By Dejan Kovacevic | Trib Total Media
My eagle-eyed analysis on this lazy day consists of this: The Pirates have no more games against the Padres.
You’re welcome.
It’s all yours …
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Dejan Kovacevic’s Blog
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review sports columnist
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Chad Qualls, DAm McCutch, Barajas,Navarro, etc..have no business being on a major league roster. Scary part is next year no Houston to beat up on and St Louis will be improved. Cincy looks to be legit and may be better and the Brewers have some horses to build around.The American league west is stacked and that appears to be our inter league opponent. Better get that .500 jinx broken this year……..If this team folds the last 6 weks you will never have this ownership group viewed as legitimate in the Burgh. Starters and pen have gone into the tank, outside of Hanrahan no one is pitching well. (Griili is outside of one bad outing)
After the four plus hour drive home, these are my thoughts.
Well, on the bright side, JRay is an awesome dude.
On the negative side, after witnessing yesterday’s game, I agree w. others from the game thread that 15-23 is far from an “absolute lock.” I thought the game would be a lock to win vs. that AAA Padres’ pitcher, but we had too many Bad News Bears moments: the mental errors are bush league, and the stealing at will against our C’s is demoralizing.
The August swoon needs to be remedied via a September to remember.
For each of the 20 games since the Pirates’ last off day, here are the numbers of innings each starter went and the (total) number of runs that were scored while he was in the game or responsible:
8/22 — 4 runs in 5 innings
8/21 — 4 runs in 6.1 innings
8/20 — 3 runs in 4.1 innings
8/19 — 2 runs in 7 innings
8/18 — 5 runs in 4.2 innings
8/17 — 0 runs in 6 innings
8/16 — 6 runs in 6.2 innings
8/15 — 5 runs in 5.2 innings
8/14 — 6 runs in 6 innings
8/13 — 4 runs in 7 innings
8/12 — 5 runs in 5 innings
8/11 — 5 runs in 5.2 innings
8/10 — 7 runs in 4.1 innings
8/9 — 6 runs in 4 innings
8/8 — 4 runs in 6 innings
8/7 — 3 runs in 6 innings
8/6 — 0 runs in 7 innings
8/5 — 2 runs in 8.2 innings
8/4 — 4 runs in 6 innings
8/3 — 3 runs in 7 innings
That’s 13 out of 20 games where 4 or more runs were scored while the starter was in or responsible.
Or if you look at just past 15 games–> IT’S 12 OUT OF 15.
It’s also 8 out of 20 where the starter has failed to finish the 6th inning.
Or if you look at just the past 14 games–> IT’S 8 OUT OF 14.
I’m no statistician, but to me that looks like “bad” moving quickly toward “awful”.
I’d love to hear a positive interpretation of that trend, if anyone can provide one.
Dejan.
Best analysis you’ve ever provided.
Ever.
EVER.
I finally got to watch a game, and they…well…blew it.
JAL’s Coast of Maine Morning Links
GENERAL DAILY UPDATED BASEBALL SITES
1- MLB Transactions
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions
2-MLB Trade Rumors-Pirates
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/pittsburgh_pirates/
3 Go Buccos- Pirate News (from external sources)
http://gobuccos.com/pittsburgh-pirate-news/
PIRATE BLOGS
4—Pirates Prospects
Pirates Notebook: First Inning Runs off Bucs Unfortunate Trend
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/08/pirates-notebook-first-inning-runs-off-bucs-unfortunate-trend.html
Gerrit Cole Has Shaky Start in Trenton
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/08/gerrit-cole-has-shaky-start-in-trenton.html
Prospect Watch: Cole Has Trouble in Trenton
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/08/prospect-watch-cole-has-trouble-in-trenton.html
Leroux Struggles But Strikes Out 9, Indians Win See-Saw Game
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2012/08/leroux-struggles-but-strikes-out-9-indians-win-see-saw-game.html
Pirates Pitching Great, Howie Camnitz
http://blogs.piratesprospects.com/history/pirates-pitching-great-howie-camnitz/
5 Bucs Dugout
Someone Named Andrew Werner Helps Padres Sweep Pirates
http://www.bucsdugout.com/2012/8/22/3261690/someone-named-andrew-werner-helps-padres-sweep-pirates
Yeah, Another Look At Clint Hurdle And The Bullpen
http://www.bucsdugout.com/2012/8/22/3260804/yea-another-look-at-clint-hurdle-and-the-bullpen
6 Rumbunter
Since July 2, Pittsburgh Pirates Slugger Garrett Jones Has Crushed 11 Homers a Total of 4,518 Feet
http://rumbunter.com/2012/08/22/since-july-2-pittsburgh-pirates-slugger-garrett-jones-has-crushed-11-homers-a-total-of-4518-feet/
7 McEffect
Wednesday 8/22 Minor League Roundup
http://www.mceffect.com/2012/08/wednesday-822-minor-league-roundup.html
8 The Green Weenie
First Inning Blues Do In Bucs 4-2
http://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2012/08/first-inning-blues-do-in-bucs-4-2.html
9 Raise the Jolly Roger
Swept out of San Diego
http://raisethejollyroger.com/2012/08/swept-out-of-san-diego/
10 WHY GAVS
The Pirates are playing at 6:35 and that’s weird
http://whygavs.com/pittsburgh-pirates/august-2012/the-pirates-are-playing-at-635-and-thats-weird.html
NEWSPAPERS and MAGAZINES and Other Media
11 CBS Sports
Padres 4, Pirates 2
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/gametracker/recap/MLB_20120822_PIT@SD/padres-werner-strong-in-mlb-debut
12 Fresno Bee
Time flies in the majors for ex-Bulldog Justin Wilson
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/08/21/2960368/time-flies-in-the-majors-for-ex.html
13 Chicago Tribune
Pirates Report
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sns-rt-bbo-pirates-teamreportmtze88m4nw0p1-20120822,0,6348895.story
14 Trenton Times
Dellin Betances struggles again as Trenton Thunder rocked, then swept by Altoona
http://www.nj.com/thunder/index.ssf/2012/08/post_71.html
15 Allied News
EXTRA INNINGS: Pittsburgh fans embrace Bucs’ success even as Steelers play
http://alliednews.com/sports/x1144049013/EXTRA-INNINGS-Pittsburgh-fans-embrace-Bucs-success-even-as-Steelers-play
16 KDKA
MLB Writer On Pirates Slide: “A Bit Over Their Heads In First Half Of Season”
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/08/22/mlb-writer-on-pirates-slide-a-bit-over-their-heads-in-first-half-of-season/
17 San Diego Union Tribune
Unknown call-up pitches Padres to win
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/aug/22/unknown-call-pitches-padres-win/
Bucs wish Headley had been with them this trip
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/aug/22/bucs-wish-headleyd-been-them-trip/
SPORTS WEBSITES
18 PBC Site
Bucs unable to solve Padres’ puzzle in finale
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_08_22_pitmlb_sdnmlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=pit
Up-the-middle defense could be difference
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120822&content_id=37158934¬ebook_id=37166044&vkey=notebook_pit&c_id=pit
19 Baseball Prospectus
What You Need to Know
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=18099
20 Fangraphs
Slowly Back Away from the Pythag Expectation
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/slowly-back-away-from-the-pythag-expectation/
Steelers Blogs
21 Behind the Steel Curtain
Steelers and AVS Foundation Settle Lawsuit Over Terrible Towel Knockoffs: What Were They Thinking?
