ATLANTA — Vance Worley threw one pitch Saturday night against the Braves. It was a cutter, and he was pleased with its location. The pitch painted the outside corner and was at Chistian Bethancourt’s knees.
Bethancourt launched the pitch over the wall in right field, anyway, instantly burying the Pirates, 5-4, and instigating quite the celebration at Turner Field’s home plate.
Worley could only shake his head and laugh:
Funny game, baseball.
It wasn’t just that Worley “liked” the pitch, to cite his word. It’s that, even after Bethancourt made contact, he recalled never believing the ball had an opportunity to travel over the wall.
“No way,” he said, laughing again.
He recalled believing, too, that there was a reasonable chance the ball would go foul.
“I thought for sure it was going to keep curving,” he said. “But, it never really did curve.”
The Pirates are on pace for 90 wins and playing their best baseball of the season, winners of 12 of their past 15. It’s still undeniable, though, even with two of baseball’s best back-end relievers in Tony Watson and Mark Melancon, they haven’t been successful when games are late and tight. They’re now 1-5 when tied after seven innings, 1-7 when tied after eight, 0-6 when extras are needed.
Neither Watson nor Melancon were available in this game because of their recent workload, according to Clint Hurdle. So the manager turned to Worley, currently the long relief man, for an appearance that couldn’t have been shorter.
Still, Worley figures to be important for the Pirates, whether as a long reliever, making spot starts or returning to the rotation at some point.
Or short relief.
“I’ll be ready tomorrow,” he said. “Hopefully, the outcome will be better.”
Jeff Locke, who started, said Worley was in a very difficult position.
“That’s a lot of pressure,” Locke said. “He’s less accustomed to being in that situation. Especially on a night like tonight, packed house, fans are on their side.”
Hurdle is aware of the Pirates’ troubles late in games this season.
“You’ve got to play and you’ve got to finish,” he said. “We’re good about honest self-evaluation. We battled back. We’ll shower well and get ready for tomorrow with Gerrit Cole out there. We’ll see how it goes.”
• Locke showed positive signs amid a 6 1/3-inning line with four runs, seven hits and four strikeouts, and he certainly seemed to take it in that spirit:
Hurdle said before the game that Locke wasn’t pitching to remain in the rotation despite his recent struggles and having this start pushed back for an extra side session in San Francisco.
Command has been a huge issue for Locke, but he was considerably better in throwing first strikes to 25 of 28 batters and walking only two. Of the seven hits he allowed, six were singles.
“I think having an extra day of rest was good,” Locke said. “It was definitely sharper than it has been in the past, that’s for sure.”
He will start next Friday against the Phillies, Hurdle said.
• Gregory Polanco is playing his best baseball of the season, even if he’s not 100 percent. He was walking with a noticeable limp following the game.
Polanco, though, told me he was fine to play Sunday.
He produced three more hits Saturday, raising his average to .266. Chief among those was a two-run single in the eighth that brought a 4-4 tie. But he also delivered a bunt single in the fourth, one that died in the grass in front of third baseman Chris Johnson. Until recently, the Pirates hadn’t produced a bunt single all season, which was starting to bug their manager.
Now the bunt hits are coming in bunches.
“Everything in this game comes in bunches,” Hurdle said.
• Remember when Andrew McCutchen was struggling?
He stroked his eighth home run, a two-run line drive to center off Atlanta starter Julio Teheran, who otherwise was sharp. He is now on pace to hit 24 home runs and drive in a career-high 109 runs. Not bad.
Hurdle joked before the game that he has done a lot of tinkering with his lineup since coming to the Pirates.
“But I’ve never messed with the guy in the No. 3 spot,” he said.
His big nights are coming in bunches, too. McCutchen is 40 for 101 — .396 — in his past 28 games, with six home runs and 24 RBIs.
• Jason Grilli, now the Braves’ closer, was a polarizing figure while a member of the Pirates. Some of his old teammates remain close with him, however. Grilli was outside of the visiting clubhouse each of the past two days, embracing some former teammates.
He retired the Pirates in order in the ninth Saturday, earning the win. Neil Walker sent a ball to the warning track in right-center field. He then struck out Josh Harrison with a big curve to end the inning.
Friday we won a game we should have lost.
Saturday we lost a game we could have won.
THAT'S BASEBALL.
If you don't understand that......try Arena Football.
Or......eek......soccer!
