OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: It's All Jordy Mercer/Clint Hurdle/Joakim Soria's Fault

[cheesedanish87]

1. Gregory Polanco (L) RF
2. Josh Harrison (R) LF
3. Starling Marte (R) CF
4. Aramis Ramirez (R) 3B
5. Neil Walker (S) 2B
6. Francisco Cervelli (R) C
7. Pedro Alvarez (L) 1B
8. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
9. Francisco Liriano (L) P

Cutch getting a day off, Kang getting benched again.

 

[Winger for Hire]

1. Gregory Polanco (L) RF
2. Josh Harrison (R) LF
3. Starling Marte (R) CF
4. Aramis Ramirez (R) 3B
5. Neil Walker (S) 2B
6. Francisco Cervelli (R) C
7. Pedro Alvarez (L) 1B
8. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
9. Francisco Liriano (L) P

Cutch getting a day off, Kang getting benched again.

Looks like another night off the forum.

 

[titaniumexpose]

Kang getting benched again.

Nice... <expletive deleted>

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Looks like another night off the forum.

Well there wouldn't be so much tension on the topic if you didn't constantly argue with literally everybody else on the topic. We all feel differently than you but you feel the need to defend Hurdle every time this comes up.

Oh and this whole situation is rapidly shifting my opinion on Hurdle. In July at least there was the valid argument that Mercer was hitting well. Now, there is no valid argument. At this point Hurdle is not making decisions that will benefit the team. He is making decisions that will get his favorite players in the lineup as much as possible.

It all started with choosing Locke over Worley and it is continuing now with keeping Locke in the rotation and playing Mercer way too much. I'm getting near the point that I think the Bucs should consider other options.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Hurdle is literally going to kill this teams playoff dreams with starting Mercer over and over and throwing Locke every 5th day.

There is no arguing this. Any person that has watched the bulk of Pirates games know that Jordy Mercer is far more inferior to Kang and we have internal options....repeat, OPTIONS (plural) that would best Locke on most nights.

Josh Harrison has more value than Mercer (better hitter, far more versatile and more speed) and he's a guy who's been also relegated to the bench most nights as well. A guy who was an all star last year and numbers that were far better than Mercer this season.

Hurdle is a great motivator but the man clearly has screws loose in terms of evaluating and playing the best talent.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Well there wouldn't be so much tension on the topic if you didn't constantly argue with literally everybody else on the topic. We all feel differently than you but you feel the need to defend Hurdle every time this comes up.

Oh and this whole situation is rapidly shifting my opinion on Hurdle. In July at least there was the valid argument that Mercer was hitting well. Now, there is no valid argument. At this point Hurdle is not making decisions that will benefit the team. He is making decisions that will get his favorite players in the lineup as much as possible.

It all started with choosing Locke over Worley and it is continuing now with keeping Locke in the rotation and playing Mercer way too much. I'm getting near the point that I think the Bucs should consider other options.

It's a constant stream of negativity anymore. It's not even about our different views on how the team is coached/run/etc, it's every single negative thing is multiplied 10 times what it should be. Anything positive is clapped for and immediately put aside for the next travesty.

The Pirates just came off a 19 win (I think, I may have counted wrong) August and have a 3rd best record in the league and we wouldn't be moaning about anything of consequence if the Cardinals weren't in the midst of some historic season.

I understand complaining and discussing something like the Kang usage, but it's constantly dwelled upon and hasn't made a lick of difference in the season. Locke/Morton/Worley can be discussed, but there's nothing to be done now. We can fire them into the sun, but still need a 4 and 5 starter. Trades are closed now (sort of... can still trade, but anyone acquired cannot play in the postseason) so they have their hand and they have to play it.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

We're having an amazing season...so let's ***** constantly because it's not a perfect season.

This is why I barely talk about the Steelers or Penguins anymore, and now it's spread to the Pirates.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

This argument about how good they are is nonsense. Improvements can always be made and our criticisms do not mean that we are not still happy overall with the team.

How boring would this place be if every post was just, "gosh, this team does nothing wrong and I agree with absolutely everything everybody else posts!"?

If you can't handle a bit of negativity then you have made a huge miscalculation when you decided to post on a message board.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I think the book is still out how this season is going to be.

If they lose the wildcard game i don't think its a good season, they gotta at least make it to a 5 game series and be competitive against the Cards before i call this a good season.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Nobody wants an echo chamber, but the speed at which this place turns from jovial to enraged is faster than Billy Hamilton.

If I had as little fun as some people do watching these games then I'd have a hell of a lot more free time on my hands.

 

[Winger for Hire]

It's not limited to a bit of negativity, but to each their own.

It's one thing to point out and discuss the team's shortcomings. It's another to consistently bemoan every single lineup card that is put out. They can play 4 infielders, they have 6 legit MLB infielders, there's going to be some variance.

They "need" 5 starters. They have 5 starters with 1 rehabbing and 1 swing man in the pen. They can't just magically conjure up another pitcher or two. Blanton and Liz are possibilities, but outside of that there's no options. Even the 2 they have aren't sure things.

I think the book is still out how this season is going to be.

If they lose the wildcard game i don't think its a good season, they gotta at least make it to a 5 game series and be competitive against the Cards before i call this a good season.

So ending the season with the 3rd best record in the league and bowing out to Jake Arrieta (due to the fun quirks of baseball playoff seeding) wouldn't be a success in your book?

I wouldn't be happy, but I would take away from the season that the Cards needed to be historically good to force us into the WC game and the Cubs had Cy Young Canidate, Jake Arrieta out duel Cole/Frankie. That would be the perfect storm to stifle anything but a magical run.

I have a feeling if they get to the WC and oust the Cubs with Arrieta on the mound, they're going to the NLCS at worst.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

I've been as positive as anybody. That does not mean I'm going to ignore Hurdle playing an inferior lineup on a consistent basis. Having 6 legit infielders is a great thing when those 6 infielders are used correctly. Hurdle is not using them correctly. He is squandering the advantage he has by playing the guy who is clearly not as good as the other quality infielders they do have.

And come up with any bs explanation you want. The fact is that Hurdle plays Mercer as much as possible because he likes the guy. It sure as hell has nothing to do with what Mercer is doing on the field. What Hurdle is doing is serving himself personally instead of the team and that is selfish. If you can't see this then I think you are simply clueless.

 

[cheesedanish87]

No, i wouldn't be happy with the season if they lost in the wildcard game.

This team had high expectations on them, almost everybody predicted this team to make the playoffs, some even predicted them to be a world series team.

The Cubs could lose the wildcard game and it would be a great season for them, they have exceeded expectations this year, they are ahead of schedule.

 

[wheelz87]

Has Marte gotten a day off lately? Seems he needs it more than Cutch.

And no Kang. Ha. Joke.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Has Marte gotten a day off lately? Seems he needs it more than Cutch.

And no Kang. Ha. Joke.

Marte got a day off during the Rockies series if memory serves me right.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

This game is going to take 5 hours if Jungmann keeps pitching at this pace.

 

[ColePens]

Nobody wants an echo chamber, but the speed at which this place turns from jovial to enraged is faster than Billy Hamilton.

If I had as little fun as some people do watching these games then I'd have a hell of a lot more free time on my hands.

This bugs me, Big. People on the Pens board let the minority of posters constantly speak for everyone else. Pens GDTs are like 85% good and 15% DearDiary telling us how great Craig Adams is.

Around here it's very relaxed regarding the Buccos with a few people just doing normal GDT reactions. I don't see what the big deal is. You literally would have to ignore maybe 2 users.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

The Pirates are robbed of a run by my biggest umpiring pet peeve where the pitcher gets a break on a 3-1 pitch.

Guy walks 2 in the inning, loads the bases, falls behind 3-1, and gets rewarded for it. **** off blue.

 

[ColePens]

Frankie throwing some good on the boarder pitches that don't get any love.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Neverett makes me want to claw my eyes out when Mercer comes to the plate. Every time he lines out it's "he's the most unlucky hitter in baseball" as if no other player lines out a few times a week. Then last time he was up he pulls out "if anybody is overdue for a home run, it is Jordy".

Here's a hint: Jordy Mercer isn't overdue for a home run, he's a terrible hitter with no power.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Kang batting behind Cutch and Ramirez is just such a strong middle of the order. Hurdle is just plain stupid for giving Cutch and Kang a day off on the same day. Their chances of scoring more than 2 runs are remote.

The evidence that this isn't working continues to mount. Kang has sat 4 of the last 9 games, including tonight.

In the 4 games without Kang so far: 31 innings (currently), 3 runs scored

In the 5 games with Kang: 45 innings, 26 runs

 

[WickedWrister]

I feel like we've seen Jungman 10 times already this season.

 

[ColePens]

Davis with an almost ridiculous catch on Mercer.... the most unlucky hitter in the world.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Mercer's double there is a good example of why he is not simply "overdue for a hr". Miller Park is notorious for the ball carrying well and it is short in the power alleys. Mercer hit that ball on the screws. When I saw it come off his bat I thought it was gone for sure. It landed roughly 10 feet in front of the wall.

At least he contributed positively.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

This is what happens when you play your c lineup and make it clear to the starter that they can't give up more than 2 runs in order for the team to win. Hurdle conceded this game from the start. Makes me sick.