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/8/22/3259935/steelers-terrible-towel-history-lawsuit-settled-myron-cope-allegheny-valley-school
Steelers Position Battle Review: Safeties Fight For Possible Week 1 Helmet
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/8/22/3259817/steelers-preseason-depth-chart-position-battles-free-strong-safety-will-allen-robert-golden
22 Steelers Depot
- Steelers LB Stevenson Sylvester Told Not To Talk About His Knee Injury
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2012/08/steelers-lb-stevenson-sylvester-told-not-to-talk-about-his-knee-injury/
23 Steelers Gab
Harrison Claims He Will Be Ready for Opening Night vs Denver
http://www.steelersgab.com/2012/08/21/harrison-claims-he-will-be-ready-for-opening-night-vs-denver/
24 Nice Pick Cower
Should the Steelers Consider Sitting Mike Adams in Week 1? Plus Possible O-Line Combos
http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/08/22/should-the-steelers-consider-sitting-mike-adams-in-week-1-plus-possible-o-line-combos/
Pitt Blogs
25 Pitt Blather
Towards Semi-Rational Optimism
http://www.pittblather.com/2012/08/22/towards-semi-rational-optimism/
26 Cardiac Hill
Big East Heisman Expectations: Ray Graham
http://www.cardiachill.com/2012/8/22/3254410/2012-heisman-award-candidates-college-football-ncaa-ray-graham-pitt-pittsburgh-panthers
WVU Blogs
27 Metro News
WVU – Marshall To Air On FX
http://www.wvmetronews.com/wvu.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=54501
28 WV Illustrated
Experienced WVU Line Builds Depth
http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/19339242/experienced-wvu-line-builds-depth
Soccer(football)
29 Sky Sports
Comeback Blues go top
http://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/265650/report
30 Daily Telegraph
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers hits out at Newcastle over Andy Carroll offers
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9493438/Liverpool-manager-Brendan-Rodgers-hits-out-at-Newcastle-over-Andy-Carroll-offers.html
31 World Soccer Daily
Death of a football club as harsh economic realities bite
http://www.worldsoccer.com/blogs/336829
Coast of Maine Ivory Indie Rock band out of Appleton, Wisconsin. The band The Maine took their name from this song.
Unknown call-up pitches Padres to win (link 17)
“I liked it,” said manager Bud Black, who’d never seen Werner throw before he arrived Tuesday at Petco Park. ”
Their own freakin’ manager never saw the guy throw before Tuesday!
I still do not know how this happened. It seems to always happen against the Pirates.
What’s next : “Win a Chance to Start Against The Pirates” contests?
I highly recommend JAL’s link #21, it’s a great read.
Thanks, JAL
TC, other teams use call-ups and get good results. Why can’t/don’t the Buccos? Makes ya wonder.
@ Woomer – 3
Nice work, Woomer. I think your information says it all.
Let’s face the facts: good pitching stops good hitting over 70% of the time; weak pitching does not. The Bucs pitching is pretty weak. Outside of AJ and Karstens, every other starter has been pretty erratic since the All Star break (and now AJ is struggling.) McDonald performance yesterday was pretty bad (especially walking the 1st 3 hitters.)
Until Mr. Nutting opens up his wallet and brings in 2 or 3 more pitchers the quality of AJ, the 2nd half swoon will become the new annual event in Pittsburgh baseball. All Nutting wants to do is break the 19 year losing streak and the way they are playing, that might be a stretch.
Jandy,
It’s not really our pitchers that I am thinking about. How do our hitters let a guy that was pitching in the Independent League a few years ago beat them?
Why does Garrett Jones go from ‘hero’ one night, to ‘zero’ the next day?
Trying not to rehash any of the details from the last three days. It can get a little depressing, no?
So, if I may be so bold as to suggest a diversion for this day off for our beloved (beleaguered?) buccos.
Since many (most?) of the inmates that reside here have concrete ties to the Pittsburgh area, I was wondering if we might share a little more of our backgrounds with each other. If you want, check in today with where you went to high school. If it’s in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, list the high school’s name. If outside of western Pa, then list the town/city also. Don’t know how yinz would feel about listing graduation year also, I guess we’ll just see how that goes.
I’ll start.
Montour HIgh School, 1979.
Yesterdays game should be a case study for anyone who mocks the walk stat as unimportant.
The Pirates, sans Pedro, turned a guy who made Jimmie Andersons stuff look electric into Greg Maddux by consistently making the strike zone 6″ wider and a foot lower. That pitcher never even hinted at throwing inside and the Pirates STILL waved at every fastball off the plate and changeup low.
We know all the technology available in dugouts today. We know every pitch gets charted. Why then do the Pirates seem incapable of adjustment? Why was Pedro the only one with a clue of how to put a solid at-bat together?
Next time Cutch is crying about pitchers throwing to him differently, somebody please inform him that he is not required to swing at balls. Makes the game a lot easier. Thanks.
@JaxBuc
I have a friend that lives in Kennedy. I’ve actually been to the Stroll Inn. Great pizza.
I’m Burrell – 1982.
OK I’ll play the HS game.
Penn Cambria, Cresson, PA – 1978
TC, I wasn’t referring just to pitching. I’m wondering if we’re fielding our best players. And I come up with, HELL NO!
NMR
Exactly, swing after swing at pitches outside the zone. You have to make to pitchers throw strikes and most of the hitters were too impatient to wait.
