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On location: Pirates 7, Cubs 3 107
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS Getting ready for the first pitch … Game: Pirates (77-69) vs. Chicago Cubs (64-82), 7:05 p.m., PNC Park Pitchers: RHP Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.89) vs. LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (4-2, 2.95) TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan Online: Live box score / Multimedia / Official media notes
Soler is leaving the Cubs for the birth of a child. So, that adds to Castro and, I assume, Rizzo as missing the series. Seems to me the Cubs are tanking the rest of the season to move up a couple of draft slots. Ok by me at this point, since we have 3 more with them.
Rizzo may be back tonight, I read somewhere in the blogiverse.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-most-unheralded-reliever-in-baseball/
C’mon, NMR! You and I both know the next time he gives up a run people will be talking about how he chokes. I’ve never understood why some folks seem to think being a good reliever means never, ever giving up a run. All he does is pitch to a sub-1.0 WHIP. I’ll take that.
Thanks for that, NMR. I enjoyed seeing the Shark’s stats.
Wonderful recap of Cutch’s gesture on the bases last night, by the way. Had me cracking up this morning.
Looks as though you’ll have great weather for what should be an exciting atmosphere @ PNC this weekend. It’s downright blustery and damp here in Chicago. I had a blast w the family at PNC last Labor Day weekend vs. StL & for Game 3. The place was rocking! Who’s going this wkend?
I will be there with the rest of you at PNC tonight (virtually of course) from midnight till three or four AM here, as always. There’s a good atmosphere here as well. My cats are becoming die-hard Pirates fans. They get an extra feed if the Bucs win.
Pirates Lineup
1-Harrison (R) 3B
2-Mercer (R) SS
3-McCutchen (R) CF
4-Walker (S) 2B
5-Tabata (R) RF
6-G. Sanchez (R) 1B
7-Snider (L) LF
8-Stewart (R) C
9-Cole (R) P
Cubs Lineup:
1. Chris Coghlan (L) LF
2. Javier Baez (R) SS
3. Luis Valbuena (L) 3B
4. Welington Castillo (R) C
5. Ryan Kalish (L) RF
6. Mike Olt (R) 1B
7. Arismendy Alcantara (S) CF
8. Logan Watkins (L) 2B
9. Tsuyoshi Wada (L) P
The Iowa Cubs, ladies and gentlemen. Yet, the folks at Wrigley are still paying major league ticket prices to see this group.
YUCK!!!!!!!!!!
I think Cole is the best hitter of the bottom five!
Gerrit Cole has a lower strikeout rate and higher OBP than four spots in the Cubs lineup.
There are some good BA’s in there, Karen, but I still agree with you.
Man, Serbia looks pretty impressive in the World Cup semis. The Americans might have their hands full in the finals at Madrid on Sunday. Especially, if James Harden doesn’t play well.
Back to baseball.
With 16 games to play, the Pirates’ magic number to win the division is 19 (vs. STL); to host the Wild Card game is 21 (vs. SF); to play in the Wild Card game is 15 (vs. MIL and ATL), and to eliminate MIA, 12.
You know what is refreshing, Tom ? Your list doesn’t even mention how many victories are needed for a winning season! That is nice.
Agreed, John, but the number 5 is a nice crooked one.
I thought of that too, John. I also thought that a 5-11 finish would make a pretty crabby blog, so that was best left unsaid.
A delightful essay on Pirates (the original kind) in the New York Review of Books.
http://www.nybooks.com/media/img/blogimages/mary_read.jpg
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/gallery/2014/sep/11/pirates/?insrc=wbll
Thanks for the link! That was a good read. Added two books to my reading list.
Thanks, War.
Is this the Cubs pitcher that takes forever to throw a pitch?
He is the one who started the game last Friday and it was finished Saturday morning.
Or did you mean “takes forever to throw a pitch” ala Steve Traschel?
So DK, did you get the Amish to subscribe?
That would be impressive!!!
Could have been a motorcycle gang!
Any update on Marte’s arm?
DeSclafani suspended 3 games; Fiers fined for incident. Yet still nothing for the D-Bags
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/94369246/desclafani-suspended-3-games-fiers-fined-for-incident
Yeah…and they’re all STILL throwing at Cutch’s head! NOTHING being done about it by anyone! Free target: MVP’s cranium! CRAZY!!
Several of us were predicting who on the Phillies was going to get drilled last night. And nothing…
Sorry, this just makes no sense. The umps last night in Milwaukee were absolute jokes (and should be suspended and fined). Why fine the Marlins guy and do nothing about the Dbacks and Cutch? Consistency is not a hallmark of MLB umpiring and rulings.
The NationalFelonLeague strikes again:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/vikings/2014/09/12/adrian-peterson/15528479/
Snider and Stewart tonight– they add real pop to the line up.
Dripping with pop.
Popping with drip.
Pipping with drop.
Dropping with pip.
It’s a big weekend for the Pirates, in part because the team they are chasing (Cardinals) is home against the Rockies, who are terrible. Atlanta is playing Texas, which is terrible. Milwaukee is playing Cincinnati , which should be competitive. A sweep of the Cubs would help.
Let the games begin.
Per my math, the Pirates need to average 36,320 over the final nine home games to break PNC Park’s attendance record. Place holds 38,000
wish I lived back in Pittsburgh….
DK: will they get there? would take some big crowds for the Sawks series….
It won’t be easy. Coonelly seems to think they’ve got it based on advance sales, so he’d know better.
I will be contributing two seats for my backside during those nine games + three buddies each game = 8 tickets sold.
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Man, I used to be good at math but that took way too long to figure out.
These guys are finally showing savvy at the plate. Example: Walker hit that short fly on purpose – no over swinging. Nice job.
