Pirates 3, Mets 1: Bucs Beat Johan Santana
by Charlie on Jun 2, 2009 9:32 PM EDT
17 comments
The Pirates always seem to stumble against a Craig Stammen or a Mitchell Boggs or a Brian Moehler, but Johan Santana? Hey, no problem.
The Bucs had a number of very good defensive plays tonight (see the picture above for one of them, but there were others, including a really nice stab by Andy LaRoche) and a fine, if strikeout-free, outing from Zach Duke. But what seemed (perhaps coincidentally) to get them going was a play at the end of the fifth in which Nyjer Morgan got called out at first on a double play. Morgan flipped out in most impressive fashion, with a helmet-spike that surely ranked about a 9.8 on the Olympic helmet-spike scale. The extraordinary display even inspired the usually comatose John Russell to leave his perch in the dugout and have a discussion with the umpire.
In their half of the sixth, the Bucs' offense played with what seemed like a renewed sense of purpose, as Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche hit consecutive RBI doubles with no outs. The younger LaRoche then had a hard-hit out to second, and after Brandon Moss singled, Jason Jaramillo (whose solo homer the previous inning had accounted for all of the Pirates' offense to that point) grounded into a double play. For a second there, though, it looked like the Bucs were going to have a very long inning.
Fortunately, that was all Duke and the Pirates needed to take down probably the best pitcher in baseball, who left the game with six innings, three runs and just three strikeouts. Duke's ERA, meanwhile, dropped to 2.62.
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Nyjers “sparkpluginess” was definitely on full display with that helmet spike.
(Unfortunately I can’t take credit for “sparkplugginess”)
McLouth is The Trouth
by GTrain on Jun 2, 2009 9:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I wish AP had a picture of that helmet-spike, by the way.
by Charlie on Jun 2, 2009 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wish
MLB dot com had it, too.
Nice that ZD got some well-deserved support, for a change!
His record surely should be better than it is.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Jun 2, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Guess we don't have any bullpen help in Altoona
When last we left our heroes…they were ahead 9-1 in the 4th. Now it’s 9-9.
by Thunder on Jun 2, 2009 10:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Penguins win
and Jason Jaramillo blasts one of Johan Satana in a Pirates “W”.
Awesome.
by Suffering Buc on Jun 2, 2009 10:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
helmet spike = rally?
Careful. “B follws A, therefore A caused B” is a logical fallacy.
by bucdaddy on Jun 3, 2009 12:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
logical fallacy:
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
=
After this, therefore because of it
by dirtyfrank on Jun 3, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know. Hence “perhaps coincidentally.”
by Charlie on Jun 3, 2009 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is a great line:
“The extraordinary display even managed to inspire the usually comatose John Russell to leave his perch in the dugout and have a discussion with the umpire.”
Mr. Excitement’s sparkplugginess sparked to the team to victory!
My dad made the comment the other day about how the cameras show Joe Kerrigan more than they do JR.
The active, successful pitching coach is more worthy of air time than the slumbering manager.
by patthatt on Jun 3, 2009 11:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
In the Pirates Notebook,
Dejan talks about the outstanding OF defense, including the # of assists they have.
When I watch McLouth throw from the OF though, I see someone who takes too long to get rid of the ball. Any thoughts?
It goes without saying that Nyj’s arm is not impressive, and I’ve seen him too many times screw up throws to the cut-off man, something that doesn’t show up in the numbers.
There are too many numbers thrown around these days.
by patthatt on Jun 3, 2009 11:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
"There are too many numbers thrown around these days."
Amen, bruddah, amen.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Jun 3, 2009 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I loved Nyjer’s response. Someone asking him about his UZR had to explain it to him. “That’s cool, I just want to catch the ball.”
McLouth is The Trouth
by GTrain on Jun 3, 2009 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
cocktails
It seems to me that Nate has to “gather himself” before making a throw and teams take advantage of it.
His arm strength is O.K. from what I’ve seen, but positioning, footwork and release are all a part of the package, too.
I’m starting to buy into Charlie’s opinion that A. Cutch should be the CF when he comes up. If Nate’s range is becoming even more of a problem, and if Cutch is as good as advertised, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea the second half of the season.
But can you imagine an everyday OF with Nate, Cutch and Nyj? Yeah, good D and more SBs, but where is the power going to come from? Nate will probably finish with 20-25 HRs and Adam LaRoche too, but who else will provide much in the department? Doumit could, if he could stay healthy, but how likely is this?
Let’s keep hoping for the good starting pitching which allows a mediocre lineup to play respectable baseball.
I hope we put it to the Mets again tonight.
by patthatt on Jun 3, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Little LaRoche will grow into 20 HR power over the next few years.
He’s already got 13 doubles this year. As he fills out physically, some of those will end up going over the wall. And of course, Pedro should be a good power source at 1B if he develops.
That said, you can be a good offense without much HR power, as long as you get on base.
by Vlad on Jun 3, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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