Archive for July, 2009

Many in Pittsburgh have blasted the Pirates claims of building a culture of winning.  Well, the Pirates have won something.  The VSL Pirates (45-17) are the Venezuelan Summer League champions thumping the VSL Rays (35-27) by a score of 14-9.  The Wait is Over!

Charlie Morton pitched another solid game for the Pirates last evening.  However, Morton bunts like Obama pitches.  Awful. But more later on that.  Morton was the tough luck loser as the Pirates fell 3-2 to Barry Zito and the Giants.  Morton has been solid, consistently showing the best stuff on the Pirates pitching staff, but he also has sputtered.  Morton has been very consistent at being inconsistent. 

Pirates Delwyn Young catch proved that he is not all stick and no glove.  You missed it? Delwyn Young’s catch, well non-catch thanks to the umpiring crew, was something Freddy Sanchez has never done. Some say it’s Franco Harris like.   Young has gone 10-for-31 as a pinch hitter this year and is tied for third among NL players in hits off the bench.  But last night Freddy was suffering from a knee injury ( it was his back a few days ago) and couldn’t play, Young filled in remarkably.  Young has been linked to getting the second base job after Freddy [...]

Garrett Jones was loved in the Minnesota Twins organization, just not by the right people.  How else do the Twins explain not calling Jones up last September?  So who on the Pirates staff found Garrett ‘Freakin’ Jones on the scrap heap, made him feel welcome, and sold him on the Pirates?   Who made Jones feel ‘wanted’ as he mentioned in the pregame show yesterday?  Someone on Neil Huntington’s team is smiling like all of those Giants fans were smiling last night. We have learned that Twins farm director Jim Rantz tried to sign him in the offseason, but Jones wanted to go elsewhere.  It [...]

Hunter Strickland , picked up in the Adam LaRoche trade from the Boston Red Sox combined with Diego Moreno as the West Virginia Power, class A affliliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates fired a no hitter at the Charleston River Dogs last night.  The 6’5″ Strickland improved to 6-4 and lowered his ERA to 3.12.  Strickland impressed his new Pirates bosses with six hitless innings. Moreno threw the final three innings last night, striking out three River Dogs batters.  He  is just as impressive this season as he lowered his ERA to 2.12 in 17IP he has struck out 20 batters with the [...]

Like this stuff? Get Rumbunter by email here That’s right the Pittsburgh Pirates have the player of the month.  Garrett Jones has been a freak, a terror to oppossing pitchers, and everyone saw it coming right? Well, no.  The Rumbunter team was impressed by him in spring training.  Some of you called it a man crush after watching a few spring training games.  Garrett Jones has proven everyone wrong. He was drafted by the Braves system in 1999.  The Braves never miss right?  Wrong.  Well, wrong at the time.  Jones flunked out of rookie ball and the Twins grabbed him [...]

Like this stuff?  Get Rumbunter by email here  Do any of the Pirates on the trading block really want to leave Pittsburgh?  If they want to stick around  it shows in their performance.  Matt Capps.  Another rough outing.  Freddy just walk up to the plate without a bat and see how it works.  Paul Maholm, Ian Snell, the list goes on and on of Pirates who are forcing the Bucs to look at selling low. The Bay, Nady and Marte deal were good because each player was having a banner year.   The Pirates sold high on each player.  We took a shot [...]

Like this stuff?  Get Rumbunter by email here  Do you think Pirates 1B Steve Pearce can reach super stardom?  Or will he be cold product?  When he walks to the plate in Pittsburgh Friday night against the Nats, I trust he will go to the archive of Eminem motivational songs.  Lose Yourself Steve Pearce. If you came here thinking this was the Steve Pearce for US Senate website. Sorry. Or if you are looking for Lea Fishing tools operated by Steve Pearce. Not it. This is the site about Steve Pearce seizing everything he ever wanted in professional baseball. He is [...]

Ross Ohlendorf gave up only two earned runs, but had no key offensive help from his Pirates teammates in a 7-0 loss in the Arizona heat last night.  Ohlendorf fell to 8-8 on the season and his ERA is 4.51, WHIP 1.32.  He has allowed three runs or less in his last three starts.  Break out your ugly stick.  This was as nasty as a Barstow barstool and just as misleading when you gaze at the boxscore.  Ohlendorf got most of his help on Diamondback baserunning gaffes in front of 26,000 plus at Chase Field. Credit Ohlendorf for never allowing a [...]

The player the Pittsburgh Pirates covet has been partially cleared. What the hell does that mean? Miguel Angel Sano has been cleared. Partially. Well, sorta.  Sounds like serious stuff, because it is.   And confusing too. Sano’s  identity is regular (huh?) and his age undetermined.  MLB feels he is at least 17 years old. I have a question. Is telling the truth about your age always a good thing? Seriously, when has someone’s age mattered this much? I can only think of one occassion.  And it was a much bigger deal. The U.S. Consulate is now investigating Sano’s age to determine citizenship.  Sorry, [...]