NFL draft thread

Steelers picking guys today. Ed Bouchette guesses Kentwan Balmer of North Carolina.

Game 24: Phillies at Pirates

Kyle Kendrick and Matt Morris tonight at seven.

Game 23: Phillies at Pirates

Adam Eaton and Zach Duke at seven.

Game 22: Cardinals at Pirates

Pineiro and Gorzelanny at seven.

Pirates riding a two-game win streak to lift themselves to three games under .500.

Game 21: Cardinals at Pirates

Todd Wellemeyer and Ian Snell.

Pujols owns Snell, sad to say, so maybe they don't pitch to him tonight.

Game 20: Marlins at Pirates

April is the cruelest month.

Paul Maholm and Ricky Nolasco tonight at seven.

Game 19: Marlins at Pirates

Enough of the Cubs for now. At seven it's Matt Morris and Mark Hendrickson.

There has been a pattern with the starts of Morris lately. All eyes on the fourth inning. Can he make two trips through the Marlins' lineup?

Game 18: Pirates at Cubs

Zach Duke, Ryan Dempster, two o'clock.

Game 17: Pirates at Cubs

This road trip is not going so well. The Pirates need a win soon. Today at one it's Tom Gorzelanny and Jason Marquis.

Game 16: Pirates at Cubs

Ian Snell and Rich Hill for a 2:20pm scheduled start.

The weather forecast looks good enough for Iowa Pirate, who is making the trip to see this one.

One time I went to Wrigley for a 2pm game, and it rained, and there was a six-hour rain delay. That's a long time to eat hot dogs, drink beer, and explore the corners of the stadium with a roof. You can't leave the stadium and return on your torn ticket, so there were not many people left when they started the game around eight.

Off day

Nothing doin'.

Game 15: Pirates at Dodgers

The Pirates will try to walk off the Los Angeles at ten.

Paul Maholm and Brad Penny square off.

Patience

Dejan Kovacevic writes how the Pirates think they can walk off the Island of Misfit Ballplayers.

Game 14: Pirates at Dodgers

Matt Morris and Hong-Chih Kuo at ten o'clock.

Pirates have opened the season as a .500 team. They are 7-6, 3-3 at home, 4-3 on the road, and they've scored the same number (69) as they have allowed (69).

Sure, it's early. We all know that. But the April games count. All this is for real.

Game 13: Pirates at Dodgers

The Pirates are on the West Coast for a three-game series with the Dodgers. It's Zach Duke and Hiroki Kuroda tonight at 10.

After LA, they fly to Chicago to play the Cubs before coming home for an unusual three-team, seven-game homestand.

All hail the sweep

The Pirates just swept the Reds to climb back to .500.

No snark intended here - this is a pretty good achievement for this team. Even that year they fought back to 30-30, they were ripped and blown out for most of early April.

So all hail that. Raise your Dogfish Head or whatever you drink for sports-related celebrations.

Jason Bay looked strong this series. Here's a photo for the drinking-room wall. The wind was blowing in something fierce when he knocked that out and scored the game's only run.

Jason Bay has played in 11 of the team's 12 games. He's 11-for-39 with a double, three home runs, and 11 walks.

.282 / .440 / .538 ... welcome back, Jason Bay

Game 12: Reds at Pirates

Good game last night. It makes a big difference when they win.

This afternoon, it's Johnny Cueto and Tom Gorzelanny. Cueto has been the phenom. Should be interesting. The game is scheduled to start at 1:30.

Game 11: Reds at Pirates

Bronson Arroyo and Ian Snell at seven.

Game 10: Reds at Pirates

Tonight at seven, Edinson Volquez and Paul Maholm.

The Bucs have lost three in a row to fall to 3-6. Three of nine is how you get to be 30-60 at the All-Star Break. If the players are going to be better than that, the team needs to start winning some series.

Game 9: Cubs at Pirates

Matt Morris and Rich Hill at seven.