Atlanta Braves @ Pittsburgh Pirates GameThread, May 10, 2008 7:05 PM EDT

Braves vs. Pirates, 10 May 2008

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 4:33 PM EDT Comment 121 comments

Atlanta Braves at Pittsburgh Pirates, May 10, 2008 7:05 PM EDT

Chuck James vs. Tom Gorzelanny, 7:05. Here's the box. With James, a lefty, on the hill, Jason Michaels starts in place of Nate McLouth, and Ronny Paulino catches instead of Ryan Doumit. Paulino hits lefties well, but that lineup still looks ghastly without McLouth and Doumit in it.

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Um...

but that lineup still looks ghastly without McLouth and Doumit in it.

Understatement of the year?

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 6:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Holy crap.

Gorzo better toss a shutout.

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 6:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Michaels batting 3rd?

What in the hell?

by EmmaOMG on May 10, 2008 6:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is dumb. Dumb dumb dumb.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 10, 2008 6:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wouldn’t want a 4 game streak get in the way of our misery, I guess :/

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 10, 2008 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep...

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Put some pressure on him to perform right away. I have no problem with it…not yet at least. Look at it this way, for one night we may have the best bench in the NL.
The Bucs are due to light James up anyways.

by Crazy,ButStillAFan on May 10, 2008 7:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep, and it's even better when you consider that...

Ronny Paulino will bat in the 8th with the bases loaded and the team needing runs… and Doumit will bat to lead off the 9th

oh wait…

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not a good start

for Gorzo.

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 7:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Looked like a Bucco bunt.

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gorzo doesn’t really have it… :(

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 10, 2008 7:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fu**

Another 1st inning deficit.

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 7:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

With a not-so-hot looking line-up.

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn Gorzo. Set it up on a tee for him next time.

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Come on guys...

I know the Pirates can drive people crazy at times, but the game has just started! You guys are very depressing.

by Crazy,ButStillAFan on May 10, 2008 7:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's been brought on us

by watching so many games like this. This season alone.

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tough break Gorzo. He hit a good pitch? :)

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't Jeromy Burnitz

bats right-handed? UGH

by Bad Andy on May 10, 2008 7:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well that was fast. But at least Michaels got good wood on the ball.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I've watched them too...

But if I was as negative as some people posting on this site I wouldn’t watch.
Of course it wasn’t a good pitch, but what is the point of jumping ship when our offense has been pretty good lately and we are down by 2 runs with 9 innings to go?

Look, nobody is going to agree with me, but I figured I’d try to infuse some sort of positivity. The easiest thing to do is knock the Pittsburgh Pirates…it’s so old though.

by Crazy,ButStillAFan on May 10, 2008 7:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's been hard

to remain positive with this team.
I’m trying, but …

The Utah Jazz
A disillusioned Pirates fan in Utah...

by UtesFan89 on May 10, 2008 7:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see your point...

but stick around. There are plenty of positive posts when things go well.
Nothing wrong with pointing out the mistakes either IMO. It’s called being a fan.

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Michaels kind of looks like McLouth after ten years of hard drinking.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hahahahaha

by EmmaOMG on May 10, 2008 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ha. Did you read the PG today?

I take it Michaels has hoisted a few in his time.

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh. I didn’t make the connection, but you’re probably right.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or spending 10 years

in a Pirate uniform HEY-O!

by Bad Andy on May 10, 2008 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

JBay!

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice!

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 10, 2008 7:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

DAM!

So close for LaRoche!

by Bad Andy on May 10, 2008 7:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ronny Ballgame up with 2 on.

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Whoa. Double steal!

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Your feed must be faster than mine. Don’t be a spoiler! :)

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

(Just kidding, by the way.)

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry Charlie :)

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great slide Bay

by Bad Andy on May 10, 2008 7:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good slide by Bay.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bixler

There’s something pretty sad about being overpowered by Chuck James.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bautista almost certainly saved a double there.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow. What a play.

by Hitman Easler on May 10, 2008 7:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yikes.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Holy moly!

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 10, 2008 7:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just turned the game on

Guess the Yikes and Holy moly! are for Gorzo snagging that bullet right back at him and turning two, then getting somebody to chase one down and away. That pitch looked pretty good … unless it was supposed to be a fastball.

