DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
Morning, Lunatics …
• The Monday column is about Tyler Boyd, the latest in line at Pitt to reach NFL stardom … without winning at Pitt? He hopes to break the pattern.
• Also on that topic, here’s the podcast of my one-on-one interview with Pitt two-way stud James Conner for 105.9 the X yesterday. The kid is quality.
• This was the opening rant about the Andrew McCutchen matter.
• I’ll be back on that station today, 3-6 p.m., filling in for Mark Madden, then I’ll head over to PNC Park to see our city’s long-lost baseball team. Or what’s left of it.
• Before any of that, we’ll do our Tuesday Twenty Qs feature right here. The post will go up at 11 a.m. As soon as you see it, feel free to leave an entry in the comments. One per person, please.
• Thanks, as always, for reading. And for your support of the site.
Here is some ingredients the Bucco’s need over the next 21 days to stay in this race.
1. Opponents with mostly Right handed pitchers
2. Grand Prix needs to go on a tear. Show why he was the Pirates best outfield prospect.
3. The pitching staff needs to become lights out.
we can dream, right?
All true, Steel…specifically #3. That may be the most realistic. And, I’ll add that the Bucs Central foes need to lose a few games…or at least one team needs to take a dip. All that said….as Jandy suggests…we can dream…
Will be interesting to see how the “Baseball Without McCutchen” chapter goes, starting tonight.
If there were ever a time for the non-producers to step up (Pedro, Ike, Gaby), this would be it. Will tell us a lot about what this team is made of, but particularly those players.
JAL’s Next Plane to london Morning Links
1—Pirates Prospects
First Pitch: Looking at the Options to Replace Andrew McCutchen
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2014/08/first-pitch-looking-at-the-options-to-replace-andrew-mccutchen.html
2 Sports On Earth
SEASONS OF CHANGE
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/87979260/which-world-series-winners-stayed-together-the-longest-braves#!bv87Pj
3 Green Weenie
Jayson Nix: Part of the Pedro Domino Effect…
http://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2014/08/jayson-nix-part-of-pedro-domino-effect.html
Has there been a official statement on cutch’s injury? Dl? Etc.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/sports/baseball/baseballs-race-to-the-playoffs-broken-down-by-division.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSumSmallMediaHigh&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
Any word on Walker? I’ve already busted the panic button. If #18 is out too…. Ugh…
With Cutch going on the DL, the Pirates should play Pedro Alvarez in right field. (JAL – This is another link for you.)
http://seanramblings.blogspot.com/2014/08/play-pedro-alvarez-in-right-field.html
ALL HANDS ON DECK, MATEYS!!!
The only way to survive. Some of these parasites have to stand on their own immediately without hanging on Cutch’s shirt tails.
Good growth step for some. Or not. This cliché is proper here: It’ll separate the men from the boys.
Wheat from the chaff.
Winners from the losers.
Bluegrass from the …………… waitaminute, Reverend.
But now we shall see exactly what the Pirates are made of.
Bluegrass from the cow dung? Never!
Reverend, cow dung is why the grass turns blue.
Have faith, he’s not leaving the country…if he’s a leader he can lead in another manner. Maybe it will be some great experience for him…fingers crossed. When there’s a power vacuum strange things happen…look at the middle east…no not tennessee!
With Cutch being out 2-4 weeks, does this mean Lambo comes up? Or Tabata?
Hopefully Lambo. Tabata isn’t even on the 40-man right now and he’s still hitting .239 in Indy. Probably Jaff since we have so many LH batters.
logical person to replace Cutch on the 25 is Marte. They anted him to get 20 AB at Indy and he has 12 so just punt the last 8. Marte can play CF, Lambo and Tabata can’t.
Then the question becomes do you need another OF or just use Harrison as the 5th OF with Nix playing 3rd when Harrison is in left
I was taking Marte for granted. Figured him for center and the open spot for Lunchie, Tabata or whoever would be left. Marte can handle center and Polanco is still learning right so no need to move him.
