Atlanta @ Pittsburgh GameThread, May 9, 2008 7:05 PM EDT

Braves vs. Pirates, 9 May 2008

by Charlie on May 9, 2008 4:05 PM EDT

Atlanta @ Pittsburgh

Tom Glavine and Ian Snell, 7:05. Here's the box.

One pretty interesting non-Michaels note in the Post-Gazette today:

The Pirates signed starter Juan Mateo, who spent half of 2006 in the Chicago Cubs' rotation, to a minor-league contract. Mateo, 25, rocketed through the Chicago system that year and went 1-3 with a 5.32 ERA in 10 starts for the Cubs, but shoulder trouble dropped him back to Class A last year.

Mateo's shoulder troubles weren't serious enough to require surgery, and he's not that old and was fairly interesting before 2007. In 2005, he mowed down the Florida State League as a 22-year-old, then pitched pretty well in Class AA in 2006. He doesn't have fantastic stuff and last year was bad, but the Bucs need all the free pitching help they can get.

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Your Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Line-up (according to ESPN.com at least...)

1. F. Sanchez, 2B
2. N. McLouth, CF
3. J. Bay, LF
4. R. Doumit, C
5. X. Nady, RF
6. A. LaRoche, 1B
7. J. Bautista, 3B
8. B. Bixler, SS
9. I. Snell, P

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:01 PM EDT 0 recs

And the Braves...

1. K. Johnson, 2B
2. Y. Escobar, SS
3. C. Jones, 3B
4. M. Teixeira, 1B
5. B. McCann, C
6. J. Francoeur, RF
7. M. Kotsay, CF
8. G. Blanco, LF
9. T. Glavine, P

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:09 PM EDT 0 recs

I can’t believe Kotsay is hitting as well as he is. I thought he was done.

by Charlie on May 9, 2008 7:22 PM EDT 0 recs

I might be talking to myself...

but I just have to post one last thing… holy crap, X and Nate just made back-to-back insane plays.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:22 PM EDT 0 recs

the game’s not even on TBS?

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

by cocktailsfor2 on May 9, 2008 7:24 PM EDT 0 recs

I’ve noticed that TBS hasn’t been carrying Braves games regularly like they used to.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

TBS

doesn’t carry “America’s Team” anymore, since you can pretty much watch any team you want every night. Yeah, end of an era.

by bucdaddy on May 9, 2008 8:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

Bixler is getting some practice in this inning.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:35 PM EDT 0 recs

I just noticed that the Padres

released JIm Edmonds and recalled Jody Gerut. Talk about getting desperate for OF help.

by patthatt on May 9, 2008 7:36 PM EDT 0 recs

I’ve seen Edmonds play several times in San Diego. He was a disaster. He played like he still thinks he can move like he did five years ago.

by Charlie on May 9, 2008 7:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

Freddy is favoring that wrist. If he goes down, who’s on 2nd?

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:39 PM EDT 0 recs

That would be awful if he did. Gomez?

by Charlie on May 9, 2008 7:42 PM EDT up 0 recs

Shudder to think…

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

Did Snell just bunt into a double play?

by Charlie on May 9, 2008 7:44 PM EDT 0 recs

Yeah.. it was lame. The ball fell directly in front of the catcher.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:45 PM EDT 0 recs

He thought it was foul and just stood there, while the catcher picked it up and threw to 2nd.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

Sanchez

There’s always Rivas on the river!!! God forbid! Chris Gomez is a very adequate utility man.

by thegunner on May 9, 2008 7:47 PM EDT 0 recs

1-0 Pens!

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Um...

You’re in the wrong forum.
Remember… this is for the team that falls behind early.

I kid, I kid.

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

by UtesFan89 on May 9, 2008 7:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

Don't worry...

I live in Philly. There’s no amount of abuse you could pile upon me that would compare to what I’ve experienced this week… :P

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah...

I guess not.
I live in Utah. We don’t believe in sports it seems.
At least not very much.

