DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
Morning, Lunatics …
• The Monday column is the first here on the hockey team, and it focuses on their first potential impact young forward since … um, uh … well, that’s the significance.
• Morning Java is back, as of this edition, and the plan is to have it go all seven days rather than just weekdays. The concession is that it will be kept really tight. I’ll try to catch you up on the news of the previous night, what’s ahead that day and updates on coverage plans.
In all candor this allows me to focus on what will be the real work here:
- Sunday: Column
- Monday: Column
- Tuesday: Weekly chat
- Wednesday: Column
- Thursday: Column
- Friday: Insider article, a new idea that collects a whole bunch of random stuff that I learn while being on the scene with the various teams I cover.
- Saturday: Off
This is to say nothing of the various extras that will be here, such as the videos and podcasts that already have popped up. And, because there really aren’t any rules, I’ll absolutely adjust the schedule to suit the news. This week, for example, the Thursday column will be written after Major League Baseball’s trading deadline passes.
I hope all this comes across as fair value and, as ever, invite feedback.
• The Pirates salvaged a game from their series in Colorado, 7-5, Sunday. The first two games had the feel of that dud in New York a couple months ago, but Josh Harrison took care of that in style. Kid’s absolutely amazing. No fluky feel at all to any of what he’s doing, either.
• The Steelers were a bit banged up after the second day of practice, including David Snow having a foot fracture and Le’Veon Bell (hamstring), Martavis Bryant (groin). Mike Tomlin indicated neither of the latter two was serious. Here’s Tomlin’s press conference.
I’ll be heading back out to Latrobe for the first day of tackling, pads and full contact.
• Paul Chryst will perform a tour de force of the various ESPN platforms today in Bristol. By the time it’s done, I’m fully expecting Chryst will have his own home run catch phrase.
• The Riverhounds had been playing really well of late, but no Jose Angulo meant no chance in a 5-0 loss late last night in Sacramento.
• The site is off to a wonderful start, so much so that the greatest challenge early on has been to temper expectations. We’re at 1,300 subscribers in the first five days alone, and close to 40 percent of those have signed up for the full three-year Lunatic package.
If I told you how moved I am by that, I’d get all mushy again. So suffice it to say, again, thanks.
TO ALL COMMENTERS, SUPER-IMPORTANT: Please do NOT mark email that comes from this site as spam. Jandy did that, and it caused a real problem. Her email address had to be removed to get it back up. Jandy, please email me so we can restore your account. And thanks!
So that was Lil Ol’ Jandy who blew up the site? Who knew Mother Teresa did those things when no one is looking?
0=)
That rabble-rouser!
Off with her halo !!!
ya know Joe, it’s downright ricidulous, isn’t it? I know it’s not Dejan’s doing..but HOLY COW!!!
Separately, yes, I find that email annoying, too, and I’ll have it removed. But I need to have the site functional in order to do that.
Congratulations on the start of the site, DK. Things just look better and better.
Congrats, too, to Josh Harrison, who refused to lose yesterday. The Bucs better be ready at SF, as the Giants will be in a Bad Mood after being swept by the Dodgers.
I agree on all counts.
Dk: sounds like a great plan. Really enjoying the site. Al thanks for what you bring us. Big wild card series in SF.
24’s a bust @ 3rd. Seems someone’s been saying so since last year… Can’t trade him. For what return? Play him off the bench. He’s fallen SO low, playing for a modest rebound is better than trading at his nadir. Also, can’t believe some still say Harrison isn’t everyday player.
Lotta guys look like everyday players if you only talk about them when they’re playing well.
Which we’ve been doing all season now regarding Harrison. When is enough, enough?
Except that Harrison was only actually playing that well for about six weeks.
Look, nobody – myself included – should be knocking anything Josh Harrison has done this year. He’s been excellent in his role. But I think it is also fair to question how far that really goes.
Career .250/.282/.367 hitter coming into the season.
.241/.276/.336 hitter since peaking on June 17th.
Josh Harrison is All Star Josh Harrison because he’s a sub, not an everyday player, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just don’t see why you’d want to mess with success.