Starling Marte started his last game before getting DL’d with a hand injury on August 18, 2013. From the next day to the end of the season, Jose Tabata hit .304-.339/.461.
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Andrew Lambo and Travis Snider on the same roster is redundant.
Probably true. Time to cut ties with Lunchie.
Just kidding. Lambo will probably get the call in Sept. No earlier.
For a guy supposedly with attitude issues, promoting him after doing nothing in Indy seems the wrong message to Tabata (and others).
And promoting a guy who has done absolutely nothing against big league quality pitching sends the right message?
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These priorities are strange.
You misunderstand me, NMR. Never said Lambo should be promoted – I think they should both be Sept call ups.
My apologies, Brad.
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I suppose I’m just growing tired of the real or perceived worries about attitudes on this team. These guys aren’t near good enough to be focussing their attention on anything but themselves.
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Excuse my bluntness, but shut up and play baseball.
Agree 100%. And to just put a fine point on it Snider has kept his mouth shut and is doing his job the best he can whether RF or LF or pinch hitting. He’s my guy till Cutch gets back.
Even better point, Brad. Well said.
YES! And completely agree on the ‘shut up about anything outside the lines’. It’s 2014. Players aren’t going to stop playing hard bc the GM didnt make a trade. Just like Mo said in STL, when players were grousing that Craig went and Tavares starts now: “time heals all”.
Looks like link to opening rant is for Hour 2, Segment 1, instead of the listed Hour 1, Segment 1. Problem is on The X’s end.
next man up…..
Pirates lost Dick Groat to a broken wrist in 1960
Just sayin
That team was a World Champion, this team isn’t very good.
Yeah, I know, just trying to stay positive
Picking up on what NMR said – Michael Martinez & Jayson Nix on the same roster are also redundant. Flipping Martinez for Tabata is the best way to go. You need a platoon partner for Snider. Neither one of those guys can play everyday because frankly, they’ll get hurt.
Milo: I agree. I’d make the following moves today:
1) Recall Marte
2) Demote Martinez, recall Tabata.
3) DFA Gomez, recall Mazarro.
Marte plays CF and Snider and Tabata platoon in LF.
IF Byrd clears waivers, I put a respectable offer for him.
I could easible be wrong, but…
Based on the recent actions of the Bucs FO, I believe we may find Jimmy Hoffa before we find Tabata roaming the OF wearing Black & Gold…
Easily, damnit…
Tim Williams gives the most logical assessment of replacing Cutch — Snider is up first. Putting Pedro back at 3B is second. AAA help would be distant third and he doesn’t give much hope for a Byrd trade (though I would definitely be aggressive to pick up Marlon).
I think Josh Willingham makes sense if we’re talking acquisitions. This team is terribly short on power with Cutch and Alvarez out of the lineup, and Willingham fits perfectly into the organizations preference for patience at the plate.
Could we talk a little PGA Championship golf? After watching Rory the past couple weeks, I’d be tempted to take him over the field this week at Valhalla.
i’ll always take the field, though Rory has been quite good. Today’s golf joke, Johnny Carson-style: Pace of play on the PGA Tour is so slow – “how slow is it” – that even Dustin Johnson’s coke dealer asks to play through.
good one, CMat!
Tonight’s lineup (according to ME)
JHay 3B
Gregory RF
Walker 2B
Martin C
Snider LF
Marte CF
Ike 1B
Mercer SS
if no walker (god help us)
Marte CF
Polanco RF
JHay 3B
Snider LF
Martin C
Ike 1B
Mercer SS
Nix 2B
Cutch has carried us through some lean times. Time for multiple players to grab the reins — including more from Marte and El Coffee as well.
YES, wow what a difference a few months makes. May and June, Polanco was gonna contribute 3-4-5-6 (cue Lebron) wins and now he is actually underperforming and one of the players that needs to get it going. Not bashing GP, but next time the hype machine gets going, lets remember.