fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Weeeeeeeeee! This is fun.
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***Official Pirates 2016*** - Home of the Defending Stanley Cup Champs (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Plorfu
- Start date
apalmer
Footballguy
It'd be nice if the Bucs could figure out how to get out of their own way on the basepaths. Down 2 with men on 2nd and 3rd and nobody out. Cutch hits a dribbler and Jaso gets doubled up at 2nd because someone missed a signal. Polanco got doubled up earlier on a line drive because he took off instead of freezing. Undefeated season in serious jeopardy right now.
ThaPenguin
Footballguy
Reds own them, plain and simple. Hard to overcome 14 LOB and a textbook blocking of the plate by Meso that wasn't called, even after review.
irish eyes
Footballguy
Looks like another year of bucs getting their a@@es handed to them by the reds minor league team. And do pirates have base running coach?? If so he should be fired immediately. Its like watching little league team on the bases, pathetic.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Yeah um pitching may be a problem this year.
ETA-- tigers are a hell of an offensive team so it's not surprising that the back end of our rotation is getting destroyed. Hopefully one of Taillon or Glasnow will help this team after the break.
ETA-- tigers are a hell of an offensive team so it's not surprising that the back end of our rotation is getting destroyed. Hopefully one of Taillon or Glasnow will help this team after the break.
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apalmer
Footballguy
Actually, I was surprised by how well Vogelsong did. It wasn't the back end of the rotation that got destroyed, it was the back end of the bullpen. Caminero is suddenly very shaky.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Sure do wish we had Happ right about now. I'm really not sure how this team will be able to compete with the Cubs this year. Their lineup is completely loaded and they have a better all-around rotation. Our bullpen suddenly has quite a few question marks as well.
Well, Hughes is on his way back to help the bullpen a little bit. Kang will bolster the lineup, I hope. Need Taillon to build on that good first start in Indy and for Glasnow to come up and be a difference maker. Liriano, Cole, Glasnow, Taillon can be a solid top-end. But, yeah, Cubs look damn good.
irish eyes
Footballguy
This is going to be a long season I'm afraid, pitching has been horrendous. I had a suspicion liriano would nose dive this year and it's playing out that way. He can't throw strikes. And why is it the entire universe KNOWS except for the pirates that Locke is horrible. How that guy is even on a roster is beyond me.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Well Locke will be gone soon enough. Once Taillon or Glasnow come up, he should be out of the rotation. Unfortunately division race will be over by then.
Limp Ditka
Footballguy
What's Kang's current timeline? Any ETA on him being activated?
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Also Taillon pitched 6 innings of 1 hit ball in his last outing. Even if this turns out to be a down year, the hope is there.
monessen
Footballguy
Hello, Pirates brothers & sisters! How ya been?
What a difference a week makes! The bats are hot. The club tore threw Colorado and now the Reds look like a team to be swept this weekend.
Baseball folks wanted to crown the Cubs as NL Central champs before April. So long as the Bucs can stick to their formula of getting a lead, solid starting pitching, and reaching the stage where Melancon can close, nothing should be conceded to Chicago. Eventually, Hurdle will find the right chemistry within the ranks or the return of Kang will provide it.
This is our year. Success can come at unexpected times. Believe!
What a difference a week makes! The bats are hot. The club tore threw Colorado and now the Reds look like a team to be swept this weekend.
Baseball folks wanted to crown the Cubs as NL Central champs before April. So long as the Bucs can stick to their formula of getting a lead, solid starting pitching, and reaching the stage where Melancon can close, nothing should be conceded to Chicago. Eventually, Hurdle will find the right chemistry within the ranks or the return of Kang will provide it.
This is our year. Success can come at unexpected times. Believe!
monessen
Footballguy
If anyone had proposed that the Pirates would wrap up April with a 15-9 record, we'd have been pleased with that W-L total before the season began.
Seems Melancon's role remains very important. While the club has pitchers who can close, I'm not confident they could perform as well as him over a season. If the team had or has him on the market, it'd be a mistake to seek a deal unless it'd reap a significant (and immediate) return.
Not sure what's up with the surge in overall run-scoring so early. Odd to see the Pirates, Cubs, and Cards near the top when they've been more about good pitching in recent times. Consider, too, the many runners left on base until the past 10 days or so and what could have been. Pirates have been getting key RBIs from the lower part of the order, and former Rays Joyce and S-Rod have been unexpectedly productive. That being so, it's not vital to add position players to the roster given how the bullpen's been worked pretty hard. Eager to see what develops when Kang is ready, but it's not a bad problem to have.
Seems Melancon's role remains very important. While the club has pitchers who can close, I'm not confident they could perform as well as him over a season. If the team had or has him on the market, it'd be a mistake to seek a deal unless it'd reap a significant (and immediate) return.
Not sure what's up with the surge in overall run-scoring so early. Odd to see the Pirates, Cubs, and Cards near the top when they've been more about good pitching in recent times. Consider, too, the many runners left on base until the past 10 days or so and what could have been. Pirates have been getting key RBIs from the lower part of the order, and former Rays Joyce and S-Rod have been unexpectedly productive. That being so, it's not vital to add position players to the roster given how the bullpen's been worked pretty hard. Eager to see what develops when Kang is ready, but it's not a bad problem to have.