Great column this week on Tangradi by Josh Yohe. Looks like the Pens sent him away with the same message they gave Matt Niskanen last year. I hope the results are the same.
Pirates have today off and also next Thursday. Timing is good..a couple days off might be helpful.
Cool idea JaxBuc on the high school game. I’m for it: North Hills High School – 1979.
While I agree the pitching has been a problem, it still comes down to hitting. They finished 20 game in 20 days 7-13. Loses included 3-0, three 5-4 losses, a 5-0 loss, a 3-1 loss, and a 4-2 loss. All winnable games with some hitting and none of them games the pitching got clobbered. Win 3 of those 7 and they would have been 10-10 and things would look a lot better. Yesterday’s game was a prime example, facing an average to below average pitcher the bats did nothing. I would bet that Braves will light Werner up like a Christmas tree next Tuesday.
Long time reader, 2nd time poster…….I like to take a break and read the posts at work, but I usually don’t have time to post myself.
Portage Area (right next to Jandy) – 96
While I still think the team should have the goal of the playoffs, what MLB team doesn’t if they aren’t mathematically out in late August, I’ve resigned myself to hoping for 82 with the smallest glimmer of hope at a 1 game WC.
This team is no doubt better than they have been playing and they can turn it around on the homestand. But I don’t expect to see June/July #’s again this season. The unfortunate truth is that of the teams competing for the WC; St Louis, LAD, SF, and Atlanta are all better teams that our Buccos. Can you jinx your team into a winning streak?
Al, thanks for the tip, I’ll go looking for that article on Tangradi.
Rich, Hi neighbor
Mt Lebanon – 1968, thats why I’m a cake eater (yellow variety)
@Rich – I’m kinda starting to think as well, the best we can hope for is breaking the losing streak. The Reds appear to be well beyond our grasp now, and the other clubs in the race for the WC appear to be stronger. Still, hope but expect.
Like I said yesterday, IMO, NH has to learn how to be a GM in a pennant race.
>>> Just as JMAC gave up the THIRD WALK and I was reacting in disgust, my cat barfed, and I wondered at that point in time if JMAC would barf up too many runs for the Bucs to overcome and if the Bucs’ season would get barfed all over the place.
I stopped wondering and cleaned up the mess and saw that the Pirates were losing and flipped over to Mad Men season 2 (netflix via apple tv) and proceeded to do kicking drills while trying to understand the reasoning behind some of these boneheaded personnel moves made lately. I’m odd like that.
>>> Did the Padres even have to run to steal second? Just wondering.
>>> Thought postulated on The Fan this morning; that Cutch hasn’t been the same since he was smacked by Chapman’s fastball.
>>> Saw a beautiful young lady walloping a carpet that was hanging over a clothesline with a broom and thought I was in West Virginia or Kentucky. No. I was in Butler.
>>> HS game: North Hills High, 1976.
buggee, your cat was having labor pains for the Buccos
I don’t know what is bugging our boys, especially the offense, but I hope they turn it around before I start barfing…
My response to the bad swings is, are our hitters just simply incompetent, or are our coaches/manager totally oblivious? This should be a correctable malady. However since everyone has the tendency it appears to be an epidemic. It all starts with knowing where the strike zone is and identifying pitches and ball rotation. This should not have to be taught at the major league level – merely refined a bit.
Let’s not exonerate Mr. Pedro either; so he had a game which looked like he knew something, let’s see about that. He leaves a trail of ugly pathetic at bats which were K’s. He swings in one area and if the pitcher makes a mistake and throws it there – BOOM. This team top to bottom cannot hit a pitchers pitch. They do not go with the pitch and drive it, instead they attempt to roll everything over and pullit into a weak groundout/double play.
To JaxBuc’s idea, Carrick High School 1952 age 16, but my loyalties since 1961 are with Thomas Jefferson. So by the numbers I am an old dude with some possiblly antiquated logic but a Pirate fire in my being which rages every game. So when you all take me to task for my opinions, you are beating up – figuratively – an old man. But my skin is thick and my resolve unwavering.
I have seen this act before where the owner would want to give “a wiener for a butcher shop” (with no takers of course) and a general manager who is always “a day late and a dollar short” in attempting to execute a landmark transaction. Murtaugh, Tanner and Leyland were the best managers that I can recall. They had the players confidence and had their back. And those teams were Familee!!
For those of you who place Hurdle in the upper echelon with high regard and esteem, he sounds good before and after the game, but I believe “chokes” when writing his lineup and when required to impliment a strategy during a game. Bunt, steal. and hit and run, usually wind up with pick-offs, thrown out, rundowns. Too many times we fail to tag from second on a DEEEEEP fly to the outfield. (or sometime even from first).
As in tennis or golf there are unforced errors. When a coach is responsible for getting a runner thrown out or not advancing logically, that is an unforced error, Baserunners are precious commodities and must be treated like your new car – take care of them.
There are too many basics of baseball at which we fail. A runner blindly thrown out, is a lost run potentially, and a lost run potentially is a lost game.
We are now 8 1/2 games behind and most likely an insurmountable deficit. A .500 season is possible, but so what. I believe we were shooting much higher. When the pitching faltered and Cutch cooled off, we were left without an alternative response.
All season long, numbers 6-7-8-9 were cannon fodder for most pitchers, and our bench was well below standard to come in a game and help. For the most part we were operating on a thin string of success, and then it (the string) snapped.
That is where we are right now.
@ Buggee Fellow Alumn! … Go Indians!
I thought it would take until we had 10-15 entries before we got two inmates from the same school, but TJA and buggee have both checked in as North Hills alumni.
Name; School; Year
JaxBuc; Montour; 1979
Milo; Burrell; 1982
Jandylicious; Penn Cambria; 1978
TJA; North Hills; 1979
Rich; Portage Area; 1996
Bizrow; Mt. Lebanon; 1968
buggee; North Hills; 1976
Hi Jandy, I’m not lucky enough to be in Western PA anymore…but I still try to get to my parents’ place several time a year.
I will give NH somewhat of a pass this year. Most GMs seemed to be feeling out the market with the 2 WC teams. And I don’t see there being any moves that he really missed out on. The Giants didn’t give up much for Pence, but he in return is not giving much to them. In the long run and even this year, it seems like we are better off with Snider. Being out near philly, I have heard all season about Victorino and he did not sound like a guy I wanted on the Pirates.
