Game 14something: Cubs 11 Pirates 9
Writing recaps for these games is getting depressing, but damn, that second Pedro Alvarez home run was sure majestic, wasn't it? Just for like ten minutes there, I had this vision of Pedro hitting 10 homers in the last 17 games and dragging the Pirates kicking and screaming to a respectable finish. And then the bullpen got involved.
I've been doing a bad job of posting lately. I know. I've been recalibrating into "What does 2012 mean for 2013?" mode; it's not where I wanted to be after the way things started this year, but so it goes. You all know me; I can't stay quiet about the Pirates for forever.
People bitch about Barmajas (see what I did there) or point to the inconsistency of Cutch & Pedro when placing blame for this tailspin but I think JMac going in the tank is the biggest by far. It hasn't been posted here but he's been demoted to the pen for probably the rest of the season. What's disturbing is reading into Hurdle/NH's reasoning, they're saying it's all mental. Mental? Great, just what we need, another Ian Snell/Ollie Perez.
J-Mac needs to spend some time reciting the Tom Seaver Mantra--"The most important pitch is strike one."
More and more in light of the bullpen troubles, I keep looking back at the Brad Lincoln trade as the point where the season began to slide. When the starters pitch well, the team doesn't hit. When the team hits, the bullpen wastes the opportunity. It's April all over again, with an added bad twist.
Given the fact that the Pirates remained in possession of a wild card for almost three weeks after the deadline, and given the nightmarish starts by McDonald, Locke, and Co., I'm not sure losing the seventh inning guy is what sent the season into a tailspin.
What kind of stupid base running was Hurdle trying when Jones was 'trying' to get caught between 1st and 2nd with Marte on 3rd? Terrible. That play doesn't work in High School Ball, let alone in the Bigs. At least the Steelers won...
I believe "At Least The Steelers Won" is the working title for the Pirates' 2012 season highlights DVD.
How many games have the Bucs lost in this stretch because of the Bull Pen? It's like Clint finds the guy in the bull pen who will screw up and then brings him into the game. WTF? After Pedro's 2nd blast I switched to watch some football... I couldn't believe it when I saw bases loaded and Rizzo at bat... hey some lucky Cub fan won a new Mazda with that grand salami.... then to waste Marte's no out triple.... I knew that would finish the day... MUST win today
It was 13-9 Cubs but that loss still felt the same stinging burn which seems to get worse and worse with each loss. But yeah those Daydro homers were sure majestic indeed.
