS. YET I WAKE UP THIS MORNING READING THAT HE IS ON THE VERGE. ON THE VERGE OF WHAT I DON’T KNOW, CERTAINLY NOT GETTING COMMAND OF HIS PITCHES. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THE 5 STARTERS HE IS THE WORSE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SPRING TRAINING PERFORMANCE BEING MEANINGLESS. YOU WANT ANOTHER EXAMPLE, THE LEADING HOME RUN TEAM IN SPRING TRAINING IS NOW 27TH IN HOME RUNS AND NOT LIKELY TO MOVE UP.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: KELLER THROWING THE FIRST PITCH OF THE GAME. THE FIRST FOUR PLAYERS GOT SINGLES AND IT WAS 2-0 BEFORE YOU COULD SAY ON THE VERGE.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, NATIONALS AT PITTSBURGH. I AM SURE THAT HAYES AND REYNOLDS WILL NEED TO BE RESTED TONIGHT, OR SUNDAY AT THE LATEST. MAYBE PARK OR TUCKER CAN GO BEHIND THE PLATE. MAYBE THE PIRATES WON’T USE A DH. WHO KNOWS WHAT CRAZY LINE UP WILL BE OUT THERE TONIGHT? IT IS THE ONE THING THAT KEEPS THE PIRATES INTERESTING, AT LEAST.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 9 NATIONALS 4

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE PIRATES DID NOT HAVE A RIGHT FIELDER AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME THIS SEASON. THIS HELPED THE NATIONALS TO SCORE 3 FIRST INNING RUNS. THE PIRATE’S BATS MORE THAN MADE UP FOR IT, BY SCOURGING THE BALL FOR 9 RUNS. IT WAS THE HARDEST THEY HIT THE BALL THIS SEASON. THE TURTLE STARTED THE BALL ROLLING WITH A LEAD OFF HOME RUN AND HIT FOR THE TURTLE CYCLE BECAUSE HE WILL NEVER GET A TRIPLE. THE PITCHING SHUT DOWN ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE GAME, JUAN SOTO, HANGING AN 0 FOR 4 COLLAR ON HIM. THE BULLPEN WAS OUTSTANDING AGAIN, WITH ROANSY CONTRERAS PITCHING A SUBERB THREE INNINGS TO GET HIS FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE WIN. THE BULLPEN REMAINS THE SURPRISE OF THE SEASON, SO FAR.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: AGAIN, IT WAS A MAGICAL TOP OF THE FIFTH FOR THE PIRATES. THE NATIONALS LOADED THE BASES ON A WALK AND TWO SINGLES WITH ONE OUT AND COULD ONLY SCORE ONE RUN, ON A SACRIFICE FLY. THAT GOT THEM WITHIN ONE RUN OF THE LEAD. THE PIRATES GOT THAT RUN BACK IN THE BOTTOM OF THE INNING AND SCORED ONE IN 6TH, AND 2 IN THE 7TH TO WRAP THE GAME UP.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, NATIONALS IN PITTSBURGH PLEASE HAVE 3 OUTFIELDERS TONIGHT, PLEASE.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 6 CUBS 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: FIRST OFF, WHEN I SAW THAT STARTING LINE UP, I THOUGHT THE PIRATES DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE. FORTUNATELY, THE PLAYERS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE FIELD OR IN THE LINE UP HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WIN. THE PIRATES HAD 2 OUT LIGHTENING WHICH WON THE GAME. ALL THEIR RUNS CAME WHEN THERE WERE 2 OUTS. IN FACT, IN THE FIRST, THEY HAD 2 OUT AND NOBODY ON AND EVENTUALLY GOT 3 RUNS WITH GAMEL’S HOMER. THE BULLPEN WAS OUTSTANDING AGAIN. MAYBE WILL CROWE WILL BE ONE OF THOSE GUYS YOU READ ABOUT ALL THE TIME, WHO IS A MEDIOCRE STARTER, BUT BECOMES A TOP BULLPEN GUY. I KNOW ITS EARLY BUT THAT WOULD BE A NICE AND NEEDED SURPRISE.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: IN THE TOP OF THE FIFTH THE CUBS HAD 1ST AND 2ND WITH NOBODY OUT, WHEN DILLON PETERS ENTERED THE GAME. DEPITE SOME WILDNESS, THAT I SUSPECT WAS FROM LACK OF WORK, HE GOT THE FIRST OUT. THEN HE WALKED A BATTER TO LOAD THE BASES BUT GOT WILLSON CONTREAS TO GROUND INTO A DOUBLE PLAY TO END THE THREAT. THAT WAS WHEN THE CUBS COULD HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN THE GAME. THEY NEVER THREATENED AGAIN.

