86 Comments
User's avatar
Joel Lesher's avatar

I had to watch Game 6 of the 1979 Worid Series last night. I find myself dialing it back to this season more and more in this uber depressing Cherington era. Fortunately I am of an age to remember that team as I was 14 years old at the time. Silver lining for the 2025 team: they’ve gone straight to awful without creating any false hope ⚾️⚾️😢😢

Expand full comment
1979andCounting's avatar

Baz was excellent tonite, 100 mph FB and one of the best curve balls. Do we have one of those simulators at Bradenton......we could have used it to prepare for Baz.

Expand full comment
1979andCounting's avatar

It bears repeating, Bubba > Harrington.

Expand full comment
StatsCbl's avatar

Cherington's 13.75 ERA today is better than Bubba's 19.29 ERA he had this spring. Also, Cherington's 2.75 whip is superior to Bubba's 3.00 whip he had this spring. Seriously, Bubba is a special talent. That is a kid I don't want to rush him to the bigs and have him second guess himself, especially after the beating he took against the Yankees this spring. I would like to see him start dominating in triple A first. It's not like the Pirates are trying to win anyhow. I didn't think Harrington was going to dominate tonight, but was hoping he was going to give the Pirates innings. He looked scared from the start.

Expand full comment
1979andCounting's avatar

My post was not necessarily meant to bring Chandler up right now, although I think he's ready. It was more about future potential between the two. I mean if the Pirates are trying to win and compete this year, we should see Bubba sooner rather than later.

Expand full comment
StatsCbl's avatar

Oh I agree with you. When I first saw Harrington at Pirate City in spring training 2024, I thought he could be a good sleeper for the Pirates. Even though he didn't seem to have a great fastball, he could mix up good pitches. Since then, it is almost like he has been built up like he has star potential. We just need to drop the expectations on Harrington and hope for the best.

Expand full comment
Chris Chapman's avatar

What a poetic justice game with the anti-Pirates as we lose to a guy we once had and traded away for no rational reason. The Rays are what I wish the Pirates were.

Expand full comment
StatsCbl's avatar

Just a player to be named later in the deal,

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

And Phamine falls below the Cherington line. The Cherington offense in the two games so far: 0 walks, 25 Ks.

It's a disgrace to have Paul Skenes toiling for a minor league team.

Expand full comment
Melkel's avatar

Indy followed the big club, losing it in the 9th. Yean with the L.

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

Indy with a very Pirate-y 1-for-12 wRISP.

Expand full comment
StatsCbl's avatar

Serious question: If the Pirates elected to send Pham to the minors, does he have to accept it?

Expand full comment
Melkel's avatar

Nope

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

Of course, they could release him and let Bob eat the 20,250,000 Nuttin Nickels that GM Birdbrain agreed to pay him.

Expand full comment
Melkel's avatar

You're a little short, over 80,000,000 Nuttin Nickels that GM Birdbrain agreed to pay him lol

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

I just couldn't conceptualize the staggering level of Birdbrain's fiscal folly!

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

Phamine now down to the Cherington line. The list of horror-show data points with this farce of a team is a long one.

Expand full comment
Phil's avatar

I think we are going to hear “and that’s a new career high in strikeouts” for opposing starters a lot this year

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

0-4 wRISP. It's stunning how the same patterns of failure repeat themselves, over and over and over, with the Cherington clown show. And Nuttin is perfectly OK with it.

Expand full comment
Bianco599's avatar

Mel is there any chance you can still swing a bat? Or at least crouch over and half arse grip a bat?

Expand full comment
Melkel's avatar

I'd like to swing one of those new bats, doubt I could do much.

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

Pirates have yet to draw a walk in this series. 16 Ks in fewer than 14 innings. Not playing the Marlins any more.

Expand full comment
Phil's avatar

They have one hitter with avg over .235 in the lineup and two hitters with OPS over .555. Good teams dominate those lineups

Expand full comment
Bianco599's avatar

I enjoy watching them play our team.

Expand full comment
Phil's avatar

I think most fans had concerns about this team but this seems historically bad. Bad team and coach IQ, poor execution, no leadership. I get that the losses of Jones, Horwitz, Gonzalez, maybe even Oviedo have made the margin of error smaller, but since Skenes left game 1 I haven’t enjoyed any game since

Expand full comment
Jim's avatar

I hope Harrington has a short memory. This is one you have to forget.

Expand full comment
Scott Kliesen's avatar

If Harrington can’t command his pitches, he’s got no chance.

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

Phamine is one out away from sitting exactly on the Cherington line.

Expand full comment
StatsCbl's avatar

Part of his selling point was he was going to keep Cruz's head in the game.

Expand full comment
Bianco599's avatar

So I have heard. The Dreker comment from whenever that was makes more and more sense.

I asked my boss if they would hire Jennifer Aniston to work the front desk at the clinic I work at to keep my head in the game. They didn't. And my head stayed in the game for waaaaaaay less that either of them make to "play" for a living.

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

When does he get his own head in the game?

Expand full comment
StatsCbl's avatar

Tommy Pham has it all under control.

Expand full comment
WTM's avatar

The called third strike thing got old ages ago. Do the Pirates ever swing with runners on base?

Expand full comment
Jim's avatar

This is painful to watch. Over 50 pitches and something like 3 swings and misses.

Expand full comment