Nothing wrong “question(ing) how far that really goes.” Speaking for myself, I think #5 has showed enough to merit long-term look @ 3rd (and Pedro, alas, has merited that look for Harrison too.) Besides, how many players can say they have a GIF like this? http://urls.ht/1kl
Hard to say all his AB’s going back to his rookie year are equal. Things are clicking this year. And I think this year is *in spite* of being bounced around as a sub. Anyway, I have to run for today, but #5 in the line up everyday while Pedro gets a new role sounds good to me.
See, that’s what I’m talking about. Josh Harrison is an incredible story. You don’t have a heart or soul if you aren’t rooting for this guy right now. But baseball is too damn hard of a game to buy into good stories over the greater body of work, IMO.
Thanks for the convo, Ghost. Have a good day!
Can Pedro still be optioned? He has less than five years of service in the Big Leagues, if I understand that rule correctly… Let him work things out in Indy while we re-balance the bench with another righty bat. Or damn the lefty-righty thing and give Lambo another look.
Ghost
I support sending Pedro to Indy in an attempt to work out his issues. For 2015, assuming he is not traded, Pedro has to be moved to 1B…………period!
I think it’s sad watching a guy who has worked so hard run into such an odd circumstance, but it is what it is. He seemingly woke up one day and lost the ability to make routine throws.
NMR……….it indeed is sad/tragic what has happened to Pedro. It’s very similar to what happened to Steve Blass back in the day.
I haven’t forgotten about that beverage we talked about a couple weeks ago – are you still interested?
Absolutely, Gunner. I hate making promises right now with my free time because I haven’t been very good at keeping them, but hopefully we can make that happen sooner or later.
NMR
Sounds good – let me know what works for you.
It truly is sad what has become of Pedro as far as throwing. Obviously, not a talent thing. He’s been nothing short of outstanding catching the ball. But, the throwing gets worse and worse. Certainly reminiscent of Blass, except Blass couldn’t move to 1b.
Look at Jim sneaking in for a drive-by way up here! Been busy lately?
MLB.com released updated Top 100 Prospect list, since apparently the pre season and post season lists aren’t enough. Four of the top nine hitters have struck out over 26% of the time. In the Minor Leagues. Prospecting is getting ridiculous.
Wish I knew what would fix Pedro. He’s obviously been able to throw better than this in the past, but this is the worst case of the yips we’ve seen in years. Whatever the Pirates decide to try, how could any of us question it?
Wild Bill
The Bucs have reached a fork in the road with Pedro. The BMTIB doesn’t know what to do about the situation either – this is probably the most difficult player decision this ownership has encountered.
maybe they should ask Boras what to do, he has as much invested in this as the Pirates do.
he needs to wear a pair of woman’s undies. Breath through his eye lids. Dont you know nuttin?
Is this thing on? Oh, it must be. Otherwise, the characters wouldn’t be counting down. Anyway, glad to be here at DK’s new site. Looking forward to seeing what’s next.
First full weekend for the Steelers and guys banged-up already. I hope the hamstring and groin injuries don’t linger much longer.
Would you be willing to give up Josh Bell for a 2 month. Rental of John Lester? That’s going around Boston media.
No. Heck no. Never.
Not never, but not this year.
See your point, Milo. My “never” was about the two month rental in Radio’s question, however. The Boston media would probably like us to throw in Cole as a deal sweetener as well.
NO WAY!
Its an interesting question actually. If you believe Polanco Marte Cutch is your long term starting outfield and that Bell will be big league ready prior to say Cutch gaining free agency then he becomes a pretty valuable trade chIp. Dont know if this is the right time nor return.
I think Bell’s long term future is at first base. At least I hope so because otherwise, it’s Ike or Gabby or whatever reclamation project the BMTIB can find.
Also it is interesting that the Sox are so high on Bell. They were the ones whining when the Bucs flashed him the cash and he decided he would not go to Texas after all. Im almost against the trade just so Boston doesnt ‘win’
I wouldn’t want to trade any of our top guys in the pipeline. No to Bell, no to Kingham, no to Glasnow, no to Meadows, no to McGuire and maybe no to Hanson.
