2012 Pirates Regular Season Thread

[X-Terminator]

I'm going to say it and deal with the flames later. If the Pirates have another epic collapse this year - I'm predicting they will after the piles of garbage they've put out the past 3 days - then both Hurdle and Huntington need to be given their pink slips the very next day, and I seriously hope MLB forces Baghdad Bob Nutting to sell the team. I'm so sick and tired of being sold a lemon by this franchise each and every damn season. Get some people in here who not only understand the game, but are willing to spend money to put a winner on the field.

[Borski]

I'm not ready to give up on them, they haven't looked good the past few says but that doesn't mean the season is over. I'll stick with em til the end.

[X-Terminator]

Well, they managed to salvage one game today, coming back from a 5-0 deficit to win 11-5. Still a very, very disappointing series overall. Lots of absolutely awful play and pitching this weekend in an important series.

[steelerdude15]

This is a great video I think you all will like about Neil Walker and Clemente:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8255199

[steelpride12]

Welp the Bucs are slipping a bit. 11-0 blowout last night to the Dodgers ouch. The pitching is losing it's consistency and I hate to say it: but I feel this is looking a tad like last seasons fallout, but I hope I am wrong and of course still believe this team can come out with a winning record and possibly more.

Seems via Twitter Burnett had a players only meeting today and I truly hope this was a huge wake up call and a confidence booster the Bucs need! 1-1 so far in tonights game, let's face it....we gotta win.

[X-Terminator]

Looks like it didn't help one iota - losing 9-3 right now. Yep, definitely deja vu all over again. At this rate, they'll be lucky to finish with a winning record.

[steelerdude15]

A great and much needed win today by the Bucs. G.I. Jones with two homeruns, Barmes had a couple of RBIs, and I believe Barajas went four for four. A.J. also got his fifteenth win of the season. Also, Kemp and their manager were thrown out of the game if anyone didn't see. The video is on the highlights of the game if you go to either MLB.com or Pirates.com.

[oneforthetoe]

I love AJ. He is exactly what the Pirates have been missing. It's not just that he wants to win and hates losing (who doesn't?). No, he turns into a caged animal when he gets frustrated with how things are going. It's not enough to feel bad about losing. It has to eat you up inside before you can make a change.

Oh, and can we at least send Pedro's third base defense back to little league where it belongs?

[vader29]

I love AJ. He is exactly what the Pirates have been missing.

Loved it when he struck out Ramirez his next at bat after hittting the home run and yelled at him to sit the f down.

[X-Terminator]

Loved it when he struck out Ramirez his next at bat after hittting the home run and yelled at him to sit the f down.

That was classic. He endeared himself to every Pirates fan when he did that. How else can a pitcher get a standing ovation after he just gave up 6 runs? Hanley Ramirez is a punk and always has been. LA deserves him.

[steelpride12]

Well we pulled out a win yesterday because Burnett is unstoppable! GI Jones needs to keep swinging that bat and Alvarez once again showed signs of life!

It's a struggle and we have the BIGGEST series coming up for the Bucs. In the #2 Wild Card spot and the Cards are only 1/2 behind them, this could make or break the rest of the season.

[steeldevil]

It was a joke that Kemp got thrown out of that game for cheering on his teammate. lol

Big series this weekend. Go Cardinals!

[X-Terminator]

It was a joke that Kemp got thrown out of that game for cheering on his teammate. lol

Big series this weekend. Go Cardinals!

Yeah, that was complete bullshit. But as usual, absolutely nothing will happen to the umpire, which has gone past the point of ridiculousness.

Anyway, this series and next weekend's series in here in the Burgh will tell a lot about both teams. Personally, I'm not expecting the Pirates to do very well, just hoping they can win 1 of the 3 games since they will not have to face Lohse or Wainwright this series.

[steeldevil]

Yeah, that was complete bullshit. But as usual, absolutely nothing will happen to the umpire, which has gone past the point of ridiculousness.

Anyway, this series and next weekend's series in here in the Burgh will tell a lot about both teams. Personally, I'm not expecting the Pirates to do very well, just hoping they can win 1 of the 3 games since they will not have to face Lohse or Wainwright this series.

