OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Cervelli Re-Signed (3 yrs/$31 million)

[DJ Spinoza]

I'm a little concerned for Cutch tonight. I hope they don't go after him like last time these two teams played beanball.

Yeah, I agree. I don't really think Caminero has enough control to intentionally hit people, but the Diamondbacks as a franchise are so backwards that it doesn't really matter. It's all in how they perceive things, and it needs to be said -- the Pirates don't exactly have a great history when it comes to HBP.

The only thing that is making and will continue to make this team competitive is an elite offense. Hopefully the extra scrutiny these games will be under will help things go fine. Realistically, if Cutch were to get hit in his first at-bat, both Hale and De La Rosa should be tossed immediately.

There's really just no good outcome when this **** gets started, intentional or not.

Also re:elite offense, it's maybe easier said than done, but, basing this only on a passive observation, Arrieta seems to have a not-insignificant number of <6 inning starts for someone people want to hold up there with Kershaw. The Pirates might need to take the approach of just working up his pitch count so high that he will be out before the 6th inning ends. It's a bit easier said than done, but we don't exactly have an arsenal of Cub-beating strategies this year, so just a thought.

I don't expect to win this game at all, but it would certainly be nice to be going for a sweep with Cole pitching tomorrow, finally in a groove and all.

 

[td_ice]

I was on the computer last night ready to buy tickets for tonight's game. Then I figured I better check and see who was pitching tonight. I did check, and then just turned off the computer.

 

[Asuna]

I was on the computer last night ready to buy tickets for tonight's game. Then I figured I better check and see who was pitching tonight. I did check, and then just turned off the computer.

good choice. locke is terrible. sigh

 

[Coastal Kev]

Cole Tucker with a beautiful snag that doubled up the runner. Second time I have seen him live. He looks like he is putting on weight which is good. He reminds me of Jordy Mercer more than anyone else. Still looks flat as a hitter.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

The Diamondbacks broadcast has a timer going between pitches during Polanco at bats.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Cole Tucker with a beautiful snag that doubled up the runner. Second time I have seen him live. He looks like he is putting on weight which is good. He reminds me of Jordy Mercer more than anyone else. Still looks flat as a hitter.

How have his ABs looked? Taking balls and swinging at strikes? Working the count?

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

Pirates offense is good

 

[td_ice]

Looks like I should have gone after all, haha.


Raise it!

Pirates 5-4 winners.

 

[Coastal Kev]

How have his ABs looked? Taking balls and swinging at strikes? Working the count?

No one worked a count on either side all night. Both pitchers were relying on fastballs heavily.

Tucker looks more filled out this year. To my untrained eyes he looks like a project with tremendous upside potential. He hit the ball hard on a ground out. He sac bunted and showed nice speed down the line. He hit an opposite filed fly out, I couldn't tell how well he got it, but it almost went to the warning track.

Tito Polo reminds me a lot of Josh Harrisom. Similar build, all hustle. Someone too keep an eye on.

I forget the pitchers name, but he threw strikes all night. He relied heavy on a 91 mph fastball, it had little movement but he seemed to place it well. He looked like he had a slider and a curve. He threw both for strikes, but rarely used them for some reason.

Of course the sat Hayes for a scrub and Keller as well. Not happy about that. This Power lineup is lacking though this year. Really not much to look at outside of Hayes, Polo and Tucker.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Also, there was a row of scouts sitting right behind me. 2 were from Colorado and I think one was from the A's, couldn't see the other 2. I was hoping to cherry pick some info about players, but I didn't hear them talk at all about what they were seeing. That was a bummer.

 

[ImporterExporter]

The Pirates moved one of our former top prospects, Luis Heredia to the bullpen in Bradenton. His numbers so far look promising. Many failed starters end up in the pen and it would be nice if this kid could pan out as a solid bullpen guy for us, considering he was a pretty expensive international signing IIRC, and obviously **** the bed over the past few years as a SP.

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=599093#/career/R/pitching/2016/ALL

 

[Winger for Hire]

I'm hoping for Heredia to become the Mexican Rod Beck now...

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Really nice to take a W while Locke is on the mound. Polanco is just totally locked-in right now. I haven't been following too closely lately since I've been traveling so much, but Jaso looks to be mired in somewhat of a slump. I'm sure he'll turn it around, and make the offense that much more dangerous.

Hate to beat on the same drum all the time, but a sweep would be very nice to finish chipping off that .5 from the Cubs for the first half of the week. We need the killer-instinct right now with Cole on the mound, the Diamondbacks generally not being very good, and their minds possibly not being in the game. Hopefully no antics today, but it's the last game against them this season, barring playoffs, so hard to imagine there won't be some kind of ********, given Tony LaRussa's going so far as to enter the Pirates broadcast booth to counteract the "lies" Brown is telling about him on the air...

Barely needs said, but it's not ideal to have Cole out there with any potential sidetracking BS going on. We need him to stay locked-in and just keep rolling downhill with good 7+ innings starts, especially with a thinner bullpen through the weekend.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

So Tony La Russa invaded the Pirates broadcast booth to correct them about D-Backs HBP history. What a cool guy.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2016/05/25/chip-hale-points-finger-pirates-hbps/84935282/

 

[Coastal Kev]

So Tony La Russa invaded the Pirates broadcast booth to correct them about D-Backs HBP history. What a cool guy.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2016/05/25/chip-hale-points-finger-pirates-hbps/84935282/

OH.... SO this is where the D(ouche)Backs a-holeness comes from.

 

[Cherpak]

So Tony La Russa invaded the Pirates broadcast booth to correct them about D-Backs HBP history. What a cool guy.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2016/05/25/chip-hale-points-finger-pirates-hbps/84935282/

If there was a town in America called Dewshville, Tony La Russa would be mayor.

 

[Winger for Hire]

 

[Coastal Kev]

After reading Hurdle's comments, I wish we still had a guy like Jim Leylend who would tell Hale and the Dbacks to stick it.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Who cares. Arizona sucks. Beating their ***** is the best way to say F you.

Now, with that being said, I'd be throwing at them relentlessly if they want to continue this dumbass fued, and would have zero issue with our boys starting a full fledged brawl.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I don't want any parts of a beanball or other war against Arizona. This is a pretty similar situation to what led to Cutch getting hurt as a result of being intentionally thrown at: a ****** pitcher (then Frieri, now Caminero) with bad control hits somebody, and as a result our best player has to pay a price.

It's better to just avoid this **** as much as you can. Once it gets going, the only way for it to stop is for the games against the opponent to end with your team still hopefully in tact. Luckily none of the Diamondbacks got seriously hurt from Caminero's wildness, so hopefully we win a ho hum game and each go our separate way.