Wednesday, September 29, 2010

This Week In Real Pirateball - Week 25

Greg Mercer makes funny Pirates videos on the Internet. Check them out and follow him on Twitter. Here is his latest one. Week 25 and now we start to post them. TiGO sucks.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Sept 28 vs Blackhawks

Roster taking shape.
Penguins- 4
Evgeni Malkin (Tangradi, Comrie) 1-12:21
Dustin Jeffrey (Adams, Rupp) 2-3:46
Nick Johnson (Talbot, Martin) 3-8:25
Mark Letestu (Kunitz, Martin) 3-11:13
Blackhawks- 1
Kyle Beach (Bickell, Seabrook) 2-8:53
RECAP
Evgeni Malkin lead the way for the Pens on Tuesday's preseason game against the Blackhawks, scoring the games first goal and looking to be in solid form for the rest of the game. He and the rest of the Pens rolled to a 4-1 win vs the Hawks, though they did receive some help from Brent Seabrook. Seabrook seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time throughout the final period, with both of the Pens' goals going in off of him. The lineup tonight for the Pens featured mainly NHL starters and some AHL guys fighting for a spot. (like Letestu, Jeffrey, Johnson, Sterling, Tangradi). Sid, Fleury, Orpik and others were scratched while Simon Despres saw some TOI tonight. Perhaps this is something to consider because the organization must be serious if they are still playing him.

3 Big Points

-Mark Letestu is really close to an NHL spot. He seems like the top choice to fill in while Staal recovers.

-I guess Disco gave them all a little talk about why it isn't prudent for star-caliber players to be throwing down in the pre-season. Much cleaner game.

-Ok, the Pens are 4-0, but it's the pre-season. Take a few steps back and realize what the pre-season is really about...rosters.

Next Game
Friday the Pens return the favor and face the Hawks at United Center. It is the all important next-to-last pre-season game, and should be crucial in determining the lineups for the opener.

*note: I will also try my best this year to keep up to date with the happenings of the WBS Penguins, who opened their pre-season schedule tonight with a 7-6 shootout loss to the Syracuse Crunch. I find it pointless to write any seperate post about it today, though, because most of their team is still in Pittsburgh.

Yinz Luv 'Da Stillers!, PIT vs. TB (Week #3)

Monday, September 27, 2010

Windows

While recently leafing through ESPN the Magazine's NHL preview issue, I came across an article that just struck me as fascinating. It seems the folks over at ESPN (who aren't always on the up and up when it comes to hockey) had devised a system to rank a team's chances not only this year but on the overall picture. It's called the window theory and it goes something like this:
There are three categories of teams. There is the group before the window that are teams that are building towards the goal but not quite there yet. As you advance through this category closer to the window, the teams get a little bit better and become greater immediate threats. Then you hit the second category of teams (this year's main cup favorites) that are in the window. Now, within this window there is also a ranking because the teams closer to the beginning of the window have a greater chance of staying there while those further down the list are at risk of falling out of the window. They would join the third class of teams, who either had been in the window and simply are waiting for some prospects to reload or just completely skipped over the window entirely after a group of prospects just didn't work out and are waiting to start over. If that was too much for you to read at once, here is a simpler version.
The goal of the teams before the window is to gradually work their way into the window. The goal of the teams in the window is to contend for cups and stay there as long as possible. The goal of the teams past the window (though some of the teams that are just past the window still have a chance this year) is to get some prospects and work their way back into the group waiting to reach the window.

Here is how ESPN had them ranked. (window teams bold)
Panthers
Islanders
Blue Jackets
Lightning
Hurricanes
Thrashers
Rangers
Sabres
Avalanche
Blues
Canadiens
Coyotes
Predators
Bruins
Kings
PENS
Blackhawks
Capitals
Canucks
Flyers
Sharks
Red Wings
Devils
Ducks
Flames
Senators
Maple Leafs
Stars
Wild
Oilers

So, according to their model the teams with the best shot this year are the Canucks, Flyers, and Caps while the Kings, Pens, and Hawks are better off in the long run. They think Oilers and Wild fans are going to have to wait longest for a winner while Boston, Nashville, and Phoenix are right on the brink of success.

So now that you get the idea here is my model:

Thrashers: I'm putting this team on the right side of the window, but just barely. They do have a bit of promise with guys like Bogosian and Kane but they still have some work to do.

Oilers: With two potential superstars in the system, the Oilers certainly are moving in the right direction but what they need to do now is to find them a supporting cast.

Panthers: They are here not because of who they have on their team but who they have behind the front desk. Tallon has shown that he wants to steer this team in the right direction, and he is already off to a good start drafting Gudbranson.

Islanders: John Tavares is a superstar coming into his own, and though the rest of the team is not yet up to par, he may keep them afloat (or at least from totally going under) until they get things together.

