Well remember how much I praised the pitching during the last home stand. How much I said the pitching was responsible for 7 win out of the last 9 games. Forget it. Just the opposite held true in the first game of the road trip at Miller Park last night.Zach Duke got pounded. Giving up 7 runs and 11 hits in only 3 innings of work. he gave up 7 hits and 5 runs in the first alone. By far, his shortest outing of the season. I have been waiting all season for the 07-08 version of Duke to re-emerge, and it did last night. The 07-08 Duke in which the league batted over .300 against him. What went wrong for Duke? Horrible location on all of his pitches. The Brewers are a good hitting team, especially in their ball park and Duke made it easy for them early.
Still though, the young Bucs kept fighting back, but just didn't have enough in the tank. The losing streak at Miller Park extends to 19. The Bucs looked good early though. Runners on second and third with no outs in the first and somehow don't score. Of course the rally was killed by No-Mitt, bouncing weakly into a double play. A Prince Fielder monster shot moments later had the Bucs down 3-0, instead of possibly up 3-0.
Hard to blame Tony Beasley for not sending McCutchen on Young's first inning double, with no outs. Ryan Braun played the ball well, but I still feel Cutch scores easy. Kudos to Ken Macha for managing the game to win, even early. Walking Andy Laroche intentionally to get to Doumit proved to be the big play in the game. If Doumit comes through, the Bucs probably win the game. Just goes to show how big moments in a game aren't saved for the 8th and 9th innings all the time.
Even though Duke gives up 5 in the first, if he limits the damage in the second and third innings, after the Bucs score the previous inning, it may have been a different game.
NOTES
- Doumit was pulled from the game. He isn't hurt and wasn't sick the Bucs say. One can only hope he was close to being dealt. However the likely scenario was that he was pulled because he flat out sucks.
-Great job by the Bucs bullpen. In particular, Bootcheck, Jackson, Hanrahan and Bautista. One hit allowed through 5 innings of work.
-Boy is Cutch something to watch or what. I'm starting to run out of things to say about him.
-Did you see Luis Cruz get hit in the head by a line drive in BP? Hard to believe he was in the lineup. He looked a step slow and had to have a headache. Would have been a good opportunity for JR to get Bixler a start. Bixler came through with a pinch hit double though.
-Thumbs down to FSN Pittsburgh. Why do they have to drop the Bucs game and show the meaningless Steelers preseason game? The Steelers game is already on KDKA. I see why the casual fan doesn't get interested in this team when the Steelers are shoved down peoples throats.
-September call ups will be coming soon. We know that Alvarez and Daniel McCutchen won't be coming. i expect Neil Walker, who is tearing the cover off the ball finally to get a look, but where? I don't want him taking many at bats away from Laroche. Clement will get a look as well. Erick Hacker will likely get a start or 2. Other than that, not too many youngsters will be up. I would like to see Brad Lincoln and Jose Tabata get a quick look. Some other arms will get the quick promotion as well. Nothing to get excited about though. probably a Virgil Vasquez type pitcher or 2.
-Here is where I want this rebuild to go. Did you see the Scott Kazmir deal to the Angels last night? The Rays unloaded Kazmir, who's velocity has been down & his 23 mil left on his deal, for 2 quality prospects and possibly a third. What do they do? They replace Kazmir with Wade Davis and aren't likely to miss a beat. The Rays keep loading up their system and keep filtering young studs through the major league club. That's where I want the Bucs to get to. Being able to deal a struggling star for a good return and have plenty of options to step in a do the job. Tampa is becoming a well oiled machine. Too bad they are in the AL East
- Gallardo (who we never hit) vs Hart tonight. Should be a great game since it's not on TV. Let's go Bucs
i was so pissed when that piece of trash doumit bounced into that dp in the first. i knew we were doomed right then.
ReplyDeleteyou didn't mention mcutchen's homer. that was a bomb
I am excited to finally see Walker. Now that he is finally hitting well at AAA, do you see him having a future with the Bucs? I also don't see a spot for him
ReplyDeleteI also would like to see Walker do well. However I don't want it at third base. Laroche is becoming a nice 3B and I believe the bat will come around fine. He has made huge strides from the time we acquired him until now, both offensively and defensively.
ReplyDeletehaving said that, the best 8 guys are going to play next season and if it's Walker, well then he would have earned it.
Being a Littlefield guy, I wonder if it's out of the realm to include Walker, since his value is now as high as it's ever been, in an off season deal. Maybe package Walker, Duke and No-Mitt for a young middle of the order type hitter. Don't think it will happen, just wishful thinking
very disappointing loss last night. especially after a 7-2 stretch. anytime this team scores 6 runs they should win the game.
ReplyDeleteTrade Doumitt? To quote Buddy Ryan, I would trade him for 2 warm beers and some stale potato chips. We would probably get the better end of the deal
typical. Doumit has a couple bad games and John Russell benches him and all of you turn on him. HE IS the best player on the team. Just like JACK WAS and he gets shown the door.
ReplyDeleteHE IS the face of the franchise and should bat cleanup everyday for the vext 5 years. You will see 35-45 HR seaons. And to Call him No Mitt is absurd. He is probably one of the top 2-3 catchers in the league.
All of this because 1 DP ball? John Russell sghould be shown the door for taking him out last night
To the fool above me. That is hands down the dumbest crap I have ever read. Who are you? The same guy that has the man crush on Doumit or are you related to Doumit somehow?
ReplyDeleteHe stinks. PERIOD. He doesn't hit for power and never has. He doesn't hit for average. He is a rally killer. Should I continue? 35-45HR? What has he ever done to make you think he could do that. He wouldn't hit 30 HR playing everyday with the Yankees.
Have you ever watched him play? To say he is one of the 2-3 best catchers is absurd. In fact he is one of the 2-3 WORST catchers in the league.
He is a loser just like Jack was. Time for him to go as well. Only problem is he SUCKS and we won't get much for him.
Matt, is there anyway to ban the idiot comments from this blog. That was the dumbest comment ever
AND if for some reason he hits a HR or gets a hit with runners on base in the next day or 2. Please don't come back with the look what doumit did speech. He sucks
ReplyDelete