Is anybody else worried?

by Illinois Pirate Fan on Aug 13, 2009 6:40 PM EDT Comment 30 comments

7 hits and no runs in the past 18 innings at Coors Field all the while giving up 19 runs. We're now 22 games under .500 and things are getting worse instead of better. It seems as if we are no better than a AAA team when McCutchen and Jones aren't hitting. Plus, our pitching is deteriorating--both starting and relieving. I've looked and looked trying to find a bright side, something upon which I can pin my hopes, but I just don't see it. Karstens is dead; Maholm is on life-support, Duke is beginning to resemble himself from last year, and Capps is throwing batting practice...and that's the good news. I can't tell if Jones or Young can continue to hit or if they are just aberrations; Doumit never did return to his previous self; only Cedeno and LaRoche have lived up to expectations; and will somebody please shoot both Moss and Pearce so we can all be put our of our misery and give their playing time to the guys in Indy?

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Not worried

I knew when we made the trades that things would get worse before they got better—that’s how a rebuilding works.

As for your comment abouut shooting Moss/Pearce, I understand frustration or even trying to be funny, but really? That simply isn’t funny. Sure, both guys could be playing better, but they’re good guys who at least deserve a shot. Will they be part of this team if/when we become good? Probably not, but they deserve the shot.

Hop on the PBC blog if you want doom and gloom predictions. This won’t be pretty, but it has to happen to go forward.

by Yotum on Aug 13, 2009 6:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The night is always darkest just before the day

Harvey Dent folks

The glare of the spotlight is harsh, and the pressure that success breeds immense. We revere our heroes, but expect much. And criticism can come as easily as praise.

by glass0941 on Aug 14, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pearce has actually been hitting pretty well recently, I wouldn’t shoot him just yet.

by maguro on Aug 13, 2009 7:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not worried here in Virginia

We always allow the concrete to dry before building on the foundation.

by Pirate in Ole VA on Aug 13, 2009 7:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oo!

+1 because I imagined the Pirates trying to play ball on a field of wet concrete… NOT PRETTY! but when it drys, look out.

by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Aug 13, 2009 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wet concrete

would certainly be easier on the ankles…

by BlindSquirrel on Aug 13, 2009 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All of our BIP pitchers looking like crap...

…is an inevitable consequence of putting crappy defenders like Young and Jones in the lineup in place of the stellar ones from earlier in the year.

It’s not the pitchers’ fault.

by Vlad on Aug 13, 2009 8:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

by Slizeezyc on Aug 13, 2009 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You have to be joking, right?

Not the pitchers’ fault? Really. Cubs get 17, Rockies get 10 and 8 the prior two nights and you’re going to put it on the inadequacy of a couple of guys in the field. That may be the silliest thing I’ve read here.

by dtoddwin on Aug 14, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At the start of the year...

…when we had Moss and Nyjer and such in the lineup, we were first in baseball in DER.

Since we started using guys like Young and Jones, we’ve dropped all the way to 22nd.

You do the math.

by Vlad on Aug 21, 2009 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ask me when Alvarez and Clement (plus maybe Tabata) are in the lineup sometime next year. Now, of course they are bad with extremely questionable players at 2B, RF, 1B and slight question marks still at SS, 3B, and LF.

by Gorkys n' Beans on Aug 13, 2009 8:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not too worried

We all knew this was the inevitable byproduct of a complete rebuild, so don’t get too discouraged. It’s like watching exhibition football, or minor league baseball. Forget about the results and focus on individual performances of important players.

Actually what you note as ‘the good news’, is actually the worst news to me. Capps and Maholm have both been disappointing, but Duke still seems to be playing pretty well, while suffering through a weaker defense behind him as Vlad pointed out. I would also like to see a little resurgence in batting average from LaRoche as we head into Sept., but his defense has been a pleasant surprise to me all season.

Otherwise, Cutch has been amazingly consistent for a rookie. Delwyn has been a pleasant surprise. His MiL stats show a good hitter with high SO, which has held true at the ML level, but his defense seems to be improving game by game. I’m not too concerned about Jones and Moss b/c I don’t really seem them as more than serviceable stopgaps auditioning for future bench roles when more talented players can take over their positions. Cedeno has been a pleasant surprise showing more of a glove and stick than I had originally anticitpated.

While certainly not spectacular, Pearce has played well, and at least seems to no be way overmatched by ML pitching as he did in previous stints. Milledge has been a little bit of disappointment, but it’s still very early and he has time to turn it around.

by los angeles bucco of anaheim on Aug 13, 2009 9:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

More sick of it than worried.

I think we all knew that this would be a bad season. That was pretty much a given from the start, even with Nate, Mario, Freddy, Jack and Nyjer on the team. But lately, I just haven’t had the energy to care anymore about most of these games, they’re just plain terrible. It’d probably be more fun for most of us to watch Altoona, West Virginia or Indianapolis than the Pirates. I believe that for the most part, Neal is doing a good job, but I’m just getting sick of seeing them loose. I want them to be good now.

