Did that really happen????

As the night went along, I felt that the Pirates had a really good chance of winning the marathon game that was the Pirates vs. Braves in Atlanta. But in the bottom of the 19th inning and at 1:40am EDT, home plate umpire Jerry Meals decided that he was done doing his job and suggested that it was time to get what his last name says! With runners at 2nd and 3rd and 1out in the inning, Pirates pitcher Daniel McCutchen faced off with Braves pitcher Scott Proctor. Proctor hit a ground ball to 3rd baseman Pedro Alvarez who was playing in with the rest of his infield mates. Alvarez threw a strike to Pirate catcher Michael McKenry, who was positioned perfectly as Julio Lugo raced towards home. McKenry reached down as Lugo was sliding in for a win and "TAGGED" Lugo for the second out of the game. WAIT, WHAT??? Umpire Meals calls him safe and the game is over!!! Are you kidding me???

While I struggled to sleep after that disappointing finish to one of the most exciting games of the season, I thought to myself, "That didn't happen, did it?". As I awoke this morning, the reality set it. What makes me furious is that one of the unwritten rules umpires have is that if the ball arrives ahead of the runner, the runner is out when in doubt. The ball arrived what seemed like minutes before Lugo got to home, but still called safe. Now I know, fatigue probably had something to do with it. But wouldn't the most conservative approach to this situation would be to call him out, unless there was absolutely no doubt that he was safe? The tag occurred 3 feet from home plate and the umpire made the call prior to Lugo ever touching home plate. How does something like this happen?

Human factors plays a part in everything we as people, do on a daily basis. When fatigue sets in, the human mind and body is capable of almost anything and most will surprise you. Being a professional airline pilot, I have encountered fatigue on the job more than once. Studies show that when someone becomes fatigue, their decision making ability becomes that of someone who is over the legal alcohol limit of .08. Could fatigue have cause this mistake to happen? One can argue yes, however human ego is what, in this case, prevented this umpire to correct his call once any doubt entered his mind. Additionally, his fellow umpires on the field can conference with the home plate ump and discuss this call. Could they have changed the call? The answer is YES!!

So this begs the question - will baseball expand instant reply???


Bels

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Dare I say it....

It is 3am EDT on Saturday July 16, 2011 and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in 1st place in the National League Central division. No, that is not a typo! Believe it or not, it's true. The 2011 Pirates are 5 games over .500 and in 1st place. Although, they are currently tied for 1st with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pirates have the edge by a mere few percentage points better than their divisional foes from the "Show Me State." It is the first time since 1997 that the Pittsburgh Baseball Club is at the top of the division.

Can you believe it? The 2011 installment of this baseball team has been playing very well. While good baseball hasn't been seen in the "Steel City" for a long time, fan support and interest in this team is at the highest in two decades. There is a buzz around town about our Pirates. Wherever you look, Pirate gear is all around us. In light of the current NFL lockout, this city is electrified over the success of this team. In years past, the talk on the radio, in newspapers and on street corners would be how the Steelers are looking going into training camp. Typically, sometime in June, the Steeler chatter really gets going. Not this summer. The lockout helps keep the chatter down, but the Pirates are the focal point of sports conversations in Western PA.

Has the national stage taken notice? Not yet, but starting to. Does it matter? Not really. This team relies on young talent and the teamwork concept, which is eloquently choreographed by the newest manager of the Pirates, Clint Hurdle. Not only has he brought some success to town, he has demonstrated poise, character and the ability to put together this masterpiece that is the Pittsburgh Pirates. In an early season interview, manager Hurdle revealed that as soon as being hired as skipper, he read a few books about the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise. Great move! One of my biggest complaints of managerial choices in the past was the lack of knowing what it means to be a Pittsburgh Pirate. Clemente, Stargel, Bell and Bonilla, are just some of the names that brought success to town. Oh, there are others. Bill Mazeroski, Steve Blass, Bert Blyleven, Kent Tekulve, Dave Parker, Andy Van Slyke, Bob Walk, John Smiley and Doug Drabek. These players are the history of the Buccos. By Clint Hurdle realizing how important it is to reconnect to the past, he could in fact be prepairing to add his name to the list of successful bosses of this team. Murtaugh, Leyland and especially the late Tanner, would be proud to add Hurdle next to their names. With the trade deadline just around the corner, could there be a push for the playoffs? Only time will tell.

Let's Go Bucs!!!!

It's August 1st and hearts not broken in Pittsburgh

As of 16:00 EDT on Saturday July 31, 2010, the MLB non-waiver trade deadline passed with the Pirates making moves and making noise. Fans have become accustomed to discussing the terrible decisions this franchise has made following the trade deadline. However for the first time in almost two decades, the talk around the water cooler will not be negative of this baseball franchise. The Pittsburgh Pirates didn't trade away fan favorites, didn't trade away the best player on the team because he was too expensive and didn't trade away the hopes and dreams of all Pirates fans.

