Why Major League Baseball Needs To Realign

by Zane Heiple

Late last month Major League Baseball and the Player’s Association came to an agreement on a new five year collective bargaining agreement.  Some of the major points of this agreement were blood testing for human growth hormone, provisions around how teams can spend money on the first year player draft, the addition of a second wild card team in the playoffs, and an increase in the minimum salary from $414,000 in 2010 to $480,000 in 2011 and eventually $500,000 in the future.

The last key point was the movement of the Houston Astros from the National League Central Division to the American League West Division in 2013.  This move will create three five team divisions in each league and cause interleague play to take place throughout the season.  For me the question now is why doesn’t Major League Baseball just totally realign and dissolve the NL and AL into a Western and Eastern Conference?  I know baseball traditionalists will think I’m crazy, but hear me out first.

First off a breakdown of the new conferences and divisions, the Eastern Conference will have three divisions.  The Northeast Division will be made up of the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Toronto Blue Jays.  The Central Division will include the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pittsburgh Pirates.  Finally the Southeast Division will consist of the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, and Washington Nationals.  In the Western Conference’s three divisions you will see the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, and St. Louis Cardinals in the Midwest Division.  A Southwest Division would include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers.  Finally the Pacific Division would host the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners.

After reading the new alignment where are the drawbacks?  Simply there are none.  If you are worried about rivalries, they are all still there.  Yankees still play the Red Sox, Cubs and Cardinals are still together, along with the Giants and Dodgers.  Plus look at all the new regional rivalries that will take place.  The Mets and Yankees would be going at it for division titles, Pittsburgh and Cleveland would no longer just be about the Browns and Steelers, the Beltway would be abuzz over the Orioles and Nationals, and maybe Florida could get excited about baseball with Marlins and Rays fighting over the division crown.  In the west the Windy City and Show Me State would have a division battle going all season, Texas would have a shootout between the Rangers and Astros and the battle of California would be going on between four teams.

So how do we schedule this?  Glad you asked.  Each team would play 12 games against their own division.  7 games would take place against each of the teams within your conference.  Finally 3 games would be played against teams in the opposite conference.  In total one game would be added to the schedule which owners would love since its one more game of revenue that would be added.  With an odd number of games teams would alternate yearly between having 81 or 82 home games.

The All-Star game could still be the deciding factor in home field for the World Series, and the playoffs would still consist of three division winners and two wild cards.  The other big question is what to do with the Designated Hitter?  Well I hate to say, but since there is no way that the MLBPA will let MLB to get rid of this position it will be adopted by both conferences.

Still not convinced?  Well look at this, the differences between the NL and AL have been fading for years.  With interleague play, umpires covering both leagues, the draft no longer alternating between leagues, no more league presidents, players switching leagues more often with free agency, both leagues feel the same other than the DH.  If keeping the National and American League names is so important just name the Western Conference the American League and the Eastern Conference the National League.

Major League Baseball has slowly been moving in this direction for years, so why not just pull the trigger and set this in motion.  Maybe having two separate leagues made sense before all this expansion took place, but face it the game has changed.  This format works for the NBA and NHL and I see no reason why it can’t work for the MLB.

Meet Your Bucs: Matt Pagnozzi

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Chris Schneider/AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed catcher Matt Pagnozzi off waivers yesterday, after he had been designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.

Pagnozzi was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 8^th round of the 2003 June amateur draft, and made his professional debut with the New Jersey Cardinals of the New York-Penn League.  After advancing to AAA Memphis in 2008 and into 2009, the Cardinals called up him in September, making his Major League Baseball debut on September 29.  Pagnozzi hit his first MLB homerun on September 28, 2010, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

On November 29, 2011, Pagnozzi signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies.  He appeared in just seven games with the Rockies this year, with six hits in only 21 plate appearances.  He played in 54 games at the Triple-A level this season, hitting .275 with three homeruns, 13 doubles, and 29 RBI’s.

The Bucs made room for Pagnozzi on the 40-man roster by transferring Steve Pearce to the 60-day DL. 

This move was obviously made for next season, and not the remaining two weeks of 2011.  While the Pirates hold club options on both Chris Snyder and Ryan Doumit, a move like claiming a 28-year old catcher from another club implies they’re not looking to exercise either of those options.  If that’s the case, the three catchers vying for the starting catching job in 2012 will be Pagnozzi, Michael McKenry, and Jason Jaramillo.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Clinch 19th Straight Losing Season With Defeat To Cardinals

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

After being in the running for the division crown throughout the first four months of the season, fans could see the hopes of a plus .500 season slip out of the Pittsburgh Pirates grasp with their awful 8-22 run during the month of August.  Today’s 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals clinched that 19^th straight losing season to extend the North American record.

The loss today was like many of the losses that Pittsburgh has suffered throughout the 2011 season.  A great pitching performance and solid defense was wasted by lack of offense.  The Pirates offense mustered eight hits today, one more than St. Louis, but only scored two runs.  The second inning started off as a great opportunity to bust the game open.  Derrek Lee started off with a single, which was followed by a double by Ryan Ludwick.  With runners on second and third, Pedro Alvarez came to the plate and grounded into a fielder’s choice, which resulted in Lee being tagged out at home plate.  Next up was Ronny Cedeno who would hit into a double play to end any threat.  This type of inning sums up much of the season.

