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.

Spring training

After an unusually short football season, a short vacation at the dandy house, and some rehab of the beer fort, we are ready for baseball.

NFL week 3: Steelers at Packers

This strange, short season continues in the snow at Lambeau.

NFL week 2: Steelers at Ravens

The undefeated Steelers continue their push for the playoffs in a few hours. The Steelers have had fifteen years to practice calling the Thanksgiving day coin toss.

Meanwhile, the Pirates and Red Sox World Series dates should be announced soon. The Bucs should be well rested after the cowardly Cards forfeited games 6 and 7 of the NLDS to enter the losers bracket.

NFL week 1: Steelers at Jets

Finally, the preseason ends and we have meaningful football.

Kickdown in half an hour.

NLDS Game 5: Pirates at Cardinals

2013 Cy Young winner Wainwright vs. 2014 Cy Young winner Cole.

Game on in an hour. Beer fort at heightened alert.

NLDS Game 4: Cardinals at Pirates

Wacha. CFM. 3pm.

NLDS Game 3: Cardinals at Pirates

Blackout in the beer fort as we prepare for today's game. Plenty of stout on hand, too.

Kelly and Liriano at four.

NLDS Game 2: Pirates at Cardinals

These sneaky Cardinals are starting today's game even earlier.

Lynn and Cole starting shortly.

NLDS Game 1: Pirates at Cardinals

The St. Louis team was hoping to slip this one in while no one was paying attention -- the game is scheduled to start at 5 pm our time -- but I highly doubt that is going to work. My guess is the Pirates will be there on time, bringing the lumber.

And we were up all night with the dwarves, tending the fires beneath the boiling cauldrons of edible barnyard animals. Beer Fort is ready. Redshirts will step away from the portcullis.

AJFB and Wainwright to start.

2013 Wild Card: Reds at Pirates

We are boiling turkey vulture, horses, and pigs above the portcullis of our mangificent beer fort.

We are also eyeing (hopefully) a little space on the beer fort wall. With mild re-arranging, there could be room there for another 8x10. But an 8x10 of--of Cutch? Pedro? Walker? Liriano? Byrd? It is pleasing to consider the possibilities.

Beer fort light show at seven-fifty-five. Cueto and Liriano at eight.

Game 162: Pirates at Reds

Another meaningless scrimmage as the Pirates rest up for the playoffs.

Game 161: Pirates at Reds

Bronson and Ground Chuck
Win brings playoffs to Pittsburgh
A whole lot of beer

Game 160: Pirates at Reds

Bailey and Burnett
Wild card home field on the line
Or Bucs win Central?

Game 159: Pirates at Cubs

Liriano and Arrieta, soon.

Plenty of leftover fried horse here.

Game 158: Pirates at Cubs

Rusin and Cole tonight at eight. Bucs are two games back with five games left.

Untucked and still not wearing goggles deep in the Beer Fort, we're sharpening more weapons.

Game 157: Pirates at Cubs

Morton and Samardzija on Chicago time.

Tonight we are boiling horses in the many vats of boiling oil raging above the portcullis of the beer fort. That and we are sharpening weapons.

Game 156: Reds at Pirates

Arroyo and Locke in an hour.

Pirates are two games back of the Cardinals with seven games to play.

Game 155: Reds at Pirates

Bailey and Burnett before long.

We are deep-frying a turkey vulture in the pot of boiling oil we keep above the beer fort portcullis.

Barely remember last night's entertainment. Medicating.

Game 154: Reds at Pirates

Latos and Liriano in a little bit.

We are deep-frying a turkey in the pot of boiling oil we keep above the beer fort portcullis. Still heavily entertained from last night's action. Ready for more.

Game 153: Padres at Pirates

Cole and Kennedy underway. Petey just went yard in the 4th to put the PBC up 2-1.

There's a lot of empty seats here in the Beer Fort. With only ten games left and two games back, a WIN would help.

Game 152: Padres at Pirates

Morton and Ross tonight at seven.

The Bucs are one game back of the Cards with 11 games left, which is a longer way of saying now is the time to WIN.

Game 151: Padres at Pirates

Stults and Locke at 7.

After last night's loss, I am expecting renewed enthusiasm and prowess at bunting and defensive shifts.

Game 150: Padres at Pirates

Burnett and Cashner tonight at seven. Bucs magic number is 6 with 13 games left.

Pride. Passion. Pale ale. Playoffs.

Game 149: Cubs at Pirates

Learned haplessness vs. Liriano at 1:35.

Steelers moved their game to Monday night, which is understandable.

Game 148: Cubs at Pirates

Baker and Cole at 7.

Cole looks primed to drag some guys Committed to Starlin Castro behind the woodshed, where the pistol-whippings should be plentiful.

Game 147: Cubs at Pirates

Charlie Morton and Jake Arrieta tonight at seven as the hapless Cubs try again to go about bunting the right way. The Pirates are tied for first place with 16 games left.

