Morning links: A top 10 for everyone

34 homers?  Uh oh I feel a Smizik article will break loose Friday morning.

Here are the full numbers:

105G 394AB  97H  22 Doubles  1 triple  34HR  96RBI  129K  

2 stolen bases  .566SLG  .246 BA  .872OPS

committed  11 errors

I like the fact that DK put Evan Meek in his list, I think he was written off by a lot of Pirate fans after his stint in the majors this year, but he has a chance to be an excellent reliever. However, I have to disagree with Alvarez automatically being the #1 prospect, AT THIS POINT. He's never played a professional inning. Are you infatuated with him, DK?

Was it lost on Gene Collier who the first base and outfield coach is for the Tampa Bay Rays? Did he fail to jog his memory enough?

It's 'Joggin" George Hendrick!!! No wonder why!!!

I have been trying all along to figure out how Henrick, who was so bad in Oittsburgh, could be a coach of anything ... glad to see Romak's name on some prospect lists, hope he turns out better than Eldred.

The McCutchen article on SI was nice, although it was preceded by a writeup on Wieters being possibly the best prospect in the game in 2009.

Littlefield!  [clenching fist]

I  am flummoxed that the "single best management team in all of baseball, maybe in all of sports" is going to have a losing season.

How can that possibly happen to the 'best"?

So Snell admits it was mental weight that he stunk most of this year....  I thought he thrived on things like this? He has stated that having a chip on his shoulder and proving to people he is a good pitcher is what made him so good last year.  Is that not mental weight?  

Anyone notice the quote by Ian Snell in the "Notebook"?  Is it just me or does it sound like Ian is pouting like a 3 year old.  Doesn't EVERY professional athlete want to be "the man" on the team?  Aren't expectations a good thing?  Yeah, it's our fault for expecting you to throw strikes and get batters out.  Sorry for expecting you to do your job.

My expectations are for the Pirates to part ways with this dolt.  

Disclaimer:  What follows has no literary merit.  Lovers of good literature should immediately skip to the next post.  For the rest, with apologies to William Blake and Mad Magazine I offer this humble bit of doggerel.

Pirates, Pirates hitting light

In the ballgames every night

Our pitching’s awful, fielding fair

We have Sixteen years of pure despair

Though we’re sailing in the dark

We have a lovely baseball park,

A team that’s better than the Reds,

And Fireworks and Bobbleheads.

Though our Bucs are getting beat

There’s all the food that we can eat

While we watch this team of scrubs

Lose to Aram and the Cubs.

Littlefield has gone before us

Leaving us with Mr. Morris,

Jose Bautista, Joggin’ Ronny

Not to mention Gorzelany,

Burnitz and Randa on the wane,

Randall Simon sausage bane,

Van Benschoten, Vogelsong

They hit ‘em hard, and hit ‘em long.

Yes, we remember all too well

Operation Derek Bell

Shutting down amidst the jeers

And we remember Patrick Meares

Yet the glory days of long ago

Haven’t lost their golden glow

Remember how we used to like

To watch the B’s and Van Slyke

Up ‘til Chico’s awful blunder

That ripped our hopeful hearts asunder.

That was worse than Bobby Moose

Winding up and letting loose.

So we’ve passed these empty seasons,

With emotions seeking reasons

Wishing, wishing, unfulfilled

Watching David build and build.

So, tell us Mr. Huntington

When you get your shunting done

Will we have an arm to flex

Or just be missing Mr. X?

Will these prospects make the grade,

Make us celebrate your trade

Or will they stick in triple A

While we mourn for Jason Bay?

Now us old codgers recall plenty --

Mazeroski and Clemente,

The Lumber Company, weenies green

Even Alvin O. McBean

Skinner, Virdon, Jerry Lynch

(He could smack ‘em in a pinch)

Stargell, Zisk and Manny Mota

(Please forget Humberto Cota)

Those days of yore we cheered on high

And never had to blast the sky

It’s enough to take up boozin’

All this endless hopeless losin’.

Sixteen seasons in the Sewers

Getting clobbered by the Brewers

(And when the season’s finally done

Will Wilson be in Washington?)

Or will Messers Long and Russell

Teach our kiddies how to hustle

Please Mr. Frank and Mr. Neal

Give us hope that we can feel

Yes, now McClatchy’s reign is over

And Littlefield is out to clover.

Is it safe to start to dream

For our favorite baseball team?

JHadar - That was awesome!

35 games left.

24-11 (.686) to go 81-81.

Let the countdown begin.

JHadar

BRAVO. BRAVO.

The Moose wild pitch still stings.  

JHadar

You should turn that into a children's book with pictures so that everyone can read it to their kids so that they will actually believe that the Pirates were not always so bad.

As for top 10's WTM has it pegged pretty good.  The only differences I have is bumping Walker from 6th to 10th and sliding everyone up a spot.

Barthmaier was a great pick up for the Bucs.

JHadar

Very nice stuff!

JHadar -

*applause*

Edgar Allen Poe would be proud... and would respond w/ a "NEVRMORE!!!"

@ Mr. Hadar you do have a way with prose.

That was awesome!

@ G-Man I would think this is deserving of a HAP CAPS

@ mgeorg--35 games left.

24-11 (.686) to go 81-81.

