Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (61-70) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (69-63)
Time: 4:11 p.m.
Site: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
TV, radio: Fox, News Talk 104.7 FM
Weather: 80 degrees, clear
Here is the official live box score.
Pirates:
- Jose Tabata, RF
- Alex Presley, LF
- Andrew McCutchen, CF
- Ryan Doumit, C
- Neil Walker, 2B
- Garrett Jones, 1B
- Josh Harrison, 3B
- Chase d’Arnaud, SS
- Brad Lincoln, RHP
Cardinals:
- Jon Jay, CF
- Rafael Furcal, SS
- Albert Pujols, 1B
- Matt Holliday, LF
- Lance Berkman, RF
- Skip Schumaker, 2B
- Yadier Molina, C
- Daniel Descalso, 3B
- Chris Carpenter, RHP
News updates are on our Pirates page.
Perhaps it’s time to re-boot Andrew McCutchen,a day on the bench could possibly cause him to pick-up signs a little better. Of course Dejan the Baseball Media we have in town has taken it upon themselves to see that he is most proctected athlete in Pittsburgh history from having anything negative ever written about him. What’s more unusual a win over the Brewers or the face of the franchise driving in a runner from 3rd with less than 2 out. Yet the Media leads the charge to make him a 10 million dollar a year player! If that’s the case as a 50+year fan I hope it’s somewhere else. Anything that exceeds what bruce got from the Reds is absurd. Him being the face of the franchise says all anyone needs to know about Pirate Baseball. “From one who bleeds black and Gold! LETS GO BUCS RAISE THE JOLLY RODGER.
McCutchen was 3-4 last night with an RBI. Not sure what you are referring to.
JAL’s One Bad Apple Morning Links
PIRATE BLOGS
4—Pirates Prospects
Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Watch 8/26/11
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/08/pittsburgh-pirates-prospect-watch-82611.html
Ascanio, Brown, and Hernandez Boost Tribe Over Clippers
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/08/ascanio-brown-and-hernandez-boost-tribe-over-clippers.html
McCutchen 2007 v. Marte 2011
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/08/mccutchen-2007-v-marte-2011.html
West Virginia Power Player Reports 8/26/11
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011/08/west-virginia-power-player-reports-82611.html
5—McEffect
James McDonald August 26 Pitch F/X
http://www.mceffect.com/2011/08/james-mcdonald-august-26-pitch-fx.html
6 Three Rivers Burgh Blog
Game 131 Recap – Cardinals 5, Pirates 4
http://threeriversburghblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/game-131-recap-cardinals-5-pirates-4.html
7 Rumbunter
Microphones Outnumber August Hits Steve Pearce Collected by 4-1 Margin
http://rumbunter.com/2011/08/26/microphones-outnumber-august-hits-steve-pearce-collected-by-4-1-margin/
8 Ohio Valley Athletics
Presley, d’Arnaud Bring More Speed Back to Lineup
http://www.ovathletics.com/home/presley-darnaud-bring-more-speed-back-to-lineup/7019
9 Bucs Dugout
Cardinals 8, Pirates 4
http://www.bucsdugout.com/2011/8/26/2385429/cardinals-8-pirates-4
10 Green Weenie
Long Balls Launch Cards To 5-4 Win
http://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2011/08/long-balls-launch-cards-to-5-4-win.html
11 Raise the Jolly Roger
Gone in a flash
http://raisethejollyroger.com/2011/08/gone-in-a-flash/
NEWSPAPERS and MAGAZINES
13 Altoona Mirror
Berkman homer dooms Pirates
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/553027/Berkman-homer-dooms-Pirates.html?nav=751
14 St. Louis Post Dispatch
Berkman rescues Redbirds
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_47c5274e-d670-57fe-a721-04bc9680ac5f.html
McClellan grabs a win in relief
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_ef123bf6-8832-5d38-9f26-58bda3ab0f58.html
15 Mass Republican
Tim Wakefield denied 200th career win by Oakland A’s
http://www.masslive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/08/tim_wakefield_denied_200th_car.html
SPORTS WEBSITES
16—PBC Site
Pirates stung by late homer in loss to Cards
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_08_26_pitmlb_slnmlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=pit
Changed arm slot paying off for Leroux
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110826&content_id=23776224¬ebook_id=23776228&vkey=notebook_pit&c_id=pit
Lincoln looking to prove his worth to Pirates
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_08_27_pitmlb_slnmlb_1&mode=preview&vkey=preview_web_away&c_id=pit
17 Fox Sports
Pirates-Cardinals Preview
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/PiratesCardinals-Preview-29657315
18 Bleacher Report
Jim Thome Traded to Indians: 25 Players Who Returned “Home” Late in Careers
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/821867-jim-thome-traded-to-indians-25-players-who-returned-home-late-in-careers
JAL – I am a big fan of Andrew’s, but there was much hope and prognosticating by baseball “experts” that this would be his break out year. I sure hope that’s not the case. He hasn’t been consistent all year. He’s had some good stretches, a few of them extended, but he’s still only showing himself to be a .270something hitter with a little pop and not a great base stealer. (Could Ryan Braun possibly beat him in a 90 foot sprint? Yet Braun has 30 steals, AMac’s not even close.) I would agree, at the moment, a Jay Bruce contract would be over paying – in part because Bruce is grossly overpaid at the moment. I do think Amac needs locked up long term, but if it’s done after this year it’s all going to be on the hope that he’s going to break out and be spectacular – which he could be, and I hope he does, and does it here.
