Tag: Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 PADRES 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: SIMPLY, THE SAN DIEGO PADRES GIFT WRAPPED THIS ONE. LET ME COUNT THE WAYS. THE PADRES COULD ONLY SCORE 2 RUNS ON 10 HITS WITH 7 WALKS AND LEFT 16 MEN ON BASE. WHILE CHARGED WITH ONLY 1 ERROR THEY MADE NUMEROUS MISPLAYS IN THE FIELD. WHEN TUCUPITA MARCANO WAS TRYING TO BUNT IN THE TOP OF THE NINTH, THEY WALKED HIM ON 4 STRAIGHT PITCHES. IT TOOK A DRAMATIC HOME RUN IN THE NINTH TO WIN THE GAME, BECAUSE THE PIRATES TRIED JUST AS HARD NOT TO WIN THE GAME. THEY HAD NUMEROUS FIELDING BLUNDERS AND LEFT 9 MEN ON BASE. THEY STRUCK OUT 15 TIMES. TUCUPITA MARCANO SHOWED HE IS THE PERFECT PIRATE, WHEN HE TOOK 2 STRIKES AND THEN STRUCK OUT ON A BALL OUT OF THE STRIKE ZONE, WITH A RUNNER ON THIRD AND ONE OUT. IT’S NICE TO SEE THE PIRATE BATTING PHILOSOPHY IS THROUGH OUT THE SYSTEM. THIS WAS TOPPED OFF BY ONE OF THE WORST HOME RUN CALLS IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL BY GREG BROWN. AS KE’BRYAN HAYES WAS ROUNDING THE BASES IN THE TOP OF NINTH, HE FIRST SAID THE PIRATES HAD A 3-1 LEAD, THEN LED BY ONE RUN, 3-2, AND FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT BY SAYING THE SCORE WAS 4-2. I GUESS WE CAN BLAME IT ON JET LAG OR SHOCK ON THE PIRATES HITTING A HOME RUN IN THE 9TH TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THE GAME. THANK GOD THIS GAME ENDED AT 1:45 AM, WITH HOPEFULLY NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WATCHING. THIS GAME SET BASEBALL BACK 50 YEARS.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THERE WERE TOO MANY TO MENTION THEM ALL. OBVIOUSLY, HAYES’S HOME RUN WAS THE BIG HIT OF THE GAME. SHELTON BATTING FOR PEREZ IN THE 9TH MAY HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST MOMENT. IT IS INTERESTING THAT HE PINCH HIT FOR PEREZ IN THE 9TH THIS TIME, WHEN HE DID NOT A FEW GAMES BEFORE WITH THE WINNING RUN ON 3RD BASE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.

NEXT GAME: THIS AFTERNOON, PADRES IN SAN DIEGO. COULD THE PIRATES TAKE THE SERIES? CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE LINE UP CARD.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 3 PADRES 4

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: THE BATS WENT BACK TO NORMAL GETTING ONLY 1 LITTLE DRIBBLER OF A HIT AND A WALK IN THE LAST 5 INNINGS. QUINTANA PITCHED A GOOD GAME BUT WAS NOT EFFICIENT AND WAS REMOVED IN THE 6TH. JOSH VAN METER WAS FORCED TO PLAY 1ST BASE WHEN CHAVIS GOT HURT, WHICH PROVED TO BE COSTLY, AS THE PIRATES COULD NOT HOLD ON TO A 3 RUN LEAD. FOR THE PIRATE MANAGEMENT TEAM, WHEN YOU PUT YOUR FIRST BASEMAN ON THE IL, AND YOU HAVE ONLY ONE OTHER PLAYER TO PLAY THE POSITION, THEN YOU BRING UP A FIRST BASEMAN FROM THE MINOR LEAGUES. THIS LOST IS AGAIN ON MANAGEMENT. THEY HAVE DIRECTLY LOST ABOUT 1/4 OF ALL THE PIRATE GAMES THIS YEAR, GOOD JOB, LAST PLACE IS NOT FAR AWAY.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THE JOSH (YOU MEAN I HAVE TO HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BAG) VAN METER DEBACLE AT FIRST BASE. THIS WAS FOLLOWED UP BY THE 3 RUN HOMER BY LUKE VOIT. AFTER THE PADRES TOOK THE LEAD IN THE 8TH, THEY STILL HAD RUNNERS ON 1ST AND 2ND, WITH NOBODY OUT. AFTER THAT, I BELIEVE THEY JUST MADE OUTS ON PURPOSE, KNOWING THE PIRATES HAD NO CHANCE OF SCORING IN THE TOP OF THE NINTH. AFTER ALL, THERE IS LOTS TO DO IN SAN DIEGO ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, PADRES IN SAN DIEGO. AFTER THE GAME SHELTON SAID THAT CHAVIS IS DAY TO DAY. HE WAS SALIVATING HEAVILY WHEN HE SAID IT, JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL THE BIZARRE PLAYERS HE COULD PUT AT FIRST BASE NOW. I HEARD THAT EVEN IF THEY PUT CHAVIS ON THE IL, THE PIRATES ARE GOING TO BRING UP A CATCHER.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 10 ROCKIES 5

