Pirates vs Cardinals Thread

[Coach]

This is a huge series. Locke is on the bump tonight on the road.

[Manfred]

You can check my response for the last time they played the Cards. They took 3 of 4 then, cut the lead to 2 1/2 games, then crapped the bed and fell back to and beyond where they are now.

[DragonsDoExist]

El Toro continuing to crush STL pitching!

[Crimson's Ghost]

I don't know if I would classify the Pirates crapping the bed after the last St. Louis series, they just have zero room for error. St. Louis is just playing amazing this year.

As for tonight's game, more of the same when the Pirates play in Busch Stadium. Cards just capitalize on every mistake. Hurdle sat on his hands too long with Locke, should've had someone warming up sooner. He let the 5th inning get out of hand if you ask me. Can't blame Locke, dude isn't that good he has been faltering in the 5th inning his past 4-5 starts.

It still amazes me for how good of a player McCutchen is how average to bad he is defensively. He continues to throw to the wrong base on deep fly balls. Him trying to gun home instead of third may have very well cost them the game. Marte should be the team's centerfielder in 2016.

Pedro can give it and take it away. He made some surprising plays at first today, but missed a simple tag too. But then he cranks a home run. His defense stinks, but can put a quick run on the board as well as anyone.


Polanco played great, average up over .250. Marte had a couple nice hits, Kang had a big hit too, he's slowly working his way into serious consideration for rookie of the year.

Walker Cutch Cervelli 0 for 12 combined I believe.


6 out of first. Cole up next, no beating around the bush....they have to win.

[voncap]

Agree completely Crimson. You will have a tough time beating even an average team, let alone the best team in baseball, when your starting pitcher who has a history of imploding around the 5th or 6th inning walks the first two batters in the 5th inning and the manager makes no move to get him out of the game at that point.

How about the NL central though? Three of the top four records in all off baseball. The Bucs, Cards, and Cubbies are 92-43 against the NL East and West teams. That is ridiculously good.

[Manfred]

When you fall from 2 1/2 out to 6 or 7 in a matter of a handful of games, I call that crapping the bed! Wild card is the Pirates' only salvation. As for Cutch, maybe all the times he's getting drilled are having an effect, even if indirectly. Alvarez, Ishikawa, Morse, Rodriguez. Why does this team need 4 1st basemen? Tell me again it's position insurance and 'versatility'. Where and when do they play when JHay & Mercer get back? Not one has really stepped up, unless you count SRod's defense.

[DragonsDoExist]

Florimon will be gone when Mercer returns and I'm guessing Ishikawa or Morse finds their way to the DL once Harrison returns.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Frustrating game.

Pedro should've been on the base on that one play on Walker's diving stop.
Walker shouldn't have thrown that ball in the dirt on the following play.
Kang should've caught that soft liner.
Ramirez should have laid off that one play and let Kang get the grounder, and he should've actually tagged Molina.
Polanco should have played the short hop and held Molina to a single.
Cole probably should not have walked Wacha.


Lotta blame to go around tonight if you ask me. Pirates had their chances off Wacha, couldn't capitalize.

Cardinals now lead the season series 7-5.

[Manfred]

The Pirates will never have better than the 2nd or 3rd record in the league, as long as St. L. is there.

[voncap]

You can add the bottom of the batting order to the blame list. Walker, Alvarez, and Cervelli 1-11 didn't help the cause much. Walker a rough night all the way around. He usually finds a way to drive in runs, but last night he went a big 0-fer with runners in scoring position in each of his first three at bats.

Interesting stat. The Bucco's pitching staff is third in the league in runs allowed, but only two teams (A's and Padres) have given up more unearned runs.

If the Pirate's defense was just a little better, I don't think the discussion would be about whether the Bucs can catch the Cards, but rather who will win the Wild Card game and be coming to PNC for the first round of the playoffs.