Wada-wada-wada…. Let’s go Bucs… bloop some more runs!!!!
Val-BUENO. nice defense.
Mercer scores the not-so-swift-footed Snider… 3-1 Bucs….. Jordy is really becoming a very solid SS – in the field and at the plate….
Could have sworn Snider was running backward there.
LOL! We called it “plodding” & “waddling.” Yeah, backward, too.
Be nice DK, he DID cross the plate, puffing a bit to be sure …. lol
In Lunchie’s defense, he did have the hamstring issue, but speed is not one of his ‘tools’.
Utensils are his tools.
When I was a young lad (circa late 1990’s) it seemed like if a fan interfered with a ball in play they would be escorted to the doors.
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Now (it may be my old age and declining faculties) it seems not only do they get to stay but get their 15 minutes of fame on the TV broadcast.
Should’ve prefaced that the fan last inning did not interfere.
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He did, though, appear to try to reach over the railing which I will not comment on because there’s a word limit on these posts and I’ll start throwing stuff around the house.
Ike put his bat on the ball. Major accomplishment. And an RBI.
Really. Just when it looked like he was going to be complaining about another called 3rd strike.
It’s time for Cole to start pitching like the staff ace his arm says he should be. This is not a good mlb lineup.
For sure. Leadoff walk. Nightmares are made of ‘em.
He’s still a work in process. Needs to develop an out pitch besides his fastball. Late in ballgames, when he tires a bit and teams time him up, he’s vulnerable to good at bats.
His arsenal is limited. This is a very dangerous spot.
pheeewwwwwwwwwww. Cole escapes with the lead. Time for some add-on runs…. bullpen time, noooooo doubt about it.
Please don’t let him go out for the 7th, Clint! Please!
zero chance.
I think you’re right. But, we’ve said that before, only to have Cole get the benefit of the doubt.
That was quite an act of escape artistry by Cole. An escape he should have not put himself in the first place.
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Looking at the lineups I was hoping the Cubs would be mowed down by Cole.
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We’re still in the driver’s seat, though.
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Let’s go Bucs!
I honestly can’t remember a game all yr where the Bucs got so many soft hits. And, we really needed them.
Why can’t the Pirates review that?
cant review balls and strikes nor foul balls until they are behind the umpires. makes no sense, but that is selig’s MLB.
This game has really slowed down.
What a story….
Cole does seem to drift on occasion. I think they have tried to lower his intensity on every pitch and just work the count. In time he will focus on what he needs to do and not the results.
Can’t just challenge guys over and over all night. By the 3rd pass, even at 95/96, w/o a lot of deception, big league hitters will get to you. His change and curve are not quite good enough yet. I think he’ll get there in time.
With a win tonight, the Bucs have gone 7-1 since being swept at St. Louis. I said then that they needed to just play one game ata a time, and stop the mistakes, and poor managing decisions.
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So far, so good.
I don’t expect 7-1 every 8 games, but I am encouraged so far.
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Everyone is doing his bit to play October ball. I think this constant winning takes a bit of getting used to.
Planche Devereaux!
Bran Muffin!
Bucs needed to simplify their game a while ago.
One game at a time.
Wasn’t that a show on CBS?
How much do the Panthers win by tomorrow, plan?
Was she a Golden Girl, Brandie?
Jim,
I think the Panthers win by 17.
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I look for Conner to have a huge game.
I’ll go with 41-10, plan!
That’s the spirit, Jim!
I just think the heat and humidity will play a part in a slightly closer game.
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But I like the way you think !!!!
Knock on wood, but how much better are you feeling about our bullpen each time Holdz comes out? I really wanted to feel this way at the trade deadline.
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Kudos to the scouting dept for finding this guy.
Liking John “The Gambler” Holdzkom’s work thus far/
Still wish we had one more arm and it was a month ago. It would’ve given some much needed rest to the back end. Potentially a few more wins…cough, cough provided Clint could do the obvious.
Especially that guy sitting at independent league games every night.
Amen, Lucky!!
Baseball is a slow game
Three outs to go
Axford. Ugh!
One out
Thank you, John, for giving Mark the night off.
Its all about outs and wins, not other things right now
Cubs may have a bright future with the young talent, but they are lacking pitching big time.
Agreed, Chet. I think they’ll be shopping for Lester & others this off-season. They made a huge push for Tanaka last winter, but lost out to the Yanks.
Don’t worry Chet, they’re gonna go buy some pitching real soon…Theo’s about to make his move.
Way to go, Bucs! Back to the season’s high water mark of +9 vs .500. Tomorrow, we go for +10 for the first time all yr. Braves currently tied in 8th. Same w Brewers. Cards up 4-1, also in the 8th. It was a good night.
Yup
Texas just took a 2-1 lead on Atl in the bottom of the 8th. I’d be ok with growing the cushion over Atl, since we still have those 4 games there the last week of the season.
Holdzcom is a FIND. I also have growing confidence in LaFramboise. The bullpen help, about 1 month too late and unproven, but the help has arrived.
Oh my. KRod just got a very generous called strike 3 to strand 2 Reds & end the top of the 9th still tied at 2-2. Reds hitter tossed. Can’t believe that call.
Umpires across baseball are getting worse by the week.
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And here I thought replay would improve them.
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Guess I was wrong. One doesn’t pay money for a ticket to see the umps.
Braves lose 2-1. Lucroy with a leadoff double for the Brewers. ARam moves him over with a groundout. No idea why Chapman is not pitching. Oh, not a save situation. Managers would rather lose than not have their closer get a save.
I can feel it….Buctober approaches!
Overbay wins it. Chapman watches from the bullpen, no doubt knowing he would have struck out Lyle. I’ll never understand that thinking.