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Pittsburgh Pirates: Jeff Karstens Won’t Die
By Tom Smith
Pittsburgh Pirates starter Jeff Karstens keeps
coming back for more. He has been written off. Put down. Accused of being just replacement level. But Karstens just keeps coming back for more.
He has been lauded by Hurdle for his attitude. We enjoy the effort the right hander has shown this season. Karstens has worked 45.1 innings and struckout 36 this season. The numbers aren’t eye popping, just efficient and usually enough to allow the Pirates to win.
Karstens owns the Cubs. He has allowed just six earned runs in 24 innings pitched over his four starts/one relief appearance at Wrigley Field. Karstens gets to about 82 pitches every time out and has held the bad guys to just 3.57 runs on average.
Ryan Dempster goes for the Cubs. The Bucs own Dempster over his last four starts he has a 7.23ERA against Pittsburgh.
McCutchen has reached base safely in 11 of 12 and 22 of past 25. He destroyed a ball yesterday for another bomb in the three spot. Damn, he looks tough once again in Hurdles’ lineup.
The Pirates haven’t had a three game sweep at Wrigley since May of 2000.
Sweep. Do it.