4/14/23 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter
Sometimes the story of a ballgame ceases to be about the outcome and more about an event or a performance. Tonight was one of those nights.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, the final score counts plenty, we’ll get there I promise.
We have to start with Johan Oviedo though, because this kid, yeah, he’s becoming a story. The Slider he’s throwing, it’s just wicked, one of the sickest actions I’ve seen a Pirates pitcher throw as a starter, like that elite.
The demeanor on the mound just oozes confidence and when he gets into a dogfight with a hitter, he almost looks like he wants the damn fight.
There’s something here kids, that kid has a big arm and he’s just learning how to use it. Can’t express how important it is for this team’s chances moving forward to turn one of those rental flips into a true rotation fixture would be.
Now, enough fawning over what I thought of Oviedo’s night. He left the game on the hook down 1-0 and his line was 7IP, 1ER, 1BB and 10Ks, but my goodness, the line won’t tell you the story.
Duane Underwood Jr surrendered 2 more runs in the 8th inning. He only lasted one out and gave up the 2 earned runs so, the Cards were poised to return the favor from game one.
And so they did.
Woodford pitched well for the Cardinals but their incredible defense easily prevented a couple runs.
Then you have the ones that are just, well, this is why they get gold gloves folks.
Back at it tomorrow at 1:30.
Roansy Contreras tomorrow, looking for a bounce back performance.
It’s Jackie Robinson Day tomorrow, always look forward to all the remembrances everyone has on that day in MLB.
News & Notes
- Prior to the game, the Pirates changed the lineup. Pulling Ji-man Choi and replacing him with Connor Joe at 1B. Choi had tweaked his ankle and was having it checked out.
- Derek Shelton said before the game that Carlos Santana had a scheduled day off, and he was ok after the scare with the wrist last night.
- Oviedo was insanely good tonight, and Nolan Arenado was 3 for 3 with a walk. Sometimes a guy just sees ya.
- Good to see Robert Stephenson back, looked good cleaning up the mess for Underwood.
- According to Jason Mackey of the Post Gazette, The Pirates have already decided they will retain Derek Shelton beyond this season.
- Pirates hit 11 balls 100+ MPH tonight. They were also shut out. This isn’t to ease the pain, but that kind of contact is going to lead to success more often than being shut out.
- Everyone in the starting lineup had a hit today with the exception of Connor Joe, just couldn’t crack the code all night.
- Oviedo after the game said last year with St. Louis he wasn’t throwing his curveball much, but when he came to Pittsburgh and they wanted to stretch him out he reintroduced it as he stretched out.
Inside The Bucs Basement 
This is more of comment of your podcast, ok, I’m at car dealership and just bought a new car, so i say to the guy give me the keys I want to take it home. He ask where would I like it towed, because it has no transmission and won’t have one until mid June. Not going to buy that car, and as consumer of pirates baseball thats what management is doing to the fans. If a guy in triple A is better, he plays in majors period. They tried this crap for as long as i
can remember and have 1 playoff victory in the last 43yrs and that was a wild card win.Lets try a new strategy, where you simply have your best players on the 26 man roster and go from there, and the two dogs 1 bone approach is not the worst way too go.
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