Watching A Ballgame!

After spending the last several months decrying the tightfistedness of Pirates management and watching every other team in the NL Central seeming to get better while Neal Huntington made one dumpster dive signing after another, it was nice to settle in this afternoon and watch the Pirates actually playing an actual baseball game, albeit a Grapefruit League exhibition game.  How nice to see the green grass of the old emerald chessboard set against the backdrop of palm trees, blue skies,  and Florida sunshine.  Let's see, can lay it on any thicker?  Probably not.

Anyway, the Pirates beat the Orioles 5-4.  All Bucco runs came on solo home runs, one by short stop apparent Eric Gonzalez, one by Adam Frazier, one by a guy nobody ever heard of (and of whom we may never hear again), and two by former #1 draft pick Cole Tucker, the second of which was a walk-off dinger in the bottom of the ninth.

Cole Tucker

It was intriguing to see Tucker.  Tall and rangy, and if those two blasts he hit today can be any indication of how he can hit  - and, let's face it, it's the Grapefruit League, so we can't let ourselves get carried away - his eventual arrival at PNC Park in late 2019 or 2020 is something to look forward to.  He also appears to be a fun loving and charismatic kid, a possible future "Face of the Franchise".

When I turned the boob tube on to see the game this afternoon, it was already the fourth inning, so many of the guys on the field were minor leaguers, guys who will not be with the team come Opening Day, but so what.  More importantly, as I tuned in, Brownie and Steve were saying good-bye and thank you to GMNH for spending time with them in the booth for a few innings, so I missed hearing Neal's line of b.s., so I consider that a good thing.

Late in the game, the announcers talked about the passing of Bob Friend a few weeks back.  Steve Blass' very emotional reminiscences were quite heartfelt and touching to hear.

Lots of time in the future to analyze the team and slice-and-dice the moves of the Front Office and Clint Hurdle, but when you watch a game for the first time since the end of the previous season's World Series, it's fun to just sit back and enjoy it.  Which I did.