Who is this team, what did they do with the fairly lackluster assembly that's shown up all season, and why didn't they show up sooner?
If the Bucs could have played this well all season, I'm fairly certain that it wouldn't have been such a fiasco of a year. Don't get me wrong, I love them regardless of their record, but it's really, really wonderful to be able to say that they're winning, and that they're doing it in a really amazing way.
Thanks in part to home runs from third baseman Pedro Alvarez and right fielder John Bowker, the Bucs claimed their fifth game in a row, their second over the Cardinals, in an 11-6 match that looked like it was going to be a rout until the 8th and 9th innings when the bullpen got a little shaky.
I'll take a win no matter how it comes.
And I'm pretty sure Charlie Morton feels the same way; I'm so glad to see him get the win, because I think this is definitely the kind of outing he needed to boost the confidence that's undoubtedly been shaky since his disastrous outings in the early part of the season and demotion to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Congratulations, boys. Three of the next four, and you've got yourselves a winning season.
At home, at least.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Bucs Ground the Redbirds
Somehow, at some point during the course of this season, the Pirates found the Cardinals' number, and they've kept it.
True, their record right now is 6-10 against the St. Louis team, but still. Considering how badly the Pirates have fared this season, that's basically spectacular. When one considers that, apart from one game during the last Pirates/Cards series, Albert Pujols has been kept under control and hasn't wreaked too much havoc on the beleaguered Bucs, it's pretty darn impressive that the Pirates have somehow managed to win against the Redbirds.
Last night's game was no different. Thanks once again to solid starting pitching, this time in the form of Paul Maholm, the Pirates' winning streak extended to four games - the longest since August '09 - and the crowd was treated to an all-around good game. The bats were awake, the defense was fairly solid, and the team continued to look as though it wanted to prove itself to be a little better than its record would indicate.
Which it is. A little. Mostly it's just unlucky.
But finishing .500 at home would be nice, and an okay end to a dismal season.
In other notes. The people sitting behind me wouldn't shut up the whole game, talked about completely irrelevant things, and, as my mother said, sounded "just like Frances McDormand in Fargo." I think I would have taken the idiot woman who thought that just because the ball landed in "the brown" it was foul over this gaggle of goobers any day. It didn't help that the one was a Brewers fan.
Sorry to break it to you sister, but you're at a Pirates game in which the Brewers aren't even involved, and no one cares that you want to go down Bernie Brewer's slide into a pool. No one. At all.
Saw Frank Coonelly at the end of the game though. Said hi. Should have just asked for a job right then and there, considering this is the second time this season we've run into him. Next time.
True, their record right now is 6-10 against the St. Louis team, but still. Considering how badly the Pirates have fared this season, that's basically spectacular. When one considers that, apart from one game during the last Pirates/Cards series, Albert Pujols has been kept under control and hasn't wreaked too much havoc on the beleaguered Bucs, it's pretty darn impressive that the Pirates have somehow managed to win against the Redbirds.
Last night's game was no different. Thanks once again to solid starting pitching, this time in the form of Paul Maholm, the Pirates' winning streak extended to four games - the longest since August '09 - and the crowd was treated to an all-around good game. The bats were awake, the defense was fairly solid, and the team continued to look as though it wanted to prove itself to be a little better than its record would indicate.
Which it is. A little. Mostly it's just unlucky.
But finishing .500 at home would be nice, and an okay end to a dismal season.
In other notes. The people sitting behind me wouldn't shut up the whole game, talked about completely irrelevant things, and, as my mother said, sounded "just like Frances McDormand in Fargo." I think I would have taken the idiot woman who thought that just because the ball landed in "the brown" it was foul over this gaggle of goobers any day. It didn't help that the one was a Brewers fan.
Sorry to break it to you sister, but you're at a Pirates game in which the Brewers aren't even involved, and no one cares that you want to go down Bernie Brewer's slide into a pool. No one. At all.
Saw Frank Coonelly at the end of the game though. Said hi. Should have just asked for a job right then and there, considering this is the second time this season we've run into him. Next time.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
A Pair of Home Runs, a Pair of Walks, and a Cedeno Single Lift the Bucs to a Walk-Off Win
It's been awhile since I've actually been totally exhausted after a game. Of course, part of it is probably because of getting home from the Renee Fleming concert at midnightish last night and waking up at 8:30 this morning, but I think it's mostly from the excitement of the game.
