OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: The Condemned of Altoona

[DJ Spinoza]

There's not a lot to say here - we should be extremely worried about the pitching, all around. Need some more good hitting from the offense... if this stays tied, I hope we turn to Brault, because I'd rather not add a Glasnow collapse to all of the other demoralizing things about this, which should have been a win on more than one occasion.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

I'm glad I am at work for this one. Sounds painful.

On the radio they said Feliz threw nothing but fastballs earlier. Why no sliders? So weird.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Moran looks like he's really fighting the ball, that's not encouraging to see. He looks off today, maybe it's just nerves.

 

[FlightlessBird]

Looks like he’s out to me. Got his elbow before his legs touched the plate.

 

[bingobangobongo]

Hurray for subjective evidence overrules. We lost a man at first, they lost the GW run.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Moran looks like he's really fighting the ball, that's not encouraging to see. He looks off today, maybe it's just nerves.

Yeah, his approach looks like his forcing it. Much different than the looks I saw from him in the spring.

This has just been a sloppy game all around. I'm not sure keeping Smoker in was the smartest idea, but now the Tigers have maybe 1 pitcher left, while we have both Brault and Glasnow. I just don't like the 0 margin for error... this was a game that we should have won twice. No point in getting melodramatic about opening day, but the worries about the pitching definitily seem warranted.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

This bullpen looks like complete trash. It's going to be impossible to do anything if we can't get clean innings with some regularity.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

 

[wheelz87]

Polanco on the 3-0!!

 

[JakeNBake59]

woo a homer
I was hoping they were going to get through the game without a homerun... there was some stat posted about 1926

 

[DJ Spinoza]

I will say, besides that one play with the sun in his eyes, I am extremely encouraged by Polanco's minute sample size. He crushed that, as he should vs. a relief pitcher who is at 60 pitches.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

13-10

So tomm game will be 0-0 after 9

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Raise it! The main thing that could have been worse is that we could have lost that one. I don't love our chances tomorrow vs. Fulmer, or Sunday with Kuhl on the mound, so I was pretty worried about taking a demoralizing loss here and then heading into that situations.

Polanco and Cervelli both huge pluses. Not gonna read a lot into the pitching, but I'm moderately concerned about Rivero's control, and I think my confidence in Feliz was really misplaced.

 

[JakeNBake59]

snaps the Tigers 9 year opening day win streak as well

 

[Brandinho]

ESPN, you're drunk.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

If I could draw it up tomorrow, I'd take 6 solid, boring innings from Williams, and basically the status quo on offense other than a big hit from Moran. It'd be nice for him not to fall into a big slump to start the season. In spring training, he had a nice approach at the plate, but today it seemed like he was trying to blast off a home run every time, and as a result hit a bunch of sky high popups.

This basically played out like an extended spring training game, other than Zimmerman being mostly ok for the Tigers, and I guess Nova being able to get his control working when he needed it. The Pirates first time through the order (other than Frazier) was awful, but mostly encouraged from what we saw on offense, especially if Cervelli can stay healthy. The offense looks like it can do some real damage, and won't be extremely subject to prolonged slumps, but we're going to need much better pitching and defense, and I highly doubt that's the last time we'll be saying that. What would be most heartening is a pretty boring game from Williams, and Feliz and/or Rivero to get right back on the horse.

 

[td_ice]

You know those games that are so well played, so well executed between both teams that at the end, or near the end, you say, "it's a shame someone had to lose"?.....well yesterday might have been one of those times on the opposite end of the spectrum that you say, "you know what, it's a shame someone had to win that one", haha. What an ugly, ugly ball game.

Having said that, I am super pumped we got the win, and it did show some perseverance. We'll take the wins anyway we can get them.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Double header tomm

 

[td_ice]

Today's game cancelled. Doubleheader tomorrow.

Gotta love baseball in March, ugh.

 

[wheelz87]

wake up early for the game and its cancelled. of course.

 

[td_ice]

LA and SF series so far, two games in, both 1-0 wins by the Giants. Pitching rules in that series through two.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Decent opportunity with this doubleheader to play the big spoiler (relative only to opening series hopes) and steal a sweep to start the season. If Williams can continue to be a gamer and get outs in big spots while putting up a quality start, and the offense can contribute with situational hitting, then maybe we can squeak out the first game and put the pressure on for the evening game. Fulmer will be tough, but I like Williams against him, and like the odds of a series win with just needing to take one. Doubleheaders can often end up strange, and we already saw a lot of strange/bad baseball on Friday, so we'll see. I imagine Moran, Dickerson, and obviously Cervelli will sit for the night game against Liriano. I'd guess that Hurdle might have Frazier play the field and another regular like Polanco/Dickerson DH too.

 

[td_ice]

Guessing with the size of the crowd today that most in attendance will be on a first name basis with each other by the end the day.


Polanco with an rbi double, but tries to reach third and is thrown out. 1-0 Pirates.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Nice hit for Polanco...bad running.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Nice hit for Polanco...bad running.

I don't think it was bad running, I think that was a worthwhile gamble. Sure, it didn't pay off, but him getting to 3rd with 1 out means he can get in with a sac fly.