NEXT GAME: THE NATIONALS TONIGHT AT HOME. SHELTON WILL HAVE TO DO BETTER WITH THAT STARTING LINE UP IF WANTS THE PIRATES TO GET THE 1ST PICK NEXT YEAR. PUT THE TURTLE OUT ON THE FIELD, I DARE YOU.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 1 CUBS 2

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: IT STARTED WITH THE LINE UP CARD. CHAVIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT FIRST BASE AFTER THE GREAT GAME HE PLAYED. COLE TUCKER IN RIGHT FIELD. WHY? I GUESS THEIR BIG GOAL IS TO GET THE NO. 1 PICK NEXT YEAR. THE PIRATES TWICE HAD A RUNNER ON SECOND WITH NO ONE OUT AND FAILED TO MOVE HIM OVER AND FAILED TO SCORE.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH THE PIRATES HAD A RUNNER ON SECOND AND ONE OUT WITH MICHAEL CHAVIS COMING TO BAT. THEN SHELTON DECIDES TO PINCH HIT FOR CHAVIS, WITH THE TURTLE. AGAIN WHY? CHAVIS’S SPLITS RIGHTY LEFTY ARE NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENT. PLUS, THIS IS THE GUY WHO ALMOST WON YOUR LAST GAME SINGLE HANDED. GRANTED HE HADN’T LOOKED ALL THAT GOOD UP TO THIS POINT BUT MOST OF THE PIRATE BATTERS WERE IN THE SAME BOAT. OF COURSE, THE TURTLE MAKES IT LOOK EVEN WORSE BY TAKING 6 STRAIGHT PITCHES AND 3 WERE STRIKES. WHEN HE CAME TO BAT THE NEXT TIME, HE SWUNG AT 3 OUT OF 4 PITCHES AND 2 OF THOSE WERE BALLS. THIS IS A DFA WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE SOONER THE BETTER.

NEXT GAME: CUBS TODAY AT HOME. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE STARTING LINE UP. HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL LOSE?

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 9 CARDS 4

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE PIRATES JUST REALIZED THAT THESE GAMES COUNT. THEY STARTED MICHAEL CHAVIS AT FIRST, DIEGO CASTILLO AT 2OND, PUT A RIGHT FIELDER INTO THE GAME, AND BATTED HAYES IN THE LEAD OFF SPOT, INSTEAD OF THE TURTLE. BRYSE WILSON AFTER A SHAKY START, PITCHED WELL FOR 4 INNINGS AND THE BULLPEN WAS SUBERB, ONLY GIVING UP 1 RUN AND 2 HITS IN 5 INNINGS. WITH A FULL COMPLIMENT OF 8 PLAYERS IN THE FIELD, THE DEFENSE WAS MUCH BETTER, SINCE RIGHT FIELD HAD A PLAYER THERE. THE BATS CAME ALIVE WITH 15 HITS AND THE PIRATES ADDED ONTO THE LEAD IN THE 7TH AND 8TH INNING, JUST LIKE A MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM SHOULD. WE WILL SEE IF CHAVIS CONTINUES TO BE THE FIRST BASEMAN AND CASTILLO CONTINUES TO PLAY SECOND. I BET THE PIRATE BRAIN TRUST WERE UP ALL NIGHT MAKING THIS TOUGH DECISION.