After the performance last night and with the Sept. call ups

24 wins? That might be a stretch. There are a few here that would tell you to reverse those numbers.

I say

18 - 17 (.514)  a lowly 75 - 87  Oh that hurts. I want to be optomistic I just do not see 24 wins

@BillyKidd

In all seriousness I think that the September callups might help the team more than hurt them. I think adding Gorzo and Ohlendorf to the rotation will be a good thing. Also, some players have something to prove (Bautista for example).

Just read this on the Pittsburgh Lumber Company Blog that DK has a link to on the left side of the page.  The writer took the time to go back and listen to Rocco's podcast.  Further proof of what the world already knows, Bob Smizik is a hack.

Attacking accurate reporting with inaccurate “facts”

By Matt Bandi | August 18th, 2008

It’s time for a FJM-style post. Today’s guest is Bob Smizik.

Rocco DeMaro, who is the host of the Pirates postgame show, “Extra Innings,” on WPGB-FM (104.7), is a man of many hats. DeMaro is host, stats geek supreme, comedian, cheerleader, sound effects man and occasional critic. He does a reasonably good job at all and, as we’ve said before, runs an entertaining show.

On Friday night, as Pirates fans awaited word on No. 1 draft choice Pedro Alvarez, DeMaro tried on another hat: Reporter.

It didn’t fit.

It is true that DeMaro’s main responsibility is providing analysis and opinion on a nightly basis. But implying that he never provides significant news is incorrect, especially when discussing the 2008 draft.

From the time he was selected in the sixth round, Robbie Grossman was assumed to be a difficult player to sign. He fell in the draft because of those signability concerns, and remained a long shot in the weeks after being selected. On July 24, DeMaro reported that Grossman would sign in the days leading up to the August 15 deadline (14:30 mark). Elsewhere in the media, he was labeled a 50-50 shot at best. On August 14, Grossman signed with the Pirates. On the August 14 postgame show, DeMaro broke the news that 20th round pick Quinton Miller would sign (35:00 mark). That may have been the first time I had heard Miller’s name since the draft. The next day, Miller signed.

Sometime after 10 p.m. DeMaro stated that Alvarez would agree to the Pirates’ terms. He said, “Sources, very, very reliable, tell me Alvarez is going to happen.” At other points he said it was a done deal.

Demaro said that Alvarez would sign shortly before the deadline. He never said that there was an official agreement between the two sides. In fact, he stayed on the air for about three hours, waiting for official word. He announced the signing at the same time as other members of the media.

EDIT: I re-listened to the podcast of the show. I admit that a few statements made by Rocco, when analyzed in a vacuum, could have been misinterpreted to mean that an official deal had been reached. However, anyone listening to the show should have understood that the deal had not yet been finalized. Rocco repeated that many times.

The deal did happen. Alvarez agreed to a contract minutes before the midnight deadline, not hours, as DeMaro suggested.

Again, this is incorrect. DeMaro said a deal would be reached right before midnight. That is exactly what happened.

Still, DeMaro thought he looked pretty smart and spent part of the next day patting himself on the back.

“We scooped the heck out of that story on ‘Extra Innings’ yesterday,” he told listeners to his Saturday afternoon show.

This column has a record of giving credit to radio and television reporters when they break stories. We would prefer to see the Post-Gazette break them, but no news source wins every story. That being said, there has to be serious doubt about DeMaro’s claim.

Why? Because it proved to be correct?

Did he have a legitimate scoop? Or did he just make an educated guess and pretend that he had sources that provided him with the information?

The most likely answer is that DeMaro made an educated guess and acted like he had a scoop.

That is a pretty serious accusation. I assume you have substantial evidence to back it up?

An educated guess was easy. It was pretty well understood Alvarez would accept the Pirates’ deal. He had little leverage. Who turns down $6 million? If he went back into the draft, he would not likely improve on his No. 2 slot but more likely could fall.

This is mostly true. But it is not evidence that DeMaro lied to his audience, which is what you have accused him of doing.

But more than that, where did DeMaro all of a sudden come up with these sources? That’s the most suspicious part of this so-called scoop.

Where do any members of the media get their sources? This is not a cause for suspicion.

In the course of his duties, he has never shown an iota of reportorial skills.

This statement is incorrect. We already discussed this at the beginning. DeMaro has been all over two of the more surprising draft pick signings.

He recites statistics and offers opinions but he never presents real news. How could he? He’s a guy who must talk about the Pirates some 162 times a year and never shows up at the ballpark. It’s impossible to develop sources if you’ve never met the sources.

He talks to a Pirates player or broadcaster after every game. He has had several interviews with different coaches and members of the front office. It’s also possible that the best sources in the Alvarez negotiations are located outside of PNC Park.

Yet DeMaro said Friday night, “I’m the guy talking to people in the game who know what’s going on.”

I don’t know who he’s talking to. But he was right about Grossman. And Miller. And ultimately, Alvarez.

EDIT: After re-listening to the podcast of this show, I thought I should post this quote in its entirety. “Let’s reserve expectation until it actually happens. I mean, I’m the guy who is talking to people in the game that sort of know of these things going on, and even I am trying to hedge a little bit here and there because it’s not done yet. I mean, these things are not done yet…Let’s wait until we get official word around midnight.” This contradicts the claim that DeMaro reported a finalized deal around 10:00. Interesting that only part of the quote made Smizik’s article.

