Official Game Thread 9/4/2021 Pirates vs. Cubs

Surgnbuck · Post by **Surgnbuck** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:09 pm

And how does Moran not make that tag? WTF didn't he just dive on the guy? Can't he effing bend the eff over?

Surgnbuck · Post by **Surgnbuck** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:09 pm

Gamel lost it in the lights? My effing ass

WildwoodDave2 · Post by **WildwoodDave2** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:10 pm

0B2D2A3F363A2D3B33580 wrote: Shelton should be fired on the spot
Shelton- definitely the GOG-

WildwoodDave2 · Post by **WildwoodDave2** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:15 pm

0A3431392A323239193C2B386F5D0 wrote: Shelton should be fired on the spot
Shelton- definitely the GOG-
Other than Surg, I wonder what the attendance will be on the next home stand?

Surgnbuck · Post by **Surgnbuck** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:31 pm

744A4F47544C4C476742554611230 wrote: Shelton should be fired on the spot
Shelton- definitely the GOG-
Other than Surg, I wonder what the attendance will be on the next home stand?
I'm going next Saturday, me and Mister Man will be down in the home plate club seats.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:55 pm

4E686F7A737F687E761D0 wrote: Shelton should be fired on the spot
Let's review Shelton's accomplishments. He reduces the number of innings/pitches of any pitcher who surprisingly does well. He often gives players who have a good game the day off afterwards even tho no one else is hitting and even if the team has recently had a day off. He is on record as saying he prefers playing 7 inning games in DH/s and starting extra innings with a fictional runner at 2B because those rules reduce the length of games.

In other words all of Shelton's "accomplishments" are related to having players not play. His decisions between the lines during actual games are quite bad. To summarize, our manager is great about players not playing. It's only the actual playing of baseball games that seems way beyond his level of competence.

GreenWeenie · Post by **GreenWeenie** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 11:05 pm

Even the world's greatest magician requires at least a passable assistant.

Whether Ben Cherington's "the world's greatest magician" can be debated. What can't be debated is that his "assistant" (Derek Shelton) is clearly not passable. The job of changing the course of such a low-level club is tough for any manager when they have the Pirates' inherent "restriction." I think that's it's well beyond Shelton's abilities. That said, who else is lining up to apply for this job? Probably someone nobody wants. That's how Shelton got it in the first place.

I won't be convinced that Shelton is our sole issue, but he is surely one.

Sorry, Ster, but Joe Block is off the table for the purposes of this analogy.

SteadyFreddy · Post by **SteadyFreddy** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 7:55 am

Two of these 3 losses in Chicago have been completely pathetic with the defense just totally melting down with the Difo pop up the other night and yesterday with Gamel botching an easy fly ball that would have ended the game, and Moran not being able to bend the hell over and tag a guy right in front of him. I mean it’s just pathetic.

As for Shelton I don’t think he will be fired after this season but if they have another terrible year next season like this which they most likely will then I definitely consider going into 2023 when a lot of the younger prospects will finally arrive with a new manager.

Another side note it’s looking like another long week or road trip where Joe Block is on TV the entire week and the team has yet to win a game. This has happened several times this season whether it’s a coincidence or not. When Block is on TV which hasn’t been much this season the Pirates pretty much lose every game he does.

fjk090852-7 · Post by **fjk090852-7** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 11:21 am

With two of the three losses to the Cubs I think the Bucs are tanking. They may rather pick #3 than #4 in next years draft. At this point I wonder if they can win 9 games of the remaining schedule.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 11:35 am

123524202538073324252538410 wrote: Two of these 3 losses in Chicago have been completely pathetic with the defense just totally melting down with the Difo pop up the other night and yesterday with Gamel botching an easy fly ball that would have ended the game, and Moran not being able to bend the hell over and tag a guy right in front of him. I mean it’s just pathetic.

As for Shelton I don’t think he will be fired after this season but if they have another terrible year next season like this which they most likely will then I definitely consider going into 2023 when a lot of the younger prospects will finally arrive with a new manager.

Another side note it’s looking like another long week or road trip where Joe Block is on TV the entire week and the team has yet to win a game. This has happened several times this season whether it’s a coincidence or not. When Block is on TV which hasn’t been much this season the Pirates pretty much lose every game he does.
I thought Moran tagged him out. But that would have only left the game tied going to extra innings where they likely would have still lost.

Considering their record and that Greg Brown usually does the TV, I guess they lose most of the time for him too. Incidentally, I have recently found that Brown has moved ahead of Block in the annoying department. Block is doing much less of the constant chatter, often focusing entirely on the game. And now it's Brown with the nonstop chatter usually unrelated to what's happening in the game and trying to be a comedian throughout the broadcast.