Two months of baseball remain, and every indication is it’s going to be a long two months. I expect the team to settle down a bit after the deadline and it’s really all about individual performance from there on out. There will also be nights where you just don’t get even that level of enjoyment.
The Brewers represent the only team East of California with a shot to win this league, and they did what they’re supposed to in a series like this. Stack wins.
Even before the moves both teams made prior to the deadline this was a likely outcome, but a clearly distracted and affected Pirates club played some really uninspired baseball this week.
This one wound up 12-0 for the sweep and it wasn’t that close.
I mean, what happened in the game you ask? Well, the most exciting thing on offense were Castro’s near homerun to center and his near extra base hit to right-center. Gamel and Reynolds each had a hit. That’s the list.
And the Brewers took advantage of Chad Kuhl minus his good slider. Not a pitch he can afford to be without. Through 5 innings Chad did a great job of working around what he had and didn’t have holding the Brewers to 1 run. In the 6th he ran into trouble and wound up giving up 3 earned runs.
Chris Stratton got beat up.
A bright spot was Nick Mears throwing a .1 inning outing.
Just not much to talk about. I have no attachment to anyone who might get moved tomorrow. Shreve, Rodriguez, or Stratton could all be on the move and it wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. But no matter who goes, I can’t wait for this deadline to be over. At least then we know who’s here and can flip the page to better business, like getting younger guys promoted and moving into a deeper understanding of what the team plans to do with all the middle infielders they picked up.
It wouldn’t hurt if the players who did stick around decided to play every now and again too. two or three guys can’t carry the pulse for 26.
Back at it tomorrow after the deadline mercifully ends.
Oh, and Nogowski pitched the 9th. and gave up 3 of the runs. I don’t think he’s gonna make it as a back end arm.
The Phillies come to town and send Vince Velasquez against Wil Crowe.
News & Notes
- The Pirates only scored 3 runs since the 1st inning of Sunday’s game against the Giants. That’s stinky.
- As we move forward with this season. I think we should be all done with a few guys, and I think I’m going to write about it on Saturday. The September callups only expanding rosters to 28, I think we still need that cup of coffee for a few guys. Let me see the whole picture and I’ll come back to this
- Interest was quiet today on trade front for the Pirates, but they have fairly middle of the road chips left so that makes sense. Expect early afternoon trades if there will be any.
- 9-0 on Tuesday, 7-3 on Wednesday, and 12-0 Tonight. That my friends is domination and the Brewers aren’t even at top strength.
- Kind of surprised we haven’t heard Chad Kuhl come up in trade discussion more. He’s thrown well for a few weeks now and with pitching being so desperately needed, I’d think someone would want to take a run at him with his one more year of control too.
- Manny Pina belted two homeruns for the Brewers tonight.
Inside The Bucs Basement 