Not moving top prospects was the right way to go 100% IMO. NH knew that this was not a WS caliber team and you don’t go “all-in” to just make the play-offs. The goal has to be to win the WS. As we are seeing this year’s team is not there yet. However it would be great to get a young team who isn’t ready yet some playoff experience so when they are ready, the playoffs aren’t a new experience (kind of like some other Pittsburgh team a few years back).
@NMR: Post 17 was great stuff. Really. Couldn’t agree more.
I watched parts of last night’s game, including JMac’s horrific start. Walking the first three batters in order is just inexcusable. Had it not been for Petco Field, JMac would have given up a grand slam as dessert. That kind of start sets the tempo for the remainder of the game… and it didn’t improve much from there. JMac couldn’t stay out of trouble.
Batting-wise, I just don’t get it. A walk-on rookie retires the first three major league batters he faces, including Cutch who showed no patience in the box. The Bucs get aggressive against the rookie instead of forcing him to make pitches, yet late in the game against one of the Padres relievers (forgot who), batters (including Cutch) watched fastballs right over the heart of the plate go by. At the plate, the only guys who stand out as consistently having good appearances are Jones, Alvarez, and Barmes.
Bucs pitchers are still struggling to find rhythm early and the plate appearances are a mess. Not a recipe for wins.
Now the second HS pairing.
Mt.Lebanon – 72. A piece of yellow cake would be good right now!
@JaxBuc
Great idea! Chartiers Valley 1980
I’m beginning to think like the ex (GlassHalfEmpty) as far as the Bucs are concerned. Somebody, anybody say something positive to bring me back from the ledge.
Sto-Rox High School, 1980
@ JaxBuc—> Kudos to you sir for putting so much thought into this thread!
@ TJA ——> How ya doin’ fellow alum? Ever get back there for a reunion? I went for 25 yr and left early cuz it seemed like a waste. Moseyed over to Young Brothers on Babcock and kicked with Grand Master Kong and Master Stepp for a while instead. That was infinitely more fun.
Rich,
I wasn’t real high on Victorino either. But what types of things were you hearing that made him sound like a guy you didn’t want on the Bucs?
———————————————————————————–
It would also be interesting to hear the theories that Chapman hitting Cutch is still messing with Cutch and is the cause of his recent struggles. I just don’t buy that theory.
Is he afraid of the ball now?
Hurdle has won just once in his 10 years of managing! Could HE be the reason we’re having another free fall? Just askin………
I tuned in last night after the bases were loaded and didn’t learn till later that
JMac had walked the first three batters. Sigh. I think that .500 record really
could be in jeopardy.
Churchill 1970 ( when it still was Churchill)
Canon McMillan 1975 Was at yesterdays game and the team lacked spark. The body language on the other 8 in the field as McDonald was issuing the walks in the first was really bad. Werner was throwing mid eighties with minimal movement and we looked like he was Randy Johnson. Cutch looks particularly lost.
Hey, Mark, Lebo 72? Wow, I’m sure you might have run into my brother or sisters.
Actually, if Drew fesses up, there are three lunatics that went to Lebo. I hear he is fond of marbled cake though….
Don’t forget lunatics, if you haven’t logged in as far as where you currently reside, please do so, the latest list has lunatics infecting 224 locations.
Too bad I wasn’t on earlier. I woulda told NaMBy
Don’t Mock the Walk
But not now.
Mt.Lebanon 1824
Drrew, don’t be a wuss…bad enough you imbibe marble cake…1824 my gazoo!
Jandy, he lives in Florida and eats dinner before 4PM. All signs point to graduating in 1824
Drew, Mt. Lebo’s first graduating class was in the 1920′s I think, so you must be off by a few years.
TC, silly me, what was I thinkin’??? ;X
-I usually don’t buy into the whole idea of getting the “feel” of a player or team through the TV, but I have to agree with RF above. It seemed as though Jmac just killed any kind of tempo to the game from the very start. The team looked sluggish in the field as he labored between pitches and anxious once they got to the plate. Just an ugly game.
-Many of us have discussed how Neal Huntington can’t JUST be better than Dave Littlefield.
At what point does Clint Hurdle fall into the same category?
I love the guy. Think he’s a great baseball person. But for all the marvelous motivational ability he supposedly contains, you gotta point out that this is two years in a row where his team has taken a nose dive. It’s not hard to be motivational when your squads winning. Thats not a test.
Is he better than John Russel? Absolutely. But as we’ve said before, its not good enough to JUST be better than your predecessor.
This is really a lot of fun. Great idea JaxBuc. Now that we know Drew is a vampire …
Erie McDowell, 1983.
Looking for the positive. Every team has lulls. Last year, the Cardinals lost 8 in a row during the season and still managed to catch lightning in a bottle in September and October. That may be easier to do with Albert Pujols on the roster. 6 against the Brewers and 3 against the Cardinals between now and Labor Day. There’s no time like the present.
Thank GOD for a day off for the Buccos. That series vs. SD was tough to watch… and not just for the poor defense, poor piching and poor hitting from the Bucs… what was striking to me was how the Pads were playing with more energy, more confidence, having more fun… the Pirates looked tight, scared and miserable….
As Clint said so eloquently, changing to a winning team/culture is HARD. A lot of this is mental. Instead of embracing being in a pennant race and being energized by playing meaningful games this late in the season, the players seem like they are playing “not to lose” and are back on their heels waiting for the losing to commence.
How do they snap out of it? NO idea, but it has to start now.
Step away from the cliff. I know we all have a 19 year old gorilla on our collective backs, but there is no friggin’ way that the Pirates don’t win 82 games this year.
Does that mean Drew grows blood oranges in his Florida backyard?
Does that mean Drew sucks?????
You know, like a vampire
—-> When is hockey season again? Shure do hope that there CBA is resolved in time. Cant wait to read all of Jandylicious’ posts about that there stud-muffin(headed) LEE-Tang. I can practically hear the drooling over Morrow.
—-> Might have to ship a season’s worth of bibs to Jandy’s house. Already have one stocked for me lil wifelett. We’re on for 21 games at the Con this year! YAY.
—-> ESPN was cool when they ran Australian Rules Football in the wee hours. The dudes that play that game… tough tough tough. Run like soccer players, with bursts like a hockey player skates, and hit with reckless abandon, and bounce that football all over the place, and the kicks are ridiculous. Yeah, Aussie Rules ‘Ootball rocked.
—-> What is it with the Pirates and the left coast anyway? Get off the beach and try to remember how to play the game that pays your frigging bills already. Just a sorry display of baseball ‘n’ ‘at aht in Diego-tahn.
