I have a hunch Kip Wells will be sharp tonight.
Also, regarding the whole series, the Pirates finally catch a team without a winning record, so there's some danger that the Rockies might catch them with their guard down. There is no little enemy, right.
The team is back to six games under, a station they've often occupied. If they can rattle off four straight wins, or win six of the next eight, and go into September a game under .500, then they have a chance at the 83-win season I prophesied earlier in the year. And a better chance at an 82 or 81-win season. Both things would be a cause for great rejoicing in Buccoland.
With all the call-ups, they will be a better team provided they play to win. The bullpen could be tremendous with an extra group of guys hanging around to sop up some low-leverage mop-up work & thus keep Mesa, Torres, Gonzalez, Meadows et al fresh. With some extra starters around, and it being the end of the season, Mac can yank Vogelsong or Fogg at the first sign of trouble and see what some other guy can do. The regular rotation of starting position players should continue throughout the rest of the year with occassional starts for cup-of-joe guys when matchups are favorable. If the Pirates play to win, the expanded roster will do more to improve them than it will do to help, say, the Cardinals or the Cubs.
...I knew that pre-game hot dog eating contest was a bad idea.
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