The Buccos were able to tie the game in the third inning.  After Michael McKenry double, Alex Presley would hit a one out RBI double.  Unfortunately Neil Walker would ground out and then Andrew McCutchen would strike out to leave Presley at third base.  The fourth inning saw the Red Birds score the winning run, as Yadier Molina would double home Lance Berkman and Allen Craig.  Pittsburgh cut into the lead in the sixth inning as Lee would double home Presley. 

Charlie Morton started the game and would go seven innings allowing three runs on six hits.  He would strike out six and walk three, before being lifted in place of Tony Watson.  Watson would strike out two batters and not allow a hit in his inning of work.  Jared Hughes finished the game off with one inning of work in the ninth.

While it is depressing to see another season come and go with the Pirates continuing to lose.  There have been some upsides to this season, which we will talk about in two weeks.  The Buccos wrapped up this nine game home stand with a 3-6 record.  They will now hit the road for seven games starting tomorrow night with a four game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Ross Ohlendorf will take on Dana Eveland with first pitch scheduled for 10:10pm.

Record vs. Cardinals:  7-9
Record vs. N.L. Central:  36-38
Record at PNC Park:  34-44
Overall Record:  67-82

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Cardinals Outlast Pirates In Sloppy Game At PNC Park

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

The Pirates and Cardinals faced off tonight for the 15^th time this season, having split the first 14 games.  This particular series is proving to be much more important to St. Louis, however, as, thanks to a nice five-game winning streak (before last night) and a partial Atlanta collapse, they’ve found themselves back in the N.L. Wild Card race.  The Pirates delivered a bit of a dagger in the Cards’ hearts last night, though, with a 6-5 victory at PNC Park.

St. Louis momentarily delayed the demise of their playoff hopes with a 6-4 victory over the Pirates in an ugly game at PNC Park tonight.

Chris Carpenter took the hill tonight for the Cardinals, who has had a ton of success against the Pirates in his career.  He also signed an extension with the Cards earlier today for two more years worth over $21 million.  Jeff Karstens returned tonight for Pittsburgh.  Both right-handers were looking for their 10^th win of the season, and both were part of a pretty sloppy game played at PNC Park tonight.

Neither starting pitcher had his best stuff tonight.  Carpenter gave up four runs on ten hits, including two homeruns, through his seven innings.  As for Karstens, he only lasted 4.1 innings, surrendering four runs of his own on seven hits.

The Cardinals jumped out in front in the second inning with three runs, including a two-run single from Carpenter.  The Bucs battled back, as they’ve done all year against St. Louis, with a little help from Albert Pujols.  The Cards’ first baseman botched a relatively simple play at first base, allowing Josh Harrison to reach base and Derrek Lee to score.

Lee got the Bucs a run closer with a two-out solo homerun in the third, and after St. Louis increased the lead to 4-2, Andrew McCutchen tied the game with a two-run bomb in the seventh inning.  Cutch’s homerun, his 23^rd of the season, hit in his 87^th and 88^th RBI’s of the season, and was his first hit since Friday night against the Florida Marlins.

The ninth inning proved to be just as sloppy as the rest of the game, resulting in two Cardinals’ runs off Joel Hanrahan, which would be the difference in the ballgame.  Nick Punto’s double and Pujols’s sacrifice fly delivered the runs for St. Louis, who evened the series with the Pirates, setting up the rubber match tomorrow afternoon. 

There were several close calls tonight that went against the Pirates, but more concerning were the miscues on the base-paths and missed opportunities.  In all, there were 13 runners left on base and four errors between the two teams.  This was a game that the Cardinals absolutely had to have, and they did what they had to do to come away with a victory. 

For Pittsburgh, it was obviously a frustrating loss.  Pedro Ciriaco got a well-deserved start at shortstop tonight, and had two hits, while every starting position player tallied at least one hit.  Pedro Alvarez got into the mix in a pinch-hit spot in the ninth inning with a single.  Unfortunately, after putting two men on base with no outs, the Pirates’ rally stalled and failed, capped off by Neil Walker grounding into a game-ending double play.

The Bucs have certainly held their own against the Cards this season, and they’ll have one final chance to win this series, and even the season series, against them tomorrow afternoon in the two teams’ final matchup of 2011.With the Red Birds’ playoff chances wearing awfully thin, a loss to the Pirates tomorrow could prove to be detrimental to their postseason hopes.

Pittsburgh on the other hand, lost for the 81^st time this season.  That, of course, means that they will miss a winning season for the 19^th straight year.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 7-8

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 36-37

Record At Home: 34-43

Overall Record: 67-81

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Ciriaco Two Run Double Carries Pirates Over Cardinals

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates battled back and forth all night with the St. Louis Cardinals, and in the end it was the Buccos that came out on top with a 6-5 win.  Brad Lincoln got the start for Pittsburgh tonight and was ok during his 5.1 innings on the mound.  He would give up three earned runs on four hits while striking out one batter and walking two.  The Pirates bullpen was once again consistent as Jason Grilli would pick up his second win of the season, while Joel Hanrahan collected his 37^th save of the year, even though he gave up a run during his ninth inning appearance.

St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse left the game after six innings of work with his team holding a 4-3 lead, but the Cardinals bullpen would falter in the eighth inning.  Former Pirate Octavio Dotel gave up the tying run when Ryan Doumit would double home Chase d’ Arnaud.  Marc Rzepczynski relieved Dotel and earned his fourth blown save of the year and collected the loss.  Rzepczynski intentionally walked Ryan Ludwick, struck out Josh Harrison, and then walked Jason Jaramillo to load the bases with two outs for Pedro Ciriaco.  Ciriaco then would hit a line drive to right field to score Doumit and Ludwick for what would be the win.