Last year wasn’t the nosedive related more to injuries to the pitching staff and that we were using our 13th catcher?
The staff looks to be running out of gas again. Is that partly Hurdle’s fault? Could very well be.
But I still think it shows the level of talent on the team…and how we need a few more really good players. Pitchers and position players.
@ Thundercrack – Victorino was in the doghouse with Manuel for a lot of the season….mainly for not hustling. For a while, the knock on him was that he didn’t take the game seriously and wasn’t a team guy. Despite the Pirates being a better team than the Phils this year…..I saw him as a guy who would have thought he was too good to get traded to Pittsburgh.
—–> Outstanding Jandylicious, JaxBuc & Milo. Drew, I don’t know ya much mon ami but it looks like a few fine folk are delivering some pokes. (Please note the lack of emoticons in this post. Did that just for you Drew)
buggee….I don’t drool over Letang, but I do appreciate the eye candy. Now, you say you have a 21 game package at Consol, now THAT I’ll drool over…you lucky bug!
——> I stand corrected Jandylicious. My deepest, most heartfelt apologies. That 21-game purchase cost me lil wifelett a whole bunch of shoes from zappos…
wifelett: “Let’s get to some Pens games this year, and let’s get down on the lower level.”
me: “that’s gonna cost you lot’s of shoes from zappos, cuz life is all about negotiating.”
wifelett: “Okay, but I want a Fathead of Letang.”
me:
End of negotiating. Hey! At least we’re communicating…
LOL buggee, you’re insane ;P
Buggee:
So my wife comes in the room yesterday when Garrett Jones is batting. She asks, “who’s that?” Since she has asked me probably 2 baseball related questions in the 21 years I have known her, I knew what she was up to. Busted. Like when I say things like “I’ve always been a big fan of women’s volleyball.”
@TomP, cmat, JohninOshkosh
Thanks. I’ve taken a step back. Much better now.
10 games over with 38 to play. Whoda thunk it in April.
What? The Buccos are 10 games over .500? Man, I need to check the standings every once in a while.
@GlassHalfFull -
Going into the game tomorrow, worst case, the Bucs will be 1 game out of a wild card spot. If the Astros beat the Cards today, they would be tied, and if the season ended tonight, the Bucs would be facing back to back games to get into the playoffs.
If you had offered me that in April, I would have snapped it up in a second.
They need to pull out of the nose dive, obviously, but if they can, they’re still right in this thing, at least for the wild card game.
I would have been North Hills High School – 1979 if I hadn’t moved to NJ after 7th grade.
Something I couldn’t but help notice.
Our last four losses happened in the first inning.
If our starters hadn’t given up a run in the first three of them would have been wins and the other would have gone into extra innings.
I get all the other stuff about the weakness of the offense, but in each of those cases our pitchers settled down and pitched well enough to win.
If only they’d been ready.
Different pitchers.
Mr. Searage.
CONNELLSVILLE, CLASS OF ’99
BUCS GETTING SWEPT YESTERDAY DIDN’T EVEN MAKE THE MLB PAGE OF ESPN OR CNNSI. IT’S ALMOST LIKE THEY’RE EXPECTING IT.
ON THE FLIPSIDE, THE MARINERS HAVE THE BEST RECORD IN BASEBALL SINCE THE ALL-STAR BREAK, AT 18-5.
TRADE ALL THE MARINERS FOR ALL THE PIRATES. SOLVED.
So glad I’m distracted this week with out-of-town guests…otherwise, I’d be in a bigger tailspin than the Pirates. I’m deeply disappointed regardless—.500 became NOT-the-goal halfway through the season. I just want to cry.
Cleveland native here. (Imagine my lifetime of baseball suffering—Cleveland Indians AND the Pittsburgh Pirates. UGH!). Cleveland Heights High School class of 1968 (yeah, I’m old). But I’ve lived in Indiana, PA since 1985, so sort of a ‘Burgher by osmosis by now.
Karen –
Humboldt High School Class of 1966 — and I was the oldest guy in the class. I think there may be some older ones here, too.
On the bright side, we saw Mazeroski, Clemente, Stargell, Sanguillen …
and Vinegar Bend Mizell and Alvin O’Neal McBean
Entertaining reading on the off day, guys.
Greensburg Central Catholic – 1995
#JHdar
Is it even possible to say Alvin McBean w/o saying O’neal? One of the best names in all of baseball.
If we are doing noncommonwealthers as well
Waterloo East Waterloo. Ia ’85 Go Trojans
albatross ~ so list your alma mater…you never know who might be nearby.
OshKosh, yes I do believe we are doing noncommonwealthers
Thanks DD.
I’m waaay back from the ledge now. Blue sunny skies, 16 vestal virgins, etc. Oh no, real bad memory just popped into my cranium…10/14/92 very close to midnight, GlassHalfEmpty sound asleep, dog at my side, eyes glued on KBL, up 2-1, bottom of the 9th, we’re going to the WORLD SERIES!!!, Belinda pitching with the bases loaded, no problem we got this, base hit thru the left side, don’t worry that’ll only score one, Bonds will throw out Bream..he has a cannon and Sid is slow as molasses, we’ll beat em in extras, The Throw, The Slide, NOOOOOO!!
So much for being back from the ledge.
Haha, this is funny stuff:
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/msn/shocker_a_rod_voted_phoniest_mlb_player/11527009
GlassHalfFull, add some SoCo or Capn Morgan’s to that Glass, it will be ok, it will be ok.
Would have graduated McKeesport 1959 – You talk about old…
Moved to Scotch Plains NJ in 1955-
Love reading all the comments about our Bucs’
—–> Johnin OshGosh… LMAO! (I’m glad me lil wifelett doesn’t watch baseball).
wifelett: Letang is so cute!
me: (retching noise)
wifelett: Look at his hair and that cute nose…
me: Would you rather watch porn?
