Pirates vs. Dodgers, 16 April 2008
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 6:32 PM EDT
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PrintPittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers, Apr 16, 2008 10:10 PM EDT
Paul Maholm vs. Brad Penny, 10:10 PM. Here's the box.
A couple of links:
-P- Chris Duffy got a cortisone shot for his shoulder pain. It sounds like he won't be back for a while. Barring a sudden change, there obviously isn't going to be a starting job waiting for him, but given the way Nyjer Morgan has played so far, I could see the Pirates putting Duffy in Morgan's place once Duffy has proven he's healthy at AAA. Of course, until he's well enough to throw, that will all remain in the realm of speculation.
-P- Also from the Post-Gazette, here's an article about the Pirates' improved patience this year. We haven't really reached the point where comparisons between this year and last really mean a lot, but things do seem different. Having Ryan Doumit and Nate McLouth in place of Ronny Paulino and the speedy, slap-hitting outfielder du jour certainly helps, as does the improved play of Jason Bay, who's been drawing walks like crazy. The Pirates' hitting hasn't been utterly painful to watch this year, either; you can turn on a game and be reasonably confident you're not going to see 18 consecutive first-pitch grounders to second.
-P- A bit of minor league news: 2006 second-round pick Mike Felix somehow struck out seven batters and walked none in a three-inning stint yesterday for Hickory. I'd had Felix in my "dead to me" list (right between Jimmy Fallon and Bob Feller) after his terrible performance in 2007, but I'm going to have to move him to "on notice." Felix now has 13 strikeouts and just two walks and four hits in nine innings pitched. Keep an eye on him.
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Mike Felix
I guess I wonder whether age 22 at Hickory is ‘age-appropriate’. Considering that he’s just a couple of years out of college…and that he wasn’t a full time pitcher in college…maybe he’s at a reasonable level.
Could it also be that with the new instructional team…someone actually figured out what he was doing wrong?
I think age-appropriateness is the last thing Felix needs to worry about. His first step was just getting the ball across the plate, and apparently he has done that.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Scully might as well be reading straight from Kovacevic’s article right now.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:15 PM EDT reply actions
Which one? I didn’t see it.
I was referring to DK’s article about patience, which Scully was liberally borrowing from.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions
On Bay
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08107/873703-194.stm
I had the sound down until I saw your comment, and when I turned it up he was saying “His OPS was .961, second in Major League Baseball to Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox” which is in the article.
At least we know Scully’s not illiterate.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions
On a positive note
Maholm’s thrown nothing but strikes so far. Okay, so he just threw his first ball.
Tough luck there with the single off the leg.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:22 PM EDT reply actions
UGH!
Starting to look like batting practice for the Dodgers
It’s not, though. Nobody’s really hit the ball all that hard.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, Kemp fell down, Bautista missed the tag.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions
“You talk about Paul being hit by Hurricane Katrina, he’s being hit by Hurricane Dodgers here tonight.”
I like Scully less and less
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:26 PM EDT reply actions
we can't even
do a rundown play properly. Bixler should have been moving toward 3rd after tossing it to Bautista instead of standing like a bump on a log.
He was looking back. I think he was concerned about who was covering second while Kent ran in there.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
All 3 runs are earned runs
according to MLB.com’s box score. Chintzy runs. But still earned and charged to Maholm.
Good thing it's not on
FSN Pittsburgh tonight
I'm sorry
but if a pitch hits a catcher in the center of the glove, it should never be a wild pitch. Not that the scorer’s decision is the worst of things this inning.
No. But you’re right. Maholm’s pitch wasn’t exactly on target, but it did go right into the center of Paulino’s glove.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Pirates need a backhoe
to dig out of this hole.
they said doumit might be coming down with what laroche had…other than that I completely agree
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah richmond va, i’m in grad school there
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
I will be moving there in about two months…whats your connection to Rich.?
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
I went to William and Mary. My junior and senior years, my girlfriend at the time lived in the fan and was a grad student at VCU. She DJ’ed at U of R’s radio station, so I would go there to DJ with her. I like Richmond a lot – trips to Plan 9 were a big thing for me in college.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
yea this is my first year living here but I grew up in Norfolk so I knew it pretty well. It’s a pretty straight city
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
i live right off midlothian turnpike, so I’m real close ot you
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Drinks are on me
If the Pirates make the playoffs
2 runs now unearned
Bautista got charged w/an error – missing the tag? – and so two runs are taken off Maholm’s back.
Not that scorers’ calls are a big deal, but Maholm did not deserve to absorb four runs there.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, at least we’re getting some of it back.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Smalls
McCutchen homered, his 3rd.
Brian Friday is hitting .350/.469/.994. No HR but 9 BB in 11 games.
Todd Redmond went 7 IP, 4H, 4K, 0 BB.
Matt Wieters is in a 1/6 slump and his OPS is down to 1.394.
What the… Nady was just jogging there. Also he ran through Beasley’s stop sign.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:45 PM EDT reply actions
Is it me...
or is it looking like they mailed it in tonight?? They’ve already committed about 3 mental errors in an inning and a half.
Well, so much for the Dodgers not hitting the ball hard.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:47 PM EDT reply actions
I don't.
instead, i’m watching this on MLB gameday while watching my Jazz get creamed on the TV.
