Covering: Reds 7, Pirates 1

If the answer is nothing that means he will look like cy young tonight.

Arrgh. So true AJS.

He will pitch lights-out tonight, right?

Correct...lights out.

He'll beat the Pirates tonight. That's all you need to know.

Sure looks that way, and remember, with Chapman closing, it's really only an 8 inning game.

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I ignore soccer - do not like it, too much flopping and diving and never read any of DK's coverage. Suggest you may want to do the same. But DK clearly has a thing for it - pretty sure that it interests less than 5% of his paying subscribers. In a perfect world he would focus all of his attention on things those of us who committed to support him are interested in - baseball - football - hockey - Pitt. Frankly would find a weekly minor league roundup more valuable than a Riverhounds column - but it is his site - and he decides what gets posted

I'm with you Groat...the Keenan Lewis narrative needs to end. He was from New Orleans. Gave them a hometown discount even though a half dozen teams were willing to pay more. Steelers were and have been in cap hell since. I don't blame them for his departure.

And not to make excuses for Cortez Allen but he was hurt last year too.

With Yohe, they should be able to cover Pitt. If not, hopefully some of the DKbots speak up on here.

Great post Groat....I think Cortez will bounce back this year. Did anyone else read where BOTH of Mitchell's groins were torn last year?

Hey Groat. Were you really asked to curtail comments on soccer? I don't follow the soccer threads so if so I didn't see it. If so, can you point it out to me?

I'd love a response, Groat. Not a fan of restricted speech.

Nah! That's between DK and me.

Fair enough. But if your jovial posts about soccer were deep 6'd and not inappropriate, my posts here are over.

Casper, to me it's going to be so hard to grow the Riverhounds without TV. Next to impossible.

Hey Casper,
As this old fart recalls, a while back DK politely asked (ok, there was a bit of snark in there and I took a bit of offence, but in the end I could see the point)
that the soccer haters just don't jam up the thread w/nasty comments and let those that truly enjoy the game have their discussion.
"Restricted speech"...nah,more like, if ya don't like it please don't troll it up.
Fair enough for me.
As far as Groat and DK, Groat says no problem if I read his comment correctly.

Hey BPN - it's not about soccer. Of which I couldn't care less. It's about stifling contrarian viewpoints. Groat put out there that he was asked to pipe down on soccer. If true, that's not what I signed up for. Just saying.

All I asked for was for clarification. Groat put it out there. I didn't like the insinuation. This site has always been open to conflicting views. Just didn't like the thought that good guys like Groat were being asked to stand down.

Concerning Cortez Allen.. I wouldn't expect Lake to say anything to negative about Cortez. They just paid the man a bunch of money, so I take all that he said with a grain of salt. Let's be honest, the secondary had a big black hole when he was back there. He was terrible last year and he deserves to be criticized. Being nice guy is great but it's time he plays to his capabilities.

Dejan has always made it clear that this is a pay site, you pay to read the stuff and if you cross the line, well, you get "coached" via an email. It is what it is. I've gotten coached many times, last time was for posting a baseball related post on a nonbaseball thread. IMO Groat went over the line

Casper ... nobody asked you or told you to do anything until now ... "HEY CASPER SHUT YOUR HOLE UNLESS IT CONCERNS YOU! ... I can just imagine this skinny little wimp typing away on his laptop with his panties in a bunch about nothing that even concerns him ... Nobody cares about your ... "AND IF THIS KEEPS UP I'M GONNA TAKE MY $1.50 AND GO READ THE TRIB! NOBODY CAN TELL CASPER WHAT TO POST" crap ... Listen up twit ... we all paid the $1.50 this month so we don't have to put up with troll's like yourself mucking up the water. I'd pay $1.50 to keep you out of this site! STAY AND PAY, SHUT-UP OR GO AWAY! ... and I hope its the latter because I have already wasted way to much time on you.

Ha! Good thoughts, Pittsburgh21! Thanks for putting me in my place. Without guys like you, where would we all be? But just to clarify, I never said I'd take my $1.50 and go home. I simply said I wouldn't post. Big difference. I'm pretty sure I've been one of the first to support this site and always will be. DK's work and this site is top notch. And of course, comments like yours make the $1.50 a month well worth it!

To the rest who responded, thank you too. I just had never heard of this happening and wanted to understand the circumstances. I have never seen any "site rules" and didn't know if I was missing something. Sorry if I offended anyone by asking. Groat's post piqued my interest.

Hurdle is saying he's not hurt. Right. And I'm 35.

Actually Hurdle did acknowledge the knee issue today but said it wasn't something they were really concerned about "just yet".

Reds Lineup:
1. Billy Hamilton (S) CF
2. Marlon Byrd (R) LF
3. Joey Votto (L) 1B
4. Todd Frazier (R) 3B
5. Brandon Phillips (R) 2B
6. Jay Bruce (L) RF
7. Kristopher Negron (R) SS
8. Brayan Pena (S) C
9. Michael Lorenzen (R) P

Long for the days when broadcasters were at least a little bit objective - when did they become team employees Milo?

