Pirates Crushed by Dodgers

By Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates were dominated today by the Los Angeles Dodgers today in the finale of their four game series.  Since nothing went well for Pittsburgh, I thought instead of giving you the reader a written analysis of the game, I would do a “By The Numbers” piece to show just how Los Angeles outplayed the Pirates.  Since the Buccos lost by two touchdowns, here are fourteen reasons for the defeat and what came because of it.

1 – Number of runs scored by Pittsburgh in a 15-1 defeat by the Dodgers.

2 – The inning in which Brad Lincoln was pulled from the game, as he would only last 1.2 innings on the day, giving up six runs on eight hits.

3 – Total bases that Dee Gordon would collect on the first hit of the game for Los Angeles.

4 – Amount of hits Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley would allow in his five innings of work.

5 – Hits by LA first baseman James Loney, who would go 5 for 6 with three RBI and two runs on the day.

6 – Hits allowed by reliever Daniel McCutchen in 1.1 innings of work.

7 – Total hits by the Pirates offense in 34 at bats.

8 – Number of pitchers the Buccos used during the game in eight innings of work.

9 – Strikeouts combined by the four LA pitchers used in the game.

10 – Men left on base by the Pittsburgh starters

11 – Number of strikes thrown by Evan Meek out of the thirty pitches he threw in 0.2 innings of work.

12 – Amount of losses in the Pirates last 18 games.

13 – Batters faced by Lincoln when he left the game with two outs in the second inning.

14 – RBI on the season for Jamey Carroll after he knocked in the first run of the game on a ground out.

Well they say that numbers don’t lie and these numbers tell the story of today’s game.  The Buccos will now head to the desert for a three game set with the N.L. West leading Arizona Diamondbacks.  Tomorrow’s game will begin at 9:40pm and feature Jeff Karstens going up against Ian Kennedy.

Record vs. Dodgers:  2-6
Record vs. N.L. West:  12-18
Record on the Road:  34-41
Overall Record:  68-85

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Dodgers Use The Long Ball To Rout Pirates 6-1

 By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

During the course of this uniquely up-and-down 2011 season for the Pirates, James McDonald has shown glimpses of pitching brilliance as a starting pitcher, so much so that it made some wonder why the Los Angeles Dodgers could part ways with him.

There have also been games like tonight…when he struggles to record each out, can’t locate his pitches, and when he does, he serves them over the plate and gives up homeruns.

J-Mac pitched made it through only three innings against his former team, being tagged for five runs on seven hits.  Two of those hits were homeruns, a three-run shot by James Loney in the first inning and a two-run blast by Juan Rivera. 

That was more than enough for Dodgers’ starter Ted Lilly, who dazzled and confused Pirates’ hitters through his seven innings of work.  Lilly gave up only four hits and one run, while striking out seven batters. 

The Dodgers won the game easily tonight over our Pirates, 6-1.

Josh Harrison’s RBI double in the second inning was the only productive offense the Bucs could muster all night.

On nights like this, there are always plenty of frustrating moments.  The top of the eighth, though, was the most aggravating of the night for Pirates’ fans.  The Bucs loaded the bases with one out and were in position to at least make the game interesting.  The Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen struck out Ryan Ludwick and Garrett Jones to end the inning and the threat.

The offense really struggled tonight for Pittsburgh.  The top three hitters in the lineup, Alex Presley, Chase d’Arnaud, and Andrew McCutchen, went a combined 3-14.  d’Arnaud’s average is just .195 in his 42-game MLB season, while due to a quite extensive slump, Cutch’s average has fallen to .264.

As always, we at Fans From The Stands try to find a bright note to every game for the Bucs, although some nights are more difficult than others.  Derrek Lee reached base three times tonight (with one hit, a walk, and a HBP), while the latest Pirates’ acquisition, Matt Pagnozzi had a pinch-hit single in the fifth inning.

After a very encouraging start to this series, the Pirates have been totally outplayed in every aspect of the game by the Dodgers.  The Bucs used six pitchers tonight, and while no one was exceptional, Jared Hughes continued his scoreless inning streak.  Daniel Moskos gave up one unearned run in the fifth inning.