Sabres: I like what I saw from this team in the regular season last year. Playoffs, not so much... That's ok though, as it shows there is lots of talent there and they just need to work out some kinks.

Maple Leafs: Surprise. Some key offseason additions like Versteeg and Armstrong as well as the maturing of young guys like Luca Caputi will supplement "window players" (players who have reached peak of their career) like Phaneuf to make Toronto at least competitive this year.

Predators: This team is actually moving a bit in the wrong direction, but I still think their future is still ahead of them. They better be careful they don't jump the window though.

Blues: It's almost your time St Louis. This is a team that has obviously committed themselves to success in the near future (as seen by Halak trade) that believes that it's time is coming.

Lightning: Silently building an offensive juggernaut behind Stamkos. This team can be good way sooner than anyone expects them to be.

Coyotes: Phoenix is a team that found success not through superstar talent and blockbuster trades but rather through acquiring solid players and surrounding them with solid leadership. If they keep this up, they could find themselves in/near the window for a long time.

Avalanche: Most people would say that I am putting them too high, but I really loved what I saw from this team in the playoffs last year and they were not too far away. If they could put it together this year, they have the potential to stay in the window for at least 3-5 years.

PENGUINS: I'm sure I'm not the only Pens fan that is already starting to get nervous for those ominous years when Sid/Geno/etc contracts expire, but the truth is that that day is still quite a long way off. Until then, let's try to win a few cups.

Capitals: Basically the same situation as the Pens, and (as much as it kills me to say it) it is only a matter of time before they figure it out in May.

Bruins: Guys like Savard and Bergeron to lead the way now. Guys like Seguin and Lucic to lead the way later. What more can you ask?

Kings: I guess even I am going to have to jump on the "Kings are a legitimate contender" bandwagon. They look to be primed for a deep run for the next few years.

Canucks: I know we've all heard this one before, but I'm willing to give Vancouver one more year to impress me before I move them to the back of the window. Just a glance at the roster is all that one will need to automatically pick these guys to win the West. (or at least get #1 seed)

Red Wings: They have been about this place on the "window scale" for the last 5 years. They keep getting older, yet never show any signs of age. Why should this year be any different?

Flyers: Didn't lose that much from last year (although they still don't have a goalie) so you can't count them out. Young talent like Van Riemsdyke and Leino should keep the rest of those hooligans on the map for a couple more years.

Blackhawks: They got absolutely ripped apart after their cup last year, and almost need to start rebuilding again to find a supporting cast for Kane and Toews. Both of those guys currently at the top of their game should be enough to make this team a contender for at least a little while longer.

Sharks: They are right on the borderline of the back of the window, so I will be generous and include them. The talent is still there, just getting older.

Kovalchuks: Yeah, he's very good but it's nice to have a few other guys out there. It seems like guys like Parise are going to waste in that new system, and the loss of draft picks and cap space adds further to the chaos. Also, Marty isn't going to be around forever. Even though I have them outside, I'd say its now or never for this team.

Senators: Veteran leadership is a very good thing. But is there such a concept as too much of a good thing? Yikes, they may need to start distributing HoverRounds as contract incentives.

Canadiens: Was last year's playoff run a fluke? I guess we'll find out.

Rangers: They seem like they are starting to get the right idea, but I wouldn't say they are "rebuilding" just yet. I would expect maybe one more down year before they start to slowly work their way back up to the top. It is there, but it will take time.

Hurricanes: This team is tricky. I put them here really not so much because of their chances this year but their chances of being able to work their way into that "window." It won't take that long once they start rebuilding, it's just that they havn't really started yet.

Blue Jackets: Well, at least Nash will put up monster stats again.

Ducks: I'm with ESPNMag on this one. They need a D before they could really get back to business.

Flames: Bad trade after bad trade. They had their window a few years ago but were just unable to jump on it. Now it's time to take a step back and get back to building some pillars for a team.

Stars: Ok, they have a couple good young guys but the rest of the team really is pretty average. It's not like they will be the worst team in the league anytime soon, its just that they seem like they are destined for mediocrity for quite a while.

Wild: They had their window a few years ago and they totally skipped right over it. Whoops, back to the drawing board.

So there you have it. It's not often that I really get inspired by an NHL piece done by ESPN, so I felt the need to post it.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Steelers/Bucs Inactives

Steelers

QB Dennis Dixon
CB Crezdon Butler
RB Jonathan Dwyer
G Trai Essex
WR Emmanuel Sanders
LB Thaddeus Gibson
T Tony Hills
CB Keenan Lewis

Buccaneers

QB Rudy Carpenter
LB Niko Koutouvides
RB Kareem Huggins
CB Myron Lewis
DE Michael Bennett
C Ted Larsen
WR Maurice Stovall

No shockers on this front. Antonio Brown will dress today and be fielding kickoffs once again and ARE is expected to handle punt return duties.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Sept 25 vs Blue Jackets

I went to a fight and a hockey game didn't break out.
Penguins- 3
Pascal Dupuis (Asham) 2-16:48
Evgeni Malkin (Hutchinson, Tangradi) 3-2:47
Arron Asham (Jeffrey, Kennedy) 3-17:17
Blue Jackets- 1
Michael Ratchuk (Brassard) 1-12:03
RECAP
WWE isn't scheduled to come to Pittsburgh until December, but if you watched tonight's game it would be hard to tell the difference. The Pens and CBJ racked up a total of of 74 PIMs, with 5 fights breaking out throughout the game. Kris Letang lead the way in that category, first dropping the gloves with Matt Calvert and then later in the game with Jakub Voracek.
Letang was not the only one engaging in fisticuffs, as pro-enforcer Eric Godard and scrappy WBS forward Tim Wallace also dropped the gloves.
This all lead up to the final and most interesting fight of the night, which featured Malkin dropping the gloves with Columbus star forward Rick Nash near the end of the third period. As for the whole "hockey game" thing, Asham lead the way with a goal and an assist, now really showing that he may have some offensive upside. Malkin and Dupuis also found the twine for the Pens, while Michael Ratchuk scored the lone tally for the Jackets. Fleury had a good game as well, allowing just 1 goal in 33 shots.
3 Big Points
-Yes Letang had 2 fights, but he also had 2 minors as well. Add these to the other 6 committed by the team and you have the math for a potential recurring problem. I sure hope either the Pens settle it down a bit once the reg season starts or the PK is up to the task.
-Why is Malkin fighting in the preseason? Can anybody answer that? ANYBODY?
-Fleury looks to be in mid-April form, so I wouldn't expect to see much of him until the opener. Very impressive tonight.
Next Game
The Blackhawks come into town for the last game at CEC before the opener vs the Flyers.

Is Bill Cosby Dead?



Bill Cosby is not dead and he doesn't like the rumors so stop it. We can't confirm if Sabrina Le Beauf is still alive. Hey Hey Hey.



Penn State Gameday

TV: Big Ten Network, 3:30 PM
Series: Penn State leads 35-3-1, last meeting Sept. 19, 2009 ... PSU 31- Temple 6
Line: Penn State by 14

The line on this game dropped three full points, and for good reason. This Temple team is good, coming off an impressive win over UConn. Something about this game has me a bit worried. Penn State hasn't looked bad but could look much better, espically the Offense. Temple DE Adrian Robinson is a stud and could easily suit up for any big conference team. Keep an eye out for Bernard Pierce. The Owls tailback will give the Penn State defense fits all day.

The last time Temple beat the Lions was in 1941. That's pre-Paterno. That won't happen today but this is going to be one hell of a football game.

Prediction: Penn State 28 Temple 21

Friday, September 24, 2010

Sept 24 vs Blue Jackets

Young talent and new faces emerge.
Penguins- 5
Arron Asham (Goligoski) 1-0.34
Mike Rupp (Conner, Wagner) 1-9:31
Chris Kunitz (Letestu, Goligoski) 2-16:46
Nick Johnson (Wagner, Jeffrey) 3-8-13
Mike Comrie (Letestu, Kunitz) 3-12:08
Blue Jackets- 4
Tomas Kubalik (Vermette, Huselius) 1-12:27
Tomas Kubalik (Vermette, Huselius) 2-2:35
Kyle Wilson (none) 2-3:01
Tomas Kubalik (Klesla, Huselius) 3-19:16

RECAP
This was nothing more than another regular old preseason game, especially considering the number of scratches. Clearly Disco wanted this one to be reserved for the younger and tougher guys and he has to be playing around with some line combos. Sid and Brooks sat this one out, likely for precautionary measures. This probably means nothing though, as Malkin, Letang, Michalek, Fleury, Kennedy, and Dupuis were also scratched. (and HOPEFULLY there's nothing wrong with them) The grinders really did their share of work today for the Pens today, and this should all be accounted for in Dan's lineup decision for Game 1. Meanwhile, Tomas Kubalik was running absolutely wild today for CBJ, totalling up 3 goals and definitely gave HC Scott Arniel something to think about as well.

3 Big Points
- I love how the tough guys are finding the twine. If they could add a few supplementary goals to what the scorers will produce, then we just may have quite the nice formula here.

-Mark Letestu is lucky that he gets to wear his #1o in Pittsburgh, because he will be needing it when the season starts. He is looking more and more solid to make the NHL roster.

-I know this is only the preseason and the Pens only started about half of their team, but you still gotta love the fact that they fought for the W, and didn't get involved in another slugfest like the opener.

Next Game
We get to do it all over again on Saturday. Columbus makes their first trip to the Consol Energy Center for the second game of the preseason home and home.

