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Sports: Let The Playoffs Begin

For a baseball fan, this is the best time of the year, as the playoffs will start today with the wild card round. To me, this round will be just a prelude to being eliminated in the division round. If the championship series are not Yankees vs. Astros and Dodgers vs. Braves, it will be very surprising. These teams have been the dominate teams most of the year, and if any of them do not make the finals of their respective leagues, it would be a major upset. The wild card round I feel is pretty competitive, and I would not be surprised at any team advancing. I do feel there is one series that is the most intriguing and should help the Braves advance to the championship round.

San Diego Padres are the wild card team of the wild card round. They play just as well on the road as they do at home. In fact, their road record is one game better than their home record. The Padres really did not set the world on fire after they acquired Josh Hader, Josh Bell, and Juan Soto. They looked like they might not even make the playoffs with Milwaukee challenging them right into the last week of the season. They are a seasoned group when it comes to playoff experience. They beat the Mets 4 out of 6 games during the regular season. The Mets are going to open with Scherzer and DeGrom, but they did the same thing against Atlanta and lost both games. The Padres have always had a certain swagger, whether it is justified or not. When you look at the teams statistically the Mets have the decided advantage. There is this perception that the Mets somehow blew the division title or limped into the playoffs. Nothing could be further from the truth. Their record before and after the All-Star break is exactly the same. For whatever reason the Mets have this aura of failure around them. If the Padres pull off the upset, which I think they will, this aura will only darken. It will just be the Mets being the Mets.

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Pirates Morning Report, The Final Game

Final Score: Pirates 5 Cardinals 3

How The 2023 Pirates Did: As a group (7), they went 8 for 24 with 4 walks, scoring 5 runs, driving in 3 and striking out only 5 times. I’m not sure if Miquel Andujar will be part of the 2023 Pirates next year but I am counting him for now, had 3 hits to lead the way. Johan Oviedo could only go 4 innings but looked better than most starters lately giving up 2 earned runs on 5 hits. The bullpen, this time was able to protect the lead after the Pirates put up the crooked number in the bottom of the 4th. Who knows what the bullpen will look like next year, but I count their performance none the less. The fielding was sketchy again with 2 more errors.

Key Moment of The Game: The Paul De Jong line out to end the game. If this ball is hit a little harder or a little higher there is no telling how the game would have ended with this bullpen history. It allowed the Pirates to close the season with a win.

Next Game: March 30, 2023, Red in Cincinnati. The Pirates start their playoff run.

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Pirates Noon Report, Losing No. 100 In Style

Final Score: Pirates 7 Cardinals 8 in 10 innings

How The 2023 Pirates Did: The Pirates brought out the lumber last night scoring 7 runs on 15 hits. The first 6 batters for the Pirates went 12 for 28, scoring 6 runs and driving in 4. Oneil Cruz led the way getting 3 hits. Ji Hwan Bae, batting 9th, had a nice game going 2 for 5, with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. The starting pitching continued their late season slump with J. T. Brubaker only going 2.2 innings giving up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk. The bullpen could not hold the lead of 7-3 and the game went 10 innings before the Pirates lost 8-7. Cruz and Bae each made an error which contributed to the Cardinals scoring.

Key Moment of The Game: With score 8-7 Cardinals in the bottom of the 10 designated runner Kevin Newman was on 2nd base with one out. On a ground ball by Cruz that went off the first baseman’s glove and was retrieved by the 2nd baseman, Newman tried to score all the way from 2nd on the play. I do not know who made the decision, but it was a bad one and Newman was out at the plate. Instead of the Pirates having 1st and 3rd with one out, they had a runner on 1st with 2 outs. Cruz managed to get all the way around to third base, but Reynolds grounded out to end the game. The Pirates lost game number 100 for the season with some flare at least.

Next And Last Game of The Season: This afternoon, Cardinals in Pittsburgh. The last chance for the Pirates to put the 2023 Pirates on the field. On a personal note, I was in San Diego for the week, and it was fun to watch a team clinch a playoff spot and see the excitement. I got in very early this AM, which is why this is a noon report. After the season I will look at what the 2023 Pirates will do next year when they try and win games. Playoff baseball is right around the corner, and I can hardly keep my fingers still.

