Game 157: Pirates at Cardinals

OutBUNTed. Nice win though.

NFL week 3: Steelers at Buccaneers

I will try to keep one eye on this football game. The other eye will be on the Bucs team that will end the season in the playoffs.

Game 156: Astros at Pirates

Maholm and his 106 mph fastball pitch to contact against the hapless out-of-contention Astros at 1:35.

To advance deep in the playoffs, the Bucs need more practice bunting runners from second to third, especially by good hitters with no outs. It would make a world of sense to get this practice today, even when there are no baserunners.

Game 155: Astros at Pirates

Norris and Duke at seven.

It might be wise to plan on using bullpen arms that won't be making the playoff roster. I won't be surprised if Duke makes an early exit then.

Game 154: Astros at Pirates

Ace McDonald vs. Brett Myers at seven.

With the Bucs having already clinched, these games serve primarily to sort through who will make the post-season roster.

Game 153: Cardinals at Pirates

Brian Burres vs. the hapless 1-7 Jeff Suppan at 12:35.

Eight games out of first and the Wild-Card , the Cardinals are sleeping at the wheel at the intersection and had errors on their roadside tests. And now with the BAC being over 0.08. What would be really high for a number that would get you really concerned? Two something? Three? One?

Game 152: Cardinals at Pirates

The uber-reliable Charlie Morton is up 6-1 in the fifth as the Bucs look to be cruising to another win.

The hapless Cardinals are passed out at a red light, hopelessly short of the Wild Card.

Game 151: Cardinals at Pirates

Maholm pistol-whips Westbrook as the Bucs clinch with yet another win.

The lowly Cardinals are passed out at a red light, haplessly short of the Playoffs.

Off day

Baseball's hottest team will be back on Tuesday.

Game 150: D'backs at Pirates

Hudson and Duke for the streaking Pirates at 1:35.

NFL week 2: Steelers at Titans

Football.

Game 149: D'backs at Pirates

Barry Enright, Ace McDonald, and meaningful baseball at seven.

Game 148: D'backs at Pirates

The lowly small-market Diamondbacks roll into town to get clinched.

Kennedy and Burres at seven.

Game 147: Pirates at Mets

Charlie Morton will match his 11-1, 0.95 ERA stuff against Mike Pelfrey and the Mets at seven.

Pirates are going to clinch something soon. It has to be that way.

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.