@ Rich33- I don’t think Huntington should get a free pass of any sort this year. After he’s won a world series, then I’ll accept that he accurately knows what a WS-caliber team is. Going all-in for the playoffs is what HAS to happen just to have a shot at the WS, and right now there’s absolutely no guarantee whatsoever we will even be this close next year. This whole contract control, sport a competitive team year after year because of our farm system idea from the FO hasn’t succeeded one bit yet and doesn’t look like it’s going to, based on the past month or so. They had a chance to change that this year and they did squat. This whole “don’t mortgage the future” concept is getting quite old. What future are we mortgaging? One where we’re on the brink of the playoffs, but they don’t want to take a chance so they play Yamaico Navarro and Chad Qualls? At least it’s reassuring we have 2 first round picks in Altoona so maybe in 2 years we’ll have a shot? It’s not like we are 3 years removed from the playoffs, we are 2 decades removed from a winning season! And I’m not at all suggesting selling the farm for peanuts. But when you’ve got 3 pitching prospects (i.e. guys who have never thrown an MLB pitch and may never even get the chance to do so depending on how things work out with injuries and performance) that other teams drool over and you can’t bring in anyone better than a struggling 1B, an unproven OF, a washed up reliever and you overpay for a fading starting pitcher, how can they justify not going after Headley, Quentin, Pence, Upton or a potential season-changing player? And sorry, but I don’t buy the whole WC effect on the trades. When there’s a guy out there you know will make your team better and you have to take a chance by giving up an unproven player, grow a pair and go get them! Sorry to rant. Let’s go Bucs! Go away FO! Just an aside, the Pens sat pretty pat this past year at the deadline and that didn’t turn out so hot either.
Sorry, not ranting at you, Rich. FO just gives me a migraine.
buggee, you’re killing me, man! lol
@JHadar
Is that Humboldt in St. Paul? My wife has family in the Twin Cities area.
@ JHadar – 72
The Bucs could use quite a few Al McBean caliber pitchers these days. Maybe the current nosedive could have been avoided. (I don’t ever remember McBean walking 3 batters in a row a la JMac yesterday, do you?) And McBean was lucky if he was making $40-50,000 a year versus JMac’s $503,000.
FYI – over 10 years, McBean had a lifetime ERA of 3.13 and a WHIP of 1.33 – nice stats from my perspective. JMac can only dream of having lifetime statistics similar to these!
JaxBuc,
Humboldt, Iowa
Clearfield 1985
Definitely a rough patch. Responsibility everywhere, but tough to get much past the guys on the field. Cutch scuffling. J-Mac walking too many. AJ coming back to average for a patch. Injuries affecting PRNW, Marte and Snider.
One thing not really mentioned much. McKenry 0 for 21 in the last week. More PT was called for with Hot Rod’s decline, but the Fort has let us down.
Jones and Barmes seem to be the only thing that prevented a 10 game losing streak.
Buggee @ Post #38 – Good hearing from a fellow Alumn! Nah…I have not been to one reunion. I personally have no interest in that sort of thing. Had lots of friends at N.H… but no reunions. I try to get to a couple football game each fall, but that’s about it. As we all know, high school football around Western PA is pretty well known nationally. We have some pretty good school and players in this area. Looking forward to that in a few weeks.
—————————————————————————————————————
Albatross @ Post #68 – Which elementary school did you attend in the N.H. district before you moved?
All my complaints with FO aside, the players do need to step it up 150%. Cutch, Fort, Bedard,Pedro need to get it together (what happened to Toro pounding the ball opposite field before ASB?), AJ will bounce back, JMac needs to just throw some freakin strikes once in a while and he’ll be fine. Barmes needs to bat with a boat paddle, and will someone send out a professional shepherd to run the bases with Jones? Guy’s been studly other than that.
@The Gunner
You mentioned Al McBean never walking 3 guys. Came into a game with 2 outs and men 1st and 2nd. Walked 3 straight guys, the first 2 on 4 straight pitches.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196107160.shtml
Roberto, only YOU would find that on McBean lol. (Not a rap, just sayin’)
Clearfield? I may be doing a project in that area in a few months…
Pirates Best batters in August:
Jones .366 OPS 1.117
Snider .310 OPS .783
Barmes .297 OPS .750
Tabata .286 OPS .729 (OBP .348)
Sanchez .277 OPS .724
Walker .254 OPS .750
Cutch .253 OPS .719
Marte .250 OPS .743
Mercer .207 OPS .605
Harrison .205 OPS .589
McKenry .196 OPS .608
Barajas .154 OPS .440
Seems like the whipping boys have stepped up in August and the fair-haired have really fallen off. Wonder if 24/7′s contention that some of the holdover players were bothered by the acquisitions at the deadline, or lack thereof. Maybe its affecting their play.
Roberto — he only said he couldn’t remember McBean walking 3 in a row, not whether or not he did it.
Less than a year later (4/29/62) McBean became the first pitcher to throw a shutout in Dodger stadium. The Bucs swept a double header that day.
I think he once threw a 10-hit shutout against Cincinnati too.
@Jandy
When people talk about great Pirates like to look em up. Unfortunately, the first set of games I looked up, there it was.
Don’t forget to go to Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub and give a shot at finishing one of their big burgers.
Here’s the link to the big one
http://www.dennysbeerbarrelpub.com/images/stories/food/burgers/100pounder.jpg
http://www.dennysbeerbarrelpub.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=12
@JHadar
Maybe one day we will all fondly remember J-Mac and his accomplishments and won’t remember yesterday’s 3 walk 1st inning.
@JHadar
My wife went to high school in St. Ansgar, IA. Probably less than a two-hour drive from Humboldt.
@RF
Good thing we’ve got Jones, Snider and Barmes in the line-up every day, or we wouldn’t score at all.
Roberto, my brother-in-law took a shot at that burger and failed miserably.
I don’t think I’ll even try to take it on lol
New Castle High School, 1986. Taking it one step further: Slippery Rock University, 1991
Slippery Rock State College, 6 year plan, graduated in 74
@casper
I was thinking of that for another open date on the schedule. Keeping up with the high schools is time-consuming enough. I’ll post a list sometime this evening and see if this continues for a day or two.
Sorry to have jumped the gun, JaxBuc. Got a little rambunctious with this new found courage to post.
Jax –
Heard of St. Ansgar, don’t know anyone from there. May have been through it, but haven’t had cause to be in that neighborhood for a few years. It looks like about an hour and three quarters.
Johninoshkosh:
Now i get the UNI connection.
Lived in Waterloo 93-99.
Norwalk HS, norwalk, CT. 1970.
radio
There’s a Norwalk in Iowa too — down around Des Moines.
Canevin – 1990. If I had a dollar for every time a Pirates hitter pulled an outside breaking pitch, I’d make more money than DK!
When every batter seems to do it, then they must be taught that. Fire Gregg Ritchie, hire John Wehner.
