3M leads win over the Reds

The 3M company (not the company that manufactured Tartan Turf,the original surface of Three Rivers Stadium) sent the Cincinnati Reds packing with a 5-2 Pirate win.
Paul Maholm allowed two solo homers,but little else in an excellent eight inning stint and improved to 8-7 on the season.
Jason Michaels (8) and Brandon Moss (2) each slammed solo homers of their own in the win.
John Grabow earned his third save with a scoreless ninth.

I do not have much else to comment on the game as I watched much of the game in fast forward mode due to a miserable night at work that included seven hours of sitting in the dark without power!

Pitching Matchup
Cincinnati:Johnny Cueto (7-11 5.01 ERA) at Pittsburgh:Ian Snell (4-9 6.06 ERA) 7:05

Bullpen Notes

Jose Bautista was the stunning choice to send to the Indianapolis Indians to make room for Adam LaRoche yesterday after the game.
Bautista is not Eddie Mathews or anything,but isn't he more valuable than either Chris Gomez or Luis Rivas???
Bautista seemed very angry afterwards and I cannot blame him.
I understand the Pirates playing Andy LaRoche over him at third and agree with the move,but this one is head scratching considering who they kept around.
Look for Pittsburgh and Bautista to part ways after the season.

The Pirates locked up the hero of the College World Series and their fifth round pick,lefty Justin Wilson to a contract before yesterday's game.
Wilson is expected to go to Bradenton and work out with the GCL Pirates,but is not expected to pitch for them for the rest of the season.
A very smart move on the Buccos part considering the high pitch count that Wilson has rolled up this season for Fresno State.
Wilson has been known to have occasional control issues,but seemed to be overcoming them at bit over this past season.
Take a look at his mechanics.


The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a article on the unsigned draftees that focuses on more than Pedro Alvarez!
Tanner Scheppers (Round 2),Robbie Grossman (6) and Drew Gagnon (10) are also mentioned about their chances of signing.
If the Pirates could land all four of those and maybe 20th rounder Quinton Miller,I would be absolutely thrilled and would add this to the idea that the new regime really does have a plan of how to restock the ship.

The Orioles pounded the Cleveland Indians last night.
Why would this get mentioned when we like the Tribe and hate the Orioles?
Because Jeremy Guthrie dominated and here is a link to the Cleveland Plain Dealer that looks at just how poorly Guthrie was mishandled by Cleveland.
I remember screaming about that for 2 years as the Indians refused to give him any chance at all and had there been a blog then,I would have plenty of reference points to prove it!
The Guthrie story in the article about him refusing to sign Indians cards of him has been related to me by two different collectors and seems to be true.
Cleveland really dropped the ball there.


The Cleveland Cavaliers may have gotten the explosive point guard that LeBron James has needed for so long with Mo Williams coming to Lake Erie in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The cost was right as the payment was overpriced gunner Damon Jones and former Maryland Terrapin Joe Smith.
I would have liked to have seen Smith stick around,but this was too good to pass up for the Cavaliers and first round pick J.J. Hickson should be able to move into Smith's spot in the rotation pretty easily.
Williams averaged 17 points a game for Milwaukee last season and seems to fill Cleveland's largest need.

Photo Credits
Moss:Keith Srakocic-AP Photo
Guthrie:Chuck Crow-CLeveland Plain Dealer