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fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Big week ahead with a series against the Cubs and then the Cards. Cole needs to win it today. I'm curious to see when they call up Kang, Bell and Glasnow (and possibly Taillon). Those additions could potentially give this team a huge boost. Would love to see some consistency out of Nicasio but he is what he is. Next year's rotation could be lethal with Cole, Liriano, Glasnow, Taillon and ?. Couple that with the best outfield in baseball and a pretty good infield (assuming Bell and Kang are part of it) and they should be very competitive again next year. Hopefully all of these guys in Indy are as good as advertised.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Grahamburn
Footballguy
What's with the plunking guys when you're out of it schtick? So 1988.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Arrieta shuts down the Buccos again. I know you're all shocked.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
The starting pitching is just atrocious. This is not a WC team with Niese, Locke and Nicasio in the rotation. They better hope that Glasnow or Taillon can be somewhat of a savior. Damn I wish we still had Happ.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
I don't think there is a weakness on this Cubs team. In addition, they will bolster their team at the trade deadline because they actually can and will spend money. The only reason I can think of why they won't win the world series is because they're the Cubs.
Wrigley
Footballguy
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Not your typical team period. It's been a while since we've seen a team this dominant. Still a long season left though.......
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Taillon with another great start in Indy. He now has a 1.2 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. Everyone seems to be focusing on Glasnow but Taillon may be just as dominant. The big issue with Glasnow is control and the fact that he only has 2 pitches. However, those 2 pitches are lethal. Can they be lethal enough to dominate big league hitters without having a 3rd or will hitters be able to adjust?
monessen
Footballguy
Sure. Why not? And a top pitching coach can provide help to that repertoire once a rookie pitcher gets settled in after a few starts.
Given the rotation's performance to date, and that high WHIP, i'm just sorry service time/arbitration implications preclude those starts from coming sooner rather than later. A guy like Nicasio can be shifted to that shaky bullpen if they call up one of those two dudes.
Given the rotation's performance to date, and that high WHIP, i'm just sorry service time/arbitration implications preclude those starts from coming sooner rather than later. A guy like Nicasio can be shifted to that shaky bullpen if they call up one of those two dudes.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
One or both will likely be coming up in June.monessen said:
monessen
Footballguy
Hope you are right. Too much competition these days for a playoff spot. But with a 10-game home-stand ahead against beatable teams, they should do very well until those arms get here.
Remarkably, since the Pirates won the '79 World Series, they are one of only 4 teams not to make it to a World Series from 1980 to 2015---Seattle, Tampa Bay, the Montreal/Washington team, and the Bucs. All others have either gotten in and lost, or made it and won.
Remarkably, since the Pirates won the '79 World Series, they are one of only 4 teams not to make it to a World Series from 1980 to 2015---Seattle, Tampa Bay, the Montreal/Washington team, and the Bucs. All others have either gotten in and lost, or made it and won.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
I'm sick of the Cubs. They're no longer a feel good story IMHO
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Is this in reference to something? I must have missed it
ETA - Ahh I just saw Cole's comment. Well they're certainly the best team in baseball right now and it's not even close. Still a long season left though.
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fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Great signing. He's so underrated. He's very good defensively and a pretty decent hitter as well.
Hitting .348 now and something like .310 since the middle of last year. I was listening to the radio when they gave the last stat so I'm guessing at it, but this guy used to look like he'd rather be doing anything else.
monessen
Footballguy
Nothing like a diet of Braves, Rockies, and Diamondbacks to help out a home-stand.
Pirates now 16-27 versus Arizona since 2010. Why does that matter? The Bucs didn't really start posting winning seasons until 2013. Arizona hasn't won a season-series vs Pittsburgh since 2009.
Team is now 11-10 in May after a rough start, and even Locke is finding ways to not lose.
Pirates now 16-27 versus Arizona since 2010. Why does that matter? The Bucs didn't really start posting winning seasons until 2013. Arizona hasn't won a season-series vs Pittsburgh since 2009.
Team is now 11-10 in May after a rough start, and even Locke is finding ways to not lose.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Polanco has turned into quite the stud.
Everyone on this team can hit. Hurdle could probably go out there and scratch out .250. This is Jeff Branson's third year as hitting coach - seems like the squad just gets better. With regards to Polanco, his patience at the plate this year is unreal. I'm typing this in the middle of a 6 run inning against Hamels (and Harrison just pounded a double with one out to put men on 1st and 3rd.)
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Encyclopedia Brown
Footballguy
Buster Olney raved about the Pirates lineup, from top to bottom. He also said they have some of the most major-league ready pitching in the minors.
He also mentioned that the Pirates seem destined to be in a one-game playoff for the fourth consecutive year, which is too bad.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Take a look at their starting rotation of the AAA affiliate in Indy and just look at the ERA. They're absolutely dominating. I think they have potentially 3 legitimate starters for next year coming from Indy. Couple that with Liriano, Cole and a very good offense and this team should be an NL favorite next year (if not this year when a few of those guys get called up in June). But yes they are destined for another WC game where Cole will face Thor or Strasburg. It's a bitter sweet time to be a Buccos fan these days. But it's a whole lot better than it was 10 years ago.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Can someone explain to me Hurdle's rationale for not bunting Rodriguez in the 10th last night with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out? The decision to let him swing away likely cost us the game.
Copeman
Footballguy
93.7 guys had the same question. They played Hurdles response. It was long, but understandable why he did it, You may have to search for the interview. It was too long for me to accurately answer. But it was certainly reasonable. Something about not having enough pitchers, blah blah blah.