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Pirates Morning Report, I Only Thought The Pirates Would Do That

Final Score: Pirates 3 Cardinals 2

How The 2023 Pirates Did: The Pirate’s bats were quiet for most of the game. Reynolds, Castillo, Suwinski and Delay each got 1 hit, with Reynolds doubling in a run and Suwinski hitting a home run. Keller started off strong but faltered in the 6th giving up 4 straight hits to start the inning, including a 2 run homer to Albert Pujols. The Pirates only struck out 2 times which may be a season low. The bullpen hung tough for the 2nd game in a row.

Key Moment of The Game: Earlier, I wrote that the Pirate’s bats were quiet, but they were very quiet in the bottom of the 9th. In fact, they never made a sound. Unbelievably, the Cardinals walked the first 4 batters in the bottom of the 9th to lose the game. If I thought I would ever see something like that, it would be the Pirates who would do it. I was wrong and the Pirates won 3-2.

Next Game: Tonight, Cardinals in Pittsburgh. Came close to the lineup last night but Newman had to start. Can the Pirates avoid 100 losses? Who cares, certainly management doesn’t.

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Pirates Morning Report, Bullpen Back To Early Season Form

Final Score: Pirates 7 Cardinals 5

How The 2023 Pirates Did: Roansy Contreras did not have his usual stuff as he gave up 4 runs, 2 earned, on 3 hits, walking 2, and 0 strikeouts in just 3 innings of work. The bullpen worked the last 6 innings giving up just 1 run on 7 hits, walking 3, while striking out 5. The bats woke up, with Reynolds, Cruz, and Bae getting 2 hits each. Reynolds hit a home run in the 7th to give the Pirates a 2 run cushion. David Bednar got a save and holy surprise the Pirates won.

Key Moment of The Game: The bottom of the 9th was interesting with a one out double and then a 2 out walk. Corey Dickerson had a chance to be the hero again against his old team but David Bednar got him to ground out to 2nd to end the game and give the Pirates a 7-5 win

Next Game: Tonight Cardinals in Pittsburgh. Tyler Heineman returned from concussion protocol and was cleared for play because he did not think the movie McGruber was funny. He proved that everything was ok by going O for 4.

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Pirates Morning Report, Dickerson’s Revenge

Final Score: Pirates 3 Cardinals 13

How The 2023 Pirates Did: Luis Ortiz who had 2 very nice starts, got racked for 6 runs in the 1st inning to begin a dismal performance for the 2023 Pirates. They got 6 hits with Jason Delay getting 1 and driving in 2 runs. Cal Mitchell got 2 hits and scored 1 run. It was just another blowout loss for the Pirates as the season winds slowly painfully down. Oneil Cruz did not play, as management wanted to get a good look at Kevin Newman. Cruz developed well on the bench and was also thankful that he was not part of this debacle.

Key Moment of The Game: It looked like Ortiz might get out of the inning with only 2 runs scoring despite his wildness. The bases were loaded with one out and then Corey Dickerson unloaded a bomb to clear the bases and make the score 6-0. The former Pirate exacted a nice revenge on his former teammates and this game was over.

Next Game: This afternoon, Cardinals in St. Louis. It would be so nice to see a lineup with no Newman, Gamel, Godoy or Collins. I just don’t think it will happen even this late in the season. It would be so much fun to watch, but why change things now. Just 4 games to go.

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Pirates Morning Report, Only The Uniforms Are Red

Final Score: Pirates 1 Cardinals 2

How The 2023 Pirates Did: The top of the order went 0 for 12 which is never a good thing. Ji Hwan Bae had the best game going 2 for 4 and driving in the only run for the Pirates. Suwinski, Hayes and Castro each got one hit. Johan Oviedo pitched another good game giving up 2 runs on 6 hits, walking 2, striking out 4, while throwing 103 pitches. The Pirates bats could do very little at the plate. The Cardinals made 2 acrobatic catches of foul balls including one by Paul Goldschmidt to end the game. The Cardinals showed again they are one of the best fielding teams in the league.