100

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Pens vs Red Wings

I thought this was pre-season?
Penguins- 5
Mike Comrie (Sterling Michalek) 1-1:21
Sidney Crosby (Boulerice, Letang) 1-7:29
Ryan Craig (Letestu, Orpik) 1-11:45
Brett Sterling (Crosby, Dupuis) 2-13:28
Ryan Craig (Kennedy, Letestu) 2-15:06
Red Wings- 1
Ruslan Salei (Ritola, Filppula) 2-9:29
RECAP
Obviously when you have two rival teams trying to send a message to each other in their preseason opener, things may get a bit rowdy but this was just out of hand. Both teams came out with intensity, which is usually a very good thing, but in the preseason it can become dangerous. The Pens were able to translate their intensity into goals, routing the visiting Wings 5-1 with Ryan Craig having 2 goals along with one from Sterling, Comrie, and Sid. But since the score matters very little, that's all I'll say about it.
The real fireworks happened all night long, with an occasional series of skirmishes that usually lead to minor penalties. There were a few less minor occurrences, though, that may lead to seriously negative consequences on both sides. Johan Franzen and Brooks Orpik collided at center ice, and Franzen injured his knee in the process and had to be assisted off the ice. (I saw the replay a few times, and I say that nobody is at fault.) Likewise for the Pens, Crosby left the ice and did not return after the 2nd period. The official word at the moment was a sore hip flexor.
3 Big Points
-As a WBS fan, I love what I saw from Sterling and Craig. Noted that they won't have Sid to feed them down in the minors, but I can see both (especially Sterling) putting up some pretty good stats.
-Settle down people. Its only the preseason! I'd like to have a team left by the time the season starts.
-Wow, the Consol Energy Center is nice. Absolutely beautiful.
Next Game
Friday Sept 25 at Columbus
Hopefully Sid will be playing and Disco would have settled the boys down by then. All NHL teams are in the same category at this time of the year, so there's not much more to say about this one.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Steelers vs. Titans Inactives

Steelers

DT Casey Hampton
RB Jonathan Dwyer
LB Thaddeus Gibson
OT Max Starks
OL Ramon Foster
CB Crezdon Butler
LB Jason Worilds
WR Emmanuel Sanders

Titans

QB Rusty Smith
S Robert Johnson
S Nick Schommer
LB Rennie Curran
T Mike Otto
G Ryan Durand
WR Lavelle Hawkins
DE William Hayes

No huge surprises for the Steelers. Both Hampton and Starks are injured and were not expected to play, and Sanders did not practice yesterday with a quadriceps injury.

No real big loses for the Titans either. Mostly just depth guys out as well.

Crash of the Titans

Well here it is, the first major hurdle of the season. Some story lines in this game, Chris Johnson's 100 yard rushing streak, Vince Young hasn't threatened to kill himself (yet), Nate Washington playing his old team, and of course Dennis Dixon getting his second start of the seasons.

First off you must read this, it's the Gospel written by FC at Steelerfury. It's the best pre-game writeup you'll see bar none. I'm thinking we will link to that every week, because it puts an analysis I could do myself to shame.

The Steelers are the solid 5 point dog in this road game, and really I would expect no less. How couldn't the Steelers, with Dennis Dixon starting be the underdogs on the road against the "mighty" Titans?

After all the Titans had an impressive win last week against the perennial powerhouse Oakland Raiders.

Chris Johnson again rushed for over 100 yards, in fact he rushed for 100 more yards than the Steelers rush defense allowed total last week. I guess Michael Turner just isn't very good.

The big reason the Steelers must lose though is history. Nevermind that the Steelers are 42-30 in the series, they haven't won at LP Field since 2001.

I just don't understand the love for this Titans team. The only thing they do really well is run the ball, and we have one of the best rushing defenses in the league, maybe in history over the last 5 years.

Vince Young is far from a proven commodity and, let's face it, he's probably a few IQ points higher than a plate of leftover Macaroni and Cheese. Our pass rush should be able to get to him, even though he is good with his feet and rattle him.

Their receivers as a group are pretty uninspiring. Nate Washington is a glorified number 3 who has hands just a step above Braylon Edwards, Justin Gage is a marginal possession receiver who averages about 22 catches per season, and Kenny Britt has been a headcase and a distraction for the Titans this year.

I see no reason why the Steelers can't or shouldn't win this game. The key is obviously the defense, and limiting the mistakes to give Dixon every chance to succeed.

Steelers win 13-10.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

At Least James Harrison Is Cool

This was the only pic I could find of him in college. You suck Internet.



I don't know much about Kent State so I won't pretend to. The things I do know ... 4 dead in O-HI-O, they call themselves the Golden Flashes and James Harrison went to school there.

Penn State Gameday

TV: ESPN 2, Noon
Series: PSU leads 2-0, last meeting Sept. 20, 2003 ... PSU 32 Kent State 10
Line: Penn State by 21

The Lions need to start clicking on all cylinders and this is a good place to start. Evan Royster, Graham Zug, I'm looking at you. Hey defense ... guess how many turnovers you forced so far this season? The same as me. Lets get to work.

Prediction: Penn State 41, Kent State 10

Friday, September 17, 2010

Chasing 3000

Two brothers drive across country to see their hero, Roberto Clemente, get his 3000th hit. If anyone has seen this let me know. Here's the trailer. It has a pretty good cast too.



Thursday, September 16, 2010

Letting Go

Yes, the completely expected yet dreadful news was confirmed earlier this morning. Civic Arena has been voted for demolition. It is sad news to Pens fans, Pittsburgh residents, and anyone else who appreciated the history of the Igloo, but it simply had to be done. It is not an official decision, but the vote was taken and as of now the demolition is on. There are those who are still in opposition, and while I praise you for the noble idea, it is time to let go. Here are a few reasons why it simply has to be done.

Upkeep- Trying to keep this arena looking nice costs money, which may not always be available. Unless given great care, the entire structure may start to lose its beauty over time and become almost an eyesore. Lady Mellon deserves better than that.

Structure Problems- I mean, it is nearly 50 years old. Its time

Reasons to Stay- The prospect of a backup concert stage and practice rink for the Pens simply was not strong enough of a cause to sway the verdict any.

See Below
A few days here may change your mind.



Let's Go Pens.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Saying Goodbye to Bill Guerin

As all of you surely already know, Bill Guerin has agreed to a "tryout" contract with the Flyers. Though nothing is official yet, it is not the first time that Guerin will be skating with the team and he has commented that the Flyers would be a good fit for him...(blah blah the usual generic stuff) As you also may know, this has caused much unrest among Pens faithful even though we ALL knew there was no chance of Guerin coming back to the Pens next year. I'm sure nobody wanted it to end this way, as Billy G was a great locker room presence and still effective on the ice. But the money just wasn't there, and sadly hockey is indeed a business and sometimes things don't always turn out the way the fans believe it should. So...
Do I think any less of Guerin as a person?
Of course not. Guerin is a great guy and changing teams doesn't change that.
Am I going to hate the Flyers any less?
Of course not.
If Arron Asham and Guerin drop the gloves next season, who would I root for?
Asham of course.
If Guerin wins the cup with Philly, will I congratulate him?
Hell no.

It all boils down to the greatest cardinal rule of being a fan of a team:
Cheer for your jersey
before you even bother to read the back.
Hockey is getting quite close now. Pens first preseason game at CEC is in one week from tomorrow.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Yinz Luv 'Da Stillers!, PIT vs. ATL (Week #1)

In Defense of Randle El

A good bit has been made about Randle El returning punts yesterday. This has been muted, mostly by the fact that the Steelers won, but still the rumble is out there, and will probably get a bit larger as we go on.

The usual argument I've been hearing is that Emmanuel Sanders has much more potential and at this stage in his career is a better option to get us good field position than Antwaan Randle El. That argument is probably true. I have little doubt that El's days as a dynamic, dangerous return man are pretty much over.

That argument leaves out something though. That something is Ricardo Colclough. Colclough was a very green punt returner going into a game vs. Cincinnati, with the Steelers nursing a small lead all he had to do was not turn the ball over. Instead he took a punt that was over his head and tried to catch it backing up, the ball bounced off his face mask in the Red Zone where Cincy recovered it and scored on the resulting drive, winning the game.

Yesterday the Steelers were starting a young, inexperienced, and unimpressive quarterback. A quarterback not capable of overcoming a ton of mistakes, and a quarterback who was probably not likely to head a large comeback. Randle El is sure handed, and will usually make the correct decision on a punt. He has enough experience that he will not go out and dive for a punt, or let one clang off his helmet. He knows when to let them go and when to fair catch.

Sure he may not set us up with great field position, but he probably won't set the Falcons up with an almost guaranteed three points by turning over the ball.

Besides the Steelers have the best defense in the league to help get field position, and they once again proved they can be relied on. In keeping the Falcons out of the endzone they did more than anyone to prop up Dennis Dixon. Troy Polamalu's interception is what you expect of a player of his caliber and we have enough elite player that turnovers of that nature are not an unreasonable expectation on a regular basis.

So it's a trade off in the sense that while Sanders, or maybe Antonio Brown might break one, or at least set us up with decent field position, there is also a very good chance they muff one, or make a bad decision about fair catch, or letting one fall. At the same time our defense can do it's job and set Dixon up with good field position anyway, so it pays to play conservative on special teams because the Offense is fragile at this point and a Special Teams mistake (looking at you Jeff Reed) could very well be the difference between a win and a loss.

And these wins are crucial.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Beat Bama



Will Penn State shock the football world or will this be an Alabama blowout?

