Game Thread 8/20 - Bucs vs Indians

[DemDog]

1. Erik Gonzalez (R) SS

2. Kevin Newman (R) 2B

3. Josh Bell (S) 1B

4. Colin Moran (L) DH

5. Jose Osuna (R) LF

6. JT Riddle (L) 3B

7. Cole Tucker (S) RF

8. Jarrod Dyson (L) CF

9. Jacob Stallings (R) C

Trevor Williams (R) SP



Geez, Louise! Gonzales at SS. I hate to see Riddle at 3B but that is better than Polanco being anywhere other than back in the Dominican. I think Polanco should OP Out of the rest of the season because he absolutely AS type of stinks.

[Bobster21]

So many issues. Are they using this mini-season to evaluate? Seems they are. How else to explain bizarre pitching decisions like lifting effective pitchers so guys like Neverauskas can pitch. And constant lineup and position switches. So why is utility guy Gonzalez never evaluated at 2B? Once again they move Newman out of position to 2B to give SS to Gonzalez. Are they evaluation Newman at 2B? Then why not EVER put Tucker at SS? And why not put Frazier in the OF if they want to see if Newman can handle 2B? That would enable them to put Tucker in CF if they are so dead set against him at SS instead of putting Tucker in RF tonight so that Dyson, who has no future with the team and cannot hit anyway, can take up space in CF.



The only conclusion I can reach is that these games are being use to evaluate but they are doing a really half-a$$ed job of it.

[MaineBucs]

Completely concur with Bobster.



Clearly, with the exception of Newman and Gonzalez, no one on the team has a BA that they would be willing to show their mother on a report card.



That said, Osuna has no range to play LF at PNC. If a non-hitter Riddle can play CF, why not play him in left and again play Osuna at 3rd. Or, for that matter, play Moran at 3rd, Bell to DH, and Osuna at 1st, his best position. While versatility can be an asset, Shelton is abusing this trait.



Frankly, the only thing dizzier than Shelton's line-ups is the current make-up of the pitching staff. I consider myself a Pirate fan, but I find myself looking at the roster nearly every day to try and get a handle on the folks who are now on the pitching staff. At present, I believe there are no less than 6 pitchers that few, if any, fans would have imagined being on the staff at this point the season: Bashlor, Brubaker, Howard, Mears, Turley, and Waddell, and this doesn't even take into account Hartleib and the Never Man.



I don't know why nearly every Pirate player has decided to stop hitting, pitching and fielding at the same time, but watching the games has started to feel like a duty instead of a joy.

[shedman]

McHenry is encouraged because Bell hit a foul ball before he struck out!!!

[Bobster21]

Wow. Bucs at 1st and 2nd, 1 out and Bell up, Gonzalez tries to steal 3B. Now just a runner at 1B and 2 outs. Wow.

[skinnyhorse]

Bell has no idea what he's doing it's time for him to sit or at least drop him in the order and put I don't know who batting 3rd. My goodness this is a mess.

[Bobster21]

455D5F58584F5E59444553360 wrote: Bell has no idea what he's doing it's time for him to sit or at least drop him in the order and put I don't know who batting 3rd.  My goodness this is a mess.
The 3-4-5 batters are batting .192, .211, .174. The 3rd leading hitter (.256) bats 9th.

[GreenWeenie]

Yeah, but they're great clubhouse guys and don't make much.

[Bobster21]

Williams held them to 1 run in 4 innings so now it's time to trot out the minor league bullpen. Outcomes don't matter. It's all about taking a look at players. That's why 36 year old, 1-year contract Dyson is in CF.

[Ecbucs]

012C21303726317172430 wrote: Wow. Bucs at 1st and 2nd, 1 out and Bell up, Gonzalez tries to steal 3B. Now just a runner at 1B and 2 outs. Wow.


Could you tell if it was close? Getting thrown out at third is bad. You only go when you are certain you can make it.