Pirates vs. Royals, 6-28-09: Restart 4:30 p.m.

A list of the inexplicable baseball decisions the Nats front office has come up with would be the length of a Russian novel. It is almost to the point that if they want rid of a player he must be worth trading for and if they want Nyjermaybe we are better off without him. Just thinkin"

                  T          HE PEPPER SHAKER

Thank you, City of Bellevue! Me and Mrs. Bay,without an Internet connection where we're staying the next few nights cruised through West View into Bellevue,laptop in tow, searching for the mighty wireless connection signal and, BAM! Here we are across from Mane Attractions Hair and Skin Care, bloggin' just as beautiful as can be!

Go Pirates! Just a few hours until the Gathering at PNC ... it's going to be so great. I understand Ken Burns is going to be there to do a documentary of it!

And  what can I say? We did NOT come here to see the Pirates lose, and they have obliged. Honestly, the scneario last night was like something out of the "Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the Pennant" when Bay Jr. calls me at PNC about 30 seconds before Delwyn Young launched .... the place went nuts and through the phone Bay Jr. just heard "Delwyn Young just killed one  to dead center, a three-run homer, and, of course, after that there was NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

OK, going to try to upload a photo or two from yesterday so yinz can see 'em before I head back to central  for some personal hygine and our ride to the park with Capn. And SEE A BUNCH OF YINZ there!

Pack the Pirate fans into 16 games or expans the steelers to 162 games and see who comes out?

Its easier to compare apples and oranges.

Lets go Buccos! We need this Sweep!! Heading from Indiana to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning for all 3 against the Cubs--need to beat them to a pulp and take the Central by storm! I am ready!!!

OK, Gang! Here's a quick photo of me and a guy I ran into on the street. I think you'll recognize him.

community.post-gazette.com/.../PiratesGame2-012.jpg.aspx

Good morning aylum, right now I think would be the absolute wrong time to trade Nyger, the team is winning, hes a great clubhouse guy, he plays great defense, and can cause havec on the base pads despite what happened last night. Also I do not like the Miledge/Stammen return, mainly because of Miledge.

Mike Bucy! I'm ready, too, Bro! Gimme a shout through e-mail when you get to the park. I'm there for all three ... Monday, several of us bloggers will be sitting together ... we'ld love to say hello to you. Just send me your cell phone on e-mail if you have one, and I'll call you during the game sometime.

If the Pirates are going to succeed this year and be a winner, then a trade for a healthy LM would be a smart move. Morgan is a fine player, but albiet a below average one at the dish. If our 3rd baseman, 1st basemen catcher combines for say, 75 homeruns, then Morgan is more valuable on the base paths in front of them. I like Morgan, but we should move him if the deal is right.

Morning mates

So sorry if this has been said, but are there pictures of the gathering posted anywhere?

Bay please work your magic again today (and for the next three days after that)

Bucco Nation (39 States in the Union)

Still looking for inmates from the following:

Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Minnesota, North Dakota,

Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wyoming

Much thanks to Traco Bucco, Washington last off the list

We do have 9 countries represented: Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Phillipines, Scotland and lest I forget, the good old USA

On an earlier thread there were comments comparing crowd behavior at Fenway Park vs. PNC.

___

It's  not accurate to compare crowd behavior at Fenway vs. here or anywhere else. At Fenway they have done away with beer vendors. That is because people were getting so drunk, and so many fights were breaking out, they decided if you want to drink, you have to get up and walk to the stand to get it. And the only stand to get it is on the lower level, so if your upstairs, you have to leave your seat to get beer downstairs. So of course, crowd movement at Fenway would be more annoying than here where they bring it to you.

Biz,

Madturk has posted some already

Bay -

Great picture of you and me with my eyepatch and red bandana. :-)

LOL that Ken Burns will be there today to document this historic moment in baseball, The Bay Day Game.

