Game 98: Cardinals at Pirates

Garcia and Correia at seven.

Pirates will wear the Grays uniforms.

I will do the same in the beer fort, and juggle sparklers afterwards.

Game 97: Cardinals at Pirates

Friday at seven: Carpenter and Maholm.

Pirates are six games up, and they should be getting some players back over the weekend.

I am curious to see how anticipated whipping-boy Pedro Alvarez would fare if promoted to the Show to work on that 587 OPS. Any talk about bringing him up should be grounded in the fact that his 2011 season has been a huge bust to date. It's not Ryan Braun we'd be getting back.

That said, I was looking around at various pre-season projections and whatever he did in 2010, was clearly promising for a man his age. ZIPS suggested a 116 OPS+ and 116 RBI with 28 HRs in a near-full season. Alvarez looks like the kind of player a budget-minded team would trade for--the next Andy Laroche, maybe.

The Pirates should give him another shot with that in mind. Some of these guys will be for real, and the opportunity to be the team that finds out, is a valuable one that is not to be squandered, especially when Ronny Cedeno might be the third or fourth best hitter on the active roster. He's up to a 924 OPS at AAA. I'd like to see him recalled when hot and then, if he does not hit much in a week, sent down again. I'm not sure if that is practical in terms of minor-league options etc., but this team does not hit so well that they can afford to keep Alvarez down there, destroying minor-league pitching.

Game 96: Reds at Pirates

Cueto and Karstens at 12:30.

Game 95: Reds at Pirates

Leake and McDonald at seven.

Good $60 seats available in the baseball club level.

Standing tall

The Pirates not only in sole possession of first place -- a half game over the Brewers and the Cardinals -- they are also a good six games above .500.

Game 94: Pirates at Reds

Willis and McDonald at seven.

Pirates are 49-44, and a half-game back of the Cardinals.

The simulations give the Reds a greater chance (~81%) at the playoffs. The Reds are a little more worthy than the hapless Astros, making this series an important test.

It will help answer the question, never far from my mind: "Will the Pirates squeak into the playoffs, or will they win 105 games, like they did last year?"

Game 93: Pirates at Umps

Pirates could have done a lot of things better last night, sure.

Correia and Rodriguez at two.

Game 92: Pirates at Astros

Game on at seven.

Maholm and Norris to start.

First Place Party

Going on up here.

Game 91: Pirates at Astros

Karstens and Myers at eight. The Bucs are one game back.

Now that the burgeoning baseball market in Pittsburgh could support two MLB franchises, why not move the hapless 30-62 Astros to the AL, as the Pittsburgh Astros? We wouldn't cover them here, of course, but at least they'd have fans show up to make noise.

All Star Break

That's right, take a break.

Game 90: Cubs at Pirates

Last call before the All-Star break.

Old Ramon Ortiz and Paul Maholm at 1:30.

Also Kid's Peirogy Wind-Up Racer Day.

Game 89: Cubs at Pirates

The hapless Cubs will try again at 7.

Cryin' Dempster and Cy Correia to start.

After the game, more sparklers and an eight-track.

Beer Fort McHenry

Surprised but cannot disagree with Dejan Kovacevic's case that last night's homer was the best of the sad, short history of PNC Park.

Game 88: Cubs at Pirates

Last nights' loss mucked up my Skyblast. Hall & Oates tape would not play, and the sparklers burnt holes in both the carpet and the leather sofa. Not entertained.

Nevermind. More than 24 hours to prepare for the next game.

Friday at seven: Lopez and McDonald as the Pirates gun for their 46th win.

Game 87: Astros at Pirates

Norris and a Morton at seven.

After the win, here in the beer fort, our own private Skyblast (beer, Hall & Oates tape, juggling sparklers).

Game 86: Astros at Pirates

Wandy and Karstens at seven.

Pirates are a game and a half back of St. Louis and three games over .500.

Game 85: Astros at Pirates

Myers, Maholm, and a whole bunch of Chuck Tanner floppy hats at one thirty.

Game 84: Pirates at Nationals

Correia and Marquis at 1:30.

Pirates are 42-41, 2.5 games back of the Brewers and Cardinals.

Game 83: Pirates at Nationals

Game two in progress.

Bottom of the second with Brad Lincoln auditioning for a role on the playoff roster.

Nats up 1-0.