2015 Pittsburgh Pirates Thread

[PenGator88]

HS! Coghlan should have had a pitch in his mf-ing earhole!

[Lt. Dish]

Another thing ("Another Thing" could be the game of the day): I don't want to hear about how "classless" the Bucs are because someone finally stood up to Arrieta and plunked him. No one tried to take out his head or arm; he got hit in the butt after hitting two of our heart-and-soul guys earlier. But Arrieta, what a competitor! And competitors do what competitors gotta do. It's all part of the game. But the Bucs are cheap and big babies despite having Coghlan take out Kang on purpose, conveniently two weeks before the inevitable WC matchup.

Yes, I've convinced myself that the Cubs tried to take out Kang on purpose, because the rules say they could without repercussions, and it worked. I think Kang was emerging as the straw stirring our drink as the second half wore on, so take out the straw so the drink eventually gets stagnant. Send out a relatively unimportant guy who has done it before to another player. And as for the steroid rumors? I pretty much think they're crazy and conspiratorial, but I don't really care, either. The Cubs are a very talented team, and they deserved to win last night--they are good, as much as I dislike that hashtag Cubs fans use--and clearly things are coming together for them early. But something just doesn't sit right with me about that Cubs team, from the manager on down.

If these two teams face off in a best-of-whatever? The Bucs move on. I do believe that. The Bucs, bench to mound to field, overall, are deeper and more experienced, and the Cubs 'pen is weaker and their inexperience would be exposed over time. Frankie would be there for us, then Happ, more opportunities for the bats to heat up and the bench to bat, etc.

The next day, with a raging postseason loss hangover headache and a heavy heart, I'm feeling both philosophical and vengeful. The Bucs will be back. I'm angrier at the system than I am at them. As for the Cubs? I want them to get beaten more than ever--summarily, expediently, and in humiliating fashion.

I won't be watching baseball again until April. Cards, do your thing.

[DeadPuck]

I don't think they had Kang targeted... But I do know that - that scrub - at that moment in time - knew the velocity in which he was about to slide right into a guys leg.

The thing about the Cubs is when it happens to them, their manager goes of on tangents about wrong it is and dirty etc. When his players do it, it's an accident.

The most **** up part of all this is, we would kick that teams ass in a series. No question. We may have even kicked San Franciso's ass last year had it been a series.

But the fact remains, our ace had not been able to shut out their team like their aces have done to us in these games. The other team has scored on our ace, we don't score on theirs. Truth be told though, as I mentioned prior in this thread - Cole is still paying his dues. He will eventually step on that mound someday (in the playoffs) a stone cold killer ala Bumgarner or Arietta. He still looks a little shaky in big games and that's okay... It's a work in progress. Just like the Pens were from 06' to 09'.

With that said, the Pirates need to invest more in the product on the field. They need to get more bats and find at least one bat (first basemen) who would scare the **** out of Clayton Kershaw... Meanwhile your Bumgarners and Ariettas.

They need to gun for the division hard. Stop resting players. What good was all that rest now? Also, they need more pieces. Those penny pinching weasels who run that team need to start forking out more cash. The playoffs aren't enough anymore... This city wants a championship or at the very least a respected run at one.

That ball park is full April through October. There's no excuse anymore.

They need more talent.

[Lt. Dish]

I don't think they had Kang targeted... But I do know that - that scrub - at that moment in time - knew the velocity in which he was about to slide right into a guys leg.

The thing about the Cubs is when it happens to them, their manager goes of on tangents about wrong it is and dirty etc. When his players do it, it's an accident.

The most **** up part of all this is, we would kick that teams ass in a series. No question. We may have even kicked San Franciso's ass last year had it been a series.

But the fact remains, our ace had not been able to shut out their team like their aces have done to us in these games. The other team has scored on our ace, we don't score on theirs. Truth be told though, as I mentioned prior in this thread - Cole is still paying his dues. He will eventually step on that mound someday (in the playoffs) a stone cold killer ala Bumgarner or Arietta. He still looks a little shaky in big games and that's okay... It's a work in progress. Just like the Pens were from 06' to 09'.

With that said, the Pirates need to invest more in the product on the field. They need to get more bats and find at least one bat (first basemen) who would scare the **** out of Clayton Kershaw... Meanwhile your Bumgarners and Ariettas.

They need to gun for the division hard. Stop resting players. What good was all that rest now? Also, they need more pieces. Those penny pinching weasels who run that team need to start forking out more cash. The playoffs aren't enough anymore... This city wants a championship or at the very least a respected run at one.

That ball park is full April through October. There's no excuse anymore.

They need more talent.

Maddon has let the media's love affair with him that started when he was with TB go to his head.

Yes, the Bucs do need to go for the division, starting with playing better against it. Cutting down on the errors would help. Not sacrificing runners on the basepaths would, too. Fundamentals. Sometimes I think the Bucs needed much better fundamentals more than a little more talent. This isn't to say a few more pieces couldn't help.

Who knows whether a different ace or another bat would've helped in a one-off game, because anything can happen in one stupid game. I didn't expect that Cole would have a night like he did last night, but I sure knew the possibility was there, just like--no matter what anyone says--the possibility for Arrieta to have the bad game was there, too. Marte's hard hit on that DP gets muffed or through and...

