DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
Getting ready for the first pitch …
Game: Pirates (62-53) vs. San Diego Padres (52-62), 7:05 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: LHP Francisco Liriano (3-7, 3.91) vs. LHP Eric Stults (4-13, 4.94)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Box score / Multimedia / Official media game notes
YES, first!
OK, so now something pithy, DJ.
Err . . . rain check.
One Starbucks Burj of El Coffee tonight.
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http://www.panarabiaenquirer.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/06/Burj-Coffee.jpg
Pirates Lineup:
1. Josh Harrison (R) LF
2. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
3. Russell Martin (R) C
4. Gaby Sanchez (R) 1B
5. Starling Marte (R) CF
6. Gregory Polanco (L) RF
7. Jayson Nix (R) 3B
8. Michael Martinez (S) 2B
9. Francisco Liriano (L) P
San Diego (52-62)
1. Cabrera 6
2. Solarte 7
3. Medica 3
4. Gyorko 4
5. Nelson 5
6. Grandal 2
7. Francoeur 9
8. Almonte 8
9. Stults 1
Thanks, JAL for bringing the card out to home plate tonight.
you are welcome
+++++++++++
Obviously we don’t know how things are going to end up, but it still amazes me that this Pirates team is 1.5 games out of 1st place after a miserable April & several personnel issues. This is a “bounce back” group for sure. It also proves the baseball season is a marathon.
They were their low point of 8 under .500 on May 20. They are now 9 over .500
That says it all it all right there!
Go benchmonsters! Partay like it’s your birthday!
:smiley face:
DK has been hammering the need to add an arm [or two] to the bullpen-I would agee.
But 1st base is nearly as bad.
Last 30 days:
2 HRs from 1st base [both from Ike]-110 PA
Davis .213/.250/.404
Gaby .204/.310/.265
So the offense is down Walker, Cutch, and these 2
First base has been ugly, LL.
.
Would be welcome story line for your man Pedro to even marginally fill that void.
I guess the down vote is on general principles or for prior offense. Just trying to point out the problem goes beyond a bullpen arm or 2. The “handicap” has not been just no Cutch & Walker-but no production from 1st & Walker’s sub. Bucs have been winning with 4 bats vs 8
Downvote not me, LL.
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To prove it, I’ll give you an Upvote to get you back to even. Can only vote once per post.
Baltimore is embarrassing the Cards – AGAIN. I should not be enjoying watching this as much as I am
So much for the “never make a wrong decision” cardinals. Lackey and Masterson aren’t going to put them over the top.
Wow…I just checked. Ten runs the O’s put up. So, St. L. goes to Miami next….They may take it out on the Fish.
Knew starting Liriano on my #1 fantasy team was a bad idea ;-(
He’s pitching great now. Shame he was tight in the first.
Will there be any hits from 789?
Hunch that Martinez gets a couple,
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Martinez might get a couple if they bring in one of the 12 year olds pitching in the little league world series.
Yes. This inning.
Ahem.
Almost . . .
Theres 1 hit from 789.
Our worst nightmare – a slop tossing lefty.
This guy son’t last.
Hoping you’re right, Rw.
Well, Gabby thinks that he was not a 1st baseman anymore and tries to field the 2nd baseman’s easy groundout. Because of his boneheaded play, we give up the 2 runs in the first to night like they did last night. The question is, will we be able to get more than 1 against this…
…slow junk guy that has been getting creamed on the road all year? At this point I don’t think so – especially if the ump is going to give him all the calls in the world that are not even in the strike zone.
Just frustrating. Bucs hitters are gearing for the fastball that tops out at 90 instead of looking slop and crushing some of those hangers. That said hs is getting all kinds of calls and doesn’t need to throw strikes.
Nix knows how to wait back on the ball and center it.
Can we get some hits with men on base without it being two outs for a change. Getting pretty sad that they can’t hit offspeed stuff.
I’d keep Frankie in there…
You can only hope to contain Jason Nix.
Let’s go Pedro. Let’s go Pedro. Nice support from the pnc crowd.