The road trip will only get more difficult for Pittsburgh, as they will leave Los Angeles tomorrow and head to Arizona for a three-game set against the N.L. west-division leading Diamondbacks.  The Bucs will look to earn a series-split with the Dodgers tomorrow afternoon.  Brad Lincoln will make the start, looking for his second win of the season.  Lincoln comes in with a 1-2 record and a 3.73 ERA for the season.

Record Vs. Dodgers: 2-5

Record Vs. N.L. West: 12-17

Record On The Road: 34-40

Overall Record: 68-84

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Look Flat In Loss To Dodgers

by Zane Heiple

Photo by blog.prorumors.com

After an exciting win in the opening game of this four game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates were looking to string a few victories together on this road trip.  That will have to wait as the Pirates lost tonight 7-2.  Jeff Locke took to the mound for the Buccos and his time there was short as he only lasted three innings allowing three runs on five hits while walking two batters.  While this short outing placed a lot of stress on the bullpen, it is fortunate that the rosters have been expanded at this point in the season.  Five pitchers were used out of the bullpen and Daniel McCutchen was hit the hardest as he allowed three runs in his one inning of work.

Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda has not had the best season, as he entered tonight with an 11-16 record and a 3.19 ERA.  He did roll tonight in his six innings of work allowing one earned run on five hits, while striking out seven.  The only run he gave up was in the sixth inning when Alex Presley homered to right field, this also happened to be the only highlight for Pittsburgh on the night.

While they were in the game for most of the night, the four run sixth by LA really but the Pirates in a hole that they could not get out of.  As fans we are very familiar with games like this where the team is hanging around and then a few mistakes take them out of it.  Hopefully the Buccos can clean it up and get back to the form they had on Thursday against the Dodgers tomorrow night.  It will be another late night tomorrow as they two teams will square off at 10:10 for the third night in a row.  The Pirates will send former Dodger James McDonald to the hill, while Los Angeles will go with veteran Ted Lilly.

Record vs. Dodgers:  2-4
Record vs. N.L. West:  12-16
Record on the Road:  34-39
Overall Record 68-83

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates Late Rally Falls Short Against Dodgers

by Zane Heiple

Photo By AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates returned to PNC Park for a one game home stand against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  This game was a make up for a rainout that occurred on May 12.  Brad Lincoln would start for the Pirates while the Dodgers sent Dana Eveland to the hill.  Eveland’s name may sound familiar to Buccos fans and that’s because he played in three games for Pittsburgh in 2010.  He was able to get the best of his former team going eight innings allowing one run on six hits while striking out three batters.  Lincoln had an alright day going six innings, striking out and walking three batters, while giving up three runs on six hits.

LA struck early scoring three runs in the first.  With the bases loaded and one out, Aaron Miles would single home Dee Gordon and Matt Kemp.  Tony Gwynn Jr. would then hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Andre Eithier.  The Pirates cut into that lead in the second inning when Josh Harrison hit into a double play that scored Ryan Doumit from third. 

The Dodgers would open up that lead with a run in the seventh when a passed ball scored James Loney.  They would add two more runs in the eighth on a Gordon double to right field.  Pittsburgh made a little bit of noise in the ninth.  Alex Presley hit a two run homer to cut the Los Angeles lead to three.  Neil Walker then brought home run number four with a sacrifice fly to right field.  That would be all the offense the Pirates could muster as Harrison and Brandon Wood would strikeout to end the game.

The Buccos will now hit the road for a three game series against the Chicago Cubs.  While they had success their earlier this season, Pittsburgh is in the midst of a five game losing streak and cannot seem to find a way to win a ball game.

Record vs. Dodgers:  1-3
Record vs. N.L. West:  11-15
Record at PNC Park:  31-38
Overall Record:  62-75

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates’ Pitching Falls To Dodgers’ Hot Bats in 10-3 Rout

By Chad Carlson

The Pirates’ pitching staff finally looked vulnerable on Tuesday night, and the Dodgers took advantage of it, as they forced starter Kevin Correia out of the game in the seventh inning hammered the Buccos’ bullpen on way to a 10-3 rout at PNC Park.