Nobody outworks the Post-Gazette’s Pirates beat writer Dejan Kovacevic and nobody had better sources on the story than him.

Dejan does a fantastic job as the Pirates beat writer, spending a great amount of extra time bringing vital information to the fan base. His blog was alive with updates as the signing deadline approached. But just assuming he had the best sources does not prove anything.

His sources were telling him the deal wasn’t done and nothing was expected until just before midnight. That is exactly how it played out.

That’s also pretty similar to what DeMaro reported.

Two other newspapers with highly competent reporters were working the story. They, too, came up with nothing. FSN, which has a reporter at PNC Park every day the team plays, had nothing. The sports staffs of the three local TV news departments had nothing.

Jim Callis of “Baseball America” is perhaps the leading authority in the country on the draft. He was on ESPN after midnight saying there was no word on Alvarez.

Yet, DeMaro claims his sources had the right stuff.

Let’s go over it again. DeMaro reported that an agreement would be reached shortly before midnight. That’s what happened.

At one point DeMaro suggested his information came from within the Boras camp. That is preposterous.

Why?

No one runs a tighter ship than Boras. No information was forthcoming from his company during these negotiations or any other.

This does not prove anything. This is just baseless speculation. Is there any evidence of anything in this column?

There were telltale signs throughout the broadcast that DeMaro wasn’t being quite straight with listeners.

Oh good. I was hoping there would be some evidence.

For example, when he signed off early Saturday morning, he said the deal had been consummated earlier in the day but the Pirates withheld the information until the last minute. That was incorrect. The deal was not done until a minute or two before midnight and not announced until some 20 minutes later.

So why would he say such a thing? Because in order for him to have the correct information early, the deal had to be done early.

I don’t remember DeMaro saying this. To be honest, I was exhausted after listening to a three-hour show while continuously refreshing several different websites searching for news. But I doubt he would have said something that contradicted everything he had reported for the previous three hours.

I repeat, DeMaro’s report was that an agreement would be reached right before the deadline. That is what he knew, and that was what happened.

EDIT: Honestly, when I went back to the podcast, I expected to be wrong about this. I expected to hear Rocco misspeak at the end of his marathon broadcast. But he never said anything like this. I’m not sure what Smizik is talking about here.

It wasn’t done early, and DeMaro was only guessing.

Again, this is a serious charge, and mostly unsubstantiated from what I can tell.

What made DeMaro all the less credible was that not only did he claim to have sources on the Alvarez signing, he claimed also to have sources close to the negotiations with the Pirates’ No. 2 draft choice Tanner Scheppers.

As the midnight deadline approached, DeMaro said a deal was near with Scheppers and they were “crossing the Ts,” on the contract.

Members of the Pirates’ public relations staff were listening at the time and burst out laughing. Why were they laughing? Because just as DeMaro was stating a deal was near, they were working on a press release saying the team had been unable to come to contract terms with Scheppers.

This was incorrect information, and Rocco retracted it minutes later. I guess you could have written a critical article based mostly on those couple of minutes, but that wouldn’t have been all that interesting.

Good guess, Rocco. Next time, just call it that.

This is just irresponsible journalism. Your main points of evidence that Rocco DeMaro is a liar are:

1. He was correct.

2. You don’t know where he got his sources

And that’s about it. I guess that’s enough proof to write a defamatory article about someone.

JHadar.........I agree EXCELLENT poem!  

Well, let's just hope for a very deep draft class.

That post didn't turn out as clean as I copied it.  It might be difficult to follow, but basically they took Smizik's claims and compared it to Rocco's show.  Perhaps clicking on the link Pittsburgh Lumber Company link on the upper left of this page and scrolling down to this blog entery will be easier.

@BuccoFeva

Just for future reference, you can just post a link to the article here so that you don't have to paste the entire article.

@BuccoFeva

Sorry, I didn't see what you were doing. I understand why it's posted the way it is now.

DK, , The blog is great, as I frequent the Pirate meesage boards every day This is now my first stop. I see no mention of Moskos on the above top ten list. How could the prevous group pass on a talent like Wieters? Imagine how that list would look with him on there.

I hope this group continues to draft with this aproach. While nothing is garunteed through the draft. This aproach will provide some hope for the future.

Hey everyone --

Thanks for the kind words.  These last 16 years have been hard on us old fans, but we keep rooting for the Bucs because of the great memories and because where else could we go after putting 50 years of emotion into this club.  

I hope the seed of optimism that the new management has given us bears fruit, optimistic in fact that it will, but at the same  time fearful that it won't.

@JHadar

These last 16 years have been hard on us young fans too. Imagine not being able to remember the last time this team had a winning season!

Neil Walker has no business being on any list of Pirates top prospects.  He's already been passed by Matt Hague on the list of Pirate third base prospects.

@UncleDirtNap

Yeah that makes sense. He is already passed by a player batting .319 in Low A ball...

Matt --

My sympathies, but I've been through that (U of Iowa football between Evasheski and Fry) never remembering a winning season, and this is worse.  Not only is there the frustration but there's a feeling that something beautiful has been tarnished beyond repair.  

