OnlyBucs

The Pirates absolutely handed this game to the Cubs because of complete and total mismanagement by Hurdle. Polanco flat out stinks too and is quickly turning into Jose Tabata Part II. No excuse for his numbers to be as terrible as they are right now. Hurdle is a complete moron for using Rivero the way he did in the 8th. It's insane.

74534246435E61554243435E270 wrote: The Pirates absolutely handed this game to the Cubs because of complete and total mismanagement by Hurdle. Polanco flat out stinks too and is quickly turning into Jose Tabata Part II. No excuse for his numbers to be as terrible as they are right now. Hurdle is a complete moron for  using Rivero the way he did in the 8th. It's insane.




Why do you think Nicasio wouldn't have exploded in the 8th vs the top of the order and Bryant?



This game wasn't handed to the Cubs. They crushed the ball in the 9th and still faced the tying run in the 9th.

3B30383431302B6E681F263E373030713C305F0 wrote: The Pirates absolutely handed this game to the Cubs because of complete and total mismanagement by Hurdle. Polanco flat out stinks too and is quickly turning into Jose Tabata Part II. No excuse for his numbers to be as terrible as they are right now. Hurdle is a complete moron for  using Rivero the way he did in the 8th. It's insane.




Why do you think Nicasio wouldn't have exploded in the 8th vs the top of the order and Bryant?



This game wasn't handed to the Cubs. They crushed the ball in the 9th and still faced the tying run in the 9th. Well if you start the 8th with Nicasio and he gets in trouble you can go to Rivero and get can get 4 or even 5 outs if he has too. He has the stones to pitch in these kinds of situations and is your best option to close games. They handed the game to the Cubs by once again overthinking things. Like I said anyway this team is going nowhere at 7 games under .500. The Pirates would be completely buried if they were in any other division in baseball. To start the 8th inning with Rivero was a dumb decision when you don't have a great closer to pitch in the 9th inning. Having Nicasio face Heyward when he has a .380 average against him is even more ridiculous. Like I said handed the game to the Cubs.

0D2A3B3F3A27182C3B3A3A275E0 wrote: Rivero needs to be the closer ALL of the time no exceptions or excuses about it.




So you want Nicasio pitching to their thumpers in the eighth? Hurdle played this correctly, it just didn't work.

Do you really think that Nicasio was going to get out RIzzo, Happ, and Schwaber in the eighth with the stuff he had tonight?

Addison forced a 10 pitch at bat which killed Rivero for the ninth.

This board loves to blame Hurdle, but this game was over when Rivero couldn't get the quick k on Russell.

Pirates fan are the biggest hindsight is 20/20 folks around.

31160703061B24100706061B620 wrote: Rivero needs to be the closer ALL of the time no exceptions or excuses about it.


This is what (best RP closes or 1 guy designated as the closer. ) most teams do. For some reason , it does seem to work better than the "match up - high leverage" theories . Plus in the Pirates' case it takes the thinking out of it for Hurdle.

40677672776A55617677776A130 wrote: The Pirates absolutely handed this game to the Cubs because of complete and total mismanagement by Hurdle. Polanco flat out stinks too and is quickly turning into Jose Tabata Part II. No excuse for his numbers to be as terrible as they are right now. Hurdle is a complete moron for  using Rivero the way he did in the 8th. It's insane.




Why do you think Nicasio wouldn't have exploded in the 8th vs the top of the order and Bryant?



This game wasn't handed to the Cubs. They crushed the ball in the 9th and still faced the tying run in the 9th. Well if you start the 8th with Nicasio and he gets in trouble you can go to Rivero and get can get 4 or even 5 outs if he has too. He has the stones to pitch in these kinds of situations and is your best option to close games. They handed the game to the Cubs by once again overthinking things. Like I said anyway this team is going nowhere at 7 games under .500. The Pirates would be completely buried if they were in any other division in baseball. To start the 8th inning with Rivero was a dumb decision when you don't have a great closer to pitch in the 9th inning. Having Nicasio face Heyward when he has a .380 average against him is even more ridiculous. Like I said handed the game to the Cubs.




Rivero, as good as he was, still gave up a double to Happ who ended up on third after the sac fly. It took him 20 pitches to get three outs tonight.



NIcasio gives up a double to Rizzo and you yank him for Rivero. He then takes 20 pitches to clear the inning...and you want to bring him out for the ninth?



AGain, this game was over when Russell went ten pitches in his AB.

Yep, and Hurdle said the same thing in his post game questioning.



The plan was correct. They brought in their best pitcher to face the Cub's best hitters and top of the order. The match ups were there to put the players in their best position. Nicasio had his worst outing of the year.

I'll keep saying Rivero should be used as the closer period end of story. Quit overthinking it Clint. I guess we can agree to disagree on this entire situation tonight which is perfectly fine. I have many Pirates fan friends who think exactly like I do about tonight.

Putting Rivero in to face the 3 lefties in the 8th was the right call. This one is on Nicasio, not Hurdle.

Nicasio has been terrific in the 8th inning. Some guys are just not cut out for 9th inning duties is all I'm saying. Rivero is the only real closer this team has. He should have least stayed in to face Heyward to start the 9th inning. The pitch count thing with Clint is way overblown with him at times and it costs him in this game by not leaving Rivero in to face Heyward who he probably gets out if he faces. At the end of the day as I've been saying for months this team is not very good and as long as they keep treading water here at 6 or 7 games under .500 they aren't winning anything or contending for anything in the long run. This division being surprisingly bad is the only reason this season and this team is relevant in the standings at this point.