Post by joshsbix on Nov 27, 2023 12:40:41 GMT -5
A little bit of a late print time today. The sparkle of the new season has worn off, it gets harder to drag yourself to the ballpark as the games count down slower than days until Christmas when you are a kid. You can only highlight so many losing streaks, ballooned ERAs and false hope to get you through the season. The Pirates came into this sim with the elephant in the room being anyone on the ML roster that has an ERA over 10 (looking at you German). We really thought the Pirates were going to get that monkey off their back prior to the All-Star Break so they other owners wouldn't make fun of the Pirates at the 4th of July cookout. Let's see what happened.
6/2
The Pirates came into this one looking to even the series against the Cubs and for their first win of June. The Pirates looked determined in the top of the first inning, scoring 2 early runs against Cub starter Darren Oliver, powered by Nieves 9th HR of the season. Just as it looked like the Pirates were going to get of the schneid in June, Dreifort gave up 4 in the bottom of the 1st. Pittsburgh retook the lead in the 3rd, scoring 3 and lead 5-4 until the bottom of the 6th. By the time Dreifort had been lifted and CJ Wilson had finished the 6th inning, the Cubs had scored 6 and lead 10-5. Pittsburgh scored 2 in the 7th and 1 in the 9th but the comeback falls short and Chicago takes game 4 of the long series, 10-8. Pittsburgh drops the series 3 games to 1. Pirates fall to 0-1 on the sim.
6/3
Yes, the Chicago series was brutal but the Pirates would have to take the good and leave the bad very quickly as they got onto a flight from Chicago to face the defending World Series Champions. June started out rough but it could definitely get worse. The Braves were flying high coming off of a 8-1 win against their division rival Phillies. Bryan Anderson got the call for Pittsburgh and another former member of the organization, Bud Smith this time, took the mound for the Braves. Bud went 6 innings giving up 4 runs, 3 earned but got the needed run support to get the 6-5 win and Valverde picked up his 10th save. Pirates drop to 0-1 on the series and 0-2 on the sim.
6/4
Game 2 of the series in Atlanta featured Pittsburgh's best starter against the legend, John Smoltz. Everyone expected a pitcher's duel but it ended up being anything but. Hebson and Smoltz were both deserving of whatever award is the opposite of the Cy Young.... The Stan Belinda? Smoltz definitely isn't having the kind of year that he is used to and Hebson has pitched better than this game shows. Both starters went 5.1 innings and gave up a combine 13 runs on 23 hits.
After 6 innings the Pirates had the Braves on the ropes but once again the bullpen couldn't hold the lead. German gave up 2 runs to see his season ERA balloon to 11.38. German has been an enigma. He has the talent, the consistency, and a groundball percentage well over the average but just can't stop giving up runs. The Pirates seem to be willing to give him the season to see if he can grow sufficiently to be a part of the future but right now the only thing he belongs in is a horror movie about killer ERAs. ATL wins game 2 of the series 8-7 and the Pirates drop to 0-3 on the sim.
6/5
Things were looking good, we had ATL right where we wanted them. Nobody has a better winning percentage than Pittsburgh in extra inning games and series game 3s when down 2 games to 0. The Pirates were sure they could take game until they realized that Rupe was starting against Willis. All hope was not lost though. Willis has put up some really good games and some really bad ones. Pittsburgh had a feeling that if Willis could get through 3 innings, they would have a shot.
Rupe turned in the start that everyone has come to expect from him this season, 7.1 innings of shutout baseball. Willis turned in an absolute gem of a performance as everyone held their breaths coming off of the 6 run whipping he took in Chicago. The D-Train pitched 6 scoreless innings and the game was still scoreless when the ball was handed to Franklyn German for the 7th inning. German did what he does best and added one more run to his runs given up collection, increasing his ERA to 11.27. A truck full of antacids was seen pulling up to the Marriot where the Pirates are staying, well after midnight. The pirates drop to 0-4 on the sim and the Braves sweep the series 3-0.
6/6
The Pirates limped home after the worst possible start to the month but had a fellow team with a losing record, Washington, waiting for them. Both teams came out in game one and scored in the first, trying to set the tone that they both wanted this game. Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead in the second before the defense disappeared. Nobody can say for sure what happened in the 3rd but it is one of those games that can be circled and used as proof that the team needs defensive improvement. Francisco Cordova gave up 6 runs, 1 earned through 2.2 innings. The silver lining is that the bullpen didn't allow any more EARNED runs. The Nats scored 2 more unearned runs in the 9th to take a 8-7 unearned lead into the bottom of the 9th.
