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Tribe Hosting Pirates, June 17, 18, 19

  • BRF
    The Tribe (36-31) comes off ANOTHER disappointing series to host the Pirates who are coming in at 35-33. BRF's thread starting record, now going into number 6, has dropped to 10-5. Still pretty good, so I'll try again.

    Friday night's game (7:05) features Correia (8-5) vs. Tomlin (7-4). It's dollar dog night......woo hoo!

    Saturday night's game (7:05) has Maholm (3-7) vs. Carrasco (6-3). After we win this one, there is a concert by The Michael Stanley Band (representing Cleveland) and Donny Iris (representing Pittsburgh). This should be a trip down memory lane for us older Tribe fans as Michael Stanley was really popular back in the late 70's and 80's, while the Tribe sucked. Hopefully, this is not an omen!

    Sunday is a day game (but thank God, it's not a hexed BR special) that starts at 1:05. This game will see Karstens (4-4) vs. Masterson (5-5). It's Father's Day and your kids 12 and under can run the bases. Hopefully, they will be mirroring the home run trots of multiple Tribe homers! Ha ha! Wouldn't it be fun to have a Father's Day trot around the bases by BRF, Footwedge, and HitsRus? :-) (rumor has it that Capowned may be making an appearance, so at least HE could represent the OC on a trip around the bases!.......Ha!)

    Well, let's try it again and LET'S GO TRIBE!
  • hoops23
    I think pitching match ups favor the Tribe, BUT they HAVE to SCORE..

    (GASP!) that's a naughty word in Cleveland.
  • GoPens
    Let's Go Bucs!! Actually should be a good series. Who would have guessed this before the season started? Wish I could go to one of the games.
  • hoops23
    Yep, nice to see both teams doing well (though the Tribe has been free falling, they're still better than most thought and right there for the division)...

    I always thought that the Pirates and Tribe were a more respected "rivalry" in terms of fan involvement than the Browns and Steelers..

    I may go over to the Prog on Sunday for Fathers day. Who knows.
  • Non
    Time to start believing or what?

    Pirates have had a ton of injuries and they have arguably the worst offense in the NL but still they're 35-33 and only three games back.
  • Mulva
    Not too thrilled with the pitching match ups this series. Correia is the guy we have the best chance of getting to in my opinion, but he's having a solid season. Karstens and Maholm are both on fire, and Karstens is 5th in the NL in ERA.

    Karstens last 3 starts:
    7 innings, 1 run
    7 innings, 0 runs
    6.2 innings, 0 runs

    Maholm's last 4 starts:
    9 innings, 0 runs
    5.2 innings, 7 runs (6 earned) - the one bad start of the bunch
    6 innings, 0 runs
    7 innings, 0 runs

    Not going to be easy. Hopefully being back at home gets the Tribe going again though.
  • Non
    Pirates might have a tough time with the interleague schedule going up against the likes of Cleveland, Boston and Toronto.

    The pitching has been outstanding but it's enabled them to win a lot of low scoring games.

    They're going to need the offense to get a little hotter over the next couple weeks.
  • BR1986FB
    BRF...you're correct, afternoon weekend games don't fall under the dreaded "businessman's special" category so they don't count.

    I'd imagine Hafner should be activated and playing tonight. They have to get him in the next 6 games (Pirates/Rockies) because they then go on the road for interleague games over the next 10 days and he'll be a wasted bat, nothing more than a situational pinch hitter.
  • hangonsloopy
    BR1986FB;805294 wrote:BRF...you're correct, afternoon weekend games don't fall under the dreaded "businessman's special" category so they don't count.

    I'd imagine Hafner should be activated and playing tonight. They have to get him in the next 6 games (Pirates/Rockies) because they then go on the road for interleague games over the next 10 days and he'll be a wasted bat, nothing more than a situational pinch hitter.

    From what Hammy was saying during yesterday's game Pronk is making one more start in Akron tonight. Which blows because I'm headed to the game later and was hoping he'd be back.
  • BRF
    Hello and welcome to all the Pirate posters! I hope my intro wasn't TOO insulting!

    Go Tribe!
  • TBone14
    Pirates bring the lowest team ERA in the National League to Cleveland. Not a good omen.
  • TBone14
    Why does Texas hate us? They wernt' t playing great before they played us and are 2-8 since playing us.
  • Heretic
    Mulva;805245 wrote:Not too thrilled with the pitching match ups this series. Correia is the guy we have the best chance of getting to in my opinion, but he's having a solid season. Karstens and Maholm are both on fire, and Karstens is 5th in the NL in ERA.