I think this team is good enough to win with what they have, and I’d hate to sacrifice next year(s) for a rental.
I think this team is good enough to try to scrape into the 2nd wild card and not good enough to seriously challenge for the WS. That disqualifies a ‘big-move’ for 2014 only. For 2014 and 2015, let er rip.
NO, mostly because:
1) Lester is not worth it.
2) Balance has shifted- power and hitting prospects more scarce than pitching.
Okay, let’s see if my name is actually right now. Stupid, lousy, WordPress…
My feeling going into this year’s deadline is that under no circumstances should the Pirates trade anyone they feel will help this team in the future for a 2 month rental.
This point is understated unless you know Milo’s general philosophy on prospects.
Amen!!!
Agree.
This is not meant to be a rwbuttal only a question. What time ftames do you think Bell is on? Is he going to be an everyday guy? Is he blocked by say Marte? Is a trade return more valuable? Is he ticketed as an eventual trade anyway? Lester no. Trade Bell?
I’ve been critical of Huntington’s unwillingness to make the big move. But not this year, with this team. The only thing that changes my mind is if you get the guy for next year too.
I agree with Milo.
Same here. But Josh Bell needs to move to 1B next season. He has indicated a willingness to play wherever needed, and there is no questioning the need.
YES, HOLY TOLEDO, YES. Going big for a rental is an ‘over the top’ move. As in that ONE move that would put the Bucs into WS contention. They are more than one move away. So you nibble and try to get into playoffs and see what happens and not harm future.
Milo likes David Price!
Ike Davis: 6 for 13 with 2 HR and 5 RBI since Dejan’s interview. Just sayin…
Lots of people griping about that platoon. Id much rather have a reliable everyday player but Gabby has been good against tje lefties and Ike seems to be hitting his stride. Though Gabby looks a little off as of late.
Lack of positional flexibility is still my biggest gripe against the current 1B platoon. Tough for Hurdle to manage opportunities for two guys who are so limited. Ideally, at least one of them should be able to move to a corner OF spot if needed.
That is a great point NMR. Typically platoon guys can branch out. Jones could play right. Thinking back a ways Redus was flexible when platooning with Bream at first. Only the Spanky/Sluggo platoon was restrictive. Even the didnt Sluggo dawn the ocasional first basements mitt in a pinch?
They had that with Lambo
Maybe Dejan should interview Pedro…..
The Pirates need a sports psychologist on the bench on staff and on the bench.
Touche!
He has to be approaching ‘put up or shut up’ time, doesn’t he? Clint told him to ‘swing the bat like you mean it’, so far so good.
As to 1B platoon, Gaby could play 3B in a pinch.. 5 bench players, backup C, backup 1B, utility IF and 2 backup OFs works, esp if one is supersub
Responding via my phone means lots of typos. Fat fingers plus small keyboard equals yikes.
James Harrison is a ballplayer! Love his hustle and smile! He loves the game and it shows. Contrast his face with the stone faces of some other (un-named) players.
I think you mean Josh? Freudian slip, perhaps?
I’ve never been a big Pedro fan. Not sure why. But, man, do I feel bad for him right now.
Things like this just linger and linger. I can’t help but wonder if a change of scenery would do him some good. Like, I dunno, a move to first base?
Can somebody tell me exactly what Penn State was thinking hiring Sandy Barbour ?
She was fired at Cal less than a month ago because they were graduating no one & she ran up nearly a half billion dollars in debt.
http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Cal-s-Sandy-Barbour-out-as-athletic-director-5583544.php
I know nothing about Sandy Barbour, but if the Athletic Director actually had authority over the seismic retrofitting of a major athletic stadium then whoever put her in charge should be fired, not her. Not even close to being qualified for something like that.
From an article I saw on PennLive, the search group believed that debt and graduation % issues came from decisions made by administration above her.
I have to agree Milo. I think PSU pooped the bed on this one. Recycling at its worst.
Title 9 compliance rules the day
Milo. My best guess is that the top candidates don’t want anything to do with this job right now. The BOT is a mess, law suits galour, and an athletic department that is factioned to say the least due to Dave Joyners acidic personality. She’s there to be an “administrator”.
