Game 106: Pirates at Reds

McDonald and Leake tonight in the most important game of the year.

We gonna get down. We gonna do the do.

Game 105: Pirates at Reds

Wandy and Latos starting soon in the most meaningful series in twenty years.

Game 104: Pirates at Cubs

Karstens and Wood this afternoon.

Wood is a lefty, so I am curious if we will see Good Pedro (day splits) or Bad Pedro (lefty splits). Probably depends on which way the wind is blowing.

Pirates need to get this win. Day off tomorrow and then twenty games in a row, starting in Cincinnati.

Game 103: Pirates at Cubs

Burnett and Dempster tonight at eight.

Pirates need to shake off all those bad habits they picked up in Houston. It's a real danger playing hapless teams ... playing down to the competition is not how the Pirates will win another championship.

Fortunately the Cubs have been playing well since about when they promoted Rizzo -- I count 18-10 in that department -- so it should not take too long for the Pirates to re-learn how to play the game right. The problem will be if they lose too many games in the meantime.

Pirates acquire Travis Snider

Snider's another left-handed bat with power and not so much bunting credentials.

Game 102: Pirates at Cubs

Bedard and Germano at eight.

Pirates need a win.

Game 101: Pirates at Astros

McDonald and Harrell at two.

McDonald has not pitched so well in July and needs to dominate this hapless Astros offense.

Game 100: Pirates at Astros

New acquisition Wandy Rodriguez starts tonight against Andres Galarraga Jr. and the hapless Astros.

Clearly a must-win situation for the Pirates. The MLB playoff structure heavily favors division winners this year.

Astros have lost eleven in a row. You'd think they'd be desperate for a win, but nooo, apparently this is not the case.

Browns

Good on the Steelers for signing Antonio Brown long term. Mike Wallace has overplayed his hand. I'm not sure what will come of him, but I do not despair of losing him to either cowardly play in 2012 (does he think he will die before the end of this season?) or some kind of trade/holdout.

Also entertained that a die-hard Steeler fan is going to buy the Cleveland Browns. That's committment, right there.

Game 99: Pirates at Astros

Karstens and Lyles on central time.

Not excited about the idea of trading Kevin Correia, who has won seven of his last ten starts. Starters don't go on trees and a team always needs more starting pitching than most expect.

Anyway win meter humming happily. New picture for the beer fort wall.

Game 98: Pirates at Astros

Burnett and Keuchel tonight at 8.

Two and a half games out of first, the Pirates are literally chasing the Reds, who leave Houston happy.

Game 97: Cubs at Pirates

Getaway day underway. Dempster and Correia dueling; Blatz fumage in the home plate area.

Cubs up on a Frank Rizzo home run.

Welcome Wandy

Pirates acquire longtime Pirate-killer Wandy Rodriguez.

One less hap for the hapless Astros.

Game 96: Cubs at Pirates

Maholm and McDonald at seven.

Pirates are 54-41, a game and a half back of the Votto-less Reds.

Facing a pitcher with a pedigree like Maholm's, the Pirates might be fortunate to scratch out two infield hits. McDonald will need to bring his A game.

Game 95: Cubs at Pirates

Bedard and Samardzija tonight.

Just a half game back, the Bucs need wins against the hapless teams.

Game 94: Marlins at Pirates

Anibal Sanchez and Jeff Karstens in an hour.

Pirates are 53-40, 1/2 game out of first. Last year on this day they were 51-46 and one game out.

Kids run the bases after the game.

Game 93: Marlins at Pirates

Big A.J. vs. Lil' Z for the win.

Game 92: Marlins at Pirates

Correia vs. Nolasco tonight. Bucs need a win for a chance at first place tomorrow.

If the Bucs trade for a Drew or Scutaro or other upgrade at SS, Barmes could start in RF.

Off day

No game today. Bucs are tied for first, with the Reds hosting the D-backs today.

Preparation for the postseason should not involve rest, but instead extra batting practice and maybe even a buntathon.

Game 91: Pirates at Rockies

J-Mac and Guthrie in a must-win day game. Hopefully some of the infielders can run around in the outfield today.