Does anyone recall any non-baseball fan here making fun of the world's most popular sport? Is that exclusive to baseball fans? Is it generational? Is it political, perhaps, in fearing the inevitable Communist takeover that would accompany soccer's rise in America?
Whichever it might be, it stinks. Really does.
We're working hard not only to cover the Riverhounds better than anyone in town but also to grow our younger readership. This kind of thing doesn't help at all.
What's worse, it's got nothing to do with the point you actually intended to make.
I saw Co Prins, sorry for the spelling, at Forbes, one of my good friends in high school made us try it. Pittsburgh Phantoms. It was no fun to play.
But my son played it, and we coached for 3-4 years, what these kids could do only with their feet was amazing. And I met so many nice folks, that was in the 80s.
I don't understand soccer, but there is no need to diss it I've sat enthralled with the skill of those atheletes that play that sport
I could go on and on about my feelings for soccer, which shows I still have passion for the game, even though that passion has turned very negative. I was once a player and lover of the sport, but now I find it unwatchable (except Women's World Cup, not because US Women are good, but because the play is bearable--for now).
DK, I've always admired that one of your hallmarks is that you don't tell people what to think, you give your opinion and let us do with it what we will. Telling anyone their lack of affection for a sport stinks, well...stinks.
Ok, if that's your motive I'm good with that. It's why I normally stay out of soccer discussions, I don't have anything nice to say. I wasn't defending the OP, I just get a little testy when I perceive being told I need to like the game when in actuality I used to love it, and feel betrayed by it. I imagine it'd be how you'd feel if the NHL ran worldwide hockey and ruined it all the way down to the youth levels. I've actually seen 10 year old soccer players flop to the ground like they'd been shot. Chilling.
I often don't agree with DK but on this one I do. The comment seemed like it went out of its way to hit on a topic (soccer) that has recently been covered.
Honestly, the reference to soccer seemed like a joke. Light-hearted and even phased that way. No reasonable reader would see it and say, "hey, I'm not watching soccer either!". It was a joke! Unfortunately, DK lacks his professional "detachment" when it comes to one of his pet sports. Soccer, Duquesne anything, and Olympic bad mitten. That was a joke too! Maybe we need imogies.
The most important soccer match of the year was played in Berlin last night between two of the best teams in the world. Sorry none of you fans got to see the European Champions Final between Barcelona and Juventus. Barca dominated in a 3-1 win. The majority of players on the two teams came from countries other than Spain and Italy.
But....if you want a serious discussion of ".....the world's most popular sport".....I suppose we could start with the fact that it is arguably the world's most corrupt sport. With a long history of fan violence.
But those aren't the reasons I don't like soccer.
I just find it boring.
And living here in Seattle......my view is definitely in the minority.
But again.....I made a 3 word joke.....which at least one reader recognized.
Even though I happen to love soccer and think the Hounds are very exciting for the city and am really enjoying the site's coverage of them, I do think we could use a wee bit more humor around here at the same time. I don't think Frank's comment warranted such a backlash.
Maybe I'm not on here enough but that Frank comment seems pretty harmless, and by "pretty" I mean "totally". At the worst he tossed a little people and you responded with a howitzer. I think you owe that dude an apology
Actually, for the most part, Clint Hurdle is pretty consistent when he says before a game that a reliever is not going to be available because of his workload over the previous games. There are rare circumstances, like Scahill's recent terrible outing that forced him to put in Melancon to shut the door, but those usually only occur when the guy he was counting on fails, not at the beginning of an inning. If there's one thing that he's been consistent about this season is a focus on getting players promised and planned rest.
Yeh, it was the right call. If you pitch Melacon (one inning only), and he holds them, it goes into extra innings. Then, if you score, you need someone to close. If you don't score--and chances are you don't, in the 10th, right away--then you need someone to extend the game, say, uh...Worley.
Melancon is the closer. If you are going to use him in a game in which you had hoped to rest him, put him in for save, not otherwise.
I don't know if "cheap" is the word I would use for the home run, but I agree that I'm not really concerned that Worley gave up that home run. Sometimes a pretty good pitch gets turned around by a surprisingly strong hit. Hitting a home run on that one wasn't easy. The typical spray chart for that pitch probably has 95 percent of the balls going out of play, 4 percent dropping into short right, and 1 percent just barely clearing the fence in play.
I feel like I'm getting soft in my old age, but I once again agree with every word of bpn's assessment. I need basketball season to restart, so we can disagree!