I feel bad for Pedro too. He seems like a nice quiet guy, but there is something wrong here. He is a momentum killer plain and simple. I’ve said for years that he comes to the plate and walks back after whiffing like he’s an extra in One Flew Over the Cookoo Nest…1000 yd stare
…and, you just watch. He will move on to another team and rip it up because he’s allergic to something at PNC, lol. The dude can seriously rip the ball
I was looking at Pitt’s football schedule yesterday. Just 33 days until the home opener against Delaware. I noticed Iowa plays there on 09/20. That’s a good non-conference game for both schools. Count on a lot of Iowans in the stands. Kirk Ferentz is a Pittsburgh guy.
Big Ten or BIG, whatever it’s called, media day is today. Looking forward to seeing Penn State’s new coach deal with that rough media crowd from Madison!
I can see the sweat forming on the top of Franklin’s head already. (Not)
Yeah, that rabid Madison media hopped up on cheese curd. They are out for low cholesterol blood.
I actually saw Ferentz at a Pirate game a couple years ago. Last time Iowa was here they brought a ton of people.
Oshkosh b’ Gosh,
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3 1/2 months until the Blue Devils line up at center court against the Badgers in Madison!!
Not wanting to be cruel, but maybe Pedro is miscast as a ball player. He could probably play a zombie effortlessly.Its hard for me to root for him now, he looks like he needs some electroshock therapy. Its hard to be sympathetic when he displays no affect after Ks or DPs. Stu
Honestly, Pedro comes across to me as a nice guy who tries hard. he just is an error machine he DID lead baseball in errors the previous two seasons
Problem is:
a) if he recovers and becomes a hitting machine, he will never re-sign
b) he doesn’t, then we don’t want him
You know what the GOOD NEWS is? Circa 2008, Pedro becoming an MVP caliber player was THE HOPE of this franchise. 2014 and they could likely just DFA him and STILL be perennial playoff contenders. Progress.
If you call PROGRESS 3 last place finishes to allow team to have very high draft picks.
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God bless Rene Gayo!!!!!!!! That’s the GOOD NEWS!
Groat: Indeed Cole and Taillon are part of the progress (as high picks) but the system is rebounding because of lower round picks and International Signings (Gayo) as well. AND ability to recruit people like Martin and trade for people like AJ.
Re Pedro. Suppose you move him to first w/o solving his problem. Then suppose runners on first break for second. Do you play the LF & CF in close? Solve the problem, first. – then put him on first and give 3rd to Josh.
Do you get to watch Pirate games, Patrick?
120+ per year. I am truly sick.
Just thought that you may be more of an internet observer due to your location and that comment. Pedro has exactly zero errors on throw to second base as a third basemen. What makes you think that would change at first base?
The Colts, yes the same Colts that just lost RB Vick Ballard to a season ending achilles injury, cut Chris Rainey today. For disciplinary reasons. Color me shocked. Shocked I tell you.
Wow, that didn’t take long…
Rainey appears to be heading for a real life starring role in a threemake of The Longest Yard.
Nice place. I cannot get enough Pirates so for $24 a year, I am in on the ” keep DK’s kids fed” plan.
That is 24 dollars, not 24,000, right?
So far, Doc. better act soon…
Dejan,
Appreciated your Penguin column greatly! Good reading, good writing.
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1/ Neal will be missed greatly. Pens weaker.
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2/ I would trade Rutherford/Johnston immediately for Shero/Bylsma.
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3/ It would not have been a true DK Penguin column without a shot at Bennett!
I still think Pedro needs proper counselling. I can’t see AAA helping him unless coaching there is better than on the ML level.
His problems are in his head, especially with the throws. Someone above said they ought to employ a psycho-analyst. Not a bad idea.
Speaking of boy scout Chris Rainey, Colin Dunlap insists the reason Bucs not bringing up Tabata is because he is bad influence on Marte and maybe Polanco.
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If Jose Tabata is such a bad influence, why would BMTIB want him around ANY of their AAA players.
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Sounds imagined.
If the Pirates don’t bring Tabata up in September, that should tell us a lot about his status within the organ-i-zation.