Did you work for the Bucs or the rights holder?

Great observation Milo....

Back in the days of Prince and when Milo followed, they were employed by KDKA. Remember, KDKA fired the Gunner. I'm pretty sure that now all the announcers are employed by the ball club.

Just tell the whole story, that's all I ask. This latest thing is just dishonest.

Also, it looks like Potash is back on the baseball telecasts...

Smizik was talking about Cervelli yesterday and that subject.

You can add Votto, Hamilton and Cueto to that list.

We have struggled with all our division opponents not named the Brewers so far this year....

Ask and ye shall receive Bill!

Lost in that great play was the run. 2-0 feels like 10-0 right now.

Ball is carrying to right field tonight. Hope we hit more of them in that direction.

Stick-um....

He swings Kangnum style!

So much for that. Very frustrating to see.

Or just stand there and wait for Jeff Locke to stink.

Did you see Karstens retired the other day? He was the RH Locke.

Totally ridiculous...Locke is El Stinko on Cinco De Mayo...

Huntington is the only one that enjoys it....

3rd bad start in a row. Bring up a Sadler. We have seen the best that Locke is ever going to give, its not like this experience is going to make him a better pitcher.

Well...Morton will be here shortly so it will be interesting to see what they do...

I can't imaging Locke getting moved

True Biz, but Locke or Worley will have to go to the bullpen....

+2

We'll see what happens when Morton is ready here shortly...

That'll fix it.

Blass was actually very positive before the game and said he's not worried about the offense due to the number of base runners they had vs the Cards...

It's just a bad stretch Radio. They did this for the first 6 weeks last year...I honestly think it will off and on offensively all year.

...But Smizik pointed it out the other day, and DK nailed Stu in the Qs...this is it. Most of the good hitting prospects are a year away at least. The answers have to be in the clubhouse.

Agreed bpn....Maybe Radio was referring to AA pitchers??

Waving at the Radio,

I LOVE Josh Bell . . . . . but he is NOT ready to hit Major League pitching.
And he is still learning to play 1st Base.

He needs to play a long stretch at AAA before considering a call to da 'Burgh.

Yep. NMR pointed out, Bell hasn't been great with the long ball. Hopefully he's still growing. Get on the Marte/Polanco weightlifting split.

I agree with Groat & Bpn about Bell...plus, he is still learning how to play 1B...

What teams are promoting from AA with LONG term success on a regular basis?

Those were the days.

+1

ZING!!

So true.

Great point Biz...

Only 4 innings left to get some runs...

I am ok with that. The way Cole is pitching I don't want CH doing anything to mess up his groove right now...

Why would that mess up his groove? It would have kept him on his regular 5 day rotation?

I'm with you Patrick....

Can't agree more Patrick. They were driving me crazy with that nonsense over the weekend. He's hitting high fly balls to the outfield. Nothing more.

The more they hype that, the more it looks like the knee may be just about where DK fears it might be.

Or maybe not....

Why do that when you can just strand all 3

He sat for most of Spring Training and it didn't help.

This team will sink or swim with Cutch, all you can do, unless he yells uncle, is keep throwing him out there

To be honest, I don't see the Pirates as a 'contending team'.

And heeeerre we go ...

And no one warming in the bullpen until 1st & 3rd/no outs....

In an inning or a game?? Lol

7 games out already is pretty crooked.

Probably 8 games out after tonight...but everyone says not to worry...

Wow.

Wish they wouldn't have gotten any.

I suggested yesterday they should bat him leadoff like the Brewers did with Braun to get him going. Doubt it happens.

If Cutch is truly hurt it doesn't help himself or the team to keep going out there and be unable to perform.

You can stop beating that horse, steel. It's dead. We get it.

Whoa bpn....free to post what I feel if not personally attacking anyone, right?

Every single thread you spout this. We get it, bud.

For a moment I thought I was in an old Penguins thread.

thought the same thing with the bobble it should have been

Me too...I think he slowed a bit...

No need to run hard yet. It's only May. Plenty of time.

If Cutch obviously needs surgery then do it now. Painful watching this.

Agreed, but from all that DK has mentioned, I don't think it's structural or anything requiring surgery. I'm sure they would have done it already if that were the case.

Agreed Milo....

That HR from Byrd I really believe was due to Hamilton being on 1B...

He did make Byrd look bad on some other at bats. hamilton is a weapon.

It's the distraction factor.

Perhaps they shouldn't worry so much about Hamilton and just concentrate on getting the hitter out.

LOL

I think we have to settle for Lambo....

No one not named Corey Hart has a pinch hit this year.

I thought Rodriguez did vs Cincy??

But we've been told over and over again how improved the bench is this year!

Hart's hitting .190 now, but I bet that for the next 6 months that all we hear about is his HR on PNC opening day....

Queue the double play...

Depressingly good call,steelag.

Just had a feeling....

The worst thing about it is that they are wasting some really great starting pitching and struggling against division opponents.

What offense - not seeing any offense on my MLB.COM account

It's hard to watch something you can't see.

I believe the SP gets to choose the jersey for that game.