Baseball needs to change the way it holds the umpire in such high regards. Forever the ump has not been allowed to be questioned and has total control over calls and ejections. He can totally change the game or series based on how he decides to warrant ejections. Replay should be added too for HR or foul ball calls. It wouldn't slow the game down too long.

[steelpride12]

2-0 Bucs in the bottom of the 4th. SO far McDonald looks fantastic. Already 5 strikeouts and he is in the zone and pitching with control! Gotta keep this up, but an early win against the Cards would be big.

[steelpride12]

2 straight Buccos games with ejections. Now the Cards 3rd base coach is thrown out. It was a bad strike call I'll agree there.

[steelerdude15]

2 straight Buccos games with ejections. Now the Cards 3rd base coach is thrown out. It was a bad strike call I'll agree there.

What happened?

[steelpride12]

What happened?

McDonald threw a pitch outside the strike zone and the ump called it strike 3 and the third base coach ran over and screamed at the ump till he got booted.

[steelerdude15]

McDonald threw a pitch outside the strike zone and the ump called it strike 3 and the third base coach ran over and screamed at the ump till he got booted.

Thanks for letting me know.

[steelpride12]

Bucs take the first of the series, huge win! McDonald looked like his old form through six, but did have control issues throughout. Can't be sitting on 2 wins and expect to take the series though.

[X-Terminator]

McDonald walked 3, but like he did early in the season, he was able to work around them. It also didn't hurt that he had a pretty big strike zone to work with - he was getting the outside corner all night. Which, of course, is why Oquendo was tossed for arguing balls and strikes. At any rate, it was a big win...hopefully they can pick up the series win this afternoon (4:05 start for those who don't know, and it's a national TV game on FOX).

[oneforthetoe]

Hopefully, J-Mac is back. But wow, when he loses it he loses it quick. I know he needs the confidence of being able to pitch out of jams. Still, Hurdle needs a relative quick hook with J-Mac because 7 runs can come in a hurry.

[X-Terminator]

And the Pirates lose yet another game they should have won. Hurdle needs to stop pissing around when his starter crumbles, and someone needs to file an APB on Cutch, who has been MIA with RISP for the better part of a month. The team was 1-14 today with RISP, had the bases loaded twice with less than 2 out and got a grand total of 1 run out of it. That is not winning baseball. If they want their winning season, they cannot lose games like this.

[Godfather]

16th inning.

I just hope we don't lose this game on a horrible call...

[X-Terminator]

16th inning.

I just hope we don't lose this game on a horrible call...

They didn't. Bucs win 6-3 in 19 innings. Wandy Rodriguez pitched the final 2 innings to pick up his first win as a Pirate. Pedro Alvarez hit the go-ahead HR and McCutchen salted it away with a 2-run single. Probably the biggest win in the last 19 years.

[polamalubeast]

2 win on 3 games vs the cardinals on the road....this is very good

The pirates are now 66-53 this season and the season is a great success right now

[X-Terminator]

67-54, actually.

[steelerdude15]

This was a defensive battle today. Defense was great, especially from Harrison who made some great saves at second base and had a great catch in the outfield in the nineteenth inning. Karstens pitched well and even had a couple of nine pitch innings. Great to see Pedro get another homerun and Cutch helping with his hit to score two more runs. Off to San Diego.

[oneforthetoe]

They didn't. Bucs win 6-3 in 19 innings. Wandy Rodriguez pitched the final 2 innings to pick up his first win as a Pirate. Pedro Alvarez hit the go-ahead HR and McCutchen salted it away with a 2-run single. Probably the biggest win in the last 19 years.

I think time will tell if it is the biggest win in 19 years. I will say, however, that I thought if they lose this game the season will crumble just like it did after the Braves game last year. So, if nothing else, they may have saved this season.

[X-Terminator]

I think time will tell if it is the biggest win in 19 years. I will say, however, that I thought if they lose this game the season will crumble just like it did after the Braves game last year. So, if nothing else, they may have saved this season.

That could still happen even though they won tonight. You're right, time will tell on whether or not this is the biggest win in 19 years, but it was a damn important one. They absolutely could not afford to lose it.

BTW, special shout-out to Fort McKenry for catching all 19 innings. You definitely deserve a nice, cold beer my friend!