http://thisisgettingold.net/2012/04/11/ ... rs-game-5/

Surprisingly Root Sports will still be showing this game after the Penguins game.

Hopefully Bedard can string together two solid starts in a row.

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This is Getting Old


https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsGettingOld

Why do you act as if blowing close games against quality opposing pitchers is some unexpected result for this team?

This team does not have the hitting to be a contender...even in the new two wild-card team era.

Losing games like this is likely to be the norm, not the exception.

The team can't be "haunted" because they aren't good.

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I know this, your ability to think concisely, your ability to make good judgments is much easier on Thursday night than during the heat of the game. -Bill Walsh

2-2 so far. They've faced probably the three best pitchers in the National League. It's early. Fuck's sake, can we at least wait until oh say the end of April to call them "not good." I guess not.

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Well you know Jeemie, Jack. When someone pisses in his Cheerios, he expects everyone to take a spoonful.

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Winning close games is more indicative of being able to pitch well than hit well. I got news for you. This team can pitch. I expect them to do well in close games this year. Put it this way, I expect they play over .500 in one run games. If they can play over .600 ball in one run games they could possibly compete for the division. The reason the Bucs were able to hang near the top of division last year well into late July was because they played so well in one run games. But between the the trip to Atlanta in late July until Labor day they went 1-9 in one run games. That pretty much sunk their season.

Look at the lineup, and tell me who in there has shown the potential to turn this offense into anything other than mediocre.

As Mike Tomlin likes to say "you are what you put on tape".

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I know this, your ability to think concisely, your ability to make good judgments is much easier on Thursday night than during the heat of the game. -Bill Walsh

I remember the 1984 Pittsburgh Pirates. Led the league in ERA- couldn't hit for shit.

They went 20-32 in 1-run games and finished 75-87 (last in the NL East).

You need to be able to hit some to win one-run games, not just pitch.

This team is likely to be a worse-hitting team that those 1984 Buccos, relatively speaking.

I got sucked in last year- ain't gonna get sucked in again until they prove something.

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I know this, your ability to think concisely, your ability to make good judgments is much easier on Thursday night than during the heat of the game. -Bill Walsh

The 84 Pirates bullpen sucked. Teke was done. It was closer by committee. They couldn't finish games. I'm not saying this team is a contender. But I will say they have to win the close ones to have a chance.

They were slightly below average in blown saves and save percentage. They were tops in the NL in runs scored against and third in % inherited runners scored.

So I wouldn't say they sucked- I'd say they were average (PS- they were also stressed more than any other bullpen that year, if the Average Leverage Index is a stat to be believed- they were highest in the majors that year with an ALi of 1.105- makes sense because their hitting was so bad).

I agree they will have to win a lot of one-run games to have any kind of chance. I just don't think they'll have the hitting to take advantage of their pitching. I don't see one difference-maker in their lineup. Not one....not even Cutch.

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I know this, your ability to think concisely, your ability to make good judgments is much easier on Thursday night than during the heat of the game. -Bill Walsh

I agree with Jeems here. This team just cant hit, period. I am willing to give them a pass considering they've faced 3 of the most dominant pitchers in the NL, but unfortunately im afraid that they won't be able to hit against anyone. I truly hope im wrong.