Penn State Gameday

TV: ESPN, 7 P.M.
Series: Alabama leads 8-5, last meeting Oct. 27, 1990 ... PSU 9, UA 0
Line: Alabama by 12

If Penn State starts off slow like last week this may get ugly. We all know about Alabama and how good they are. It's no secret. Expect Alabama WR Julio Jones to see a lot of balls thrown his way against an untested Penn State secondary.

PSU QB Robert Bolden looked poised for a freshmen last week but this sure isn't Youngstown State. Penn State must establish the running game to have a chance.

Prediction: Alabama 38 Penn State 17

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Yinz Luv 'Da Stillers!, Preseason '10

Our good friend Jim Shearer is back with Yinz Luv 'Da Stillers!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Monday, September 6, 2010

Pirates call up 8 players, one of which deserves it

Pirates have announced that they will be bringing up OF Alex Presley, OF Brandon Moss, SS Pedro Ciriaco, C Jason Jaramillo, RHP Brad Lincoln, LHP Justin Thomas, RHP Brian Bass, and RHP Steven Jackson.

To make move on the 40 man roster for Ted Nugent the Pirates have DFA'd Akinori Iwamura and fan favorite Erik Kratz. They also placed Ross Ohlendorf and Jeff Clement on the 60 day DL.

It's typical to bring up guys in September, but I would hate if anyone but Alex Presley gets any regular at bats.

Brandon Moss was named team MVP and led the league in RBI (AAAA hero!). Many fans have been calling for him to be called up because he apparently has found his stroke, really that isn't the case though. He's a nearly 27 year old feasting on AAA pitching. His OPS of .804 is good, but nothing special. In fact Alex Presley has a better OPS in his short time at AAA this year. Taking any at bats away from guys with upside, even if it is limited for Moss is a joke. He should earn his spot in Spring Training next season.

No problem seeing what Pedro Ciriaco has because they will have to make a decision on Argenis Diaz next season, that is what these callups are for.

Jaramillo has really shown nothing at either level, he shouldn't see much time with three catchers on the roster.

Thomas, Bass, and Jackson have all been up this season and really are just marginal bullpen arms. Not a whole lot of upside with these guys either.

The one I question most, with the obvious exception of bringing up the Hunter Gatherer, is bringing up Lincoln. He is coming off an injury, and a horrid performance today. He really hasn't improved too much since he was sent back down to the minors the first time, and if he's struggling and coming off an injury they might be better off just shutting him down instead of possibly re-aggravating the injury, or killing his confidence any more.

Really the only guy who I'm even remotely interested in seeing is Presley, who I've seen look good in Altoona.

Dixon Named Starter


Mike Tomlin announced today that Dennis Dixon will start on Sunday against the Falcons. Despite Eddie Bouchette's suggestion that Batch would most likely get the nod, I'm not sure if there was ever a legitimate shot for him to start in the first place. It was pretty obvious to me that the mutual plan was for him to be released (nod, wink) and then retire (possibly pursuing a coaching career). Think about it. The coaching staff was so hesitant about giving Dixon an opportunity. They obviously have very little faith in him, so what does that say about their faith in Charlie Batch? It wasn't about faith. It was "Well shit, now what?", and then a ruse to "confuse" the Falcons a little bit. Chawlee never had a chance and I'm not sure if he even wanted a chance.

Speaking of faith, was it really just two weeks ago that the entire city had Dixon Fever? This town is freaking bipolar. All summer, the only thing I heard was about giving Dixon a shot, Dixon is a better fit, Dixon is the future. Now he's named starter it's suddenly the worst decision the team has ever made. The kid had one bad preseason game, give him a chance. I seem to remember in 2004 a (somewhat) similar scenario playing out, forcing a rookie into the lineup and remember hearing about how the team was "doomed" then. They then won 14 games in a row. This is only for 4 games. Relax. Because I have a feeling that, in a month from now, we're going to be hearing about how taking Dixon out of the lineup will hurt the chemistry the team has and how we don't need Ben anymore. Bank on it.

Is there an answer in St. Louis?

So Colby Rasmus is probably on his way out. His teammates are even turning against him now and that's a pretty bad sign. It also put the team over the barrel a bit. This is the type of move the Pirates HAVE to make. Even if we have to give something big away, afterall they are in our division, I wouldn't hesitate. He is a lefty and would make use of the Clemente Wall.

I would be willing to give up basically anything in the minors for Rasmus who is second amongst CF in terms of OBP, and is tied for sixth in homers even though he has 100 or less AB than everyone in front of him.

Rasmus is a legit 30 homer player, and while not a burner, his bat could play pretty well in RF. Taking his current stats, his OPS would rank 7th in the league in RF. That is substantially better than anything the Pirates have trotted out there.

Why I think this will happen? Neil Huntington has shown a willingness to trade for guys with attitude problems. Couple that with the fact that he seems to be very willing to trade within his division (Gorzo, Torress) and the statements that they will add players I think this trade has as good a chance of going down as any.

