Tuesday, October 01, 2013

NL Wild Card Game Thread: Reds @ Pirates, 5p

Johnny Cueto (5-2, 2.82) vs. Francisco Liriano (16-8, 3.02).

The Pirates got home field for this sudden death playoff game by sweeping the Reds to end the season. Winner goes on to play the St. Louis Cardinals, yet another divisional rival. But I look at that Eastpoint, FL logo, and all I am is hungry.

One player I'm not hungry to see is former Dodger Russell Martin, whose exile to Pittsburgh after playing most of his MLB career in large markets has turned out pretty well for him, all things considered. The Pirates are a special story, nabbing their first winning season since 1992 thanks in part to Martin's arm, if not his imposing .226 BA. But it would be difficult to root for Andrew McCutcheon and even former Dodger James McDonald...if not for the fact that Dusty Baker is helming the other team. Sigh.

67 comments:

Paul said...

Rum time!

Hideo Nomo said...

I'm totally cool with rooting for Russell Martin (for the first two rounds).

Hideo Nomo said...

^ Counting the WC game as a "round."

Paul said...

Good news: Someone tonight is going to be eliminated and it is not the Dodgers. Our odds to win it all are going up!

Paul said...

Be careful with the cheering Nomo. We know your good luck doesn't have an off switch in the playoffs.

Paul said...

I have a feeling the Dodgers game on Sunday will be at 5. Get ready for shadow talk!

Dusty Baker said...

Russell Martin can bite me. He phoned it in his last season with us, so I don't respect him. Yankmes reject.

Young Mc on the other hand I have nothing but love for. I swear I thought he had gotten DFA'd though.

But hey, I bought that moon landing stuff so I'm easily fooled.

Hideo Nomo said...

Shadowplay!

Dusty Baker said...

I just did what passes for research around here, and note that Young Mc is indeed left off the Pie Rat roster.

Hideo Nomo said...

You were right the first time. J-Mac was DFAed and is a free agent as of 9/13.

Dusty Baker said...

Actually I was right both times. See,MAS he was DFA'd he's not on the roster.

So wrong about the moon landing, though.

Dusty Baker said...

I have love for 'Cutch though, so go Pie Rats!

Fred's Brim said...

This one is difficult for me. Pittsburgh fans don't *need* any more joy. They've gotten more than their fair share with the Stillers and Pens. But real Pirates fans could use some of the good stuff. Really though, Indians fans deserve it more.
And then there are the Reds, and fuck them.

Fred's Brim said...

My buddy has been in Pittsburgh for work for the last few days. He said Dusty and his coaches sat next to them at dinner last night and Michael Keaton was checking in to his hotel this afternoon

Fred's Brim said...

It's good to see Liriano come back. I was afraid he was done after the Twins overused him

Fred's Brim said...

Votto grounds weakly to first on the first pitch. I don't think he saw less than 5 pitches per at bat against us over a whole weekend. And he didn't make many weak outs like that either

Fred's Brim said...

2 nice innings from Liriano

Fred's Brim said...

Marlon Byrd with a homer, Bucs lead 1-0

Dusty Baker said...

On the sofa, shitty TBS announcers!

Dusty Baker said...

JMart goes yard now. 2-0.

Steve Sax said...

Russell Martin HR. Crowd is all over Cueto. They're in his dome.

Fred's Brim said...

oh lord, Russ hits one out
The Cueto chant seems to be working

Dusty Baker said...

It's an old pirate chant, isn't it? He's definitely walking the plank here early.

BJ Killeen said...

Id rather play the pie rats anyday

Dusty Baker said...

Getting tired of the Cueto chant in 3....ok tired of it.

Dusty Baker said...

3-0 Pie Rats after three.

Fred's Brim said...

Cueto was talking to himself after that inning

Dusty Baker said...

I think he was chanting derisively to himself.

Dusty Baker said...

Choo is Korean for "hit me" apparently.

Fred's Brim said...

pierogi sighting
was that sauerkraut saul?

Dusty Baker said...

are you sure it wasn't Brandon Phillips' legbaby?

Fred's Brim said...

I know they are wearing big pads under their shirts but has an umpire ever looked natural throwing a ball to the pitcher?

Fred's Brim said...

gross - does Puig have one of those?

Fred's Brim said...

Sons of Brandon Phillips' Leg?

Fred's Brim said...

Dusty, you back to normal health?

Dusty Baker said...

Not that I'm aware of re Puig. Difference of centimeters in where they were hit. Either that or Puig is just that much tougher and made of a superhuman alloy.

Fred's Brim said...

yikes that was close

Dusty Baker said...

@FB

Yeah about 85%. Still have unrelated lingering foot pain but that's just arthritis I have to deal with time to time. My surly level is back to normal (baseline: 6,5), too.

Dusty Baker said...

3-1 going into bottom 4th. We have ourselves a game, lads and lasses!

Hideo Nomo said...

I need to talk to the guy that owns @Nomo. He only tweets once a year.

Dusty Baker said...

Hah! I didn't even think about there being someone with that handle.

Steve Sax said...

3-1 PIT through 3.5 innings

Steve Sax said...

Whoops, Dusty said that

Dusty Baker said...

45

Steve Sax said...

4-1 Pittsburgh, one out and two on. Morneau up

Fred's Brim said...

Bucs fans are annoying like Steelers fans, go figure

Fred's Brim said...

I thought I smelled something

Steve Sax said...

5-1 Pittsburgh. On to the fifth.

Dusty Baker said...

On to the fifth...of Oban I will soon be saying.

cc: Orel, Sax

Orel said...

Enjoy, Dusty!

BJ Killeen said...

Well, this game is over. Fine with it...we smoked the PieRats...the Reds, not so much...

Dusty Baker said...

I smoked a pie rat once. Rest of the concert was terrible.

Fred's Brim said...

this is a joke, right?

Dusty Baker said...

JMart hits his second solo HR.

Fred's Brim said...

Choo's gonna get paid this offseason

Fred's Brim said...

when do we have to set our roster for this series?

Paul said...

Got to love twitter.

@DallasLatos: Got punched in the head at least 3 times by a pirates fan so this has been cool.

Dusty Baker said...

@FB

10am on the day and in the time zone the game will be played.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Michael Keaton throwing back some malt liquor there? That was a 40 for sure.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Sager - Have you ever had a game like that before?

Russell Martin - "Not in the postseason..."

That's for fuckin' sure, you sucked in the postseason here.

Dusty Baker said...

I think it was a 2X4 of some cheap-ass American lager.

Dusty Baker said...

@Cliff

I yelled the same thing at my TV re Russ!

Paul said...

Happy for the Pirates. Not happy for Russ and not sure why Dusty baker wears old lady's sunday glasses.

Dusty Baker said...

@Paul

(cries)

Paul said...

Sorry Dusty but Dusty Sr. needs to get some new spectacles.

Dusty Baker said...

He used to be fashion forward with his glasses, now he's fashion reverse. However, if he hangs on another decade or so, he'll be right back on the cutting edge.

Steve Sax said...

post-game thread up