Pirate Armada

[Black Panther]

Pirates 8 Cubs 2

RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER OVER WRIGLEY!!! TWICE IN 1 DAY!!!

Bucs take the nightcap of the doubleheader sweep as Krastens gives up 2 runs on 5 hits. Doumit has a 4 hit, 4 RBI game. Everybody has a hand in this one.

Bucs close out the 4 game series tomorrow. Hopefully, we can win it and the series.

LETS GO BUCS!!!

Nice pair of games today! It's been a long time coming that the scally wag Cubs walked the plank at our expense.

[mister b]

When was the last time the Bucs swept a DH on the road??? That impresses me.

I will say this. The players that they have are still playing like it is early in the season.

[mister b]

Final game of the series with the Cubs is wiped out after 3 1/2 innigs due to a 2 hour rain delay with the Bucs leading 3-0. The game will not be made up.

The Bucs head to Cincy for a 3 game set to end the season. If the Bucs win 1 game, then they dodge a 100 loss season.

Not only do I hope they win at least 1, I hope they take the series to end the season on somewhat of an upswing.

Another positive note is that pitching coach Joe Kerrigan will return next season. This makes me happy as he has done an excellent job with the staff. I expect more improvement next year from our pitchers.

LETS GO BUCS!!!

[mister b]

Pirates 3 Reds 1

RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER!!!

Buccos make the most of 5 hits as they plate 3 runs to beat the Reds in the final series of the season. With the win, the Bucs will keep from breaking the century mark in losses as they will finish no worse than 99 losses if they drop the next 2 games.

Looking for the Bucs to get another win in the Queen City on saturday.

LETS GO BUCS!!!

[Black Panther]

I'll be watching.The only bad part is, I'll have to put up with an announcer worse than Vin Scully,that being George Grande..That guy is just brutal! Why dosen't cincy wise up and dump him and the cowboy and let Thom B and Welsh do the tv? I guess I can stomach him a couple more times as long as we win. It's a shame we lost another win due to the rain out last night in Chicago. Oh Well...

[mister b]

Bucs drop the last 2 games of the series against the Reds, 8-4 and 6-0.

The Pirates end the season with a 3-3 road trip. Not to bad considering that they were a woeful 22-58 on the road. They went 40-41 at PNC Park to finish 62-99 overall. This was the 4th time in the last 5 years they finished last in the NL Central.

So, close the book on 2009. Yo ho me hardies, drink up as we forget this year and look forward to next year.

As always....

LETS GO BUCS!!!

[Black Panther]

What dosen't kill us will make us stronger...So next year cant be much worse.We can only go up from here.As bad as the season was I will miss baseball,but with next Spring hope will spring eternal again with a new season.

[mister b]

Have to bump this to the top because....

Baseball America has named Andrew McCutchin Rookie of the year!

Garret Jones also named to the All-Rookie team for 2009.

Now, the big question for Pirates fans everywhere....how much and who can the Pirates get for them in a trade?

Seriously, crack open an Iron City and toast McCutchin and Jones for excellent rookie seasons.

[Orange and Brown]

Have to bump this to the top because....

Baseball America has named Andrew McCutchin Rookie of the year!

Garret Jones also named to the All-Rookie team for 2009.

Now, the big question for Pirates fans everywhere....how much and who can the Pirates get for them in a trade?

Seriously, crack open an Iron City and toast McCutchin and Jones for excellent rookie seasons.

They will trade them both for a couple of eskimos!!!!!

[d-5]

On Tuesday, the Pirates acquired second baseman Akinori Iwamura from the Rays in exchange for right-hander Jesse Chavez. The Pirates will take on Iwamura's $4.85 million salary in 2010, a dollar figure that actually makes Iwamura the Pirates' highest paid player at the moment. No cash changed hands in the deal.

[mister b]

I haven't figured this one out from the Pirates end.

Tampa was just dumping payroll like Pittsburgh does.

Chavez did good with the Pirates and I think he has alot of up side. Hate to see him traded.

[Black Panther]

The thing I dont understand is,Is he really going to make that much more than Sanchez? At least Sanchez could be looked as a team leader, that is something this team is lacking right now...

[mister b]

Iwamura's contract ends after next season and then he is a free agent. If he has a good year, he is gone. If he flops, he stays in the Burgh at a reduced salary. While he only had 7 errors last year, I don't see where he helps out in the clubhouse as he spends the off-season in Japan and needs an translator to be understood. Plus, he is 30 and is coming off a tear of his ACL.

I am still stratching my head over this one. Freddy had more upside then this guy.

I do think that McCutchin will be the captain and team leader. At least, that is what the Pirates are hoping for.

[Black Panther]

Mister B,Your thoughts on McCutchin not getting rookie of the year...I think it's a crock of crap! Not so much he didn't get it, but the fact he finished fourth? What's up with that??

[mister b]

From everything I had read, McCutchin appeared to be the leading canidate. But I guess Coghlan's better stats in 20 more games was the difference.

I really think McCutchin should have won the award considering the fire sale the Pirates had and because he nobody around him giving him any type of protection in the lineup.

Hopefully, he will follow up a solid rookie season with another good year.