KEY PLAYS OF THE GAME: IN ORDER FOR THE PIRATES TO WIN THERE HAS TO BE MORE THAN ONE. IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 2ND THE CARDINALS HAD 1ST AND 3RD WITH ONE OUT AND PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT UP AT THE PLATE, WITH CARDINALS ALREADY LEADING 3-0. GOLDSCHMIDT GROUNDED INTO A WELL EXECUTED 5-4-3 DOUBLE PLAY WITH A GREAT SCOOP BY CHAVIS AT 1ST BASE. THEN IN THE TOP OF THE THIRD THE PIRATES LOADED THE BASES WITH ONE OUT AND CHAVIS THEN HIT A GRAND SLAM TO SEND THE PIRATES AHEAD BY A 4-3 SCORE. THEY ADDED ANOTHER RUN AFTER 2 WERE OUT TO LEAD 5-3 GOING INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE THIRD AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. MUCH BETTER THAN LOADING THE BASES WITH NO OUTS AND SCORING JUST ONE RUN.

NEXT GAME: MONDAY IN ST. LOUIS. CAN THE PIRATES HAVE A .500 ROAD TRIP. IT WILL JUST DEPEND ON THE OVERNIGHT MEETING.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 2 CARDINALS 6

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: AGAIN, THE PIRATES HAD MEDIOCRE STARTING PITCHING WITH MITCH KELLER GOING JUST 4 INNINGS AND GIVING UP 4 RUNS. HE HAD NO COMAND OF HIS SECONDARY PITCHES AND EVEN HIS FAST BALL WOULD GET AWAY FROM HIM AT TIMES. THE PIRATES WERE ALSO AT A MAJOR DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON THE NATIONAL LEAGUE MADE THE PIRATES PLAY THE GAME WITHOUT A RIGHT FIELDER. THE PIRATES ALLOWED MILES MIKOLAS OFF THE HOOK IN THE FIRST INNING WHEN THEY LOADED THE BASES WITH NO ONE OUT AND COULD ONLY MUSTER 1 RUN. THEY MAY HAVE SCORED 2 RUNS, IF THEY DIDN’T HAVE A TURTLE LEADING OFF THE GAME. IT WAS ODD THAT THE PIRATES HAD 2 DH’S AS COLE TUCKER MADE THE LAST OUT WITH THE BASES LOADED, AND I NEVER SAW TUCKER ON THE FIELD FOR THE ENTIRE GAME, AT LEAST HE MADE NO PLAYS. THE PIRATE DEFENSE DID MAKE SOME GOOD PLAYS BUT THEY COULD NOT MAKE UP FOR SOME AREAS THAT WERE VACANT ON THE FIELD.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE PAUL DEJONG 2-RUN HOME RUN WITH 2 OUT IN THE THIRD, ON A GROOVED FASTBALL, WHICH CAPPED A 3 RUN INNING WHERE THE CARDINALS WENT FROM A 2-1 DEFICIT TO TAKE A 4-2 LEAD.

NEXT GAME: SUNDAY IN ST. LOUIS. THE PIRATES WENT FROM LOSING BY 9 TO LOSING BY 4. MAYBE THE ST. LOUIS BULLPEN WILL BE ABLE TO GET A SAVE.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 0 CARDINALS 9

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: MANY OF THE PLAYERS DID NOT REALIZE THIS WAS OPENING DAY OR A REAL GAME. KEVIN NEWMAN WATCHED MOST OF THE GAME FROM SHORTSTOP. DID NOT GO AFTER THE POP UP IN THE FIRST INNING, DID NOT REALLY CHARGE THE BALL IN THE SECOND INNING, AND THEN BOOTED A ROUTINE GROUND BALL IN THE THIRD. COLE TUCKER DIDN’T REALIZE THERE WAS A RUNNER ON THIRD IN THE EIGHTH AND ST. LOUIS SCORED ON A SHORT POP UP TO RIGHT FIELD. THERE WERE OTHER BONEHEAD PLAYS AND WHILE SOME OF THEM DID NOT LEAD TO RUNS BEING SCORED, IT SHOWED THAT THE PIRATES WERE NOT READY TO PLAY. THE SHORT SPRING TRAINING REALLY AFFECTED THE PIRATES. NEXT YEAR THEY SHOULD REPORT TO BRADENTON ON JANUARY 2. THE PIRATE PITCHERS WALKED 7 BATTERS. THE PIRATE BATTERS PRODUCED 0 RUNS AND STRUCK OUT 9 TIMES. IT WAS A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT OR LACK OF.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE CARDINALS TOOK THE FIELD.

NEXT GAME: SATURDAY IN ST. LOUIS. PRAY FOR RAIN.