Brewers 1, Pirates 0: Just Can't Beat Milwaukee

by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 29, 2009 4:51 PM EDT

The Pirates' lack of a real bullpen really hurt here, I think. Yovani Gallardo and Ian Snell had a perfectly nice pitchers' duel going after six (and Gallardo in particular was dominant, striking out eleven Pirates and only allowing two hits and one walk over eight innings). Around that time, Snell had thrown a ton of pitches and the Bucs had Tyler "Flood Gates" Yates warming up in the bullpen, which gives a sense of what John Russell might have thought his choices were. Russell left Snell in to face the Brewers' 8th, 9th and leadoff hitters in the seventh. Snell looked gassed, and he hung a fastball against Gallardo, who smacked it deep into the left field seats. Russell then let Snell finish the inning, which almost made things much worse--Snell walked Rickie Weeks and looked like he just couldn't find the plate anymore. Snell left the game having thrown 131 pitches, which seemed like too many, considering both the number and the way he looked out there.

Anyway, a tip of the hat to Gallardo, who did just about everything in his power to win this game for the Brewers. The Bucs have lost fifteen consecutive games against Milwaukee, and they finish April back at one game above .500; at least the bullpen will be fresh for the beginning of the series against Cincinnati, which starts Friday.

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All Right!

It’s mean, but too good to pass: let me be the first to nominate “Flood Gates Yates” as this year’s “White Flag” or “0-for-3vas.”

by KPatrick on Apr 29, 2009 4:56 PM EDT reply actions

I can’t take credit for it. Someone else started it in a game thread a couple days ago.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 29, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I've been using it too. Nice name

He is definitely our “reliever the manager kind of trusts but fans go nuts when they seem him trotting in from the outfield”

McLouth is The Trouth

by GTrain on Apr 29, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I think .500 Please might have come up with it.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 29, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Wait

I need a checklist of names we are allowed to say on this site.
Allowed: Flood Gates Yates, 0-for3vas
Not Allowed: Krisie Benson or feminizing ball players names.
I don’t even post that often, and when I do I don’t say anything offensive, but when I see rules like that it pisses me off. Making stupid rules like that make this site seem like an exclusive little boys club. Unless someone makes a demorilizing comment about you or someone you know personally, there shouldn’t ever be something that could be written, for anyone to take offense to.

by Danatural08 on Apr 30, 2009 1:56 AM EDT up reply actions

The permitted names make fun of the players for what they do on the field.

The prohibited ones don’t.

Seems like a fairly simple distinction to me.

More importantly, it’s Charlie’s site, and not yours. If you want to start your own blog, put up game threads, and then comment in them, you can call players whatever you want.

by Vlad on Apr 30, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Making stupid rules like that make this site seem like an exclusive little boys club.

This is ironic, since this is exactly what that no-feminizing “rule” is supposed to prevent. You want to make fun of a player, that’s fine. That’s encouraged, in fact. But if you have to compare players to women or gay people to mock them, that’s really just making fun of women or gay people, which I don’t think is cool.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 30, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

That is a fantastic name.

by Suffering Buc on Apr 29, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions

What is it with playing in Milwaukee?!? Geez, if you would’ve told me that Snell would have given up 1 run in 7 innings, I would’ve said, “Great! That’s a win.” Not so fast. This streak is crazy! Who loses 17 straight times (or however many games it is) in one ballpark?!?! I don’t event think I’m going to keep up with our next series in Milwaukee later this year! What’s the point? We lose everytime. Forget about it. Let’s sweep the Reds this weekend and get those three games back.

by thelumberco. on Apr 29, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

What do ya'll think?

This is off-topic a bit, but where do ya’ll think McCutchen is going to hit in the lineup when he gets the call? Leadoff?

by thelumberco. on Apr 29, 2009 5:00 PM EDT reply actions

Yes

Leadoff, I would imagine

North Side Notch

by northsidenotch on Apr 29, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I would hit him second

behind Morgan. It is time to make this team over in the image of the early eighties Whitey Herzog Cardinals. That approach would play to the ballpark and present problems that few teams are prepared to deal with in the “chicks dig the long ball” era. When you put pressure on the battery, good things tend to happen.

