Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this column and all that's offered on DK on Pittsburgh Sports. It's available for as little as $1.50/month.
Final: Pirates 3, Reds 1 65
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS Getting ready for the first pitch … Game: Pirates (87-72) vs. Cincinnati Reds (74-85), 7:10 p.m., Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati Pitchers: RHP Vance Worley (8-4, 2.93) vs. RHP Mike Leake (11-13, 3.78) TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan Online: Live box score / Multimedia / Official media notes As a bit of a throw-in here, thought you guys might appreciate this rather strongly worded answer from Clint Hurdle to my question last night in Atlanta about the ascent of Travis Snider:
Pirates Lineup:
1. Josh Harrison (R) 3B
2. Travis Snider (L) RF
3. Andrew McCutchen (R) CF
4. Neil Walker (S) 2B
5. Russell Martin (R) C
6. Starling Marte (R) LF
7. Gaby Sanchez (R) 1B
8. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
9. Vance Worley (R) P
Reds Lineup:
1. Kristopher Negron (R) 3B
2. Brayan Pena (S) 1B
3. Brandon Phillips (R) 2B
4. Jay Bruce (L) RF
5. Chris Heisey (R) CF
6. Yorman Rodriguez (R) LF
7. Zack Cozart (R) SS
8. Tucker Barnhart (S) C
9. Mike Leake (R) P
Spring Training lineup for the redlegs…. know Billy is out, but where’s Mesoroco? Not complaining, mind you
At least there won’t be any Feb. 2 references by the broadcast crew!
Kirk Gibson sacked.
Some team (not sure why) will hire that zombie to be a hiting coach but this guy will NEVER manage again. NEVER. Which is saying something in the ‘leftovers make good managers’ league.
So much for competitive Kirk Gibson pushing his guys to beat the Cardinals.
.
Nice time to dump your manager, Tony Larussa!
.
Hope there is no correlation to leaving the Diamondbacks rudderless just at the time when the Cardinals come to town needing wins.
.
Yeah, right!
i think Kirk’s ability to motivate this team has long past, but I do wonder about the timing (not conspiracy theorist but why wait until 3 games left?)…. Maybe gibby demanded to know his fate now and tony said, what the hell, you’re out, idiot.
Revenge of the ’88 A’s!!
Why am I getting all these incontinence underwear ads. How old are all you guys?? New meaning for “Go Bucs?”
um, i’m getting SUV ads based on my recent searches… perhaps the DEPENDS ads are, um, more uniquely presented to just you, patrick?? LOL
Right now I have guns and well filled out t shirts. Google hasn’t given up on me entirely
Mine have been for dating Russian women….
Same, Patrick. And never looked at a gun site.
.
T-shirts? A different story.
Dbacks fire mgr. does this help vs. cards?
Will be great fodder for a cool conspiracy theory if the Cards sweep the D’Bacles this weekend. LaRussa serves his old employers….
Yep. There is no reason whatsoever to fire the manager with three games left in the season.
DK-thanks for the great article earlier and the Hurdle video. Snider has been a key contributor in this really great September. I have always thought he was better than he had shown until now. Players “get it” at different points – maybe Lunchie has figured it out
C’mon Bucs, give me a reason to DVR the Steelers game on Sunday and drive down I-75 to watch you clinch the Division. And keep Cueto from winning his 20th….I can hear the Bucs’ fans chanting “Cueto, Cueto.”
Interesting – September WAR
1. Posey 1.4
2. Cutch 1.4
3 Marte 1.3
9 Martin 0.9
Snider, J-Hay, and Walker are all in the low 20s at 0.6
My take on the DBacks firing Gibson ….
.
Maybe players will be playing for jobs? Maybe they will giove a little extra effort to impress whoever is watching them?
.
Or, it could be another Larussa mind game.
,
Either way, Bucs just need to take care of their own business.
Also, only one win clinches the home-field for the WC ……. but the real prize is the division. (Thank You, Mr. Groat)
One win won’t do it, Pirates have 88, Giants 87 so Pirates win would 88 but Giants could win 89
amend that Pirates have 87, Giants 86, so Pirates win would be 88 but Giants could win 89
Math was never my strong suit.
You are absolutely correct.