How many innings has Michael Martinez played at short since he came up to replace Barmes? Yet he has played outfield innings.
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Buccos could have really used Tabata against all these lefties.
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BMTIB must be trying to recoup some of their $9.5 mill in trade before releasing him!
Groat:
I have to believe NH is looking for an upgrade at back-up infielder at the deadline. I don’t have a major issue with Tabby not being recalled, even though Martinez and Morel are not really major leaguers. Know folks don’t like him as much as I do, but I want Bonifacio.
Or it would say that he isn’t on the 40-man roster, which he isn’t.
He’s a bad influence on anyone that plays baseball all-out.
Lucky…………………I assume you mean Tabata, right?
You assume correctly, Gunner.
He’s kept because of his paycheck/contract
Colin Dunlap gets paid to spout garbage like that.
Dunlap is Mark Madden without the humor or intelligence.
I read that as well, Groat. Must be that “lips” tattoo. I know I wish our lineup wasn’t so hamstrung vs. LHP with Marte out and Tabata in AAA.
Saw an article in the P-G that says Pittsburgh is #2 on the list of most unhappy big city residents, after only NYC. I haven’t lived in the ‘burgh area for a long while, but love to visit. Does this study make any sense to you all who live near the ‘burgh?
Survey is only either Smizik blog readers or Pirates fans. Sure that’s it.
NO! Who knows what the basis was for that survey?! ‘Burghers LOOOVE their city. And so do I. I say this as a native Clevelander who’s lived in W. PA since 1985.
It was a 5pm commuters poll
It was taken right after a Pedro throwing error (which means the poll was taken VERY frequently).
Feels like home again, thanks to so many who are up and running on the blog.
Pedro: Really reaching the point, isn’t it, that the Bucs can’t afford having him at 3B? Even games he starts they will need to take him out late for defensive purposes.
And lest I forget… add “Snider, Travis” to the list of things I’ve been wrong about 2014 Pirates edition. Joins: Hay, J and Mercer, Jordy who I had in Indy around May 1.
With his improved play, I think he earns some time in LF to spell Marte and let JHay take hold of 3B.
Question: Can the Pirates go out and sign whomever coached Brandon Moss to break out in Oakland to work with Ike Davis and Pedro? Snider, too? Would surely love for these guys to break out as Pirates and not when traded away.
A recent interview had Moss giving lots of credit to the current Pirate hitting coach.
Cmat, In a Sports Illustrated article this summer, Brandon Moss attributed his (and others’) success to the A’s letting players be themselves and not asking them to do things they were not capable of. How much of that explains Pedro now and Moss when he was here, I don’t know.
Interesting. As always the question is whether IT is in there as these young guys struggle and how long you let them ‘be themselves’ but suck it up. For example, IT is in Pedro but wasn’t in Clement. It might be in Snider. Likely isn’t in Tabata, etc.
This on Big Ben http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11275914/gm-kevin-colbert-confident-ben-roethlisberger-retire-pittsburgh-steelers
Hey National Mart of Records!
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How do 1st Base platoon stats this year thus far compare with 1st Base platoon stats from last year? From 2 years ago?
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Because you have nothing else to do . . . .
Good to see you, my friend! I’d love to take you up on that request, but it may have to wait until later on.
I LOVE Cutch, but watching all loooooong 27 innings of that Rockies series, I humbly suggest he donate his game checks to charity for all 3 games. He did not show up in the slightest and that cost us. Not all his fault, and again I love him, but he needs to do more in SF.
Fair enough, but what do we do about all the games where he has overperformed, cmat? Pay him extra? He is averaging an XBH every 2 games. But, he is human.
It’s not the results it was the apparent effort and bad at bats. Maybe he needed a day off. Maybe Ruben amaro can administer the cutch plus-minus fund once he is fired in
Did Jandy break the reply indentations too?
She just emailed me – now she can’t post AT ALL! And the reply indents aren’t the only things missing – so are reply buttons under many (but seemingly random) posts. DK???
I dont think you can reply to a reply on your original post. Like i post you reply and i cant reply to you. At least that is what i have seen.
