Final: Pirates 11, White Sox 0

White Sox Lineup:
1. Adam Eaton (L) CF
2. Alexei Ramirez (R) SS
3. Jose Abreu (R) 1B
4. Avisail Garcia (R) RF
5. Melky Cabrera (S) LF
6. Gordon Beckham (R) 3B
7. Carlos Sanchez (S) 2B
8. Tyler Flowers (R) C
9. Carlos Rodon (L) P

Looks like Clint is sticking with the "Warriors" rotation plan. Too soon to say it is working well, but if it does no harm (and our W/L is better) then the real pay off should come later in the season. I always admired LaRussa's guts in sitting key regulars frequently - seemed to work well for him.

I hate this line-up.

Weaker fielding at 2B, RF, and possibly 3B, although JHay has been so inconsistent at 3B. Twice in 3 days too much.

If going to use these same players, rather see Cervelli in 2 hole, Marte at clean-up, and The Gong Show at #5.

Agreed ... Clint goes nuts on the line-up again!

@Groat: what on earth makes you think JHay is a weaker 2B than Walker???

Without question Josh Harrison is weaker defensively at 2nd than Walker.

JHay makes those flashy diving plays, but messes up the routine ones.
And he is not as smooth/accomplished at making the double play turn at 2nd.

JHay is a fill-in 2nd baseman only.

I think Walkers D has always been underrated ...

I watched this guy pitch a few weeks ago. Slider is absolutely filthy. There will be some ugly swings on bad pitches tonight. This guy literally can walk the bases loaded and then strike out the side.

I think he was their top guy to be promoted this year. A lot of whiffs outside the strike zone

Rodon's slider will be worth the price of admission tonight.

National Mart of Records,

With you 100 %.

DKs boy. Interesting player. Have to wonder if he's the type of guy they could deal.

Good catch, JAL. Another big body Dominican. On the 40 man and they didn't move him up to sit.

LOL >>> the guy hasn't put on a AAA jersey yet and you want to deal him already!!

Pittsburgh21...why not deal him if it adds a piece that help this team? The OF is full through 2019.

Something like that should happen soon. Not sure why Hart is still on the team. Lombardozzi or Decker come to mind.

Under.

Under. Not soon enough.

Over.

What does lefty Jaff (don't spell me Jeff) bring that Cory Hart doesn't bring?

Hart excelled 1st month in pinch hitting role; barely used 2nd month.

Hart has no cartilage in his knee ... and cannot play defense anywhere!

Neither can Pedro Alvarez, but he stands at 1st Base.

What defense position are Pirates lacking where 25th man need to play?

If we had a base stealer on the bench ... like the Cardinals ... maybe we could produce a second run some of these games!

Groat - Corey Hart got 19 AB in April; 20 AB in May.

He stinks. The pinch hit thing was obviously a mirage.

And they're getting way more from right side from Rodriguez and Tabata than they ever imagined.

I'm not trying to be disagreeable. I too like extra speed.

Yet most importantly I want power in a late game pinch hitter. Quick scat backs don't have that. No other Pirate bench player has power.

Cory Hart has that.

That mirage was very filling and satisfying in April.
Problems came when Clint gave Hart a glove.

Take his glove away, not his roster spot.

Or the club could go out and get a guy who can actually hit, as they should've done to begin with.

I like that option.

Harrison, Walker, Mercer, Marte, Polanco have all benefited from a breather when they've struggled; Alvarez doesn't have that option since there isn't a single bat on the squad to take his place. The team, and the player, would benefit from the same kind of depth they've built everywhere else on the diamond.

National Mart of Records,

Corey Hart is Derek Bell without the boat.

Not expecting BMTIB to eat Hart's $2 million contract.

They ate Juan D's.

@NMR....I say after the trip to Chicago. I can see Hart DH'ing vs Danks on Weds....

I'm not a big Hart fan, but makes no sense for Decker to be the replacement. Hart is RH bat, Decker is LH. Decker can't play first base. Hart's roster spot needs to be filled by a RH hitting power type that can play 1b. Not sure that player is in Indy.

Over

There are about a half dozen examples from the past few years where the Bucs have cut a guy making $1M plus. I don't think Hart's salary will save him.

Really raising the bar with a few of these comments, bud...

or tripping over the bar . . . .

Josh Bell:

. . . . . still learning to play 1st Base, a new position
. . . . . still growing into his power stroke

Leave him be!!
[By the way, I'm usually one that encourages promotion.] Leave him be!!

He can work on both in Indianapolis ... maybe Pedro needs to see someone coming to take his position to light a fire under his fat ass!

One of Bells intriguing stats is the fact he has more BBs than Ks. Gotta be some kind of record for a Pirate prospect. Lol. Sucks about the errors and Hrs. But those should improve with time.