Crazy, but … We are Negativity, our and we are many.

by bucdaddy on May 10, 2008 7:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

15 st8 losing seasons will do that to any Pirate fan

by Bad Andy on May 10, 2008 7:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's a real shame then

I was looking to get on a site to talk about the Bucs with fans…not people who just like to bash.
Good luck…hopefully we’ll have another awful season so you guys can sit around and cry about it and tell each other how bad they are.

And your wrong…15 straight will do that to many fans…but not all of us.

by Crazy,ButStillAFan on May 10, 2008 7:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

You should read some of the posts before you dismiss the site.

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

by cocktailsfor2 on May 10, 2008 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What’s the problem? One person complained that the Pirates got in a first-inning hole. That’s indisputably true. A few others complained that the lineup leaves something to be desired. That’s also pretty obvious. A third person complained that Gorzo doesn’t really have it. Also pretty clearly true. What would you have us say?

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I mean, if people here didn’t also offer praise when things went right, you might have a point.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I realize this is your blog, so it’s pointless to argue with you, so I won’t. I’ve been reading the site for a long time now…but it’s too negative at this point…not just in this game, but almost always.

Go Bucs, J-Bay is the man. Later guys, I’ll leave you alone.

by Crazy,ButStillAFan on May 10, 2008 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah. Guess I should just take some nitrous oxide and smile when Luis Rivas or Ronny Paulino come to bat.

I don’t get off on being negative. When the Pirates start putting a good team on the field, I’m sure you’ll see a difference in the tone.

In this thread alone, there are at least a dozen comments that are obviously positive.

I hate these constant complaints about negativity. I feel like people would rather I/we just lied.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know I’m just talking to myself here, but I’m not good at letting things like this go. Here’s the original post:

Put some pressure on him to perform right away. I have no problem with it…not yet at least. Look at it this way, for one night we may have the best bench in the NL.
The Bucs are due to light James up anyways.

So batting Michaels third “puts some pressure on him,” which is good, never mind that there’s no evidence to support that. Putting the Pirates’ two best hitters on the bench gives the Pirates the best bench in the NL, never mind that the only reason why is that those hitters aren’t in the lineup. And then the Bucs are “due” to get to James—that’s just plain old gambler’s fallacy.

Is this the way the anti-”negativity” complainers would like me to talk? How little would people trust me if I made arguments like this?

I’m open to suggestions, but you’re just asking me to be unrealistic, which I’m not willing to do.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My take

People will respect you more if you stick to your opinion instead of stating an opinion to please them.

by Bad Andy on May 10, 2008 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you. That’s what I’m saying.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Charlie...

Go ahead and stick with your opinion. Obviously you have a group of people here who want to hear it. I simply don’t agree with you, as I have stated previously. I’m not trying to change your opinion, I’m just saying that it is too negative for me, that’s all.
But, just because it is fun to get you fired up…
How is that nitrous treating you now since Paulino’s 2 RBI double? Also, the fact that Doumit and McLouth aren’t in the lineup doesn’t seem to be causing any problems tonight. Nate needed a night off, he was cold at the plate, and Michaels is filling in really well…just as intended.
Everything seems good…third straight hit.
If you want to keep this conversation going, alright, but I’m willing to drop it.
I actually only came back to see how people were reacting now that the bucs are winning and saw your post so I needed to reply.

by Crazy,ButStillAFan on May 10, 2008 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

While I'm trying to stay out of this

I have to bring this up. Have you read Jake from Bucco Blog. He makes Charlie look like Bob Smizik. Jake’s good at what he does but most people can’t handle his mostly negative but realistic views.

by Bad Andy on May 10, 2008 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"But, just because it is fun to get you fired up…"

How deliciously trollish. I’ll point this out anyway:

I feel pretty comfortable saying (correct me if I’m wrong, guys) that Charlie’s readers “want to hear it” because we’d rather hear reasoned, objective analysis backed up by facts than relentless positivity regardless of what the situation actually is. Sometimes good things happen with the Pirates. But more often they don’t. Either way I’d rather read guys like Charlie, because at least I know they’re being honest.

by EmmaOMG on May 10, 2008 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sure, things have worked out fine so far. I’m glad to see it, obviously. Most of the time, though, if you put Michaels third in your order, it’s not going to work out so well, and it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. And a big hit by Paulino doesn’t erase a year and a quarter of terrible play.

by Charlie on May 10, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs