A Reprieve from Despair: The Altoona Curve

The Pittsburgh Pirates-Milwaukee Brewers game currently being played is truly godawful. Rarely does one see futility illustrated in such colorful detail. I feel like when I was a little kid on the playground, and an older bully would grab me, take me down and grab the back of my neck, ultimately forcing me to look at a dead rat mere inches from my face. Having little choice, I took a good long look.

I have a choice now, but still I look because as it happens I am a big fan of nostalgia.

Anyway, last night I was lucky enough to see the Altoona Curve vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels game. And guess what? Altoona won. Soon there will be pictures fresh from an alternate dimension wherein a baseball team affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates is number one in its league by a healthy margin. And there are teams with names like The Flying Squirrels.

The Multi-Pirate Flying Body Bump of Success

8-26-10: vs. the St. Louis Cardinals

The discerning eye will notice that these photos are actually from Tuesday's win. No matter, however, because they are miraculously still applicable: Tonight, Wednesday the 25th, we beat the St. Louis Cardinals yet again. That's right-the Pittsburgh Pirates have won two in a row. And three out of four. And beat a team that is second-place in the National League Central. You're welcome, Cincinnati.
I will post pictures from the deliciously fantastic game I just saw tomorrow. Right now, however, enjoy watching (from left) Jose Tabata, Andrew McCutchen, Ronny Cedeno, Delwyn Young and Neil Walker in a moment of genuine happiness.

As for tonight's game: Daniel McCutchen was great. Neil Walker was great. Evan Meek was great. Joel Hanrahan was great. Even Ryan Doumit went two for three. Wouldn't it be nice to end the season on a high note? It wouldn't take much; something as simple as Andrew McCutchen getting hot, which we've been anticipating all season, could make a sizable difference. The pieces are in place: we have two new coaches, a bullpen that Chris Resop should be able to add some stability to, a bunch of rookies who should be feeling more comfortable behind the plate, and...improved starting pitching? I just tried to re-phrase that about three times in a way that makes it sound more plausible, but I'm going to have to resort to the question mark. Nevertheless, Daniel McCutchen deserves another start from this, and there's always the chance that Charlie Morton could come back and pull a Neil Walker....

Score One for the Spoilers

8-24-10: vs. the St Louis Cardinals

I like to think I am one of the more optimistic Pirates fans out there. I enjoy going to the games, I trust the management, I think J.R. is a good manager, and I see a bright future for this franchise.

That being said, I absolutely did not expect to record a win tonight. Against Adam Wainwright? With his ERA of 2.0 something entering this game? Going for his eighteenth win? And with Paul Maholm on the mound, to whom August has been anything but kind? I was bracing myself for a one-hit shutout. It rarely feels so good to be so wrong.

The first inning made it appear that my fears were going to be justified. Paul Maholm got two outs before giving up a 2-rbi home run to Holliday on an 0-2 pitch. It was a situation all too familiar for the Pirates this season: a good beginning that suddenly falls apart.

But not tonight! Neil Walker and Jose Tabata continue to make me wonder what we would have done without them this season. I shudder at the thought. Jose Tabata continues to prove that he can put wood on any pitch, regardless of their nearness to a Cy Young award.

I can't wait to see what this guy does next year; his ability to see the ball is already so unbelievably good. If he ever develops serious power, we have ourselves a true star. I was about to type that he's like Andrew McCutchen v. 2.0, but that's a whole negative can of worms I'm not going to get into.

Evan Meek also turned in his second consecutive high-pressure performance that nevertheless teetered on catastrophe. I was actually praying to God that he didn't blow the save...what a nightmare loss that would have been. Fortunately, despite misplaying a grounder, Holliday hit an infield pop-up and he proceeded to get Felipe Lopez to pop out to Ronny Cedeno.

Usually when a Pittsburgh Pirates game leaves me numb with disbelief, it's a bad thing. Tonight was a welcome exception. One final note: it is my belief that the sixth inning gave us a glimpse into a beautiful feature. McCutchen hitting a double, following by Tabata's 1-RBI triple and Neil Walker's 1-rbi double is going to become more and more frequent one of these days. Let it be as soon as next year.

In a Past Life, Ross Ohlendorf Did Very Bad Things

8-23-10: vs the St. Louis Cardinals

The Pitcher's Mound pre-game: so beautiful, so perfect, betraying none of the catastrophe about to unfold upon and all around it.

The sky, on the other hand....