No way Worley needed to be in the game that early ... designated the long reliever ... there are plenty of other arms to put out there with the game on the line! HURDLED!
I think that the mindset was that they were in a tie game, and the reliever going into the 9th might have to be pitching for quite a while. If not then, and Watson and Melancon needing some rest, who could he have put in? Bastardo and Hughes were already used, and the two remaining available pitchers (assuming that they were doing everything possible to rest Watson and Melancon) were Scahill and Caminero. Scahill gave up 3 hits and an earned run in a third of an inning in his last appearance, so you want to avoid using him in a tie game if at all possible, and Caminero is the guy you want closing in whatever inning the Pirates end up scoring if the game goes to several extra innings. Not only was Worley the best option, it was pretty much a no-brainer decision.
No big whoop about the HR Worley gave up, just unfortunate that it ended an otherwise good game. Darn good pitch, in a good spot, and Bethancourt closed his eyes and drilled it. It was his first career HR and how on Earth it didn't slice foul I can't understand. Obviously, it was some kind of penance to the baseball gods that the team owed, possibly for committing four errors the other night, so hopefully we're all square now.
And how dare FOX show the Francisco Cabrera hit. I still want vengeance every time the Bucs play the Braves. Cole will get some tomorrow.
"Worley, the long relief man, has entered the game in the bottom of the 9th. Odd. Plenty of arms remaining. Seems a little early for him." - Josh Yohe, DK on Pittsburgh Sports
Is that what the club was hoping for? ... Is that why Hurdle put the lowest pitcher on the totem pole into the game before other more qualified pitchers? ... with the game on the line?
How is Worley lowest on the totem pole? He just came out of the rotation, you might say he's on top of the bullpen totem pole. He threw one pitch and the hitter got lucky. Braves stole a game, Bucs take the series tomorrow.
Watson got beat up in his last outing and needed rest, and Melancon needed rest because he pitched 3 of the last 4 days. Hughes and Bastardo were already used. The options were Worley, Scahill, and Caminero. Caminero is your de facto closer in that situation, and Scahill is the option you use if Worley (clearly a better pitcher than Scahill) ends up pitching into the 15th inning. I'm not sure who you would put in there ahead of Worley.
If that was a pitch Worley liked, I would certainly hate to see a pitch he didn't like. Honestly.
Take away Watson, and Melancon, and what do you have? Trouble.
Pitching and defense. Pitching and defense. The Pirates have poor defense, and spotty pitching. Great starting pitching, great backend of the bullpen............ nothing in between.
Ask the Giants about pitching and defense. They have won 3 of the past 5 WS because of it.
Pirates? 2 Wild cards. Not even close.
Here is to Hurdle and Searage righting the ship before the important games later this year.
Oh, and why the soccer insult above?
Women's World Cup going on, great stuff.
I understand some people are jaded because of Blatter and the FIFA scandal, but come on.
Popular sport with the local high schools, and Pittsburgh has a professional soccer team.
Need to get into 2015 here, not stay stuck in the late 70's.
Gotta disagree with you there. It was a very good pitch and given the way Bethancourt swung at it, leaning out, poking and almost on one knee, it's amazing there was enough contact to clear the wall. I have no issue with any pitcher losing a game when the opponent makes a desperation swing and gets lucky.
It was actually a pretty good pitch in a place that usually ends up in a grounder to the right side or out of play. He had good reason to like the pitch, but the batter somehow turned it around and kept it in fair territory.
Just wanna say this about SOCCER, called FOOTBALL in the rest of the world:
1. It's the greatest game in the world. Lived in England for several years and became a Chelsea fan (Premiere League, England). See it here for your best look.
2. But Baseball is still the best American sport despite what basketball and American football fans believe. And thank you Bob Prince for leading so many of us to the Pirates via radio over the years!
3. American football is really "rush" ball and/or "pass" ball, not "foot" ball, except for occasional kick. Soccer or "World" football is really football, since the players are constantly kicking the ball.
Some things to ponder from a long time fan of the Pirates and World Football (go Chelsea!).
All are entitled to their opinions about the merits of various sports. I agree that American Football is misnamed. It is mostly not a foot sport, Soccer, or (non-American) Football is. So, you win on that point hands down.
But, by whatever name, no one can convince me that is the greatest game in the world, or even close to it. I have lived most of the last 20 years in England and other countries where soccer is the number one sport. The fact that there are more soccer fans than any other sport is due, primarily, to the fact that all you need to play it is a ball and some open space. Within certain parts of South America, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia, the economics of that are overwhelming. People trying to feed their children can't buy baseball gloves, or put up a basketball hoop.
