Part 3 - The Pirates Hanging by a Tread, thread

[rucker59@gmail.com]

What's wrong with this picture?



Player for team A hits a hard line drive off the wall in RF, a double all the way. The RF for Team B fields the ball off the wall, casually turns and lobs the ball back toward the infield. The base runner for Team A, who is at 2nd, see the soft lob in the general direction of the infield and moves up to 3rd. He is given a triple, the RF is a young kid with all the talent in the world but his lazy play clearly allows the runner to record the "triple".



Which Team is within 2 games of the playoffs and which is hopelessly going no-where this year or anywhere in the next few years at a minimum, Team A or B?



I can't think of a more obvious picture of the sickness of this "team". The young Brewer is busting it all the way, playing the right way, even though there is nothing to play for. Polanco is playing for the postseason and has lost motivation.



You want to know what's wrong with team?

It's MCCutchen who after all these years still refuses to throw into the correct position on the infield.

It's Marte who can be brilliant but at any given moment apparently asleep in the field and suddenly taking ABs like he's reverted to his rockie season (swinging at balls in different zip codes).

It's Jaso standing in the batters box after hitting a ball.

It's Harrison who refuses to take a walk no matter how badly the other team try's to give him a base (I guess a trot to 1st is not dramatic enough).

It's Kang doing stupid stuff in Chicago.

It's Cole publicly complaining about $50,000 and being a Boras shrill rather than focused on his game and the team.

It's Lariano refusing to listen to his coaches.

It's Polanco dogging it and being out-classed by a Brewer.

It's Hurdle with his refusal to hold anyone accountable.

It's so much more of this selfish and heartless play.



I love the Pirates, but I dislike this team.



It's not that they only win half their games. It's that they don't play for me or you or the team or the game. It looks like they play for themselves and the pay check.



Game 3 against the mighty Brewers. I wonder who will look most disinterested this game?

[Bobster21]

Can't argue with any of that. I have felt all season that they are not in a pennant or WC chase. They don't seem to think they are. Fans get excited because the teams ahead of them aren't that far ahead. But the Pirates merely go about their own .500 pace, never getting excited, never showing any intensity or momentum.



It's like they're driving their car at 55 mph and the cars ahead of them are going 60. The gap isn't too wide but they'll never make up the distance nor are they trying. If those ahead of them aren't that far away, it doesn't matter. There's no effort to catch them. They're just doing their own thing and they can't help it if those ahead haven't pulled out of sight yet.



So fans get angry and frustrated when the Bucs fail to gain on teams ahead of them who lose a game. As if the Bucs lost an opportunity. But I see no reason for angst. The reality is that the Bucs simply are not participating in any playoff hunt. Teams ahead of them win or lose; it doesn't matter. The Bucs go about their season with a loss for every win, playing some good ball, some bad ball. They have to do this 162 times before going home. They can't help if fans think they're chasing teams that the Pirates aren't really chasing.   

[bucboy59]

It's so nice to hear what I've been thinking. Time to DVR the games, cut the BS 4 hour games down to an hour.

[rucker59@gmail.com]

Bullpen gives up pinch hit Grand Slam!



As we watch this team implode it's appropriate to consider what next year looks like.  Add the pen to part of the problem.



I don't know what the WHIP would be for the pen's back end innings, but it must be pretty bad.  Even our "best" pitchers are putting a ton on base.  Watson, Rivero, Feliz....



You can give up a grand slam without putting 3 on first.

[Bobster21]

Outscored 18-4 in the series.



67-67 for the season.

[Quail]

NOY

[CarolinaBucco]

Shutout 2 of the 3 games.



Basically NON-competitive.



AGAINST THE BREWERS.



AT HOME.

[Jerseykc]

Rookie Rotation the rest of the way



Might as well put Duncan and Williams in the starting 5

[LumberCo]

anemic, this mediocre team started when the front office did nothing in the early off season. they set the table for an underachieving team. starts with the owner!

[Ecbucs]

this season reminds me of 1873. The team has just floundered too much. Too many stretches of poor performance. Joe Brown tried to jump start the team in 73 by firing Virdon with 26 games to go (think that is right number) and bringing back Danny Murtaugh. As we all know that didn't work. I think they finished 13-13 under Murtaugh. Were in first place on September 15 and ended up 2.5 back