2018 Pittsburgh Pirates In-Season Thread

Postby **Morkle** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:15 am

By that count SeanRod is back to form, bring em up and send Meadows down.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:32 am

So wait. The Banderas gif is the original? The only one I had seen to this point was Joel from The Last of Us doing it.

And now this Lego Joel.

From Assassins (1995), which co-starred Sylvester Stallone.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:33 am

Postby **willeyeam** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:32 am

Lannister hasn't let up an earned run since 6/13, and has two appearances with earned runs since 5/20. Decent turnaround from that stretch when he changed his name

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:54 am

Lannister hasn't let up an earned run since 6/13, and has two appearances with earned runs since 5/20. Decent turnaround from that stretch when he changed his name

His numbers since his last blowup on 5/31 are ridiculous. 161/246/177/423 against. 1.05 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 16.3 K/9, 46.4% K%, 10.1% BB%. On batted balls hard contact is only being made 26.7% of the time and he's inducing a 53.3% groundball rate.

I'd put his name out there to see what kind of return I could get at the deadline.

Postby **willeyeam** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 11:04 am

nah

move Cervelli, JHay, Nova, Dickerson, Freese, Mercer.. there should be enough talent close enough that Lannister will be around to be with that group. Unless someone really wants to overpay

Postby **NailedPenguin** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 11:14 am

Wes Welker Michael McKenry insinuated that Taillon took it upon himself to throw more curveballs modeling after the Astros staff. There's nothing for him to back that up but within a week Taillon complains about being removed then just starts throwing how he wants. Fun times.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 11:27 am

That would certainly be interesting/hilarious if true.

For his career he uses his curveball about 25% of the time. This season he was throwing his fourseamer more than ever before and the curveball was down to about 21% with his new slider at 13%. Yesterday the curved was used more than any other pitch (34% to 32% fourseamer). In his previous start against the Phillies he only used his curveball 16% of the time.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 11:52 am

I went to look at Cole's stats with the Astros and noticed that ole Ground Chuck is 11-2 this season with a 2.96 ERA, 1.148 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9. **** pitch to contact.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 11:54 am

I went to look at Cole's stats with the Astros and noticed that ole Ground Chuck is 11-2 this season with a 2.96 ERA, 1.148 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9. **** pitch to contact.

Why i believe Bauer's assertion that the astros are cheating.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 11:57 am

I went to look at Cole's stats with the Astros and noticed that ole Ground Chuck is 11-2 this season with a 2.96 ERA, 1.148 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9. **** pitch to contact.
Why i believe Bauer's assertion that the astros are cheating.

who is bauer and how are they allegedly cheating

Postby **Morkle** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:01 pm

Bauer and Cole used to be teammates, Cole told Bauer he'd never make it. Bauer has since not liked Cole.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:05 pm

I went to look at Cole's stats with the Astros and noticed that ole Ground Chuck is 11-2 this season with a 2.96 ERA, 1.148 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9. **** pitch to contact.
Why i believe Bauer's assertion that the astros are cheating.
who is bauer and how are they allegedly cheating

Trevor Bauer, Indians SP and former UCLA teamate of Gerrit Cole. Fangraphs or some related entity showed that Gerrit Cole's spin rate increased in his early starts with the Astros. Bauer tweeted, i think, that the only way for a pitcher to increase their spin rate like that was to use pine tar, or another foreign substance. He made the case that MLB should just make the substance legal so everyone can use it. A lot of people attacked him for the insinuation, or for sour grapes or whatever. But it's not hard to argue that Cole, Verlander and Morton all look like different pitchers upon being traded to the Astros. I think everyone expected Cole to get better, so that's why I think the Morton improvement is a greater indication that this assetion from Bauer has merits. The use of pine tar allows pitchers to have better control over where their pitches are going, Morton's issues was always not being able to harness the natural movement on his pitch arsenal.

Postby **slappybrown** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:06 pm

Got it, thanks. I vaguely recall this now.

Postby **MrKennethTKangaroo** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 12:35 pm

McCullers uses his curve about 45% percent of the time and chuck uses his just under 30% of the time.

Postby **Morkle** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:16 pm

I don't doubt the pine tar accusation, but would that not be easy to spot especially if the Umps would actually look for it?

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:19 pm

I don't doubt the pine tar accusation, but would that not be easy to spot especially if the Umps would actually look for it?

I don't think umps could spot it, it would take them ump going to the mound to see the substance somewhere for the pitcher to use. I think it would take the opposing team to accuse their opponent, which would prompt accusations from that team everytime they played for the forseeable future.

Postby **Morkle** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:22 pm

Sure, but umps pick up balls, etc. They'd have to feel at least a somewhat sticky substance.

Postby **willeyeam** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:38 pm

I don't doubt the pine tar accusation, but would that not be easy to spot especially if the Umps would actually look for it?

they don't look for it, that's kinda his gripe. Pitchers always have some kind of weird sht on their hat brim or glove or sleeve. I think Pineda is the last person to actually get busted for it.. Managers don't want to complain because odds are their guy's gonna have something going on that night too

imo if Trevor isn't using it, he should start

Postby **shafnutz05** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:52 pm

The pine tar thing is fascinating, in that it's 2018 and the allegations/usage are still so commonplace. I'd love to see another George Brett incident.

Postby **Morkle** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 4:06 pm

Meadows on the bench again.

Postby **Troy Loney** » Fri Jul 13, 2018 4:27 pm

Meadows on the bench again.

I imagine he'll be sent down soon. Polanco has been very productive lately, so there's not really an argument that anymore that Meadows should be in the lineup over any of tonight's starters.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Sat Jul 14, 2018 12:36 pm

Cervelli back on the concussion DL. Stallings up.

Ugh. This is nearing career ending for Francisco, right? Or pull a John Jaso and learn a new position.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Sat Jul 14, 2018 1:28 pm

Cervelli back on the concussion DL. Stallings up.

Ugh. This is nearing career ending for Francisco, right? Or pull a John Jaso and learn a new position.

He's been taking ground balls at first base. I'll be surprised/concerned if we ever see him behind the plate again.

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Sat Jul 14, 2018 4:13 pm

No Meadows in game 2.