The fact that it is most popular doesn't make it the best, any more than the fact that millions of McDonald's cheeseburgers are sold make them better than a New York strip from a top steakhouse.
I have watched more mind numbingly boring 1-0 soccer matches than most Americans, and my opinion is not based on a few add-hoc viewings. I just don't think it is that interesting. Their are more interesting American football highlights from one quarter of the game than there are in an entire soccer game.
For me, columns on the Rivershounds are the same as covering a dart match or a Nascar race.
Thats just me.......... I don't begrudge anybody their contrary views.
It's like anything else: music, movies, literature, women...we all have our own tastes. What we don't prefer doesn't mean that what we do prefer is better.
No need to place (objectively) one sport over another.
Taste is a funny thing. I love the Stones AND the Beatles; I love cats AND dogs; I love bourbon and I hate scotch; I love kimchi and I hate little baby ducks...do you care? I hope not, and you won't begrudge me my taste, as I respect your tastes. (The beautiful game, and all competitions sporting are compelling in their way.) But baseball is my mind, and american football is my heart. And you should not care.
I watched both the riverhounds game and the buccos and did not fear a Communist takeover. If you ever spend any time overseas, you'll be forced to acknowledge soccer's global dominance. The rules are just like hockey, accept you have corner kicks instead of faceoffs. Love Highmark Stadium, right next to the river, beautiful. I usually watch Real Madrid, but must admit, DK's site got me to show a little interest in the hounds. La Liga and Premiere League are finished, so this is also the only game in town.
I would also add that I will be hard for many Americans to become fans of their local team without first embracing the World Cup. The WC literally ties the world together, as you have countries you've never heard of before watching the same game as you. I feel it engenders a natural love for the team, and the game, by playing on patriotism. If you're not a soccer fan now, try watching the next WC.
You can't pitch the same guys every night. You just can't. You also have to play against an opponent. Worley made a good pitch. A guy with zero homeruns made a better swing. Give credit to the opponent and move on to game 56 out of 162. Not that much thought and angst needs to go into a game like this one.
"Neither Watson nor Melancon were available in this game because of their recent workload." Translation - they had each pitched one day in a row.
Huntington always gets credit for cheaply building great bullpens. This one's built cheaply all right, but it's hardly great. Frankly with the exception of Watson and Melancon, it's really not even very good. Guys are available. Rafael Soriano would look pretty darned good pitching 7th innings around here. But like with Jeff Locke's rotation spot, don't hold your breath for any moves that will cost them any appreciable cash before the trading deadline. It's just the way they do business.
I guess the bottom line is they need to stop winning so much. Then Watson and Melancon would be available to pitch in games like this more often. But seriously, now they can't even pitch two games in a row ?
Mark pitched 4 games in a row before yesterday and Tony pitched in 3 of 4. I don't have a problem with them sending Worley in. It was a good pitch and credit the batter for making good contact even though it was a strange swing. you got cole today and taking 2 of 3 still can happen which is huge on the road.
I really think we're all in general agreement here. Other guys need to do better or they need to get some other guys to do better. Now can we all get back to talking about soccer ?
I doubt Frankkuchno will alienate any fans here. The narrow-minded comment (rare for this site) says more about Frank than fans that follow a wide range of sport. Comments like that expose an inability to make a case on merit. One can’t – so others who don’t think the same are told to go away. Pretty sad.
Go Bucs!
Best of luck to the USA Women's Soccer Team!
I'm a late-comer to watching soccer (or futbol / football to the rest of the world). Living in Germany for a few years, I watched a lot of soccer and came to understand the game (better than the average American I suppose). Americans need to watch some games and settle into the rhythms of the game. As with many sports, it has it's beautiful moments. If you watched the Champions League final yesterday you saw a few. Soccer is the world's most popular sport for a reason.
The main point to me is not that Watson and Melancen weren't used but that the Pirates bullpen depth is hurting them big time. With the lead late, the Pirates are OK. Certainly not what they were a few years ago when they are lockdown with a lead after 6, but in good shape.
But in games decided late where they have to go beyond (or outside of) Tony & Mark, they are hurting. They win because of bats, big 3 starters and setup/closer with a dose of Hughes thrown in. That recipe won't win more than 90 games and that likely gets you Kershaw or Bumgarner in a wildcard game.