After a very sluggish series against the Florida Marlins the Pirates offense came through in clutch situations to keep their team in the game and ultimately pick up the win.  The Pirates starting lineup collected nine of the ten hits tonight, where as two nights ago they only had one.  Game two of this three game series will take place tomorrow night at 7:05pm.  Chris Carpenter will go for St. Louis while the Pirates will counter with Jeff Karstens.

Record vs. Cardinals:  7-7
Record vs. N.L. Central:  35-36
Record at PNC Park:  34-42
Overall Record:  67-80

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Cardinals Win Game And Series Over Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The St. Louis Cardinals offense came out swinging this afternoon, and were able to counter any threat by the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they went on to take three out of four in a 7-4 win.  Jeff Karstens started for Pittsburgh and had one of his worst outings on the season.  He would only go 3.2 innings allowing five runs on five hits, while walking two batters and striking out only one.

The Pirates took the lead right out of the gate when Andrew McCutchen brought home Jose Tabata with a line drive single to center field.  St. Louis struck back in the bottom part of the inning with three runs of their own.   All three runs would come on ground balls.  The Buccos battled back in the second inning with three runs to give them a one run lead.  These would also come on ground balls.  Unfortunately this was all Pittsburgh could put on the scoreboard today.

The Cardinals would tie the game in the third with a single by Ryan Theriot.  They took the lead with a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Allen Craig.  They would then add two more runs in the seventh to put away any chance of a Pittsburgh comeback.  Chris Resop was the pitcher that was touched up with the final two runs of the game.

Pitching was the story of today’s contest.  Both teams did not receive good starts, but the St. Louis bullpen was able to silence the Pirates bats, while the Cardinals offense used timely hitting to pick up the victory. 

This road trip for the Buccos will continue tomorrow with the start of a three game series with the Houston Astros.  Ross Ohlendorf will look to improve on his last start, while the Astros will counter with Wandy Rodriguez.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05pm.

Record vs. Cardinals:  6-7
Record vs. N.L. Central:  31-31
Record on the Road:  31-34
Overall Record:  62-71

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates Rip Carpenter, Cardinals 7-0

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

After tough losses in the first pair of games at Busch Stadium, the Pirates entered this afternoon’s game against the Cardinals limping their way to the end of the month of August, which has been a brutal and devastating one for the Buccos.  Lance Berkman’s eighth inning homerun last night clinched the victory for the Cardinals, sending the Pirates to a season-high 17 games back in the N.L. Central.

Brad Lincoln took the hill for Pittsburgh tonight, looking for his victory of the season.  On the other side, his on-mound opponent, Chris Carpenter, was aiming to continue his dominance against Pittsburgh, coming into today’s game with a 12-2 career record against the Bucs.

The Pirates jumped on Carpenter and the Cards early and often, acquiring a huge lead and never letting up, beating the Red Birds in front of their home crowd this afternoon by a final score of 7-0.

Despite his impressive statistics in the past, Carpenter’s success against Pittsburgh didn’t continue today, as he was tagged for six runs on nine hits through five innings of work, inflating his ERA to 3.76 for the season.

The Pirates used some two-out magic to get on the board in the second inning.  Garrett Jones reached with a double, and Josh Harrison singled him home, giving the Bucs an early 1-0 lead.

Carpenter’s day would only worsen in the fourth inning, as he gave up four more runs.  Andrew McCutchen led off with a double, and later scored on an RBI double by Jones.  Harrison smacked another RBI single, scoring Jones along with Neil Walker, who reached base with a walk.  Even Lincoln got into the fun, smashing a two-out RBI double to left center, scoring Harrison.  Pittsburgh occupied a 5-0 advantage at the end of the fourth. 

Walker added to the lead in the fifth inning with a two-out solo homerun to center.  The round-tripper was his 11^th and his 76^th RBI of the season. 

McCutchen’s RBI single came with two outs in the sixth, scoring Lincoln, who led off the inning with a walk, giving the Pirates a 7-0 lead.

The Cardinals had an opportunity to get back in the game in the bottom half of the sixth inning.  After Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday hit back-to-back two-out singles, Berkman drew a walk to load the bases for Skip Schumaker.  After a long battle, Lincoln struck out the Red Birds’ second baseman to end the inning.

That ended the day for Lincoln, who finished his six innings without allowing a run to the top-hitting team in the National League, while also earning his first victory of the season and the second of his career.

Following the last two nights in which the Pirates were competitive but let it slip away in the latter innings, it was nice to see the offense take out some frustration on a divisional opponent.  While the Pirates’ post-season hopes are gone, they can still enjoy the experience of playing spoiler against teams like the Cardinals.

Garrett Jones and Josh Harrison led the way for Pittsburgh today, each tallying three hits while Harrison had 3 RBI’s.  Lincoln pitched a very strong game against a tough offense, making a strong argument for his case to be in the starting pitching rotation in 2012.

Pittsburgh will look to carry over the momentum from this victory to tomorrow’s game, as they will look to split this four game series with St. Louis.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 6-6

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 31-30

Record On The Road: 31-33

Overall Record: 62-70

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Berkman Lifts Cardinals Past Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

Tough losses have been a theme for the Pittsburgh Pirates throughout the 2011 season.  Tonight’s game can be added to that list.  James McDonald was on the hill for Pittsburgh tonight and other than a rough third inning that saw the St. Louis Cardinals score three runs, he was effective over the course of the six innings that he pitched.  He would strike out five batters, walk three, while giving up five hits.

