5 walks in 1st inning and then being removed in the middle of an AB. Really raises a question about what the manager, pitching coach and trainer ( and catcher) were all doing in the first inning. This doesn't sound good for Bubba.
Despite living in Illinois, yesterday I made my first drive to wrigley field and back in 25 years It was worth being stuck in slow moving traffic for 2 hours on the way back. That was the best 6 inning performance I have seen in person from a pitcher.
A few notes from the game about the little things we did well.
1. I liked seeing Rowdy Tellez hustlng on the base paths and getting us an extra run on the throw to get Grandal at the play that went long. Good to see him trying. I hope our fans are done booing him, unless it is just a lack of effort.
2. Nick Gonzalez doing what he is supposed to at the plate again with a successful sac fly. Whether it is a moving a runner from second to third by a fly ball or a sac bunt, he moves the runners when it is called for.
3. I don't know if it it just because there was a slow pitcher on the mound or we made it a priority, but we ran the bases well.
Great stuff. I'm not going to judge someone for booing, but that's not my thing. I've been critical of Rowdy, because he hasn't performed, but I have no doubt that he's trying hard and hope he turns it around. The real issue is BC/Nutting and the decision to sign him.
Pirates 9-3 over the Cubs at Wrigley. They stand in third place, four games behind the second place Cubs and 6 games behind the first place Brewers.
*
CARROTS ON THE HOUSE!!!!
@> Granny for his 2 for 5, 3 rbi day.
@>@>Triolo for his 2 for 4, 3 rbi day.
@>@>@> Baby Skenes for a historic six-inning no hitter featuring 11 Ks, seven of which were the first seven batters he faced.
*
Ya gotta give some fresh summer squash to Telles for hitting a bright spot and also some radishes to Nick the Stick for having some nice at bats since his recall. Wasn’t sure it would happen, but the Stick may be latching onto the long-term starting 2b job… and that’s with the very glovey Triolo driving in runs at a decent pace. Granny already got his carrot for the day, but it is nice to see him, late start and all, starting to find a groove. There’s three guys who you hoped to see something from who are starting to produce. Let’s hope it continues.
*
The ogres at the bat rack are back! I mean, Connor Joe goes 3 for 5 and doesn’t even get an over-ripe rutabaga? Daaaaannngggg!
*
___________________________________
“Alright, Rabbit! Where’s Rocky? Where’s he hidin’?
“He’s not in this stove!
“Oh-ho! He’s hidin’ in the stove eh?
“Would I turn on the gas if Rocky was hidin’ in the stove?
“You might, Rabbit. You might.”
“Well would I throw a lit match into the stove if my pal Rocky was hiding therein?
Connor Joe possibly the 2nd or 3rd most consistent hitter in the order since coming back from Colorado? An excellent trade on the part of BC! In fact, bringing home both of the former Pirates (Joe/Cutch) has paid big dividends for not too much cabbage!
Can't get too excited positively or negatively with some of our young phenoms - Bubba has been high high's and low low's from Day One. OTOH, Jared Jones never had a winning record in the minors, and his ERA was most often around 4+. Promoted to MLB and in his first 9 Starts is 3-4, 2.89 ERA, 53 IP (Avg of almost 6 IP/G) with only 7 BB/63 K, and is one of the best SP's in MLB. Anybody figure that?
LHSP Michael Kennedy had another good outing at BRD last night, with 5 IP, 2 BB/7 K and it was noted above that he had 17 Whiffs. He now has 34 IP in 7 Starts at A with an ERA of 3.71 with 5 BB/41 K. I think he also had 40+ innings in the FCL last year. Thinking LHSP Hunter Barco could be promoted to AA and Kennedy taking his slot in the Rotation at A+?
A VG start to the series in Chicago for the Pirates now and the future with at least 4 Rookies providing a lot of pitching, defense, and hitting.
I think they still have to watch Barco's usage closely, but he seems to be pretty much on cruise control right now. In his age 23 season, he probably needs to be A+/AA this year and prepping for AAA and hopefully, MLB in 2025. We will lose LHSP's Perez and Gonzalez this year, leaving only Falter as a viable LHSP right now. So, the door is open!
Kennedy just seems to be doing this so easily - hope that continues.
I wouldn’t blame them for going a bit easy with Barco. This is his first real work since 2021 and he’s only averaging 4 IP per start even though he’s mostly blowing through everybody.
The group at GBO — Barco, Ercolani, Reilly, plus Dotel and Massey to a lesser extent — are all really intriguing but still projects to some extent. Maybe add Diamond, too. 1:17 BB:K since returning, not bad. I hope the pitching coach there is really good. Fascinating group in a very tough pitching environment.
The Bucs are definitely moving in a different direction with the Pitching Coach at A+ Matt Myers. His background is more college rather than professional, but it is primarily continued development at the first two levels.
He was the pitching coach at a few colleges and the last being Lipscomb U over near Nashville and they were always a strong small college program. Knowing Lipscomb, I think I can offer that his pitchers will be knowledgeable and disciplined! He pitched in Cali in JC before coming to Tennessee to pitch for UT under Rod Delmonico in '96, '97.
I wonder if Chanlers is injured. It'd be a shame if he was.
5 walks in 1st inning and then being removed in the middle of an AB. Really raises a question about what the manager, pitching coach and trainer ( and catcher) were all doing in the first inning. This doesn't sound good for Bubba.
Nightmare start for the 2021 draft class, my goodness. This game will keep you guessing.
Despite living in Illinois, yesterday I made my first drive to wrigley field and back in 25 years It was worth being stuck in slow moving traffic for 2 hours on the way back. That was the best 6 inning performance I have seen in person from a pitcher.