Correia pitched well through five innings, but he ran into trouble in the sixth.  Andre Ethier gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead on an RBI single to right center field.  The very next batter, Matt Kemp, blasted a three-run homerun to deep center, and all of a sudden, the Buccos were in a 4-0 hole.

Correia would pitch 6.1 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on ten hits, raising his ERA to 3.25.  He took the loss tonight, falling to 5-3 for the season.

Andrew McCutchen crushed a solo homerun to deep left field to get the Pirates on the board in the bottom half of the inning.  Jose Tabata followed that up with a double, moved over to third on Matt Diaz’s ground out, and scored on Neil Walker’s sacrifice fly.  At this point, the Pirates were right back in the ballgame, trailing 4-2 heading for the final three innings of the game.

The eighth inning is where the game fell apart for the Pirates.  After the Dodgers scored a run in seventh to give them a 5-2 advantage, they destroyed the Buccos’ bullpen for five runs.  Most of the damage in the inning, and throughout the game, was done by the first four batters in the lineup for Los Angeles, who, as a collective unit, tallied ten hits on the night. 

Mike Crotta took most of the beating, giving up four runs on three hits while walking one without recording a single out.  His ERA now sits at 9.28.  Chris Resop recorded the final six outs for Pittsburgh, giving up one run on two hits, while walking two and striking out four batters.

McCutchen was the star of the day for the Buccos, going 3-4 with two homeruns, two RBI’s, and two runs scored, raising his batting average to .242.  As a team, though, the Pirates were only able to muster seven total hits, three less than the Dodgers had runs scored.

This is the type of game that the Pirates have to forget about and get back out on the field tomorrow with a clean slate.  Correia didn’t pitch a bad game…in fact, he was in control through the first five innings.  He made the mistake to Matt Kemp and paid for it, putting himself in a four-run hole.  Mike Crotta continues to struggle for the Buccos.  The bullpen has certainly been shaky as of late, which is definitely a cause for concern.  It is inspiring to see Cutch swinging a hot bat.  Ryan Doumit also continued his strong presence at the plate, tallying another hit, maintaining his batting average at .297.

The Pirates and Dodgers will take the field for the third of their four game set tomorrow evening at 7:05.  The Buccos will try to get back to their winning ways with Paul Maholm on the mound. 

Record Vs. Dodgers: 1-1

Record Vs. N.L. West: 7-8

Record At Home: 7-10

Overall Record: 18-18

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Score Three In The Eighth, Beat Dodgers 4-1 For Third Straight Win

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Well, the Buccos did it again.  They got a strong performance from their starting pitcher, some outstanding defensive plays from their fielders, and timely hits from their most reliable players in route to another victory at PNC Park tonight.  This time, it was a 4-1 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in the first of four games between the two clubs this week.

Jeff Karstens was given the start tonight against the Dodgers, and, like many of his predecessors this season, he pitched a strong game for the Pirates.  Karstens gave up one run on seven hits, while walking one and striking out two in 5.2 innings.  His only blunder came in the first inning, as he gave up an RBI single to Juan Uribe which scored Aaron Miles to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead.

Garrett Jones evened things up in the 3^rd inning with an RBI single of his own, scoring Ronny Cedeno from third base.  Jones had two more hits this evening, raising his batting average to .273 for the season.

The turning point in the game came in the eighth inning, when Jose Veras hit Matt Kemp on a 3-2 pitch to lead off the inning.  Uribe then followed by hitting a sinking liner to Jose Tabata in left field. Tabata slid and came up with the ball, fired to Neil Walker who tossed over to first base to double up Kemp.  Both Uribe and manager Don Mattingly argued the play immediately and then during the next inning break and both were eventually ejected.

While the ball did appear to bounce into Tabata’s glove, the call on the field stood, and the Pirates got out of the eighth inning without surrendering a run.  Of course, those of us who tuned into the game yesterday against the Astros will remember the Pirates’ misfortune when a ball that was caught by Andrew McCutchen was ruled a trap, which led to the Astros taking the lead in the ballgame.  Tonight, the Pirates were given the gift from the umpires, and they would take advantage of it.

