Official Game Thread - 7/24 - Bucs vs Cards

[Doc]

Bottom of the order due up for the Cardinals, starting with Nootbaar. Anybody have the book on Pages?

I guess the Cardinals are a new chapter in his life.

I can’t seem to find the words for him.

[Doc]

Chapman does a good job of making it exciting. I wish he wouldn’t do that. Bucs win four of six important games. They need to do the same, or better, in Arizona. If it happens, what does the owner do?

[Wildwoodcoach]

Raise It-
4-2 on the home stand against two teams with better records
Bucs- 5 runs on 5 hits- figure that one out

[Possum]

The game was truly, An Afternoon Delight!

[bucs607179]

60 games to go. Pirates at 52-50. Best since 2018.

No way of knowing how the other teams will fair. 6 are making Playoffs. Dodgers & Phillies are getting in. Our division is not a gimme for the Brewers just yet. 4 spots open. 90 wins they'd have to go 38-22. Tough putting all that pressure on the staff cause the lumber company is using soft wood. Maybe 85+ will get a Playoff spot. If somehow the bats have a productive last 2 months, 35-25?????

[3pirates3]

https://x.com/AndrewDestin1/status/1816193080351154398

[bucs607179]

Reynolds seems OK.

[Wildwoodcoach]

The game was truly, An Afternoon Delight!

Which Afternoon Delight are you referring too?

[Surgnbuck]

Very Piratey inning for the Cardinals. Two walks, two singles, and no runs. They’re worse than we are.

Right now, there's two schools of thought about the Cardinals:
1. They're the Cardinals. They have winning in their DNA. They always find a way.

2. They're a complete fraud, and will come back down to earth. Their run differential is worse than everyone in the NL except for Colorado and Miami.

As of right now, they have an easier schedule the last 60 games compared to the Pirates, with 32 of them coming against teams with a winning record as of today. The Pirates have 37 of them. They face each other 4 more times in The Loo in September. Those games might be what separates the two.

Then again, the Pirates next 21 games are against teams with a winning record. The Cardinals next 10 games are against losing teams. This might be the toughest time to stay in touch with the Cards. The Bucs have 6 games against the Diamondbacks, and 3 against the Padres in the next 12 games. Both those teams the Pirates are also chasing.

The Bucs need to set their rotation where the Astros series is where they use the back end of the rotation/openers. By the time the Pirates come home to face the Mariners for three games, they will have played San Diego and Arizona six games each, as well as series against the Astros and the Dodgers. I think by that time, we will really know if they are in the hunt or not. I think if they can get through that guantlet 9-9, they will still be solidly in this thing.

[Doc]

Very Piratey inning for the Cardinals. Two walks, two singles, and no runs. They’re worse than we are.

Right now, there's two schools of thought about the Cardinals:
1. They're the Cardinals. They have winning in their DNA. They always find a way.

2. They're a complete fraud, and will come back down to earth. Their run differential is worse than everyone in the NL except for Colorado and Miami.

As of right now, they have an easier schedule the last 60 games compared to the Pirates, with 32 of them coming against teams with a winning record as of today. The Pirates have 37 of them. They face each other 4 more times in The Loo in September. Those games might be what separates the two.

Then again, the Pirates next 21 games are against teams with a winning record. The Cardinals next 10 games are against losing teams. This might be the toughest time to stay in touch with the Cards. The Bucs have 6 games against the Diamondbacks, and 3 against the Padres in the next 12 games. Both those teams the Pirates are also chasing.

The Bucs need to set their rotation where the Astros series is where they use the back end of the rotation/openers. By the time the Pirates come home to face the Mariners for three games, they will have played San Diego and Arizona six games each, as well as series against the Astros and the Dodgers. I think by that time, we will really know if they are in the hunt or not. I think if they can get through that guantlet 9-9, they will still be solidly in this thing.

I think there’s some truth to both of those schools of thought. The Cardinals do seem to have a way of being a strong competitor way more often than not, but last year and this year seem to be among those times when they’re not. They’ve usually had a competent rotation led by a legit ace. Their batting order usually has a couple of power bats with everyone else adept at getting on, moving runners along, and getting them in enough times to win more often than not. This year, Arenado and Goldschmidt don’t appear to be their usual scary selves. The rest of the line-up looks to be pedestrian.

They’re definitely beatable, but the Pirates need help. Our line-up is less than pedestrian, with very little power. Too few of the other guys get on base enough. If we can win two or three in Arizona, the Pirates have to make a legitimate acquisition over the following three days. If they do nothing, the media and fans should make it open season on Nutting because it’ll completely be his fault.