"Never mistake motion for action." - Ernest Hemingway

by SubLime on Apr 29, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions

When Cutch

comes up, you can pretty much bet the farm that NjyMo won’t be in the lineup…

I'd rather be dead than singing "Satisfaction" at forty-five. -- M. Jagger

by cocktailsfor2 on Apr 29, 2009 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Totally OT Craig Monroe mention

I am really baffled by this article on ESPN about second basemen.

Positional depth is a cyclical phenomenon in major league baseball, but there’s little doubt which spot on the field reigns supreme this season.

It’s a second baseman’s world. The rest of us just live here.

Second basemen are dominating the landscape in April. While Brian Roberts enjoys his big new contract in Baltimore, Boston’s Dustin Pedroia is polishing his MVP plaque in a PlayStation commercial and slaying Goliath on behalf of Dunkin’ Donuts. Ian Kinsler and Orlando Hudson both rode the cycle this month, and Chase Utley is poised to give Albert Pujols some serious MVP competition.

Heck, even Pirates outfielder Craig "Keystone’’ Monroe (yes, that’s his middle name), has a .536 slugging percentage in his first 30 at-bats.

…what?

“Second basemen are dominating the MLB. Here’s some second basemen who are awesome. Craig Monroe, an outfielder for the Pirates, is doing well in 30 at-bats. Here is a list of awesome second basemen.”

Weird.

by CptnAwesome on Apr 29, 2009 5:31 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah that really doesn’t make any sense. He even says “outfielder” in the article, it’s not like he was confused.

I made most of my life decisions at a Foghat concert... I stand by them.

by Chester J Lampwick on Apr 29, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Monroe's middle name really is Keyston

Second base is also known as the keystone. Weak connection, but there it is.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Apr 29, 2009 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks, TheJay. I never would have thought of that.

I was thinking he mentioned the middle name because Pittsburgh —> Pennsylvania —> The Keystone State. Which doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, but I havent ever referred to 2B as “the keystone” in my life.

by CptnAwesome on Apr 29, 2009 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow that’s quite a stretch but I’ll let it go this time.

Thanks, would have never figured that one out.

I made most of my life decisions at a Foghat concert... I stand by them.

by Chester J Lampwick on Apr 29, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions

And ya’ll think I’m crazy…Craig Monroe is a BA!! The best there is! Get Moss out, get Monroe in!

by thelumberco. on Apr 29, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I hate to be the conspiracy theorist

but I was really annoyed by the umpire today. Snell caught the four inches off the plate “corner” several times and didn’t get the call. Gallardo was doing it more often, but even that is a bogus school of thought (if you can consistently throw a ball, it will suddenly be a strike?) Specifically in Kendall’s last at bat and Hart’s AB in the middle innings (twice in that AB) come off the top of my head, but there were others.

Jason
The Hanging Curve

by poorboywilly on Apr 29, 2009 5:46 PM EDT reply actions

I went to the game.

Gallardo was filthy, and had us off balance & looking like idiots most of the game.

I have a coupla pix, if you want I should post ’em up. None very good, but…

I'd rather be dead than singing "Satisfaction" at forty-five. -- M. Jagger

by cocktailsfor2 on Apr 29, 2009 7:14 PM EDT reply actions

I'd like to see 'em

I'm droppin' flava, my behavior is hereditary--but my technique is very necessary.

by phillybucco on Apr 29, 2009 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Anyone

want to offer up an opinion on when Cutch gets called up?

by Suffering Buc on Apr 29, 2009 9:10 PM EDT reply actions

September 1st.

by Thunder on Apr 29, 2009 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions

June 1st

by Pensburgh Pirates on Apr 29, 2009 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Depends how he's playing at AAA.

by Vlad on Apr 30, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't be so sure, Vlad.

The only thing that would definitely cause the Pirates to bring him up before July 31st…is if he’s absolutely destroying the International League…which isn’t likely to happen. If there are no outfielders traded at the end of July, I don’t expect him up then either. I feel it’s more like when the rosters expand on September 1.

I don’t see them adding him before that…unless somebody (likely more than one somebody) just absolutely plays/pitches themselves off the 25 and 40 man rosters.

by Thunder on Apr 30, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions