Game 98: Dodgers at Pirates

Volquez and Ryu tonight. PBC 1.5 games out.

Game 97: Rockies at Pirates

Rockies up 2-0 in the top of the first.

Game 96: Rockies at Pirates

Charlie Morton takes on Jimmy Anderson, starting soon. Bucs still 3.5 games back.

Game 95: Rockies at Pirates

Frankie and De La Rosa underway. Game is scoreless in the second. Bucs are 3.5 games out of first.

Game 94: Pirates at Reds

Frankie starting after returning from the DL. Cueto on for the Reds.

Game underway. Pirates down 3-1.

Game 93: Pirates at Reds

Morton and Leake at 7:15 for Free T-Shirt Night.

Game 92: Pirates at Reds

Locke and Latos at seven.

At 48-44, the Pirates are looking up at the 49-43 Reds.

Game 91: Pirates at Cardinals

Lynn and Cumpton starting soon. The PBC will try to not lose on a walk-off home run.

Game 90: Pirates at Cardinals

The Vanimal takes on Martinez and the hated Cards tonight at eight with the division on the line.

Game 89: Pirates at Cardinals

Wainwright and Morton tonight at eight. All-Star JFH is leading off and playing RF. The white-hot second-place PBC are now six games over .500 and just 4.5 games out.

Game 88: Phillies at Pirates

AJFB returns to face Locke. Game on.

Game 87: Phillies at Pirates

The beatings continue as McCutchen and the Pirates are up 3-1 in the fourth.

Beer fort still illuminated with sparklers and ordnance.

Game 86: Phillies at Pirates

Gerrit Cole and Paul Revere tonight at five.

The Bucs are 6.5 games out of first and will try to pick up some ground against the hapless last-place Phils. Happy Fourth everyone!

Game 85: Diamondbacks at Pirates

McCarthy and Worley, about to start.

Game 84: Diamondbacks at Pirates

Morton and Anderson at seven. Chuck leads the NL with 15 hit batters, so look for him to plunk somebody again tonight.

Game 83: Diamondbacks at Pirates

Locke continues to make his case for a World Series start. Mikey to go for the D-bags.

Game on at 7.

Game 81: Mets at Pirates

Cole and Niese today at four. Josh F. Harrison will usher you to your seats, throw out the first pitch, sing the national anthem, hit for the cycle, then strikeout the side for his first save of the season.

Game 80: Mets at Pirates

DeGrom and our new ace Cumpton. At 7.

Game 79: Mets at Pirates

The Vanimal takes on Matsuzaka tonight at seven with the playoffs on the line.

Game 78: Pirates at Rays

Pirates are up over .500 at 39-38.

Morton and Price at noon.

Game 77: Pirates at Rays

Locke and Archer tonight in a likely Game 3 World Series preview.

Game 76: Pirates at Rays

Volquez begins the run that will have him considered for Game 2 of the World Series. Tonight.

Alex Cobb will be the poor sap who gets in his way.

Game on at 7.

Game 75: Pirates at Cubs

Cumpton and Hammel starting soon as the PBC World Series push continues.

Game 74: Pirates at Cubs

For real this time, World Series push.

Worley and Wood in about thirty minutes.

Game 73: Pirates at Cubs

Morton and Jackson at four. The Bucs are two games behind .500 and ready to begin their World Series push.

Game 72: Reds at Pirates

Locke and Bailey underway. PBC down 2-0 in the fourth. GFP just extended his record-setting hitting streak.

Game 71: Reds at Pirates

Volquez and Simon tonight at seven.

Yesterday GFP tied Roberto Clemente's franchise record career-starting seven game hitting streak. He'll try to break that record tonight.

Game 70: Reds at Pirates

These two teams are about tied up just below .500.

Cueto and Cumpton will start at 7.

Game 69: Pirates at Marlins

Vance Worley makes his debut for the 34-34 Pirates against Henderson Alvarez.

Game on at 1pm. All Dads to their beer forts.

Game 68: Pirates at Marlins

Morton and Wolf underway. Bucs are up 2-0 in the second.

Game 67: Pirates at Marlins

The Pirates take their talents to South Beach.

Locke and Eovaldi at seven.

Game 66: Cubs at Pirates

Volquez and Samardzija tonight. Polanco leading off.

Game 65: Cubs at Pirates

Hammel and Cumpton at seven.

Would be entertained by a one-batter Polanco/Cumpton position switch around the fourth or fifth.