Last night, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Ross Ohlendorf faced two batters before being taken out of the game due to right shoulder soreness. Video posted by Dejan Kovacevic showed a clearly-spooked Ohlendorf discussing the injury, a first in his career, and the fact that he had no idea what was wrong or how serious it was.

Around forty minutes ago, Dejan Kovacevic posted a video interview of Ohlendorf stating that his season might be over. He has been diagnosed with a strained lat muscle behind his right shoulder, which is of course very serious for a pitcher and requires enough rest that the best case scenario has him returning for one or two starts at the very most by the end of this season.

Let's look at a timeline chronicling the major events of Ross Ohlendorf's season thus far.

-March: Ross Ohlendorf's spring training goes poorly, posting an 0-3 record with a 9.61 ERA over 6 games.

-April: Ohlendorf makes his season debut on the 7th against the Dodgers. He lasts five innings, giving up 4 hits for 2 earned runs. He gets a no-decision.

After this appearance, Ohlendorf goes on the DL-15 for back spasms. He doesn't make another start until May 10th.

-May: Ohlendorf is activated off the disabled list and struggles for most of the month. He earns three losses and two no decisions, logging an ERA of 4.39 for the month. It is worth noting, however, that his start on May 31st is very good, with Ohlendorf going 7 innings with only one earned run.

-June: Things go further downhill for Ohlendorf, who earns an additional 3 loses this month to bring his total to 0-6. His ERA for this balloons to 5.59.

-July: On the second, Ohlendorf records his first and only win of the season. He goes 7 innings, giving up no runs on 5 hits and earning 8 strikeouts.

This was the month where Ohlendorf's extremely bad luck began to surface. He had an era of 2.86 for the month despite one truly bad start on July 17th against the Houston Astros wherein he lasted only 1.1 innings, giving up 4 earned runs on 5 hits.

Despite the low ERA, Ohlendorf accumulated another two losses this month.

On July 28th, in a start against the Rockies, Ohlendorf lasts only two innings before getting hit on the side of the head by a line drive. He leaves the game, but miraculously avoids going on the DL.

-August: Ohlendorf settles down and becomes perhaps the best pitcher in the Pirates bullpen, posting an era of 3.16 for the month. He gets hit in the leg by a line drive on August second, but shakes it off and continues to pitch.

Around the middle of the month, articles start appearing documenting Ohlendorf's horrendous luck. The fact that he is at one point 1-11 with an era of 3.77 manages to get some recognition, and unfortunately this would appear to be the only justice Ohlendorf finds in this season.

On the 23rd, Ohlendorf faces two batters before leaving the game due to discomfort in his right shoulder.

And here we are. In a home stand that has seen Zach Duke be fortunate enough to pitch on Opposite Day and everyone else turn in very bad starts, one of the very few solid performers of the season is now potentially shut down for the rest of it.

It might not be out of the question to bring in a witch doctor.

After having gone through the photos, this is the first indication I have of Ohlendorf visibly experiencing discomfort in his shoulder.

Skip Schumaker, just one of the many Cardinals baserunners tonight.
Ohlendorf sends a mental distress signal to John Russell.



This might very well be the last photo I get to post of Ohlendorf in PNC Park this season.
Bad night in the Pirates Bullpen: Sean Gallagher makes his way onto the diamond.
New pitching coach Ray Searage leaves the pitching mound after Gallagher gives up a 3-rbi home run on his first pitch. I'd love to know the origin of that smile.
Gallagher appreciates the humor in it all?
Actually...
probably not.



On the plus side, Tabata managed to steal a base tonight and go 3 for 4.

The Legendary Albert Pujols also had a pretty good night!
These are not the best pictures I have ever taken, but I am posting them for the sheer amusement value.



Ronny Cedeno's look of death.
A very happy Tabata realizes he is one of two Pirates who can say that he had a genuinely-good game.
One failed out that can't be put on Doumit.
The pitch was too slow.

Gallagher ran into trouble again in the fifth inning, allowing another run before being pulled.
He was unhappy.



And then Chan Ho Park came in, demonstrating just how greatly he is currently struggling in relief.



He pitched two innings. The second inning was notable for being the first time he has not allowed a run in an inning since becoming a Pirate.
Kyle Lohse had a good game, going 5.1 innings with two earned runs on six hits despite his 6.42 ERA.



Chris Carpenter managed to apply the tag at home plate. I could see this upsetting Doumit a little bit.

And tonight, Adam Wainwright is the starting pitcher going for his 18th win of the season. God have mercy.