I keep going back and forth in my mind about going to Milwaukee on August 29th and staying home. I really want to see another game and will probably enjoy the drive there and I do enjoy baseball. On the other hand, I just don’t want to see them loose again, especially to the Brewers and spend a hell of a lot money for tickets. I mean $20 for upper deck seats is just insane.

by IAPiratesFan on Aug 13, 2009 9:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Less crowds at PNC park. Shorter lines for beer. Easier to get parking space, and easier to get home. For me, this is the best part of the season. Just have fun man.

by chodan11 on Aug 13, 2009 10:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

lived up to the hype? are you nuts

the only thing i’m worried about is the fact that you think Andy Laroche lived up to the hype…

by FusilliJerry88 on Aug 13, 2009 10:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Seriously...

Are you his brother? Cousin? Former teammate? Former coach? Wingman? Other type of blood relation? Neil Walker himself? It’s gotta be something, otherwise, you might be crazy….

Show me a guy whos afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time. -Lou Brock

by Green_Wave on Aug 13, 2009 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You forgot lover...

"So you think 25 percent of the country is retarded?! Yea. Atleast 25 percent. Well lets so a sample. There are 4 of us an you're retarded. Thats 25 percent." Southpark; Mystery of the Urinal Deuce

by gorillakilla34 on Aug 14, 2009 2:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No one likes to see the Pirates play as badly as they have been, but there really was no other expectation when we started this full-scale rebuild last year. Things would have to get a whole ton worse at the major league level if we were to get any solid prospects in return for the guys we had.
I’m kind of upset that we’re going to set the record for futility at 17 years now, but I’m not worried about our future yet. If it’s 2012 and we’re not over .500, then I’d be getting worried. But, until then, we’ll just have to wait it out.

by Akshay R on Aug 13, 2009 11:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Worried about what??

When I predicted a 60-102 record this season…I figured the Pirates for a triple twisting 3.5 off the 10 meter board after the trade deadline. In other words…a massive dive. They aren’t disappointing me. We have to go through this to get to the future. It’s gonna be REAL ugly for about the next 12 months. Don’t get too attached to any of the position players except Cutch…I wouldn’t guarantee you have the same faces elsewhere at the end of next season.

by Thunder on Aug 13, 2009 11:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I am worried

the pirates might be demoted to triple AAA if they continue to play like this. i can’t believe there is another pirate fan in illinois

only lawyers and English teachers should care for grammar are you one?

The Pirates,Reds,Royals, and Padres are not major league teams

by angryandy on Aug 14, 2009 4:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

“I am very opinionated, and very moronic!”

by ryebr3ad on Aug 14, 2009 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Steelers are playing again

so the Bucco news I’m interested in til the end of the year concerns the draft, int’l signings, the expanding group of prospects in the minors, and the development of the few pieces of the contending puzzle that are already in the ’Burgh.

If we continue to slide to 100 losses, we could challenge the Nats and Royals for the top spot in the next June draft.

Another deep draft in 2010 would really help solidify the farm system to produce for years to come and put us in a more likely position to have winning teams from 2012.

by patthatt on Aug 14, 2009 10:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What, me worry?

I’ll be worried when they SHOULD be good and aren’t. But I don’t expect them to be good again in my lifetime. Think that way and it takes all the pressure off.

by bucdaddy on Aug 14, 2009 10:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

17-2

and we just lost 17-2 against the lack luster cubs…..i’m not worried because this year is a wash anyone. even though it was a wash on opening day. but we’re still not mathematically out of the wild card race ; ) hehe

by Christian Zavinski on Aug 14, 2009 6:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The player have given up

you knew it would happen if they traded Jack or Freddy since they were the vetran leaders of the team Andy is still propably mad that they traded his brother The Milledge Experiment must stop the man has talent coming out the woodwork but my God he can’t actually play sure he can hit occasionally he can field when HE wants he has a great arm when HE wants to use it he has his head somewhere far away the field of play i expect Cutch to have growing pains since he is only 22, 23 something like that Garret we all knew was going to cool off but JR can’t manage I have a feeling Kerriagan has no idea what happened to the pitching staff, Neal Hunington has stock piled the Minors but that doesn’t help the big club for a few more years and we will have traded everyone by then because we are afraid of how much people MIGHT cost us not how much they will. When will this end with the complete distruction of a once proud franchise I mean i heard of this talk of pardoy in baseball I missed that memo I mean suposedly all the teams can play close to each other. As I end this monologue I have one question when will there be a Salary Cap and a draftie pay scale I mean this is getting rediculous MLB make it happen

by WVPiratesfan on Aug 14, 2009 10:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs