5/9 Game Thread: Can Anyone Stop Nate McLouth?
The Pirates just swept the Giants, and we just swept the Padres. Compared to the Padres, the Pirates are almost a major league ballclub — of course, compared to the Giants, we’re the 1927 Yankees.
The Pirates just picked up Jason Michaels from the Indians and demoted Nyjer Morgan; in my opinion this is the sort of roster tinkering that really doesn’t make a difference for a 70-win ballclub, but our friends at Honest Wagner approve of the moves. Morgan sucks a lot, and Michaels sucks marginally less, so they improve on paper.
The Pirates are actually a better offensive ballclub than you think, with 171 runs through 34 games, a little better than an average of 5 runs per game. A lot of that is the utterly insane Nate McLouth, who is batting .324/.406/.640, with 9 HR and 29 RBI. He’s not that good — almost no one other than Chipper is — but he actually might be a good ballplayer, and he wore us out the last time we played the Bucs, 5-14 with a walk, two doubles, a homer, and 4 RBI. Xavier Nady’s also out of his mind, .349/.411/.558, with 5 HR and 34 RBI; Jason Bay’s bouncing back from a horrible year last year, and Ryan Doumit’s hitting very well too. (Adam LaRoche isn’t.) They’re not pushovers, but other than those guys they have a lot of automatic outs in their lineup, so Tom Glavine should be able to handle them.
Ian Snell on the mound for them, Tom for us. Let’s push it to 7 in a row.
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18 Responses to “5/9 Game Thread: Can Anyone Stop Nate McLouth?”
May 9th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I’m in a room full of people watching the game all yelling that Bobby shouldn’t send Glavine back out in the 7th.
Two runs and giving up the lead later we look pretty smart. Everyone just knew based on the 6th that Glavine was done. Too bad Bobby didn’t.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Is it me, or is this ump HORRIBLY inconsistent with the strike zone. That strike 3 call on KJ was a terrible call.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
I have no problem with Bobby sending Tommy out in the 7th. Our starters need to go as deep in the game as they can. Tommy had a low pitch count and came very close to getting out of the inning.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
I just have a problem keeping KJ in the game to try to get a bunt of a left handed thrower in Grabow. I thought he should’ve pinch hit Infante in that spot. He is a better bunter and probably defensive wise. We can’t let this lost go to our head and give James some run support tomorrow, and get back to our winning ways.
May 10th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Mike Gonzalez was clocked at 90 mph in extended spring training and threw 8 of the 9 pitches it took him to get three outs, for strikes. Good news.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Jeff Bennett has been a useful situational pitcher for this team, but he is no closer. Even with Soriano, Moylan, and Smoltz out, Bobby must find a better option than Bennett to close out a
May 10th, 2008 at 4:13 am
As we said the Pirates are no push over. I would like to see us win 2 from the series.
May 10th, 2008 at 4:49 am
Hey youz guys, go read Thomas Boswell’s sports column in the Washington Post!
May 10th, 2008 at 10:59 am
The Braves gave up just 6 runs during their 5-game winning streak in April,and they gave up just 17 runs during their 6-game winning streak earlier this month,and all the games will belong to the Braves to win or lose as long as the starting rotation pitches like this the rest of the season,so they will be in every game if this pitching stays solid the rest of the season.Last night’s game was a total disappointing 1-run loss and the Braves still gave up just 3 runs,so we are giving up very few runs.Starting pitching is there,we just need our bullpen to do it’s job in the 7th inning and later when we have the lead.Bullpen needs to improve.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Send Chuck down and call up Charlie Morton.
May 11th, 2008 at 2:38 am
Here’s Boswell’s column.
May 11th, 2008 at 5:47 am
Well, I changed my goals, I will be very very happy if we win 1 from the Pirates
May 11th, 2008 at 10:52 am
This series is already a total disappointment with these Pittsburgh Pirates,and I won’t be happy at all even if the Braves win the last 2 games of this 4-game series,because the Braves should have won the 1st 2 games of this series.The good and bad sides of the Braves are that they are 14-4 at the Ted,but just 4-13 on the road,their startng rotation does the job,but their bullpen is totally weak.Bullpen needs to show improvement,and the Braves have to start winning on the road.
May 11th, 2008 at 11:35 am
The Braves major leagues best 14-4 at the Ted,but major leagues worst 4-13 on the road,gotta win on the road in order to be serious world series contenders,man come on now.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Greg Maddux Could Become Available Via Trade.
May 11th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Whos going to start on Fridays game vs the A’s???….i say call up Charlie Morton…just for that game..
May 11th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Tommy Hanson got called up to AA Mississippi!!!
May 11th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
ERod, you may get your wish.
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