Biz -

Look at the late threat last night and find the post from madturk with his link. Or click on his avatar and open his photo folders. They are stored on madturk's page.

And with that, I am about to leave in a few minutes for the next installment of LEAVE IT TO BAYVER.

What a beautiful day... Buccos have a chance to sweep the Royals and get to 3 games under .500.  It's fun to only be 5 back nearing the end of June!

Lets Go Bucs!

@BAY

Please keep bringing the Bucs good luck!  I think if the Pirates win all the games you attend the inmates should pitch in for season tickets for you!  I would be happy with 162-0!

bucco fan

"It's fun to only be 5 back nearing the end of June!"

I couldn't agree more!!

Bay- I recognize the old dude,but who is the guy with the eye patch? LOL

Marty -

Brings a total different feel to each game and gives up hope and excitement!

Its amazing , I dont know what it is, I saw something from the club in the 9th against CLE when the rally fell short..So much so , I said they would run off 5 , they are at 4...To disrupt things and trade Nyjer now would be totally the wrong move..If the club were just tanking it then whatever, but right now something SPECIAL IS HAPPENING HERE, I FEEL IT , WE ALL DO ...

CURRENT PIRATE STANDINGS AS OF 8.31 PST

5.0 GB OF BREWERS FOR NL CENTRAL

5.0 GB OF STL FOR NL WILDCARD

LETS GO BUCS.....YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS

GREINKE WILL BE STINKY

Bay - enjoy the rest of your trip!

This is going to be a tough game with Greinke pitching.  A friend asked me if I was feeling better about Young after last night's game.  Well, I always liked his bat and catching fly balls was never the problem.  I still say that fielding anything that hits the ground is a major problem.  Now, is that something that can be taught in a reasonable period of time?  If so, then he's a keeper.  If not...

 Is that a misprint in the lineup or is Hinske actually playing right field? N0t Moss who has been well offensively and defensively or Young who had a monster night last night offensively but the cornerstone of all that is future Pirates baseball the immortal Eric Hinske! Go figure.  

Alright, have to go grocery shopping before the game.  Will be back though.

@MAZ

Hey - I will be in Bettendorf all week for work, I fly there tomorrow morning and leave Thursday afternoon.  Any chance, if we both can swing it, we could meet up for dinner or something?  I looked it up and Muscatine was only 40 miles away.  Figured we could meet halfway.  Email is sam@crimsonvillas.com.  Hit me up if you are interested!

And Santa bring the Pirates a division championship.Please

                                 PS    I ain't your pal  ;-)

Hinske -RR  =  Range Rover?

I would rather see Moss or DYoung in RF.  I don't really see the need for Hinske to be getting the at-bats.  He should be sharp enough for pinch hitting.  Maybe he is going to be the first baseman when Adam La. gets traded?

DARYLE,

To take his spark out of the line up for potential at a time when the team is bonding would not be wise.

If he can come in here and hit 30 home runs from now til the end of the season then youi make a trade like that.

there once once a young lad named grenke

clutch will start out putting one by his pinky

morgan wont stall

hell hit the fast ball

and we will all be one our way to calling him stinky

Dang!  I wish I had checked this just a little earlier...Bay and Mrs. Bay were just down the street from me!  Oh well, I'll see them later on.

The standings are beautiful!  We may be in last place, but last being only 5 games out CAN'T be a bad thing, no way!  It only takes a run, which this team is capable of, to move ahead.  Just think what could happen if we do really well against the Cubbies this week?  I'm getting happy shivers at the thought.  :-)

I suppose Hinske needs a start and that's why he's playing over Moss or DY...or Pearce? Okay...I'll do the necessary offerings before I head down to PNC.

DY didn't look that bad last night. Even the ball he just fielded I don't think AMac would have done much better with, except maybe holding the guy to a double....maybe.  I am hopeful he can improve that...and it sounds like they're still working with him at 2B too, though I don't know how JR could sit Freddy the way he's been hitting.

hey guys!

