On Integrity of the Game

--Okay, so I mocked Jim Tracy's consternation about respecting the game's "integrity," particularly when it came to players who--by virtue of minor league statistics and upside--appeared to have a better chance of helping my Buccos win ball games than did a couple of "veteran" but not-exactly-high-quality players.

--But today is an example of how, for example, if you're the Cubs or the Brewers, you might get very, very mad at the Pirates for running out AAA pitching in a major league game. Granted, the Pirates have no quality pitching depth (as the performance of today's pitchers has made clear), but really, if you're the Cubs or the Brewers, you do want the Pirates, from the start, to throw out the actual MLB talent they have available. The problem for the Pirates, and when it comes to respecting the integrity of the game, is that Paul Maholm's stiff back and Zach Duke's injury (and with the way Duke's performed this season, we're going on past performance rather than this season's performance in speaking of "MLB talent"), as well as the need not to kill the arms of Snell and Gorzy, makes it dang difficult for the Pirates to match the Cardinals with legitimate MLB pitching. Again, a clear indictment of the organization.

--Update: It's 16-3 now in the seventh inning. I was wondering if the Pirates, like the Orioles, will manage to give up 30 runs in a game. And the fact that I'm still following this disaster is seriously sick.

--Weekend Pitchers and Line-Up against the Cubs: Please, please, if you've shown you have MLB talent at any point this season, perform as though you do have that talent. (No pitching implosions, no 0-5 performances, no little league baserunning errors, no ridiculous errors.) Not because I want to delude myself into thinking my team is good, but merely for the purpose of saving my sanity so that I do realize I'm watching something that resembles competitive MLB baseball when I tune into the games.

--Sucks to lose the way the Cubs lost today. Sucks even more to be a fan of the worst team in the worst division in the majors.