When they win you'll feel tremendous elation. Us old guys will probably just have a sense of relief.  I remember the way my Grandpa felt in '60.  They had been a powerhouse in his youth, but hadn't been to a world series since '27 and hadn't won since '25 -- though they were at least competive.  It's going to take several seasons of contending to bring back what we've lost.

Maybe there should be a threshold for Maholm... at something like 200 innings. Then it will become his new career high, and when it matters he'll be "allowed" to pitch more.

"Yeah that makes sense. He is already passed by a player batting .319 in Low A ball..."

Neil Walker hit .301 drawing 20 walks in 505 plate appearances while striking out 71 time at the same level.  Matt Hague is everything Walker isn't, a patient hitter with more power, higher average, better on base percentage and can actually play third.

Hague was only drafted this year and it's only a matter of when, not if, has passes Walker in the system.

Indeed, if the recent move at Altoona is intended to be permanent, Jim Negrych just passed Neil Walker on the depth chart of Pirates' third basemen.

Bravo, JHadar.  +1

JHadar --

Truly outstanding! Such artistry can only be the result of heartfelt suffering, the last 16 years of which meet that criteria for inveterate Pirate fans.

Interestingly, my Dad still talks about Game 5 of the 1972 NLCS and Bench's leadoff HR and Moose's WP as if they happened yesterday. He just never got over it and claims that it was much worse than the 9th inning of the 1992 NLCS. As I was only five at the time, I cannot compare the two, but I have heard the story of that inning at least 72 times over the years, or twice a year for the last 36 years :-)

DK -

On the subject of the SI article lauding McCutcheon, what I find particularly painful is the passage on Wieters (no pun intended?) postulating that he could be the best catcher in all of baseball next year, whereas our modest hope for Moskos will be to see his Class A ball ERA drop below 6.00! Arrggh, just more salt in the wound with much much more to come in the future.

JHadar -

Can't thank you enough for that poem. I take it that's how you spent your time - writing - during that awful game last night. And I, too, remember that heartbreaking wild pitch by Bob Moose against the Reds. Anyway, as BillyKidd already nominated you, here's a Hap Cap to ya, matey!

    __/_H_\

Innings are a meaningless and arbitrary measure of nothing.  An inning can consist as few as three pitches or thirty, forty  or fifty if the pitcher is struggling and going deep into counts.

The new front office people understand this and that's why they keep track of pitch counts and have limits in place especially on the youngest pitchers.  If they want to be safe they just need to lower his pitch counts the rest of the way.

Great job JHader

"Sports Illustrated is infatuated with Andrew McCutchen."

DK, next time warn us that there might be something about Wieters being the top prospect in baseball...

@JHadar: You're a Hawkeye fan too? I'm from Dubuque and since I'm only 28, I can't remember the Hawkeyes as losers. I mean, my whole life it's been Fry and Ferentz and while they've had a few bad seasons, they've had nothing truly awful. My parents still mention how terrible the 70's were and how good us young people have it today.

G-Man

One more game like last night and it'll either make a land lubber out of me, or I'll just downright walk the plank.

Just give me a bottle of rum, and skip the Yo-Ho-Ho.

Baywatch -

If you keep talking like pirate, we may just accomodate your thoughts of walking the plank.

But, on the subject of rum, ever thought about having an official drink named "Pirates Boilermaker"? I'm thinking a shot of rum with a pony bottle of Iron City. Does anybody know if IC even make pony botles anymore? I haven't seen a pony bottle of any kind of beer in years.

Big Mac L H ,

Worse than a fan, I'm an alumnus.  My Dad married a girl from Pittsburgh and took a coaching job in Rockford, IA back in '46.  After a few seasons at Eldora we wound up down Hwy 3 from you in Humboldt.  

Lived in Iowa City for awhile, but about 10 years ago came back to help out in the family business.

Walker played at Hickory at age 19.  Hague is 23.  To get an idea of how much difference that makes, just picture the difference in physical maturity between the typical recent high school graduate and a recent college graduate.  When you take their relative ages into account, Walker's season at Hickory is far and away more impressive than Hague's.  It's good that Hague is doing well there, but for a player his age it says next to nothing about his future potential until he shows he can do it at higher levels.  Anybody who doubts that should check out this guy:

www.thebaseballcube.com/.../Jon-Benick.shtml

gman - Corona makes them still. The problem with pony bottles is that you open it, take a swig, look at the little bit left in the bottle, say "aw hell, there's just a little left", take another swig, and it's all gone!

Listen, how are you comparing Hauge and Walker?  Walker is 22 at AAA and Hague is 23 in A Ball.  

Hague is older than Walker as we speak.

Exactly. Walker is obviously not tearing it up in AAA, but he is only 22. He will get another season at Indy under his belt next year. There is no reason to write him off yet.

Walker will be fine.  However, I'm not sure he'll be a catcher much longer.  They should have drafted that catcher (Devin Mesaraco)from Punxsutawney instead of Moskos.  He's doing a terrific job in the Reds minor league system and rated their 6th best player.

@dubers--Neil has been playing 3rd Base for at least 2 years now. That is why there was some consternation about Pedro.

Pedro, Neil, Jose, Andy....and anyone else below between Neil in AAA and Perdo @ Instructs. But more than likely PA steps over them.  