But excitement aside I'm basically falling asleep as I type this, which means I'm going to have to keep this short for now, and just hit the main points of discussion.
As far as I'm concerned, Neil Walker's first-inning home run set the stage for tonight's game against the Diamondbacks, and even though the lead changed hands after that, and the Bucs found themselves deadlocked with the D'Backs twice, the fact of the matter is that there was something almost tangible in PNC Park tonight.
The Pirates wanted this win. And they weren't going to stop until they got it.
And that feeling is what's been missing from PNC Park for most of this season. And because the fans could feel that the Bucs wanted it, there was no way they weren't going to help them get it by proving that they were behind them one-hundred percent. It was a pretty small crowd, but a rambunctious one. It was more than happy to cheer when things were going the Pirates' way, boo when they weren't, and it was thrilled to see some gems of both offensive and defensive displays.
Despite Neil's home run, and the home run provided by Ryan Doumit, it was really Ronny Cedeno who was tonight's hero: first, with a stellar catch that was almost a double-play (G.J. was unable to handle it at 1B), and then with the game-winning single that scored Andrew McCutchen, who had come into the game as a pinch-hitter for Evan Meek (and received the loudest ovation of the night) from 2B.
Then promptly got mobbed by his teammates. Doumit actually rushed over from 2B and picked Ronny up.
Hilarious. Adorable. Really, really exciting. I thoroughly enjoy walk-off wins, because I love seeing the players act like Little Leaguers who just won their first game. Those kinds of displays prove to me that they still love the sport, they love playing it, and they love celebrating good work done by teammates and friends.
All in all, it was a good night for baseball in Pittsburgh.
And Brian Burres, despite not getting the win, pitched a heck of a game, and continues to make a strong argument for why he should be considered as part of the competition for the starting rotation in spring training.
But excitement aside I'm basically falling asleep as I type this, which means I'm going to have to keep this short for now, and just hit the main points of discussion.
As far as I'm concerned, Neil Walker's first-inning home run set the stage for tonight's game against the Diamondbacks, and even though the lead changed hands after that, and the Bucs found themselves deadlocked with the D'Backs twice, the fact of the matter is that there was something almost tangible in PNC Park tonight.
The Pirates wanted this win. And they weren't going to stop until they got it.
And that feeling is what's been missing from PNC Park for most of this season. And because the fans could feel that the Bucs wanted it, there was no way they weren't going to help them get it by proving that they were behind them one-hundred percent. It was a pretty small crowd, but a rambunctious one. It was more than happy to cheer when things were going the Pirates' way, boo when they weren't, and it was thrilled to see some gems of both offensive and defensive displays.
Despite Neil's home run, and the home run provided by Ryan Doumit, it was really Ronny Cedeno who was tonight's hero: first, with a stellar catch that was almost a double-play (G.J. was unable to handle it at 1B), and then with the game-winning single that scored Andrew McCutchen, who had come into the game as a pinch-hitter for Evan Meek (and received the loudest ovation of the night) from 2B.
Then promptly got mobbed by his teammates. Doumit actually rushed over from 2B and picked Ronny up.
Hilarious. Adorable. Really, really exciting. I thoroughly enjoy walk-off wins, because I love seeing the players act like Little Leaguers who just won their first game. Those kinds of displays prove to me that they still love the sport, they love playing it, and they love celebrating good work done by teammates and friends.
All in all, it was a good night for baseball in Pittsburgh.
And Brian Burres, despite not getting the win, pitched a heck of a game, and continues to make a strong argument for why he should be considered as part of the competition for the starting rotation in spring training.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Extra Innings Don't Hold a Happy Ending for the Bucs
For the second night in a row, the Pirates/Reds game went into extra innings.
For the second night in a row, the Pirates lost as the Reds earned walk-off wins.
The only thing that made it slightly better than last night was that tonight, at least the loss came off a bomb of a home run hit by NL MVP candidate Joey Votto, instead of a bumbling not-catch that allowed the winning run to slide across the plate.
