Game 146: Pirates at Mets

A little more than two weeks to go, and the Pirates are competing graciously with the small-market Mets, who appear to be doing nothing more than playing out the string.

Maholm and Mejia at seven.

Game 145: Pirates at Mets

Duke and Dickey at seven.

Game 144: Pirates at Mets

Ace McDonald, Dillon Gee, and the magical season continues at seven.

Game 143: Pirates at Reds

The Pirates go for the four-game sweep in another game with major playoff implications. Burris and Cueto will start.

NFL week 1: Atlanta at Pittsburgh

With playoff fever sweeping western Pennsylvania, it is not that surprising that hardly anyone remembers or cares there is a football game this afternoon.

Remember football? I didn't think so. Meaningful baseball is tough to eclipse. It just sucks up your whole mind and makes everything else kind of blurry.

Maybe this explains how the black and gold are the underdogs, in a home opener, against an out-of-conference dome-based club, that has never done anything to deserve this kind of respect. The Falcons are not the Saints.

My prediction: Steeler D scores a bunch of points and the Steelers roll, 24-10.

Pick 'em Pool

All are invited to join our pick 'em pool at Pigskin.com.

To get in the pool, poolname: "Honest Wagner Pick 'em Pool" and password: "51yardparker".

It will be hard to think about football with the Bucs in the playoffs, but the Bucs' winning streak can't possibly continue into November.

Game 142: Pirates at Reds

Charlie Morton and Edinson Volquez at seven.

Game 141: Pirates at Reds

Bucs up 3-1 in the seventh. Maholm dealing. Game has serious playoff implications.

Game 140: Pirates at Reds

Maholm and Bailey at seven.

Game 139: Braves at Pirates

Lowe and Duke at seven.

The hottest team in the NL Central, the Pirates are peaking at just the right time.

Game 138: Braves at Pirates

Tim Hudson and Ace McDonald at seven-thirty.

Game 137: Braves at Pirates

Burres and Hanson at 1:30.

I'm sure the Braves are hoping to spoil the Pirates' playoff chances, and that makes me feel sorry for them.

Game 136: Nats at Pirates

Pirates go for the sweep at 1:30. Marquis and Morton will start.

Game 135: Nats at Pirates

Skyblast tonight to punctuate the epic winning streak. Soon we'll be able to determine if the path to the NLCS goes through the wild card (my preference; more exciting) or through winning the division outright.

Lanman and Maholm will start. Game on at seven. Get there early if you want to enjoy the suspense inherent to games in which the Pirates have not yet taken the lead.

Game 134: Nats at Pirates

Livan Hernandez, Zach Duke, a Pirate Fleecie, and victory for all strong-willed fans at seven.

Off day

It is tough to enjoy a late summer day with no meaningful baseball.

Game 133: Pirates at Cubs

Pirates look for their third straight 14-run victory at two this afternoon.

Ace McDonald and Tom "No Doubt About It" Gorzelanny will start.

Game 132: Pirates at Cubs

Just rolled out of bed. It was a late night, celebrating the huge 14-2 win. The details are fuzzy. I remember there was a pet monkey cracking nuts. And the landlord's wife. But whatever. What a game.

That's gotta clinch something. Hopefully the Pirates celebrated more responsibly.

Tonight it is Karstens and Dempster at eight.

Game 131: Pirates at Cubs

Two months ago, no one would have expected this game to have playoff ramifications.

Maholm and Zambrano at eight. At eight-fifteen Ronny Cedeno will bunt with no outs, men on first and third, and the pitcher on deck.

Game 130: Pirates at Brewers

With the Pirates smoking hot, it's a great time to go to the ballpark and take in a game. And the road wins are the best. Nothing stirs the envy of opposing fans like your Pirates jersey and your pillbox cap.

Charlie Morton and Dave Bush at two.