Game 72: Pirates at Phillies

K-Star returns to face Blanton and the hapless last-place Phils tonight.

Bucs are one game out and tied for the wild card lead.

Game 71: Tigers at Pirates

Correia and Verlander starting soon.

If the Bucs are going to go deep in the playoffs, they need to regularly rest the starters like today with Tabata, Rowdy Rod Burrito and NFW on the bench. Cutch is playing, so the Bucs are still heavy favorites.

Game 70: Tigers at Pirates

Lincoln and Scherzer at four.

Smells like first place.

Kevin Youkilis has never laid down a BUNT in his career. Not sure what message signing him would send. He could at least show the other Bucs how to shake up a bottle of champagne and spray it around the clubhouse.

Game 69: Tigers at Pirates

Burnett and Fister tonight in a possible World Series preview. Bucs just two games back.

Game 68: Twins at Pirates

McDonald and Hendriks tonight.

Must win (or bunt) game if you care about the playoffs.

Game 67: Twins at Pirates

Bedard and Liriano tonight.

Bucs are 2.5 games out of first. For the first time in recent memory, the Win Meter, the Playoff Meter, and the Bunt Meter are all glowing various hues of green.

Game 66: Twins at Pirates

Correia and Diamond tonight.

We'll be thoroughly entertained if Pedro hits three dingers.

Game 65: Pirates at Indians

El Toro goes berserk as the Bucs win 9-5.

Game 64: Pirates at Indians

Burnett and Jimenez starting soon.

Rumors about a possible Manny Ramirez acquisition have not been substantiated.

Game 63: Pirates at Indians

McDonald and Masterson today at four. Win meter turned off and back on.

Game 62: Pirates at Orioles

Bedard and Hunter tonight. The Bucs need to get back to fundamentals, like bunting and defensive shifts.

Game 61: Pirates at Orioles

Correia and Matusz tonight. Matusz is recovering from a serious bunting accident.

No No: A Dockumentary

Dock Ellis has a posse.

Game 60: Pirates at Orioles

Lincoln and Chen tonight in a likely World Series preview.

First place

Nice view from up here.

Bucs have Monday off to prepare for the 1979 World Series rematch.

Game 59: Royals at Pirates

Burnett and Chen starting soon. Alvarez, Jones, and Tabata are all on the bench, stealing signs.

The Bucs are one game out. Playoff meter glows the hue of lush infield grass.

Game 58: Royals at Pirates

Mazzaro and McDonald at 7:15.

Pirates are three games over .500 and two games out of first.

Boyz II Men playing after the game.

Game 57: Royals at Pirates

Bedard and Hochevar tonight. Two games back.

Game 56: Pirates at Reds

Correia and Leake tonight with the playoffs on the line.

Game 55: Pirates at Reds

Lincoln and Cueto tonight, with the Bucs just two games out.

Bucco playoff odds holding steady around 77%.

Game 54: Pirates at Reds

Tomorrow, June 5. A.J. Burnett vs. Homer Bailey.

The Pirates are 27-26 and three games back of these 30-23 Reds.

Draft

Bucs draft Stanford RHP Mark Appel with the #8 pick, and HS OF Barrett Barnes with #45. In the late rounds, the Bucs should just draft the BBA - Best Bunter Available.

Game 53: Pirates at Brewers

McDonald and Fiers on now. Bucs are down 2-0 in the first.

Game 52: Pirates at Brewers

Bedard and Marcum tonight with the Bucs still three games back.

We will untuck.

Game 51: Pirates at Brewers

Correia and Wolf tonight with the Bucs three games back.

Game 50: Reds at Pirates

Burnett and Cueto at seven usher in the Jordy Mercer Era.

Jordy was an accomplished bunter, but has been stone cold buntless in 2012.

Game 49: Reds at Pirates

Morton and Bailey at seven.

The Bucs are just three games back and have won four in a row. Only Zoltan knows whether today's Assault will be on the Infield Grass or Outfield Walls, but either way, the playoff implications are substantial.

Game 48: Reds at Pirates

McDonald and Arroyo today.

The Bucs are four games behind the first-place Reds. Some Meaningful Bunting in late May could put the Bucs back at .500.

Game 47: Cubs at Pirates

Bedard and Garza today. Remember all of the bunts that rolled foul.

Game 46: Cubs at Pirates

Paul Maholm returns to PNC to face Correia and the Bucs' bunting juggernaut.

Meanwhile, ZOLTAN! closes the book on the Sam and Frodo Era.

Game 45: Cubs at Pirates

Burnett and Dempster tonight.

When looking for offensive help in the minors, it's hard not to notice Jo-Jo Reyes, currently leading Indy with three bunts.

Game 44: Mets at Pirates

Morton and Niese in a daytime bunt-off.

Game 43: Mets at Pirates

McDonald and Dickey tonight at seven. Bucs three games back.

Game 42: Mets at Pirates

Hairy Hands on to finish it. Bucs up 5-4, top of the ninth.

Not too far out of first place, too.

