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THE VIEW FROM THE CROWS NEST:
The Pirates are not a puzzle wrapped inside an enigma encompassed by a paradox. Although there are some mixed messages to be found in the early season stats... They're 1st in the NL in batting average and OBP. They're also 11th in runs scored and slugging. So, while they're on base, they're not scoring, forever friend-zoned.... The guys who are leading the offense are John Jaso (.358 avg. w/50+ ABs) and Jordy Mercer (9 RBI). They have what is supposed to be the best OF in the NL with Marte, McCutcheon and Polanco (at least according to certain punditry). Their pitching was supposed to be a strength yet Cole and Locke are 0-4 while Vogelsong and Niese are 3-0. Go figure.
Are we catching them at the right time, I sure hope so because they're struggling with the Padres but this is baseball and momentum is something best left to Physicists imho.
PITCHING MATCHUPS (W/L,ERA/WHIP):
Jonathon Niese (2-0/3.50/1.00) vs. Patrick Corbin (1-1/2.75/1.22)
Niese came over as the Mets are building a pitching staff of extraordinary magnitude and thus was squeezed out of a spot. Picked a pretty good landing spot and as such has made the most of it thus far.
Juan Nicasio (2-1/4.80/1.33) vs. Rubby DeLaRosa (1-3/8.44/1.69)
I'll allow you guys to spin da wheel of DeLaRosa and see if we get the guy who started the Dodgers game or the one who was seen versus the Cubs or something in between.
Francisco Liriano (1-1/4.11/1.83) vs Robbie Ray (1-0/1.96/1.31)
I expect us to struggle against Liriano, I don't know why and maybe I'm confusing him with someone else (I'm old, it happens... and get off my lawn please, I just fertilized it) but any guy who has foreign currency denominations in their name worries me.
The Bullpen
These guys sport both Mark Melancon and Neftali Perez sporting whips well under 1, be best if we didn't have to see them imho unless they need some work in a blowout....
STATS PARTY - Small Sample Size edition
OPS - Liriano, Francisco - he's 4 for 6 with a 2b and 3 RBI
McCutcheon is hitting .237 with a .407 SLG number, so Goldy isn't the only superstar off to a slow start.
AJ Schugel is on their roster, honest!
TACO Time/Jumbo Jack Projections
I think we'll get one Taco time and two Jumbo Jacks, so we're well on our way to a cholesterol intervention. If they sign up Krispy Kreme as a sponsor next year, we may all be doomed. I think that the recent games will still have some feel good to be wrung from the trend and we take two out of three but somehow lose on AJ Pollock Bobblehead day on Saturday.