I’ll take over managing for $400 Alex. Answer: bud black.
Make em pay JHay.
Come on JHay!
If tomorrow’s game begins 2-1 after one inning, I may just not watch the rest due to these two games against SD. need a big rally in one of these next two innings!
Had their chance in 7th.
It’s amazing how many of these calls are being blown at 2nd base.
Russell Martin is the gold glove winner this year.
Time for one of your real relievers, Clint! One batter past time.
Nice pitch.
Great AB my favorite Martin! Now get them home!
Failure by Ike!
He’s been horrible with runners in scoring position…
Can we STOP SWINGING at ball 4!
Night all.
Ike Davis Sucks.
Do not take this personal…
But I have been ranting for months about how this was a really stupid trade-got hammered-told I was a Pedro apologist and worse.
The front office told us that Ike was a long term solution to first base-could play defense-reap what you sow!
Ike has been horrible in all situations.
Talk about a zero tool player. Weak fielder, can’t run, can’t hit for average and no power.
Must have been thinking about Pedro taking grounders in pre-game.
I hope Pedro keeps taking them. I can’t wait until the day I don’t have to watch Ike hit anymore.
I’ve basically had about enough of Ike and Gaby.
Im with you on ike. Gabby not so much. His splits agains lefties arent as good as the past but hes fine against them. Problem is he is a platoon guy that is supposed to play against leftys and last i looked he actually had nor pas against rightys than leftys. This past month has been bad for him but total body of work says hes ok when used properly.
Can’t even get a weak ground ball in the 8th. Sick.
Wasted out. Back trouble is not likely to get you a pinch hit.
As bad as Pedro’s throwing has been, i would rather have him playing third and hitting against lefty pitchers than have Martinez in the line up. At least Pedro is a threat to hit a home run. Martinez isn’t even a threat to get a single.
A richly deserved loss.
Snider’s ph would have sufficed in the 8th.
Here’s the list of “stellar” starting pitchers who have shut down the Pirates’ offense over the past two weeks:
Jorge de la Rosa
Brett Anderson
Josh Collmenter
Vidal Nuno
Chase Anderson
Trevor Cahill
Eric Stults
The Sunday line up will get you beat occasionally. Tomorrow you will likely have the same thing except Stewart in and Martin out.
While this team has heart…This line up will not compete with the Tigers, Nationals, Braves and Brewers.
Tough loss considering a terrible SD starter.
The Pirates have faced mostly terrible starters the past two weeks and can’t score (with or without Cutch). They look lost at the plate against guys with ERAs hovering near 5. Scherzer, Price, and Verlander are licking their chops.
Especially Verlander since his era is closer to 5 than 4.
Thought crossed my mind too… But even if so, the more accounts registering, the better for all of us enjoying this site!
hmm that’s interesting that Parrothead seems to have the exact same opinion as Lonely Lib on everything…odd…
Sure, the Pirate bats laid eggs today and yesterday. But in their first 8 games in Aug., they’ve also had games of scoring 7 runs two times, scoring 8 runs, and scoring 9 runs. All while missing some key, middle-of-the-lineup bats. The offense -and Ike’s glove- are not the issue.
Against bullpens. Starting pitchers are mowing them down.
That’s not true. Just the day before yesterday, they scored 3 in the fourth and 2 in the fifth, all charged to the starting pitcher. Not that it really matters. Starters, relievers — all that counts is which team scores the most over nine.
Not sure how I managed putting my 11:26 post above Gator’s post and not below it.
I’m turning into the Lonely lib watch dog, lol. He had two accounts on the trib site and one of them had something to do with Florida if my memory serves me, and….”parrothead” is another Florida ref…I could be wrong but he seems clinically insane so who knows.
@G8
That makes you clinically obsessed with the clinically insane?
good point
Why would you refer to me to be clinically insane just because I am frustrated with the play of Ike Davis. I had the displeasure of watching him two games at Miami Stadium and was not impressed with the way he moped around on the field after all of his bad at bats and poor fldg.
Even with loss, Bucs lead wild card.