Thursday, May 24, 2007

A break from the format and we lose to Kip Wells???

First in a break from the usual format.
I would just like to wish my wife,Cherie-a happy 20th Anniversary.
Anyone that knows me knows that I am difficult on my best day,beyond belief on my worst,so Cherie has to be a saint with the patience of Job to tolerate me.
I cannot believe it has been 20 years,it has flown by so quickly!
But I just wanted to acknowledge the most important person in my life on this momentous day.

The Pirates just keep on stomping on any hope as they dropped a 5-3 decision to the Cardinals and Kip Wells.!?
Ian Snell gave up 3 homers in an unusual outing for him,but those nights happen.
What I want to know is this-Kip Wells,who sucked big-time in Pittsburgh and entered the game with a stellar 1-8 (Yes 1-8) record dominates the Buccos for 7 innings and allows just 1 run???
Does that speak volumes more than I can write or what??
You tell me where the light at the end of the Fort Pitt Tunnel is and I will look really hard for it.
The score could have been worse.
Chris Duffy robbed Juan Encarncion of a homer in the game with a great leaping catch.
I have been a vocal critic of Duffy and still remain so,but he is an excellent defensive outfielder and one cannot criticize him for his fielding for sure.
Snell falls to 4-3 with the loss.
Pirate RBI went to Adam LaRoche (2) and Jason Bay.
Series concludes at 1;00 today.
Tom Gorzelanny for the Swashbucklers vs Braden Looper for El Birdos.

Bullpen Notes

Duffy's catch made me think about a terrific feature from some of the newer ballparks.
The lower fences in parts of the park make the spectacular robbing catches happen much more often now than in the past.
Adds much more excitement than playing the hop off of a higher wall.

Jim Balsillie has bought the Nashville Predators.
The Canadian billionaire almost bought the Penguins,but backed out when the NHL insisted he not move them.
I agreed with the NHL on that one,but here is hoping this team in SEC country moves ASAP!
Several cities are rumored,but bet on either Winnipeg getting their deserved team back or Hamilton finally getting their chance to enter the NHL.
If Hamilton is the choice,they will likely have to build an arena in a strategic suburb to avoid the NHL's rule on entering another teams's radius.
Hamilton's past bids have been hurt by their radius to Buffalo and Toronto.
The two above links are great sites to read about Hamilton and Winnipeg's hockey past and future.

Here is a hilarious post from Charlie over at Bucs Dugout on B.P Chacon,the decision to make him the 5th starter and the "Stability" that Jim Tracy believes he brings over Van Benschoten.

Good to see Jeremy Guthrie pitching so well in Baltimore.
I always believed that the Tribe did not give Guthrie a real chance in Cleveland and I told people that if someone grabbed him off waivers that they could have a real find.
Thus far,Guthrie has done just that.I just hate that he is doing it in Baltimore!
I spoke to a member of Baltimore's player development office here at Municipal and discussed Guthrie and what I just wrote.
The person agreed and "We were shocked to get him off waivers,we thought someone ahead of us would claim him for sure".
I hate rooting for Orioles,but I do root for Guthrie.

Back later with Pirates-Cardinals,since it is an afternoon game..........

Photo Credits
Wells-AP Photo-Jeff Roberson
Pittsburgh Skyline-Pittsburghskyline.com-Matt Robinson

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