By Dejan Kovacevic | Trib Total Media
Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (1-0) vs. Atlanta Braves, exhibition
Starters: RHP James McDonald vs. RHP Julio Teheran
Time: 1:05 p.m.
Site: McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla.
Radio: KDKA-AM 1020
Here is the official live box score.
Here is the TribLIVE’s Pirates page. Rob Biertempfel is on the scene.
And here is a TribLIVE video interview with Gerrit Cole …
Another must-win game.
I’ll get the champagne ready.
Dejan called. He prefers Cold Duck.
(Jack Daniels if they lose.)
Switched from Yuenglings to Jack Daniels, Dejan? The link is to the Duquesne page.
And I’m too lazy to tab over.
(But I did. And saw that PBC signed Jose Contreras, 61, who is coming off arm transplant surgery.)
Minor league deal.
Which arm was transplanted. throwing or non throwing?
Does it matter
JAL’s Wrapped Up in Books Morning Links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBU-MxydbWQ
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/
4 Pittsburgh Pirates 2013 Spring Training Tracker
http://www.piratesprospects.com/st2013
BLOGS and such
5—Pirates Prospects
Draft Prospect Watch: Bryant Scores Five Runs In Slugfest
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2013/02/draft-prospect-watch-bryant-scores-five-runs-in-slugfest.html
Pirates Sign Jose Contreras
http://www.piratesprospects.com/2013/02/pirates-sign-jose-contreras.html
6 Bucs Dugout
Pirates win first spring training game, 3-2
http://www.bucsdugout.com/2013/2/23/4022056/pirates-win-first-spring-training-game-3-2
Pirates Photo Day is funny
http://www.bucsdugout.com/2013/2/24/4021920/pirates-photos-andrew-mccutchen
7 Raise the Jolly Roger
Saturday notes: Bucs win Grapefruit opener
http://raisethejollyroger.com/2013/02/saturday-notes-bucs-win-grapefruit-opener/
Pirates sign Jose Contreras
http://raisethejollyroger.com/2013/02/pirates-sign-jose-contreras/
8 Bleacher Report
Pittsburgh Pirates Announce Signing of Pitcher Jose Contreras
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1541590-pittsburgh-pirates-announce-signing-of-pitcher-jose-contreras
9 Rumbunter
Pirates Jeff Locke Stakes Claim To Rotation Spot
http://rumbunter.com/2013/02/23/pirates-jeff-locke-stakes-claim-to-rotation-spot/
10 Green Weenie
Bucs Win 3-2
http://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2013/02/bucs-win-3-2.html
Wrapped up in Books Belle and Sebastian 2003 An Indie group out of Glasgow they are named after a French children’s book. This song is off their 6th album, Dear Catastrophe Waitress.
Theme this week is books
NEWSPAPERS and MAGAZINES and Other Media
11 Bradenton Herald
Spring training | Pittsburgh Pirates of the past approve of new-look McKechnie Field
Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/02/24/4406954/spring-training-pittsburgh-pirates.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.bradenton.com/2013/02/24/4406954/spring-training-pittsburgh-pirates.html
12 CBS Sports
Pirates 3, Rays 2
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/gametracker/recap/MLB_20130223_PIT@TB/pirates-3-rays-2
13 Chicago Tribune
Whispers: Hurdle solid with Pirates
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-spt-0224-whispers-rogers-baseball–20130223,0,7156080.story
14 KDKA
Brandon Inge: New Bucco Veteran Hopes to Help
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/02/23/brandon-inge-new-bucco-veteran-hopes-to-help/
15 Rant Sports
Russell Martin Should Skip WBC and Focus on Pittsburgh Pirates
http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/2013/02/23/russell-martin-should-skip-wbc-and-focus-on-pittsburgh-pirates/
16 Go Erie
Taillon and Cole eager to move closer to majors
http://www.goerie.com/article/20130224/BASEBALL04/302249903/Taillon-and-Cole-eager-to-move-closer-to-majors
17 Sweetspot
Will teams try to tank in 2013?
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/33231/will-teams-try-and-tank-in-2013
18 PBC SITE
Locke, Marte lead Bucs to win in Grapefruit opener
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130223&content_id=41910062&vkey=news_pit&c_id=pit
Locke begins starter competition in earnest
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130223&content_id=41910080¬ebook_id=41910174&vkey=notebook_pit&c_id=pit
SPORTS WEBSITES
19 Baseball Prospectus
The Best of Baseball’s New Old Videos
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=19691
20 Fangraphs
Vetoed Trades, Part Four
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/vetoed-trades-part-four/
I’m heading down to Bradenton… I hear the Pirates are having tryouts for pitchers. I figure, I’m 35, left-handed, can still throw around 65-70 mph fastball to support a nasty 45 mph curveball. I’ll be wearing 77… but number one in your hearts.
Hope your not an upgrade…but we’ll see
If 41-year old Jose Contreras can get a shot, why not me or anyone else?
I’ll root for you.
try throwing a knuckle ball
I used to mix in a knuckle when I pitched.. wasn’t all that much difference in speed between it or my curve.
Maybe one of these years, I could do the fantasy camp.
We should trade you for Josh Booty.
I’ll take anything…lol
Do you have a broken right arm?
Did you know former Pirates, Padres, and Cubs OF Marvel Wynne’s son plays soccer for the Colorado Rapids (MLS)?
