Off day

No game today. Reds this weekend at home, and then more Brewers.

Game 122: Cardinals at Pirates

Paul, please pitch around Pujols.

Game 121: Cardinals at Pirates

Karstens and Carpenter at seven. If Newly-Acquired-Upside somehow counted as runs, the Bucs win this game by 100.

Cole and Bell sign

SI's Jon Heyman reports. Wow. We are having a Slot-Busting Party on the roof of the Beer Fort. Upside for everyone!

Game 120: Cardinals at Pirates

McDonald and Westbrook at seven.

Meanwhile, the draft deadline hovers at midnight. Must. Sign. Upside.

Game 119: Pirates at Brewers

Morton and Marcum at two. From deep within the Beer Fort, I smell a WIN.

Game 118: Pirates at Brewers

Correia and Erik Estrada at four. Derrek Lee texts Armando Rios with his one good hand.

Game 117: Pirates at Brewers

Maholm and hidden vigorish take on Greinke at eight with the pennant on the line. Prepare to untuck.

Off day

The Bucs rest today, and watch video of Nyjer Morgan in preparation for the Brewers tomorrow.

The losing streak not surprisingly has hurt the playoff odds, which have dipped to 75.5%.

Game 116: Pirates at Giants

Karstens vs. Sanchez in a day game. Bucs must win to keep playoff hopes alive.

Game 115: Pirates at Giants

McDonald and Bumgarner at ten.

We shudder to think that before yesterday an entire cohort of zero-to-ten-day-olds had never tasted a WIN.

Game 114: Pirates at Giants

Charlie Morton swaggers into San Francisco to take on the New and Improved Ryan Vogelsong and Jeff Keppinger at ten. Playoff implications abound.

Game 113: Padres at Pirates

Correia and Latos this afternoon. The Bucs need to swagger and BUNT to victory.

Game 112: Padres at Pirates

Skyblast! Bad baseball to be followed by even worse music. Game starts soon.

Maholm and Iron Balls take on some no-name guy. Pedro gets the night off. Derrek Lee is busy in the trainer's room, reading texts from Armando Rios.

Game 111: Padres at Pirates

Karstens hosts the Harangutan and the last-place hapless Padres at seven.

We just got the Win Meter back from the shop, and it's glowing green and beeping loudly.

Game 110: Cubs at Pirates

McDonald and Lopez at seven.

It would be magically exciting to see Ludwick BUNT. Again.

Game 109: Cubs at Pirates

Home Run Derby, featuring only Derrek "Long Balls" Lee (aka Operation Moonshot), starts tonight at seven. One of the Charlie Mortons will pitch.

All four wings of the Beer Fort are either on fire or smoldering. Must. Win. Now.

Game 108: Cubs at Pirates

Derrek Lee Home Run Derby starts at seven.

We're still working on a new nickname for the 2011 World Series MVP. Leon? D-Manlee? D-Leong Ball? Jose DeLeeong Ball? Derrek Ballgame? Bill MazeroskLee? Roberto ClementLee? WilLee Stargell?

Game 107: Cubs at Pirates

Derrek Lee, Ryan Ludwick, and Maholm lead the new look Bucs vs. Zambrano at seven.

Game 106: Pirates at Phillies

Karstens and Worley starting now. Overbay gets his likely final start at 1B with Lee joining the team tomorrow. With the deadline approaching, no other trades reported yet.

Bucs trade for Derrek Lee

Bucs trade minor league 1B Aaron Baker to the Orioles for Derrek Lee and cash, the Baltimore Sun reports.

The only red flag here is that Derrek Lee has not laid down a bunt since 2004, and has only 2 in nearly 8000 plate appearances. As long as D-Lee is willing to work within the new system and work on his bunting game, this is a huge win for the Bucs and their playoff roster.

Game 105: Pirates at Phillies

McDonald and Lee at seven.

Iron Balls McKenry: 666 OPS on the season, 790 OPS in July, 935 OPS the last seven days.

Game 104: Pirates at Phillies

Roy Halladay and one of his clones, a Charlie Morton, at seven.

Andrew McCutchen #2 in NL for WAR.

Game 103: Pirates at Braves

Correia, Lowe, and (hopefully) the return of Iron Balls at seven.

Game 102: Pirates at Braves

Maholm and Jurrjens at seven.

Last night's six-hour, nineteen-inning game ended with the most egregious blown call, in any sport, I've ever seen. I've watched a lot of sports. Seriously, that has to be the worst call by a baseball umpire ever.

