PIRATES OUTFIELDER ONEIL CRUZ SHOULD RETURN FROM INJURY SOON. (PHOTOS BY MARLON MARTIN)
:10—No doubt about what, you might ask? No doubt that here we go again, no doubt that we’re riding down the 50/50 road again… I’m not really sure, to be honest with you. A weekend like the one we just had taking three from the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers…and again there was noooo doubt about it, laying down an old school brew butt whoopin’! 7-6, 3-2, and a 14-5 shellacking.
:09—By the way, for you sometimers, here’s the breakdown at the All-Star mark. The Milwaukee Brewers sit atop the National League Central with a 59-37 record, followed by the Chicago Cubs 54-42, St. Louis Cardinals 50-45, your Buccos with a 50-47 record and the Cincinnati Reds bringing up the rear with a 43-52 record.
BRYAN REYNOLDS IS BATTING .283 WITH 14 HOME RUNS AND 59 RBI FOR THE PIRATES AT THE ALL-STAR BREAK.
:08—“The Pirate Good”…Bryan Reynolds is hitting well once again, Esmerlyn Valdez is on an absolute terror and Nick Gonzalez leads the team with a .310 batting average.
:07—-“The Pirate Bad”…You know, strangely enough, the bad luck stuff comes in huge, untimely and simultaneous waves. Konnor Griffin, who was in line for Rookie of the Year, is out for 7-9 weeks. Spencer Horowitz and Oneil Cruz due back in the next two weeks after recovering from hand and hamstring injuries. I know you’re waiting for me to throw Paul Skenes under the ugly bus, but I’ll leave him here. His current game is not ugly, it’s just been bad, bad luck. He’ll bounce back, not to worry.
:06—“The Pirate Ugly”…Like I almost said, it could have been easy to lock Skenes in here, but this category is owned by the bullpen. The worst relief team in baseball, bar none!
:05—Before I wrap this up, let’s go back to Paul Skenes and his problems and how a Cy Young winner goes from top to “not-top” in a flash. #1. It’s a well-known fact and given “the League will catch up to you the second time around!” That means everybody knows everybody else better on the next run…and that’s almost every league. #2. Of course it matters that for most of his losses he just didn’t have the bats to back him up. #3. And I have zero evidence of this, but word on the street says Hollywood may have snatched up his fiancée…I suspect such goings-on can make your fastball slow and your curve ball go straight. I’m just sayin’!!!
:04—It is understood the Pirates have a better and bigger investment in this team, but they’re still not where they have to be. A different/better hitting catcher, flame throwers out of the bullpen, and a break from the injury bug should give us better than a 50/50 shot.
:03—It’s All-Star break and for the first time in 10 years, we’re above .500. That’s a win-win and we’ll take it. Speaking of which, the Bucs had two reps at the All Star Game, Paul Skenes and pitcher Braxton Ashcraft. Neither played in the game, though.
:02—-All that being said, I tell ya every year, if you have the money and the mind, go to a game. It can be the most fun you’ve had that entire day…wait, what? No, seriously, there’s nothing like going out to the game. You’ll root, root, root for the home team!
:01—Here’s all you really need to know. Kenny Blake, Katie Simone, and Winston Carter…all that jazz and dinner at LeMont Restaurant, Mount Washington, with some of the greatest Black art in Western Pa. presented by the masters Doug Webster, Ernie Bey, Brandon Jennings, and Marlon Gist…c’mon man, you can’t do better than this unless your last name is Ali! (Btw, see the ad for the Mid-Summer Nite of Dinner, Jazz, Art, and Awards. It’s here in your Courier right now…just go find it…do I have to do everything for ya!)
:00—GAME OVER.