By the way JAL – recalling you’re in Northern VA correct? Be safe this weekend.
diehard
So far so good here in No VA.
As for McCutchen, Brain O’Neill has a good piece on his running in which he points out:
So yesterday, I looked to see how many players have snagged more bags than McCutchen since his debut on June 4, 2009, also the date of his first major-league theft.
Only nine players have stolen more than McCutchen’s 75 bases in that time: Michael Bourn, 142; Rajai Davis, 119; Juane Pierre, 108; Brett Gardner, 98; B.J. Upton, 93; Carl Crawford, 91; Ichiro Suzuki, 90; Jacoby Ellsbury, 89; and Elvis Andrus, 88. Chone Figgins has matched McCutchen with 75 steals.
How nice for them. Since the object, however, is not just to steal that base, but to touch home plate before a third out is made, McCutchen has them all beat.
Here are the rankings among these 11 thieves in runs scored: McCutchen, 239; Bourn, 227; Crawford, 214; Andrus, 208; Suzuki, 206; Upton, 193; Gardner, 189; Pierre, 188, Davis, 170, Figgins, 166; Ellsbury, 165.
31 games left in the season and McCutchen has surpassed his career highs in home runs with 18 (16 last season), RBIs with 76 (56 last season), and walks with 72 (70 last season). There is also a good chance he’ll finish the season with career highs in doubles, triples and OPS and also made his first All-Star team. Not sure if that qualifies as a “break out” season but it’s a pretty significant improvement for our best player who is still only 24. Hope the Bucs can get him signed to a long term deal soon. His stats also compare very favorably with Matt Kemp during his 3rd season.
I sure hope Diaz gets the start today. He has earned it.
Apparently, someone needed something to complain about today. Andrew McCutchen is still improving and he’s already very good. I know that some of you remember a guy who played here in the late 80′s and early 90′s who stole over 500 bases (and hit over 700 HRs). Obviously, I’m talking about Barry Bonds.
Everybody marveled at his natural abilities. He had 85 steals, 90 doubles, and 65 HR in his first 3 seasons (407 games) while hitting .258. McCutchen has 75 steals, 91 doubles, 46 HR, and a .281 batting average (391 games). Bonds walked less and struck out slightly more often.
I’m not saying McCutchen will end up with Bonds-like career numbers; it’s unlikely for anyone. But getting anything close is more than worth locking up long term.
Andrew wont have Bonds career-like numbers because even if steroids became legal, I think he’s smart enough not to use them.
Pirates lineup
Tabata 9 Presley 7 McCutchen 8 Doumit 2 Walker 4 Jones 3 Harrison 5 d’Arnaud 6 Lincoln 1
No Diaz in the starting lineup. Obviously saving him for an important part of the game.
Hey J-Hay!! Nice knock even though I can’t see it due to all the Hurricane coverage here in N. VA.
Harrison doing well.
Rovved
Jones mr. August
J-Hay doing it again! Nice!!
Harrison has done more in this game than Alvarez has done all season.
Josh in 2012
Bout time our pitcher gets a hit to drive someone in.
Lincoln gets into the act
Pirates are putting some good wood on the ball against Carpenter. 6-0 Pirates
Bob Walk is a pretty professional color guy
Who was that friggin color guy last week?
He was awful
Steve Blass IMO is priceless, a few years and Mr Walk sits in the same seat
Lincoln is showing some stuff too
Steve
In same area, no baseball just covering Irene.,
gasp, 2-out RBI single by McCutchen, 7-0 Pirates
@JAL Yeah my area has the same. No Little League World Series either on the ABC station. Another California team vs Japan again. Too bad the PA boys couldn’t make it.
Amac clutch
great performance so far by Brad Lincoln. This is the guy the Pirates thought they were getting as a 1st round pick.
Got out of it
Very nice job by Lincoln–6 shutout innings on 78 pitches
would be nice to get another inning or two out of Lincoln to help out that bullpen.
He got shut down after 6
Seems to be a theme
Ok
Mr Walk is holding his own
Lincoln on a pitch count. last game it 60 to 70, this one a bit longer. Remember, he came up August 7 and pitched out the pen, never going more than 2 innings
Nice win for the Pirates.
It’s not a real game unless Diaz gets an at-bat……..