Know now
More Fringe Sports for the Pirates’ thread, I see.
Russell Martin has pulled himself out of the World Baseball Classic.
Good.
http://www.thescore.com/home/articles/470837-russell-martin-withdraws-from-team-canada
That article makes no sense. He doesn’t want to play catcher for team Canada because of the grind so he will stay with the Pirates to play catcher?
He won’t play as much in ST as he would in the WBC, very different situations.
Double good.
Hey! I didn’t realize there were two threads.
All my good stuff is on the other thread. Well, it is Pirate and baseball related.
So fringie
Me neither.
I saw the date said 2/23, so I thought it was yesterday’s thread.
I checked and didn’t see any “good stuff”
I’ll repost this in the right place.
From Buster O:
“After they open with the Cubs, the Pirates’ next 29 games — that’s twenty-nine straight — are against teams that contended last year, including the Cardinals, Nationals and Braves.”
That’s ok, had same discussion last season–how tough the early schedule was (opened with Phils, then went to LA, SF, Arizona, then Colorado, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Cincy. After 28 games they were 12-16, not bad considering the schedule. On the other hand, they played poorly late in season when schedule was supposed to be easier.
Speaking of fringe.
I have to drop my son off at his apartment. Today. In Daytona.
Think about it.
Just stay off the race track
Yes. I suppose streaking is passe.
Say Hi to Danica.
I typed two replies and then erased them both. My self-censor alert was going wild.
Yes, Thunder. I have one of those.
Dejan insisted.
I didnt see this in Jal’s links.
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/danny-knobler/21754050/pirates-camp-report-youngsters-like-cole-expected-to-help-turnaround
We can only hope Cole is a superstar, and there is no chance Cole’s clock gets started until June at the soonest.
“The organization believes in the prospects so strongly that the Pirates backed away from a proposed trade for Chase Headley last July, even though the team seemed to need a boost and even though it wasn’t going to cost them either Cole or Taillon.”
I’m still thinking 75-87.
In fairness, there were a number of other deals on the table the Bucs could have taken (Pence, Victorino, etc.) that would NOT have gotten them a productive player for the stretch run. As much as I disagree with their “pick up minor leaguers from non-contenders” approach, and as much as I still believe that one player could have made a huge difference (look at the number of one run games and the Pirates’ HORRIBLE record in them) picking out the Headley deal feels a bit like cherry picking.
But yes, 75-87 seems about right.
They were not horrible in 1 run games, won 28 and lost 29.
After the trade deadline, JAL… During the “collapse” part of the year.
5-12 in one run games 9 inning games.
0-5 in two run games 9 inning games.
1-2 in extra inning games.
6-19 total.
Given your 28-29 for the year stat, and that one of the extra inning games was also a one run loss, that makes 5-13 after the deadline and 23-16 before.
Ok, didn’t realize you were just referring to after the trade deadline.
As noted above, the game is on AM
McDonald untouched through 2. I’m extrapolating this to Pirates win the World Series in 4.
McDonald hasn’t tired yet on the season. So far, so good.
like
Pole musta been slippery. Danica 11th.
Well, she survived?
Big inning for the Bucs in the 6th.
Yes. Now 6-1 Pirates.
Bless Jay Bell.
I’m sensing something historic here.
Granderson goes down.
What will Cashman give us for Tabby?
DKnobler @DKnobler
As @JackCurryYES says, Yankees don’t have great options behind Granderson. Right now it’s Matt Diaz, Juan Rivera.
was thinking the same thing as I read the reports on Twitter.
What size bucket of balls, is that what you mean?
7-1.
Barmes HR, his first in what is looking like will be an All Star season.
I’m taking out a 401k loan for World Series tickets.
8-1.
I can’t breathe.
Make it 9-1…Melancon only reliever touched up as Grilli, Hughes, Watson all get thru their inning of work unscathed.
Locke throws three effective innings yesterday, today JMac and Jonathan Sanchez each toss two scoreless, promising start for a few individuals either in or in the mix for rotation spots.
Really is going to come down to the rotation and their ability to go deeper in games and more importantly not give games away.
For me most interested in which corner OF has the best spring as you look around the rest of the diamond and the roster is pretty much set. Hope Tabata and Snider push each other which in turn gives the Pirates some much needed production from RF.
Pedro
4 at bats. 0 Ks
(he doesn’t have any hits either, but they don’t call me Mr Sunshine for nothing)
I don’t like what I see. “Failed #1 pick with power who hits for .237 average and delays games with narcissistic practice swings looks like a fact to me. It’s early in the season but late in his career.
How can you tell those practice swings are ‘narcissistic’ ?
Drafted in 2008 and age 26. That’s late in his career?
Easy. He makes the batboy hold up a mirror.
Oh.
I thought the batboy tucks Pedro’s ears into his hat.
Because they don’t produce hits and if every batsman took them, games would be four hours long.
We don’t call you Mr. Sunshine period.
Thanks Doc. That proves it’s just the voices in my head
What should we call him?
Unlike Pedro, I’m all ears.
What a great day.
Maybe I should move over to Dejan’s pitt-South Florida thread and talk about tonight’s ga…
Wait, what?
You have to understand the psychology of a man who, after being assigned to marry the Pirates, is now free to dally with his first love – the game of hockey.