The Pirates have built a pretty deep system, now is the time to start using it. Make a bold move Neil!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Pirates recall Joe Martinez *UPDATED*

Jen Langosch is reporting on Twitter that Joe Martinez will join the team tonight. Martinez was acquired by the Pirates for LOOGY Javier Lopez at the trade deadline. Here is our post on the trade.

Not really sure what to make of this move. I'm sure the Pirates see him as a starter, but he only has 4 starts in his 7 appearances at Indy. He may be a bullpen arm for now, or the Pirates may be going to a 6 man rotation. It sounds like he also may take Jeff Karstens spot tomorrow.

He sure hasn't earned this call-up, boasting a pathetic 5.72 ERA at Indy, with a laughable 1.871 WHIP. If there is anything worse than his 1.9 HR/9 it's probably his 14.6 H/9.

Usually you use September to get a look at guys, but he is struggling mightily to adjust to his new team, and league, I can't imagine making him do it again will put him in some sort of comfort zone.

Teams tend to bring up guys when they are hot so it continues at the ML Level, well if that is true than the same should hold true for guys that are as cold as a witches tit.

*UPDATE* Multiple media outlets are reporting that Martinez will work exclusively out of the bullpen. Jeff Karstens will skip his start tomorrow due to his sore shoulder, and Brian Burres will go in his place.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

I Hope the Penguins Lose



There should only be one team called the Penguins and it sure as hell isn't Youngstown State.

Penn State Gameday

TV: The Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Series: PSU leads 1-0, last meeting Sept. 16, 2006... PSU 34, YSU 3

A cupcake game until Alabama. I have no problem scheduling a team like YSU to kick off the season. YSU has some good players returning, especially on defense, but this should be lopsided from the get go. Prediction: Penn State 38 Youngstown State 10.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Pens Sign Mike Comrie







I like it.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

9 Reasons to Be Pumped About the '10 Steelers


First of all, what's up, TIGO? Yeah, I'm new around here. Big thanks to Brad for the invite. You'll probably hear the most from me about the Steelers, but you'll definitely see me chipping in with posts about other sports, the rest of the NFL, etc.

With that out of the way, the Steelers are just a few hours away from closing out another preseason with the most meaningless preseason game of them all (essentially a scrub tryout), so it's just about time to start turning our attention to the big kahuna. Yeaaaah, buddy. Only 11 days to go and regular season will finally be upon us, so I figured I'd get my stint here rolling with a bang.

I don't know what it is exactly, but even as the diehardest (that word is in my dictionary) of diehard Steelers fans out there -- someone who starts counting down the days every single August -- I don't think I've been this excited for a season in a long time. It might be all the intrigue that built up over the offseason: Big Ben's accusations and suspension, Santonio's Twitter escapades and subsequent exile, Willie Colon's season ending injury, the list goes on and on. You can say it's been a bit on tumultuous side.

I'm not sure how this is going to play out, and maybe that's why it's so damn interesting to me. This team has the potential to go 13-3 and win the Super Bowl, but at the same time it has the potential to turn into a 5-11 trainwreck. The feeling I get from most Stiller fans is that they think the latter will almost certainly be the case. And that might be a big part of my excitement as well. Maybe I just want to see these people be wrong, because I'm extremely optimistic about this year. Here are 9 reasons why you should be, too.

9. The Rookies

Aside from Jonathan Dwyer -- who frankly, has looked flat-out terrible up to this point -- just about every single one of these guys have been turning heads all summer long.

Maurkice Pouncey is an absolute mauler and it's almost certain that he's going to be starting this year.

Speedsters Emmanual Sanders and Antonio Brown will be extremely hard to keep off the field and even though they're rookies, should cause matchup problems when they do with all the speed that will be out there. Despite a few boneheaded plays, Brown also looks like he has the potential to be a decent return guy.

Guys like Stevenson Sylvester and Crezdon Butler have also been making plays throughout the preseason and could be aces on a coverage unit that was horrendous last season.

All in all, they might not be making Sportscenter every weekend, but little contributions here and there could go a long way.

8. The Schedule*

Section 1 (Sans Ben) - Suspect defense in ATL in home opener (they never lose home openers anymore), Tampa Bay (who is just awful), an enigma of a Titans team and a home game against the Ravens (when was the last time the Ravens won in Pittsburgh?). 2-2 or 3-1. Hell, if the commissioner folds tomorrow, Ben might even be back in time for the Ratbirds. Score!

Section 2 (The Cake Teams) - Oakland, Buffalo, Cleveland x2, Carolina and Miamidfpi. Sorry, I started shaking because I'm so scared of those teams. 4-2 or 5-1

Section 3 (The Hard Part) - New England (home game!), New Orleans, Bungles twice, Ratbirds and the Jets (home game!). They'll beat Cinci at least once, I love them in that New England game and I have a feeling they can win 2 out of 3 between New Orleans, Baltimore and the Jets. 3-3 or 4-2.