A few notes from the game about the little things we did well.
1. I liked seeing Rowdy Tellez hustlng on the base paths and getting us an extra run on the throw to get Grandal at the play that went long. Good to see him trying. I hope our fans are done booing him, unless it is just a lack of effort.
2. Nick Gonzalez doing what he is supposed to at the plate again with a successful sac fly. Whether it is a moving a runner from second to third by a fly ball or a sac bunt, he moves the runners when it is called for.
3. I don't know if it it just because there was a slow pitcher on the mound or we made it a priority, but we ran the bases well.
Great stuff. I'm not going to judge someone for booing, but that's not my thing. I've been critical of Rowdy, because he hasn't performed, but I have no doubt that he's trying hard and hope he turns it around. The real issue is BC/Nutting and the decision to sign him.
Does anyone else get the impression that Skenes looks like a guy who will have a big fat beer belly one day?
When I look at him he looks older than 21 and I can see him walking in fatigues with purpose on a military base.
No
Ala Lance Lynn?
David wells or Sid Fernandez
Who was the fatty left starter we once had?
Jimmy Anderson
Friday, May 18
21 down. 60 to go.
Pirates 9-3 over the Cubs at Wrigley. They stand in third place, four games behind the second place Cubs and 6 games behind the first place Brewers.
*
CARROTS ON THE HOUSE!!!!
@> Granny for his 2 for 5, 3 rbi day.
@>@>Triolo for his 2 for 4, 3 rbi day.
@>@>@> Baby Skenes for a historic six-inning no hitter featuring 11 Ks, seven of which were the first seven batters he faced.
*
Ya gotta give some fresh summer squash to Telles for hitting a bright spot and also some radishes to Nick the Stick for having some nice at bats since his recall. Wasn’t sure it would happen, but the Stick may be latching onto the long-term starting 2b job… and that’s with the very glovey Triolo driving in runs at a decent pace. Granny already got his carrot for the day, but it is nice to see him, late start and all, starting to find a groove. There’s three guys who you hoped to see something from who are starting to produce. Let’s hope it continues.
*
The ogres at the bat rack are back! I mean, Connor Joe goes 3 for 5 and doesn’t even get an over-ripe rutabaga? Daaaaannngggg!
*
___________________________________
“Alright, Rabbit! Where’s Rocky? Where’s he hidin’?
“He’s not in this stove!
“Oh-ho! He’s hidin’ in the stove eh?
“Would I turn on the gas if Rocky was hidin’ in the stove?
“You might, Rabbit. You might.”
“Well would I throw a lit match into the stove if my pal Rocky was hiding therein?
“Alright, Rabbit. You’ve convinced me.”
*
-Wabbit
Connor Joe possibly the 2nd or 3rd most consistent hitter in the order since coming back from Colorado? An excellent trade on the part of BC! In fact, bringing home both of the former Pirates (Joe/Cutch) has paid big dividends for not too much cabbage!
How dare you say something nice about Cherington on this site. Go to your room.
How can one not be a schizophrenic if a fan of this team?
Paul Skenes throws 6 no-hit innings after striking out the world…WOOHOO
Bubba Chandler leaves in 1st inning with trainer after walking the world…CRASH AND BURN
Are we cursed?
Can't get too excited positively or negatively with some of our young phenoms - Bubba has been high high's and low low's from Day One. OTOH, Jared Jones never had a winning record in the minors, and his ERA was most often around 4+. Promoted to MLB and in his first 9 Starts is 3-4, 2.89 ERA, 53 IP (Avg of almost 6 IP/G) with only 7 BB/63 K, and is one of the best SP's in MLB. Anybody figure that?
LHSP Michael Kennedy had another good outing at BRD last night, with 5 IP, 2 BB/7 K and it was noted above that he had 17 Whiffs. He now has 34 IP in 7 Starts at A with an ERA of 3.71 with 5 BB/41 K. I think he also had 40+ innings in the FCL last year. Thinking LHSP Hunter Barco could be promoted to AA and Kennedy taking his slot in the Rotation at A+?
A VG start to the series in Chicago for the Pirates now and the future with at least 4 Rookies providing a lot of pitching, defense, and hitting.
I’m all for the Barco and Kennedy promotions. In my mind, Barco is nosing ahead of Solometo as the best southpaw in the system.
I think they still have to watch Barco's usage closely, but he seems to be pretty much on cruise control right now. In his age 23 season, he probably needs to be A+/AA this year and prepping for AAA and hopefully, MLB in 2025. We will lose LHSP's Perez and Gonzalez this year, leaving only Falter as a viable LHSP right now. So, the door is open!
Kennedy just seems to be doing this so easily - hope that continues.
I wouldn’t blame them for going a bit easy with Barco. This is his first real work since 2021 and he’s only averaging 4 IP per start even though he’s mostly blowing through everybody.
The group at GBO — Barco, Ercolani, Reilly, plus Dotel and Massey to a lesser extent — are all really intriguing but still projects to some extent. Maybe add Diamond, too. 1:17 BB:K since returning, not bad. I hope the pitching coach there is really good. Fascinating group in a very tough pitching environment.
The Bucs are definitely moving in a different direction with the Pitching Coach at A+ Matt Myers. His background is more college rather than professional, but it is primarily continued development at the first two levels.
He was the pitching coach at a few colleges and the last being Lipscomb U over near Nashville and they were always a strong small college program. Knowing Lipscomb, I think I can offer that his pitchers will be knowledgeable and disciplined! He pitched in Cali in JC before coming to Tennessee to pitch for UT under Rod Delmonico in '96, '97.