PIT at NY (N) 5-10-13

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Fun Fact: Wandy Rodriguez's actual first name is ... Wandy. Wandy Fulton Rodriguez. This was revealed only after he spent two years pretending to be Eny Cabreja, so as to appear to be two years younger than he actually was.

Here he is with his Wandy-Wifey, Luz:



Wandy is 5-2, 2.88 career vs. the Mets including wins last year for the Astros and Pirates. When he was traded to the Pirates last summer, he was the last remaining member of the Astros' 2005 World Series team.

Turner and Wright have HRs off Wandy.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That beard is on-point!

Like, it looks like it came from an extra-fine black-ink Uniball.

[seawolf17]

Wandy was the true star of that SNL-style Pirates lineup video.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The "real" Eny Cabreja was a childhood friend of Wandy. Wandy took his name so as to improve his chances of being looked at as a pitcher after spending his teens as an outfielder under his real name failed to get him signed.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Teufel gets a PTO to attend his daughter's graduation. Goodwin moves to coach third, per JayHo's tweet. Who gets the nod at first? Hudgens? Geren? Someone on Twitter suggested it be the person who made the last out.

[seawolf17]

Could a player coach first base? Is there a rule on that? I suppose there must be.

[seawolf17]

From the rule book:

Rule 2.00 Definition of Terms: A BASE COACH is a team member in uniform who is stationed in the coach�s box at first or third base to direct the batter and the runners. A COACH is a team member in uniform appointed by the manager to perform such
duties as the manager may designate, such as but not limited to acting as base coach.

Rule 3.17: Players and substitutes of both teams shall confine themselves to their team�s benches unless actually participating in the play or preparing to enter the game, or coaching at first or third base.

So I'm assuming they could. I wonder how often (if) this has ever happened.

[Edgy MD]

Players definitely can coach the bases. It's the standard with most minor league teams.

[dinosaur jesus]

Until the 1910's, the base coaches were usually players; the first full-time base coach was Arlie Latham in 1900. (I'm getting this from Peter Morris's A Game of Inches, a terrific book.) I'm sure there have been lots of occasions since then when players had to step in, especially before there were so many assistant coaches on a team.

Managers used to coach third base too, and of course still do in the minors, which is how I got to see Jose Valentin close up without his mustache last year. If you think Keith Hernandez looks weird clean-shaven . . .

[G-Fafif]

In The Happiest Recap Game No. 11, 8/21/1962, the story is told of 3B coach Solly Hemus getting thrown out for arguing, 1B coach Cookie Lavagetto replacing him and Gene Woodling come off the bench to replace him. Then Woodling was called on by Casey to pinch-hit, so Richie Ashburn volunteered the services of Marv Throneberry, and Stengel went along with it. Why not -- the Mets were in the midst of a 13-game losing streak...which ended in the ninth when Marv left the box to pinch-hit with two on, two out and the Mets down by two.

Coach Marvelous homered to win the game and end the streak. You can look it up.

[batmagadanleadoff]

VRAM!

[G-Fafif]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: VRAM!

Exactly.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Muffy and Buck getting a blow. Recker has hardly shown his dreamy face this year, but let tonight be his arrival.

1. SS: Ruben Tejada
2. 2B: Justin Turner
3. 3B: David Wright
4. LF: Lucas Duda
5. RF: Marlon Byrd
6. 1B: Ike Davis
7. C: Anthony Recker
8. CF: Juan Lagares
9. SP: Shaun Marcum

Pittsburghers
1. LF: Starling Marte
2. 2B: Jordy Mercer
3. CF: Andrew McCutchen
4. 1B: Garrett Jones
5. RF: Jose Tabata
6. 3B: Pedro Alvarez
7. C: Michael McKenry
8. SS: John McDonald
9. SP: Wandy Rodriguez

[Edgy MD]

Damn. They're playing McCutcheon again.

That guy blows my mind. He's got the detachment of a zen master, and the powerful but incredibly lean physique of a world class sprinter. He's got this easy loping swing that seemingly has no internal violence but certainly executes external violence. He comes across as perhaps the most disciplined ballplayer in the league. He's already an MVP candidate, but I wouldn't be surprised if he continues to improve.



He wore one long sleeve and one short one last night, like he's Allen Iverson or something, and I'll forgive him for that, because he's so damn polished a ballplayer. Polished and deadly.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Geren coaching first. Marcum breezes through the first, and the Mets get breezed through in the bottom.

[Zvon]

Ha. They held Jones at third. Amazin'

[Zvon]

Wow. And what a throw by Byrd. They plate one though.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Marcum has given up three straight shots, but Tabata ignores the dictum about making the first out at third and gets gunned down by Byrd as one run scores. Marcum is a grounder away from turning a decapitation into a shaving cut.

[Zvon]

They are slappin Marcum around pretty good here. He still can get out of it with minimum damage.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Four straight shots. At this point he is only fooling the people who pay him to be a major league pitcher.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

He plunks the 8 hitter, and if he can induce a DP from the pitcher he can still emerge from this mess with just one run allowed.

[ashie62]

I'd like to cede Marcum's next turn to Colin McCough...

[Zvon]

Swan Swan H wrote: Four straight shots. At this point he is only fooling the people who pay him to be a major league pitcher.

He doesn't look like one in any way, shape, or form.

Takes a liner off his glove wrist. Oy

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Tejada can't make the play on a slow roller, and it's 3-0. This game has gotten bumped to the small box on the P-I-P in favor of the Rangers.

[Zvon]

Tejeda does not want to help Marcum out. He's gotta make that play. Come on.

Looks like that shot off his wrist is paining him now. So now we're all in pain.

A seeing eye single

Edited May 10, 2013 by Guest

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Ike serves one nicely into left for a single.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Recker bloops one into left and the Pirates outfielders, transfixed by his beauty, allow it to drop ever so gently onto the soft, lush lawn.

[Frayed Knot]

Well those two innings only take an hour.
What's that commercial? not going anywhere for a while ...

[Frayed Knot]

Asking Gary to comment on Sabermetrics is like asking Nancy Pelosi to comment on the Tea Party

[Zvon]

Wright trying to get the pahtey started with a lead off double in the 4rth.