Key Moment of The Game: The 3 singles in the bottom of the 5th, none of which were hit that hard, but produced the 2nd and go ahead run. The Pirates offense was pretty much putrid and then they realized that even though the uniforms were red these were not the Reds anymore. No gifts today, as the Pirates went quietly down to defeat

Next Game: Tonight, Cardinals in St. Louis. The season is grinding mercifully down to an end. Just 5 more ridiculous lineups to go.

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Pirates Morning Report, Workin Overtime

Final Score: Pirates 4 Reds 3 in 10 innings

How The 2023 Pirates Did: Oneil Cruz had another 2 hit game, driving in 2 runs and scoring another. Andujar and Cal Mitchel each had 2 hits. Those of you that bet on Jose Goday to get a hit this season won. The story of the day was the pitching performance of Bryse Wilson who went 8 innings giving up only 3 hits,walking 1, striking out 6, while throwing 90 pitches. Too bad the performance was almost wasted by the pathetic performance of Chase Delong who was blasted for 2 home runs and was lucky they only scored 3 runs.

Key Moment of The Game: The top of the 10th where the Reds failed to get a run even though facing a mediocre reliever in Yahan Ramirez. They even tried to bunt which again shows David Bell to be the worse manger in baseball. They deserved the at’em ball hit to Cruz to end the inning. Kevin Newman got the big 2 out hit to end the game.

Next Game: Friday, the Cardinals in St. Louis. The season is winding down with 6 games to go. Just 6 more bizarre starting lineups. I won’t have anything to look forward to after next week.

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Pirates Morning Report, Crowe’s Comeback

Final Score: Pirates 4 Reds 1

How The 2023 Pirates Did: Oneil Cruz went 2 for 5 and scored a run. I don’t know if Miguel Andujar will be part of the 2023 Pirates but he got the big hit of the night, a 1 out double to drive in 3 runs and give the Pirates a 4-1 lead that the bullpen protected the final 2 innings. Will Crowe had his first solid outing in a long time, pitching 2 scoreless innings, striking out 2, and throwing only 24 pitches. Things really got back to normal with David Bednar picking up the save. The rest of the 2023 Pirates while not spectacular got 5 hits combine with 5 walks. The only one not getting on base was Jason Delay. Then there was Zack Josh Van Collins Meter going 0 for 4, striking out 3 times, and now is 1 for 25 as a Pirate. What a guy!

Key Moment of The Game: Mitch Keller getting out of the bases loaded jam in the top of the 5th. After 9 pitches there were 2 out and nobody on base. Then the bases were loaded on 2 singles and a walk. But Keller got Aristides Aquino to fly out to right field.

Next Game: This afternoon Reds in Pittsburgh. I guess because tickets are $10 the Pirates feel it’s ok to keep playing Zack Josh Van Collins Meter. It makes you wonder why they even DFA’d Josh Van Meter. Maybe he was doing too well to stay on the team. That must have been it.

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Pirates Morning Report, The Reds Are Our Friends.

Final Score: Pirates 8 Reds 3

How The 2023 Pirates Did: The Pirate bats went to small ball last night as they had 13 hits, 11 singles and 2 doubles by Jack Suwinski. The second Suwinski double drove in the 2uns that put the Pirates ahead 4-2. Oneil Cruz had 4 hits and scored a run. Ke’Bryan Hayes had 2 hits, scored a run, and drove in a run. Roansy Contreras pitched 4 innings and gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and striking out 2. The Pirates pulled away at the end and it was another nice win against our new friends the Reds. We won, even though we played Zack Josh Van Collins Meter, along with someone by the name of Jose Godoy. Van Collins Meter got a sacrifice RBI last night, as he continues to shine at the plate, with a batting average of .048, since joining the Pirates. Godoy has a batting average .000 and did not disappoint going 0 for 4 with 2 strike outs. Where do the Pirates find these guys?

Key Moment of The Game: The Zack Josh Van Collins Meter sacrifice fly in the 7th. You knew it was the Pirates night if this guy can drive in a run. The bullpen did well with a 4 and 6 run lead.

Next Game: Tonight, Reds in Pittsburgh. I can’t wait to see Jose Godoy again tonight and I am sure we will see him. Right now, the money line on him ever getting a hit this season is +567. The end of the season is at least in sight.