JHadar---

Great spoof on William Blake's "Tiger, Tiger."   Your version was much more entertaining than the one I had to explicate in high school!   Well done!

Anyone want some more pain?  They are replaying last nights Pirates game on FSN right now.  

@mgeorg-- take a swig, look at the little bit left in the bottle, say "aw hell, there's just a little left", take another swig, and it's all gone!

Look on the bright side. All that means is you get to have fun doing that all over again.. Proper repitition leads to perfection or a hangover

Haha you're a funny man dubers15801.

mad-Anyone want some more pain?  They are replaying last nights Pirates game on FSN right now.  

@G-man--you still betting the house and children on 2 runs scored? lol.

Maybe we should call you Nostradamus?

@BillyKidd

Anything good going on in the news today? Did you get to watch any olympic highlights?

@matt--yeah I am sick ove over the USA Womens Softball team loss to Japan. I was up till almost 4 AM.

I am a big amateur sports fan LLWS CWS FPSWS. I have had the opportunity to go to them all a few times. Nothing like the feel of amateur sports. especially the LLWS. This weekend. I may pack up the SUV and a bunch of my cousins and drive up there to catch the games Sat and Sun.

hahahaha!!!  So, you're telling me that it's not 2006??  I forgot that he switched.  All the more reason they should have drafted Mesaraco.

While I'm at it, do you think Chad Hermanson will get a Sept. call up?  : )  It's been a long day at work.

@dubers--Yeah maybe as a clubbie (clubhouse worker)

FPSWS?

Revisit the past--ESPN page two has an article listing the worst 3 seasons by a player for every team.  So see some past ineptitude at

sports.espn.go.com/.../story

Joggin George does not make the list for the Pirates.

@ Rat    FPSWS=Fast Pitch Softball World Series

Fast Pitch Softball World Series (Womens College)

Once again thanks all for your kind words.

I've been at work skimming through the posts as the day goes on.  See I missed my Hap Cap presentation.  The virtual airport was fogged in, sorry I'm late.  I will treasure this token and find a place of honor for it in my virtual trophy case.

I'm honored and overwhelmed.  I may even go down to the sporting goods store and have them make me up a material replica for the real world.

Thank you BBaG. :)

SO mgeorg and I put what we think our PBC will do over the last 35 games mgeorg 24/11 me 18/17.

Anyone else wanna play the game?

This should be interesting.

@JHadar--please do not start to weep.

@ Rat, it could also be Dejan's next headline...

FPSWS -  Failing Pirates: Succesful With Sub-par  

I'm in... I'll say 2 games under 500 or 22wins-13 losses for the last 35 games.

@BleedBlackAndGold

FPSWS - Future Pirates Stink With Style

@BillyKidd

15-20

Oh and by the way all particpants receive a wonderful prize package consisting of

Round trip tickets for two to your VERY own backyard.

Continued Access to the PBC Blog FOR LIFE.

An honorable mention in the PBC blog by whom we do not know yet...

And....Drum Roll Please

A nomination for the MAYBE SOMEDAY SOON PBC BLOG FAMOUS AUTHENTIC G-MAN HAP CAP (he will decide if you are worthy).

**Subect to all of the standard TERMS and CONDITIONS blah blah blah...

oh boy I need a life...Does anyone have one I can rent?

Haha BillyKidd you realize that you have to keep track of all of our predictions now.

Thank goodness for archives...

Man this is an awesome blog today.  G-Man, I am guessing that due to the financial woes of Iron City, they do not make ponies anymore.  Haven't seen Rolling Rock ponies for ages either.  I'll race you to the bottom of a pint of Guinness though.  Even though it's totally not meant to be quaffed that way, sometimes I can't help it.

BillyKidd--I have a pair of rusty scissors to throw into the prize package.  Rusty scissors can come in handy, i.e. to stab oneself with while watching/listening to a game like last night's.  Just an offer...

12 wins 23 losses.  

Too many games left btw the Brewers, Cards, & Cubs.

Thanks P13. Added...One pair of Rusty Scissors for those long baseball nights. BTW if the were the ones from yesterday..The scissors also come with an autographed copy of Pirata13's favorite song Somewhere over the Rainbow!!!! HA!

And in the event of a tie. The winner will be announced on Opening Day 2009. Just to keep you in suspense.

BAY  my frien you out there?

For this wonderful prize package we are building do you think you could throw in a recipe for one of your East Texas famous Pizza's? Or at least agree to virtually send the winner a used pizza box.

I can throw in all of my bobble heads and statues of players traded away to a better day or just those who have gone away!.

Sean Casey, Ollie Perez and Mike Gonzalez. I think I still have the Jack and Jose Castillo statue but I'm pretty sure that Jack is missing a few body parts. (Hey, my little girl thought they were stiff Barbies) I think I have a Sanchez head with only 1 mole on his face... whats with that anyway? Dude makes good money... go see a dermatologist. Sheesh.

Jose Bautista was just traded to Toronto according to mlb.com

mlb.mlb.com/.../press_release.jsp

I found the bottom 3 article very interesting, turning a more popular notion on his head.

That said, my Bucco ire was drawn when I saw Bill Virdon's 1962 season on the list, even though based on the writer's criteria, it arguably fit.

