2012 MLB Season Predictions

We're a few games into the 2012 season, so I'm not sure if this comes too late with only about 158 games remaining, but hopefully you guys won't mind.

Fourteen Talking Points and Is Bill Cowher a Hall of Famer?

As always, I'm grateful to Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette for giving me something to write about. So here we go with another fourteen talking points.

Pirates Mixed Bag: Steelers Season in the Burgh, Can Pittsburgh Follow Milwaukee's Path, Ray Searage

Scott Miller, CBS Sports - Pirates in Need of Either Air or Allergy Shots
http://scott-miller.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270335/31246218

Michael Sanserino, Post-Gazette - Doing it Ray's Way
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11224/1166813-63.stm

Bob Smizik, Post-Gazette - One Season Ends, Another Begins
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29766-one-season-ends-another-begins

***Must Read*** Dejan Kovacevic, Tribune Review - Can Pirates Follow Brewers' Footsteps?
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_751537.html


-

Pirates Mixed Bag: Pirates Draft Picks, Neal Huntington, Winning 82

Bob Smizik, Post-Gazette - The Case For/Against Hungtington
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29734-the-case-foragainst-huntington

Smizik - What Happened
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29712-what-happened

Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror - Bucs' GM Analyzes Top Curve Prospects
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/552493/Bucs--GM-analyzes-top-Curve-prospects.html?nav=727

Mike Vukovcan, CBS Sports - Pirates to Offer Bell Record Money
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/08/10/pirates-to-offer-bell-record-money/

Jon Paul Morosi - Fox Sports - Pirates Still Can Have Landmark Season
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/pittsburgh-pirates-in-bad-slump-but-winning-season-would-be-success-081011

Smizik - Cole Won't Get $15 Million
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29744-cole-wont-get-15-milliion


-

Pirates Mixed Bag: What's Gone Wrong, Pedro, Looking to 2012, and Much More

Some of these may be a bit outdated since I haven't posted in a few days, but they all are still fun to read.

From Joe Starkey of the Tribune Review:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_749931.html

From the Tribune Review:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_750096.html

From Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette:

http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29665-looking-at-the-2012-pitching-staff

http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29657-a-look-at-2012-pirates

http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29655-what-to-do-with-pedro

From Michael Sanserino of the Post-Gazette:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11219/1165764-63.stm

From Dejan Kovacevic of the Tribune Review:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_750473.html


http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_750474.html

From Gene Collier of the Post-Gazette:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11220/1165939-150-0.stm


-

The Pirates Will Win the NL Central

Most of you will write me off as a complete lunatic just after reading the title and for good reason. A five game losing streak, a 3-10 record in their last 13 games, a 5.5 game deficit in the division, a division leader that just lost their first game in their last eight and, of course, an 18 year cloud hanging over the franchise's head. Yeah, I'd say they have a pretty steep hill err... mountain to climb. So why then do I believe that our beloved Buccos can still pull it off?

Pirates Mixed Bag: Waiver Rules, Season Slipping Away, Hurdle to Blame?

This is a pretty pessimistic edition of our Pirates mixed bag, so if you don't want to ruin your day, you may want to hold off on this until later...

First, we have an article that may come in handy. Jayson Stark of ESPN posted an article with the rules of the waiver trading deadline. The Pirates will probably be players in some capacity, so if you want to be informed, here you go:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=1860265

Next, we'll stay away from complete pessimism a little longer. Here's Ron Cook of the Post-Gazette, with an article about the Pirates' starting pitchers and the reinforcements on the way:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11214/1164554-87-0.stm

Now onto the worst part of this. Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette brings reality to the forefront including what could become of Paul Maholm and the Buccos' most recent additions, Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwick:

http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29649-why-pearce-over-overbay

http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29638-special-season-slipping-away

And finally, an article from Rob Neyer of Baseball Nation. He believes that if this season goes down the tubes, Hurdle is to blame. I guess the fact that Hurdle has the Bucs at .500 over 100 games into the season is no longer relevant? Take this article with a grain of salt though, because this same writer argued that Julio Lugo was safe at home plate in the 19 inning game that Pirates' fans won't soon forget:
http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/8/1/2308631/pirates-manager-clint-hurdle-joel-hanrahan


-

Pirates Mixed Bag: Lackluster Trades, Raising the Farm, Will They Finish Above .500

Well this is a surprise. After taking a day off to iron out some rules for my new keeper fantasy league, I expected to have a TON of articles to share especially concerning the trade deadline. I do not. But, I do have four very nicely written articles by three of the best writers in the business.


