OnlyBucs

1. Kevin Newman (R) SS

2. Bryan Reynolds (S) LF

3. Starling Marte (R) CF

4. Josh Bell (S) 1B

5. Colin Moran (L) 3B

6. Jose Osuna (R) RF

7. Adam Frazier (L) 2B

8. Jacob Stallings (R) C

9. Mitch Keller (R) P

Reynolds is leading the NL in hitting. Hopefully Kelller will pitch well again. It gives us a few things of interest to watch.

I've got 2 more exciting things to watch tonight. Grandkids! Maybe they will watch an inning or two with me.

Keller is getting hit hard in the 2nd as Joe Block treats us to his dissertation on pens and hot dog vendors.

Keller again getting tagged in the 5th, taking time away from Block & Walk's lengthy discussion of a boy in the stands eating an ice cream cone.

just tuned in. Very disapointing that Keller got hammered again.



at least he is fitting right in with rest of the staff.

406D60717667703033020 wrote: Keller again getting tagged in the 5th, taking time away from Block & Walk's lengthy discussion of a boy in the stands eating an ice cream cone.
Sad part is the kid in the stands is more entertaining than the Pirates

4E6B68687D566B636176040 wrote: Keller again getting tagged in the 5th, taking time away from Block & Walk's lengthy discussion of a boy in the stands eating an ice cream cone.
Sad part is the kid in the  stands is more entertaining than the Pirates
True, but so is a splinter.

Yesterday, Keller was named International League player of the year.



Today he got absolutely shelled. Jayson Stark says he is the first pitcher to get eight Ks and give up eight earned runs in the same game. Forget NH's talk about picking up another reclamation project on the cheap. They need to fix this guy.



(Meanwhile Lyles played the Cards and gave up one earned run in 5 1/3)

Ramirez was sure thrown to the wolves in this game. 4 innings, 90 pitches (the most pitches he's thrown in a game all year including the minors). He's never even thrown as many as 90 in a game in his 8 minor league seasons). Of course he gave up runs in all 4 of his innings last night but that's standard for him. He's just a warm body. I wonder what injury will land him on the IL today to make room for another warm body?



And here's another illogical Hurdle move. He double switches when Ramirez enters to remove the NL's leading batter in Reynolds so that Ramirez will be the 9th batter from when he enters the game. Hurdle wants Ramirez to pitch as long as possible before batting and even lets him remain in the game to bat for himself when his turn finally comes. Ramirez is the last guy currently on the staff you'd want on the mound if there was a chance to win. So what difference does it make when he bats? If Hurdle is giving up in the 5th inning with this move, what's so important about delaying Ramirez's time to bat? Did Hurdle envision a Pirate rally in the next inning or 2 to get back into the game and didn't want Ramirez batting 9th in the order and stifling such a rally? But if that's what he envisioned, why was the NL's leading hitter taken out of the game in the 5th? If Hurdle was giving up but leaving open the possibility of a miracle comeback, why not just let Ramirez hit 9th (6 spots down the order from when he entered) and keep the NL's leading hitter in the lineup just in case that miracle comeback needed to be fueled?