.
Too much excitement.
If the Bucs win 1 and the Giants win 2… and with their current records of 87 for the bucs and 86 for the giants. Wouldn’t that be 88 wins each and the wild card game be back in Pittsburgh?
Charlie Morton has hip surgery. 6-8 month recovery.
So who is up for 90 wins?
Me.
Mark me down for 90
I’ve had 90 and 72 on my white board since mid-march. I often had people ask what those two numbers are and I said my prediction for the bucs record this year. Often, they would mock and laugh at me. Maybe, I will get the last laugh after this weekend.
Joining the list for 90. Wasn’t here last night…family in town…getting caught up this morning. Wow…Bucs get WCat home and still one back from Cards. hmmm..huge weekend ahead
Me too. But I was the only one who predicted 74 losses. Um. There’s a reason for that. I predicted a first place tie and … Um… two play-in games?/???
Sonofa…
Wabbit
Win all 3 and I like the chances. Don’t think the Cards will sweep…
Think the giants are ticked about the reds lineup?
Andrew doesn’t have slight bobble, he gets him.
Maybe the should reconsider running on this kid. Not even close with two of our best stealers.
Another timely hit!
I used to think Bruce was a quality player.
The 8th inning brigade comes through again. So fun having an offense and team like this. And did anyone mention pitching??? Wow.
3 outs to go.
Possible addition for the Why Not vid: drunken Bluto responding to Dorfman’s “Why Flounder?” “Burp … Why not?”
Reading, me likey!
I think that was “Why Pinto?” “Why not?,”
but same difference. And since you brought that classic up, Bluto’s reaction when Dorfman’s face first came up on the slide show of pledges was an all-time great. “AGHHHHHH!!!!”
Raise it high and proud. Tied in about 2 hours.
2-0 D’Backs after one. Cards know Pirates won. Wonder if they feel a little pressure.
Why not? The bucs get this 88th win of the season..
Why not? The cards are down 2-0 in Arizona…
Why not? Win the division…
Why not? Make this the year…
Why not???
Cardinals losing in second to Diamondbacks. This has become a September to remember.
Pitching has been unbelievable down stretch.
.
We can do this.
On to tomorrow
Gawd, thank you Big Guy for this
Beat Em Bucs
What Biz said…. Love this team!
If there is a 1 game playoff for the division, is it gonna be Locke?
Anyone but.
Kid has future with us, but not as starter any more this year. Playoff, WC, 5 game set – whichever – go with your very best: Liriano or Cole.
BTW, I really love where each of our top 4 are right now. Does anyone have a hotter 4 than us hitting the playoffs?
Make that “…where each…IS right now.”
Also if the Giants lose tonight, doesn’t that essentially give us the Wild Card game at home? We own the tie breaker on SF. And would be up 2 games with 2 to go
….Fear the Bones….
For anyone who doesn’t know, both the Cardinals and Giants games are showing for free right now on MLB.TV and MLB’s app.
Ahmed needs to learn to get the bat on a change up.
Home wild card in the bag.
Just got back. I missed the explanation if it was up earlier, but what’s up with the “Why did you vote like that?’ prompt in the comment box?
Anyway, home field advantage now in the bag for WC game. D-backs battled tonight but they’ll have do a little better if we’re to win div.
I’m really sick of the Cards. They got lucky tonight and SHOULD have blew it. They rarely do though so I guess it’s not luck. Rats!
Pirates clinched hosting Wild Card game last night (vs. SF). With 2 games left, the magic number to win the division is 4 (vs. STL). Magic number to play a playoff game in STL for the division is 3.
Just saw that Tom. tnx. Wow…2 years in row to at least open the playoffs at home. Fantastic. But I want the division now
I seriously doubt it’s going to happen outright. The Bucs would have to play a one-game playoff…with Volquez on the mound. And then if they win that, their reward is L.A. with who starting game 1 against a rested Kershaw? Worley?
If they LOSE that one-game playoff, then it’s back to the WC game with Worley going against a rested Bumgarner. No, I say pull Cole and Liriano from their starts, go with Cumpton and whoever, and let the chips fall.
I do see ur point, 6, but I still would like the Central title. We’ll agree for one game at a time.