The Pirates offense struck early off of Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook.  After Jose Tabata walked and Alex Presley doubled, Andrew McCutchen would single in a run with a hit to left field.  Ryan Doumit followed that up with a single of his own that brought Presley in to score.  To finish off the scoring for the inning, Josh Harrison would hit a sacrifice fly to right field.

After St. Louis countered with three runs of their own in the second, the Buccos would regain the lead in the fourth inning when Tabata hit a double to right field that brought home Ronny Cedeno.  This would be the final run Pittsburgh scored on the night and the fate of the game would rest on the bullpen beginning in the seventh inning.

Jason Grilli would replace McDonald, and take down the three batters he faced.  The trouble for the Pirates pen came in the eighth inning with Jose Veras.  Veras would begin the inning by striking out Albert Pujols.  After he walked Matt Holiday, Lance Berkman hit what would be a two run home run that put the Cards ahead for good.  The Buccos would go 1-2-3 in the ninth inning, and fall 5-4 to St. Louis.

Pittsburgh will get a third shot at the Cardinals tomorrow afternoon at 4:11pm on FOX.  Jeff Karstens will take on Chris Carpenter.  This will be an important game for the Pirates if they hope to earn a split with St. Louis.

Record vs. Cardinals:  5-6
Record vs. N.L. Central:  30-30
Record on the Road:  30-33
Overall Record:  61-70

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Cardinals Too Powerful For Bucs, Win Game One 8-4

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Dilip Vishwanat

After a 5-5 home stand, including a series split against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Pirates kicked off their road trip tonight in the first of four games against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. 

Both teams had been struggling coming into this series, as the Cardinals and Pirates trailed the first place Brewers in the N.L. Central by 10 and 15 ½ games respectively.  Pittsburgh returned to Busch Stadium tonight for the first time since the second series of the season back in April, when they took two of three games from the Cardinals. 

The Pirates and Cardinals battled back and forth for the better part of the game, but in the end, it was the Red Birds’ powerful offensive attack that was the difference, as they took game one of the series tonight by a final score of 8-4.

Charlie Morton made the start tonight and certainly didn’t pitch his best, giving up five runs on nine hits through 4.1 innings of work.  His ERA continues to rise, now sitting at 3.62.

St. Louis took the lead in the first inning when Allen Craig and Albert Pujols hit back-to-back doubles to put the Cardinals on the board, 1-0.  Lance Berkman’s RBI single scored Pujols, and the Bucs trailed by two runs after the first inning.

Skip Schumaker’s RBI single in the second inning scored Rafael Furcal, and the Cardinals looked as if they were going to run away with the game against Morton.

The Pirates battled back in the third inning, thanks, in large part, to Cardinals’ starter Edwin Jackson’s control problems.  After Michael McKenry reached on an error to lead off the inning, Morton sacrificed him over to second base.  With two outs, Alex Presley, who was recalled earlier in the day from Indianapolis, singled home McKenry to get the Bucs on the board.  After Jackson walked Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker to load the bases, Garrett Jones delivered a big two-run single on a full count to tie the game, 3-3.

McKenry’s RBI double in the fourth scored Ronny Cedeno, who led off the inning with a double of his own.  The Pirates owned a 4-3 advantage.

The Cardinals regained the lead in the fifth inning on a two-run single by David Freese, which scored Craig and Pujols. 

The best chance for the Pirates to tie things up came in the eighth inning.  Jones led off with a single, and Xavier Paul, who was called in to pinch run, stole second base.  With a runner in scoring position and no outs, the Bucs were unable to bring the tying run across the plate. 

St. Louis added three insurance runs in the bottom half of the eighth to seal the victory.  After John Jay reached base with a double, Puljos was intentionally walked for the second time in the game, putting two runners on with two outs.  Matt Holiday crushed a three-run homerun off Tony Watson to extend the lead to 8-4.

This was certainly not the way the Pirates wanted to start this road trip.  The Bucs aren’t going to out-hit too many teams in this league, and that definitely includes the Cardinals, who, when at their best, can hit with the top teams in baseball. 

While Morton didn’t have his best game, the bullpen didn’t exactly hold up their end of the bargain either.  Watson gave up the big three-run shot in the eighth which effectively put the game out of reach.

Chris LeRoux pitched very well in relief, giving up just one hit in his 2.2 innings of work.  Garrett Jones continued his hot streak at the plate, going 2-4 with a double, single, a walk, and two RBI’s.  In his return to the club, Alex Presley had an RBI single, while Michael McKenry added two hits and an RBI of his own.

Jose Tabata, Andrew McCutchen, and Neil Walker went a combined 0-10.  Tabata’s hitting streak ended at 10 games.

The Pirates will try to get back on the winning track tomorrow evening at Busch Stadium.  James McDonald will start for Pittsburgh, opposed by the Cardinals’ Jake Westbrook.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 5-5

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 30-29

Record On The Road: 30-32

Overall Record: 61-69

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Thomposn Deals, Bullpen Closes Out Brewers

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

Aaron Thompson probably had a million emotions running through his body before he made his Major League debut today, but nervous had to be near the top as he would be facing a very potent Milwaukee Brewers lineup.  With the Pittsburgh Pirates recently placing Kevin Correia on the DL, Thompson got the call for the final game of this four game series and he did not disappoint.  He would only last 4.1 innings, but in that short amount of time he held the Milwaukee off the scoreboard while holding them to four hits.

