Official Game Thread - 5/2 - Bucs vs Cards

SteadyFreddy · Post by **SteadyFreddy** » Sun May 02, 2021 7:39 pm

The Pirates yet again facing some adversity assuming they lose this game and get swept by the Cardinals today as this will be 4 losses in a row to end this short 5 game home stand after being 1 game over .500 at the start of it. It won’t get any easier this week having to go out West to play a good Padres team with Tatis now back and then going to Wrigley again to play the Cubs next weekend. They were able to stop the bleeding when they lost 6 in a row in early April they will have to do the same thing it looks like this week. This team has done a good job hanging in there these first 25-30 games hopefully they can find a way to keep it going.

SteadyFreddy · Post by **SteadyFreddy** » Sun May 02, 2021 7:50 pm

Joe Block has done 9 games on TV so far out of the first 27 games and the Pirates are now 2-7 in the games he is on TV for. This was the 2nd sweep he has done this year as he did the 3 game sweep of the Reds series. Minor detail but another reason for those who don’t like Block like myself to hear less of him on TV.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Sun May 02, 2021 7:59 pm

0C2B3A3E3B26192D3A3B3B265F0 wrote: Joe Block has done 9 games on TV so far out of the first 27 games and the Pirates are now 2-7 in the games he is on TV for. This was the 2nd sweep he has done this year as he did the 3 game sweep of the Reds series. Minor detail but another reason for those who don’t like Block like myself to hear less of him on TV.
With MLB.TV I can overlay the radio audio when Block is doing the TV. So for this series I listened to Brown/Walk while watching.

MaineBucs · Post by **MaineBucs** » Sun May 02, 2021 8:36 pm

I didn't see the game on TV so my comments will be limited.

1) To date, Tod Frazier has not paid any dividends. If he doesn't pick it up soon, the Pirates cannot carry someone who has no future with the team and who is hitting about .050.

2) I hate the reality of what I am writing, but if both Crick and Rodriguez continue to perform the way that they have, the Pirates could have two interesting trade pieces come mid-June or so.

3) No idea of how he was throwing, but its has to be a confidence boost for Oviedo to get through 2 innings with no runs scored after not having pitched for nearly 2 weeks.

4) If Hayes hits after he returns, the Pirates could have an acceptable top of the order in Frazier, Hayes, Reynolds and Moran; albeit one with very limited power.

5) Collectively, Tom, Fowler and Alford are hitting about .100 in Pirate uniforms this season. Ugghh!

6) Being swept by the Cards at home is a very disappointing turn of events after the much better than expected recent road trip. Again, ugghh!

Oh well, back to doing some more tedious preparation work to assist City Attorney in an upcoming lawsuit on what is a glorious spring day weather-wise.

2drfischer@gmail.c · Post by **2drfischer@gmail.c** » Sun May 02, 2021 9:25 pm

446964757263743437060 wrote: Polanco has never learned to play the RF wall at PNC. Just as he did yesterday, he gets very close to the wall for a ball over his head and off the wall so that the bounce goes back toward the infield and he has to chase it from behind. Does he think the ball will hit the wall and drop straight down at his feet as he stands on the warning track looking up?

Had you had stopped after writing "Polanco has never learned . . . ", you'd have pretty much covered his whole career.

CarolinaBucco · Post by **CarolinaBucco** » Mon May 03, 2021 2:30 am

This team has NO power.

Cards hit a 3-run homer in each game of the series.

Pirates hit at 3-run homer about once or twice each season.

GreenWeenie · Post by **GreenWeenie** » Mon May 03, 2021 3:01 am

That says as much about the run prevention as it does about the run generation. Not the best of combinations.