What's in the Cards? Series Thread

[Darkstone42]

I try to be creative.

Anyway, as Burgh said in the Braves series thread, this series is a pretty good measuring stick for whether or not the recent improved play of the Pirates is enough for them to start competing in the division.

Tonight we have Charlie Morton, who is coming off a strong outing, going against an ice cold Wainwright. Let's keep his rough patch going!

 

[Illinest]

We have a way of helping slumping pitchers come out of their slump but I'll try to be optimistic.

McDonald allowed a two-run homer in the first inning and several baserunners in the first four, but regained his effectiveness as the game progressed. He said catcher Rod Barajas called more off-speed pitches after the Braves jumped on his fastball.

"Early on, they were aggressive," Barajas said.

Barajas said he liked McDonald's slider while he warmed up in the bullpen, and the sliders he threw early were good, so he incorporated more as the game progressed.

"If you don't have one pitch working, you need to be able to rely on secondary pitches," Barajas said.

McDonald's slider and curveball stifled the Braves, inducing swings at balls in the dirt or freezing the batter as they sailed past.

As much as I hate Barajas' bad hitting, I also don't believe that you would've heard a story like this about Doumit.
Morton still looks like he did in 2011. McDonald is looking like I'd hoped that he would look in 2011. Burnett and Bedard are providing some punch at the top of the rotation. Correia is getting it done. Karstens isn't even in the rotation right now and he was our best pitcher last year. The entire starting rotation has an ERA like an ace right now.

It's sad that we don't have a winning record.

I do believe that we're in better shape this year than we were last. I think that last year's team was so much smoke and mirrors in the first half. The pitchers were pitching over their head and the offense had a strange penchant for clutch hits. It wasn't strange to see things correct in the second half of 2011. This team has actually been kind of unlucky. The schedule is rough and the bats haven't been as bad as the stats would lead you to believe.

So I'm feeling optimistic. Even if the Cardinals were to sweep us I'll still be feeling pretty good about the first month of the season. I wish that there was some position player help to look forward to but I guess we are still the Pirates after all.

 

[evolver115]

Big series for the Buccos. For whatever reason, the Pirates seem to play St. Louis tough, and I love how the rotation is slotted right now with Bedard and Burnett going against the current division leader in the last two games of the series. Couldn't ask for a better 3 day pitching schedule for Pittsburgh. Burnett and Bedard give the rotation what it didn't have enough of, last season.. and that's the ability to get the swing and miss, and subsequently, the strikeout.

 

[thecrow124]

Series prediction, i think we take 2 of 3. Time for the cards to start heading back to earth. Without Carpenter and Wainwright not back to form, they can not keep this up.

Players prediction, pedro and walker keep up their hot hitting, Walker adds some power to his swing as he drops to fifth and Pedro moves up to fourth to finally give Cutch some protection.

Bold prediction, Barmes finally starts to hit.

 

[Darkstone42]

Well, that call at first did not help the Pirates' case. I thought it was pretty clear Jones dropped the ball taking it out of his glove.

It happens, though.

 

[Darkstone42]

Walker got completely hosed on that third strike call. That ball wasn't even close to the strike zone.

 

[sychmd]

i am out of town and usually "watching" on mlb gameday and i am amazed how many pirate pitches are in the rectangular strike zone but being called balls. that rarely happens for our batters, but it happened a lot for mcdonald last nite and for correia the other day as well. for those that watch it on TV, is that an accurate assesment.

 

[Darkstone42]

Oh, hi Jose Tabata.

 

[sychmd]

tabata just jacked a curveball on the outer third that was lower than mid thigh over left field fence. was of balance and lunging and easily cleared fence.
is the wind blowing out.
he seems to be hitting the ball deeper the last week.

 

[Darkstone42]

i am out of town and usually "watching" on mlb gameday and i am amazed how many pirate pitches are in the rectangular strike zone but being called balls. that rarely happens for our batters, but it happened a lot for mcdonald last nite and for correia the other day as well. for those that watch it on TV, is that an accurate assesment.

Aside from strike three on Walker, today all the ball and strike calls look fair.

 

[stillmatic32]

That home run by Tabata was a very encouraging thing. Barmes.

 

[Darkstone42]

That was a rough outing for Morton. The errors didn't help, but that home run off Frese's bat was a rocket. I'll say that was a mistake pitch.

 

[Darkstone42]

Oh, hello again, Pedro Alvarez.

The game may not be going great, but Pedro is still hot at least.

 

[Darkstone42]

Errors everywhere! When it rains it pours, I suppose...

 

[Illinest]

Well Pedro keep it up.

 

[Darkstone42]

Pedro with an RBI single off a left specialist. I'll take it.

Too bad we couldn't field today.

 

[evolver115]

I have had it with Clint Barmes. What an absolute piece of trash he is. 21 games played for him and he has a batting average of .145, to go along with 5 freakin' errors!!

What a joke. I could see some logic in playing him if he was gold glove caliber, but his fielding is just as bad as his hitting ability.

Platoon Harrison and Navarro at short, and cut the piece of crap.

 

[stillmatic32]

I agree, he has been a horrible, awful SS. I don't think the Pirates are going to eat most of 10 million.

 

[evolver115]

I agree, he has been a horrible, awful SS. I don't think the Pirates are going to eat most of 10 million.

No, you are right about that. They won't eat his contract. I just don't know what else they can do with him. He sure as shit can't hit, and his glove could be a silver lining, but he doesn't seem to have much ability in the field, either.

Just another swing and a miss by Huntington when it comes to free agent position players. He sucks at acquiring talent in this way.

The error he made in the 4th inning last nite is as bad as it gets. Just a roller and all he had to do was move to his right, put the glove down and get it, but he booted it, instead. I hate to say it, but may Ronny Cedeno is a better option

I give some small credit to Clint for benching him.

 

[evolver115]

Here are some good numbers about tonight's matchup:

Burnett's April start was his first against the Cardinals since 2005, but his success against some of their big bats runs deeper than those seven innings. Holliday, Beltran and Yadier Molina are hitting a combined .189 (7 for 37) off Burnett with 12 strikeouts.

Beltran is in a 3-for-32, 13-strikeout slump that began when he went 0 for 3 against Burnett.

I just want to say.... I HATE HATE HATE Yadier Molina. I haven't seen a national league catcher burn us as much as Molina does since Bench. It's unbelievable. It's like the little punk gets even more motivated to play against the Pirates. If anyone wants to run for home with the spikes up, or elbows out... I'm all for it

I did a little digging about Yads, and sure enough... he has the best lifetime stats against Pittsburgh than any other team. More Hits(110) and RBI's(51) with this line .326/.387/.484/.870