I've been reading end enjoying you guys and DK for some time now.  I don't usually feel the need to chime in, and i can't imagine that changing too much, but I wanted to let Biz add another country to his bucco nation list.

I'm a peace corps volunteer in Zambia, but i'll always be a pittsburgher at heart and the first thing i do every morning (usually when i wake up at 4am to pee, but you don't want to know that) is get on my phone and see if those buccos pulled out another W.

Only a game in a half outta third place! And it's almost July!

Go buccos!!!!!

Ohhhhh....and no PBP today, or tomorrow for that matter.  I'm gonna be in the stands the next couple of nights.  

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!  Billy Mays, our most trusted tv pitchman has died!!! Just announced on fox news.

Bay (and Mrs. Bay),

Love the picture of you and the pirate, keep up that mojo and get us another win today!

General thoughts-last night was awesome!  My 3 year old is hooked, his first comment this morning was, "Let's go to the gym" (I coach basketball, so any playing field is a gym)...Everyone at the park was friendly, the game was well played, and the fans were enthusiastic...I can't for the life of me figure out why more people don't come.

Quick Q...how do you know how many posts you have?  I am a neophyte, I know.

Go Bucs!

The Billy Mays note from gordonbombay does NOT appear to be a hoax.

www2.tbo.com/.../news-breaking

Well it appears the Cardinals already started to improve.  They traded reliever Chris Perez and a PTBNL to the Indians for uber-utility player Mark Derosa.  Derosa is not an all-star but he is a great player for a winning team.

Here is a link to the story from STLtoday.com

www.stltoday.com/.../117F9AE71016944D862575E300170139

Mays is dead...TMZ.com headline.

DeRosa is having a very good year, and it frees up Shumacher for the outfield, thus allowing them to trade an outfielder or two for Matt Holliday--who is still a favorite of the Cardinals...CHESS anyone?

Bay! You were just a few minutes from the Ranchero and nary a block away from Bellevue Diner. Rats, we could have had breakfast...

Jose

Okay - I don't get it.  I know some of you brought this up already but why is Hinske in right?  You can't even use "KC has a lefty pitching today".  Moss has been playing great and DY had four RBI's last night.  Am I missing something or does this make no sense to anyone?

I truly believe JR has a dartboard in his office with the names of Moss, Hinske, Pearce, and Young on it.  When he arrives to the ballpark he picks up a dart, stands 300 feet away, and fires that bad boy at the dartboard.  Whoever it lands on starts.  

Anyone else have a better explanation?

"Mays is dead...TMZ.com headline."

@ ALL   have 2 ask does this mean P.A.M.T  goes away?

Listening to Neil H's show today, it sounds like it would take a miracle for Ian Snell to pitch for the major league Pirates again.  (A miracle or injuries to all five starters up here now.)

NH was pretty honest in his assessment of Snell.  He also acknowledged that Snell's contract makes it almost impossible to trade him.   He took responsibility for signing Snell --without getting to know the person first.   Greg Brown tried to say that some people that were here when NH & FC got here and that may have been involved with the decision making to sign Snell to the contract are no longer here.  NH took the responsibility.

My opinion is that if Chuck Tanner was employed by the team he would have been able to tell them that Snell shouldn't be signed to  a long term deal.

Radio: At Fenway they have done away with beer vendors

I was there last Saturday (Sox vs Braves), and there were plenty of beer vendors hawking their wares. In fact, the vendors were more annoying blocking the view than fans getting up during the inning.

U S A .. U S A.. BEAT  BRAZIL!!   and gooo bucs!! keep it up charlie!

Question for anyone watching the game.  I'm watching it on Gamecast so all I know is what ESPN says about pitch location.  How does Morton look through 2? A lot of his pitches appear to be low and away?  Is this accurate?

