Bucco talk

The Pirates lost all three games since our last post,losing the final two games in Denver that finished a Rockie sweep of the series and a loss at home last night to the Indians.
I didn't watch the game.
Why?
Well,it is well established that I hate interleague play,but there is more to it than that.
Although we cover the Pirates here much more than the Indians,there is truly one reason that that happens-I like the NL game so much more than the AL and therefore I watch the Pirates more.
That's it,I have the same passion and same love for both teams.
If the internet would have been mainstream 15 to 20 years ago,the odds are that we would have been far more Indian based.
In those days of watching one or two nationally televised games a week and the local team,which in my case was an American League team were all that you really were able to see.
I was in much more of an American League frame of mind then and that would been the likely result.

That leads me to why I am not watching this series.
I compare it to not wanting to watch your kids participate against each other in competition on opposing teams/sides.
Someone that you care about has to lose and that takes quite a bit of edge off the rooting for you.
In other words,it isn't fun and sports is supposed to be about fun.

We will pick up on Pirate game coverage with Friday's series against the Royals,which has not only picked up the massive fan interest (Facetiously) but also ends interleague play for another season.

Pirate Hooks

1) What a mound meltdown in Colorado!
Saturday nights late inning nightmare might have been the worst all season with John Grabow and Jesse Chavez each giving up multi run homers in the eighth and ninth to turn a three run lead into a two run loss in just two Colorado at bats.

2) I listened to that game via the bird and the Rockie radio guys were just going nuts.
The radio voice of the Rockies is former Cleveland area standout Jack Corrigan,who was solid if unspectacular.
I would much rather listen to a Corrigan type on the radio than the "aren't I witty"types like Texas Ranger voice Josh Lewin or the goofy types like Greg Brown.

3) Back to the bullpen,I suppose one bad night can be excused.
I mean really when you look at the names on the roster,things could have been far worse from the relievers,but things really only improved when you do not have Tyler Yates to walk three batters in the late innings every night.
That is going to improve things right there.

4) Only 19,000 for the first Cleveland visit to PNC this season.
With any luck,that might help dampen the hopes by the Pirates to make the Indians their AL rival.
I need that like the Pirates need Tyler Yates back in the bullpen.

5) Seriously,I know that Pittsburgh and Cleveland have a rivalry and I like both cities,but assuming that the baseball rivalry will develop because of the Browns-Steelers feud makes little sense.
Besides the NFL,name me one thing that the two cities have a rivalry in.
Cleveland has an NBA team,Pittsburgh doesn't.
Pittsburgh has an NHL team,Cleveland doesn't.
The Pirates would be better suited putting their energy into a move to the NL East from the Central,where fans could see the hated Phillies three times a year instead of one and building a issue with the reasonably nearby Nationals,where they can bicker over which one gets to pick higher in the draft each season.

6) The Pirates began to move players in the minors around for the second half and some prospects will be challenged at the next level.
Brad Lincoln was moved to AAA Indianapolis after a dominant first half at Altoona that had great numbers except for Won/Lost,while Pedro Alvarez was promoted to AA Altoona along with Michael Dubee and Miles Durham.
Chase D'Arnaud will become a Lynchburg Hillcat after a promotion from West Virginia.

7) Now that Alvarez is a member of the Curve,we can really take a look at his numbers.
The Pirates and bloggers (Including me) had thought that the stats at Lynchburg for Pedro were a result of High A pitchers pitching around him.

8) Nice to see Mike Dubee get a shot at AA after bouncing around the Carolina League.
His numbers were dynamite in Lynchburg,but the true test comes in the second half.
A solid performance could put him on the map as a true prospect and a future possibility as a member of the Pittsburgh bullpen.

9) Another less than glittering Ian Snell outing last night against the Indians.
Rumor is that he could be demoted to Indianapolis (he has one option left).
Watch this closely,if he is sent to Indy,then the Pirates still have hopes for him,if he is moved to the bullpen or stays in the rotation then it could be to keep any marketability that Snell still has remaining.

Look for more catchup posts over the course of the next two day.
It seems like I get a lot up on off days and maybe the first day or two of the work week and then dwindles as the week progresses.
That will not be the case in Altoona.