Of course it was Josh Griffin that lead the 9th off with a double, completing his 4 for 5, 5 RBI day. After that it is hard to tell exactly how it unfolded. Castillo may have gotten a hit but didn't get the RBI. If he moved Griffin to third then it looks like Erstad got the RBI to tie the game but didn't score the game winner, so maybe a sacrifice? We know that Infanted did not score the winning run and it wasn't likely Choo because Choo was probably the runner on when Butler got his double. Maybe Butler scored the winning run in this one? Curious how others see it. When you don't hit a lot of extra base hits that get defined in the box scores, things get fuzzy for me.
Pirates improve to 1-4 on the sim and take game 1 of the Washington series.
6/7
The Pirate started strong and finished strong in this one. Dreifrot went 5 giving up 3 runs and the bullpen gave up only a solo unearned run and even German had a strong appearance. Pittsburgh scored 4 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th to comeback and win 9-4. Nieves hit a 2 run HR, his 10th, in the 1st and Tejada had a solo HR in the 5th. Other than that the Pirate offense again was station to station. But it worked as the Pirates win game 2 of the series 9-4 and improve to 2-4 and have a mini winning streak started.
6/8
Pittsburgh tried to keep the positive energy going as Brian Anderson took the mound but Tim Hudson had other plans. Hudson dominated for 8.1 innings, Putz picked up the save and Washington wins game 3-1. Washington got to Anderson in the 7th and it was enough to hold on for the win. Pirates go 2-5 on the sim and sits at 17-44 for the season, still in solid lotto draft pick territory.
All eyes turn now to the trade deadline. There isn't much work to do as far as extensions. Fans will be holding their breath to see if the team can get a return on Nieves and if Hebson is going to be a part of the near term rotation or if he is dealth for a younger player. The team continues to be patient with German in hopes that this season is the year he can grow into his ratings and possibly move into the starting rotation as a bunch of young relievers will be arriving in the next couple of seasons. The team should be moving Adams to the DL, we will be watching to see if the offense that seems to be getting going, a little, will be impacted.
Lotto Draft Odds Watch
1. TB 12 wins
2. SD 13 Wins
3. Cincy 15 wins
4. Minnesota 17 wins
4. Pittsburgh 17 wins
6. LAA 20 wins
Let's Go Bucs
6/2
The Pirates came into this one looking to even the series against the Cubs and for their first win of June. The Pirates looked determined in the top of the first inning, scoring 2 early runs against Cub starter Darren Oliver, powered by Nieves 9th HR of the season. Just as it looked like the Pirates were going to get of the schneid in June, Dreifort gave up 4 in the bottom of the 1st. Pittsburgh retook the lead in the 3rd, scoring 3 and lead 5-4 until the bottom of the 6th. By the time Dreifort had been lifted and CJ Wilson had finished the 6th inning, the Cubs had scored 6 and lead 10-5. Pittsburgh scored 2 in the 7th and 1 in the 9th but the comeback falls short and Chicago takes game 4 of the long series, 10-8. Pittsburgh drops the series 3 games to 1. Pirates fall to 0-1 on the sim.
6/3
Yes, the Chicago series was brutal but the Pirates would have to take the good and leave the bad very quickly as they got onto a flight from Chicago to face the defending World Series Champions. June started out rough but it could definitely get worse. The Braves were flying high coming off of a 8-1 win against their division rival Phillies. Bryan Anderson got the call for Pittsburgh and another former member of the organization, Bud Smith this time, took the mound for the Braves. Bud went 6 innings giving up 4 runs, 3 earned but got the needed run support to get the 6-5 win and Valverde picked up his 10th save. Pirates drop to 0-1 on the series and 0-2 on the sim.
6/4
Game 2 of the series in Atlanta featured Pittsburgh's best starter against the legend, John Smoltz. Everyone expected a pitcher's duel but it ended up being anything but. Hebson and Smoltz were both deserving of whatever award is the opposite of the Cy Young.... The Stan Belinda? Smoltz definitely isn't having the kind of year that he is used to and Hebson has pitched better than this game shows. Both starters went 5.1 innings and gave up a combine 13 runs on 23 hits.
