Big Lead Sports Bar

5/18/2010

PHILLIES, PIRATES IN PREDICTABLE BLOWOUT


Charlie Morton's Great Stuff was not enough to get past the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night, as he allowed six hits and six runs in four innings of a 12-2 Pirate loss

Ryan Howard, who always impressed me as the kid on your Little League team that everyone backed up for, inflicted the most damage with a grand slam and six RBI. Jayson Werth hit a two-out, two-run home run and drove in four, and every Philly position player had at least one hit.

As one would expect, Philadelphia starter Kyle Kendrick, who came into the game with an ERA perilously close to 6.00, shut down the Pirate bats to the tune of five hits and two runs over eight innings. Delwyn Young hit his first homer of the season to start the game, and the Pirates would reach base only five times the rest of the way: Ryan Doumit's two singles and one walk, a Ronny Cedeno double, and a Garrett Jones single.

As far as the numerous struggling Buccos went, Aki Iwamura came up with a pinch-groundout in the fifth, meaning he's now 0-for-his-last-27. I'm going out on a limb and guessing he probably won't go down as the best acquisition in Neal Huntington history. Counting the pitcher's spot, seven of the Pirate starters on Monday were batting .254 or worse, with five OBPs below .300. That's tough to go to war with against the Phillies.

The odds don't get much better tonight as Roy Halladay and his microscopic 1.59 ERA battle with Zach Duke and his comparatively larger 5.56 ERA tonight in Philly. If you like contrasts in offensive firepower and tune into the occasional Bucco contest, this might just be the game for you.

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14 comments:

BurressWithButterflywings said...

Judging by the comments I read in the PG, the Pirates FO and Cardboard Russell have no intention to send Morton down or move him to the bullpen.

I personally think that is the best idea they have had in quite some time. He should be given the chance to prove that the boy wonder Opie Huntington has very poor talent evaluation abilities and also give fans a chance to witness another dubious run at a Pirate making history.

Maybe the Bucco's marketing team can have a contest for Morton's next home start that would award season tickets to the fan who can correctly guess by how many points Morton's ERA will rise that night.

Either that or give everyone in attendance a free ice cream cone if Morton's ERA is actually lower than Steve Blass's blood alcohol content!

The Mad Bubbler said...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/04/29/pirates/index.html

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/04/29/pirates/index.html

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/04/29/pirates/index.html

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/04/29/pirates/index.html

okel dokel said...

I have one point of contention with Mr. Daugherty. Ryan Doumit would be welcome on almost any major league roster.

Perhaps as a DH or 1B but not as a catcher. Did you see his throw to second last night. This guy has to be one of the worst catchers in baseball.

Hard to believe there are six teams worse than Bucs, according to the standings, and we pwn the Cubs.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

@Okel,

I saw the throw. Unreal. He has NO IDEA how to throw from his knees and watching him trying to get up and throw from his crouch is even worse.

I wonder if bringing in a coach who was a career MLB catcher could help mold him? I really think if there was a coach out there who had caught, say, a no-hitter from Nolan Ryan, he would REALLY make Doumit and the entire team great!

Unknown said...

What is the point of paying a hitting coach or a pitching coach or a fielding coach if they don't pull these individual players aside and work with them. Are there really practices or do they just show up and take BP prior to gametime?

When I was younger and played competitive baseball, if I kept screwing up, I got benched or moved and wouldn't return until I showed the coaching staff that I was doing as told. That means benching Clement, LaRoche, Iwamora, and Morton until they show the coaching & personnel staffs that they can do all the fundamental stuff.

If they can't get it done, send them down. Mickey Mantle was sent down to the minors because he didn't hit up to potential, and was told he wasn't coming back up until he did. Does this not happen anymore? Why does it seem like all ballplayers think too much of their own talent and luck?

Anonymous said...

They need to call up Alvarez and Lincoln. It probably won't help them win any more games, but they need to get some sort of excitement generated. And it sure as hell isn't happening with Morton giving up 10 runs every 5 days and LaRoche making an error a game in addition to his atrocious base running gaffe a couple weeks back.

Unknown said...

I don't think Alvarez is ready. The power is there, but I want to see the batting average rise. I would love to combine Tabata's hitting with Pedro's power into one player eerily reminiscent of a young Bonds or Bonilla.

I'm glad they called up Pierce, but I'm starting to think he is a career AAA guy. I'd still rather have him at 1B over Clement. I'd say call up Neil Walker - the kid is hustling his behind off and calling up the local kid is good for the media fodder.

Anonymous said...

Didn't see the game, but who did Aki pinch hit for last night? I can't believe there is someone on the team with a worse batting average than him. Why put in an automatic out for a team who is beating you? Is Russell getting a kickback from the Phils or their players?

Dirty Sanchez said...

It only goes to show how woefully lacking the Pirates are in true talent and prospects when we keep having to hear about Morton's "great stuff" as he gets hammered every 5th day. But since he was a Huntington acquisition, they'll keep trotting him out there instead of eating a little crow and sending him down to AAA.

Steve said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Steve said...

The problem with Morton is; not only is Huntington trying to save face by actually having one of his key trade aquisitions remain with the big team, I also thought if he's sent down, he can only make the trip one more time before having to clear waivers.

That sackless puppet Russell get's his marching orders from Huntington and would be spewing the BS to support Morton even if it was September and he had an ERA of 42.00.

Not Ironically, they could have a pitcher with an ERA under 4.00 and he'd be sent down after one bad game to "work on things", just to get another Huntington drone some playing time, yet Lincoln still stays because he's a Littlefield aquisition.

You'd think with a salary that's the lowest in the league, they couldn't afford the politics.

okel dokel said...

@Burress

I thought it was funny that the throw bounced about three times before getting to second and he was standing up.

I agree he should have been coached up a little bit given his current manager. But their scouting is awful. Stuff like "throwing from your ear in a crouched position or from your knees" should be one of the criteria they use to rate catching prospects.

Neil Walker must have been a really bad catcher not to beat out Doumit.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

@ Steve

I agree with you on all fronts.There is no reasonable explanation to Lincoln being in the minors other than $$$.

@Okel,

You would think major leaguers wouldnt need to be taught the things you and I learned in Little League.

The Mad Bubbler said...

As long as you idiots watch and support the Pirates their ways will never change. Have fun with the losing.