Game 101: Pirates at Braves

Karstens, Pedro, and Fort Iron City Balls take on the Hanson Brothers at seven.

Game 100: Pirates at Braves

McDonald and Hudson at seven.

First place again. Playoff odds rising.

Game 99: Cardinals at Pirates

Lohse and Morton at 1:30.

Kids Jose Tabata jersey day.

This is a real public service for all thirteen-year-old boys out to impress the college girls.

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.

Game 82: Pirates at Nationals

It was a regular pistol-whipping as the Pirates took game one of this doubleheader.

Game 81: Pirates at Nationals

Coasting into the middle point of the season, the Pirates are on pace for 98 wins.

They take their big, powerful-looking big bats into Washington, where our starters will stand tall against the slouchy National pitchers.

One of the Charlie Mortons and Tom Gorzelanny at seven.

Game 80: Pirates at Blue Jays

After a minor setback, the Pirates continue their dominance of the hapless, banjo-hitting AL.

Karstens and Cecil to start. Game on at 7.

Game 79: Pirates at Blue Jays

This dominance of the hapless AL continues tonight at 7pm.

Maholm and Morrow will start.

Game 78: Pirates at Blue Jays

Top of the fifth, Pirates up 6-3.

Perez and Correia are pitching.

Off day

Pirates get a day off to pack things for the trip to Toronto.

Game 77: Red Sox at Pirates

McDonald and Miller starting soon.

The Bucs don't want to tip their hand since these teams will likely meet again in the playoffs, so some of the backups are playing.

Game 76: Red Sox at Pirates

Return of Wakefield tonight at seven.

Flattery is rooting around in somebody's dumpster, finding something you like, then using it for 17 years.

Game 75: Bucs 3, Red Sox 1

If the league was realigned into overall talent tiers, the elite teams like the Bucs, Red Sox, and Yankees would get to play each other more often.

Still three back.

Three back

The Bucs are off today, and just three out of first place.

Game 74: Orioles at Pirates

To have any chance for the Cy Young, Kevin Correia must beat Zach Britton today. Game starts at 12:35.

The latest odds of the Bucs winning the division have dipped to 30%. Again: Must. Win. Game.

Game 73: Orioles at Pirates

Pirates have four runs after 2, which is pretty impressive, the way they have been hitting.

Woody Guthrie and James McDonald are the pitchers.

Pirates are back to being two games under .500 and need the win, of course, as always.

Game 72: Orioles at Pirates

Another match-up I'd like to see much more often.

But not with this result. Orioles lead 7-0 in the bottom of the second.

Bad Charlie started. Jake Arrieta pitching for the 5's and 2's.

Game 71: Pirates at Indians

Karstens and Masterson starting soon. Offensive call-ups and trade acquisitions still en route.

Game 70: Pirates at Indians

Pirates still above .500.

Paul Maholm and Hector Carrasco at 7.

Game 69: Pirates at Indians

Correia and Tomlin at seven.

Pirates are 35-33; the Indians, who once had the best record in all baseball, are 36-31.

How great would it be if these two teams were division rivals. The Indians could be the Browns of baseball.

Game 68: Pirates at Astros

The winning Pirates take on the hapless Astros again.

Game starts in about half an hour. McDonald and Lyles are the starters.

Time to start brainstorming about who the Pirates will add, at the trade deadline, for the defense of their national championship.

Those Mets had a pretty good-looking catcher who might be available, given the pathetic down-on-their-luck condition of that scandal-plagued franchise.

Game 67: Pirates at Astros

One of the Charlie Mortons takes on Happless tonight at eight.

The Bucs are 33-33 and four games out of first place. Playoff odds are 75.5%.

Game 66: Bucs 1, Astros 0

We raise our glasses to the proposed league realignment, and the day the mighty Bucs won't have to regularly play the hapless last-place Astros.

Game 65: Mets at Pirates

Maholm and Pelfrey at seven.

In other news, all hail new Trib columnist Dejan Kovacevic, who now has a free blog, reports Bucs have signed a new catcher, thinks Huntington should be extended, and like me, cried* outside after Bream's slide (* very briefly in our case).

Game 64: Mets at Pirates

Was mighty entertained by last night's game. McCutchen took that HBP like a chambpion.

Today it is Chris Capuano and Huntington's Correia at one-thirty.

Game 63: Mets at Pirates

McDonald, Dickey, and Ronny Ballgame open up for Zambelli Fireworks and Huey Lewis and the News. Prepare to be entertained.

