As Pirates fans we seemed to get dumped on constantly.  However, the great thing about baseball is that on any given night even the most dismal team can have a great game.  So what was the most memorable ( positive not the seventeen run blow out by the Cubs ) game our Pittsburgh Ball Club had this season ?

I'm not turning this into a poll, because hands down I think it was the August 25th walk off two run homer by Andrew McCutchen against the defending World Series Champion and former rival Philadelphia Phillies.  I was so angry at Capps for blowing the save and 'Cutch misplaying the ball in center, and the very next inning, a complete turn around.  Amazing game.

Thoughts ?

According to the Post-Gazette the Reds, who are moving from the Grapefruit League to the Cactus League, are trading their Sarasota team to the Pirates for their Lynchburg organization.  The Pirates will move the new Florida team to Bradenton. 

As a relocated Pirates fan who now lives just north of Myrtle Beach, this stinks.  I said in an earlier post my wife and I saw several Hillcats games in Myrtle Beach against the Braves High A team.  I was excited to see Pedro Alverez last season and was excited to see some of the upcoming prospects coming up from the West Virgina Power.  I declare shenanigans !

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09303/1009441-63.stm

Now that my least two favorite managers are out of the playoffs, LaRussa and LaTracy (No Pirate fan could live down Tracy going to the World Series two years removed from Pittsburgh ), who do you like for the World Series ?  I'd like to see Joe Torre and Manny Ramirez go to New York and sweep the Yankees.  I also wouldn't mind seeing an all Los Angles World Series with the Halos winning it all.

Our good friend, Dejan, at the Post-Gazette linked this artice in the New York Times about former Bucco Benny Distefano.  The article goes into detail how Distefano was the last man to play the catcher position left handed.  I remember this game in 1989 because my father and I were watching it.  I believe he came in as a replacement for Junior Ortiz   I remember my father, a former catcher himself, was very shocked to see the southpaw Distefano set up behind the plate.  When I asked why, he said that left handed catchers had trouble fielding bunts and left it at that.

I met Distefano later that year at WMGW in Meadville, PA.  He was there for a promotion signing autographs, well, autograph, I was the only one there.  A genuinely good guy who couldn't cut it in the majors despite breaking up David Cone's no hitter in 1989 and nearly being decapitated by Darryl Strawberry while playing first base.

Over on the MLB Pirates site they state that Freddie Sanchez is our representative  in the All Star game in St. Louis.  I'm not surprised.  He's having a good season.  This might give Sanchez more national exposure if he plays well and maybe additional team interest.  By playing well I'm saying not striking out and maybe a nice defensive play.  Maybe even one of his famous fifteen pitch at bats that Joe Buck can say, " Wow, he fouls off another one." over and over again.

 Either way, I was kind of hoping for Zack Duke to get the nod, but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.  

Go Bucs !

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090705&content_id=5706706&vkey=news_pit&fext=.jsp&c_id=pit

Strike while the iron is hot !  Trade Mario LaRoche to the Metropolitians for prospects while he is still hitting well and Delgado is still injured. We could finally bring up Pearce and let him play full time. Neil Hunington needs to continue to trade high.  Who do the Mets have ?  The Bucs should pull the trigger unless  Omar Minaya wants to give us back Ollie Prez.  Oh, how the mighty have fallen since 2004.  Go Bucs !

Last year our beloved elder statesman of the infield, Jack Wilson, went down early in the season and Brian Bixler was called up from Triple -A.  Now once again, Wilson's down and Bix is up.  In 50 games last season he hit .229/ .194/ .423.   With the modest start our PBC has gotten to lets hope he doesn't Munson us into last place.  Go Bucs !