But, as I said before, they can't let themselves be in this position where one game can undo them again.

Three games short. THREE anywhere over the course of the year--during that bad April, after the ASB in Miller Park, whenever or wherever. That's all they needed.

8:00 tonight can't get here fast enough. I'm relying on the Pens to help me turn the page.

[Lt. Dish]

I love baseball. I loathe MLB. I wasn't going to watch any more baseball, but the Utley slide got my attention.

So much outrage and a suspension for Utley for his take-out slide that broke Tejada's leg.

Coghlan and Jung Ho? <crickets>

Missing Jung Ho was huge down the stretch and we probably could've used him last Wednesday night. But whatever. No justice for the small-market guy. Tin-foil hats don't look good on me, but I've always been 100% bought in that a big-market bias exists in the MLB. Time and time again, they do nothing to dispel any notion that it exists.

Good news for Tejada is that reportedly (per Jon Heyman of CBS) he doesn't need surgery, will be in a cast for 6-8 weeks, and will likely be ready for spring training. Meanwhile, Jung Ho is still in a wheelchair, by all reports won't be ready for spring training, and we can only hope (for his sake more than ours) that he'll be the same again.

Cards, LET'S GO.

These playoffs have me rooting (to the extent I'm paying attention) for the Mets and Cards. I think about THAT for a second and shudder. Yeesh.

Tom Singer ‏@Tom_Singer Oct 9
For you #NLDS watchers: @Pirates were 11-1 v #Dodgers , #Mets this season. Oy. #Pirates #MLB

[Lt. Dish]

Cardinals are suddenly going full Capitals--never win when I want/need them to and win when I don't want them to. Cards' pitching is suddenly blowing fuses. Damn them.

My thirst for vengeance must be sated, Cardinals!

So much for that.

[DelPen]

It was great to see Arrieta get smoked and now Cubs down 6-0 in the 2nd of Game 4. It's a shame they could't do a best of 3 WC series instead of one game and in baseball one game should't decide a playoff.

[ville5]

What is Daniel Murphy on? Seriously. He had to sell his soul to the Devil.

[Lt. Dish]

I'm glad the Cubs are out!

I'm bothered about how great the Bucs were against the Mets all year, however. The Mets have found a groove at the perfect time.

I'll pull for the Royals.

[DelPen]

I'm glad the Cubs are out!

I'm bothered about how great the Bucs were against the Mets all year, however. The Mets have found a groove at the perfect time.

I'll pull for the Royals.

Cubs were as good or better than we were against the Mets.

[DelPen]

Happ off to Toronto. Wonder how hard the team tried to retain him?

[Humperdink]

Happ off to Toronto. Wonder how hard the team tried to retain him?

Not good.

[Zarovich]

Happ off to Toronto. Wonder how hard the team tried to retain him?

3yrs at 12M per? I am guessing not hard at all.

[ville5]

Pirates non-tender Big Burrito and Jaff Decker. All others tendered per Rob Bieertemple's trib twitter.

[Humperdink]

Pirates non-tender Big Burrito and Jaff Decker. All others tendered per Rob Bieertemple's trib twitter.

Re: Pedro.

Guessing the Bucco brain trust was tired of seeing E-3 and E-5 in the stat summary, along 800+ K's in the last 6 years.

[DelPen]

Pirates non-tender Big Burrito and Jaff Decker. All others tendered per Rob Bieertemple's trib twitter.

Re: Pedro.

Guessing the Bucco brain trust was tired of seeing E-3 and E-5 in the stat summary, along 800+ K's in the last 6 years.

And he had zero trade value.

[ville5]

Wow. Arizona swoops in and steals Greinke for 6 years at $206.5 million. Crazy. Even mediocre pitchers are getting $10-12 million per year. Dopey better draft exclusively pitchers from now on.

[ville5]

Ok, sign Nicasio, Petit, Middlebrooks, Cahill or Kazmir or Masterson, and trade for Moreland and let's roll.
And I suppose we need a couple lefties in the pen.
Scratch Kazmir, the Dodgers and Royals are in pursuit.

[ville5]

By Mark Polishuk | December 8, 2015 at 6:34am CST

Shelby Miller is still an Atlanta Brave as of this morning, though trade winds are swirling around the right-hander.  Here’s the latest…

The Braves reportedly made progress on a Miller deal and a trade could happen as soon as today, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets.  Braves management met “late into [the] night” discussing Miller.

Dopey better be in on this.

[thehockeyguru]

Cubs overpay for Zobrist IMO, but they have an impressive roster.

[ville5]

Mets are closing in on a deal for Nelly. A big you're #1 sign goes out to the Nuttings and Dopey.
Of course they'll probably get an awful return.
That's per mlbtraderumors @ 2:02

[ville5]

Done deal pending physicals and whatnot. No word on return, Niese's name was being thrown around in rumors.
Good luck Neil.

[Admin]

Yes, Walker for Niese.

[DelPen]

So what does the infield look like now and is Niese any better than Morton and Locke or more of the same?

[ejd43]

Man the Cubs signed Heyward now. The Pirates will be licking the feet of the Cubs and cards all year.