After only being able to muster one run through the first seven innings of the game, the Pirates’ offense exploded for three runs in the eighth.  After Jones singled to lead off the inning, Neil Walker lined a double to right field, scoring Xavier Paul, who pinch-ran for Jones, all the way from first, to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.  Lyle Overbay then hammered a double to right field, scoring Walker.  Ryan Doumit then traded places with Overbay after his double to right field, giving the Bucs a 4-1 lead, which would be the final.

The bullpen was strong in relief of Karstens.  Mike Crotta, Joe Beimel, Jose Veras, and Joel Hanrahan combined to throw over three innings of shutout baseball.  Hanrahan earned his 11^th save of the season.

Once again, the Pirates played a great game tonight, and they were rewarded for it with a victory.  While the offense is clearly not where they, or we fans, would like for it to be, they are coming through when they need to, and they’re doing enough to get victories.  Doumit continued to swing a hot bat tonight with another three hits, raising his average to .295.  With the exception of Tabata and Pedro Alvarez, who both were held hitless, the Pirates received contributions offensively from nearly everyone in the lineup.  Alvarez did make a couple of phenomenal plays at third base, including a diving stop and putout to record the game’s final out.

The Buccos will look to continue their strong play as they take the field tomorrow evening against the Dodgers.  The Pirates have now won three in a row, and have a 6-2 record in May thus far.  Kevin Correia will take the ball for the Bucs tomorrow, looking for his sixth victory of the season.  The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 at PNC Park.

Record Vs. Dodgers: 1-0

Record Vs. N.L. West: 7-7

Record At Home: 7-9

Overall Record: 18-17

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

McDonald's Pitching, Doumit's Homerun Lead Pirates Past Astros

By Zane Heiple

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

The Battling Buccos lived up to their name today as they pulled out a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros and won the series, two games to one.  While James McDonald was unable to receive the bullpen support to earn the win, he pitched great, going six innings while allowing three hits, zero runs, and three walks.  He tied his career high of eight strikeouts during today’s contest.

Pittsburgh took the lead early, which has been a theme lately, in the first inning.  Steve Pearce hit a sacrifice fly to right field, which scored Andrew McCutchen.  The fourth inning saw the Buccos earn another run when Ronny Cedeno brought around Neil Walker on a single to right field. 

With a two run lead heading into the seventh inning, Chris Resop was summoned out of the bullpen and had his second straight bad outing.  The first batter he faced, Chris Johnson, hit a solo homerun to pull Houston within one.  Humberto Quintero tied the game two batters later on a double that scored Bill Hall.  Resop was yanked at this point and Joe Beimel came into the game.

Houston took the lead on the first batter Beimel faced.  A well timed bunt and run by Angel Sanchez scored Quintero from second base and the Astros had their lead of the day, 3-2.  They added a run in the eighth, which started on a Carlos Lee doubled that should have been ruled a catch by McCutchen.  Lee moved up to third on a poor pickoff throw by Daniel McCutchen and was followed by a Brett Wallace sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Lee.

At this point, it looked like the Pirates would once again drop a game that they clearly should have won.  But we don’t call them the Battling Buccos for nothing.  A Neil Walker single and a Steve Pearce walk brought Ryan Doumit to the plate with the opportunity to give Pittsburgh the lead once again.  Doumit did not disappoint, as he blasted a three-run shot to the left field bleachers to give the good guys a one-run lead.

Joel Hanrahan came in to close the game out in the ninth and earn his tenth save of the year.  He is now one save behind leaders Leo Nunez and Huston Street.

This was another exciting win for the Pirates.  Great starting pitching and timely hits led to the W today.  Hopefully Chris Resop is ablet o get back on track soon, because they cannot afford these let downs if they hope to continue their winning ways in 2011.  This is the first time since 2002 that Pittsburgh has had a .500 record on Mother’s Day.

