Series Thread: Reds at Pirates

[Darkstone42]

This is a big, important series for the Bucs. We need to ride some of our recent momentum into a series victory. Today will be tough, Cueto has an appreciable talent and performance edge over Cumpton, but it would be nice to squeak one out today.

Votto drove in Hamilton for the first run of the game. Very close play on a steal at third with Hamilton. The freeze-frame looked like he might have been out, but man, it was too close to call, and the Reds got the benefit of it.

 

[Darkstone42]

Jay Hay keeps it going, doubling home Martin to tie the game!

 

[Darkstone42]

Votto mad.

That was great pitching by Cumpton. Had him completely off balance.

 

[Darkstone42]

Russ checks his swing, and Cueto walks in the go-ahead run. Bases still juiced for Pedro.

 

[Darkstone42]

Darn, Cutch was thrown out at home on the Pedro fly ball. No more runs.

 

[Darkstone42]

He might have gotten in with a head-first slide, but it would have been close either way.

 

[Darkstone42]

Not a good inning for Cumpton.

 

[Darkstone42]

At least he limited the damage to two runs, and we're still in it.

 

[Darkstone42]

Good slide by Harrison gets him onto second with a steal.

1 out and Tabata up.

 

[Darkstone42]

Harrison should have stayed. That was a bad mistake.

 

[Darkstone42]

Hamilton's speed is killer. A two-strike bunt base hit, a stolen base, and he scores a run.

 

[Darkstone42]

Jay Hay pulled through again. Tie game!

 

[element1286]

Jason Grilli, dumpster fire. About time he relinquishes the 'closer' role.

 

[element1286]

Damn if only we were in that shithole of Great American Barmes would have cleared the fences by 20 rows.

 

[Darkstone42]

I thought he got it. Off the bat, I was sure it was gone.

Man, so close.

 

[Burgh Sports Rule]

Jason Grilli, dumpster fire. About time he relinquishes the 'closer' role.

Yeah, get Grilli the hell out of the closer roll! I've had it, I've seen enough of him this year.

How many games is he gonna cost us?

He is simply not the same pitcher that he was, since he came back from his injury & it's time for Clint to realize that & stop trotting him out there in the 9th every night!

Damn, these last 2 games have really pissed me off!

You cannot give away winnable games & call yourself a playoff contender!

Christ!

Burgh

 

[element1286]

Agreed, it's about time Watson gets promoted up the bullpen ladder.

And was just looking up some stats, Pirates have the second highest team OBP in baseball (.335), Rockies/A's lead at .337, pretty amazing how much the pitching has held the team back.

 

[evolver115]

Pirates pitching has to get better in a hurry or their slim hopes of a WC spot in the NL will fade fast. No excuse to give up six runs to the Reds. Cinci ranks 24th in BA, 27th in OBP and 29th in Runs Scored, and the Bucs give up half a dozen runs to them in one game to go along with 13 hits. Billy Hamilton has a worse OBP than Pedro, and he reaches 3 out of 4 times

 

[sychmd]

tryout watson and hughes for the closer role.
probably go to watson but give hughes a shot.
melancon has shown he doesn't have the mental makeup but is awesome as the setup.
the only other option is pimentel this year with watson.
wilson needs to get his head straightened out and his velocity seems down from last year. not sure if they were a little soft in off season prep, or a little fat on the speaking circuit, but they all seem to be a few notches short of last years velocity except volquez who came in hungry.

 

[element1286]

And now we get into the insanity in which standing on the plate as a catcher for a force play is 'blocking the plate.' The idiocy of people who just made that call is incomprehensible.

Can we extend this rule to first base, you know for safety?