Reality Resumes

If you had told me that the one and only (hint: snark) Tony Armas had pitched into the sixth inning and had only given up 2 runs to that point and would only be charged with 3 earned runs on the day, and if you had told me that the Pirates would have a 4-1 lead at one point of the game, I would have said, Well, let the unrealistic good times continue to roll. E.g., let the winning continue.

Alas, reality resumed today in the form of Shawn Chacon, Jim Tracy, and a few too many strike-outs. Chacon's scoreless work on Friday night would not carry over until today; Wiggington (former Pirate, which makes it worse) hit a 2-run jack off him to give the Astros the 5-4 lead they didn't relinquish. And, of course, Tracy had to put Chacon into the game, though Bautista and Castillo not striking out all the time probably would have helped matters, too. In any case, the Pirates return to Pittsburgh dwelling in the cellar of the NL basement alongside the Astros. Oh, yes, let reality resume, and oh boy, let the good times roll.

Now for other matters about the game, just random thoughts and observations:

--In his first at-bat (which unfortunately resulted in a strikeout), Jose Bautista made the opposing pitcher throw 11 pitches before the unfortunate result. But, I mean, if you're going to strike out, better to do it by forcing the pitcher you're facing to throw you 11 pitches. Whether it's the Pirates facing a dearth of good pitchers (which I believe it to be) or actually learning to lay off pitches (hmm...learning, seriously, is that possible for this team?), it's nice when Bautista makes the opposing pitcher throw that many pitches. It's also nice when Freddy Sanchez walks, though I'm still getting over my stunned surprise every time he walks.

--Another commercial is irritating me (and today, there was no excuse. I had the mute button available and didn't bother to use it). It's the Fox Sports advertisement for "Actober"--as in, you know, the playoffs. The commercial goes through various players who have played or will be playing in October and their ages (all early twenties). It's seriously painful for a Pirates fan to watch. My Bucco team is not THAT young, and the vast majority of our young players haven't even shown flashes of the kind of talent as have the young players featured in that particular commercial. I'm sick of hearing about inexperience and youth because, at some point, talent, if it's there, will show out over inexperience and youth. And when all that shows out is inexperience and youth, well, there's not a whole lot of difference between a bunch of mediocre old ballplayers and a bunch of mediocre young ballplayers save for the millions spent on each group of players due to MLB salary structure where Shawn Chacon gets paid millions of dollars for a somewhat (prior to today) near league average ERA. I hate to sound bitter, but I'm a Bucco fan, and seeing this guy in an ad just makes me wish that I could actually watch these guys pitch in games that matter for more than personal statistics and pride. And then, you know, I remember that back when they had ERA's below 2, the team's record was still below .500. Even when young, inexperienced, if inconsistent talent shows out, there have to be many more players demonstrating such talent in actual on-field performance.

--Speaking of Ian Snell, I seriously do love him, his crazy antics, occasional belligerence, and still infuriating inconsistency (seriously, if you could just stop throwing those one or two ill-timed but misplaced strikes, your statistics, already decent, would be really, really good) aside. Why do I mention Snell in a game in which he didn't pitch? Because he pinch-ran after Xavier Nady walked in the top of the ninth, and even as John Wehner bemoaned the fact that Matt Kata, a position player (yes, seriously, another older guy from the minor leagues who's "versatile" and thus appreciated by Jim Tracy) could have been on base, a part of me liked seeing Snell and the fact that he wanted to help win a game in which he didn't pitch. Wanting to contribute, in whatever way, is very nice. However, the Pirates' lack of speed is truly frightening if our starting pitcher who throws 97 mph heat is the person we want running around the base paths and trying to slide into home for the winning run. I mean, do you really want to risk a pitcher getting injured pinch-running? But despite the fact that Jim Tracy apparently wanted to preserve Kata for another extra-inning extravaganza with the Astros (that we were blessed not to have to endure) apparently he knew well enough to know that Snell would not be doing any sliding into home plate. Not with the other hitters striking out to end the ball game, that is. (To be fair and/or charitable--can you believe it from a blogger?-I don't know how Snell would have been told to run in a close play at the plate. But knowing Ian as I do, I just think recklessness comes into play, and after the Wilson-Wigginton collision yesterday, albeit the fielder being injured, better to stay on the side of caution when it comes to your pitcher--in spite of how much I personally love the fact that a little pitcher who throws heat pinch-runs.)

--It was nice for the Astros to win the game at which they retired Jeff Bagwell's number. For whatever old-school or former schoolteacher reason, I think it's really important for young players, especially young, talented players (the Pirates do appear to have a couple) to see what it means to an organization, to the fans, and most importantly, to athletes who have achieved what Biggio and Bagwell achieved in Houston. Due to free agency and money (as well as the Bucco current ownership), I firmly believe that the concept of single-team-for-career stars is almost relegated to history (it's the exception now rather than the rule it, many long years ago, was). Still, I think players seeing the growth of individual players, along with a team, that it's an important reminder of what makes baseball great--and perhaps, of course, it can serve as an inspiration to our own players. That is, if anyone can even get inspired while sporting the uniform of the pathetically putrid Pirates.

--Speaking of the pathetic Pirates, can the few seriously delusional optimistic fanatics stop dreaming of a pennant? (I mean, even our ever-cheerleading announcers don't do that). Still, Greg couldn't resist noting during game action today that Reds were now fewer games back in the NL Central than are the Yankees from the Red Sox (the Reds are still sub .500, but play in the joke of a division named the NL Central). Well, the Pirates play the Reds next, and much as I'd love to dream of winning games just for amusing kicks at the end of the season, I really just want solid starting pitching from the three young pitchers. You know, something to delude me into thinking that perhaps this team might see the sunny side of .500 next season so I can continue the ridiculous exercise of rooting for a MLB franchise owned by the Nutting family.

Note on this entry: When I taught middle school language arts, my students often had to answer ridiculously constructed questions about the author's "tone." If you had guessed that the tone of this entry is bitter, disappointed, sarcastic, and at least a little demeaning toward certain components of my team, you'd be right. Unfortunately, such is the result of a resumption of reality. I can't deny that, forever much I knew winning wouldn't last, that it was fun to watch my team win some baseball games. But, given that there's still a month left until that glorious The Clarks concert to close out the season, I'm guessing the Pirates can eke out a few more wins, so I'll just have to enjoy the victories, however sparsely they come, and again get accustomed to Mr. Tracy's brilliance when noting that the Pirates didn't get the hit they needed to get or make the pitch they needed to make in tight games, like today's, that they lose--or, you know, that they didn't hit, pitch, or field well in the blowouts still to come that I still don't want to come in spite of wanting someone who will wave a magic wand and turn the team into a .500 team. Because .500 is contending for a pennant in the Buccos' inane, but unfortunately for me, not unreal, division.