Game 41: Pirates at Tigers

Correia and Scherzer starting now. Don Kelly and his .635 career OPS are leading off and playing CF for the Tigers.

Game 40: Pirates at Tigers

Burnett and Smyly today. Bucs still four games back.

Game 39: Pirates at Tigers

Maddening loss. Three times a runner gets on base, and no attempt is made to advance those runners, 90 feet at a time, station to station, to, you know, HOME? This is not rocket science, Clint. No wonder some of the pitchers got demoralized and gave up runs.

Game 38: Pirates at Nationals

McDonald cruising in the fourth. Pirates up, 4-0.

Game 37: Pirates at Nationals

Bedard and Gonzalez tonight at seven. Bucs are four games back.

Game 36: Pirates at Marlins

Bucs lose. Outscored. Outbunted.

Game 35: Pirates at Marlins

Lincoln and Anibal Sanchez at seven.

Pretty amped up for this one. Beer fort in prime condition. Pirates are 16-18 and only four games back of the Cardinals.

Game 34: Astros at Pirates

Wandy and A.J. still in the game. 6th inning, 1-1 tie.

Call your mothers.

Game 33: Astros at Pirates

Happ and Morton at seven.

Game 32: Astros at Pirates

Bucs win on bunts, 1-0.

Game 31: Nats at Pirates

Deer Hunter and the Nats have a 3-2 lead and it's the seventh inning.

Time to sharpen up those bunting bats and get after it.

Bunting is hard

Here's an interesting piece about how some teams not named the Pirates can't bunt their way out of a wet paper bag. It must be really hard to be a Dodgers or Mariners fan.

Hopefully someone will someday write a piece about how, in contrast, the Bucco BUNTing IGA (Infield Grass Assault) seems, through a combination of good luck and precise execution, hell-bent on playoff domination and another World Championship.

Game 30: Nationals at Pirates

Bucs win again, 4-2. Game ball: McCutchen.

Game 29: Nationals at Pirates

Jackson and Burnett starting now.

Hoping to see Burnett lay down a bunt.

Game 28: Reds at Pirates

Morton and Latos starting soon.

One day into the Pedro Alvarez Batting Cleanup Era, and the Bucs are undefeated.

Game 27: Reds at Pirates

Bucs up 2-0 in the fifth on a two-run Walker jack. Pedro hitting cleanup.

Game 26: Reds at Pirates

Cueto and Correia at seven.

Frodo batting third. Beer Fort McKenry catching.

Game 25: Pirates at Cardinals

Bedard and Westbrook in a day game.

For perhaps the first time the season, both the Win Meter and the Bunt Meter have fell oddly silent. Bucs need a win. Or at least a bunt.

Game 24: Pirates at Cardinals

The Bucs are spotting the Cardinals a nice lead in the first. Once the Cards are tired out from running around the bases, they'll be unable to field all the bunts.

Game 23: Pirates at Cardinals

Charlie the Bunt and Wainwright, just underway.

Game 22: Braves at Pirates

McDonald and Minor pitching. Game underway.

No bunts but magically the Braves have a 2-0 lead. F'n Braves.

Game 21: Pirates at Braves

Correia has a perfect game in the fourth - two ABs, two bunts.

Game 20: Pirates at Braves

Bucs have scored three runs for Bedard through three innings, and the Bucs lead 3-1. Bedard has apparently won back the respect of his teammates by laying down a nice BUNT.

Game 19: Pirates 1, Braves 1

Tie game, one bunt each.

DeCastro

Steelers draft Stanford G David DeCastro in the first round. All hail this big, powerful-looking, big man!

Games 17 and 18: Rockies at Pirates

Pirates to practice hitting balls in the sun and bouncing them off the foul pole in today's doubleheader.

Game 16: Rockies at Pirates

The Bucs take a day off to prepare against Jamie Moyer.

Will Moyer be a consummate professional and go about his business like he does day in and day out? After the game, what will Jim Tracy ask himself?

Game 15: Cardinals at Pirates

Bedard and Lohse starting soon. Barmes at .095 has cleared the LaRussa Line, and all the designated drivers are on the bench.

Game 14: Cardinals at Pirates

Westbrook and Burnett at seven.

Pirates umbrella day at the park.

Game 13: Cardinals at Pirates

Pirates return from the west coast rested and ready to kick some BUNT.

Lynn and Uber Bunter Morton to start. Pretty soon.

Game 12: Pirates at Diamondbacks

Bucs won the day game one BUNT to none.

It has been brought to our attention that Pedro Alvarez now has more home runs than Albert Pujols.

Game 11: Pirates at Diamondbacks

Karstens and Kubel. Game on now, 1-1.

Barajas (.083) just over the legal limit. As expected Alvarez (.050) on as DD tonight.

Game 10: Pirates at Diamondbacks

Bedard and Saunders starting now.

Rod Barajas (.050) returns as designated driver.

Game 9: Pirates at Giants

Correia and Vogelsong.

Refurbished win meter plugged back in and purring quietly.