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09116/965760-100.stm

In other news, according to  MLB.com the San Francisco Giants have acquired former Pirate speedster / catcher Ronny Paulino from the Phillies for LHP Jack Taschner, then they traded Paulino to the Marlins for Minor League RHP Hector Correa. 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09087/959070-100.stm

There was a discussion here about sending Neil Walker to the Twin Cities for Delmon Young.  I didn't really want to see that trade in the first place and now that Crede is signed that pretty much puts an end to that debate.  I'm really hoping that Neil does well and somehow gets a chance to produce for our club.  Although I'm not sure how. Andy LaRoche is suppose to be our third baseman until Pedro Alverez is ready.  I think Walker's catching days are over and from what I understand he's not much of an outfielder either.  Where now, first base ?  Teach him to throw a knuckleball ? Ideas ?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3923604

According to Jayson Stark over at ESPN as reported by Mr. Sunshine himself, Bob Smizik, the PBC had the worst offseason in the National League.  There are two needs we didn't address in the offseason that I think we should have.  We really needed another starting pitcher and a right handed power bat.  The right handed power bat might come from our own Steve Pearce, who I've always been a mark for,  

Free agent pitching is a different matter.  There are very few good free agent pitchers still left on the market.  Pedro Martinez, whom has been debated about here extensively, and Mark Mulder are the only big names that I'd like to see in black and gold next year.  

I don't think the Pirates have had a bad offseason, but a quiet one.  We did get some bench players and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes up from Triple A.  

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2009/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3902573

Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel are training hard and hope to make it to Lynchburg and Altoona soon.  What's your take ?  How soon do you think, if ever, will it take for them to don the black and gold ?  

I'm hoping they make it to at least Lynchburgh within the next two years.  I'd like to see them down here in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina when they play the Pelicans.  It's a good story , if they can make it.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09039/947730-63.stm

The AP reports former Pirate and Indian, Jody Gerut , signed a year deal with the Friars for  a year for $1,775,000.  I saw him followed him some when he played with the Tribe.  I was sort of excited when he came to the Bucs, but then he had knee trouble and never amounted to anything.  He put up good numbers in 2003 when he hit 22 homers and had an OPS of .830.  The Padres really don't have much going for them this season, I hope he does well.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3782608

Lanny is gone and now the Post Gazette's Bob Smizik has retired.  To me his he was the voice of the angry Pirates fan, mad that the new PBC regime was just another rebuilding stage.  I did enjoy reading it though, even though I didn't agree with it.  Good luck Bob and enjoy your time off.

http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/pbc/archive/2008/12/14/morning-links-farewell-to-a-colleague.aspx

The New York Yankees didn't offer arbitration to Bobby Abreu.  I was curious to see how much he was worth and if our beloved PBC could foot the bill. The link below states he'd be worth 10 million, but maybe we could get him for less.  I know it's a long shot but with the way the economy many teams might pass on him. McCutchen might not be ready to go in 2009 and I'm not sure if management will go with Steve Pearce.  It would be nice to see Abreu make use of the short porch in right.  If the price is right, should we go for it  ?

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/hey-bobby

How happy is the PBC Nation that the Cubbies " curse " still lives on ?  Even though we are in a " curse " of our own, I can happily say that the last time the Pirates won the World Series television had been invented( 1923),  the United States had won two world wars ( 1918 and 1941) and man walked on the moon (1969 ).  Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Long live the "Curse of the Goat " !  Go Bucs !  

Tonight will be the last game for Yankee stadium, this is has been the top topic on ESPN and talk radio around the country.  Yankee fan or not, people around the country have all expressed sadness over the loss the " House that Ruth Built ".  My question is this, how will Pirate fans feel the day they close PNC.  Honestly I was a bit sad when Three Rivers was imploded.  Yea, it was an ugly concrete bowl, but our beloved Pittsburgh Baseball Club had two World Series teams there, Clemente hit his 3,000th in that stadium and on a personal note, I had seen many games there as a kid which gave me a love for baseball and the Pirates.  PNC Park has the exact opposite.  Beautiful sky line, green grass in the outfield and the worst team in professional baseball of all time.  So how would the Pirate Nation feel after the last out in PNC Park ?  I'm not sure myself.