Oh and why did Jandy mark DK as spam to begin with? Accident I am sure otherwise poor form
Oh boy…we can’t have that.
AJS – didn’t mark DK as Spam – the EMAILS most of us are getting (from WordPress) notifying us that “blah blah” has replied to our comment. We get an email every time someone comments on our comment – very annoying!
Get some that go to spam without even designating them as spam. Others go to inbox. Strange dont think its that bad. On my phone i can’t click on link. But on laptop you can click link right from email which is convenient. DK, u can prob increase traffic if phones show links too
Just saw that over in the column thread. My appologies. Though I knew it couldnt be a direct spamming of a relevant email.
That said these reply emails are annoying. Can we make it an option like it was at that site that threw us out like yesterdays diapers?
Travis wrote some really good crap today. Its kind of sad.
Good thing you clarified your post AJS, I was about to send the size 9 wides out after you!
I get the sense LeVeon Bell doesn’t like training camp very much.
Questions: Giants traded their #3 and #7 rated prospect for 2 months + playoffs (they hope) of Jake Peavy. The Pirates’ equivalent to that is say ONE OF Meadows/Glasnow AND ONE OF Hansen/Kingham/Ramirez. That is ridiculous IMHO.
Well, considering each both systems are not equivalent, the Giants #3 and #7 don’t have anywhere near the same value as the Pirates #3 and #7.
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The Giants #3 guy also got a Tim ALderson comp, fwiw. Top prospect on a swift decline.
ok, that makes me feel better, but I’m sure the ‘asking GM’ is aiming that high. Makes me feel good that our system is so strong, but also I still wonder what the Pirates would need to package to get a Peavy-type (not that I advocate that, just curious). Ramirez plus Cumpton?
@cmat(in case this ends up in no-man’s land) – This could certainly be way off, but I think a Cumpton/Adrian Sampson paired with a Lambo/Mel Rojas Lr. type would work as a comparison. Harold Ramirez is probably a bit too steep due to young age/projection and position (CF).
Crematorium,
No comparison of Giants’ #3 and #7 to same prospects on Pirate list!
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No equivalency!
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That would be like saying a trade involving McCutch is the same as a trade involving the Giants center fielder.
Just had a free second and wanted to send a quick hi to everyone. Will check out the posts and such later on. Hope y’all had a great weekend!
Don’t think Jandy is too happy:
Loonies, I tried to apologize to Dejan for exercising my right to send spam where it belongs. I then had to use an alternate e-mail to get back in. Now it won’t let me post anything…continued below:
….What kind of host is that easily knocked out and why am I still unable to post anything? This is ridiculous. SMH
Blogmother is hankering to ground someone for at least a week.
She’s furious, actually – now she can’t post anything even using the alternate email she had to use to get back in…
There are going to be bumps in the road with this website for a while, its only 5 days old
let’s see…anything working ??
THUD
WOOP WOOP
Can you hear me now?
LOL yinz guys are killing me. But ya now, this is just ridiculous. Cant’ wait for the next wrinkle on the blog.
Now Jandy, no more crashing the blog. You have to go work for the former host of it to do that! Welcome back.
Laddie! Good to be able to interact with the Loonies again!!!
HEY! THERE you ARE!
for now lol. Hope it lasts a while
Memo to DK’s host company:
Allow me apologize on Jandy’s behalf for the strongly worded email she undoubtedly sent to ‘motivate’ and ‘expedite’ the correction of blog’s glitches. Next time there are issues i’m sure she’ll do it again!
I’m b-a-a-a-c-k! Busy, but back.
lol Monster Mash!
Jandy:
I don’t know if anyone ever told you, but you can go to gravatar.com to get an avatar. Maybe try Mother Teresa, for example.
Hey it’s Jim…oops i mean Jim S.
Nice Jim.
They wouldn’t block Mother Theresa would they?
Jim!!!! they stole my friggin avatar!!!
That avatar was your intellectual property, Jandy. It must be returned!
She’s back, but for how long?
Zactly!!!!
Jandy,
I think if you change your Gravatar e-mail to the same one you’re using here your avatar should magically appear. Wanna borrow Archie Bunker ?
