Morning links: The cloning of Paul Maholm

C'mon, Dejan - there are only 1,190 Google references to "hapless Pirates."  So much bitterness and cynicism...

Hey DK,

      First off, I'm really enjoying the new format. Second, is the "hapful" clubhouse starting to divide?  If that's the case, then they have to start dealing people.

By the way, I really love the new blog, also.  I love the gameday updates like weather and how yesterday the lineup was posted.  All great.

For once, Smizik's bitterness was focused justly.  I could articles bashing Dave Littlefield all day.  I hope he runs the Cubs into the ground.

It was nice having an easy win after the troubles of last series. I didn't even have to worry when Burnett came in and gave up his obligatory run.

pittsburgh "pirates suck" Google search: 4,140 instances

Smizik is ridiculous. He just wrote that the team should sign Nady because they just need 1 or 2 pitchers and they would be in the running for the playoffs. Today he writes that the team is so bad that the whole situation is " almost hopeless". Make up your mind.

how about something other than "hapless"?

such as:

cursed.

unlucky.

wretched.

sucky.

as for jason davis -- if we ever do call him up, I just hope that he doesn't contract "bullington's/van benschoten's disease"....

Mr. Smizek really didn't go out on a limb there.  

didn't see Bay's home run the other night--was it as far as Doumit's last night? That thing looked like it needed a flight attendant (with apologies to Crash Davis)

Smizik's column also gives the owners a pass. Their budgetary policies, strategic commitments and hiring practices are the root of all that is bad with the Pirates.

Coonelly and Huntington appear competent. But that does not imply they'll have the resources they need to succeed.

Let's see how many of their top ten draft picks are signed by 8.15.

I only read Smizik's columns on the Pirates, and I have to say, he seems to write things just to write them, with no logic or real understanding of the club to back anything up he says. And his opinions seem to randomly change from week to week. The PG might be best served to not let Mr. Smizik write columns on the Pirates anymore. Leave the Pirates coverage to DK, and let Ron Cook do columns on the Bucs. Smizik's rants seem to give the PG less credibility.

Hey Dejan,

In addition to the 2 bonus haps for winning the game started by JVB, how about another bonus hap due to the fact that said previous victory was ALSO against the Astros.

That actually was BEFORE you took over the beat...let's get McTaggart up to speed, please.

At least this Smizek article wasn't as ridiculous as the people tune in to hear the voice of Paul Steigerwald and the Penguins playing of the game of hockey just happens to be incidental.  But, as far as I'm concerned, they cannot be enough criticism for Dave Littlefield.  John Perrotto of the Beaver County Times called Littlefield the worst GM in the history of sports, and Jim Tracy a cartoon character.  You can't really disagree with either.

"Pittsburgh Pirates lose" = 393,000 Google hits

Smizik was dead on today...Littlefield has cursed us for another five years at least. And Graham and Creech were just as bad. I would not agree that we are going to lose for another decade or two, but there is not a bery bright light at the end of the tunnel. The only way to keep that light burning is to do the right thing in the next 8 days...keep the core together. That core is as follows: Bay, Nady, McLouth, Wilson, Sanchez, Doumit, Maholm and Capps. The rest of the crew is on the block and lets get as much AA and AAA talent as we can...preferably pitching. You won't get much, but what you get will be better than Yoslan Herrera and Bryan Bullington.

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