I've got to feel bad for Charlie Morton though - he pitched a spectacular game (especially in comparison to his last outing), and while he didn't get the loss, still. It was a great game pitched, and he didn't get anything to show for it.
I'm not even sure what else I feel like saying, other than the fact that while it is, as always, extremely frustrating to see them lose in extra innings, at least tonight's wasn't a cheap victory for the Reds. Votto's a heck of a player, and there was nothing cheap about that laserbeam home run.
Oh. And.
Congratulations to Neil Walker, whose hitting streak continues. Happy belated birthday. :]
For the second night in a row, the Pirates lost as the Reds earned walk-off wins.
The only thing that made it slightly better than last night was that tonight, at least the loss came off a bomb of a home run hit by NL MVP candidate Joey Votto, instead of a bumbling not-catch that allowed the winning run to slide across the plate.
I've got to feel bad for Charlie Morton though - he pitched a spectacular game (especially in comparison to his last outing), and while he didn't get the loss, still. It was a great game pitched, and he didn't get anything to show for it.
I'm not even sure what else I feel like saying, other than the fact that while it is, as always, extremely frustrating to see them lose in extra innings, at least tonight's wasn't a cheap victory for the Reds. Votto's a heck of a player, and there was nothing cheap about that laserbeam home run.
Oh. And.
Congratulations to Neil Walker, whose hitting streak continues. Happy belated birthday. :]
Bucs Play Spoilers Again
I'm really pretty terrible at this updating thing, huh?
Anyway.
Much like they did when the Cardinals were in town, the Bucs are playing a small role in the upcoming playoff race. No, they're not making some kind of miraculous surge to sneak up on anyone, but they are beating teams who have their sights legitimately set on securing a berth in the playoffs. With wins yesterday afternoon and tonight over the formerly-NL East-leading Atlanta, the Bucs have enabled the Phillies to take a half-game lead over Bobby Cox's Braves in the NL East race.
And oh, how they did it tonight.
Once again, starting pitching - this time in the form of James "J-Mac" McDonald - set the tone for the game, and both defense and offense fell into step. Although Tim Hudson, Atlanta's starting pitcher, was cruising along just as easily, the Bucs' offensive surge in the 7th inning spelled the end of his night, and an eventual victory for J-Mac and the Pirates. When the surge was capped by a Delwyn Young pinch-hit, two-run home run, bringing the score to 5-0, in the Pirates' favor, the small-but-feisty crowd of just over 11,000 fans erupted into cheers...
...and the sky decided to open up.
What started out as a light rain occasionally punctuated by a few claps of thunder and a weak flash of lightning turned into a downpour in the top of the eighth inning. Reliever (and 2010 All-Star) Evan Meek set the Braves down in order, and the Pirates' half ot the inning moved almost as quickly - but featured a double by second baseman Neil Walker, which extended his hitting streak to fourteen games. As the teams left the field to regroup for the ninth inning, the crew chief called a rain delay, which lasted for forty-three minutes.
When the teams finally came back out to finish up the game, Joel Hanrahan quickly dispatched the first batter, walked catcher Brian McCann, and then struck out the final two batters to close the game and give J-Mac the win. There's really nothing more exciting than to see the Bucs play like they have the last two days, because this is the kind of play that fans have been hoping for all season, and this is proof that they can actually do it.
Anyway.
Much like they did when the Cardinals were in town, the Bucs are playing a small role in the upcoming playoff race. No, they're not making some kind of miraculous surge to sneak up on anyone, but they are beating teams who have their sights legitimately set on securing a berth in the playoffs. With wins yesterday afternoon and tonight over the formerly-NL East-leading Atlanta, the Bucs have enabled the Phillies to take a half-game lead over Bobby Cox's Braves in the NL East race.
And oh, how they did it tonight.
Once again, starting pitching - this time in the form of James "J-Mac" McDonald - set the tone for the game, and both defense and offense fell into step. Although Tim Hudson, Atlanta's starting pitcher, was cruising along just as easily, the Bucs' offensive surge in the 7th inning spelled the end of his night, and an eventual victory for J-Mac and the Pirates. When the surge was capped by a Delwyn Young pinch-hit, two-run home run, bringing the score to 5-0, in the Pirates' favor, the small-but-feisty crowd of just over 11,000 fans erupted into cheers...