Bad day in sports for me… and we’re only in the 2nd inning here.
Biased Fan
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...
$15 bucks f/the radio feed only
Super investment. Can watch the (Dodger) higlights as clips in the Gameday box score. Can do other stuff while listening to the Pirates on the radio like I did back in the 70’s – except that they won then.
by Trogluddite on Apr 16, 2008 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't think
I’d wanna hear this team on the radio.
Watching is on Gameday is frustrating enough.
Biased Fan
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...
Jesus
does the ENTIRE TEAM have the flu? Old man Morris and now this…feels like old times (meaning the last 15 seasons)...
FSN obviously
knew the Pirates were going to get blown out tonight.
I’d leave him out there for now. He hasn’t been THAT bad.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions
he’s had some bad luck and don’t want to tax the bullpen tooo much
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm sure that
Maholm is wondering the same thing.
sorry, accidently hit post
Anyways, the Dodgers have 2 sac flies, 2 bunt singles, Kemp beating out a terrible rundown, and a questionable “check swing” that could have ended an inning. Nady decided to help our cause by running into an out at home on a hit that was obviously not going to score a run straight off the bat.
And to make it worse, the Dodger’s announcer is an ass.
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m getting hosed. Wells and Rios now 3 for 11 after starting well, Blanton getting hammered, Phillips, Tejada 0-fer, McLouth 0-fer-so-far
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions
i got up to go the bathroom and get a beer and the inning was over…ridiculous
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions
You're gonna need
a lot more beer if you see this one through to the end.
Well, this game thread should at least get progressively more amusing. :)
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions
runs have gone from 4 to 2 to 0…maybe it’s a sign
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 11:15 PM EDT reply actions
Yeah, I think that means next inning it will be -2.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Doesn't mean much
if we don’t score. Penny doesn’t give up 6 very often.
did the announcer
just say that the neither Sanchez nor Wilson made an error in 2007? If a team’s middle infielders didn’t make any errors all year, I think that would be a record of some sort.
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions
it can't
and it’s not….this guy is getting senile though, I think
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Termites...
somebody needs to get them out of our batrack. Call Orkin. I’ve never seen so many broken bats.
double play
perhaps that is the turning point of this mini-slump…that was a SWEET double play
Web gem??
That might be the only positive highlight we see all night.
at least
maholm seems to be settling down a bit
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 11:33 PM EDT reply actions
Salt Lake City.
Actually a suburb of the Valley of Salt, but yeah.
Biased Fan
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...
nice
I’m up in Cache Valley. Don’t run into to many Pirates fans out here.
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Another Pirates fan
in Utah?
Holy sh**... never thought I’d see that.
Biased Fan
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...
at this point you are right, at least Derg can field (consistently).
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions
At this point...
I’d rather see Walker than Bautista every day. Bautista is proving the point that there are some players that shouldn’t be playing every day.
Bullpens
Now pitching for the Blue Jays in the top of the 14th…AJ Burnett. Obviously…we are not the only team that forgets to save a pitcher or two for a long extra inning game.
huh
that’ll be interesting for my fantasy team. Had him left in one of my pitching slots. Maybe I’ll get a win out of it.
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions
or a loss…that’s pretty bad for an AL team to burn through those pitchers so fast.
by poorboywilly on Apr 16, 2008 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Sure enough
AJ Burnett gives up 2 in the top of the 14th to lose the game for the Blue Jays…although the first of the 2 scored on what was called a wild pitch…but appeared to beat the catcher through the 5 hole.
Really, nice work by Maholm getting this far.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 16, 2008 11:46 PM EDT reply actions
yea he's rallied
after the first two innings i never thought he’d get this far
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
In a piece of good news
For the 2nd series in a row with the Cubs…we miss Zambrano…since he pitched tonight.
No Soriano either...
but until we start playing major league baseball…instead of Little League baseball…it doesn’t matter who we play.
McLouth
extends it…so at least something went right.
at least we have one thing going for us
by richmondpirate on Apr 16, 2008 11:52 PM EDT reply actions
this is where
Laroche needs to hit a home run. Take advantage of one of THEIR gaffes.
the x-man
has already generated half the year’s stats, he needs to take his average down to about .225 for a few weeks
I’m sorry; I’m glad to see him playing well.
by poorboywilly on Apr 17, 2008 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions
Well, that's a night.
The Jazz just got crushed.
The Buccos are losing 6-1.
That’s it for today, I can’t take much more.
Go Buccos!
Biased Fan
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...
good to see
nyjer getting his money’s worth on the new pitcher
by richmondpirate on Apr 17, 2008 12:21 AM EDT reply actions
kind of humorous
watching his Dodgers analog take a circuitous route to his fly ball thought.
by poorboywilly on Apr 17, 2008 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions
This is actually one of the better 8-1 games I’ve ever seen the Pirates play.
I’m aware of the irony, but maybe you know what I mean.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 17, 2008 12:56 AM EDT reply actions
oh I know exactly what you mean
That Pierre “double” just kind of summed up the game. A rather poorly batted ball somehow makes it for a hit; not only a hit but a run-scoring double.
by poorboywilly on Apr 17, 2008 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions
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