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE BATS WOKE UP AND BLASTED BY THE 4 RUN BARRIER TO SCORE 10 RUNS, ON 9 HITS AND 5 WALKS. FOUR OF THE 9 HITS WERE FOR EXTRA BASES, 2 DOUBLES AND 2 HOME RUNS. THE BULLPEN PRETTY MUCH SHUT THE ROCKIES DOWN, AFTER ZACK THOMPSON GAVE UP 4 RUNS IN 3 INNINGS. IT WAS NICE TO SEE THE YOUNG PITCHER YERRY DE LOS SANTOS CLOSE OUT THE NINTH. HE WAS A LITTLE SHAKY GIVING UP A HIT AND A WALK BUT HE GOT THE JOB DONE ON HIS FIRST APPEARENCE IN THE MAJORS. IT WAS A NICE COME BACK WIN FOR THE BUCCOS. IT WAS ALSO NICE TO SEE CAL MITCHELL HAVE ANOTHER CLEAN GAME, GOING 2 FOR 5 AND DRIVING IN ANOTHER RUN.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THE 3 RUN HOMER BY JACK SUWINSKI IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH WITH 2 OUT GOT THE PIRATES RIGHT BACK IN THE GAME. THEN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 7TH WITH THE PIRATES LEADING 6-5 AND 2 OUT, JOSH (I DON’T KNOW WHY HE IS EVEN PLAYING) VAN METER HIT A 3 RUN HOMER, THAT GAVE THE PIRATES A VERY NICE CUSHION TO TAKE INTO THE LAST 2 INNINGS. VAN METER HAD A NICE GAME AND A BIG HOME RUN YESTERDAY. HOWEVER, HE IS 27 YEARS OLD AND IS NOT GOING TO BE ANYTHING MORE THAN A BENCH GUY, MAYBE NOT EVEN A GOOD ONE. EVERY GAME HE PLAYS, HE IS JUST SLOWING DOWN THE DEVELOPEMENT OF A YOUNG PLAYER, IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

NEXT GAME: FRIDAY NIGHT, THE PADRES IN SAN DIEGO. THIS IS THE START OF A 6 GAME ROAD TRIP WITH 3 IN SAN DIEGO AND 3 IN L.A. THE PIRATES WERE ABLE TO SPLIT THE 6 GAMES WITH THESE 2 TEAMS WHEN THEY PLAYED IN PITTSBURGH. IF THE PIRATES CAN DO THIS ON THE ROAD, THEN I WILL BE TURNING WATER INTO WINE BY WEDNESDAY. LET’S GO BUCS.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 1 ROCKIES 2, IN 10 INNINGS

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: AGAIN, IT WAS THE SILENCE OF THE BATS, AS THE PIRATES REFUSED TO FEAST ON STRIKES. HAYES AND REYNOLDS LOOKED REALLY BAD AS THEY WENT O FOR 9 WITH 3 STRIKEOUTS COMBINED. WHY MICHAEL PEREZ WAS NOT PINCH HIT FOR IT THE NINTH, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS. THE GUY IS HITTING .108 AND WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE HE GETS TO BAT. WOW! CAL MITCHELL HAD A NICE DEBUT DRIVING IN THE ONLY PIRATE RUN AND MAKING SOME GOOD DEFENSIVE PLAYS. HE HAD A CHANCE TO BE THE HERO BUT FAILED.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THE PIRATES HAD 1ST AND 3RD WITH ONE OUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH, WITH THE ROCKIES DEPLOYING THE 5 MAN INFIELD. MITCHELL MADE A ROOKIE MISTAKE BY SWINGING AT A PITCH LOW AND AWAY, THAT WAS HIT SHARPLY RIGHT AT THE SHORTSTOP, AND CRUZ WAS THROWN OUT AT THE PLATE. I AM SURE HE WAS ANXIOUS AT THE PLATE, GIVEN THE SITUATION, BUT I DON’T MIND SEEING A YOUNG PLAYER MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THAT. CONTRERAS WHO IS 22 PITCHED A SOLID 5 INNINGS AND MITCHELL WHO IS 23 PLAYED A SOLID GAME. THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF. LET THE YOUTH BE SERVED FOR GOD’S SAKE.