There is just something fundamentally wrong with having The Quail on any such list, regardless of the criteria. Am I being entirely objective? Probably not. But in my and Bill's defense, Amos Otis' 1984 stint (.165/.213/.206) with the Pirates will always go down as the worst performance by a Pirate outfielder that I ever saw. Beyond his abyssmal batting performance, the only reason he didn't get charged with more errors was due to the fact that he misplayed balls hit in his direction so badly that he was unable to come close enough to make an error. Practically for his own safety and for the love of humanity, the Pirates had no choice but to release him early in the season. While this disqualifies him from the writer's criteria, in my subjective world an exception must be made, and the Quail should be replaced by Famous Amos on this most ignominious list :-)

Not to throw off the flow here, but the Pirates just traded Jose Bautista to the Blue Jays for a PTBNL.

Go to mlbtraderumors.com or check the Jays official MLB.com page.

Jose, we hardly knew ye, except as a player who should have been better but never took that next step.

73 wins, no more, no less

BBaG--Fantastic add to this growing prize package..by the way if you happen to find the missing parts we can list them as separate prizes...No one will ever know. SHHH just between you and me.

15-20 rest of the way. Sigh...

re: Olympics

I'm sore about women's soccer today.

Wow! Jose gone...I really guess it was just a matter of time. He had to know his days as a member of the PBC were done with the acquisition of Andy and signing of Pedro. I think he could have done well off the bench in 09 because I do not think we are going to keep Michaels.

@AlexandreGiesbrecht

Are you from Brazil?

Wow, the 'ole PTBNL for Jose......sort of the like the euphemistic equivalent of Buddy Ryan's "warm six-pack". Amazing how far his star has fallen, not that it was ever that high to begin with, but I am surprised that he went from being a quasi starting 3B to worth a PTBNL in a matter of weeks, overload of propsective talent at 3B or not.

BillyKidd--UUUUGGGGGHHHH! D*mn you!  Curses!   (Stabbing self)

Mmmmm, Pizza.

Bleed Black and Gold--Oooh I'll take the Mike Gonzalez bobblehead; Gonzo was my future husband until we traded him for LaDisappintment en Avril-Peut.  

BillyKidd

Let's see

35 games

26 of the 35 games are with teams over 500

16 of the 35 games at home

Cave says>>> 14-20  .412 (worse than our minor league affiliates)  One meanigless game gets rained out and never made up, to the relief of all concerned

I have a pair of old ear plugs to donate.  To be used for obvious reasons

Hey Matt go google AlexandreGiesbrecht

@AG-- glad to have the international flavor added to the  PBC "soup"

Yes, Matt. Born and raised in São Paulo.

Thanks, Billy.

@BillyKidd

Thanks. Sometimes I'm a little slow with these things. I am catching on though.

@Cave after conferring with the prize committee we can only accept the ear plugs if they have been used more than once.

@Chicken man you are right...star fallen says it all.

@P13 careful now with those scissors don't bend or break them.

god, I almost don't want to leave work today...

wait, did I just say that?

GMan shows his Nostradamus ability again.  He thought something was up a week ago when LaRoche came off the DL and Jose was sent down

We will really see how different this management team is if the PTBNL is NOT a AA middle reliever.  

@AlexandreGiesbrecht

How did you become a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates?

BillyKidd -

I hear Bob Smizik is working on a column questioning whether your prizes are real or if they are simply being reported by "a reliable source."

@AG as your bio reads it seems you do love all things Pittsburgh (PBC, Pens, Steelers) question is why? Most of my Brazillian or South American friends have fallen for all things Texas (Dallas)or Florida(Miami), a small number like California (LA) based sports teams.

DK is infatuated with the word infatuated.  One big HAP with an oak leaf cluster to the guy who first plugged it in to Q&A.

I have retained the PBC Firm Family Pierogi  as advisors only..

Jalapeño Hanna (green hat), Cheese Chester (yellow), Sauerkraut Saul (red) and Oliver Onion (purple).

Maybe he spoke to one of them.

Cave -

>>GMan shows his Nostradamus ability again<<

At the time, I was thinking the more likely reassignment move was either RIvas or Gomez. I suspected that JB drew the short straw because he had an option left and, maybe, one of those guys didn't clear waivers. Now I'm not sure what was afoot. If we got a known player, I would say it was just getting some value for him. The famous PTBNL sounds more like a salary dump or underscoring our disatisfaction with him. It almost smacks of the kind of deal we made to rid ourselves of Salomon Torres. Whatever the reason, clearly, JB was not in the Pirates future.

You know I kinda feel sorry for Jose. He was a gamer whille here. I do not think I ever heard him complain. He may not have excelled but truly how many have since he had been here. I admit he was not a starter but to have that defensive versatility off the bench was very nice. Personally, I liked his approach to the game.

Good Luck Jose.

@Matt, Billy

It goes over 15 years ago, with a videogame of NHL Hockey. Had to pick a team. Any team, and I hadn't heard about any of them (pre-Internet era). I chose the Penguins because of the name. Around the same time, ESPN started in Brazil. It wasn't the international, almost-all-European-soccer station we have today; it was practically the same you have in the US. I caught some Pens games in the fateful 1992-93 playoffs, so I really started to root for them. A few years later, I also started following baseball, and the natural choice was the team from the same city (football I don't follow as closely). I took the "allegiances" pretty seriously, I have lots of Penguins and Pirates books/memorabilia, and even a couple Pittsburgh books.