Game 146: Cubs at Pirates

Pirates fans fondly remember the "We Will" marketing theme from a few years back, in which the Pirates promised to do . . . something. We couldn't tell what. The slow reveal teased us for months. Toward the end of the year, we were all smiling and laughing as it rounded into "We Will . . . Entertain!"

The Cubs' are now "Committed," I see on the team website. Committed to what? Good times, no doubt. This team is coming up.

They lack the quality players to upgrade their first- and third-base coaches with the likes of Burnett and Sanchez. They are fresh off a series with the Reds, where they probably picked up some bad habits. (Free Shirt Thursday?)

Rusin and Locke at seven.

Game 145: Pirates at Rangers

Matt Garza and A.J. Burnett starting soon.

In the playoffs, the Bucs will need to exploit every possible psychological advantage they can to win. For example, I'd be entertained if Sofield and Leyva, who my eyes tell me have marginally negative WAR, were replaced with A.J. Burnett and Tony Sanchez. Burnett could shaving cream pie and scream STFD at opponents out on close force plays, while Tony could distract opponents with fist-pumping buffoonery.

Game 144: Pirates at Rangers

Martin Perez and Francisco Liriano tonight at eight in another World Series preview. The winning Bucs are one game back of the Cards, who host the Brewers.

Game 143: Pirates at Rangers

Yu Darvish and Gerrit Cole tonight at eight with 82 and two pennants on the line. Bucs are now 1.5 games back, tied for second place with the Reds, who host the Cubs tonight.

Game 142: Pirates at Cardinals

Morton and Wacha at two. The NFL must be hurting to see this game against week 1 NFL action.

NFL week 1: Titans at Steelers

Steelers better put this one away before 2pm.

Game 141: Pirates at Cardinals

Adam Wainwright and Jeff Locke starting soon with 82 and first place on the line.

Game 140: Pirates at Cardinals

Joe Kelly and A.J. Burnett tonight at 8:15 with 82 and the pennant on the line.

We're just going to stay untucked from here on out.

Game 139: Pirates at Brewers

Peralta and Liriano tonight with 82 on the line.

Prepare to untuck again.

Game 138: Pirates at Brewers

Yovani Gallardo and Gerrit Cole tonight at 8:10 with The Streak and The Division on the line.

We will untuck.

Game 137: Pirates at Brewers

Tyler Thornburg and Charlie Morton soon. New fortified PBC starting lineup ready to untuck.

Meanwhile, the Cards are bunting down 4-1 in the third to the Reds.

Game 136: Cardinals at Pirates

Joe Kelly and Kris Johnson just underway. Buck, Byrd, and Morneau are all starting.

Game 135: Cardinals at Pirates

We all know this story. Down-on-their-luck small-market team cannot afford to keep its talent. For meager compensation, they trade away their best players to perennial contenders. The poor get poorer, and the rich get richer. The losers keep on losing, and the winners keep on winning. It's a cruel world.

Welcome, Justin Morneau.

The beatings continue with Lynn and Burnett at seven.

Game 134: Cardinals at Pirates

More World Series preview at seven. Miller and Liriano to deal.

Game 133: Brewers at Pirates

Gallardo vs. Cole tonight at seven. Prepare to untuck.

Game 132: Brewers at Pirates

Gorzelanny and Morton tonight at seven. Byrd and Buck arrive, already untucked.

Game 131: Brewers at Pirates

These days off ... are not good for my liver.

Looks like it's 5-5 in the seventh. Beer Fort is in Pittsburgh, on the river.

Game 130: Pirates at Giants

Our old friend Ryan "White Flag" Vogelsong takes on A.J. "STFD" Burnett, just underway. Lambo silently waiting to kill and breathing through a reed, below the surface of McCovey Cove in right.

Game 129: Pirates at Giants

Liriano and Lincecum a little earlier -- 9pm.

Game 128: Pirates at Giants

You know, the lowly Giants would surely have a better record--and maybe move up a division--if they didn't start their games so late at night.

Morton and Bumgarner, eventually. Hasabata and J Hay are your corner outfielders.

Game 127: Pirates at Giants

West Coast road trip continues with Locke and Cain in the middle of the night.

Game 126: Pirates at Padres

It will be Cole and Kennedy in a twilight singleheader starting in two hours.

Fresh reserves of All Day IPA have arrived.

Game 125: Pirates at Padres

Burnett and Ross in the moonlight. Standing at home plate, Pirates will have Cassiopeia (the "W") above right field.

Beer fort cannons cleaned and stuffed with old Trey Beamon and Angelo Encarnacion files.

Game 124: Pirates at Padres

Cashner and Liriano underway and scoreless after one. Josh Harrison is leading off and starting in RF.

Game 123: Diamondbacks at Pirates

Spent much of last night grinding up old Jose Mesa scorecards, stuffing them into one of the beer fort cannons, and firing them off in the general direction of the river. Beer fort smells like gunpowder but this is more cleansing than burnt sage.

Pirates are second in the league for hitting southpaws. Pedro's not much help here so we'll be looking for Gaby to provide some power.

Miley and Morton soon enough.