“They haven’t said anything. I think that ship sailed a long time ago,” he said while packing up personal items in the clubhouse on the final day of the season. “It’s just one of those things. It’s baseball, it’s a business and we all understand that. You play to get to free agency, so we’ll see what happens.”

No, that’s not a quote from Kevin Correia.

It was Shaun Marcum.

Shaun Marcum could be a free agent target of the Pittsburgh Pirates

It appears Marcum will be heading to free agency.  The right hander put up a 3.54 ERA last season, but he sucked when it mattered in the National League DivisionSeres and two starts in the Championship Series.  You might remember he went just one inning in Game 6 when the Cards put up a four spotand killed the Brew Crew’s season.

The big question mark with Marcum is his health.  He put up a 3.70 ERA this year, but a sore right elbow cost him two months of the year and blew his trade potential.  Marcum put up an ERA over five in 26.2 September innings.

Now the poor Brewers will watch Marcum walk with nothing in return.  Damn shame.

Admirable plan to go all in falls flat.  Damn shame.

We hate Milwaukee.  Mainly, because they are so damn good.

A poll on JSOnline thinks it’s alright to let Marcum walk:

So is there something we’re missing?  Just how healthy is Marcum?

The go all in for 2011 was a cool plan by the Brewers.  They sent Brett Lawrie to the Blue Jays–all he’s done is be a bigger tease than that redhead who you swear is staring at you all the time.  The Brew Crew got a career best 200.2 innings from the off speed artist and another career best– a 3.73 FIP.

But he sucked after 160 innings.  Maybe he doesn’t keep himself in the best of shape.  A guy that has a history of fading is hardly anything that would interest us.  He’s already had Tommy John, so toss that worry out of the window.  But damn, when he broke down again this season, Marcum scares us.  How about you?

One more thing to consider is that demand is going to drive the price of free agents in 2013.    We just have to think there will be more teams ready to spend than quality players to spend it on, but that hasn’t stopped the Bucs in the past.  But Marcum is a guy we’d have to pass on unless he settles for a one year deal which I highly doubt.

Maybe the Bucs are impressed with Marcums’ high spin rate on his fastball.  Remember this story?

Pittsburgh Pirates right hander Kyle McPherson threw a five strikeout gem against the NL Central champions. When the Bucs needed a pitcher to put up zeros, McPherson answered the call.

The big righthander fired six scoreless innings.  McPherson had friends and family in the stands and they watched as their son struck out five and walked none.

McPherson got himself in trouble in the first inning, but #McFear wriggled off the hook with some solid pitch selection. He was on cruise control the rest of the way.

The one challenge the Pirates have had when McPherson is on the mound is that the offense doesn’t score runs. It didn’t change last night.

After six innings the Bucs had not scored for their starter, and both McPherson and Mike Leake exited with the scoreboard full of zeroes.

Right on cue, the Pirates plated a run when #Alway Smooth Clint Barmes ripped a single into the hole between third and short. When the pickoff attempt sailed into the seats filled with 36,000 Bucco/Lifehouse/Skyblast fans, Barmes moved to second base.

Hurdle called for the bunt, and Brock Holt delivered. Hurdle called on his inner Tony Larussa and had Jordy Mercer pinch run fo Barmes.

Outfielder Alex Presley followed with a double to the North Side Notch which plated d’Arnaud to give the Pirates a one-run lead.

Jason Grilli was called on to set the game up for closer Joel Hanrahan. It didn’t work out that way.

Former Bucco and now resident Buccoa killer, Ryan Ludwick crushed a ball into the left field corner to put a runner in scoring position for the Reds.

The ageless Scott Rolen singled, which scored d’Arnaud.

Hurdle doesn’t seem afraid when he brought in Joel Hanrahan in the eighth.  But as is commonplace during non save situations for the Hammer, it was really interesting when he walked two, but Hanrahan escaped without giving up a run.

Chris Spier went to Jonathan Broxton in the bottom half of the ninth. It was obvious that Broxton wanted nothing to do with Cutch as he continually pitched him away.

McCutchen waited patiently before crushing his 31st bomb of the season. Hugs all around.