I’m sure you’re right, Milo…I’ll get to it soon I hope lol
I feel like I’m just getting back to school after summer vacation.
Everybody likes everybody again. Just kidding!
I made a personal point to not be so crotchety out of respect for DK trying to attract readers. Clearly did wonders for overall morale.
Good stuff NMR
That plus not working Sunday, right NMR?
Certainly helps, Lucky!
Well, please note that you can’t reply to her – no reply button under her posts! Pissed off the WordPress gods??
Punishment for her transgressions with the spam filter.
lol Karen!! post anywhere, I’ll see it!
I think the third reply does not get a reply button
Yay! Jandy’s here!
@Groat
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2012 Pirate 1B vs LHP: .862 OPS, 132 wRC+
2014 Pirate 1B vs LHP: .755 OPS, 116 wRC+
2012 Pirate 1B vs RHP: .788 OPS, 115 wRC+
2012 Pirate 1B vs RHP: .790 OPS, 124 wRC+
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Note that these are the true splits and do not include AB’s where LHB faces LHP and vice versa.
Could “2nd half Ike” be kicking in now?
That’s what Tina said. Oops did i say that out loud?
Let’s hope so, Jim – we need him bad!
Hey, Gunner! Yes, indeed, we do need the better version of Ike. If I’m not mistaken, he has historically spiked in the 2nd half.
@HM – that’s funny
And in 2012 first base was manned by some mix of clement mcgee jones and gabby. So gabby this year is hitting worse than that combination against lefties. By a lot.
Oh god, I switched “LHP” and “RHP” in that post. I’m an idiot. Sorry guys!
So Ike has been way worse than legend and gabby is status quo? That sounds more like what I would have expected. Though didnt McGhee pretty much start every day?
Pretty much, AJS. GIJ had a career year, and Ike is still missing his power. Coincidentally, Ike was almost exactly as effective as GIJ in 2012 (.868 OPS, 136 wRC+).
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You’re also right about McGehee, but I made sure to isolate him vs LHP only.
So now that Jandy learned her lesson on all things spam its back to bizness:
Whats up with Sutter/spaling negotiations? Those 2 do realize there’s only so much cap space left, right? If they want LT deals they may need to wait. This season they need to split around 5.2-5.4M.
BTW, just want you all to know that I’ve been carefully saving characters on my posts. I’ve been planning a really big one later. Oh, maybe it doesn’t work like that.
With all the “characters” in this place it is a wonder that anyone can get a post in under the limit…..
*groan*
Glad to see you back, Jim. Only a couple months until leaves need raked.
Bite your tongue! It’s still July.
It’s so great to see we are starting to get everyone back. I’ll be so happy to see Brandy back in the fold.
Ya, we need Brandie to bring the funny and Sarah, well you know, to be Sarah
I will channel my inner Mike Lange and type the incantation that will surely make her return: “Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, please bring back Brandie”. That has to work!
My advice to Pedro: Rush every throw!
Treat them all the same as if there is no time to pat the glove or look at the ball. Grip it and rip it.
That ridiculous play he made yesterday diving and throwing from his knees. Except on balls hit right at him.
Maybe he should throw from his knees all the time.
My wish for today. Mlb deadline bloggers refrain from parroting that trading teams have to be “overwhelmed” to move said player. When it is used for Matt Belisle it has to be forever retired.
Stinks.
My second wish. Bucs offense shows up tonight. In line at phx airport heading to SFO. Business trip but will be at all 3 games. Need a better showing than their Rocky Mountain charity event.
Well I took Jandys advice and spammed the stuff. I am not signed up yet. Just lurking for now—lets see if I am kicked out….
Ok… not kicked out yet!
Hey DK, I think I will give it a couple more days for the exterminator to do his stuff. LOL
There are other guys that have had throwing problems, Chuck Knoblaugh (except for fists), Mackey Sasser, most Cleveland QBs
Doh!
Wasn’t planning on writing tonight. Have to write about Ryan Shazier’s day. Just have to. It’ll be on the site later.
Another Buckeye making good. Thank God, not in the Santonio Holmes-Terell Pryor mold.