The Pirates will welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to town for a four game set tomorrow.  Jeff Karstens will start for Pittsburgh tomorrow and look to give the Buccos a chance to improve their record at PNC Park.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

Record Vs. Astros: 2-1

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 9-6

Record At Home: 6-9

Overall Record: 17-17

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Morton Has Another Strong Start, Pirates Even Series With Astros

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Pirates entered tonight’s game against the Astros two games under the .500 mark.  Upon returning home after another successful road trip, the Buccos dropped a close game last night to Houston, meaning they needed a victory this evening to still have a chance of taking the series this weekend. 

One of the key traits of the Pirates’ season so far has been their ability to bounce back from a loss the day before.  That is exactly what they were able to do tonight, as Charlie Morton pitched another gem of a game, and the offense came alive in key situations, giving the Bucs a 6-1 victory at PNC Park.

Morton was in control again tonight, as he has been for the majority of the season thus far.  He pitched 7.2 innings, giving up one run on seven hits while walking one and striking out five Astros.  It was his fourth victory of the season, as he lowered his ERA to a stingy 3.13.

Jose Veras and Daniel McCutchen finished off the game for the Pirates, who improved to 16-17 on the season.

The Pirates struck in the second inning on Lyle Overbay’s monster solo homerun to deep right field.  After Chris Snyder and Ronny Cedeno each reached base, Andrew McCutchen lazered a double to deep left center, scoring both and giving the Bucs a 3-0 lead.  Cutch went 2-4 on the day with two RBI, raising his batting average to .227.

After Houston cut the lead to 3-1 in the eighth, the Pirates responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning.  Brandon Wood’s double into the left field corner scored Jose Tabata and Neil Walker.  Later, Snyder scored again on a wild pitch, giving the Bucs the 6-1 lead. 

This was a big win for the Pirates.  As we’ve discussed all season long thus far, the Bucs are not a team who are going to go on a 10 game winning streak and make up ground in the standings or on their record.  They need to keep that .500 mark within shouting distance, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.  The Pirates now have the chance to take the series from the Astros tomorrow afternoon.

James McDonald will get the start for the Buccos tomorrow.  After a rough start to the season, he has put together several strong performances in the last couple weeks.  Hopefully that trend will continue, and the Pirates can take the series before welcoming in the Los Angeles Dodgers for a four-game series on Monday.

Record Vs. Astros: 1-1

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 8-6

Record At Home: 5-9

Overall Record: 16-17

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Doumit's Grand Slam Helps Pirates Win Game, Take Series From Padres

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates had the chance to win their fifth road series of the season tonight with a victory against the San Diego Padres.  After letting a close one slip away last night due to unforced errors and mental mistakes on both sides of the ball, the Buccos sent starter, and former Padre, Kevin Correia to the mound in hopes of locking up the series. 

That’s exactly what happened tonight, as a strong start from Kevin and a huge third inning offensively helped the Pirates win the game against the Padres tonight at PetCo Park, 7-4.

Correia pitched well tonight, but he didn’t necessarily have to after the third inning.  The Pirates’ offense, often stagnant this season, exploded tonight, burying the Padres early.  After gaining a 1-0 lead in the second inning, the Bucs blew the game wide open the very next inning. 

Neil Walker smacked a two-run single to center, scoring Andrew McCutchen and Xavier Paul.  Two batters later with the bases loaded, Ryan Doumit walked to the plate and hammered a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for the grand slam.  It was the third G.S. of Doumit’s career, and extended the Pirates’ lead to a dominant 7-0.

As for Correia, he gave up two runs on five hits through six innings of work.  He struck out three and walked two, earning his fifth victory of the season.  His ERA sits at 2.91. 

Chris Resop and Daniel McCutchen did a superb job in relief, each pitching an inning of shutout baseball.

Unfortunately, as we, Bucco fans, have become accustomed to over the years, nothing ever seems to happen smoothly.  Jose Veras, who has been one of the more impressive relievers for the Pirates thus far, struggled mightily tonight in the ninth inning, giving up two solo homeruns and walking one batter.  After the Padres cut the lead to 7-4, Veras was able to get the final out, clinching the victory for the Bucs.