I'm a bit disillusioned...when asked, JR said on his pre-game show that he is satisfied with Nyjer Morgan's base-running / stealing.

???...Maybe he's just sticking up for him.

For the most part, I think Morton's been placing his fastball well.  It's tailing away from left handers, and it's been tailing in onto the corner against righties.

Maybe someone can help me here...I have an 85-year old buddy who is a huge baseball fan and he missed the answer to the Aflac Trivia question during the Pirates game last night.  (Apparently I even missed the question.)

According to this gentleman, the question was:  Name the three players who are in the Hall of Fame who played in the Negro Leagues, the American League, and the National League.

Was this the correct question?  Did anybody happen to catch the answer of who the three players were?  Thanks for your help!

Thanks Former, I'm glad to see its just the type of pitches Charlie is throwing and not Ian Snell Syndrome

Minor Leaguer,

There were more than three.  I think there were seven or eight.

The ones I remember:

Jackie Robinson

Hank Aaron

Willie Mays

Satchel Paige

Monte Irvin

Ernie Banks

Larry Doby

There might have been one more, but I'm not sure.

Where Grienke isnt unhittable his stuff is filthy, Charlies stuff doesnt appear to have the movement it did in colorado but he appears to be throwing more strikes.

@Minor Leaguer

The question was name all players, who played in the Negro Leagues, the majors (either AL or NL) and are in the HOF I believe.

There were about seven correct answers including Robinson, Mays, Aaron, Doby (SP) and a few I'm not remembering. One was completely unfamiliar to me.

I think FormerSoxFan has nailed it...pretty sure there were no more than seven.

Hank Thompson played for both the St. Louis Browns (AL) and the NY Giants (NL).  Minnie Monoso played for the White Sox (AL) and the Cardinals (NL).  I can't track down the third one, if there is one.

Snell with 6 K's through 2 innings in his first start with Indy....

Charlie Pride played in the Negro Leagues, and is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, for what it's worth.

Danny Ainge played 2 or 3 seasons for the Blue Jays before he went on to a great NBA career for what it's worth....

"The Pirates are "very close" to signing their third- and fifth-round picks. Most of the rest of the top 10 will be "tough."

I don't know why it should be so tough to sign the rest of the top 10 given all the money they saved by drafting down with Sanchez instead of taking the best talent available with the 4th pick overall.

I guess they are going to renege on their promise to make it up by using the money to go above slot and have a deep draft.

Typical.

Nothing but empty suits.

WOW  Snell 3 innings pitched  9 strike outs

Snell....9 K's and 1 BB though 3 innings with Indy.

Snells pitch count is high though {sound familiar} 48 pitches 30 strikes, he doesnt need 2 blow everyone away he needs to prove he can pitch

Thanks for the answers, folks...

Re: Snell at Indianapolis...guess there must be no negativity down there!

I don't necessarily agree with Walk on McCutchen's throw to third that he made a big deal out of. True if you don't get the guy the guy on first moves up, but I think you have to go against the grain at times, if he cuts that guy down, he will get some respect for his arm.

3-0 is tough anyway to come back from with they Pitcher the Royals have on the mound.

What Walk should have been talking about was the error that will never be called an error, that was the catcher not making the tag at home on the runner. McCuthen's catch should have ended the inning.

Snell ....10 K's in 3.1 innings pitched....

Macbox,

Seems like a pretty far stretch to find fault with a dominant pitching performance.

Do you displike Pirate players that much?

Geez.

Snell....12 K's through 4 IP

Every out a K.

1BB

No hits.

"Seems like a pretty far stretch to find fault with a dominant pitching performance.

Do you displike Pirate players that much?"

@NUTTY

            I figured you would go that rout, the most negative poster on the board calling me negative  unbelievable.

Snell needs to go down and prove he can pitch i.e  work the ball in&out  change speeds throw strikes, keep his pitches down.

Striking out a bunch of kids looks good on the surface but you have to look deeper.

