Nats @ Bucs | Series Thread | 5/8-5/10

[evolver115]

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LET'S GO BUCS
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Few pitchers in Major League history have faced the sort of rebound opportunity that Pirates starter A.J. Burnett will get on Tuesday night, when Pittsburgh hosts Washington in the opener of a three-game series.

Against the Cardinals on Wednesday, Burnett became the first Pirates pitcher in 80 years to allow 12 earned runs in a game. He did it on 12 hits in 2 2/3 innings, making him the second player since 1948 to surrender that many runs in no more than three innings.

The veteran right-hander, who had a 1.38 ERA in his first two starts, is eager to get back on the mound.

"I couldn't wait to get to the 'pen, I couldn't wait to work out, get back to throwing downhill," Burnett said. "My only problem [against the Cardinals] was being up. I wasn't able to get to the bullpen fast enough, to make adjustments and get back down [in the strike zone] where I belong."

Burnett will have to take on the Nationals, who followed five straight losses with a four-game winning streak heading into Sunday night's game against the Phillies, which they lost, 9-3. Washington (18-10) still exited Sunday's action tied for the third-best record in the Major Leagues.

Nationals starter Edwin Jackson spurned the Pirates' free-agent offer before the club acquired Burnett from the Yankees.

Jackson is 1-1 with a 3.69 ERA in five starts after signing a one-year deal with Washington for $11 million. He gave up four earned runs in six innings while logging a no-decision against the D-backs in his last outing.

In that game, it was the Nats' relievers -- Craig Stammen and Henry Rodriguez -- who held the D-backs in check the rest of the game, allowing the team to make its comeback.

"We are always in it until the last out," Stammen said.

 

[evolver115]

Some good news/relief on Starling Marte:

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Starling Marte, who was hit on the hand by a pitch in the 2nd inning of last night’s game, has had X-rays that turned out negative. His right hand is bruised and swollen, but there was no sign of a fracture. It will still be a few days before the swelling goes down enough for him to bat and throw. In the meantime, he will be available to pinch-run for Indianapolis.

Pirates Prospects Starling Marte: Bruised But Not Broken

 

[thedddd]

So far Burnett is looking good. Now after seeing Barajas BA the pitcher batting 8th might make this team better.

 

[evolver115]

Burnett with another 10 K's tonight. Good to see him get back in a big way after getting destroyed in his last start. Now if we could just scratch out a run....

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

May I participate?

I will be there Thursday and there are a lot of good tix available!

 

[evolver115]

May I participate?

I will be there Thursday and there are a lot of good tix available!

heck yeah! Come on in. what did u think of the Hamels suspension?

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

It moved a start back. Hamels is a prick but it didn't seem to phase Harper, so no real worries.

Suspensions for pitchers are kind of funny really.

 

[evolver115]

Yeah, it's just a gesture really. If they wanted to punish him they should force him to miss a start, five days for a starting pitcher is pointless, obviously.

 

[evolver115]

Laroche must be loving that. Sonofabitch!

 

[sychmd]

why does he throw 97 on the outside.
that just speeds up laroches bat for him and gives him a chance to connect.
his swing is late so throw it inside and tie him up. his looping slow swing could never hit high and tight.
terrible waste of a great bounce back performance by burnett and scratching out a late 8th inning run to get burnett the win.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

gotta head out boys, but will be back tomorrow night if that is cool

 

[evolver115]

I was thinking the same thing, Sychmd. He had just put two on him at the same speed, wish Joel was thinking off-speed, but he might have been worried about the walk. Just gonna have to scratch another one out...

 

[element1286]

Suck it, Nats!

 

[stillmatic32]

Amazing.

 

[evolver115]

Welcome to the Pirates, Rod. Only took you a month and two weeks to make your presence felt

 

[stillmatic32]

Of course!

gotta head out boys, but will be back tomorrow night if that is cool

 

[Illinest]

does pedro suck again?

 

[sychmd]

no, pedro is having good AB's.
lineup is starting to take shape and hopefully, some power is contagious.
if barajas can and tabata can get going, it looks like walker, cutch, pedro, jones are ok. mcgee or presley can alternate depending on who is pitching and harrison/navarro/mcclouth of bench for d and timely late inning help.
we havent really played any of the patsies yet, have faced almost every tough pitcher, and the first place teams except the mets and no hitting and we are only one win from 500.
i like our chances to make some noise and even be buyers at the deadline altho not sure if that is what we want to do.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Oh what the hell. I left for 20 minutes!!



Congrats Buc fans! See ya tomorrow!

 

[Darkstone42]

does pedro suck again?

They're pitching around him. He's drawing a lot more walks as a result, but the hits are going to go down, and so will certainly the power. Until someone behind him starts hitting so he's not the lone threat, he's going to strike out more, walk more, and hit less.