What this organization did was make trades that actually made the team better. Gone is closer Octavio Dotel. Yes, he will be missed, but there are others to fill his void. Sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks are outfielder Ryan Church, infielder Bobby Crosby and relief pitcher D.J. Carrasco in exchange for catcher Chris Synder and a minor league infielder. Chris Snyder is a big upgrade on the overall catcher position. Yes, Ryan Doumit is still the starter in Pittsburgh. However, as it goes for all catchers including me during my playing days, a day off or two from being behind the plate does wonders for the knees. Doumit's bat will still need to be in the lineup. Since Doumit has incredible ability, he is able to play first base and right field.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a better team after July 31st. Fans of the Pirates have not experienced this phenomenon since the early 1990's during the Pirates divisional championships. Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the organization, the management, the players and the fans in Pittsburgh. The team has turned itself around and maybe, just maybe, the Pirates will contend for something in the near future. Good job boys!

Countdown to the non-waiver trade deadline....

Tick-tok, tick-tok. The non-waiver trade deadline for major league franchises is 4pm EDT on Saturday July 31, 2010. So far, no real big names have switched teams except for Cliff Lee. Lee is on his fourth team in less than two seasons. The pitcher started the 2009 season with the Cleveland Indians as the ace of their staff. At the deadline last year, the tribe dealt Lee to the Phillies. The Phillies ended up in the World Series. But once the '09 season was complete, Cliff Lee was on the move again, this time to the pacific northwest and the Seattle Mariners. But just two weeks ago, the Mariners sent Lee to their division rival, the Texas Rangers. Has the trade deadline gotten pathetic??? I think so.

Teams are either buyers or sellers. Most teams who are not in the running for the playoffs this season or are not the top spending teams in the league are sellers. There are only a few teams that are buyers. What is the point in being a fan of a team or a player if they are going to bounce around the league year after year. Typically, this means that they are pretty good. Just like in Cliff Lee's case, he is too expensive for one team to hold onto him for a long period of time. Hence the reason for the Indians to deal Lee a season ago. Realistically, only the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Angels have the long term money to keep a player like Lee. Expect Cliff to be moving again this off season.

One of the league's busiest player depot is my beloved Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have been the team to call on if you are looking for a good, young, cheap up-in-coming player. Since 1994, the Pirates have traded multiple starters and even fan favorites every trade deadline. Will the same occur this season? Maybe not! The Pittsburgh organization have stated that years of trading their best talent year after year is over. To date, management has been true to their word. However, there is still 3 more days and even another month if the player could clear waivers. Only time will tell.

The trade deadline helps good teams and hurts teams that are hurting. Fans of smaller market teams can never get attached to a good player because inevitably that player will not end their career with that team. Cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Kansas City has seen players leaving frequently via trade with little or no immediate return. The current pirate roster has only 7 of the 25 active players that the team drafted. The others have been acquired through trading a veteran. However, finally these players have come up to the big club and are contributing. Fans in Pittsburgh are becoming attached to names like McCutchen, Jones, Church, Tabata, Alvarez, Walker, Duke, Morton and Doumit. Out of those names mentioned, 5 of them were drafted or signed as a non-drafted free agent. Maybe finally, the Pirates and its fans have a team that will remain together for years to come. Just like those division winning days of the early 90's and potentially end the longest ever under .500 losing streak in major league baseball.

The clock is ticking........

The NL Wins!!!!

Finally after years of losing, the National League defeats the American League in the 2010 MLB All-Star Game. Well, it is about time! The National League is often referred to as the "senior circuit" not because the players are older and beyond their prime but because the league was founded and established years before the more "junior" American League.

It is great to see that pure baseball is back on top. The NL beat the AL at their own game, with the DH (Designated Hitter) in play. The DH is what separates the AL, who uses it, and the NL who doesn't. The NL is the pure form of baseball. It is exactly how the game was played over a century ago with all players on the field in the batting lineup. The NL uses more strategy to win ball games. Bunting, hit and runs, situational hitting and stolen bases are more common in the NL while the AL plays for the big hit and homerun to win games.

Now that the NL has home field advantage, maybe my beloved Pirates have a chance at opening the 2010 World Series at the best ballpark in baseball, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA. Ok, enough day dreaming, the Pirates have had the lowest payroll in baseball for years and haven't seen the playoffs since 1992. The Pirates 2010 payroll is $34,943,000.00 and the highest payroll (New York Yankees), an AL team, is $206,333,389.00 with the difference of $171,390,389.00 which is higher than the second highest payroll (Boston Red Sox), another AL team, by almost $9,000,000.00. It is very clear to see why the AL has dominated the All-Star Game and interleague play for years as the top teams in the AL have All-Star line-ups. However, now that pure baseball is back on top, maybe there is a chance for the teams who play the game the way it was intended to be played.

Beware baseball, the Pirates are coming.