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Just a Little StoryI had a chance to go to the Indians playoff game Thursday night. I had flown into Indianapolis that afternoon for the wedding of my previously mentioned Cleveland scout. The opportunity to catch a AAA playoff game between our respective teams' affiliates seemed too good to miss, but some prior commitments got in the way. I didn't miss much, as the none of the Indianapolis bats decided to show up, but they did come back from 0-2 to take the series yesterday. CongratulationsBy the way, this Cleveland scout friend also grew up in Chicago in the same youth baseball league as Indiana University's own Antwaan Randle El. Small World huh? This is a Pirate's Blog, I promise posted by Rory at 2:53 PM | |
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I'm PissedNot because of Lloyd which happened while I was writing this. It started in last weeks Q&A. Wilbur Miller writes in accusing team management of believing that "Pirates fans would rather watch crappy, one-year rental veterans that they've heard of than young guys who might struggle but might actually have a future." Wilbur's articles on onlybucs.net are top notch, but I find his accusation to be unfounded. Those players were stop-gaps. There is a difference between a young guy struggling at a new level and a young guy over his head too soon building up service time. The notion that those players were hired to appease fans is ludicrous.SIDE-NOTE: I did one time go to a game just to cheer for Randall Simon. That however had little to do with his playing ability or because I knew his name. It was because he had just hit a sausage in the back of the head and I felt it was the best publicity the Pirates had gotten since Turner Ward jumped through a wall. The 30,000 other fans who showed up that Thursday night must have agreed, or maybe they just wanted beach towels. I'm totally expecting Dejan to debunk this. I would consider myself a typical fan, with a little more knowledge then the next guy. I don't want lame free-agents. I don't even want big name guys. I want to grow with my team. I want good players, but I also want to believe in them, and I can only do that if I struggled with them through the difficult times. I'm thrown for a loop when he whips out proof that those in Pirate management are in fact idiots. Then quotes Littlefield and describe their view as "erroneous, out-of-touch-with-the-public." I'm too naive to be a baseball fan, especially of this team. This is then compounded Sunday when a boofest Saturday night is translating into this city not supporting a team of youngsters, nevermind that the stands were filled with Cubs fans. Charlie writes about this, so I won't rehash it here. I have also been to games just to boo. It's a very baptismal experience, especially after over a decade of loosing and nothing on the horizon to change direction. I will never boo a young player for trying and failing. I will boo not being able to get a run in from third with no outs, or a pitcher not giving you're team a chance to win, or any player showing signs of giving up on a game before the final out is recorded, but it doesn't go much further then that. Our managerial staff evidently thinks we boo rookies who play well while has-been wannabes (only because they never were) are cool as they blow games repeatedly. So Lloyd says, "You guys want to boo somebody? Boo me." News flash: we are. This little adventure results in a starting lineup Sunday without a rookie to be found; if he's trying to get fired he's doing a good job (I wrote that before the news, I swear). The rest of this was going to be something about how even though I'm behind McClendon, it will be heard to justify bringing him back next year. Seeing as how that's happened I'll write later about how this is probably the right move. posted by Rory at 5:25 PM | |
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I Have a HeadacheEd Eagle says:"Rob Mackowiak will get the bulk of playing time in center field in Duffy's absence. Mackowiak made his 26th start of the season in center field Sunday."Let me release the screaming rage I've been holding in since this was published on Sunday. Why oh why must I suffer the agony of watching Ty Wigginton's defense and his .644 OPS vs. right handers when Nate McLouth, who very well may compete for an outfield position next year sits on the bench? Furthermore, on the off chance that I don't have to see Wigginton at third why do I have to see Tike Redman taking up the spot in centerfield? I have come to grips with the, "you play well, you play" philosophy. I don't agree with it, but I can accept it. Nate McLouth has made two shitty errors out there, but how does he consistently get benched for players who plays worse? posted by Rory at 7:21 PM | |
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This is a blog about the Pittsburgh Pirates. My vision: to write about the games at the games. Want to email me? Make it out to rory at bleache... you know the rest. |
