Break out your brooms, because the New York Yankees have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the highly-anticipated weekend series with your Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Rocket struck out seven helpless Buccaneers over six innings while allowing five hits and three runs in a 9-3 Yankee victory. Clemens was credited with the win as three Yankee relievers held the Pirates scoreless. It's worth noting that the three pitchers Gentleman Jim Tracy trotted out to the mound today for the Buccos (Paul Maholm, John Grabow, and Tony Armas) have ERAs of 5.33, 5.29, and 8.07, respectively. Their combined record is 3-13. So the fact that the Pirates lost while playing this trifecta...not a huge surprise.
The story today was offense, and by that I mean the Pirates' offensive defense. While I always thought that Jack Wilson had the face of a youngster, his game has finally caught up to him at the Little League level. Maybe it was the awe of standing in the same spot of dirt that Derek Jeter occupies; maybe it was standing in front of a crowd ten times what he's used to; but Wilson looked lost and disoriented at shortstop. Oh well, at least his .251 average and 3 home runs make up for any of his defensive shortcomings.
The Pirates pulled off possibly the worst defensive play of their 2007 campaign, and that's saying something. On a ball hit to left field, Jason Bay made his predictable weak throw to home, followed by Ronny Paulino's failure to block the ball, followed by Tony Armas standing there watching it all go down instead of backing up the catcher, like 99% of all MLB pitchers do on such a play. When one-third of your starting nine screws up a single play, that's about as low as you could go.
And this is as low as the Pirates have gone this season. They now stand at 26-36, 10 games below the ever-elusive .500. But hey, we're only seven out of first place! Why not us?
I hope Clemens enjoyed his 2007 "Major League" debut against the Pirates, because his next start, on Friday, will be against the NL East-leading New York Mets and the one-man-gang known as Oliver Perez. Maybe for that game the holier-than-thou Yankee fans could, I don't know...do a little better than 94% attendance? I mean, how is there not a standing-room only crowd for the comeback of a seven-time Cy Young Award winner on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Bronx? Wait, I know the answer. They were playing the Pirates.
Random notes from a Saturday afternoon wasted watching the Pirates:
--On the post-game show: I'm not a journalist, and I certainly know how hard a live broadcast can be. But Chris Peters should probably try to cut down on his countless uses of the word "ain't" when he's breaking down the game.
--Nice work by the Duck Hunter with his first-inning RBI single against the Rocket. He was hitless in six ABs (with five strikeouts) lifetime against Clemens.
--Salomon Torres has gone on the DL with a bruised ego, shattered confidence, and a sore elbow. In his place will be pitcher Masumi Kuwata, who has the distinction of being the first Japanese player to lower themselves by donning a Pirate uniform.
--Email of the day, from Blueline1925: "Excellent losses by the boys. Jack Wilson continues to be a better-fielding equivalent to Major League's Roger Dorn -- proof that being high-priced doesn't always mean high-talent. Can we start the chant of "let's try Bixler!"
That being said, if Jack Wilson is Dorn, then I nominate Johnny Damon as Wild Thing Vaughn. You know, used to be an edgy, risk-taking guy...always dangerous, a leader in the clubhouse...shaggy hair and beard, looked like a Geico caveman...then got his payday, cleaned up his act, ditched his wife for a newer model, and seemed to lose the "it" quality that he had? To me, he looks like just another overpaid Yankee... .264, 3 HR, 11 SB for $13 million? Really, that's the best he can do?
--The Yanks go for six wins in a row on Sunday as Tyler Clippard takes the hill against Shawn Chacon. Good seats probably still available.
Pirates show little leather in 9-3 loss [Post Gazette]