From Dejan Kovacevic of the Tribune-Review - He talks about the mediocre players the Pirates acquired at the deadline:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_749390.html

From Ron Cook of the Post-Gazette - Mr. Cook suggests that trading for bigger stars would have been a mistake. Our prospects need to stay in our system, not in somebody else's while we fade out of contention:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11213/1164347-87-0.stm

From Bob Smizik of the the Post-Gazette - He posted two articles in his blog that are pessimistic in tone, but very harsh realities. Do the Pirates trades matter anymore? And will the Pirates even finish over .500?:
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29619-pirates-close-to-deal-for-ludwick

http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29622-500-beckons


-

Phillies Are National League's Yankees

Because this is much easier than writing a whole new article, here is part of a conversation from my personal Facebook account. It stems from a much longer convo, but this is the main point I wanted to relay:


Phillies Fan: Difference between yankees and phillies, we won the series with homegrown talent. Yankees buy everyone elses stars. If the pirates wanted to win they would pay their players and keep their stars.

My response:  http://zellspinstripeblog.​com/2009/08/02/the-yanks-h​ave-homegrown-players/

I hate the freaking Yankees, but stop making arguments on perception and do some homework. In 2009 when the Yankees last won the series 56% of their players were homegrown. 1st in the American League. Meanwhile the loser Phillies had just 32% of their players homegrown as you can see in the link above. Which tied them for 10th in the National League.

While I can't find the 2008 numbers, I assume that they aren't too far off base with this. So your argument that you won with homegrown guys and they didn't is 200% false.

While I will admit that the number of homegrown players for the Phillies now is significantly higher, it still fits right into the "teams with more money always win" argument. You can't retain valuable homegrown talent if you can't pay them. 5 years from now Howard, Victorino, Utley, Worley, etc. will mostly ALL be with the Phillies. Meanwhile I just hope the Pirates keep at least ONE of the Tabata, Alvarez, McCutchen, and Walker group in that same 5 year time frame.

And stop with the "Pirates need to spend more money" bullshit. Small cities don't have the money. Pittsburgh has 330,000+ people. Philly has 1,400,000+ people. That's why they can spend money and the Pirates can't.

So stop with the nonsense. You have an advantage. There is no doubt about it. Stop making excuses and embrace it. If Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox fans just said "Well yeah, money won us games" the facts don't change, [and] at least you'll stop sounding like hypocritical morons.


- 

Pittsburgh Will Always Top Philadelphia

 

Relax Philadelphia fans. No need to get your panties in a bunch. The above picture is in no way meant to say the Pirates are better than the Phillies. It's actually to say that all Pittsburgh sports are better than all Philadelphia sports.

Ok. Now you can go ahead and bunch up those panties again.

A recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling asked which professional sports team in Pennsylvania was the voter's favorite. They gathered these results:

The Steelers are Pennsylvania's favorite professional sports team. 30% of voters in the state pick them, followed by 22% for the Phillies, 12% each for the Penguins and Eagles, 6% for the Pirates, 4% for the Flyers, and 2% for the 76ers. For those keeping track that's 48% of voters in the state choosing one of Pittsburgh's 3 teams to only 40% picking a Philadelphia team even though that city has 4. Advantage Steel City on that front.

Even with one less team in the state, Pittsburgh teams still earned 8% more of the vote than Philadelphia.

What's stunning to me is that our hockey team tied their beloved football team, and our baseball team and its 18 consecutive losing seasons ranked higher than their hockey team that was coming off a Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Now just heap this onto Pittsburgh's title dominance, (World Series: Pirates 5, Phillies 2; Stanley Cups: Penguins 3, Flyers 2; and my favorite Super Bowls: Steelers 6, Eagles 0) and there's no argument left about which side of the state rules Pennsylvania.

And if you aren't one of the 2%, please don't bring up the Sixers, because literally nobody cares.


-

Homeruns Don't Matter at PNC Park

The idea for this blog was taken from pittplank.com, an affiliate of espn.com.