Pittsburgh’s offense was not the high powered machine we saw in game two of Monday night’s game, but with the Brewers being shutout, the one run they scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Andrew McCutchen, would be more than enough.  The Pirates added an insurance run in the fourth inning on another sacrifice fly, this time off the bat of Neil Walker.

Jason Grilli was called into action with one out in the fifth inning and runners on second and third.  Grilli held his ground and got Corey Hart to strikeout and Jerry Hairston to ground out to end the threat.  Jason would pitch two more innings of scoreless baseball after that, before handing the ball over to Jose Veras in the eighth inning.  Veras did not disappoint either in his one inning of work allowing one hit, walking a batter, and striking out the side.  This led the way for Joel Hanrahan, who has been shaky at times, but today he was the hammer.  After allowing a single and walk to start the inning, Hanrahan would follow Veras’s lead by striking out the next three batters he faced to Raise The Jolly Roger for the Buccos.

This was a big win for Pittsburgh as they split a four game series with the N.L. Central leading Brew Crew.  Milwaukee has owned the Pirates for much of the past few years, so this split hopefully gives the Buccos confidence for future series against the Brewers.  The Pirates will head back on the road starting tomorrow night for a four game series against the St. Louis Cardinals.  Charlie Morton will take on Edwin Jackson with first pitch scheduled for 8:15.

Record vs. Brewers:  2-10
Record vs. N.L. Central:  30-28
Record at PNC Park:  31-37
Overall Record 61-68

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Reds Win Back And Forth Game Over Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The last time the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds met, both teams were battling for the top spot in the National League Central title.  That was in mid-July and things have changed quite a bit.  Now both teams seem to be in a battle for third place in the division as the Reds held a one game lead over the Buccos entering the start of this three game series.  Pittsburgh has played quite well against Cincinnati this year compiling a 7-2 record, so there was hope that the Pirates could lead over the Reds and possibly make up some ground on the St. Louis Cardinals for second and possibly move closer to that elusive .500 record. 

Kevin Correia took the ball for the Buccos on this night and while he has struggled at home this year looked pretty good the first time through the lineup.  The second time through however, Cincinnati would put two runs up on the scoreboard when Joey Votto hit a home run to deep centerfield. 

The Pirates were able to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Brandon Wood hit a sacrifice fly to score Andrew McCutchen.  Ronny Cedeno would tie the game with a RBI single to shallow centerfield.

The Reds did not take long to regain the lead, Ryan Hanigan hit a solo home run to left field.  Correia continued to give up the long ball as Brandon Phillips hit a three run shot to left field giving Cincinnati a 6-2 lead.  Pittsburgh did add a run in the bottom part of the inning on a sac fly by Neil Walker.  The Pirates would cut into the lead once again in the sixth inning with another run.

Correia would leave after six innings allowing six runs on eight hits with one K and one walk.  The bullpen would allow a run in the seventh, after Brad Lincoln got two outs, he would leave the game with runners on first and second.  Joe Beimel would give up a hit to shallow centerfield and then walk a hitter to load the bases before being pulled.

With the Pirates down three with two outs and runners on second and third, Wood doubled into left field to bring Pittsburgh to within one run.  Cincinnati then added a run in the eighth.  After Paul Janish reaced first on a missed call by the first base umpire, he would steal second and then score when Phillips hit into a fielder’s choice.

The Pirates battled back in the bottom part of the inning.  They would cut the Reds lead to one on a Garrett Jones double that scored Xavier Paul.  McCutchen then brought home Jose Tabata on a single to left.  With the game tied though, Pittsburgh would have two runners thrown out at home plate.

Things feel apart in the ninth for Joel Hanrahan as he gave up three runs in the ninth as the Reds would go on to win 11-8.  This was another one of those games where the offense shows up and the pitching has a poor outing.  Hopefully the Pirates can pull it together for a afternoon game that will be airing on FOX.

Record vs. Reds:  7-3
Record vs. N.L. Central:  27-25
Record at PNC Park:  28-34
Overall Record:  58-65

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Craig Hits Two HR's As Cardinals Avoid Sweep With 7-2 Victory

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Pirates entered tonight’s game at PNC Park in search of a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.  As is the case with the better teams in the league, it would be no easy task to defeat the Cards in three straight games.  Additionally, the Cardinals needed to start playing catch-up immediately, as they had fallen seven games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

Paul Maholm continued his struggles against St. Louis tonight, as he was tagged for three runs on eight hits in five innings of work.  The Cardinals defeated the Pirates tonight at PNC Park by a final score of 7-2.

The Cardinals jumped on the board early tonight against Paul Maholm.  In fact, the first four batters reached base, including Allen Craig, who blasted a two run homerun to deep center field.  Yadier Molina also singled in the inning, driving home Matt Holliday.  St. Louis led 3-0 before the Pirates even came to the plate.

Pittsburgh battled back to make it interesting in the fifth inning, as Jose Tabata smashed a two-run homerun to right center field, scoring Ronny Cedeno from second base. 

Unfortunately, that was as close as the Pirates would get, as the Cardinals added a runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth to break the game wide open.  Craig hit his second homerun of the game in the seventh inning, and Lance Berkman added a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth, stretching the lead to 7-2, which would eventually be the final.

The Pirates did not play well tonight at all.  It’s awfully frustrating, especially considering how well they played the previous two games, and the fact that they were going for a sweep of an N.L. Central divisional foe.

