We'd still struggle to score runs though...

Maholm's traditional first inning afraid-to-throw-a-strike-and-therefore-fall-behind-every-hitter-walk-some-give-up-hits-to-others routine continues.

I wish I could make that much money and be pathetic like that.

What in the hell is Hurdle thinking trying to suicide squeeze with the pitcher hitting and the slowest human being alive on 3rd. So DUMB!

He is trying to find any way for this pathetic offense to score.

Well, that certainly was an impressive top of the 4th. Is there another team in professional baseball that could eff it up any worse than the Pirates just did?

Sigh.

What a ridiculous inning. Wood clearly should not have tried for third. He was not passed 2nd when the center fielder got the ball and was so out that evan a real bad throw got him.
Then Mahalm can't make contact with a pitch on a squeeze play and we're effectively out of the inning. What a waste of base runners and what could have been a big inning. If we don't win tonight, look at this as the reason for it.
We aren't good enough to not make good decisions and execute properly.

It's hard enough to put up with what we hope is growing pains as hitters learn to handle certain pitches, it is not acceptable to watch this kind of crap and justify it. Nuts!

Maholm is shooting himself if the foot by twice failing to get a bunt down. Ugh.

Really can't complain about run support when you can help out if you do simple fundamentals. Paulie Walnutz has trouble with the bunt.

I hurt for these guys. So many wasted opportunities. The utter futility of it all must be as numbing for them as it is for us. One would think somewhere along the line the law of averages would catch up and they'd all find themselves on the same page and be able to sustain it for a while.

But no.

Ronny Cedeno now has a better batting average than Cutch, Tabata, Diaz, Wood and Alvarez.

I say sign him long term.

(Ducks as JC takes a swing)

OK, well, I've invested enough of my evening in this one. Can't take it anymore. Going to bed early.

Clint Hurdle is starting to really screw the pooch with his bullpen decisions. Your reliable bullpen guys pre-Hanrahan are McCutchen, Beimel, Veras and Moskos right now. Why would you ever bring Ascanio in in that situation?

Hurdle is having an awful game.

So are the players. Just awful.

Boy - I could not agree with you more. You tie the game, Tabata blows it by not driving him in, you need a win and you rely on Ascanio? Really? He's leaving me perplexed.

We have heard the stories about Hurdle overmanaging and we saw some of that in the first month. But we are really seeing it now and it's hurting even more because the players are not playing well.

I like his attitude and optimism. His personna is much better than Russell. But he gets a C-with his in-game decisions right now and that grade is heading lower.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Please, wake up before you're 18-28.