Game 64: Cubs at Pirates

Liriano and Wood tonight at seven. And so began the Gregory Polanco Era.

Game 63: Cubs at Pirates

Morton and Jackson underway. Bucs up 1-0 in the third. Bickle just slugged his first double of the season.

Game 62: Brewers at Pirates

Locke and Gallardo underway and scoreless in the first. Cole to the DL with shoulder fatigue. PBC three games under .500.

Game 61: Brewers at Pirates

Garza and Volquez at four.

Prepare to untuck.

Game 60: Brewers at Pirates

Cumpton and Lohse underway. Bucs up 2-0 in the second. Prepare to untuck.

MLB draft

Round one starts shortly. The PBC has the 24th overall pick and will likely take the BBA (Best Bunter Available).

Game 59: Pirates at Padres

Liriano and Kennedy underway. Frankie's in trouble in the first, with the Bucs down 1-0.

Game 58: Pirates at Padres

The Pirates have been winning some games on the west coast lately.

They look to keep rolling with Cole. The Padres counter with Hahn.

Game on at 10pm our time.

Game 57: Pirates at Padres

Stauffer and Morton starting soon. All-Star RF Josh Harrison and his .290 career OBP 128 OPS+ lead the charge for the PBC.

Game 56: Pirates at Dodgers

Volquez and Greinke starting soon. JHay leading off and starting in RF. Again.

Game 55: Pirates at Dodgers

Cumpton trying to stick vs. lefty Ryu.

Starting soon.

Broom is out, time to clean up around here.

Game 54: Pirates at Dodgers

Liriano and Beckett tonight in a likely NLCS preview.

Game 53: Pirates at Dodgers

Cole and Haren starting past your bedtime.

Game 51: Pirates at Mets

Morton and Colon underway. Mets up 2-0 in the third as the PBC gets their Benny Hill music on.

Game 50: Pirates at Mets

Volquez and Niese tonight. Petey gets the night off, with JHay leading off and starting at third.

Game 49: Pirates at Mets

Ike returns to New York.

Cumpton and deGrom at one.

Game 48: Nationals at Pirates

Game just underway. Redbeard returns with his tree stand.

Nats up 2-0 as they are hitting Liriano's fastball.

Game 47: Nationals at Pirates

Two former first picks Strasburg and Cole starting now.

Game 46: Nationals at Pirates

Zimmerman and Morton tonight. Grilli activated, Sanchez sent down.

Game 45: Nationals at Pirates

Game on at seven. Trienen and Volquez to start.

Game 44: Orioles at Pirates

After an off day yesterday, Wandy and the PBC face Tillman and the Orioles tonight. Josh Harrison leading off, starting in RF.

Games 42 and 43: Pirates at Yankees

Bucs up 1-0 in game one after NFW's ninth jack. Morton's in trouble in the bottom of the first, with bases juiced and no outs.

Game 41: Pirates at Yankees

Phelps and Volquez starting soon. Gaby Sanchez is DH.

Game 40: Pirates at Brewers

Wandy and Gallardo underway. PBC down 1-0 in the fourth with everybody still tucked in.

Game 39: Pirates at Brewers

Liriano (0-3, 4.64) and Peralta.

Liriano turns his season around, right here.

Game 38: Pirates at Brewers

Cole and Estrada tonight at eight with the division on the line. Prepare to untuck.

Game 37: Cardinals at Pirates

Miller and Morton tonight at eight as the PBC goes for the sweep for mothers everywhere.

Game 36: Cardinals at Pirates

Lynn and Volquez before too long. Pirates are 15-20.

Neil F'n Walker enjoying an All-Star season.

Game 35: Cardinals at Pirates

Wacha and Liriano tonight at seven in a likely NLCS preview. Meanwhile, the Steelers will try to draft a Punter in rounds two and/or three.

2014 NFL Draft

Steelers are picking at #15 this year, and they are expected to draft a corner or a wideout.

I vote for the cornerback.

Off day

No game scheduled.

Game 34: Giants at Pirates

Cole and Lincecum starting soon. Pirates are 13-20, 8.5 games behind the Brewers.

Game 33: Giants at Pirates

Morton and Hudson underway. JHay leading off playing RF again.

Game 32: Giants at Pirates

Locke and Petit starting soon. Josh Harrison is leading off and playing RF. Marte batting fifth.

Game 31: Blue Jays at Pirates

Game underway. Pirates up in the second.

Lawn chairs set up outside the beer fort.

