Game 161: Cardinals at Pirates

Gorzelanny and Wainwright, just underway. 1-0 Pirates. Gorzo going for his 15th win.

New scouting director

Ed Creech will likely be relieved of his duties, Dejan Kovacevic reports:

Two team sources said that, although general manager Neal Huntington has just begun his new job, the evaluations of Creech's work from upper management -- including ownership -- are negative enough that he is a virtual lock to be replaced.

Game 160: Cardinals at Pirates

Wellemeyer and Duke at seven.

On Tracy

Dejan Kovacevic asked some questions and got some answers from the players.

It's hard to see why he should be coming back.

Game 159: D'backs at Pirates

Owings and Armas in relief of JVB. In progress. We may have to wait another day for win #68. It's 4-0 Arizona.

Game 158: D'backs at Pirates

Hernandez and Morris at seven.

Game 157: D'backs at Pirates

Osoria and Pena now in the seventh. Bucs lead 2-1.

We will win 67. One of these days. Maybe tonight.

GM day

UPDATED. Huntington hired.

No word on whether or not he accepted the slot money for the job. Not that I care either way, mind you.

As WTM writes in the comments, "that feeling of abject hopelessness is lifting like a fog on a sunny morning."

Go forth and celebrate.

Off day

I got two pair, sixes and sevens.

What do you have?

Huntington

The conflicting reports have resolved themselves. John Perrotto reports the Pirates got a chorus of "hell no" on that Huntington will be hired. Paul Meyer reads the tea leaves and says Huntington remains the man.

Game 156: Pirates at Cubs

Gorzelanny and Zambrano at 2:20pm. The Pirates will continue their late-September tour of the NL Central as equal-opportunity patsies.

NFL Week 3: 49ers at Steelers

Somehow or other, the 49ers are 2-0 as they step into Heinz Field this afternoon. They are led by Akili Smith (??), who I thought would be playing in the CFL this year. And - here is the craziest part - former Vice President Al Gore (?!) starts at running back. He'll try to be the first player to rush for 100 yards against the Steelers since the early days of the Cowher era. Call me overconfident--I think the Steelers can stuff this guy, no problem.

Fire up the Jimmy Psihoulis and Bill Yeager.