BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
SAN FRANCISCO — Getting ready for first pitch …
Game: Pirates (26-24) vs. San Francisco Giants (30-22), 10:15 p.m., AT&T Park
Pitchers: RHP Gerrit Cole (7-2, 2.11) vs. RHP Ryan Vogelsong (4-2, 4.24)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 7:44 p.m.: Jeff Locke will remain in the rotation, Clint Hurdle just told us in his media session, and will pitch Saturday. In the interim, he will take two side sessions aimed at addressing inconsistencies in his delivery. The manager declined to specify beyond that but offered a vote of confidence: “We believe Jeff has a lot of upside, as a young lefty who has good stuff. He’s not where he wants to be. He’s not where we need him to be.” … Locke’s shift won’t affect the rotation, as the Pirates are off Thursday between their series here and in Atlanta. … Neil Walker will bat cleanup, Hurdle said, because he’s 9 for 16 with four doubles lifetime vs. Vogelsong. “He has seen Vogelsong very well,” Hurdle said. … Chris Stewart still isn’t Cole’s personal catcher, the manager reiterated, but there’s no mistaking the pattern that, you know, he catches all of Cole’s starts. “There’s a real chemistry, a feel between the two of them,” Hurdle said. But he added that Stewart shares all information on Cole with Francisco Cervelli, just in case. … I asked Stewart if he was aware that he’s part of the top-hitting catching tandem in the majors: “Ha! Actually, yeah, I heard that earlier today. More like ‘top-hitting catcher in the majors.’ Give Francisco all the credit.” … This place never stops mesmerizing. Truly one of the world’s greatest sporting venues, regardless of sport. And anyone who has been here will attest, TV doesn’t come close to doing it justice. … Hurdle: “There’s no better place for us to open a new month than in this great place against that great franchise, the world champions. We should be sharp.”
Juan Marichal is immortalized outside AT&T Park’s right-field gate. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
June 1, 2015
Pregame notes: Pirates-Giants
by Dejan Kovacevic • Game previews
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
SAN FRANCISCO — Getting ready for first pitch …
Game: Pirates (26-24) vs. San Francisco Giants (30-22), 10:15 p.m., AT&T Park
Pitchers: RHP Gerrit Cole (7-2, 2.11) vs. RHP Ryan Vogelsong (4-2, 4.24)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 7:44 p.m.: Jeff Locke will remain in the rotation, Clint Hurdle just told us in his media session, and will pitch Saturday. In the interim, he will take two side sessions aimed at addressing inconsistencies in his delivery. The manager declined to specify beyond that but offered a vote of confidence: “We believe Jeff has a lot of upside, as a young lefty who has good stuff. He’s not where he wants to be. He’s not where we need him to be.” … Locke’s shift won’t affect the rotation, as the Pirates are off Thursday between their series here and in Atlanta. … Neil Walker will bat cleanup, Hurdle said, because he’s 9 for 16 with four doubles lifetime vs. Vogelsong. “He has seen Vogelsong very well,” Hurdle said. … Chris Stewart still isn’t Cole’s personal catcher, the manager reiterated, but there’s no mistaking the pattern that, you know, he catches all of Cole’s starts. “There’s a real chemistry, a feel between the two of them,” Hurdle said. But he added that Stewart shares all information on Cole with Francisco Cervelli, just in case. … I asked Stewart if he was aware that he’s part of the top-hitting catching tandem in the majors: “Ha! Actually, yeah, I heard that earlier today. More like ‘top-hitting catcher in the majors.’ Give Francisco all the credit.” … This place never stops mesmerizing. Truly one of the world’s greatest sporting venues, regardless of sport. And anyone who has been here will attest, TV doesn’t come close to doing it justice. … Hurdle: “There’s no better place for us to open a new month than in this great place against that great franchise, the world champions. We should be sharp.”
Juan Marichal is immortalized outside AT&T Park’s right-field gate. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC