Archive for March, 2009

Some good, bad, and ugly from the Pirates loss at the hands of the Rays tonight… **Breaking the lucky hats out a night early proved a costly mistake.  The PBC looked like a different team than the one that has ten wins.  Tonight’s performance was tough to watch as the offense stranded 12 baserunners and the pitching staff allowed eleven walks. **The Pirates have a rather antique fan base that it is not great for cameras. Just when I was ready to look away as the camera man panned the crowd for what seemed like the tenth time about halfway [...]

So, how are you feeling with three weeks left in Pittsburgh Pirates spring training?  There are numerous questions left to answer as the Pirates begin making cuts this week at about the halfway mark in Grapefruit League play.  But I am especially intrigued by the players picked up at last years deadline. To recap, the Pirates traded  two-time All-Star outfielder Jason Bay for Craig Hansen and outfielderBrandon Moss  from Boston and third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris from Los Angeles. The trade was a buzzer beater. Completed with minutes, maybe seconds, to go before the deadline, and wasn’t announced until well after the [...]

By all accounts the job will pay quite well. Several candidates have been given a crack at this job, Maholm.  9IP 4K 1.00ERA (3 starts) Duke 9.2IP 1.86ERA (3 starts) Snell  Puerto Rico Starter in WBC (1 start for PBC 2IP 3K, 2BB, 0ERA) Ohlendorf 5.1IP 6K 1.69ERA (1 start and will pitch against Yankees today)   Other favorites heading into camp don’t seem to be interested yet: Karstens.  6.2IP 6.75ERA (0 starts) Gorzy 6IP 7.50ERA (3 starts) McCutchen just awful today  11.37ERA after 5ER today (0 starts) Barthmaier 4.1IP  18.69ERA (2 starts) So perhaps a Vasquez  can grab this spot?  [...]

Hooters Ball Girls take in batting practice with Rumbunter photographer Jamie Workman.   The Pirates handed the Phillies their fifth straight loss today and seventh in their last eight A Phillie Fan and winner of the Hooters Deck dugout contest waves to all you fine readers of Jamie’s Rumbunter report.  with a three run blast from Jeff Salazar.  Reports from Rumbunter photographer Jamie Workman via text today: #1 The Hooters Girls are here! #2 Who is Diaz?  My God he is crushing the ball in batting practice! #3 Mayberry, Jr.  is a monster on a mission. #4 The Hooters girls want me. [...]

The Rumbunter team is concerned.  We had the worst pitching staff in the National League last year.  They can only get better.  The only question is when?  I am not blessed with virtue of patience.  I don’t know many people who are.  Especially us Pirate fans.  So we have some work to do.  Thus far, it certainly seems we have made progress.  My next question is who will the starters be in 20 odd days for our Pirates?  And who the hell is Virgil Vasquez?  Well, he actually was thought to be a talented pitcher in the Detroit Tiger organization just [...]

      The Philadelphia Phillies are 4-8 this spring.  They have lost four straight games and are 1-6 in their last seven. Zach Duke (6IP, 3.00ERA, 0BB, 3K) will start today against the Philadelphia Phillies’ Joe Blanton (6IP 3.60ERA) in Clearwater.  Duke needs a good showing as the Pirates are looking to solidfy their rotation heading into the season. Daniel McCutchen (5IP, 5.40ERA, 3BB, 0K), Matt Capps (5IP, 0.00ERA, 3BB, 5K), Brian Slocum (1IP, 27.00ERA, 0BB, 2HBP, 1K) and Dave Davidson (1IP, 0.00ERA) will also take the hill.  Davidson is back from the World Baseball Classic where he threw one inning.  My Phillie [...]

The Pittsburgh Pirates put a hurting on the Twins AGAIN. The Twins have four spring training losses, three at the hands of your Pittsburgh Pirates. With the win the Bucs are only a game and half back of Atlanta.  We have started on some design ideas for the Grapefruit League 2009 Championship Shirts. Any ideas out there for what you want to see? Craig Monroe went off today with three homeruns. All were bombs.  Nothing wind aided. In the locker room after the game on FSN Sports Monroe said, “Me and Donnie Long have been working in the cage.”  (Really?  You think, [...]

I have watched bad basketball.  I play bad basketball.  But for two hours of my life last night, I found it hard to believe my alma mater was going to pull it off.  I always thought Robert Morris was dominant in tournament championship games?  We have hosted NEC championships four times (1983, ’89, ’90, ’92), winning all of those games.  What was happening tonight? This NEC Championship game gave ugly a bad name.  For most of the night, RMU played like they would rather stay in Moon Township and play Pops, Web, Ratt, Dawson, and another RMU student pickup player at Gus Krop for the [...]

Good news Pirates fans, the Twins return to face the Bucs tomorrow.  The Twins are 8-3, BUT…We own the Twins in Grapefruit ball.  A 2-1 victory and a 10-1 victory.  A win will propel the Bucs into second place.  Everyone knows I am dying to get those 2009 Grapefruit League Champion shirts printed.  Virgil Vasquez will make his first start tomorrow against the Minnesota Twins’ Scott Baker (6IP 6.00ERA) in Bradenton.  The Twins are fresh from a 17 hit victory over the Orioles. On the mound for the Bucs will be Denny Bautista, Jesse Chavez, Chris Bootcheck and Sean Burnett [...]

The Pirates had their only crack at Big Roy Halladay in the first.  After a groundout by Nyjer Morgan,  Andrew McCutchen doubled. Nate McClouth walked. Adam LaRoche groundout. Craig Monroe struck out.  Roy was on cruise control after that with 4IP, the lone hit was McCutchens double, one walk and 4K. Paul Maholm was just as effective, mowing down the Jays over his four innings of work.  He faced only 14 batters and served up 8 groundballs.  The infield of LaRoche, Shelby Ford, Luis Cruz, and Andy LaRoche played sharp and got plenty of work.  The game was an hour [...]