    Karstens last 3 starts:
    7 innings, 1 run
    7 innings, 0 runs
    6.2 innings, 0 runs

    Maholm's last 4 starts:
    9 innings, 0 runs
    5.2 innings, 7 runs (6 earned) - the one bad start of the bunch
    6 innings, 0 runs
    7 innings, 0 runs

    Not going to be easy. Hopefully being back at home gets the Tribe going again though.

    Going off nothing but pitching match-ups, I'd say tonight probably is Pittsburgh's biggest advantage. Correia is 7-1 on the road this year and Tomlin has had four straight rough starts after a very good start to the season. Saturday and Sunday both are interesting. Maholm has been hurt by shaky offensive support all year and Carrasco seems to be pitching real well right now. Karstens has been surprisingly effective this year, while Masterson hasn't been getting any offensive support recently. Hopefully that stays the same, but I just struggle to have lots of confidence that Pittsburgh should be favored because "we got Karstens on the mound tonight!".

    Big key for Pittsburgh will be putting runs on the board like they did in the last two games with the Astros (13 combined in those games). Before that, they'd been on a five-game (or so) stretch of getting between 0-3 runs per game. Which they did go 3-2 in because of pitching, but yeah...can't bank on a shutout every time out.
  • BR1986FB
    ^^^2 runs a game for the Buccos should ensure a sweep for Pittsburgh with the Tribe's offense. :(
  • Heretic
    BR1986FB;805652 wrote:^^^2 runs a game for the Buccos should ensure a sweep for Pittsburgh with the Tribe's offense. :(

    That's not a sure thing, though. They have guys who CAN hit, but the back of their order is laughable to the point where replacing the pitcher with a back-up position player won't really be that much of an improvement.

    Pirates currently don't have a major league catcher. This is not an exaggeration. Dusty (.080) Brown has 25 ABs this year with the Pirates. He turns 29 Sunday and now has 40 career MLB ABs. Of Michael (.182) McKenry's 19 ABs, 11 have come since Pittsburgh signed him. I think he's supposed to be the current starter. For some reason, Pedro Ciriaco is on the roster instead of someone who potentially could contribute as a DH (or outfielder while a current starter there DHs) like Alex Presley. In nearly a month, Ciriaco has appeared in five games and is 0-4. That's a wasted roster spot. And guys like Brandon Wood, Ronny Cedeno and Lyle Overbay haven't been hitting well. Those three, as well as whatever "catcher" gets the call will all likely get a decent amount of time in the lower half of the order.
  • wes_mantooth
    We suck
  • BR1986FB
    wes_mantooth;805686 wrote:We suck

    Yep. Alexis Texas is jealous at the Tribe's 'skills"
  • BRF
    Enjoyed reading your post, Heretic. I'm not used to reading serious stuff from you! Ha Ha!

    Go Tribe!

    Dollar dog night in honor of ex-Congressman Weiner. ;-)
  • BR1986FB
    Just read where Chris Perez was excited to finally be able to have a Krispy Kreme Donut shake for breakfast yesterday in Detroit. A shake made out of donuts? Interesting...
  • Heretic
    BR1986FB;805748 wrote:Just read where Chris Perez was excited to finally be able to have a Krispy Kreme Donut shake for breakfast yesterday in Detroit. A shake made out of donuts? Interesting...

    This just in: CC Sabathia and Bartolo Colon both have demanded trades from New York to Detroit.
  • BR1986FB
    Heretic;805755 wrote:This just in: CC Sabathia and Bartolo Colon both have demanded trades from New York to Detroit.

    With Crennel & Charlie Weis as stowaways.

    Sounds like a late night stoner treat to me. ;)
  • Heretic
    BR1986FB;805759 wrote:With Crennel & Charlie Weis as stowaways.

    Sounds like a late night stoner treat to me. ;)

    It does. Wonder if my workplace can find a way to trade me to Detroit.
  • grodt
    Hafner activated and batting 4th tonight. Sanatana bumped down to 6th.
  • BR1986FB
    grodt;805793 wrote:Hafner activated and batting 4th tonight. Sanatana bumped down to 6th.

    Hammy ain't got shit on me. ;)
  • BRF
    grodt;805793 wrote:Hafner activated and batting 4th tonight. Sanatana bumped down to 6th.

    Sweet!