Conclusion I have come to acknowledge during last 4 seasons:

Pedro doesn't respond to criticism, competition, lighting fires under portions of anatomy, compliments, encouragement, discouragement.

Josh Bell will have NO EFFECT on Pedro, either in the way he plays or the way he wears his hat!

Yeah ... it kills me to see Pedro's talent stuck in that fat emotionless body ... just think if he worked out and built his body up near Marte's physique ... but ...

Garcia is no phenom. Talented yes but flawed and rough the Pirates have done a nice job of developing him. Most don't realize he came in the same class out of the Dominican Academy as Polanco, Osuna and a few others. He has always had great power but had K rates over 30% at times. Until last year he looked like he may wash out but he is starting to put it together largely thanks to the patience of the organization. Maybe next time you can get your facts straight before belittling the player development system.

VA, beyond Glasnow and Dodson any other pitchers In AA and below of note?

Just realized you were referring to Bell not Garcia. Which is even worse the kid still has much to learn both on defense and at the plate. You were probably one crying for Polanco last year and got him and we get to watch him learn on the job, yet do,you realize that McCutchen had more than double the number of AAA PLATE Appearances as Polanco even with that Cutch was no AllStar his first couple seasons. We need to give the kids a chance and trust the organization when they say the kid has things to work on, they probably do. Stop worrying about what others teams do.

No need to rush Bell...let him learn in the minors and be ready to contribute when it's the right time.

"belittling the player development system" What player development system? Face it ... BMTIB sucks at developing players! Nobody said Garcia was a Phenom ... even Bell isn't a Phenom ... I doubt either develops into anything to get real excited about! When they start consistently developing players ... and stop signing these stop-gap nobodies hoping to get by ... then we can call it a Player development system! And I didn't call for Polanco last year ... Travis Snider was having a career year when we called Polanco up ... he wasn't ready then ... and still isn't ready ... we don't have 22yr old phenoms because we don't draft them! We are getting better ... but 2 years of pieced together rosters making the wild card, isn't the great accomplishment you seem to be so jolly about! Nice to see wins ... but unless we draft well it won't last! I only said send Bell to AAA to maybe push another draft bust Pedro Alvarez.

Pittsburgh21. Not sure who on the roster would qualify as "stopgap"....the Pirates roster is full of players they drafted and developed. I guess cervelli and Stewart would qualify as stopgap but not many else.

Tonight only Mercer, Cutch, & Marte were drafted, Rodriquez, Cervelli, Stewart, Harrison, Tabata, most of the pitching staff all came through trades

I sit behind home plate every game....

From DK's Notes above ... "Neil Walker shouted over to Kang’s translator to ask him a question about a shirt. Kang’s translator: “Go ahead and ask him. He understands everything.” So Walker asks, and Kang immediately turns to the translator for help. Maybe it was that Pittsburgh accent."

I've noticed over the last couple weeks more interaction with the team mates. Been neat to watch him develop. NH deserves a lot of credit for bringing him a long the way he has.

Bullpen Nate,

You meant "CH" not "NH", right?

Clint has placed him and babied him and induced him and used him just right. What has NH done since the sig: shined his shoes?

NH said Kang was on the 25 man regardless with 3 weeks left in Bradenton. The way he hit there, had it been left to Clint alone, not sure if he would have come north. Just what I think.

I was told both players and reporters, clearly, heard him say, " We Steeler fans, say %^&$#@ the Browns and Bengals and the Ravens eat caca!"

@bpn....I agree with you completely about kudos to NH for taking the risk with Kang.

if there is another team who wants to babysit him ...

Chet, I'm curious if one of the AL East teams makes a move on Pedro. Maybe not in July, but offseason. Particularly Blue Jays or Red Sox, who I think can work him in as a DH.

I got no love for Pedro. But, I can see him going somewhere in a walk year, a few tweaks and hard work and boom, Jose Bautista 2.0....Pirate fans have such luck.

@bpn....Red Sox could use him as Napoli will be a free agent...maybe even the Yanks.

If Hurdle would happen to need a pinch hitter tonight & sent Pedro to the plate, he'd hit a home run. Such moments are when he shines.

The pop in his bat is gone ... 6 doubles no HR 155 ab's

Good to see you can access the site from there. I've heard stories from coworkers the internet is not that open there.

Actually, Bpn, I am still at the hotel. I took a little artistic license. We are headed to the Great Wall this morning.

Whoa! For real, Tom? PICS, man!

Looks like softball pitches too. The are teeing off

Maybe Schmaybe. It's a great idea! Every game, please.

Yeah, but if you're the only one who thinks so? :)

I like it DK!

That's TWO!

Me three.

A 4th for bridge!

I like it, too!

A whole lotta shakin' going on

Hahaha

Just a little!