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

by UtesFan89 on May 9, 2008 7:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm setting myself up

for a polygamy joke somewhere, aren’t I?

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

by UtesFan89 on May 9, 2008 7:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

Snell’s starting to smell

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 7:54 PM EDT 0 recs

I think our pitchers are gaining a little sorely needed confidence.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:10 PM EDT 0 recs

As Snell puts up another walk… XD

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Take away the walks, and

Snell has been near masterful.
Just 1 hit and 4 Ks in 5 innings.

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

by UtesFan89 on May 9, 2008 8:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

I agree… this is the best he’s looked since that 10k gem at the beginning of the season.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

Grabbed Glavine for one of my fantasy leagues today. I’m feeling pretty happy about that.

by Charlie on May 9, 2008 8:20 PM EDT 0 recs

glavine

looking way better than he did against us on opening day

Raise the Jolly Roger!
http://raisethejollyroger21.blogspot.com

by Raise the Jolly Roger on May 9, 2008 8:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

IMPLOSING WARNING

In effect for Snell!

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:24 PM EDT 0 recs

IMPLOSION WARNING

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

Unrelated, but

Brian Engblom’s toupee mullet is astounding. He’s one of the Versus Network’s hockey analysts.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:24 PM EDT 0 recs

that game

crazy. 5 goals in the 1st?? and we scored with 6 seconds left?? wow

Raise the Jolly Roger!
http://raisethejollyroger21.blogspot.com

by Raise the Jolly Roger on May 9, 2008 8:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not that I care to notice too much

but Barry Melrose had a wicked mallet once upon a time.

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

Snell has about 5 good innings in him, but after that, it’s literally and figuratively up in the air.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:29 PM EDT 0 recs

Snell

really oughta stop waking people….....

Raise the Jolly Roger!
http://raisethejollyroger21.blogspot.com

by Raise the Jolly Roger on May 9, 2008 8:29 PM EDT 0 recs

Well that's 6 BBs for Ian

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:29 PM EDT 0 recs

Triple Play, anyone?

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:30 PM EDT 0 recs

Not so much :(

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'll settle for the DP

Still gave up a run though :(

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

Is JVB warming up or not?

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:31 PM EDT 0 recs

Here it comes.

by Charlie on May 9, 2008 8:33 PM EDT 0 recs

What the heck, Ian?

He didn’t run for first…

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:33 PM EDT 0 recs

Well

at least Snell made up for his brain cramp by inducing a DP.

by Thunder on May 9, 2008 8:34 PM EDT 0 recs

Whew...

lucky, lucky, lucky.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:34 PM EDT 0 recs

I think Snell is done after that inning

96 pitches 6 BBs in 6 innings

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:35 PM EDT 0 recs

I’d hope so… though Russell does seem to let them hang for a while at times. He’s got Snell batting though…???

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

wow

never seen snell hit a ball so well

Raise the Jolly Roger!
http://raisethejollyroger21.blogspot.com

by Raise the Jolly Roger on May 9, 2008 8:36 PM EDT 0 recs

redemption.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:37 PM EDT 0 recs

McClouth is slumpin’.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:38 PM EDT 0 recs

dang

doumit hit that ball hard

Raise the Jolly Roger!
http://raisethejollyroger21.blogspot.com

by Raise the Jolly Roger on May 9, 2008 8:43 PM EDT 0 recs

Bummer.

Good opportunity wasted.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:44 PM EDT 0 recs

It would suck if they called the game for rain at this point.

.500 or bust...

by phillybucco on May 9, 2008 8:48 PM EDT 0 recs

Man 114 pitches for Snell?!?!?

I’m gonna start referring Jeff Andrews as Andy:the Arm Slayer

by Bad Andy on May 9, 2008 8:53 PM EDT 0 recs

No way

back when pitchers were men, like Steve Blass, they only had four-pitcher rotations, complete games were the norm, and they threw harder. And no one whined or had their performance suffer – just look at Steve Blass.

by Trogluddite on May 9, 2008 8:54 PM EDT up 0 recs