Mental mistakes and errors certainly hurt the Bucs tonight.  After getting behind early, they couldn’t afford to make these types of mistakes and expect to come back.

Ronny Cedeno’s mistake in the sixth was particularly aggravating.  With runners on first and second and one out, the Cardinals’ Kyle Lohse hit a ground ball at Cedeno, who was playing in for that exact reason.  Rather than throwing the ball home to save a run, Ronny took a quick look toward Ryan Doumit before tossing the ball over to Jones for the out.  The Cardinals scored, adding another run to their lead.  Garrett Jones and Brandon Wood each had errors as well. 

The first inning seemed to set the tone for the entire night.  After the Cardinals scored three runs to take the early advantage, the Buccos put runners on first and second with one out, and later had the bases loaded with two outs. Doumit and Ryan Ludwick couldn’t deliver, and the Pirates ended the inning empty-handed.

The bullpen didn’t fair too well tonight either.  Brad Lincoln gave up two runs on three hits in two innings, while Daniel McCutchen surrendered two runs in one inning of work.

Kyle Lohse pitched a nice game for the Cardinals, limiting the Pirates to two runs on five hits through his seven innings, while the bullpen held the Bucs in check in the eighth and ninth innings.

Pittsburgh has the day off tomorrow before opening up a series against the Cincinnati Reds this weekend.  Saturday’s game will be televised on Fox, and Fans From The Stands will be in attendance.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 5-4

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 27-24

Record At Home: 28-33

Overall Record: 58-64

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Walker Ties It, Jones Wins Game For Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates used the long ball to win 5-4 in extra innings over the St. Louis Cardinals.  It started in the third inning, with the Pirates down 1-0, Andrew McCutchen would step to the plate with runners on second and third.  He would then tuck the ball inside the foul pole for a three run homer that gave the Buccos the lead.

The sixth inning saw the Cardinals tie the game at three.  Albert Pujols would hit his thirtieth home run of the year on a solo shot to right field.  After Lance Berkman walked with one out, David Freese would double to right field, scoring Berkman from first base.

Joel Hanrahan came into the game to begin the ninth inning and did not show his best stuff tonight.  He would allow the leadoff batter to double, which was followed up by a sacrifice bunt.  With one out and a runner on third Pujols was intentionally walked to set up the double play.  Matt Holliday hit a sacrifice fly, which at the time looked like the winning run.

Neil Walker had other plans though.  He would lead off the bottom part of the inning with a solo home run to right center field and tie the game at four.  This game would head to extra innings, which had Pirates fans a little worried since Jerry Meals was the umpire behind home plate.  For those of you who don’t remember, he was the umpire during the Pirates-Braves nineteen inning debacle back in July.

This time however Meals opinion at the plate had no bearing on the outcome of this game.  After neither team scored in the tenth, the Cards would get a base runner in the top of the eleventh, but would leave him at first base.  This would allow Garrett Jones to blast a walk off home run over the right field seats and one hop into the Allegheny River.

This was another big win for the Buccos tonight as they look to make up ground in the National League Central Division.  While the playoffs may no longer be in sight, this team is playing to end the 18 year losing curse, and many players are looking to show the deserve to be on the team in 2012. 

Jose Tabata was back on the 25-man roster tonight.  Pedro Alvarez was sent to AAA Indianapolis to make room on the roster.  Pittsburgh management was also able to sign their first and second round picks from the 2011 draft prior to the deadline.  These two signings brought the number of draft picks that the Pirates signed this year to 24.  Tonight’s win gave the Pirates 58, which is one more than they had for all of the 2010 season.

These two teams will wrap up their series tomorrow night PNC Park, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.  Paul Maholm will look to pitch well and receive some run support from the Buccos Bats, while the Cardinals will counter with Kyle Lohse.

Record vs. Cardinals:  5-3
Record vs. N.L. Central:  27-23
Record at PNC Park:  28-32
Overall Record:  58-63

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Doumit Powers Pirates Past Cardinals In Series Opener

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

The Pirates’ lack of ability to score runs has plagued them to some extent all season, but recently it’s cost them to fall into a huge rut that has run them out of the N.L. Central division race, as well as weaken their chances at a .500 season.  The lack of power has been the most evident, with very few balls leaving the yard at PNC Park all season. 

At the very least, this upcoming home stand was an opportunity for the Pirates to play spoiler against the three N.L. Central teams ahead of them in the standings, beginning with the St. Louis Cardinals tonight.

Ryan Doumit went 4-4, including a three-run homerun, to lead the Pirates past the Cardinals, 6-2 tonight at PNC Park.

Despite their recent offensive struggles, it didn’t take long for the Pirates to get on the board tonight against Jake Westbrook, as Xavier Paul hammered the second pitch he saw to dead center field to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals tied the game in the third inning on an RBI double by Rafael Furcal.  The extra base hit scored Ryan Theriot, who led off the frame with a base hit.

Doumit put the Pirates back on top in the fourth inning with a three-run homerun to right field, scoring Neil Walker and Garrett Jones, who each reached base with singles.

After the Cardinals added a run in the sixth inning, Pittsburgh added a single run in the sixth and seventh innings, including an RBI double by Walker in the seventh, scoring Ryan Ludwick from first, giving the Bucs a 6-2 advantage.

The Pirates’ starting pitching continued its recent trend of quality performances, as James McDonald threw a solid game tonight, giving up two runs on six hits through 5.2 innings of work.  He pitched himself out of a couple jams throughout the night, keeping his team in front and earning his eighth win of the season.

The bullpen was also strong tonight for Pittsburgh, as Jason Grilli, Daniel McCutchen, and Jose Veras combined to pitch shutout baseball, setting the table for Joel Hanrahan to close out the Cardinals in the ninth.

Veras, who has struggled mightily as of late, struck out Albert Pujols in the seventh inning with two runners on, ending the frame and retiring the Cards in the eighth in order.

Obviously, any Pirates’ fan knows this was a big one to win tonight.  In fact, this was the first Pirates’ victory at PNC Park since July 24, when they beat these same Cardinals.  So much has changed since then, but Pittsburgh played a nice game tonight, with all of the aspects of the game that helped them have such a phenomenal first half of the season firing off again tonight. 

The Buccos will look to carry the momentum of tonight’s win onto tomorrow, as they face off against the Cards in the second of this three-game series.  Jeff Karstens will make take the mound for Pittsburgh.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 4-3

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 26-23

Record At Home: 27-32

Overall Record: 57-63

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Salvage Series With Win Over Cardinals In Extras

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates came into Sunday’s game with the St. Louis Cardinals in the midst of a three game losing streak and were a day away from heading on a seven game road trip against the top two teams in the National League.  This game may have not been a must win, but it was very important to notch a win against their Central Division rival.

Charlie Morton had an ok start going 5.1 innings giving up three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking five.  This has seemed to be the trend of the pitching staff lately after they got off to a red hot start to begin the season.  Outings like this have showed how the Pirates lack of offense is of much concern to the team if they hope to remain a contender in the division race.

The offense received some help from some unlikely sources today.  This was important considering the likes of Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen went a combined 1-7.  Eric Fryer was able to come around and tie the game at one in the third inning.  He would reach base on a single and then while stealing second base, an error by SS Ryan Theriot would allow him to reach third.  Chase d’Arnaud brought Fryer home on a double.

After the Cardinals regained the lead in the top of the fifth, Pittsburgh was able to tie the game when Morton helped his own cause on a sacrifice fly that would score Ronny Cedeno.  St. Louis did not waste any time regaining the lead in the sixth as the first batter of the inning, Colby Rasmus, hit a solo home run to right field. 

The seventh inning looked like it could have been a big one for the Buccos, as Cedeno would lead off with a double and would be followed up by a Fryer single.  Unfortunately, Steve Pearce would ground into a double play, that would score a run, but would put an end to any thought of the big inning occurring.

The Pittsburgh bullpen closed the door on the Cards offense as the combo of Jason Grilli, Chris Resop, Joel Hanrahan, and Joe Beimel pitched 4.2 innings allowing only four hits and not allowing a run.  This type of pitching allowed the team to win it in the tenth inning.  Xavier Paul would single with one out to give the Pirates a sign of life.  He would then steal second and advance to third on a throwing error by Gerald Laird.  This allowed d’Arnaud to be the hero with a sacrifice fly to center allowing Paul to cross the plate and give the Pirates a 4-3 victory.

The Pirates stepped up and avoided the sweep today.  What impressed me the most was that they were able to capitalize on the mistakes made by the Cardinals, and they did it players that no one really knew about before the season started.  With this win and the Milwaukee Brewers loss, the Pirates will head to Atlanta tomorrow in a three way tie for first place.  The four game series with the Braves will begin tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 7:00.  The pitching matchup will feature James McDonald of the Pirates taking on Tim Hudson of the Braves.

Record vs. Cardinals:  3-3
Record vs. N.L. Central:  25-16
Record at Home:  26-25
Overall Record:  52-47

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Bucco Beat-Episode 15

It's July 24, 2011, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are battling it out for the N.L. Central lead alongside divisional foes the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers.

In the latest edition of Bucco Beat, Zane and Chad discuss the recent homestand, which saw the Pirates take two of three from the Cincinnati Reds and lose two of three from the Cardinals.

The FFTS guys talk about the recent offensive struggles, the possibilities of trades and players returning from injuries, as well as looking ahead to the upcoming road trip against the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies!

Check out the podcast and stay tuned to http://www.fansfromthestands.com for all your Bucco updates!

Bucco Beat: Episode 15

And...

As Always...

Let's Go Bucs!

Cardinals Rout Pirates 9-1, Clinch Series Victory At PNC Park

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

For the second straight game, the Pirates entered play against the St. Louis Cardinals with the top of the N.L. Central on the line, and, for the second straight night, they were outslugged and outplayed by their opponent.  The Cardinals lit up the scoreboard, and Kevin Correia, on their way to a 9-1 rout of the Buccos tonight at PNC Park.

Correia lasted just 4.2 innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits, while walking three and giving up two homeruns, losing for the eighth time this season.  His ERA has ballooned to 4.38 for the year.

Jaime Garcia, on the other hand, pitched a strong game for St. Louis, surrendering just once run on eight hits through 7.1 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.01 on his way to his 10^th victory of the season.

The Cardinals took the lead early again tonight, tallying two runs in the second inning off RBI singles by Yadier Molina and Daniel Descalso.  After the Buccos cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning, St. Louis blew the game wide open in the fifth frame.

Albert Pujols smacked an RBI single to right center, scoring Skip Schumaker from third base.  Two batters later, Lance Berkman hammered a three-run homerun to deep center field, his 27^th on the year.  Molina added a solo homerun to make the score 7-1 after five innings.  The Cardinals added two more in the ninth to end the scoring. 

The Pirates’ offense continued to struggle tonight.  Chase d’Arnaud and Matt Diaz each had two hits, while Brandon Wood recorded the only RBI for the Bucs.  Still, the offense couldn’t muster together multiple hits at a time, and ended up leaving five men on base.  Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen were a combined 1-7 on the night, while Garrett Jones, Lyle Overbay, and Alex Presley all had the night off.  Where were we expecting the offense to come from?

This was arguably the worst performance by the Pirates this season.  Kevin Correia didn’t pitch well at all and the offense couldn’t score runs.  Walker and McCutchen, the two leaders of the club, didn’t do anything at the plate, and when the Pirates were able to put runners on base, they weren’t able to bring them home.

The game tonight was reminiscent of a game from last year or previous years.  So far this season, the Pirates have played to the level of their competition, meaning they play worse against the bad teams and good against the good teams.  Unfortunately, this weekend, they have looked like a far inferior team when compared to the Cardinals.  If they are going to stand any chance of competing in this division alongside the Cards as well as the Milwaukee Brewers, the Pirates are going to need to find a way to score runs. 

Pittsburgh will try to avoid the sweep tomorrow afternoon at PNC Park.  Charlie Morton will make the start for the Pirates against the Cardinals’ Kyle Lohse.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:35pm.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 2-3

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 24-16

Record At Home: 25-25

Overall Record: 51-47

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Cardinals Use Long Ball To Power Past Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

While the Pittsburgh Pirates have improved in many areas this year, the one area that still has much room for improvement is the ability to hit the home run.  The lack of home runs is why the Buccos need to add a bat before the trade deadline if they hope to contend in the N.L. Central.  The St. Louis Cardinals showed what can happen when you have power in the lineup as they would hit three long balls to give them a 6-4 edge over the Pirates.

The first two HR for the Cards came in the first inning off of starter Paul Maholm.  After Garrett Jones narrowly missed a ball at the Clemente wall, Albert Pujols would hit a two run shot to centerfield.  With two outs, Lance Berkman would double and then be brought home on a David Freese homer to right field.

Pittsburgh answered with two runs in the second.  Jones would double and then score when Ronny Cedeno singled.  Maholm would help his own cause by singling home Cedeno.  While the run scored, the first of two costly base running errors would occur as Michael McKenry would be tagged out trying to return to second base. 

St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter was excellent at the plate tonight as he would go 2-4 and drive in a run during the third inning after the batter in front of him, Nick Punto was intentionally walked.   Carpenter would go eight innings allowing four runs on ten hits, while striking out four and walking one.

The Buccos cut into the lead again in the sixth inning when Jones would bring in two runs, but would be thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double.  This proved costly as the two batters after him singled, meaning that the game could have been tied at five, instead of the Cards leading 5-4.

The final home run came in the eighth inning when Yadier Molina went deep off of Pirates reliever Chris Resop. 

This was the second game in a row that the Pirates hurt themselves with costly mistakes.  Tonight it was poor pitch location against a team that has power in their lineup and poor choices on the base paths that possibly cost the team runs.  The loss tonight makes tomorrow night’s game even more important to win so that Pittsburgh has a chance of winning this series on Sunday.  Tomorrow night’s game is scheduled for 7:05.  The Buccos will send Kevin Correia to the bump, while the Cards will counter with Jaime Garcia.

Record vs. Cardinals:  2-2
Record vs. N.L. Central:  24-15
Record at Home:  25-24
Overall Record:  51-46

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Meet Your Bucs: Jason Grilli

By Zane Heiple

Photo by blog.syracuse.com

On Thursday the Pittsburgh Pirates signed veteran relief pitcher Jason Grilli.  In order for this move to be made they sent Pedro Ciriaco and Josh Harrison back to AAA Indianapolis.  The reason for two players to be sent down is so that either Ronny Cedeno or Steve Pearce can have a spot available when the Pirates start a three game set against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

The acquisition of Grilli should be looked at in one way and one way only, experience.  He is not a guy that’s going to be brought in during tight, late inning situations.  He will probably be used mainly as a matchup pitcher brought in to face right handed hitters.

He has not pitched in the Majors since 2009 and has spent all of the 2011 season pitching for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, which are the AAA team of the Philadelphia Philles.  While with the IronPigs, he would post a 1.93 ERA in 32.1 innings.  He missed all of the 2010 season with a knee injury.

Jason was drafted by the New York Yankees, but chose to play college baseball at Seton Hall.  He was then drafted in the 1997 draft in the fourth round by the San Francisco Giants.  Grilli would make his debut in the Majors during the 2000 season with the Florida Marlins.  After spending the 2002-03 seasons in the Minor Leagues, he would play the 2004 season with the Chicago White Sox.  The next three years Jason would play with the Detroit Tigers.  For parts of the next two years he would play under Clint Hurdle in Colorado before signing with the Texas Rangers after being designated for assignment.  Through 2009 Jason has an 18-18 record with a 4.74 ERA and has 262 strikeouts to his record in the big leagues.

Hopefully this was just a small ripple before the Pirates front office makes a splash with the trade deadline soon approaching.  Grilli does have a lot in common with some of the current Bucco bullpen seeing he has been on the DL at one point in his career.  This move, at least to me, is one the Hurdle wanted to make since he did coach Grilli for parts of two seasons with the Rockies.

Stay tuned to www.fansfromthestands.com for more moves to the Pittsburgh Pirates 25-man roster.