Last game for JVB?

John Van Benschoten was already considered by many to be a possible candidate for release during the off-season and he had one last chance to impress the new brass.
But yesterday against the Diamondbacks,he pitched like someone that was looking for a fresh start as the Pirates were hammered by the visitors from the desert 8-0.
The game wasn't televised so I listened for a while on the XM.
Always fun to listen to baseball on the radio,but you cannot see for yourself how a player is playing,as you are relying on the announcers viewpoint.
JVB lasted just 2 innings,allowing 4 runs and finished the season with an ERA of over 10.
I would say that he will be either released over the winter or in spring training.
He is out of options,so he must stay on the big league roster next year or become eligible to go elsewhere.
Looks like the days of the once-promising hurler as a Pirate are soon to be over.
Not much else to say about the game and meaningful games are now over,as the Pirates finish the season with three games vs the non-contending Cardinals..

Pitching Matchup

St.Louis: Todd Wellemeyer (3-3) at Pittsburgh: Zach Duke (3-8) 7:05

Bullpen Notes

The Ashland Arrows travel to Millersburg this evening to battle the West Holmes Knights.
Both teams are 4-1 and 2-0 in the OCC.
The winner will continue to hold at least a shared possession of first place in the conference.

If any of you are interested in the political opinion shows,enjoy listening to varied points of view,have HBO and are a night owl-there is not a better three hour block than Bill O'Reilly at 11,
Keith Olbermann at 12 and Bill Maher at 1.
I am far from a BillO fan,but I enjoy his show far more than I should due to his looming mental breakdown!

C-Span's Presidential Libraries series continues tonight from the Dwight Eisenhower library.
The Truman edition last week was tremendously interesting and my kudos to C-Span for yet another well-done educational series.

Japanese researchers appear to have succeeded in satisfying all of those that hated dissection in Biology class as they have developed the see-through frog.
One can observe all the things that once needed the knife and tray without having to make one incision!
Takes some of the problems that some have with science departments if this frog was affordable and was able to eventually become mainstream.

And from the genetic fluke column-here is the two headed,four footed and one shelled turtle.

Back later or tomorrow with Pirates-Cardinals and a Ohio State-Minnesota preview.

Photo Credits

JVB-Gene Puskar-AP Photo
Frog-AFP/HO
Turtle-Matt Rouke-AP Photo
Helmets-Ohio Helmet Project