The Milwaukee Series ... THIS. IS. IT.

CarolinaBucco · Post by **CarolinaBucco** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:14 pm

INCREDIBLE.

I was hoping for 3 of 4 ... never expected a SWEEP of the hated Brewers.

I just saw it's the first time the Pirates have swept a 4-games series vs. a 1st place team in 20 years (Cards in '97).

And that the Pirates' bullpen has the lowest ERA in MLB for the month of July. I believe it's 1.86.

WHAT IS HAPPENING? Have we entered the Bizarro World?

Now got to go out West and hold our own. Absolutely have to get at least 1 in Colorado and then try to pick up some wins in SF and SD. But gotta get 1 in Denver. Will not be easy.

Neal needs to make plans to buy. 11 of 13 sends a message. This is a winnable division and the Pirates need to try to win it.

Note: Rivero is good.

dogknot17@yahoo.co · Post by **dogknot17@yahoo.co** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:20 pm

The team is finally pitching like they were expected to pitch. That's the difference. They still really aren't hitting a ton, just some timely hits.

I am giving credit to Hurdle too. Many posts about his line ups, but they are working. His pitching rotation was questioned too. The team is winning. Besides the Dodgers, they are having a great stretch right now.

Got to keep this going. Keep winning series. I don't think the other teams will go away.

massbucsfan · Post by **massbucsfan** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:09 pm

Haven't been on here for a while but great home stand excellent sweep I'm glad to say I was wrong about were they would be now I thought they would have collapsed by now glad that I'm wrong so far

SteadyFreddy · Post by **SteadyFreddy** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:23 pm

I wanna see how they do out West and against some of these bad teams they play the next 2-3 weeks such as the Giants,Padres, and Reds. Too many times before we have seen this with the Pirates where they get back into the race and get you excited and then boom they get swept or have a bad stretch of games. Don't mean to be so negative but that's just how I feel right now. This team still has a lot of work to do and a lot of Games to win before I will consider them a true contender. This stretch of 11 wins in 13 games is impressive. I'll admit I didn't see it coming at all and am flat out shocked to tell you the truth.

dogknot17@yahoo.co · Post by **dogknot17@yahoo.co** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:39 pm

77504145405D62564140405D240 wrote: I wanna see how they do out West and against some of these bad teams they play the next 2-3 weeks such as the Giants,Padres, and Reds. Too many times before we have seen this with the Pirates where they get back into the race and get you excited and then boom they get swept or have a bad stretch of games. Don't mean to be so negative but that's just how I feel right now. This team still has a lot of work to do and a lot of Games to win before I will consider them a true contender. This stretch of 11 wins in 13 games is impressive. I'll admit I didn't see it coming at all and am flat out shocked to tell you the truth.

So, the 2016 season erases the three prior seasons? Ok, I get it. So sad how one negative erases all the positives. They didn't crash in 2013, 2014, and 2015. But since they did in 2016, that is the mind set?

I don't know what is going to happen. But I will enjoy this streak and hope they turn this season around. I will hope for 2014 over assuming 2016 will repeat itself.

dmetz · Post by **dmetz** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:50 pm

1E39282C29340B3F282929344D0 wrote: I wanna see how they do out West and against some of these bad teams they play the next 2-3 weeks such as the Giants,Padres, and Reds. Too many times before we have seen this with the Pirates where they get back into the race and get you excited and then boom they get swept or have a bad stretch of games. Don't mean to be so negative but that's just how I feel right now. This team still has a lot of work to do and a lot of Games to win before I will consider them a true contender. This stretch of 11 wins in 13 games is impressive. I'll admit I didn't see it coming at all and am flat out shocked to tell you the truth.

That seems like a ridiculous position. You win 11 of 13 in mid July while getting a star outfielder back and finishing a 4 game sweep of the division leader, you're a contender right now. What the heck is a "true" condender?

The deadline approaches. We have all the momentum. Buy buy buy keep it going

Keep pounding away and you may find yourself 5 over .500 and in first place in a week.

Jerseykc · Post by **Jerseykc** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:19 pm

684548595E4F58181B2A0 wrote: It was great for Moroff to get the winning hit. But he's still not better than Mercer or Freese. As nice as his hit was, it was a soft hit barely over the infield. He wasn't raking the ball. Makes no sense to me to do a full scale resting of the lineup in a huge game just 1 week after the 4-day all-star break ended. These players aren't so fragile that they have to be rested so much.

The only guy "really" sitting is Mercer IMO. Freese has said himself that he's playing too much and that's the reason why he's fallen off. I don't know--considering it's about 900 degrees outside I think I'll take the trainers' word for it this time.

I see what you're saying, but the Brewers are sitting Thames, Keon Broxton and their catcher. They probably need a win today more than we do.
Yeah, Mercer's the one that bothers me. Makes sense to sit Cervelli. Freese gets more rest than others. And Frazier's bat is a plus. But when you go into a big game with a Frazier/Moroff keystone combo it raises eyebrows. It's just not necessary to do that.

Frazier and Moroff were the keystone combo in Indianapolis and before that in Altoona. All will be well...

Jerseykc · Post by **Jerseykc** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:32 pm

777E766769130 wrote: I wanna see how they do out West and against some of these bad teams they play the next 2-3 weeks such as the Giants,Padres, and Reds. Too many times before we have seen this with the Pirates where they get back into the race and get you excited and then boom they get swept or have a bad stretch of games. Don't mean to be so negative but that's just how I feel right now. This team still has a lot of work to do and a lot of Games to win before I will consider them a true contender. This stretch of 11 wins in 13 games is impressive. I'll admit I didn't see it coming at all and am flat out shocked to tell you the truth.

That seems like a ridiculous position. You win 11 of 13 in mid July while getting a star outfielder back and finishing a 4 game sweep of the division leader, you're a contender right now. What the heck is a "true" condender?

The deadline approaches. We have all the momentum. Buy buy buy keep it going

Keep pounding away and you may find yourself 5 over .500 and in first place in a week.

I can see where Freddy is coming from as it is looking like win the division or bust for the playoffs.

Great streak that needed to happen for us to have any hope at all.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:40 pm

I'm thrilled they swept and I'll gladly eat crow for criticizing the lineup. I will, however, say that this win does not instill confidence that resting starters in a key game is a sound strategy that can be expected to succeed going forward. But as long as they win, it's great. Now lets see if they can get over .500.

SteadyFreddy · Post by **SteadyFreddy** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:55 pm

2D242C3D33490 wrote: I wanna see how they do out West and against some of these bad teams they play the next 2-3 weeks such as the Giants,Padres, and Reds. Too many times before we have seen this with the Pirates where they get back into the race and get you excited and then boom they get swept or have a bad stretch of games. Don't mean to be so negative but that's just how I feel right now. This team still has a lot of work to do and a lot of Games to win before I will consider them a true contender. This stretch of 11 wins in 13 games is impressive. I'll admit I didn't see it coming at all and am flat out shocked to tell you the truth.

That seems like a ridiculous position. You win 11 of 13 in mid July while getting a star outfielder back and finishing a 4 game sweep of the division leader, you're a contender right now. What the heck is a "true" condender?

The deadline approaches. We have all the momentum. Buy buy buy keep it going

Keep pounding away and you may find yourself 5 over .500 and in first place in a week.

Perfect time to trade some prospects and use some of that financial flexibility the Pirates have and go get a player or two that can put this team over the hump and win this division.