Sorry for the long post... :)

One other thing: at the baseball online forum in Portuguese I take part in, the teams with the most following are the Red Sox and Yankees, over 50%. That sucks.

@G-Man do you want to toss in (to the ever gowing marvelous prize package) a completely virtual tour at the winners expense (of course) to the famous Shockoe Slip?

BillyKidd--I agree about Jose.  I think it was more that he wasn't developed properly under the old regime, but by all accounts, and that main account being DK, he was never lacking in effort.  I recall a Q&A where someone commented on JB's "laikadasical" attitude and DK was quick to correct that statement, saying JB was taking the issue at hand (I believe at the time it was frequent errors at 3rd base) very seriously, including extra practice.  So I wish JB the best.

@AG-If you ever decide to cross the borders and visit please let us know. If you think we are ok here on the blog wait till you meet us in person. BTW I love all of Brazil been to most of your Port cities. Brazillians love their football as much as we love our Steelers (Local pronunciation= Stillers).

I need to clarify that pronunciation Yinzers=Stillers.

I have to admit it, and I hang my head as I say this... I'll truly miss Joey Bats.

I thought he may just make it thru the shakedown, but alas, out the door he goes. (Someone might want to give Paulino a heads up, I hear the PBC needs a new bag of balls and a pint of Pine Tar)

Fare thee well Jose. Thanks for playing, good luck in Canada, Eh!

It's been almost 17 years since I've been to the US, and I never crossed the Mason–Dixon Line (I went to FLA, GA and TN). Now with my wife pregnant of our first child, doesn't seem like I'll go to Pittsburgh (or anywhere else outside Southeastern Brazil) in the foreseeable future.

Have you been to any city in the state of São Paulo, like Santos or Guarujá? Guarujá is my favorite beach place in São Paulo.

BillyKidd -

In the wake of last night's game, I went out, trying to overdose on a three-hour bicycle ride. I almost succeeded.

I read the posts ... BillyKidd, I can't figure out if you need more rest, another Iron City - or just a little more counseling from G-Man.

Maybe a few more Pirates victories will do it.

And some of you other Bloggers appear to have just gone bonkers with him ... AND I JUST LOVE THIS STUFF! (he said in his best Chuck Barris of "The Gong Show" impersonation).

BillyKidd -

>>do you want to toss in (to the ever gowing marvelous prize package) a completely virtual tour at the winners expense (of course) to the famous Shockoe Slip?<<

As long as we don't have to dine at the Tobacco Company. That place is still "THE" place visitors want to see. It's very nice, but also very ordinary food for a very high price. I don't go to the slip much anymore. There are some chain type places (BW3, for example) opening there. There are a lot more local and intereesting places a few blocks east in what's called Shockoe Bottom. But I have a better idea to keep costs down: I'll take the winner to the Canal Walk, which is free.

Baywatch -

>>AND I JUST LOVE THIS STUFF!<< You've gone from "talking like a pirate" to imitations of Chuck Barris. And you have the nerve to tell BIllyKidd he needs counseling. People in glass houses...

Have a fine night, all.  I'm out!

@ B-Kidd   Hey, I was thinking of other "promotions" I have in my repitoir... I will also throw in a Canary yellow, 29 inch wooden, giant eagle embossed baseball bat bearing the signature of everyone favorite second baseman... Johnny Ray and an assortment of T-shirts from years gone by that were given away on kids days. (They never did fit me.)

G-man... I was looking @ your screen name and wondering if that is a government id hanging 'round your neck in that avatar. (really thinking "my tax dollars at work, passing out hap caps)

And a fine night, to you, Pirata13!

And may God bless us all ... And God bless you, Mary Poppins!

And God bless you, Jose Bautista ... may you find the Washington National of the American League and hit for the cycle on your first day!

BleedBlackAndGold -

Cool. Anything with Giant Eagle on it is alright by me!

I lived in Bedford for four years, and everyone over there called it "Giant Iggle."

@Bay--all 3 and extra heavy sessions. In all actuallity I am a virtual senior level type for someone, with 2 computers with 2 daisychained screens each , 3 TV monitiors (closed captioned) to the 3 big cable news channels and 4 friggin walls. Until this blog came along I was entertaining myself. Just to stay on the blog I use my laptop so as not to post a blog to an International Client...Not good for what my handlers ask me to do at my zoo.

BleedBlackAndGold -

G-Man has a top security clearance. He can't answer questions like that.

@AG- Northern port cites of Sao Luis, Belem, Central Brazil on the Amazon of Manaus, Southern Ports of Port Alegre, Rio, and your home SP. The people and food while sometimes exotic absolutley fabulous.

An early congrats to you and your wife on your expectant bambino. God bless all for a healthy and happy delivery.

BillyKidd -

Is the new Avatar an action photo of your cousin, Chad Zerbe, who pitched for the Giants from 2000-03?

@G-Man We will spare no VIRTUAL expense on this tour. Virtual Bob Nutting just handed me a blank check from the prize vault. (money saved from all of the previous salary dumps.) I was in the Bottoms about 20 years ago just when they were fininshing the redevelopment...Good Choice.