Game 30: Blue Jays at Pirates

Liriano and Dickey scoreless and buntless in the second.

Game 29: Pirates 6, Blue Jays 5

Petey and Marte with long towering drives in the bottom of the ninth to win in dramatic fashion. Entertained.

Games 27 and 28: Pirates at Orioles

Day/night doubleheader in a preview of the first two games of the World Series.

Game 27: Pirates at Orioles

Morton and Tillman tonight at seven in a World Series Preview.

Game 26: Pirates at Cardinals

Wainwright and Volquez starting soon in the free MLB game of the day.

Game 25: Pirates at Cardinals

Liriano and Lyons starting soon. Grilli and Martin have been sent to the Dandy House to relax. Josh Harrison is batting second and playing 3B.

Game 24: Pirates at Cardinals

Cole and Miller tonight at eight. The Bucs are 14-9 and in first place, 4.5 games up over the Brewers.

Scrimmage

No game today, just a meaningless scrimmage that already happened. Not a single bunt was laid down.

Game 22: Reds at Pirates

Simon and Morton tonight at seven as the PBC will try to move a runner from station to station, go about their business day in and day out, and play the game the right way.

Game 21: Reds at Pirates

Cueto and Volquez at seven-thirty.

Game 20: Reds at Pirates

Liriano and Leake starting soon on Free T-Shirt Day.

Game 19: Brewers at Pirates

Estrada and Cole starting soon.

We will be out on the Beer Porch this afternoon, soaking up the good pistol-whipping we expect the Pirates to inflict.

Game 18: Brewers at Pirates

Wandy and Garza starting now. Ike Davis starting at 1B batting sixth.

Game 17: Brewers at Pirates

As we saw last night, the winner of the NL Central will be, once again, the team that is better at bunting.

Lohse and Morton at seven. Beer fort is clean, loaded, and ready for festivity.

Game 16: Brewers at Pirates

Gallardo and Volquez tonight at seven. Prepare to untuck.

Off day

No game today. Maybe a scrimmage or something.

Meaningful baseball resumes tomorrow.

Games 13 and 14: Pirates at Reds

Home run derby resumes at 5:30 followed by Cole and Leake on Free T-Shirt Day.

Game 13: Pirates at Reds

Free shirt day in Cincinnati with Mike Leake opposing Wandy Rodriguez. Game on at 7.

Game 12: Pirates at Brewers

Charlie Morton tries to untuck against Lohse, the somewhat decayed remains of Lyle Overbay, and the PED-fueled Brewers.

Game 11: Pirates at Brewers

Volquez and Gallardo at 7. Brewers have won 7 in a row.

Prepare to untuck.

Game 10: Pirates at Brewers

Liriano takes on Peralta and the hapless Brewers tonight in MLB's free game of the day.

Game 9: Pirates at Cubs

The hapless Cubs have resorted to day games in an attempt to win.

So far this devious plan is working. The Cubs are up 4-0 in the sixth.

Game 8: Pirates at Cubs

Wandy and the first place Bucs take on Hammel and the hapless Cubs tonight.

Game 7: Pirates at Cubs

Morton and Jackson at 8:30 our time.

Game 6: Cardinals at Pirates

Wainwright and converted Red Volquez this afternoon.

Game 5: Cardinals at Pirates

Liriano and Kelly tonight with first place on the line.

Huntington and Hurdle extended

Neal and Clint have agreed to three year extensions with the PBC.

No word yet on whether either will be trying out for the 1B position.

Game 4: Cardinals at Pirates

Miller and Cole, in a rain delay with a lot of water on the field.

Game 3: Cubs at Pirates

Bucs down 2-0 in the second.

Game 2: Cubs at Pirates

Tied at 3, bottom of the 13th. Bases juiced, two out, Tabata up.

Opening Day: Cubs at Pirates

While we meditate on own answers for this year's HW reader's poll, let's not forget that there will be baseball in two hours. Liriano and Edwin Jackson will start.

2014 HW Readers Poll

Finally, that time of year again!

1. How many wins?
2. How many bunts?
3. 2014 Whipping Boy?
4. Other predictions?

I'll start. 100 wins. 63 bunts (1 more than last year, not counting the playoff and World Series bunts). Travis Ishikawa is primed to Jonathan Sanchez his way on out of here. Josh Harrison will be starting at 1B and RF by May 1st. Jordy Mercer pinch-bunts for an inside-the-park home run. Marte wins World Series MVP as the Bucs defend their World Champion title.