I have not given up on Snell.  I think he has the tools and sometimes people mature late.  

However, I'm not too excited about this performance yet.  Through the four innings, he has thrown 63 pitches.  I understand strikeouts alone will rack up a higher number of pitches, but where are these strikes?  Is he pitching to contact and getting foul ball strikes?  Once I know the answer to where he is locating his pitches, then I'll determine how I feel about this.

But, it is encouraging to a degree anyway.

OK MacStretch......

Like I said, a ridiculous stretch to find fault with a dominant performance by Snell....

4 IP

0 Hits

1 BB

12 K's

LOL!

Nutty reminds me of my ex-girlfriend.  she used to just drain all my positive energies.  Because of her though, I recognize an energy zapper when I see them and don't let it affect me.

@Leadoff

I think you make a good point about Cutch making that throw, and it was a good throw.  But, Walk is right too since it wasn't the right play to make.  One of those plays if he makes it, the manager is saying "No, no, no, no, YES!"   But, the play wasn't made.  

Jaramillo needs to block the plate better.  That isn't the first time he has done a poor job blocking the plate.

Snell

4.1 IP

0 H

1 BB

13 K's

Except that's not good enough for Macinthebox.

too bad this rain couldnt get us an hour delay.  get greike out of the game and give us a chance to come back

@NUTTY

Snell is on pace for 140 pitches for 9 innings, think he will get the complete game ???????

on the surface 12 strikeouts looks awesome but it is 12 outs, if you are really pitching you can produce the same results and get the complete game.

at his current pace he wont get there, it's about pitching  

Snell

4.1 IP

1 H

1 BB

13 K's

Mac is validated, Snell lost the no-hitter....

Snell

4.1 IP

2 H

1 BB

13 K's

Mac is right, they should just release him....

Dejan,

Are you keeping up with the CONFED CUP???

if Adam LaRoche heats up, and Doumit comes back and stays healthy, we might actually make a run.  that would be......  different.

OK MacStretch......

Like I said, a ridiculous stretch to find fault with a dominant performance by Snell....

4 IP

0 Hits

1 BB

12 K's

LOL!

@ NUTTYBAR

How many outs has he recorded 12 , so he has struck out 12 CONGRATULATIONS, he's blown away 12 TOLEDO MUDHENS

This week he had 70 pitches and that didnt get him through 3 innings, this only proves to me Snell doesnt get it!

Snell

4.2 IP

2 H

1 BB

1 R / 1 ER

13 K's

lost the shutout

Box score change....

Snell

5.0 IP

2 H

1 BB

1 R / 0 ER

13 K's

lost the shutout

Mac,

LOL!!!

And in other news, Jose Guillen has given up trying to field balls around the wall off his nose.....

The rains came and may have saved us, hopefully with a delay we can ge that pitcher out of there.

@macsinthebox...

i agree you may be right, but it is difficult to know for sure how he is pitching just on the box score.  maybe he is pitching to contact early and the hens can't handle his stuff. i'm guessing you are right, but i'm open to waiting.

i'd love to hear a scout's view or managements view.  i'll wait until more facts come in.

Yeah!  Yeah for the rain.  Gnite Greinke!!!!

@NUTTY BUDDY

Hopefully this afternoon when you get over yourself you will realize you are wrong  AGAIN

Just like your crusade against Nutting doesnt look @ the whole picture {baseballs inferior economics affects the Pirates more than Nutting} you are going after the low hanging fruit Snell has 12 K S  WONDERFUL  what has he learned?????????

holy mokers!  USA 2  Brazil 0 at start of 2nd half.

Wow!

oops.  jinxed them.  USA 2 - 1 just like that.

I have to go with Hostage, Snell is a valuable commodity, but only financially, the Pirates can't dump him because he is doing poorly, if he does something good, he probably goes to get rid of his salary. Listening to Neal, Neal feels he made a mistake with Snell, he has a product with no value and it is Neal's fault.