Using a very nifty tool from the people at katron.org we can place a player's hits from any ballpark into another ballpark to see how it may change the outcome. For instance:

All of the dark blue dots are homeruns, the light blue dots are doubles, and the orange dots are fly outs. The dots are Aramis Ramirez' hits this season at Wrigley Field. Those dots have been placed onto PNC Park. So, as you can see, Ramirez has 12 homeruns at his home ballpark of Wrigley, but at most 2 would be homeruns at PNC.

Pirates Mixed Bag: Pirates Need Upgrade, Overbay's Time Finally Up?, Rough Trade Market

Yet again we start with a post from Bob Smizik's blog on post-gazette.com. This is just the latest of his daily "we need a trade" updates. It's not necessarily getting old though, and that's probably not a good thing:
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29592-pirates-easily-to-upgrade-just-do-it

The first post from Paul Zeise of the Post-Gazette here on Jolly Roger Sports. The guy has no idea what he's talking about unless the topic is the University of Pittsburgh, but the guy can certainly fake it with his writing abilitiy. This one is about Lyle Overbay's final days here in the Burgh:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11210/1163738-63.stm

Dejan Kovacevic of the Tribune-Review reported yesterday that the Pirates made a "hard" push for Carlos Beltran. His belief is that the Bucs are doing their best, but just can't find a fit. His final sentiments: Trying isn't good enough:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_748977.html

Joe Posnanski of Sports Illustrated wrote yet another fine piece on the Pirates:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1188683/index.htm

This article is from Bob Nightengale of the USA Today. Are the Pirates America's Team?:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/pirates/2011-07-28-pittsburgh-pirates-talk-of-baseball_n.htm


Bonus - My weekly nod to Dejan Kovacevic'slive chat transcript:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_748847.html


-

Pirates Mixed Bag: Opinions on Pirates Deadline Options, Pirates Wanted Beltran, A New View on Viewing Sports

All three articles today come from the Tribune-Review. This probably won't occur too often again, but they were on top of things more than others today.

A few notes before we get to the articles:
1. It looks like Carlos Pena is out of the running to join the Pirates. As I've said, I wasn't too high on him anyway, but he could only make us better.
2. Jason Kubel is the new name being thrown around. I must admit that I am very on board with this. He's a very good player who the Pirates may be able to keep long-term.
3. Jamey Carroll's name is also out there, but I don't see him being a huge addition. If we could get a Kubel or Upton first, I'd be much happier than just him alone. I'd settle for him if we could lock him up for a few years, but he isn't going to do enough this year.

From Rob Biertempfel:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_748766.html

From Dejan Kovacevic:
http://blog.triblive.com/dejan-kovacevic/2011/07/27/beltran-refused-to-waive-no-trade-for-pirates/

From Joe Starkey:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_748789.html


-

Pirates Mixed Bag: Jerry Meals, Jerry Meals, and Some Feel Good Pirates Stories

At 2 o' clock in the morning, after almost seven hours of gameplay, I watched my favorite baseball team lose a game on a call heard round the world. Jerry Meals will always be remembered now... and that's the worst thing that can happen to a major league umpire.

I can't say the guy doesn't deserve everything he gets. He obviously wanted to beat the early morning traffic home. How else do you explain him inexplicacly calling Julio Lugo safe at home, after Michael McKenry applied a tag five feet in front of home plate?

I've watched baseball for a long time and suffered through over 100 games a season (even I couldn't watch them all) of Pirates' baseball for years and years, and I've never seen a runner called safe at any base when the ball beats him to the bag... whether he was tagged or not! I do believe the right call needs to be made, but let's just say he missed him for grins and giggles. The ball was so far in front of Lugo that he had to be called out. Even if he was wrong, not a single person would be discussing it today.

But here we are, and Jerry Meals name is synonomous with baseball umpiring failures right next to Jim Joyce. Here's to hoping Meals admits his fault and explains why he actually made that call. It would be much more noble than the nonsensical excuse he tried to pull so far.



Here's the rest of the best on last night's loss:

Fourteen Pirates Talking Points

I enjoyed doing this the first time around, so I've decided to do it again. These are fourteen questions posed by Bob Smizik on his blog on post-gazette.com. This column may become a regular if Mr. Smizik makes it a regular thing. Enjoy!