Game 62: Mets at Pirates

The Pirates welcome the Mets to town.

Gee and Morton at seven.

Game 61: D'backs at Pirates

Collmenter and Karstens for the white-hot Lumber Company. At 7.

Game 60: Bucs win!

Bucs clinch the pennant with a dramatic clutch Cutch jack in the 12th! And many beverages ensued.

Game 59: D'backs at Pirates

Dion Hudson and Cy Correia at seven.

In a Cole sweat

The World Champion Bucs came in first place in the draft today, and selected UCLA RHP Gerrit Cole. Despite the big, powerful Cole not being the best bunter on his college team, we are penciling him in to start Game 1 of the 2015 World Series.

On Pittsburgh, Cole aptly notes the "...fans are unbelievable." We raise our glass to young Gerrit, who sorely needs a nickname. Stone Cole?

Game 58: Phillies at Pirates

It's a beautiful day for another beatdown of the hapless Phillies.

McDonald and Halladay at 1:30.

Game 57: Phillies at Pirates

Dion Kendrick and a Charlie Morton at seven.

Pirates are 27-29 and 5 1/2 games out.

Game 56: Phillies at Pirates

Hamels and Karstens at seven.

Game 55: Pirates at Mets

The entertainment continues this afternoon.

Maholm and Pelfrey at one.

Game 54: Pirates at Mets

Cy Correia and Dion Capuano at seven.

I looked but could not find Josh Harrison on the All-Star Ballot. Maybe I'm spelling his name wrong?

Game 53: Pirates at Mets

Game underway. Mets 1, Entertainment 0 in the fifth or something.

Game 52: Pirates at Mets

At seven, one of the Charlie Mortons and Dion Gee in the House of Madoff.

Game 51: Pirates at Cubs

Pirates continue to play possum, bobbing along just under .500. And the Cubs are making it tough for them to continue to lay low. The difference between the two teams is just that striking.

Karstens and Dempster will start. Game on at 2:20pm.

Look for Iowa Pirate in the crowd. No description necessary -- you'll know him when you see him.

Game 50: Pirates at Cubs

Today, the Pirates continue their pounding of the hapless Cubs.

Paul Maholm will get the win.

Game 49: Pirates at Cubs

Tomorrow at 2pm, Correia and Davis to start.

Correia should be primed to re-assert his frontrunner status for the NL Cy Young award.

Game 48: Braves at Pirates

Bucs BUNT but lose? If the Bucs are going to average 1 run per game, they will need to draft many more talented pitchers.

Game 47: Braves at Pirates

Game on. Jurrgens and one of those Charlie Mortons.

Game 46: Tigers at Pirates

Maholm and Porcello starting soon as the Bucs try to get back to .500.

Steve Pearce gets the start at 3B for the raptured Pedro Alvarez.

Game 45: Tigers at Pirates

Scherzer and Correia at seven.

Nice day for a ballgame.

Game 44: Tigers at Pirates

Somewhere in the award-winning archives I have a proposal for radical MLB realignment, with Detroit and Pittsburgh in the same division.

Little-known fact: Jerome Bettis is from Detroit.

Baseball game is on. No score last I checked.

Game 43: Pirates at Reds

BUNT. Win. Again.

Playoff odds rising.

Game 42: Pirates at Reds

A Charlie Morton with Bronson Arroyo for the upstart Reds, at seven.

Game 41: Pirates at Nationals

Maholm and Lannan in this preview of a likely playoff match-up.

Game at seven.

Game 40: Pirates at Brewers

Correia and Greinke starting soon.

The Bucs own the hapless Brewers so hopefully the umps can keep this one close today.

Game 39: Pirates at Brewers

Karstens and Narveson at four.

Game 38: Pirates at Brewers

After last night's rainout, the Pirates remain a game under.

McDonald and Gallardo at eight.

Game 38: Dodgers at Pirates

18-19, but still three games back of St. Louis.

Maybe the Cardinals fell asleep at the wheel, waiting for the light to change.

Jon Garland and a Charlie Morton at seven.

Game 37: Dodgers at Pirates

Bucs at 18-18, three games behind St. Louis.

Kuroda and Maholm at seven.

Game 36: Dodgers at Pirates

Lilly and Correia at seven.

Beer fort in magnificent shape.

Game 35: Dodgers at Pirates

The Pirates, at 17-17, are moving in on first place in the NL Central.

The Dodgers, at 16-19, must envy the stable leadership of the Nutting family.

Billingsley and Karstens will start. Game on at seven.