Macs,

Please. You are making a flat out fool of yourself in your desperate hopes to find fault with a dominant pitching performance by Ian Snell thus far......

You are only parroting what you have been conditioned to think by the Pirate front office.

Try thinking for yourself.

This pitching performance is impressive no matter how you cut, no matter how far you try to stretch pal.

Snell

5.0 IP

2 H

1 BB

1 R / 0 ER

13 K's

Snell

6.0 IP

2 H

1 R

0 ER

1 BB

15 K's

Geez, what a bum.

Amazing what a positive environment can do for some people.....

@macsinthebox...

"i agree you may be right, but it is difficult to know for sure how he is pitching just on the box score"

@ BORU boru

You could be a lot closer to correc t but what do we know about Snell ??  hes a me guy trying to strike out every hitter is a ME THING I M O just a strong gut feeling

I think a guy's desperate attempts to make a 6.0 IP 2 H, 1 BB,15K pitching performance is a bad thing is a ME THING.

Snell

5.0 IP

2 H

1 BB

1 R / 0 ER

13 K's

NUTTY BAR

A walk, 2 hits and a run, just curios why cant he strike everyone out?????

Geez, that Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, and Randy Johnson with all their strike outs were such lousy selfish bums....

LOL!

I think you have to look at this game with Snell through a realistic light.

I hesitate to take anything away from Snell, 13 strikeouts is an accomplishment, but Gorzo struck out twelve of this guys the other day, apparently the Mud Hens are not very good.

@Macs...

the one great thing that could come of this, though, is maybe Snell gets his confidence way up.  then, if he takes to the coaching, maybe he attacks the strike zone and pitches to contact more and pitches his way back into the majors.  but, he certainly needs to learn to pitch to contact more.

if snell gets his groove back, then our starting pitching is suddenly sorta deep.  

@leadoff

great point about gorzo and the hens. haha!

USA just caught huge break in soccer match.  our goalie made save from inside the goal, thus really a goal, but ref missed it.  we're still up 2-1

"Geez, that Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, and Randy Johnson with all their strike outs were such lousy selfish bums....

LOL!"

RYAN

KOUFAX

JOHNSON

SNELL

Gee kids which one is out of place there????????

talk about a streeeeeeeetttttcchhhh

Snell is being so incredibly selfish today....

6.1 IP

2 H

1 BB

1 R

0 ER

16 K's

Oh my....Mac's going to be furious....more selfish dominance.....

Snell

7.0 IP

2 H

1 R

0 ER

1 BB

17 K's

Rain rain go away.......

i'm just glad to see Nutty being positive.  of course, it is about a player, and not management.  but i'll take it.

Snell really has gotten stronger in this game.  only 92 pitches in 7 innings.  looks like he's thrown nothing but strikes since end of four.

nice!

My prediction for Snell, next time out 3 ip, 7 h, 7 er, 4 bb, 2 k

          I will admit on the surface 17 strikeouts is impressive, if the Pirates call him up 4 his next start do you think he will

1. Strikeout 3 an inning

2. be a better pitcher????

USA and Brazil all tied.

it's funny we can compete at all in soccer.  all the world's best athletes play soccer except here in USA.  here, all the guys who can't play the major sports, but want to play something, play soccer.  

Jamey Wright is going to the pen for KC.  Looks like Grienke is gone!

obviously the Bucs will make Snell pitch consistently for a time before coming back up.  and gorzo will get the call next, if a starter is needed.

@ NUTTY BUDDY

Hows that complete game working out????????

USA down 3-2 with only a few minutes left.

@ Sane posters

               4 those who thought i was out of line for critisizing a guy who struck out 17 guys in 7 innings remember this.

Snell always had good stuff, competent enough to compete in the bigs.

but his issue was and still is he is a thrower not a pitcher.

do you think blowing away 17 MUD HENS will make him a better pitcher?

