Crossing The Clemente

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Hot-lanta, Hot-Mess
2007-07-16 16:24:00
Things didn't start off quite as well as we thought, to say the least. The Pirates were absolutely pathetic this weekend, looking nothing like the team that won 9 of the previous 13. They couldn't field (Doumit's passed ball, LaRoche error, Castillo's throwing error); they couldn't hit (Wilson 0-4, 2 K's and 6 LOB including the tying runs in the top of the 9th on Saturday, Bay, Nady, LaRoche going 4-31 in the series).Snell was pretty bad on Friday night. That however can be excused, how often does he allow 3 home runs in a game? Looking back on it though, the Pirates should never have been down 3 after the first inning. In the bottom of the first, Snell quickly got the first two batters out. Then Chipper Jones hit a weak ground ball to first that LaRoche simply botched. Still 2 outs, Chipper on first and Andruw Jones walks after Chipper had stole second. The Braves have first and second with 2 outs and All-Star catcher Brian McCann at the dish. He hits a home run just inside t...
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We're back and better than Zach Duke!
2007-07-12 00:31:00
Hello and welcome to the new and improved CrossingTheClemente.com...or the blog formerly known as "Pittsburgh Baseball Guy". That's the causes of the delay since the last post but I should be back regularly again and now onto the ranting. It's the All-Star break already. Wow. A lot of people hate the game, think it's pointless, stupid, boring, etc. I personally love it. I get excited to watch it and focus my whole week on it. Think of all the great All-Star game moments people remember: 1) Torii Hunter robbing Bonds of a home run in 2002 (my favorite AS moment) 2) Cal Ripken playing in 2001, his last AS game. A-Rod gives up short to take third and let's Ripken move to short where he should be. It was a momentary image of class from A-Rod. People also forget that Cal also jacked one out too. 3) Hank Blalock dialing yard in the 2003 game and the American comes back from being 4 runs down. 4) Last year in Pittsburgh, Michael Young's 2 out, 2 run triple gives the AL t...
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Straight from the McLouth
2007-07-03 16:32:00
Anyone else find it ironic that the Pirates had Franco Harris speak to the team before the game, only for the Bucs to go out and lose by a touchdown? Maybe he also shared the secrets of avoiding contact and running out of bounds like a girl.On to more serious topics, Jesus Christ we have some terrible pitchers.Exhibit A: Zach Dookie, the latest in a long line of Pirates pitchers to have arm trouble. He's initial assessment came back as just being a tender elbow. However he is scheduled to fly to Alabama to meet with the illustrious Dr. Andrews this week for a second opinion. I don't know about you but in my opinion when players go to see Dr. Andrews for a second opinion, they tend to come back needing Tommy John surgery or some other kind of invasive surgery. How much says Dookie boy has something more serious going on?John Van Benschoten is terrible. The guy can not locate a pitch to save his life. The problem is that you can't send him down because who are you going to b...
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A Really Big Load of Waste of Time
2007-07-01 04:46:00
I know I said before I wouldn't comment on the strike, on ownership, etc but I feel the need to tonight. This will be the last time that I comment on the off the field.Congratulations Pirates fans! Plain and simple. The protest was a flop. Sure before the game there was a lot of people with shirts and hanging out in the vicinity of Hi-Tops. Then came the walk out and no one left. Sure a couple hundred did but it wasn't enough to make a noticeable difference in the stands.The most shocking thing about the protest was the amount of ANGER...and not from the people leaving but from the people STAYING! I saw people yelling at people leaving, telling them, "Get the hell out and don't come back loser!". That just shocks me. That's like the people who call you anti-American if you speak out against the President. It reminds me of the Iraqi Minister of Defense who was in the middle of Baghdad, missiles destroying the city, declaring, "There is nothing wrong. There are no attacks, i...
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Zach Dookie
2007-06-29 17:30:00
Opponents are hitting .362 off of Zach Dookie. That would win the batting title by a mile most years. I am at the point now where I WANT to see that average get up to .400. I really am interested in finding out what is the highest opponent's batting average a starting pitcher gave up while starting over 25 games. The problem with Duke is his stuff. Like I wrote about Paul Maholm, Dookie pitches to contact, he let's his fielders do their work. The difference is while Maholm has induced weak, little, nubby grounders recently, Dookie has been giving up hard hits all over the place. These just aren't balls that get by fielders, these are rockets that he's giving up. Very few have been fluke hits. He lacks confidence and command right now. The major leagues are not the place for a pitch missing one, if not both. That's what Indianapolis is for and that's where Duke should be. He is killing this team right now. Everytime he starts you just know, know that it's going to...

Loathin' Van Benschoten
2007-06-28 18:35:00
Wow, John Van Benschoten was terrible last night. He had absolutely no control over any of his pitches. He went to three balls on 9 of the 19 batters he faced. That's terrible. He was really lucky that the Marlins must lead the league in pitches swung at. They put a lot of balls into play that they had no business swinging at. That's why Van Benschoten's line of 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER looks somewhat decent. It should have been worse, much worse. He walked 5 batters, that number could have easily be double that. However the Marlins kept swinging and in cavernous Dolphin Stadium, that usually equals outs. Van Benschoten needs to have a better outing in his next start on Monday against Milwaukee because the Brewers will take those walks and will put up a lot more than 2 ER's against him.The All-Star game voting ends tonight at midnight. If I was to vote for the Pirates All-Star and make no mistake, there will be only one, it would have to be for Xavier Nady. He's a been a rea...

Game #76: Pirates @ Marlins: Who are you and what have you done with Paul M
2007-06-27 16:49:00
Um, will the real Paul Maholm please stand up? The man who's been an enigma the entire season (and his career) appears to have settled down and become a real life big league pitcher before our eyes. He'll never been an ace or even a #2 pitcher but he's certainly become a very good pitcher for this team. He's gone atleast 7 innings in 5 of his last 7 starts (and went 6 2/3 in another) allowing 4 ER or lower in each start. Don't be shocked, those are great numbers. They are put into even great light when you figure that (as noted in the MLB.com Wrap of the game) that the Pirates are 24-15 this season when they score at least four runs.The difference I see more than anything in that 7 game stretch is Maholm's sinker and control. He will never be a dominating, top of the rotation pitcher. That's not his style. He pitches to contact and let's the fielders do their job. However since he's found his control and his sinker has become a really good out pitch, it's easier f...
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If I was Jim Tracy (and thank God I'm not)!
2007-06-26 16:47:00
I hate Chris Duffy, as a player and as a person. I think he's obnoxious, spoiled and a crappy ballplayer (and person).I do not know Chris Duffy personally but here is what I do know:1) After being demoted last season to AAA, he went AWOL for 2 weeks. He went home to whine and pout. Sure he spun it as "I'm not sure if I want to continue playing professionally". PLEASE. Spare me. This sudden change happened to coincide with you getting sent down and you want me to believe it's coincidental? (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06143/692 339-63.stm)2) He thinks his place as starting CF and leadoff hitter are secure, despite his mediocre play. After Rajai Davis was recalled last month Duffy was asked if he thought he might lose playing time and if his performance might have been the reason. Duffy replied that he thought he was playing fine. (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07157/791 815-63.stm)Playing FINE!! FINE!! Someone wake up Chris Duffy and inform him that speedy ...
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Littlefield is the Anti-Christ
2007-06-25 21:13:00
Oh happy day! Oh happy day!Jonah Bayliss has been sent down! What a day to rejoice. That is until you see that the move was done in order to bring up the equally inept John Wasdin. He of the 5.97 ERA and opponents batting average over .290 at AAA. Where have you gone Kent Tekulve?Dave Litt lefield made, what I consider, to be the utmost dick move I've ever seen by a GM. He called up Brad Eldred on Saturday from Indy, had him in the lineup that night in Anaheim, only to demote him on Sunday and ship his ass back on the next plane across country back to Indy. A one day call up. It's not wonder that guys like Sean Burnett come out in the papers and say that they are really just auditioning for 30 other teams since the Pirates seem to toy around with them.