*The games aren't played in this order, just grouping them together

By my count, that's about a record of 12-4 at best and 9-7 at worst.

7. Mike Wallace

There's difference between a good player and a player who is good because of the players around him. Mike Wallace is no Nate Washington or even Antwaan Randle El. Mike Wallace was good last year because he worked his ass off, and with more expectations this year, he's worked even harder this summer. Desean Jackson-like playmaking ability all season long.

6. Rashard Mendenhall

The guy is a stud, plain and simple. He's going to get the ball more (especially during Ben's suspension), he's going to make plays, and it's only going to help the offense. Look at it this way. For the first four games the gameplan is going to be run, run, run, and run some more, right?

Woops, snuck in a playaction fake and Dontrelle Willis Byron Leftwich is heaving that shit up to Mike Wallace. Peace. Out. Ben may have a little more trouble accurately throwing deep (one of his only major faults) than Lefty, but he'll still get it to him pretty often. Bottom line is that with the speed the receiving corps has, a great running game will set up a DEADLY passing game.

5. The AFC North is completely overrated

The Ravens hype this year is based on four things: Joe Flacco, Anquan Boldin, Ray Rice and the defense. A.) Are any of you scared of Joe Flacco by anything other than by his unibrow? B.) Anquan Boldin has played an entire season ONCE since his rookie year and hasn't had a "great" season since 2006 C.) Starting cornerbacks: Chris Carr and Fabian Washington, Ray Lewis turns 50 next month and Ed Reed is out for the first 6 games of the year -- where they'll face the Jets, Bengals, Steelers and Patriots... all on the road. Good luck carrying that team on your back, Ray Rice.

Do you really think Ochocinco and T.O. is gonna work out? Or the Bengals will be good two years in a row?

The Cleveland Browns are the Cleveland Browns.

4. Mike Tomlin

A lot of people blame Mike Tomlin for how the team flamed out at the end of last year but... really, was it his fault? Why can't we hold the defensive players accountable? Mike Tomlin can't make Tyrone Carter not be the worst fucking safety in the league or William Gay not be able to cover a 5-year-old girl. Even still, they finished out the year with 3 straight wins against some pretty decent squads (Packers, Ravens, Dolphins).

In 2008, they had the "hardest schedule ever", every game was in primetime, their offense was absolutely TERRIBLE and they were losing in the fourth quarter in what seemed like every one of those games. Still got the Lombardi. Mike Tomlin eats adversity for breakfast. Speaking of 2008...

3. Ben Roethlisberger is on the team

All stupid shit aside, I don't care if you like the man still or not. I don't care if he's a rapist or if he's the freaking pope, you CANNOT say he doesn't know how to play football. He's in the best shape of his career, just had the best training camp of his career and if you haven't noticed, absolutely thrives on the moments when he's under the most pressure. Can you get any more pressure than this? Every time a reporter asks him how he plans on getting people to like him again he says one thing: "win". I think he kind of wants it this year.

2. 2008 defense is back

Not to mention that in 2008, they statistically had one of the best defenses of all time. What happened last year? Well for starters, they lost role players like Bryant McFadden and Larry Foote to free agency. So what did they do this year? They went and got them back, because Kevin Colbert is the fucking man. That's what. Every single starter from the 2008 defense is back now, and you have guys like Lawrence Tmmons about to have a breakout year and one of the best young linebackers in LaMarr Woodley getting better every year. But maybe most importantly on defense...

1. Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith are healthy

You've heard this probably a million times already, but it's the truth. These guys are difference makers. Dick LeBeau's defense is designed so that A. The quarterback has few options and is extremely intimidated because of Troy B. The cornerbacks play soft zones that buy enough time to cover the holes in the secondary while the pass rush to get to the quarterback and C. The defensive line stops the run and gives pass rushers lanes to break through the line. That entire philosophy goes to complete shit without the best safety in the league and the best run-stopping 3-4 defensive lineman in the league. It's a dead horse, but it's a true one. They're back now and they're healthy again. Troy does seem to have an issue with injuries, but keep in mind that it also seems like it alternates for him -- one year he'll play a full season, the next is the injury-ridden one, etc.

Will the defense be as nasty as it was in 2008? Probably not, but it should be pretty stout. And with a defense like that, 2008 proved you don't need an extremely prolific offense to win. But with a better than ever Ben, guys like Mike Wallace and a runningback like Rashard Mendenhall, I think they just might be alright.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

JoePa Names Robert Bolden Starter For Saturday



This is a stunner. Joe Paterno has never started a true freshman at QB for the first game. Its Youngstown State, but still. Bolden was picked over Kevin Newsome and Scranton's Matt McGloin. Paterno still calls the three 1A, 1B and 1C but this has to mean something and I kinda like the move. I was never high on Newsome or former walk-on McGloin anyway.

Penn State opens Saturday at home vs YSU at noon. The game is on the Big Ten Network.