Thoughts on Pirates-Cardinals

Sorry about missing a few days,but with continuing to work like crazy and both the Hagerstown Suns and Frederick Keys at home,time has been very short.

Good news on the horizon though,as tonight is technically the last overtime day of this marathon.
I do have Tuesday off before working my regular four days and then-YES-a VACATION!
So I hope to have time to finally do some features again then and the report on this years baseball trip.

Instead on concentrating on each game of the series for the Pirates against the Cardinals,in which Pittsburgh was very fortunate to win one game and remain in a tie for first,I'll just add some thoughts on the series and with some luck return to game coverage with tonight's game against the Braves in Atlanta.
No promises as tomorrow has tons of off day stuff for me to take care (including Greenville's getaway day here) in my first off day in just under two weeks...

Pirate Hooks

1) As I said above,the Pirates were fortunate to escape with one win in the series and a look at the lineup tells why-The Cardinals can run Pujols,Holliday and Berkman in the 3,4,5 spots with Pittsburgh responding with Neil Walker,Andrew McCutchen and Lyle Overbay.
If you cannot see the difference there,nothing that I can write will help your vision improve.

2) I understand the calls for the Pirates to add a player of impact and it would show the people that say that the team does not care about winning that they made an attempt,but I feel the team is short on talent to truly contend and a huge move would cost more than a PR attempt would be worth.
I am not against any moves,just ones that would cost a high price in young players that the teams has spent the last few years as part of the long term plan.

3) Another worry is the sudden reverting to form of Kevin Correia and Paul Maholm,who were both pasted in their post All-Star break appearances.
My main concern of this miracle run was this pair and Charlie Morton continuing to do what they had never done in the past for an entire season over the course of the second half.
Thus far those worries have been warranted.

4) The Pirates placed Alex Presley on the DL with a bad thumb and recalled Pedro Alvarez from Indianapolis.
Alvarez might be the bat that the team is looking for,if his trend of strong second halves continues from his minor league and 2010 history...

5) The Cardinals have underachieved and the Brewers are about where one expected them to be,but looking at their rosters,I see only one of them able to make an impact move.
I could see a team moving someone to the Cardinals to take a shot at the talented Colby Rasmus,but the Brewers look to me to be out of minor league bullets for the most part....