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Game #75: Pirates @ Angels
2007-06-24 21:59:00
Sheryl Crow sang "Leaving Las Vegas" and I think the Pirates are happy singing "Leaving LA" and loving it. Thank God this series is over. I've never been more frustrated watching a three game series and that includes the debacle in New York several weeks ago.First thing I noticed to start the game was how fat Bartolo Colon is now. He reminded me of Kirstie Alley in the last season's of Cheers.After 2 straight games of swinging at almost anything and everything I charted the pitches the team took today against Colon. Here's the breakdown by pitches per PA:Duffy: 3.33 P/PA (1 BB, 2K's)Sanchez: 3.8 P/PABay: 4.8 P/PA (3K's)LaRoche: 6.0 P/PA (1K, 3BB's)Nady: 2.8 P/PA (1K)Doumit: 5.8 P/PA (4BB's)Phelps: 2.6 P/PA (3K's)Castillo: 3.8P/PA (2K's)Wilson: 2.6 P/PANo wonder this team struggles so much. The team averages around 3 pitches per plate appearance. That unacceptable, especially from Duffy. He's the leadoff hitter. He's supposed to get on base and get the pitcher to t...
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Game #74: Pirates @ Angels
2007-06-24 04:21:00
Let's just say it now. The Angels are going to win the World Series.The other thing about this game tonight is that it really exemplified everything wrong with the Pirates . It was men versus boys out there. The Angels do everything right and are so fundamentally strong. Is there a better base running team than the Angels? How many times did the take extra bases because they know when to tag up versus going halfway, they always take the best path to a base and always look to go from first to third on hits. In one particular play, Willits was on first with a base hit to left. He rounded second and instead of making the proper throw, which would be to the cutoff man, Bay throws it to second and Willits slides safely into third without any trouble. Unbelievable how different these two teams are.I find it incredible that Jack Wilson has a few bad games in New York and is benched for several games and yet Paulino has been terrible all year and gets off free. There was a play wi...
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Game #73: Bucs @ Angels
2007-06-24 01:47:00
What is there to say? The bullpen stinks. Bayliss needs to go.I would comment more but again, for the second day in a row, the game wasn't on TV. What's the point in the Pirates traveling to cities like Anaheim and Seattle if we don't get to see the games? What's the sense in blacking out away games?Typical Pirates.
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Pirates Protest 6/30
2007-06-22 19:38:00
There is a protest happening at the 6/30 game against the Washington Nationals. I think the organizers of this protest have the best intentions and I believe that their mission is admirable.....HOWEVER, they are going about this the entirely wrong way. The current plan is to have people meet at the Honus Wagner statue at some point before the game (I think around 5:00pm) and protest the current Pirates ownership and their cheap, incompetent ways. They are asking people to make tasteful signs against the administration and also wear green t-shirts (to signify money, as in what the owners pocket around $25mil last year in). Now is where this whole idea becomes pointless. Around 7pm their plan is to walk into the stadium making a scene, then watch the game and leave in the 3rd to watch the game from the concourse. Then in the fifth people can either go back to their seats or leave for good.To me this is the equivalent of going on strike at work but then going in once 8am starts. ...
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Game #72: Bucs @ Mariners
2007-06-22 15:28:00
One of my biggest adjustments to living here in Pittsburgh is not being able to see every Pirates game on TV. We get every Phillies game back home so it never occurred to me that other cities weren't as lucky. I hate that every Thursday Pirates game is not televised. To make matters worse, tonight's game isn't on TV either. What's the point of these interleague games, against teams the Pirates rarely play, if we can't watch the freaking game?? What also really pisses me off is that I paid over $100 for the MLB.TV package. I understand blackouts and I understand they want you to watch your local feed of the game but if the local team chooses to not broadcast the game, why the hell should I be blacked out? I'd rather watch Greg Brown and Bob Walk call the game but I can't. So why can't I watch the Angels feed of the game?However, I may have put the maloik on Ryan Doumit and Jose Bautista. I pay up to sponsor their pages at baseball-reference.com and Doumit goes 0-4 wi...
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Game #71: Bucs @ Mariners
2007-06-21 05:01:00
It's been covered ad nausea in all the papers and websites but it can't be said enough. Once again a pretty bad pitcher throws a gem against the Pirates. Coming into the game last night, opponents were hitting .413 against Weaver and he had an ERA of 10.97 this year...then he plays the Pirates and rolls through the team on his way to a 4 hit shutout.Thanks to www.pittsburghsports.net's "Scotts Turf Builder Hall of Fame" thread for the list of names this year who've been terrible and yet "mowed" down the Pirates:Claudio Vargas (Brewers)Randy Wolf (Dodgers)Randy Keisler (Cardinals)Braden Looper (Cardinals)Matt Belisle (Reds)Kyle Davies (Braves)Chuck James (Braves)Scott Olsen (Marlins)Kyle Lohse (Reds)Matt Chico (Nationals)Kameron Loe (Rangers)Don't get me wrong, he pitched well, but not good enough for a shutout. He was consistently hanging his slider all game. In the fifth, in one at-bat to Ronny Paulino I noticed that he hung at least 2, maybe three sliders over the plate. Paul...
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Game #70: Bucs @ Mariners
2007-06-20 17:23:00
*I really don't understand how or why Jonah Bayliss is still on this team. There has to be SOMEONE available better than him. He's crap. He pitched about 1/3 of an inning yesterday and walked one, gave up a HR and nearly blew the game. Thank God that Kuwata and Chacon came in and bailed his ass out. I really only have faith in Chacon, Capps and Kuwata at this point out of the bullpen. Something has to be done.*Anyone else notice how great Ichiro is? He is so underrated as a player. That's crazy to say because he's won an MVP and a ROY but he is. He gets out of the box faster than any player I've ever seen. Tonight I saw him literally start running to first WHILE he was still swinging the bat. It's truly incredible and must be the reason why he gets some many infield hits. He should be mentioned as one of the 3 best players of this era. He's in his 7th season in the US and he already has 1,500 hits. At 34 you have to figure he's got 3-5 really good years left. ...
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Secrets of PNC Park
2007-06-19 17:29:00
I thought I'd post some of the hidden "secrets" of PNC Park and the surrounding area. There are lots of places to go, things to eat and things to drink in the area that people don't know about. First off is the Outback in PNC Park. Do you know they are open everyday, year-round? Do you know you can buy a table to watch the game from there? Do you know beer is cheaper in the Outback than in the stadium? Do you know that during a game you can get Outback To Go and bring it to your seat? Do you know they don't raise prices for games? Do you know that you can take beer out of the Outback with you?http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/pit /ballpark/outback.jspAnother good place, this time for parking, is to go to the garage across from the Clemente Bridge. It's only $4 for a game and it's a short walk over the bridge to the stadium. On your way pick up a water and some peanut about for 1/4 the price than they are in the stadium from one of the vendors on the street.Another grea...
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My First Post Introduction
2007-06-19 17:22:00
I moved from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh before the 2007 baseball season. I am a teacher during the day and work part-time at PNC Park at night. I never followed the Pirates until this season but now I see almost every home game and watch a lot of the other games on TV. I've really enjoyed the season so far and think they are closer to being respectable than most people here think.What is your favorite teams and why?Growing up in Philadelphia, I was born and raised a Phillies phan. They are still my favorite team. However now that I live in Pittsburgh I really follow the Pirates quite a bit and they have endeared themselves to me this season. What are your least favorite teams and why?Without a doubt I hate the Yankees more than any other team. Their fans are obnoxious and ignorant. I used to casually follow the Red Sox but since winning the World Series, the attitude of much of Red Sox Nation has changed to the point where most Red Sox fans resemble Yankees fans. Both h...
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