NEXT GAME: THIS AFTERNOON, ROCKIES IN PITTSBURGH. THE PIRATES HAVE GONE 12 GAMES WITHOUT SCORING MORE THAN 4 RUNS AND THEIR RECORD IS 4-8 DURING THIS SPAN. IT IS AN EASY SOLUTION. JUST START SWINGING AT STRIKES, PLEASE. ONE AT BAT LAST NIGHT, HAYES TOOK 3 STRAIGHT STRIKES. I GUESS HE IS TRYING TO DISPROVE THAT YOU CAN NOT GET A HIT IF YOU DON’T SWING. MAYBE THEY WILL SEE BETTER IN THE DAYLIGHT BUT I DOUBT IT.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 2 ROCKIES 1

WHY THE PIRATES WON: GREAT PITCHING FROM J. T. BRUBAKER AND THE PIRATES WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME SOME OF THEIR OWN MISTAKES AND A QUESTIONABLE OVERTURNED CALL AT THE PLATE. THEY TURNED 3 DOUBLE PLAYS AND MADE SOME VERY GOOD PLAYS IN THE FIELD. KE’BRYAN HAYES HAD A GOOD DAY AT THE PLATE GOING 3 FOR 3 WITH A WALK, DRIVING IN 1 RUN AND SCORING THE GAME WINNER. A NICE GRITTY WIN FOR THE PIRATES, WHICH IS RARE THESE DAYS. THE ONLY BAD NEWS, JOSH VAN METER GOT 2 HITS, WHICH MIGHT MEAN HE WILL START THE NEXT 10 GAMES.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THE PIRATES WERE GOING TO LEAVE ANOTHER RUNNER STRANDED AT 3RD BASE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH, YOSHI TSUTSUGO GOT AN INFIELD HIT TO SCORE HAYES WITH THE WINNING RUN. RIGHT THEN THE ROCKIES KNEW THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE THEIR DAY. TSUTSUGO LATER SAID, THE LAST TIME HE GOT AN INFIELD HIT, HE WAS 12.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, THE ROCKIES IN PITTSBURGH. THE BATS ARE STILL PRETTY MUCH SILENT, WITH A COUPLE OF PLAYERS THREATENING TO HAVE BATTING AVERAGES BELOW .100. THEY HAD 5 PLAYERS STARTING LAST NIGHT WITH AVERAGES BELOW .200. WHEN WILL THE PIRATES SCORE OVER 4 RUNS IN A GAME, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 CARDINALS 5

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: BAD DEFENSE AND UNTIMELY HITTING LED TO THIS DEFEAT. ONLY 2 OF THE CARDINALS 5 RUNS WERE EARNED. THE PIRATE BATS AGAIN WERE QUIET MOST OF THE TIME AND DID NOT GET A HIT AFTER THE 5TH INNING. THE PIRATE BULLPEN DID NOT ALLOW A RUN OVER THE LAST 5 AND 1/3 INNINGS BUT THE PIRATES DID NOT COME CLOSE TO TYING THE GAME.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: AFTER 2 WERE OUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH, KE’BRYAN HAYES SINGLED, BRYAN REYNOLDS HIT AN INSIDE THE PARK HOME RUN TO MAKE THE SCORE 5-4. CHAVIS THEN DOUBLED, THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY 2 WALKS TO LOAD THE BASES. BUT YOSHI TSUTSUGO, WHO SHOCKINGLY GOT 2 HITS LAST NIGHT, COULD NOT GET THE BIG ONE, EVEN THOUGH HE DID BATTLE TO A 3-2 COUNT. AFTER THAT THE PIRATES GOT ONLY ONE MORE RUNNER ON BASE VIA THE HIT BY PITCH.