@BBaG they have to be small shirts to give to the "pleasantly plump" winners. We do not want anyone looking like a fashionble dresser. Godforbid they show up on some red carpet wearing "I Love the Bucs and Foodland or A&P T-Shirt"

Bleed -

>>my tax dollars at work, passing out hap caps<< No, not a government ID. I wish it was and could give me access to Agent Scully's or Sidney Bristow's place. Read my bio, next to the photo. I worked for Wyeth pharmaceuticals. I took early retirement and am now and passing out Hap Caps from the homestead. That photo was taken of me in my office on the day of my retirement party.

Baywatch -

>>may God bless<<

Now you've gone from Barris to channeling Red Skelton.

Bay-yes it is. :)

BillyKidd, my post wasn't meant to be a prediction, just a daily countdown of what Our Buccos need to do to avoid loss number 82. Or, more likely,  a countdown to that loss.

G-Man -

Yeah, right. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals ... Richmond, VA ... Sounds like a nice cover for a Harrison Ford-type to me ...

You be at least fleshin' out a Tom Clancy novel, I'm sure ... Aaargh (he said in his best Robert Newton/Treasure Island voice - minus the peg leg, of course!)

@mgeorg--Oh go ahead and ruin all of the fun we have had today....Mr. Rain on our Parade....LOL.

mgeorg --and we accumulated some very nice parting gifts for our contestants. everything from used pizza boxes, rusty scissors, broken bobbleheads of pirates of the past and even a G-Man special virtually guided tour of Schokoe Slip iAnd you had to go and blow it...<grin>

That's ok, you go right on ahead and have fun with your predictions and prizes, no rain from me!

And with that, I'll be abandoning this thread for the Baustista one. Wonder what the shelf life of a thread is? Couple hours after the next post is up?

p.s. - Don't answer that, I won't be here to read it.

Bay--Do not let G-Man fool you. I spent 25 years inside the "Beltway" I know his type....He probably is wearing his secret decoder ring as he types

Breaking out in song, again "Secret Agent Man....."

@ JAL -- thanks for that post on espn.com for the "worst individual player seasons for each ball club" story -- interesting.

while joggin' george isn't on it -- pascual perez is!  so are former buccos willie montanez, mr. "operation shutdown", bill virdon (!), marvelle wynne, kevin young, alex cole....

I do have a question for you AVATAR geeks (meant in the most sincerest way, honestly)

I want to change my AVATAR on my bio, but every time I update/save...I wait as it says to do and nothing, same AVATAR on blog...Any ideas?

Had that problem when I changed mine.  Finally got it to work by deleting the old avatar first, waiting about ten minutes, and then going through the whole process again.

The instructions could be clearer.

JH how did you delete the original/old avatar?

It's been a couple of weeks, so my memory is a bit foggy except for the frustration -- but I think what finally worked was going to edit profile and setting enable avatar to no and then saving that, waiting for it to take effect, and then going back and loading the new one.  

HTH -- time for me to call it a day.

JH Thanks

BillyKidd - Got a feeling G-Man's on a supper break ... maybe we're safe (Could you ever be safe from a guy who has the combined traits of Harrison Ford and Clarence the Angel?)

That retirement party ... That's the day when the Chief sang the next line of "Secret Agent Man" to him:

"We're givin' you a number, and takin' AWAY yo name."

Aw, sing it, Johnny Rivers! Now there's a guy who's cleaning up more royalties on the oldies stations than Nutting has pulled back on salary dumps!

Bay being single and virtual allows you to eat at your desk and when you want. Man some of you are so good at pulling stuff out of the past.

I tried to change my AV it says it took and to wait the 10 minutes we shall see.

BillyKidd -

Back in my hippy days, I'd say I'm downright seeing trails from how fast you move, from channel to channel.

I guess today it's been The So-Long Bautista to the JHadar Poem/Two Round-Trip Tickets to your VERY own Backyard thread!

"stiff Barbies?"

GAH.

@Billy

I've never been to either São Luís or the Amazon, but I've been to the three southern cities you mentioned (including, of course, my hometown). I don't know if you also found the paulista food  exotic, but I have a friend who went to Belém and the only place she could eat was the local McDonald's. I don't think I could live there with the menu she listed.

And thanks for the votes. Guilherme should be born just after the Bucs play their final game this season — and he already has his Pirates onesie (thanks, eBay!).

BillyKidd and Baywatch -

>>Got a feeling G-Man's on a supper break ... maybe we're safe (Could you ever be safe from a guy who has the combined traits of Harrison Ford and Clarence the Angel?)<<

You guys are funnier than Rowan and Martin. Yes, I was on a dinner break. When I got back, I spotted some gorgeous creature subbing for Katie Courick and decided to pay attention to news that was not about Jose Bautista.

I'm cracking up at my new "Secret Agent Man" identity being a number. It's not 007, by the way. I have a massive collection of hockey jerseys and a dozen or so baseball jerseys, all but two with the number I wore when I played amateur hockey. Does that count as a spy identity?

Yes it does G-Man...

See Bay he even has the ability to change Identities.

Which is more than I can say about changing my AVATAR..

I give up!

@ Baywatch... its pronounced in Sahside as "Gyniggl"