OnlyBucs

Best game by Polanco in quite awhile. Big HR, double. And the play he made on Happ's double in the 8th was outstanding. A diving grab on the short hop and a strong throw to 2B. (I suspect it was largely luck as he is so flawed in the OF he couldn't have known the ball would short hop into his glove as he was stretched out. But what the heck? It looked great!)



Good to beat Cubs and Arrieta. Big HR by Cutch and clutch single by Frazier. And big defensive plays by Cutch, Jaso and Moroff. Glad to see Hurdle trying to win with Rivero instead of following a formula or counting pitches.



John Lackey today. Pirates have hit him well other than Mercer.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/batvspit ... ohn-lackey



Gotta say I don't like the blue themed unis MLB is making everyone wear. Takes away the identity of the team. Seeing Bucs in a blue cap instead of black and gold just ain't right!

6F646C6065647F3A3C4B726A6364642568640B0 wrote: Funny. Everything worked out so there are no comments. I guess Hurdle stays for another game? 
Yea it's the fans fault that Hurdle didn't use Rivero for 2 innings on Friday night and put Nicasio in who is not a closer to close a game against your biggest division rival in a game you absolutely needed to win. Blame the fans for the mismanagement of this team that's what typical Pirates management apologists like to do instead of blaming the management team or the players on the field who aren't good enough to make this team a playoff contender again.

290C0F0F1A310C040611630 wrote: Great win tonight against the hated Flubs & Arrieta.



Big hits by Polanco and Cutch.



Nova excellent again.



Rivero brilliant again.



But this business model is just not sustainable.



Right now we have one dependable, legit guy in the bullpen. ONE. That's a recipe for disaster (which we have been witnessing lately), and tomorrow for example I'm almost certain he won't be available. This team will crash and burn unless a couple of guys from the Hudson-Watson-Nicasio group start pitching to their full potential.


Actually for the first 68 games Hurdle has only had (1) dependable starter-Nova; (1) dependable reliever-Rivero; and (1) dependable consistent hitter-Harrison. It is a major miracle that the Bucs are only 6 games under .500



The good news is Cutch is heating up; Taillon is back, and Marte is 3 weeks away. I would like to see Brault back in the rotation and one of Kuhl or Williams in the pen. The Pirates though at some point have to get on more of a roll then just winning 3 or 4 in a row then turning right back around and losing 3 or 4 in a row and giving all the ground they gained right back. The Pirates being consistently at 5 or 6 games under .500 and treading water is still not going to be good enough to win them this division at the end of the season.

On the blue-themed unis, I was trying to find the game on television and thought for a moment I'd tuned into a college world series came. Carolina came to mind.

Yea just think if Hurdle had used Rivero in Baltimore both games 2 weeks ago and for two innings on Friday night despite throwing 20 pitches in the 8th inning after a day off and not being used the previous day. The Pirates would probably be 34-34 and at .500 instead of this 6 games under .500 team in quicksand that cant get out of its own way more times then not.

If Hurdle used Rivero for 2 innings Friday, he doesn't go 1 2/3 last night. You can't run the guy out there every night for as long as you want. These are human beings.

44637276736E51657273736E170 wrote: Funny. Everything worked out so there are no comments. I guess Hurdle stays for another game? 
Yea it's the fans fault that Hurdle didn't use Rivero for 2 innings on Friday night and put Nicasio in who is not a closer to close a game against your biggest division rival in a game you absolutely needed to win. Blame the fans for the mismanagement of this team that's what typical Pirates management apologists like to do instead of blaming the management team or the players on the field who aren't good enough to make this team a playoff contender again.


What does this mean? Who is blaming the fans on strategic moves?

7F7A6D7E28595A1B0 wrote: If Hurdle used Rivero for 2 innings Friday, he doesn't go 1 2/3 last night. You can't run the guy out there every night for as long as you want. These are human beings.


This is true. That said....IMO , do what the rest of baseball is doing. Rivero should be designated as the closer. You get to the point where he can enter the game as best you can. Nobody is doing the "leverage or "match up " thing as we speak. Looks to me like baseball , at least for now , has decided BP

s function best when pitchers are given "roles." How many saves does Andrew Miller have this year ? No team in baseball , to my knowledge , has an effective closer that they will have pitch the 8th because of the match up's. Seems to me that nothing blows a BP apart like blowing 9th inning saves.

5552435043121F260 wrote: If Hurdle used Rivero for 2 innings Friday, he doesn't go 1 2/3 last night. You can't run the guy out there every night for as long as you want. These are human beings.


This is true.  That said....IMO , do what the rest of baseball is doing. Rivero should be designated as the closer. You get to the point where he can enter the game as best you can. Nobody is doing the "leverage or "match up " thing as we speak. Looks to me like baseball , at least for now , has decided BP

s function best when pitchers are given "roles." How many saves does Andrew Miller have this year ? No team in baseball , to my knowledge , has an effective closer that they will have pitch the 8th because of the match up's. Seems to me that nothing blows a BP apart like blowing 9th inning saves.




Blow it the 8th or the 9th....in the end both are devastating. We need some help in the pen, Clint can't manage around this reality.

6C414C5D5A4B5C1C1F2E0 wrote: Best game by Polanco in quite awhile. Big HR, double. And the play he made on Happ's double in the 8th was outstanding. A diving grab on the short hop and a strong throw to 2B. (I suspect it was largely luck as he is so flawed in the OF he couldn't have known the ball would short hop into his glove as he was stretched out. But what the heck? It looked great!)



Good to beat Cubs and Arrieta. Big HR by Cutch and clutch single by Frazier. And big defensive plays by Cutch, Jaso and Moroff. Glad to see Hurdle trying to win with Rivero instead of following a formula or counting pitches.



John Lackey today. Pirates have hit him well other than Mercer.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/batvspit ... ohn-lackey



Gotta say I don't like the blue themed unis MLB is making everyone wear. Takes away the identity of the team. Seeing Bucs in a blue cap instead of black and gold just ain't right! 


Also hate the blue. That's Cubby blue!



Polanco had a good game and it was much needed. But he was very close to being thrown out at 2nd off the bomb he hit high off the RF wall. I have to go back to watch a replay to be sure - but I think he was treating it as a HR initially and that made the play close. IF he had been thrown out at 2nd, I would feel differently to say the least.