Eddie Money should be the NCAA head....

Milo, somehow you have made a so far pretty miserable sports night worse. So with this change, do they have to allow non 500 teams to go to bowls?

Come to think of it, did 84 teams even go 6-6 ?

I think they have a rule to allow wins vs Division 2 or 3 teams to count, otherwise, I don't think so

Exactly 84 teams won 6 games. Alrighty then. Back to you regularly scheduled program.

But were they all against the top division? Now you know why teams play Little Sisters of the Poor

Sorry Biz. I just got sidetracked. But they are going to have a hard time filling those slots. Hail to Pitt. :)

Its ok, Milo, we are both arguing together, college football bowl games are complete joke

Elias Diaz someday.

Yeah....Diaz is the next in line LL. I believe that TS's ship has sailed with the Buccos....

You know, despite the Pirates' success the past couple of seasons they still show some residue from the 'bad years' mindset. One such thing is their penchant to write off certain players while mindlessly sticking to others. Sanchez deserves a chance but their bound and determined not to give it to him. OTOH Lambo is a worthless lump of flesh on the bench--and there he sits. BTW, until Lambo I never truly understood the meaning of the term 'One Hit Wonder'.

And that's the rub. We know Cutch will gut it out, but when does CH and NH step in and make that decision??

It's cruel and unusual punishment watching him play.

It's obvious he's physically unable to perform. Somebody take charge.

Cutch's issue is so reminiscent of what happened with Votto last year....

So we have a manager who used to be a hitting coach and he continues to trot out a player who is clearly not able to perform at his past levels. Hell - he can't even hit a line drive very hard - lots of pop ups and weak ground balls. Who is responsible for this crap - DK?

If you follow Clint's past tenure, this should be the year his stubborn ways begin to show up.

Clint has always been stubborn and it's always been pretty evident. It's just that before they were winning.

Hi Steve, and welcome. This is an unusually grumpy site tonight, sorry bout that

Hi Steve, welcome!

Did you bring your bat with you? If so, you hit 5th tomorrow.

+84

Shhh. No Pitt on DKOPS.

WVU starts with Georgia Southern (who they just might lose to) and follows that up with the powerful Liberty Flames!

A couple years ago I saw Robert Morris beat Liberty. Heck of a game.

It was game at 2-0..

Lucky we have Cole to watch this year - let's enjoy every start

I do when he pitches...I have him on my fantasy team too. Kicking myself for not starting Byrd tonight...uggghhhh.

Steve Carlton won 27 games in 1972 when his Phillies team won 59 total. When he pitched the Phils hit like the '27 Yankees. Maybe we're seeing something like that with Cole this year.

financial flexibility?

Only $3.1 million. 8th highest paid guy on the team.

More of that financial flexibility, I presume?

Don't forget jeanmar liz

Yep...can't forget him bpn...

He needs the work, so probably he will....

Looks that way.

Par for the course....

OK Josh, it's time to get out there and earn that 6 figure salary DK is paying you!

Right?

If recency bias was really a thing we'd let all the first time murderers go free.

Also the Clinton Foundation is on the level.

No, they rank number [email protected] per game. The last three games, they rank #1&12.33 per game.

You have to put runners on base to leave them there....

It was Chapman vs the hp ump...

Agree...except the part about Sean Rodriguez...gotta have a strong bench. He'll come around. I would have Tony Sanchez here splitting time with Cervelli.

I just think by September Travis Snider and Tony Sanchez will still suck. Just my opinion.

Perhaps, but

a. Why are we still talking about Travis Snider? He's gone and he's not coming back!
b. I still think that Sanchez deserves another shot. If he sucks, so be it...

As far as T. Sanchez is concerned, he had opportunities back when Barajas was catching to earn the job. He never did. Never has.

If they had any faith in Sanchez, they would have not traded for Cervelli.

Right! Huntington expresses concern but Hurdle doesn't? Why can't this team start off with hot bats to match the starting pitching??? They need to figure it out! I know it's early but every game matters!

Nobody is bringing up the dreadlocks either. I blame the hitting coach, the haircut and Rob Rossi.

Samson.

Your focus is wrong - the bullpen is fine - what sucks is the starting line up that produces NOTHING. Yes, u could argue that Locke was awful - but ONE run ONE - Jeff could have given up 63 runs & they still lose

I think the pen stinks. But its not the biggest issue at the moment.

They need to figure out why NOBODY is hitting! Terrible!

I like it!

I would...

It's in his contract....

Why wouldn't they? Until he proves he can't dominate the bucs the smart business move by the Reds would be to use him every game. As much as I can't stand the guy, I'm just being a realist

Maybe the walks, but not the bat. Where they miss a lot of BBs is 1b. As bad as Gaby and Ike were with the stick, they drew probably twice the walks Alvarez will.

Obviously Harrison and Marte are incapable of drawing a walk.

Yeah, with McCutchen, someone's got to be the adult here, step in, and force the issue. Will sitting him down on the DL for 2 weeks get the job done? If not, have whatever surgery is necessary to get him back to being himself. He is not helping the team playing the way he is right now