Wow, what a huge game for the Pirates.  This puts a cap on yet another successful road trip, as they finish up their west-coast trek with a 4-2 mark.  Doumit was the star of the day with two hits, including the grand slam, while Matt Diaz  had a pair of hits as well.  In all, the Pirates had eight hits, and took advantage of two costly third inning errors by San Diego.

This was an impressive victory for the Pirates.  The offense tallied seven runs on a day when Lyle Overbay, Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, and Chris Snyder were out of the lineup.  They got an early lead once again for the ninth straight game, a strong starting pitching performance, and the bullpen, although not as clean tonight as usual, still did enough to keep the lead and secure the victory.

The Pirates fly home tonight to Pittsburgh and will enjoy a much-deserved day off tomorrow.  Their third home stand of the season kicks off this weekend with a three-game set against N.L. Central foes the Houston Astros, followed by a four-game stand against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Record Vs. Padres: 2-1

Record Vs. N.L. West: 6-7

Record On The Road: 11-8

Overall Record: 15-16

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Xavier Paul

By Zane Heiple

On Tuesday, the Pirates added outfielder Xavier Paul to the roster after claiming him off of waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Paul joined the club prior to Thursday’s afternoon game against the San Francisco Giants.  In order for Xavier to have a roster spot, Pittsburgh designated outfielder John Bowker for assignment.

Paul is a former fourth round draft pick in 2003 of the Dodgers.  In 2004, he was selected by Baseball America as having the best outfield arm in the Dodgers’ system and hit .262 for the Columbus Catfish that season.  In ’05 and ’06 he played for the Vero Beach Dodgers and Baseball America named him the best defensive outfielder in all of Single-A.

He then spent the ’07 season with Double-A Jacksonville and ’08 with the Las Vegas 51’s hitting .316 in 115 games.  Xavier may be most known for being called up to the Dodgers as Manny Ramirez’s replacement when he was suspended for steroid use.  Shortly after this, he was sidelined with a staph infection and then an ankle injury caused him to miss the rest of the season.

2010 saw him once again in Dodger blue, but only for 44 games, in which he hit .231.  He returned to AAA when another ankle injury would prevent him from being a September call up with Los Angeles.

As a member of the Pirates, Paul will be their fifth outfielder and used mostly off the bench as a pinch hitter and a defensive substitution.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Joe Beimel

By Zane Heiple

The Pirates added another piece to their big league roster today, as it was announced that left-handed pitcher Joe Beimel would be added to the 25 man roster.  In order for this to happen, the Buccos designated lefty Garrett Olson for assignment.  If Olson clears waivers the team has ten days to either trade, release, or send him to the minor leagues.  On the year, Garrett is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA, 4 K’s and 3 walks in 4.1 innings of work.

Beimel was a free agent signing by the Pirates during the offseason after spending parts of the past two seasons with the Colorado Rockies.  This is not his first time with his home town team.  Joe was drafted by the Buccos in the 18^th round of the 1998 draft and made his Major League debut in April of 2001 against the Houston Astros.  After Pittsburgh released him following the 2004 season, he made just three appearances with the Minnesota Twins that year.  He spent 2005 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Finally in 2006 Beimel put it all together and became a valuable member of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen.  Unfortunately right before the 2006 playoffs, he cut his hand on a broken glass at a bar in New York.  The Dodgers lost the series in four games.  He rebounded in 2007 when he set the Dodgers’ record for most appearances, 83, by a left-handed pitcher.

After one more year in Dodger Blue, Joe signed a one year deal with the Washington Nationals and was their set up man for the first part of the 2009 season.  In July of 2009 he was traded to the Rockies for Ryan Mattheus and Robinson Fabian.

A lot has changed for Beimel since he last put on a Pittsburgh uniform.  He will not be looked at as a veteran of a young staff and is expected to be the main lefty to come out of the bullpen.  For his career, he has a 23-31 record with a 4.16 ERA and 315 strikeouts.

Be sure to check back to Fans From The Stands for more roster moves.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!