After 6 innings the Pirates had the Braves on the ropes but once again the bullpen couldn't hold the lead. German gave up 2 runs to see his season ERA balloon to 11.38. German has been an enigma. He has the talent, the consistency, and a groundball percentage well over the average but just can't stop giving up runs. The Pirates seem to be willing to give him the season to see if he can grow sufficiently to be a part of the future but right now the only thing he belongs in is a horror movie about killer ERAs. ATL wins game 2 of the series 8-7 and the Pirates drop to 0-3 on the sim.
6/5
Things were looking good, we had ATL right where we wanted them. Nobody has a better winning percentage than Pittsburgh in extra inning games and series game 3s when down 2 games to 0. The Pirates were sure they could take game until they realized that Rupe was starting against Willis. All hope was not lost though. Willis has put up some really good games and some really bad ones. Pittsburgh had a feeling that if Willis could get through 3 innings, they would have a shot.
Rupe turned in the start that everyone has come to expect from him this season, 7.1 innings of shutout baseball. Willis turned in an absolute gem of a performance as everyone held their breaths coming off of the 6 run whipping he took in Chicago. The D-Train pitched 6 scoreless innings and the game was still scoreless when the ball was handed to Franklyn German for the 7th inning. German did what he does best and added one more run to his runs given up collection, increasing his ERA to 11.27. A truck full of antacids was seen pulling up to the Marriot where the Pirates are staying, well after midnight. The pirates drop to 0-4 on the sim and the Braves sweep the series 3-0.
6/6
The Pirates limped home after the worst possible start to the month but had a fellow team with a losing record, Washington, waiting for them. Both teams came out in game one and scored in the first, trying to set the tone that they both wanted this game. Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead in the second before the defense disappeared. Nobody can say for sure what happened in the 3rd but it is one of those games that can be circled and used as proof that the team needs defensive improvement. Francisco Cordova gave up 6 runs, 1 earned through 2.2 innings. The silver lining is that the bullpen didn't allow any more EARNED runs. The Nats scored 2 more unearned runs in the 9th to take a 8-7 unearned lead into the bottom of the 9th.
Of course it was Josh Griffin that lead the 9th off with a double, completing his 4 for 5, 5 RBI day. After that it is hard to tell exactly how it unfolded. Castillo may have gotten a hit but didn't get the RBI. If he moved Griffin to third then it looks like Erstad got the RBI to tie the game but didn't score the game winner, so maybe a sacrifice? We know that Infanted did not score the winning run and it wasn't likely Choo because Choo was probably the runner on when Butler got his double. Maybe Butler scored the winning run in this one? Curious how others see it. When you don't hit a lot of extra base hits that get defined in the box scores, things get fuzzy for me.
Pirates improve to 1-4 on the sim and take game 1 of the Washington series.
6/7
The Pirate started strong and finished strong in this one. Dreifrot went 5 giving up 3 runs and the bullpen gave up only a solo unearned run and even German had a strong appearance. Pittsburgh scored 4 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th to comeback and win 9-4. Nieves hit a 2 run HR, his 10th, in the 1st and Tejada had a solo HR in the 5th. Other than that the Pirate offense again was station to station. But it worked as the Pirates win game 2 of the series 9-4 and improve to 2-4 and have a mini winning streak started.
6/8
Pittsburgh tried to keep the positive energy going as Brian Anderson took the mound but Tim Hudson had other plans. Hudson dominated for 8.1 innings, Putz picked up the save and Washington wins game 3-1. Washington got to Anderson in the 7th and it was enough to hold on for the win. Pirates go 2-5 on the sim and sits at 17-44 for the season, still in solid lotto draft pick territory.
All eyes turn now to the trade deadline. There isn't much work to do as far as extensions. Fans will be holding their breath to see if the team can get a return on Nieves and if Hebson is going to be a part of the near term rotation or if he is dealth for a younger player. The team continues to be patient with German in hopes that this season is the year he can grow into his ratings and possibly move into the starting rotation as a bunch of young relievers will be arriving in the next couple of seasons. The team should be moving Adams to the DL, we will be watching to see if the offense that seems to be getting going, a little, will be impacted.
Lotto Draft Odds Watch
1. TB 12 wins
2. SD 13 Wins
3. Cincy 15 wins
4. Minnesota 17 wins
4. Pittsburgh 17 wins
6. LAA 20 wins
Let's Go Bucs
