Snap Judgments - Game 11 - Pirates 4, Reds 3
When I take notes during the game, I underline what I consider good plays/positives for the Pirates in green pen, bad plays/mistakes/negatives in red pen. Looking over tonight's game, I have 13 green to 9 red. That's a pretty good margin for a team like the Pirates, a team that needs to rely on execution, fundamentals, timely hitting, and solid pitching to stay competitive for the majority of the season. Scratching out one-run wins will be a huge determining factor as 2008 progresses and tonight, if only for one night, the Pirates did more right than they did wrong.
So let's get to it...
1.) Ian Snell, Without His Best Stuff, Got it Done
Snell's last start, against the Marlins this past Sunday, was a picture of power pitching. Snell threw with a mean streak, apparently peeved at the way he perceived Marlins hitters showing up his team's pitchers during the first two games of the series. The Bucs needed to salvage a win in Miami after losing the first two and Snell came out guns blazing, striking out 10 in only six winnings of work. Snell got a ton of offense during that game and manager John Russell lifted him early as the game was out-of-hand by the top of the 7th.
Tonight was a different story. Far from the balmy climate of south Florida, the weather in Pittsburgh was damp and chilly. It was evident from the first inning on that Snell didn't have particularly great command or velocity. Yet, the Bucs' emerging ace got it done. Snell's line read like this: 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2K, but he worked out of jams in the 1st and 3rd and kept what could have been a wretched 5th inning under control. All told, I was quite pleased with Snell's work. His fastball topped out at only 91-92 mph and he was throwing 95-96 mph in Florida and he was forced to rely on his off-speed stuff more often than I'm sure he would have liked. It's gritty performances like tonight's that the rest of the rotation needs to duplicate in order for this team to get hot. If the rest of the starters can learn from Snell gutting out a win without his best stuff, all the better. This is the type of leadership the Pirates are supposedly paying Matt Morris $10million this season to instill, but if Russell were smart, he'd be touting Snell as the team's ace.
"Don't make me start the season 2-0! I'll do it! I'm CRAAAAAAAAAAAZY, fool!"
2.) Brian Bixler, Bane of My Existence
Sure, you think I'm being hard on the guy, right? Well, screw you. I can't take it. I have Bixler's name underlined in red three times in tonight's notes. That's 1/3 of the red, 1/3 of the bad plays, 1/3 of the failures that could have cost the Pirates tonight's game. Luis Rivas started yesterday and was predictably bad, so Russell went right back to Bixler. And he did not disappoint...everyone who was waiting for him to screw up. In the 4th, with Doug Meintkeiayeintyiwsyiwiicz on 3rd after a lead-off double and wild pitch by Reds' starter Bronson Arroyo and Ronny Paulino at first after a walk, Bixler came to the plate. With Snell batting behind him, Bixler's job was plain and simple: get Meintkeiayeintyiwsyiwiicz home before the pitcher came up. "Get the ball to the outfield," is what I kept saying in my head. Then I started screaming it at my dog. It turns out that dogs apparently aren't telepathic and Bixler didn't get my message. He then proceeded to whiff oh-so-gracefully. Snell then struck out the end the inning with Meintkeiayeintyiwsyiwiicz standing frozen at third.
Bixler also made two terrible "plays" in the field, but I can't even go into those right now because my stomach acid is churning as I proofread this and I don't want to vomit on my keyboard. All I'll say is this: "Congratulations, Brian Bixler, on getting your first Major League hit. That sharp ground ball off a diving Brandon Phillips' glove is something I'm sure your grandkids will hear about as a laser into the right-centerfield gap."
Bixler turns a crisp double-play in the 9th, a surprising "green underline" for the Pirates' struggling rookie.
3.) Nate Mac and The Mad Capper Shine
What more can I say about Nate Mac? The dude is a machine right now. Another 2/5 night, the game-winning RBI, another run scored, average hovering around .400, leading the Majors in hits. Ho-hum. Just another night for Nate McLouth. Watching Nate Mac emerge into a bona fide starting centerfielder and possible (probable) All-Star has truly been the highlight of the young season. Just as Snell approaches the game with a fiery attitude, so does Nate Mac. His swing is perfect for PNC Park. Those big gaps and short right field porch are going to be kind to him numbers-wise as the season progresses. The only guy not happy about McLouth's breakout year? Chris Duffy, somewhere in Indianapolis...
Nate McLouth has hit safely in all 11 games this season and also owns an extensive collection of leather-bound Hemingway first editions.
After being roughed up in his first appearance of the season in Atlanta, Matt Capps has been nearly unhittable since. Tonight, The Mad Capper made quick work of the Reds in the 9th inning and is now 3/3 in save opportunities on the season. Capps emerged last year as the Pirates' closer and while he agreed to a two-year, $3.1million contract at the beginning of this season, Nutting and Co. should definitely come out of their pockets and extend this guy to five years. The two sides couldn't get a long-term extension settled before spring training (hence the two-year deal), but it should be priority No. 1 this offseason. He's big and strong, young, overpowering, and aggressive; all the characteristics a front office looks for when scouting a potential closer. Marte and Yates also got some big outs tonight, but Capps is the guy in that bullpen.
Capps! AHHHH! AH! Savior of the Universe!
So let's get to it...
1.) Ian Snell, Without His Best Stuff, Got it Done
Snell's last start, against the Marlins this past Sunday, was a picture of power pitching. Snell threw with a mean streak, apparently peeved at the way he perceived Marlins hitters showing up his team's pitchers during the first two games of the series. The Bucs needed to salvage a win in Miami after losing the first two and Snell came out guns blazing, striking out 10 in only six winnings of work. Snell got a ton of offense during that game and manager John Russell lifted him early as the game was out-of-hand by the top of the 7th.
Tonight was a different story. Far from the balmy climate of south Florida, the weather in Pittsburgh was damp and chilly. It was evident from the first inning on that Snell didn't have particularly great command or velocity. Yet, the Bucs' emerging ace got it done. Snell's line read like this: 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2K, but he worked out of jams in the 1st and 3rd and kept what could have been a wretched 5th inning under control. All told, I was quite pleased with Snell's work. His fastball topped out at only 91-92 mph and he was throwing 95-96 mph in Florida and he was forced to rely on his off-speed stuff more often than I'm sure he would have liked. It's gritty performances like tonight's that the rest of the rotation needs to duplicate in order for this team to get hot. If the rest of the starters can learn from Snell gutting out a win without his best stuff, all the better. This is the type of leadership the Pirates are supposedly paying Matt Morris $10million this season to instill, but if Russell were smart, he'd be touting Snell as the team's ace.
"Don't make me start the season 2-0! I'll do it! I'm CRAAAAAAAAAAAZY, fool!"2.) Brian Bixler, Bane of My Existence
Sure, you think I'm being hard on the guy, right? Well, screw you. I can't take it. I have Bixler's name underlined in red three times in tonight's notes. That's 1/3 of the red, 1/3 of the bad plays, 1/3 of the failures that could have cost the Pirates tonight's game. Luis Rivas started yesterday and was predictably bad, so Russell went right back to Bixler. And he did not disappoint...everyone who was waiting for him to screw up. In the 4th, with Doug Meintkeiayeintyiwsyiwiicz on 3rd after a lead-off double and wild pitch by Reds' starter Bronson Arroyo and Ronny Paulino at first after a walk, Bixler came to the plate. With Snell batting behind him, Bixler's job was plain and simple: get Meintkeiayeintyiwsyiwiicz home before the pitcher came up. "Get the ball to the outfield," is what I kept saying in my head. Then I started screaming it at my dog. It turns out that dogs apparently aren't telepathic and Bixler didn't get my message. He then proceeded to whiff oh-so-gracefully. Snell then struck out the end the inning with Meintkeiayeintyiwsyiwiicz standing frozen at third.
Bixler also made two terrible "plays" in the field, but I can't even go into those right now because my stomach acid is churning as I proofread this and I don't want to vomit on my keyboard. All I'll say is this: "Congratulations, Brian Bixler, on getting your first Major League hit. That sharp ground ball off a diving Brandon Phillips' glove is something I'm sure your grandkids will hear about as a laser into the right-centerfield gap."
Bixler turns a crisp double-play in the 9th, a surprising "green underline" for the Pirates' struggling rookie.3.) Nate Mac and The Mad Capper Shine
What more can I say about Nate Mac? The dude is a machine right now. Another 2/5 night, the game-winning RBI, another run scored, average hovering around .400, leading the Majors in hits. Ho-hum. Just another night for Nate McLouth. Watching Nate Mac emerge into a bona fide starting centerfielder and possible (probable) All-Star has truly been the highlight of the young season. Just as Snell approaches the game with a fiery attitude, so does Nate Mac. His swing is perfect for PNC Park. Those big gaps and short right field porch are going to be kind to him numbers-wise as the season progresses. The only guy not happy about McLouth's breakout year? Chris Duffy, somewhere in Indianapolis...
Nate McLouth has hit safely in all 11 games this season and also owns an extensive collection of leather-bound Hemingway first editions.After being roughed up in his first appearance of the season in Atlanta, Matt Capps has been nearly unhittable since. Tonight, The Mad Capper made quick work of the Reds in the 9th inning and is now 3/3 in save opportunities on the season. Capps emerged last year as the Pirates' closer and while he agreed to a two-year, $3.1million contract at the beginning of this season, Nutting and Co. should definitely come out of their pockets and extend this guy to five years. The two sides couldn't get a long-term extension settled before spring training (hence the two-year deal), but it should be priority No. 1 this offseason. He's big and strong, young, overpowering, and aggressive; all the characteristics a front office looks for when scouting a potential closer. Marte and Yates also got some big outs tonight, but Capps is the guy in that bullpen.
Capps! AHHHH! AH! Savior of the Universe!
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