...and the sky decided to open up.
What started out as a light rain occasionally punctuated by a few claps of thunder and a weak flash of lightning turned into a downpour in the top of the eighth inning. Reliever (and 2010 All-Star) Evan Meek set the Braves down in order, and the Pirates' half ot the inning moved almost as quickly - but featured a double by second baseman Neil Walker, which extended his hitting streak to fourteen games. As the teams left the field to regroup for the ninth inning, the crew chief called a rain delay, which lasted for forty-three minutes.
When the teams finally came back out to finish up the game, Joel Hanrahan quickly dispatched the first batter, walked catcher Brian McCann, and then struck out the final two batters to close the game and give J-Mac the win. There's really nothing more exciting than to see the Bucs play like they have the last two days, because this is the kind of play that fans have been hoping for all season, and this is proof that they can actually do it.
Bucs' Bad Luck at Miller Park Continues
I don't even have anything else to say other than last night's game was about as disappointing as disappointing can be.
And Garrett Jones needs to remember how to throw a ball to second base.
That's it.
And Garrett Jones needs to remember how to throw a ball to second base.
That's it.
Pirates/Cardinals Series Finale a Gem
Yet again, the Pirates act as spoilers in the Cardinals' pursuit of the N.L. Wild Card slot, and I (along with the rest of the baseball world) am a little shocked. Again, however, I am absolutely not complaining, because this is the kind of stuff I've been hoping to see from this team all summer. Not to mention, they kept Albert Pujols under control, and "Prince Albert" wasn't able to get a hit. A little sad, because again, I like the guy. But it's also nice to know that the Bucs are capable of putting a guy like Pujols on ice, even if it's just for one game. What else do I have to say?
I don't even know what else to say other than tonight's game clearly belonged to Daniel McCutchen. Great to see Neil Walker smash that three-run triple - which I was so hoping was going to end up being a grand slam - but all in all, the win truly does get chalked up to an incredible performance by McCutchen. For a guy who hasn't had the best luck during his previous opportunities to have a night like tonight was terrific to see, and hopefully indicative of what he can do.
Maybe we'll even see him in the starting rotation come spring
At any rate, tonight definitely gave me a reason to smile, and I can only imagine it has the rest of the Pirates' faithful smiling, too. Garrett Jones snapping out of his funk with that laser beam of a home run was nice to see, and with Walker's triple and D. McCutchen's sparkling show, well, it's just nice to know that the Bucs can legitimately play against a team like the Cardinals. There's no salvaging this season, but if they can have a good September, who knows what they can do if they take that feeling into winter and Spring Training '11? This is, after all, a team that seems to have a chance if they stick together. That is, if management lets them stick together.
But I'll choose not to think about that for now, because there's still a month left. Maybe they'll hit 60 wins.
Oh, and JR sort of argued. It was a good night.
I don't even know what else to say other than tonight's game clearly belonged to Daniel McCutchen. Great to see Neil Walker smash that three-run triple - which I was so hoping was going to end up being a grand slam - but all in all, the win truly does get chalked up to an incredible performance by McCutchen. For a guy who hasn't had the best luck during his previous opportunities to have a night like tonight was terrific to see, and hopefully indicative of what he can do.
Maybe we'll even see him in the starting rotation come spring
At any rate, tonight definitely gave me a reason to smile, and I can only imagine it has the rest of the Pirates' faithful smiling, too. Garrett Jones snapping out of his funk with that laser beam of a home run was nice to see, and with Walker's triple and D. McCutchen's sparkling show, well, it's just nice to know that the Bucs can legitimately play against a team like the Cardinals. There's no salvaging this season, but if they can have a good September, who knows what they can do if they take that feeling into winter and Spring Training '11? This is, after all, a team that seems to have a chance if they stick together. That is, if management lets them stick together.
But I'll choose not to think about that for now, because there's still a month left. Maybe they'll hit 60 wins.
Oh, and JR sort of argued. It was a good night.
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