IGT, 6/26, Mets @ Pittsburgh, Vic Black's Homecoming

[Edgy MD]

Daisuke Matsuzaka opposes former Phillie philler Vance Worley. Mets enter the four-game set sitting three games behind the Steel Towners in the league-wide standings. Mets took two of three at Shea 2 in late May.

This is Pittsburgh, folks, and that means promotions every NIGHT. Tonight, it's Zambelli Fireworks. (If it ain't Grucci, then it cuts no ice with me, but Pittsburgh can't have everything.)

[Frayed Knot]

Curtis Granderson, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Lucas Duda, 1b
Bobby Abreu, lf
Juan Lagares, cf
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Ruben Tejada, ss
Daisuke Matsuzaka, rhp


Hey Chris Young, thanks for the 3 HRs over the last two nights ... now go grab some pine!

[Edgy MD]

Curtis Granderson, rf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Lucas Duda, 1b
Bobby Abreu, lf
Juan Lagares, cf
Ruben Tejada, ss
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Daisuke Matsuzaka, rhp

See how much sweeter the curvature is on this lineup if you bat Tejada seventh?

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: See how much sweeter the curvature is on this lineup if you bat Tejada seventh?

I can't believe Terry didn't take that into consideration.

[Vic Sage]

Aesthetics are under-appreciated in our society.

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at Pittsburgh
When: 7:05 PM ET, Thursday, June 26, 2014
Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
SportsDirect Inc.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are languishing at the .500 mark, but they have a chance to make a move in the standings when they kick off a 10-game homestand on Thursday against three teams sitting near the bottom of their respective divisions. First up for the Pirates is a four-game series with the New York Mets, who won two of three at home against Pittsburgh a month ago. The Pirates had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 5-1 defeat at Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh is getting reinforcements back for the series, with ace Gerrit Cole set to start Saturday following a three-week stint on the disabled list and left fielder Starling Marte passing a concussion test Wednesday. The Mets also are getting a key piece back in the lineup with the expected return of leadoff hitter Juan Lagares, who has been sidelined for more than three weeks with a right intercostal strain. New York had its three-game winning streak halted by Oakland on Wednesday.

TV:
7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Mets RH Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-1, 2.68 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Vance Worley (1-0, 1.98)

Matsuzaka absorbed his first defeat at Miami last time out despite allowing one run and six hits over 5 1/3 innings in his fifth start of the season. His previous outing lasted only one inning due to illness, but he went six strong innings against Milwaukee on June 10, permitting one run on three hits. Matsuzaka has struggled in his 10 appearances (three starts) away from home, striking out 18 and walking 15 in 21 1/3 innings.

Worley pitched seven scoreless innings at Miami on June 15 in his season debut and followed that up with 6 2/3 frames of three-run ball in a 5-3 win at the Chicago Cubs last time out. Worley saw plenty of the Mets from his days in Philadelphia, posting a 3-4 mark and 6.84 ERA in 10 appearances (eight starts). New York's Daniel Murphy has tormented the former Philadelphia pitcher, going 12-for-17 against him.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen, who is riding a five-game hitting streak, owns a .322 batting average against New York.
2. Mets OF Chris Young had three homers and four RBIs in the two-game set versus Oakland.
3. Worley was the Opening Day starter for Minnesota in 2013 but endured a miserable year, finishing 1-5 with a 7.21 ERA.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Timmy Teuf! I'd like a word with you.

[Edgy MD]

Pirates broadcast featuring Tim McCarver's memories of Ralph Kiner.

Walk, bunt, and a wild pitch, and Buccoz are threatening to score without a hit.

[Edgy MD]

Polanco scores it with a groundout.

He's fast.

[Edgy MD]

Lucas ties it up with a drive down the opposite line.

WIN IT FOR BLACKIE!!

[Edgy MD]

Abreu should just start off with a full count.

[Edgy MD]

Now they just displayed Kiner's Pirate records --- led the league in homers seven times in eight years --- and then announced that he was "elected to the Mets Hall of Fame in 1975."

No, he was elected to THE Hall of Fame.

[Edgy MD]

Does Matsuzaka have some pigment inconsistency or is he pinetarring his neck also?

[Edgy MD]

Well, that shift suck'd.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Well, that was just stupid.

Hell, McCutchen could have stolen home on his own.

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: Timmy Teuf! I'd like a word with you.

I was thinking "send him!"
lol.


I know. By a country mile.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Well, that was just stupid. Hell, McCutchen could have stolen home on his own.

Agreed. And agree w/Ron that Duda had to at least look over before making a move.

[Frayed Knot]

With the pitcher coming up and two outs the decision to send Abreu makes more sense.
Yeah it was a slow runner and a shallow hit, but with even a slightly an off-line throw you steal a run there.

[Frayed Knot]

Hey why not just hand these guys a bunch of runs without going through all the trouble of making them actually earn any of it.

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: With the pitcher coming up and two outs the decision to send Abreu makes more sense. Yeah it was a slow runner and a shallow hit, but with even a slightly an off-line throw you steal a run there.

My thinking is they have to execute perfectly to get him. But on that one I could see the whole play in front of me (on camera) and Abreu looked like he was running underwater and I could see he was a dead duck. And, as they usually do in the majors, the other team did executed the play pretty perfect.

If I was the coach, I still might have sent him. Abreu takes a bit to get up to speed, usually. That time it looked like he never got out of 2nd gear.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DICE! Gotta keep them in the park.

[Zvon]

Come Together. Agree Garr, awesome.

They should have an MLBeatles Day where everyones walkup music has to be a Beatles song. Like, Abreu could go with "When I'm 64".

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: Does Matsuzaka have some pigment inconsistency or is he pinetarring his neck also?

There's something going on back there. Looks like a soccer bite.

[ashie62]

See what happens when Chris Young sits?

[Edgy MD]

d'Arnaud and d'Avis are still buds.

[Edgy MD]

'Nudda double play.

Is that Alderson sitting behind home plate?

[MFS62]

Zvon wrote: They should have an MLBeatles Day where everyones walkup music has to be a Beatles song. Like, Abreu could go with "When I'm 64".

In his case, it would be a reminiscence.

Later

[Zvon]

Watson's due for a bad outing. Get it started Muffhead.

[Zvon]

A double is an acceptable start.

[Zvon]

Another double is even better.

Wright rips one down the 3rd baseline and Danny comes marching home.

5-2

You're big Duda.

Edited June 26, 2014 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

A little rally here in the eighth against the usually impermeable Tony Watson.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: A little rally here in the eighth against the usually impermeable Tony Watson.

I'm tellin ya, he's due. (Take the cue Lucas---UGH-K)