Game Thread Nats@Pirates 4/16…

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 2:01 am

¡Levanta el Jolly Roger!

Surgnbuck · Post by **Surgnbuck** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 4:14 am

715058715A52350 wrote: Knapp RBI double ties game and Tucker's RBI single puts Bucs ahead 2-1.

It's Knapp Time at PNC!!

Surgnbuck · Post by **Surgnbuck** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 4:18 am

The Pirates baserunning continues to be solid

bucs607179 · Post by **bucs607179** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 11:10 am

Again, way early but this team has a nice feel to it . Dare I say they look a little like a MLB team instead of the triple A teams we have seen recently.

2drfischer@gmail.c · Post by **2drfischer@gmail.c** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 12:18 pm

2037213174727573757B420 wrote: Again, way early but this team has a nice feel to it . Dare I say they look a little like a MLB team instead of the triple A teams we have seen recently.

The hitting will be better than I thought, but only if Shelton stops playing everyone like it's Little League and mostly plays his best guys, the defense looks to be above average overall, but that starting pitching is going to make for some trying times and long games.

CarolinaBucco · Post by **CarolinaBucco** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:14 pm

Like everyone says, I know it's early, but ...

I am pleasantly surprised with the offense in general, with the defense, with the baserunning, the hustle and the with the overall fundamentals -- which is so important in terms of looking like an actual major league team. All of those things have been impressive.

But all of those positives can be completely canceled out by bad starting pitching. And I don't know how in the world we are supposed to get through 162 games with this starting pitching. I'm afraid eventually (probably soon) it's going to catch up to us and lead to a LOT of losing.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:25 pm

015741555A40505B564173545E525A5F1D50330 wrote: Again, way early but this team has a nice feel to it . Dare I say they look a little like a MLB team instead of the triple A teams we have seen recently.

The hitting will be better than I thought, but only if Shelton stops playing everyone like it's Little League and mostly plays his best guys, the defense looks to be above average overall, but that starting pitching is going to make for some trying times and long games.
It appears they are coming to grips with the fact that they basically do not have a starting rotation. With the possible exception of Quintana if he's got anything left, the rest of the rotation would not start for any other team and wouldn't even make most teams. That said, I like how Shelton is handling the staff right now. These guys are not legit MLB starting pitchers and if he can get 4 innings out of them, he'll settle for that. That leaves a lot of innings for the BP but he's letting relievers go 2-3 innings instead of having 5 or 6 guys throwing every night. But this will still take its toll on Crowe, Contreras, Yajure and Peters so it remains to be seen if it is a sustainable approach.

Otherwise, Shelton needs to stop the Little League approach to lineups and put out his best team. And the Vogelbach leadoff thing is silly and just looks like an attempt for Shelton to be the smartest guy in the room. They need a power bat behind Yoshi more than a slow leadoff batter to clog up the bases.

GreenWeenie · Post by **GreenWeenie** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 2:50 pm

I don't know what can be made of eight games of a 162-game schedule, particularly when some are against the Nationals. Nothing tells me that my prediction's far off.

2drfischer@gmail.c · Post by **2drfischer@gmail.c** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:53 pm

210C01101706115152630 wrote: Again, way early but this team has a nice feel to it . Dare I say they look a little like a MLB team instead of the triple A teams we have seen recently.

The hitting will be better than I thought, but only if Shelton stops playing everyone like it's Little League and mostly plays his best guys, the defense looks to be above average overall, but that starting pitching is going to make for some trying times and long games.
It appears they are coming to grips with the fact that they basically do not have a starting rotation. With the possible exception of Quintana if he's got anything left, the rest of the rotation would not start for any other team and wouldn't even make most teams. That said, I like how Shelton is handling the staff right now. These guys are not legit MLB starting pitchers and if he can get 4 innings out of them, he'll settle for that. That leaves a lot of innings for the BP but he's letting relievers go 2-3 innings instead of having 5 or 6 guys throwing every night. But this will still take its toll on Crowe, Contreras, Yajure and Peters so it remains to be seen if it is a sustainable approach.

Otherwise, Shelton needs to stop the Little League approach to lineups and put out his best team. And the Vogelbach leadoff thing is silly and just looks like an attempt for Shelton to be the smartest guy in the room. They need a power bat behind Yoshi more than a slow leadoff batter to clog up the bases.

We’re likely to see as much movement as possible between the pitchers in Indy, and even Altoona, and the ones in Pittsburgh who still have options. Otherwise, the bullpen guys up here are going to be worn to the nubs by July.

Maybe BC has in mind to bring the Indy starters here later in the season to work out of the bullpen with the idea of giving each three to four innings of work every fourth or fifth day. Giving them a taste of the big leagues ahead of their due date would be a good thing in a season that won’t amount to much more than a fourth place finish anyway.

bucs607179 · Post by **bucs607179** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 4:05 pm

7B4E5959526B59595255593C0 wrote: I don't know what can be made of eight games of a 162-game schedule, particularly when some are against the Nationals. Nothing tells me that my prediction's far off.

I like to think we just smoked the World Series Champions once removed.