Pirates NL Wild Card Game – The Roster Questions

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Sep 28, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle (right) talks with third base umpire Jim Joyce (left) in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Reds won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Pirates set the NL Wild Card game roster today.

Pitchers

Edinson Volquez

Vance Worley

Jeff Locke

Mark Melancon

Tony Watson

John Holdzkom

Justin Wilson

Jared Hughes

Bobby LAFromboise

Catchers

Russell Martin

Chris Stewart

Fan favorite Tony Sanchez

Outfielders

Starling Marte

Andrew McCutchen

Travis Snider

Jose Tabata

Gregory Polanco

Andrew Lambo

Infielders

Ike Davis

Gaby Sanchez

Neil Walker

Jordy Mercer

Clint Barmes

Josh Harrison

Brent Morel

Oct 1, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates fans Maria Petreds and Charlie Petredis cheer and wave a flag before entering the gates for the National League wild card baseball playoff game between the Pirates and Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Did you think the Pirates would do anything different for the NL Wild Card Game?  No, didn’t think so.  Perhaps one sort of, sort of not is that reliever John Axford is not on the roster.  No reason for Brent Morel other than, well finding a third baseman is apparently really hard to do.   The Bucs have Tabata and Lambo off the bench which is very smart and could be crucial in a possible tight game.

The big question is what condition is Russell Martin’s hamstring in headed into the one game that can send them fishing tomorrow.  It’s already a pitching mismatch with Madison Bumgarner going against Edinson Volquez.  The home field of PNC Park is wiped out and the game is pick em in Vegas.

So much luck at play in this coin flipper and it’s hard to imagine that Eddie won’t have some bad luck.  It just follows him around.  The question will be, how much can the right hander that was so damn effective down the stretch, battle through the bad luck?