Oh and yet another Jones baserunning blunder yesterday. Astounding.
wifelett: “Hockey players have the shapliest butts…”
me: “If you have some alcohol, you’ll think I look like a hockey player.”
wifelett: “but you don’t have the hair!”
me: “Like… ?”
wifelett: “Tanger. He’s pretty sweet-lookin.”
me: “ALRIGHT ALREADY. Now where’s that ‘ButtMan’ video?”
No Lucky today, hope all is well.
LMAO @ buggee!
@ RF – 92
Great research on your part – you must have a great memory to remember that tidbit of trivia. This occurred 2 weeks after McBean made his major league debut and I would doubt if it ever happened again. Note that Murtaugh gave him the quick hook, too (unlike CH).
The difference is JMac has been in the bigs at least 3 or 4 years and he is still doing it. It is things like this that are killing 2012 for our Buccos!
Dejan: “Could the NHL owners REALLY be this stupid?”
My youngest daughter: “Daddy, that man said ‘stupid’.”
Me: “I know, honey. He probably wasn’t taught right; he probably grew up around Monroeville. But you know not to say ‘stupid,’ don’t you?”
G2M2S, I hate that “S” word as well. My kids weren’t allowed to use it to describe another person.
But in this case, I think Dejan has a point. I’m sure of it.
Astros lead cards 3-0
@The Gunner
The next year, 1962, McBean walked 3 guys in an inning in the top of the 3rd, in a 0-0 game. The manager left him in.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT196205160.shtml
Go ‘Stros!
radio dude:
Small world, indeed.
Met my wife in a bar near UNI. It was over Christmas break and I was back home from school in Madison and she was home from grad school at Ann Arbor.
Yes, I am that guy. I met my wife at a bar.
Glad they have the day off…
My take on this whole issue still goes back to pitching.
YES, the Pirates ar extremely impatient. No doubt, no arguement.
But pitching wins ball games and MOST hitters, cannot hit a pitchers pitch, most pitches hit, are pitcher’s mistakes.
Helping the pitcher outside of the zone gets you exactly what they got yesterday.
BTW, if I hadn’t moved, Thomas Jeffeson, but since my parents got sick of the snow and cold.
Venice High School, Venice, FL
Class of ’95….with either school
Astros lead cards 4-0.
@RF
“Seems like the whipping boys have stepped up in August and the fair-haired have really fallen off. Wonder if 24/7’s contention that some of the holdover players were bothered by the acquisitions at the deadline, or lack thereof. Maybe its affecting their play.”
It better not be. They need to get over that crap. I don’t want anymore cry-baby Jason Kendall’s holding memorial services over the other’s locker.
Now it 4-3, 3 run homer by Freese–they are the Astros
Astros lead cards 5-3 in fifth.
Jandy,
All is well. Just overly busy for the next month or so. Thanks for asking. Will still look in from time to time.
Thanks, Lucky….good to know. Hang in there. It’s crazy in my office as well…August is “crunch month.”
I knew I could find something to make me feel better. Who knew Greg Brown used to be a Pirate Parrot.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120823&content_id=37212120&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Go Stros!
@Ryan
Right? Not sure that report was accurate. But it does make you wonder who, if any, and whether their feelings impacted their performance.
Why oh why oh why can’t the Astros do the Cardinals what the Padres did to the Pirates?!
@ RF – 117
I believe McBean won that game, none of the 3 walks resulted in any runs as the Bucs won that day.
Did anything similar happen in 1963 or after?
I can understand them being upset, OK, I get it, your buddy left ya….facebook him.
I deal with buddies coming and going all the time…..its something to get over.
But, I find it hard to believe that when they’re on the field, it affects them or that they even think about it.
TJA
Because the Astros are much worse than the Padres.
Am I too late on the HS posts.
Derry Area 1978
Jay Bee
I remember Ray Miller getting so much out of his pitchers mainly because he was a big proponent of having them work quickly. Pitchers working quickly help keep the whole defense on their toes as well. I wonder why this issue is not brought up more often. I wonder what Searage’s thoughts on this would be. Coming down the stretch, with everyone tired, the season being long already, and everyone just dragging, I think it would be a breath of fresh air for the whole team to have the pitchers work more quickly. Karstens is at his most effective self when he is working quickly.
I was at the Sunday game in Houston a few weeks ago, and watching McDonald work, and labor, and struggle was just absolutely excruciating. I think all of our starters would greatly benefit by working more quickly. The whole team would catch a spark from it.
Some of you may remember watching Jim Kaat pitch. What a joy it was to watch him, and how quickly he worked. I think that habit extended his career, and made him a more effective pitcher.
Greensburg Central Catholic 1981 (now in Houston, TX)
@Biz
If you’re still out there.
Is the fantasy league still open?
JAL – Yea, I suppose you are correct, but man, I’d sure like to see a bad team beat another pennant contender. Not that it would make me feel any better from what happened in S.D. this week, but, hey….I’ll try any therapy!
Yes it is Ryan, I will post something when I get home (and read the Trib)
Alvin O’Neil McBean used to come to birthday parties, don’t know if he was paid or just did it to be nice. Anyways he came to one of my friends party and we went to the local ballfield and played ball all afternoon.
I think I got a hit off of him….
Cards up 9-5 after 6.
Biz
That’s a picture you don’t see anymore, kids playing ball at the local ballfield.
unorganized and un supervised.
@cosmo
Never too late.
Maybe I’ll post the list every travel day on the Pirates’ schedule and folks can get on board if they wish.
@ Biz #136 -
That’s a great story Biz. My father-in-law has a picture of him and some of his buddies playing stickball in Brooklyn as a kid with Carl Furillo, Preacher Roe, and Billy Cox.
I like those stories.
@Casper…
Same line for me..,,New Castle High ’86……Slippery Rock Univ 86-91……..may have poured a couple beers together sometime????? 2 bucks all you can drink at Keister….
patonbb
The free range childhood is a thing of the past. We pretty much had the run of the town back in the day and knew that most of the adults knew who we were and who were our parents were.
Then came pictures of kids on milk cartons, aluminum baseball bats, little league parents, and the end of hitchhiking. Out here on the prairie you still see a few kids at the park playing a pick-up game — but it’s not like when all you had to do was grab your glove, get on your bike, and be home by dark.
