Pirates at Reds

[sychmd]

The Pirates need to at least split although winning the last 3 of a 4 game set (just like against the Braves, Phillies, Mets, Brewers and Tigers) would be nice! This sets up the easiest stretch of the season for the Pirates (Angles, Mariners, Brewers, Phillies, Cubs, Athletics, Mets). The Athletics are the only team of the next 6 series with a winning record. This is an important stretch where the Pirates need to play .600+ baseball. This is a 19 game stretch going into the break with the Oakland series at home. To keep pace/possibly gain on the Cardinals/Reds the Pirates really need to take at least 12 of the 19 and split the current series with the Reds. This would put the Pirates at 55-37 heading into the break. Last year they were 48-37 at the break (break is a week later this year).

i was looking at the schedule for pitching matchups and saw this stretch also. more road than home, but the only winning team is a home series. we really should play 12-7 and that would keep pressure on as the reds and cards are slowing down, as we have.

now, who slows down the most, and who can get it back moving quicker than the other 2 will have a big dtermining factor of who the eventual winner will be.
further injuries, trade deadline additions, and a sept wildcard call up will be the last key component.

 

[Burgh Sports Rule]

Walker looks horrendous

You know guys, for as much heat as Pedro often takes, sometimes justified sometimes not, in my opinion.

Pedro may have a low BA however, he leads the team in HR & RBI & he has played an excellent 3B this season.

Also, when Pedro hits, he seems to get BIG hits for the Bucs.

Neil Walker, for as much as I personally like him & I was was calling for a possible extension for him a yr ago.

That being said, Neil Walker in my mind, has flat out stunk it up all yr long. No question about it.

I also agree with Darkstone, in that, I am begining to question Walker's effort & concentration on the field this yr.

I sure don't like what I am seeing from him.

Burgh

 

[JohnU]

Phillips has the biggest combination of being some combination of being a star player and having some kind of attitude (which shows itself in how he fields, as some impartial commentators have pointed out) which lends himself to being the reasonable target of a retaliatory hit by pitch.

I would guess that a lot of teams target Phillips for their retaliatory throwing at a guy. It's not because of race, it's because he makes himself an easy target. I could probably say the same for how I perceive Ryan Braun on the field.

Yeah, that's dismissing it. It's not about race, it's about being cocky. I see.
I find it amusing that folks who don't like hearing something dismiss it as "playing the race card." And by doing so, that means the "player of the race card" has no credibility. Credibility isn't for me to establish. You're either racist or you're not.

There is more than anecdotal evidence among the FANS that Philllips is disliked because he's black. As far as the team goes, of course not. Broadcasters and media are feeding off this attitude in an effort to prop up their own tedium. There's only so many ways we can talk about hitting with RISP.

Why would a team throw at somebody who just likes to play ball and is good at it? If that's the case, racism is the LEAST of their worries.

 

[evolver115]

Give it a rest, John. We get it. You think we are all racist. Everyone who has an opinion on this board about Brandon has given you pretty much the same reason why we don't care for him. If you don't want to consider that and just pin it on racism, that is your prerogative.

 

[Darkstone42]

What a relay to save a run, and then the triple from Marte, which is always fun to watch, leads to the first run of the ballgame.

 

[Darkstone42]

Another very good play by Alvarez. Man, his defense has been good this year.

And Locke's giving us another very good start, let's get him some run support! We should try loading the bases for someone other than Locke this time...

 

[Darkstone42]

Grilli with his first blown save of the year.

I wouldn't call it a mistake pitch, since he was just attacking the zone, but Bruce was ready for it.

 

[evolver115]

That's all right. They can win it in extra innings. When your only run was courtesy of a error, you can't be too upset about that from Grilli. They need to just start hitting the damn ball with runners in scoring position.

 

[Darkstone42]

That's all right. They can win it in extra innings. When your only run was courtesy of a error, you can't be too upset about that from Grilli. They need to just start hitting the damn ball with runners in scoring position.

Didn't Locke get half their at bats with runners in scoring position today?

They also need to get runners into scoring position.

 

[Darkstone42]

Pity Alvarez couldn't have run into one of those first two. The third was untouchable, 100 right on the corner, but it would have been fun to see one of those fly.

 

[evolver115]

It seemed that way with Locke tonight. He had the bases loaded with no outs, but hey.. they pay him to pitch. Ultimately they need to find a way to scratch out another run or two and back up a quality start by Jeff.

 

[Darkstone42]

Alright, Wilson gave us another crack at it. Let's see what the bottom of the order can do. At least we got past Chapman.

 

[Darkstone42]

Just a bit out in front for Snider there.

 

[Darkstone42]

And the popup.

 

[Darkstone42]

All down to Clint Barmes and his sub-.500 OPS...

 

[Darkstone42]

He got a hit! What!

 

[evolver115]

He got a hit! What!

It was a good AB too

 

[Darkstone42]

Darn it, Starling. You've got to take a cut there.

Seriously, we cannot waste these positive contributions from Clint Barmes. They don't happen often. We need to seize those moments.

 

[evolver115]

I just realized on the strike that Votto leaned out of the way of and the ump called it a ball...


It is Jerry Meals behind the dish in extra innings

 

[Darkstone42]

I just realized on the the strike that Votto leaned out of the way of and the ump called it a ball...


It is Jerry Meals behind the dish in extra innings

I thought he popped up off the bat. I thought we had actually witnessed a Joey Votto popup. Alas, it was just a flyout.