Pens roster attending Johnstown game

[knowitall]

Did Cutch play in the game against the Curve in Altoona a year or two ago?

[Crimson's Ghost]

I thought about that too, can't find the answer to that question. But In the sense of the two events, I think they should be looked at differently. It's one thing if McCutchen doesn't show up to play an exhibition against a minor league affifiliate two days before the season started, it would be another thing if he didn't show up to a nationally televised event put on by a large corporate of Major League Baseball with let's say Bryce Harper and the entire Washington Nationals team there.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Found the box score anyway, McCutchen, Walker, Marte, Alvarez, Russell Martin, Garrett Jones and more were all there. McCutchen took 3 at bats too.

Like I said, just doesn't seem like McCutchen would skip an event like this.

Since it wasnt a true game, the Pirates loaned the Curve Grilli, Watson and Justin Wilson to give the fans even more of an opportunity to see the Pirates.

[DragonsDoExist]

Cutch was indeed there. Was a lot of fun as my boy got signed baseballs from AJ, Grilli and Walker. Hell the Pierogies even made the trip! Lol

[abpk2903]

I like to stay open minded. I'm not always right on my first reaction and this is one of the times I am going to admit that.

First the 1st time in his career, Sidney Crosby let down the NHL and Pittsburgh Penguins last night. It was a disgrace that the Pens couldn't get their entire or majority of stars there from 90 minutes away when the Tamba Bay Lightning brought in basically their Stanley Cup Finals roster from Florida. If there was a team that earned the right to take it easy for this preseason marketing ploy, it was Tampa.

Honestly, what was the Pens coaches and management thinking? This is a community that is probably responsible for thousands of annual ticket sales.

Penguins last night proved in a small way that perception is reality. A lot of the league looks at the Penguins as a very arrogant franchise. I think it was evident last night even for the diehard penguins fans.

[knowitall]

The Penguins sell out every game and will continue to do so with or without the 3000 or so in attendance in Johnstown last night. The Penguins played three games in three nights. The Lightning hadn't played since Saturday and were not scheduled to play Wednesday.

The Penguins have to make roster decisions and therefore didn't need to bring everyone on their roster to Johnstown.

Would McCutchen or other Pirates have come to play an exhibition in Johnstown if it was held on their only day off in a stretch of 20 or 30 games?

[Crimson's Ghost]

To answer that question, yes. He played in Altoona after traveling from Spring Training, had off the next day after the game in Altoona, and then the following day was opening day.

[konjo78]

Its one thing not to play the full roster, I understand the bad scheduling of it, but to not even bring those players dont to be apart of the festivities? Thats where I turn my head and wonder, whats stopping them from doing that? Glad to see abpk understand it a little better. I wasn't out to "get" the pens but if any NHL team didn't bring their stars to an event like this they should be ashamed of themselves.

[knowitall]

Would he have appeared on September 14? Or tomorrow?

The Pirates do have more tickets to sell.

[Crimson's Ghost]

If it was just some ordinary game at the War Memorial, I could see holding out Crosby and others, but from a PR standpoint it doesn't look good on his part to miss a nationally televised game put on by a big league sponsor. It is what it is, the game happened and nobody that was there will forget it. But if the head coach apologized about holding Crosby out, they knew he should have been here.