Where I grew up, we had a local park bordering a few houses that we would all gather to play ball. We weren’t being unruly or distruptive. We played ball away from the houses, hitting in the woods, thinking the tops of the trees were the Green Monster (grew up in CT). It was quiet amusing to watching us all take our hacks at trying to clear the 25 and 30 foot trees with a whiffle ball and if the ball went into the trees, it was declared a ground ruled double. This would go on all summer long and for multiple summes back to back. Until one evening, that one of the neighbors of the park decided they didnt want the kids to gather and play ball anymore in the park, so she decided to call the cops on us. We dispersed that night and decided to try again the next evening. We all gathered to play another game and within 20 minutes, the cops showed up again and told us that we could not play ball in the park anymore. No one could figure out why and what changed. Miss those days of just going out and playing a game.
As for my high school – Putnam High School – Putnam CT Class of ’95
Memo to self. No baseball allowed in Putnam. Pick another highway exit.
@Joseph Bauman
Oh it gets brought up alright……so much so that I’m tired of hearing about it…lol
@Ryan
Yahoo
Dejan’s Lunatics (ID# 362238)
Password 1203
The thing about kids today vs yesteryears
We had no malls, no cable TV, no internet, no cell phones, no computer games (I know, we walked 8 miles to school in snowstorms…..)
Bottom line is we had “Nuttin to do” other than play ball, even in high school, every Sunday we played softball during the summer, touch football during the fall, and pretty much pick up basketball in the fall/winter after school. We’d play till dinner time, we were Ernie Banks….To Forbes Field whenever we could afford it, and an occasional Steelers game at Pitt Stadium, and once in a while we’d go to Fitzgerald Field House to watch Pitt basketball.
At Forbes Field, day games, there was one entrance for the players, you could just hang around till they came out and shoot the breeze with them, one time we walked up to Gustines with Roberto, he asked us how we were doing in school!!!
When we were little, we’d get kicked off the ballfield by older kids, so we’d go find some place to play. Of course, when we were the old kids, we followed the tradition.
That and the occasional pinochle game pretty much kept us out of trouble
Damn, looking back, life was good!
DK: That’s neat, Biz. Never heard that before.
Thank you lunatics for reminding me of those days
@Drew
There were other parks that we congated at and ruled the rouse there. Instead of a 2 minute bike ride to the park, it was a 10 minute bike ride. Just didn’t have the nice tall trees to aim at, but we still go down and dirty play the game. The way it was ment to play.
Biz
Pinochle, my friends and I would play everyday one summer waiting for the local
swimming pool to open. It’s been so long since I’ve played I don’t even remember
how to play the game anymore. Card game of choice these days is contract
rummy or an occassional 5 crowns.
@Biz
Thanks buddy.
How many are we up too? I’ll sign up tonight when I get home….
@cosmo
Gotta always beat the hand, gotta always follow suit, you could claim meld, gotta always trump, bidding was meld plus tricks, deck was Aces thru 9′s
We were cake eaters from Lebo, we had to keep things simple. Other games, like dating, was too dam confusing
Thats why Drew is much smarter than me
Best times were playing “knuck” while listening to the Gunner on the radio.
I played bridge and eucher in college and later on,
Slow motion football, anyone ever play that?
Oh, Lord, give me one more time…
Ryan, you will make 10, might have to cut down from 16 to 12, it happens
Yea, I’m going through the same thing at work, but I’m at 8, that’s just not that much fun.
@Biz -
When’s the draft for that one anyways? I haven’t done much with my list yet other than put all the Browns on the excluded list.
@DD
Good call on the Brownies.
DK
Thanks for the heads up on the Trib High School Preview in tomorrow’s paper. It’s a must have for the high school football fan. Or play-by-play guy, for that matter.
DK: Pass the word, Milo, please! It’s a point of great pride for our people who are involved in it.
Biz
Those were the days, besides palying cards, and of course ball, we’d play
Strat-o-matic baseball or Photo electric football.
Jay Jax — I can only think of one Jay from my graduating class. If my memory serves me correctly, you and I played a lot of baseball together through the years (from Sluggers, Remacor, the Reds, etc.). Your dad was one of my first coaches (Remacor I think).
We may have even poured a few at Keister Apts. I know for sure I did. I lived on the second and third rows. We always had a keg flowing, 24/7. Ahh, the good old days.
Rather than disclose names, I’ll give you enough clues to figure it out. First, my real name is not Casper (that’s my dog). Second, I lived across the street from GW. Third, I saw you at Koot’s for the first time in a long, long time.
@Milo:
Our schools start games tomorrow night already.
@Demon, just rank the players, it auto picks
I sent a note regarding the Bain League to the better half
@John
I got stuck behind school busses today on the way to work
I think I saw a couple of kids playing pinochle in the back seats
@Demon
I’m the feepayer, you are the brains
Lets do it again this year
@Oshkosh
They’ve threatened to move to this weekend. I think it’s getting closer. It’s the only way to add more playoffs, and therefore make more money, without holding the state title game at Christmas. Basketball has really suffered due to the length of football.
Just drove over from East Coast to Gulf Coast FL for a long weekend. Now looks like Isaac is coming THIS way. So I thought I’d come over here and throw myself in front of it. Like David and Goliath. Don Quixote and the windmill. Frodo and Sauron. Thunder and Dejan.
@Biz -
Right, I know it’s an autodraft, but when does it autodraft? When do I need to have my list ready?
Milo, I saw TJ scrimmage South Park last Saturday. Though So. Park has been dropped to AA, they are quite good and will vie for division honors against the likes of So. Fayette, Steel Valley and Sto-Rox.
But TJ has so much talent they will be a threat to win the state AAA title. A QB named Joe Carroll, 6’2″ 185 and a very strong arm. Overall the team is huge, fast and talented.
If you still desire seeing them, they open at home against Ringgold on 8/31/12
#164
Demon, as soon as we have the league together, Yahoo will draft, so do it when you can
@bob
I don’t have TJ on my schedule, unfortunately. They serve Chick-Fil-A in their press box. That’s high on my list of press box food. I think Montour is #1, something for everyone. Maybe playoffs, I’m sure TJ will make it.
Drew
No hurricanes in PA, plus marbled cake is here
Also, we have like what called that “seasons” here?
Spring, summer, fall and winter
Get a big snow storm, well you stay home
FLA has rain, the rainy season, hot and dam hot, and then dam-dam-dam hot
Plus alligators
Biz (and yellow cake) chose wisely
I’da put the smiley face on the last post
But, you know
BEAT
EM
BUCS
This weekend is a huge series
@Biz
I thought there were only two season in PA – Winter and Construction?