Pirates Mixed Bag: Buster Olney on the Bucs, Differing Views on Huntington's Deadline Approach, Pirates Perennial Trade Deadline Winners?

Let me start off by saying Pedro Alvarez is back in the big leagues. That is all.

First, we have an interview Buster Olney of ESPN did with Joe Giardina of the Pittsburgh Sports Report. It doesn't really tell us anything new, but it's Buster Olney so I had to get it on the blog:
http://www.pittsburghsportsreport.com/PSR/node/2561

Next, we have a post from Bob Smizik's blog on post-gazette.com. He suggests that the Pirates' window of opportunity may be shut before it really even opens and the Bucs need to make a deal now:
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29523-pressure-is-on-huntington

And of course we have a fitting column from Ron Cook of the Post-Gazette who thinks the complete opposite of Smizik. Cook preaches patience in making a deal and thinks general manager Neal Huntington is going about the deadline perfectly:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11206/1162776-87-0.stm

And last we have a very interesting article out of the New York Post by Joel Sherman. Sherman thinks the Pirates have done a great job at the deadline from 2008-2010, rating them as "winners" purely on deadline deals:
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/phillies_have_stellar_deadline_track_IY0lj7clODsAfmovYzWZfK


-

Bucs Need Pedro, But Fans Need to Relax

Fans are jumping off the Pirates bandwagon faster than they jumped on and that new found trust in the front office has just about dwindled down to nothing.

A Pirates Article on CNN! We've Gone Global!

Joe Starkey of the Tribune-Review did a fantastic article for CNN.com today. It kind of just recaps the season, but it's worth reading because... well... it's on freaking CNN!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/21/pittsburgh.pirates.baseball/index.html?&hpt=hp_c2

Pirates Mixed Bag: Judging the Pirates, Mike McKenry's Success, Carlos Beltran to the Burgh?

I have a huge bag of Pirates' goodies today and I'm sure more will be coming tomorrow. The trade deadline is heating up and rumors continue to swirl so there is quite a bit of information out there on that front. Then there's tons of great articles on the current Pirates as they stand right now. I wouldn't post them if they weren't good so if you're a fan, read them all.


1. Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette lays a huge wake-up call on Bucco fans. I very much agree with him, but putting a damper on the Carlos Beltran pursuit, illegitimate as it may be, is not cool. Let us enjoy this, we don't get to do it too often:
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29507-could-we-wait-until-july-31-before-pronouncing-judgment-on-pirates

2. Even after Tim Kurkjian of ESPN.com guessed that Carlos Beltran will be traded to the Pirates, the news hasn't been promising. Here is probably the best assessment of where the Pirates stand in the Beltran sweepstakes. This comes from Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/07/20/carlos.beltran/index.html

3. Here is Smizik again with some fun tidbits about the Pirates. Actually this one is somewhat of wake-up call to Pirates' fans as well especially to those who dislike Jose Veras for whatever God forsaken reason...:
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29492-time-to-spend-some-money

4. This is my first Gene Collier repost, but it certainly won't be my last. As always, Collier, of the Post-Gazette, provides a fact-filled and humorous take on the success the Pirates have had with Michael McKenry behind the plate:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11202/1161894-150-0.stm

5. Last we have Joe Starkey of the Tribune-Review and an interesting article about "Moneyball." Especially the comparison of Neal Huntington to Billy Beane:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_747709.html

Bonus: The Trib's Dejan Kovacevic's weekly chat transcript. Always worth a view:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_747633.html


-

Pirates Mixed Bag: The Time is Now for Carlos Pena, Pitching Only Getting Better, Players Welcome Trade

Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette is of the thinking that the Pirates shouldn't sit around and wait for Carlos Pena. If they're gonna do it, do it now. I have to admit I'm starting to fall for Pena now that I'm realizing Garrett Jones will not be a part of the Pirates future and there isn't too much else out there that the Bucs can realistically get. Anyway, here's the article:
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29481-carlos-pena-the-time-is-now




The Pirates pitching has been incredible and it continues to get better. This is the one part of the team that I have bought into even if I am still on the fence about their hitters. This article about that very topic also comes from Mr. Smizik:
http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/29480-pitching-gets-better-and-better

Dejan Kovacevic of the Tribune Review suggests that while the Pirates feel they can win with what they have, they will welcome a move to help the team now with open arms:
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_747512.html


-