NEXT GAME: TODAY, CARDINALS IN PITTSBURGH IT WAS A BETTER LINE UP LAST NIGHT BUT THE BATS OVER ALL REALLY STINK. THE PIRATES HAVE NOT SCORED OVER 4 RUNS FOR 9 GAMES, HAVING BEEN SHUT OUT 3 TIMES AND DID NOT GET A HIT IN ANOTHER WHERE THEY SCORED 1 RUN. TODAY, I KNOW WILL BE A GOOFY SUNDAY LINE UP. HERE WE COME, CARDINAL SWEEP.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 3 CARDINALS 5

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: SHELTON STARTED ONE OF THE WORSE LINE UPS EVER. DESPITE THAT, THE PIRATES WERE HANGING IN THERE 1-0 GOING INTO THE SIXTH. THEN SHELTON SEALED THE DEAL, BRINGING IN DOUBLE H WITH HIS NEARLY 7 ERA. EVEN THOUGH THE BULLPEN WAS WELL RESTED, HE BRINGS IN HIS WORSE RELIEVER IN A TIGHT GAME. HE LEFT WITH AN ERA OVER 8. THE PIRATES HAVE A LOT OF GOOD YOUNG PLAYERS BUT THEY ARE NOT ON THE TEAM. INSTEAD, THEY HAVE SOME OF THE WORST FREE AGENT SIGNINGS IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL. HEMBREE 2.13 MILLION, YOSHI TSUTSUGO 4 MILLION, FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF OVER 6 MILLION FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET. THERE ARE OTHER PLAYERS WHO WOULD NOT BE ON ANOTHER MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM, LET ALONE PLAYING ALMOST EVERYDAY.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: WHEN SHELTON PRESENTED THE LINE UP CARD. YOU KNEW THE GAME WAS OVER. NO TURTLE, NO CASTILLO THEY NEEDED MORE REST. THE PIRATES WERE NOT GOING TO SCORE MUCH WITH THAT LINE UP. THE PIRATES SCORED SOME TOKENS RUNS TOWARD THE END OF THE GAME BUT THE LAST 5 BATTERS STRUCK OUT. CASTRO ENDED THE GAME WITH A PROTOTYPE PIRATE AT BAT. SWUNG AT A BALL, TOOK A STRIKE, THEN FOULED OFF A STRIKE, BUT THEN TOOK A 3RD STRIKE TO END THE GAME.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, CARDINALS IN PITTSBURGH. I WAS RIGHT WITH OVER 24 HOURS TO THINK ABOUT IT SHELTON CAME UP WITH A JIM DANDY LINE UP LAST NIGHT. LET’S BRING COLE TUCKER BACK UP. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE KEVIN (NEW BATTING STANCE) WORTHLESS NEWMAN.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 3 CUBS 2

WHY THEY PIRATES WON: AS IN THEIR 3 PREVIOUS WINS IN CHICAGO, THE PIRATES GRABBED A LEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME AND THE BULLPEN DID NOT RELINQUISH IT. IT HAS BEEN AMAZING HOW SIMILIAR THE 7 GAMES HAVE BEEN IN CHICAGO. THE 3 CHICAGO WINS HAVE BEEN BLOW OUTS AND THE PIRATE WINS HAVE ALL BEEN CLOSE GAMES WHERE THE CUBS FAILED TO SCORE OVER THE LAST 5 INNINGS. THE BATS CAME ALIVE, A LITTLE, COLLECTING 9 HITS, WITH 2 BEING EXTRA BASE HITS. YOU HAVE TO WONDER HOW LONG THE PIRATES ARE GOING TO KEEP PLAYING YOSHI TSUTSUGO? HE IS SLUGGING .219.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: TOP OF THE THIRD THE PIRATES SCORED 2 RUNS AFTER HAVING 2 OUT AND NOBODY ON. A SURPRISING BIT OF 2 OUT LIGHTNING. SUWINSKI HIT THE BIG HOMER IN 5TH AND THE BULLPEN WENT INTO CUB SHUT DOWN MODE. TOO BAD WE CAN’T PLAY THE CUBS 60 TIMES.

NEXT GAME: FRIDAY, CARDINALS IN PITTSBURGH. TODAY IS WHAT’S CALLED A DAY OFF. ALL PLAYERS WILL BE RESTED. DOES THE PIRATE MANAGEMENT TEAM UNDERSTAND THIS CONCEPT? I AM NOT TOO SURE. WITH OVER 24 HOURS TO THINK ABOUT IT, THE STARTING LINE UP SHOULD BE A GEM.

