Is it weird that I don’t think the Pirates/Brewers series this weekend is the World Series for the 2011 Pirates? This Pirate team has stunk lately, nice series against the struggling Giants notwithstanding, and even with a sweep of the division-leading Brewers in Milwaukee, the Bucs will be seven games behind them. I don’t believe in moral victories, I don’t believe that the 2011 Pirates beating the 2011 Brewers will help the 2012 Pirates beat the 2012 Brewers, I mostly just think Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are jerks and anything that makes them whine about anything makes me a little happier. But if the Pirates go to Milwaukee and flame out again for the umpteenth consecutive time? There’s no chance in hell it’ll be more painful than what happened at PNC Park against the Cubs and Padres. I don’t have any love lost for the Brewers, but I just don’t see the point in assigning any meaning to these three games this weekend. There’s an awfully good chance that when the 2012 editions of these teams meet, that they won’t really resemble the teams playing at Miller Park this weekend.
Paul Maholm draws the difficult assignment of facing off against Zack Greinke this weekend. Greinke’s had a much better year than that ERA indicates, but he’s been particularly lights out in his last five starts. Since July 16th, he’s 4-1 with a 1.38 ERA, 35 strikeouts, and just 9 walks in 32 2/3 innings. He’s only given up 24 hits in that span and opposing teams are hitting at a .207/.264/.328 clip. He seems primed to slice through this current Pirate lineup like a hot knife through butter.
First pitch tonight is at 8:10.