Game 8: Pirates at Giants

2011 Bunting Champion Charlie Morton returns to face Barry Zito.

Half of the Bucs starting position players have batting averages lower than Coonelly's BAC (after a holiday party).

Game 7: Pirates at Giants

Pirates down 2-0 in the sixth.

Had to unplug the win meter. Something's not right with it.

The early start will leave extra time after the game for re-enacting the bunt-off win on the lawn outside the beer fort.

Game 6: Pirates at Dodgers

Karstens and Capuano, with the Bucs down 3-0 in the third. Yamaico Navarro is playing LF and batting fifth.

Win meter making a soft, almost whining noise.

Game 5: Pirates at Dodgers

Starting now. Bedard and Billingsley.

Win meter making a loud, almost shrieking noise.

Game 4: Pirates at Dodgers

Correia and Kershaw starting soon. Pirates looking for a bunt-off win.

HW 2012 Readers' Poll

A few days late with this, and the Bucs are already on pace to bunt to 108 wins, but it's time to prognosticate:

1. How many Bucco wins?
2. Most bunts?
3. Other predictions?

I'll start:
1. 83 wins. Finally.
2. Morton, again.
3. Bucs clinch wild-card same day Cutch bunts for the cycle.

Game 3: Phillies at Pirates

Worley and McDonald at one thirty.

I did an LED upgrade on the win meter. Now it's even prettier.

Game 2: Phillies at Pirates

Lee and Karstens at seven.

Pirates still looking for their first bunt of the year.

Game 1: Phillies at Pirates

Halladay and Bedard at 1:35pm.

Win meter warmly glowing, emitting a low hum.

Warm up the win meter

A week out from real baseball and honest bunty goodness, the Bucs open with a 72.7% chance of winning the division.

Preseason: Pirates at Yankees

In tonight's World Series preview, I expect to see me some good bunting.

Preseason: Pirates at Orioles

McDonald and Arrieta in 1979 World Series rematch at one.

Preseason: Phillies at Pirates

Morton and Worley at one.

Worley is no stranger to protective eyewear and seems determined to not bunt his eye out.

Preseason: Pirates at Devil Rays

Correia and Niemann at one.

It's nice to see the Bucs driving the ball, but I don't see how that prepares them for winning real games if players can't move runners from station to station.

Preseason: Twins at Pirates

Bedard and Doyle starting now. Barajas batting cleanup.

Original Bunter

Ten days late with this, but happy belated birthday to Dickey Pearce, the inventor of the "tricky hit".

Preseason: Pirates at Red Sox

NRI Shairon Martis and Buchholz at seven.

Bunting eyepatches?

After thinking this through, it seems that a batter would be much more likely to bunt out the eye closest to the field (e.g. the left eye for a RHP), so a facemask might be overkill. Instead, a simple protective eyepatch should get the job done, and plays into the whole Pirate theme. The online options are numerous.

Bunting facemasks?

With so much invested in McCutchen now, the Bucs should consider some form of protective headgear for the bunting. For example, in obvious bunting situations, McCutchen, the pitchers, or whoever could bunt wearing a catcher's mask. This could provide extra strategic options for Clint - for example, sending McCutchen to bat in an obvious bunting situation wearing the mask, only to have him swing away, belting one into the river.

Six more years

McCutchen extended. Win Meter warm to the touch.

Lincoln wins, does not bunt eye out

Let's not let the Burnett mishap overshadow the Joy of Brad Lincoln, 2012 Bunting Champion.

Bunting is hard

This is why we can't get too excited when players step up from the AL to the NL Central.

Other reports indicate that Burnett will need surgery to repair the damage. I trust he will return a better and stronger bunter, and perhaps this will help push Burnett to bunting level: Kris Benson.

Get well, AJ.

Beer fort on wheels

Kids, if you're going to try this at home, please try the less dangerous unmotorized options.

Joyous bunting

Prepare for joy, the P-G reports:

"It's going to be a fresh start, it's going to be fun," Burnett said Monday outside of the Pirates spring training facility, his first day in black and yellow after he was acquired from the New York Yankees. "Coming back to the National League where I can hit and bunt. Get the joy back into the game."

Pitchers and catchers

Eleven days to practice the most exciting play in all of professional sports, and then the Blue Jays on March 3.

Dmitri Young

What could possibly be worse than not getting the BUNT down? Injuring yourself trying to get the BUNT down. Well played, Neal.

AJ Burnett

Knows how to BUNT to victory.

How to BUNT

Time to start thinking about the important stuff.

Playoffs

So far this New Year feels just like any other, where the Steelers and Bucs both win championships.

In the dark

Get out your candlesticks.

The Bucs should consider pausing games with transformer explosions when they're losing, especially on SkyBlast.

Early Bucco Christmas

First Frodo, now Sean Casey.

NFL week 12-13: wins

One has to wonder when the NFL will realize that these essentially meaningless games could be more efficiently replaced with a playoff bye system where superior teams like the Steelers wouldn't have to go through the motions of the regular season.