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Pirate Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 0 CUBS 7

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: VERY POOR STARTING LINE UP. NOT PLAYING YOUR BEST HITTER. PLAYERS PLAYING OUT OF POSITION. NOT KNOWING FUNDEMENTAL BASEBALL. THIS WAS NOT A GOOD DAY FOR THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE PIRATES. THIS TEAM LOOKED LIKE A BUNCH OF LITTLE LEAGUERS LAST NIGHT AND THAT MIGHT BE AN INSULT TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE. THE ONLY PERSON WHO LOOKED WORSE THAN THE PIRATES WAS THE OFFICIAL SCORER FOR THE CUBS WHO, GAVE HITS ON BALLS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED ERRORS. I DO NOT BLAME THIS ON THE PLAYERS. THIS MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS PUT THESE PLAYERS IN POSITIONS TO DELIBERATELY MAKE THEM LOOK BAD AND LAST NIGHT THEY SUCCEEDED BIG TIME. OTHER THAN BRUBAKER PITCHING A HALFWAY DECENT GAME, THE REST OF THE TEAM JUST PLAIN STUNK. IN THE LAST 27 INNINGS THE PIRATES HAVE SCORED 1 RUN.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THE BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH WHEN THE PIRATES COMMITTED A COMEDY OF ERRORS OF COMMISSION AND OMISSION. IT IS TOO PAINFUL TO WRITE ABOUT THAT A SO-CALLED MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM COULD LOOK THIS BAD.

A HISTORIC NOTE: THE TURTLE GOT HIS 1ST TRIPLE OF HIS CAREER, BUT THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY AND SCORE ON A MEDIUM LENGTH FLY BALL AND WAS THROWN OUT AT THE PLATE. HIS “SLIDE” AGAIN CAME UP ABOUT 3 FEET SHORT BUT THIS TIME THERE WAS A CATHCER WAITING FOR HIM AT THE PLATE. ANOTHER KEYSTONE COPS MOMENT FOR THE PIRATES.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, CUBS IN CHICAGO. HOPEFULLY KE’BRYAN HAYES WILL NOT NEED 2 DAYS REST. I KNOW ITS TOUGH TO PLAY EVERY DAY WHEN YOU ARE WINDING DOWN A CAREER IN YOUR MID 30’S. I DID HEAR THE PIRATES ARE GOING TO HAVE A TEAM MEETING TO GO OVER THE RULES OF BASEBALL AND TEACH SOME SLIDING TECHNIQUES FOR SLOW RUNNERS. THERE IS ALSO GOING TO BE A TEST ON GAME AWARENESS AND WHAT TO DO WHEN THERE IS A MAN ON FIRST WITH NO ONE OUT. I HEARD THAT ONE OF THE LOCAL LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES IS GOING TO ADDRESS THE PLAYERS AND STAFF. MAYBE THEY WILL PLAY BETTER TONIGHT.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 0 CUBS 9

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: DILLON PETERS DID NOT LOOK RIGHT FROM THE START, AND THE CUBS EXPLODED FOR 8 RUNS IN THE FIRST. THE PIRATES HAVE BECOME, FOR NOW, THE HITLESS WONDERS. THEY WENT 12 AND 1/3 INNINGS GOING BACK TO SUNDAY BEFORE FINALLY GETTING A HIT. TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, ON 2 SWINGS WILLSON CONTRERAS HAD TWICE THE NUMBER OF TOTAL BASES, THAN THE PIRATES DID FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. THE PIRATES HAVE DEFINED THE TEAM BATTING SLUMP

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: AS BAD AS THINGS LOOKED, THE CUBS ONLY HAD A 2-0 LEAD WITH 2 ON AND 2 OUT. THEN PETERS WALKED THE NEXT BATTER. ENTER BRYCE WILSON. HE GAVE UP A SWINGING BUNT AND THEN WALKED ANOTHER BATTER, TO GIVE THE CUBS A 4-0 LEAD. THEN CONTRERAS TOOK THE VERY FIRST PITCH AND SMOKED IT INTO THE LEFT FIELD STANDS FOR A GRAND SLAM. GAME OVER.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT: CUBS IN CHICAGO. TEAMS, NO MATTER HOW BAD OR HOW GOOD, ALL GO THROUGH A BATTING SLUMP. THE KEY WILL BE, HOW LONG WILL IT LAST. THE ENTIRE TEAM HAS CAUGHT THE SOFT CONTACT OR STRIKE OUT VIRUS. THEY CAN ONLY HOPE IT WILL END SOON. MAYBE WE WILL HAVE THE CATCHER LEAD OFF, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.