Be Like Tike

Sunday, July 22nd, 2007 by Adam Wagner

Two Nights of Observations

Friday’s game was one of the most frustrating games that I have ever attended. It seemed as if the Astros were trying to hand the Pirates the victory, but the Pirates were unwilling to accept it. The 2-1 loss was extremely frustrating and spoiled another very good performance by starter Tom Gorzelanny, who happened to give up a two-run first inning home run to Carlos Lee, but settled in and pitched effectively after that.

Saturday’s game was just a much better time, from the weird looking bobblehead to the team’s scoring seven runs. Paul Maholm pitched effectively again, weaving in and out of jams, and the bullpen did an effective job shutting down the Astros to secure the victory.

More notes after the jump:

The rearranged scoreboard is pretty nice. It’s good to see major league teams acknowledging the important of OBP and SLG by putting them on the scoreboard at all times. The only issue is that, Saturday in particular, there were some technological glitches with the new scoreboard design. For the most part, I think that it is a huge upgrade over what had been there before.
The Pirates labeled “A New Pirate Generation” “The Root Root Root Song” on the scoreboard in an ad. How dumb do they think we are? Honestly.
Rob King looks really creepy in person. I saw him come bolting out of a door last night with a 1960s logoman and a pierogie bobblehead with this wicked little grin on his face. I didn’t even want to ask him where he was going or why he had the bobbleheads, but I’m betting it wasn’t to give them to some more soul on B-U-C-C-O.
To win B-U-C-C-O, you go down the one to the immediate right or left of the middle. To get the two free tickets, you go down the middle.
If you wear a Chelsea jersey to a Pirate game, you are a tool. If you wear a Messi jersey, you are less of a tool but you are still not proving your sweetness. If you wear a Steeler jersey, just leave. Honestly, it’s funny once or twice, but hearing a “Let’s Go Steelers” chant every game must make Jason Bay want to rifle the ball at people once or twice a year.
Ryan Doumit has the best arm on the Pirates, easy, and maybe one of the best in baseball. He should be playing every day somewhere where his arm can be utilized.
I realize that catcher’s ERA is a stupid stat and is skewed by sample size, but Pirate starters do seem more comfortable with Ronny Paulino catching than Doumit.
Whoever the guy is that wears the 412 jersey (also has dreads and was sitting on the right field line Friday night) is, you are the most awesome person in Pittsburgh. Almost as cool as the guy wearing the Boucher (The Waterboy) jersey at the game Saturday night.
Roy Oswalt’s leaving the game Friday night was an example of extreme gamesmanship, I think. It just seemed like he was losing stuff at the end of the sixth and should not even have come out for the seventh. I was amazed that the Astros had no one up during their half of the seventh, so when the trainer came out after Oswalt put a runner or two on in the top of the seventh, I immediately became suspicious. It just seemed like the Astros freaked out when they realized that Oswalt had lost his stuff and no one was ready and exaggerated a potential injury in order to give Dan Wheeler, who should have been ready at the top of the inning, more time to warm up. Very plucky and intelligent managing by Phil Garner.
Someone at the stadium Friday night had Pirate thundersticks. I want them.
“Matt Kata began the season with Texas” was the blurb on the scoreboard for the new third-baseman Friday night. Maybe “Matt Kata was designated for assignment by Texas” would have been more appropriate.
Mike Lamb and Eric Munson have a thing, according to the Kisscam.
Cesar Izturis would have gotten a hit Friday night in the ninth where Matt Kata failed to.
That was sarcasm. But, honestly, the Pirates just acquired a new toy. Why not play with it instead of the one that they’ve had for about a month? Jim Tracy is like a kid on Christmas who receives a go-kart but decides that he will instead decide to play with his remote control car.
With that said, Kata has looked significantly better both offensively and defensively than I expected him to, and he does seem to play the game with a hustle that is refreshing to see from the left side of the infield.
Jason Bay’s sacrifice flies Saturday night looked essentially the same. It looked like he was simply trying to push the ball to the right fielder and came just far enough both times.
I heard the guy behind me tell this story Saturday night: He was standing outside the players’ parking garage waiting for Adam LaRoche and the attendant was being a jerk. The guy told the attendant, “Hey, I’m just waiting for one guy. I’m waiting for Adam LaRoche and then I’ll get out of here.” The attendant said, “Fine, but he was one of the last guys here yesterday, so you could be waiting for a while.” The man said fine and decided to wait for a while. Soon thereafter, another Pirate employee motioned for the autograph hunter to come over to him and opened up a garage door. Adam LaRoche was standing right inside the garage door, waiting to sign. That is an awesome story and shows how cool of a guy Adam LaRoche is. Despite his struggles this year, I am happy that he is a Pirate.
The Pirates are apparently interested in Mets’ prospect Philip Humber. While he would be a great addition, I don’t see them getting him (potentially for Marte, but it would take some motivated dealing by Littlefield). It’s nice to know that the GM is setting the bar high again, though.
Another one of the guys behind me goes, “This guy is just a mediocre hitter to me.” talking about Jason Bay. I really wanted to turn around and say, “Go home right now and compare his stats with Vernon Wells’ over the past three years, including this season.”
The Pirates’ hitters lunge at way too many pitches. All you need to do is hit the ball, not break the seams. This isn’t The Natural, it’s real life.
It’s nice to know that Jim Tracy thinks losing is “Hell.” Why doesn’t he display these emotions more often?
It was a class act of the Pirates to congratulate Craig Biggio before tonight’s game, but it was Paul Waner’s night. The Pirates ignored their own history to celebrate another team’s. That type of move is too much like the manner in which they sell tickets, using other teams and players as a distraction, and was disrespectful to Pirate fans and the Waner family. With that said, I did clap Biggio. The man deserves respect.
The Pirates had four men left on base Saturday night. They stranded 11 Friday night. That is not a coincidence.