Francisco Cervelli walks off Turner Field as the Braves celebrate Christian Bethancourt's home run. -- GETTY
June 6, 2015
Coverage: Late-and-tight is still a Vanimal
by Josh Yohe • Coverage • Pirates
BY JOSH YOHE
ATLANTA — Vance Worley threw one pitch Saturday night against the Braves. It was a cutter, and he was pleased with its location. The pitch painted the outside corner and was at Chistian Bethancourt’s knees.
Bethancourt launched the pitch over the wall in right field, anyway, instantly burying the Pirates, 5-4, and instigating quite the celebration at Turner Field’s home plate.
Worley could only shake his head and laugh:
Funny game, baseball.
It wasn’t just that Worley “liked” the pitch, to cite his word. It’s that, even after Bethancourt made contact, he recalled never believing the ball had an opportunity to travel over the wall.
“No way,” he said, laughing again.
He recalled believing, too, that there was a reasonable chance the ball would go foul.
“I thought for sure it was going to keep curving,” he said. “But, it never really did curve.”
The Pirates are on pace for 90 wins and playing their best baseball of the season, winners of 12 of their past 15. It’s still undeniable, though, even with two of baseball’s best back-end relievers in Tony Watson and Mark Melancon, they haven’t been successful when games are late and tight. They’re now 1-5 when tied after seven innings, 1-7 when tied after eight, 0-6 when extras are needed.
Neither Watson nor Melancon were available in this game because of their recent workload, according to Clint Hurdle. So the manager turned to Worley, currently the long relief man, for an appearance that couldn’t have been shorter.
Still, Worley figures to be important for the Pirates, whether as a long reliever, making spot starts or returning to the rotation at some point.
Or short relief.
“I’ll be ready tomorrow,” he said. “Hopefully, the outcome will be better.”
Jeff Locke, who started, said Worley was in a very difficult position.
“That’s a lot of pressure,” Locke said. “He’s less accustomed to being in that situation. Especially on a night like tonight, packed house, fans are on their side.”
Hurdle is aware of the Pirates’ troubles late in games this season.
“You’ve got to play and you’ve got to finish,” he said. “We’re good about honest self-evaluation. We battled back. We’ll shower well and get ready for tomorrow with Gerrit Cole out there. We’ll see how it goes.”
• Locke showed positive signs amid a 6 1/3-inning line with four runs, seven hits and four strikeouts, and he certainly seemed to take it in that spirit:
Hurdle said before the game that Locke wasn’t pitching to remain in the rotation despite his recent struggles and having this start pushed back for an extra side session in San Francisco.
Command has been a huge issue for Locke, but he was considerably better in throwing first strikes to 25 of 28 batters and walking only two. Of the seven hits he allowed, six were singles.
“I think having an extra day of rest was good,” Locke said. “It was definitely sharper than it has been in the past, that’s for sure.”
He will start next Friday against the Phillies, Hurdle said.
• Gregory Polanco is playing his best baseball of the season, even if he’s not 100 percent. He was walking with a noticeable limp following the game.
Polanco, though, told me he was fine to play Sunday.
He produced three more hits Saturday, raising his average to .266. Chief among those was a two-run single in the eighth that brought a 4-4 tie. But he also delivered a bunt single in the fourth, one that died in the grass in front of third baseman Chris Johnson. Until recently, the Pirates hadn’t produced a bunt single all season, which was starting to bug their manager.
Now the bunt hits are coming in bunches.
“Everything in this game comes in bunches,” Hurdle said.
• Remember when Andrew McCutchen was struggling?
He stroked his eighth home run, a two-run line drive to center off Atlanta starter Julio Teheran, who otherwise was sharp. He is now on pace to hit 24 home runs and drive in a career-high 109 runs. Not bad.
Hurdle joked before the game that he has done a lot of tinkering with his lineup since coming to the Pirates.
“But I’ve never messed with the guy in the No. 3 spot,” he said.
His big nights are coming in bunches, too. McCutchen is 40 for 101 — .396 — in his past 28 games, with six home runs and 24 RBIs.
• Jason Grilli, now the Braves’ closer, was a polarizing figure while a member of the Pirates. Some of his old teammates remain close with him, however. Grilli was outside of the visiting clubhouse each of the past two days, embracing some former teammates.
He retired the Pirates in order in the ninth Saturday, earning the win. Neil Walker sent a ball to the warning track in right-center field. He then struck out Josh Harrison with a big curve to end the inning.