JR AINT GOT GOUT SNELL HAS 17 STRIKEOUTS

WE KNOW CHARLIE IS IMPORTANT AND HIS LAST NAME IS MORTON

Mac

He has to pitch a few games at Indy to draw any real conclusions about him

I will tell you this, I saw him pitch against Atlanta early this year and he was pitching, not throwing, however I only saw that in spurts this year and never when he got in trouble, when he got in trouble he always resorted to throwing.

From that I have to believe the used his stuff and his fastball to get the strikeouts today.

i JUST THINK OF THE SONG 'WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS"  ;-)

IT MAY BE A RAINY DAY BUT AT LEAST WE GOT MR AND MRS BAY

Whhooo hoooo Let's hear for for the anniversary couple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maz...

we ain't friends...  We are FAM-UH-LEE!  All my brothers, sisters and me!!

I almost feel like Ian's start today was along the lines of "I'm tired of this stuff and just gonna throw the heck out of the ball!" (paraphrased for family reading).

When he can pitch well without being angry...we'll see how it goes.

@ Leadoff

                 You are right, he has had short spurts where he has actually pitched but they are rare I M O

If Snell gets it together and actually goes down and get's straightened out i will gladly eat my crow and call myself a jerk for bismerching him, but after today i am more convinced than ever he still doesnt get it.

the next buccos pitcher who walks the leadoff hitter will be shot!

It is encouraging to see Snell pitch well today but Toledo leads the International league in strike outs with 682. Second place Durham has 569. I would love to see him repeat this effort his next time out.  

"I almost feel like Ian's start today was along the lines of "I'm tired of this stuff and just gonna throw the heck out of the ball!" (paraphrased for family reading).

When he can pitch well without being angry...we'll see how it goes."

@ THUNDER

      You nailed it

Mac,

Your expectation that Pirate pitchers must throw a complete game, combined with your dissatisfaction with a 7 inning, 2 H, 0 ER, 1BB, 17 K effort is absolutely laughable.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Like I said upthread, try thinking on your own instead of simply parroting the clubs propaganda.

You are better than that.

At least I hope you are.

@Nutting

I'm confused about all this "management propaganda" you keep talking about.  why would management bash Snell?

if anything, i think this current management team has been refreshing with their candor.  they make decisions they think are in the best interests of the team and explain it.  but they don't get hung up on the idea that the fans need to approve.

@  NH,

          I  am perfectly capable of thinking on my own, i obviously took the road less traveled by criticizing a guy who had 17 strikeouts.

* Again his stuff is fine, he's got plenty of power

* He still needs to learn how 2 Pitch

* Do you honestly think he figured out how to pitch after today???

@gortandrobot - "It is encouraging to see Snell pitch well today but Toledo leads the International league in strike outs with 682."

Yes, it is encouraging. Yes, we should keep it in perspective.

Well put.

Today would be a great day to steal a ninth-inning win and pick up a game on most of the central division!

Go buccos!

@Mac...

You do have to admit he must have been throwing strikes in the his last three innings today, though.  His strikes to balls ratio improved very much in the 2nd half of his game today.  as a fan, i'll take any sign of progress.  long way to go, for sure, though.  i agree.

@ boruboru27

I agree he was obviously throwing strikes, but after those strikeout totals do you honestly think he was pitching or throwing, there is a difference

macs,

I get what you're saying.  Obviously a dominating performance.  Everyone knows he has the arm.  I'd like to see his pitch mix before heaping praise.  He can blow away guys at AAA.  He can't get away with it at the major league level.  

Snell did great.  Period.  

If Snell and Gorzelanny can find their 2007 form again, then that will do a ton to get the Pirates back to respectability.  If they hadn't lost that form, then they might have been near or above .500 last year considering how well the team hit early on.  Maybe those big trades would not have happened last year (or might have waited until the off-season to happen).