Good win against a quality opponent last night. The Pirates finished off the season series with the Nationals, taking the it 3-2. The Pirates were 4-4 against the Nats last season, so they had a better winning percentage this year, a definite positive considering the Nats are better than they were last year.
The Pirates were 2-1 last season against the Tigers, so to improve they need a sweep…..not likely.
First Pitch: 7:05 PM EST
Where To Watch: Root Sports, MLB.TV, FS-D
Justin Verlander, RHP (29)
It’s actually quite comical at this point. Verlander? Why the hell not? Cy Young winner? Check! All Star? Check! MVP? Check! Those are just some of the qualifications you must have to face the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Verlander is having yet another fantastic season.
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2 | 7.15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11.1 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 61 | 1.765 | 11.9 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 5.6 | 1.40 |
| 17 | 9 | 3.63 | 30 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 186.0 | 187 | 78 | 75 | 21 | 60 | 124 | 125 | 1.328 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 6.0 | 2.07 |
| 18 | 6 | 3.66 | 32 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 201.2 | 181 | 88 | 82 | 20 | 67 | 183 | 125 | 1.230 | 8.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 8.2 | 2.73 |
| 11 | 17 | 4.84 | 33 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 201.0 | 195 | 119 | 108 | 18 | 87 | 163 | 92 | 1.403 | 8.7 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 7.3 | 1.87 |
| 19 | 9 | 3.45 | 35 | 35 | 3 | 1 | 240.0 | 219 | 99 | 92 | 20 | 63 | 269 | 131 | 1.175 | 8.2 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 10.1 | 4.27 |
| 18 | 9 | 3.37 | 33 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 224.1 | 190 | 89 | 84 | 14 | 71 | 219 | 124 | 1.163 | 7.6 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 8.8 | 3.08 |
| 24 | 5 | 2.40 | 34 | 34 | 4 | 2 | 251.0 | 174 | 73 | 67 | 24 | 57 | 250 | 170 | 0.920 | 6.2 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 9.0 | 4.39 |
| 4 | 1 | 2.47 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 58.1 | 39 | 18 | 16 | 3 | 12 | 56 | 164 | 0.874 | 6.0 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 8.6 | 4.67 |
| 111 | 58 | 3.49 | 207 | 207 | 15 | 5 | 1373.2 | 1200 | 573 | 533 | 121 | 422 | 1271 | 125 | 1.181 | 7.9 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 8.3 | 3.01 |
| 18 | 10 | 3.49 | 34 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 226 | 197 | 94 | 88 | 20 | 69 | 209 | 125 | 1.181 | 7.9 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 8.3 | 3.01 |
Who the hell doesn’t have an intentional walk all season? Verlander hasn’t had one since 2009.
I mean really? Really? Really?
Sure is a shame Miz is kind of getting buried. He is money on the mic.
Verlander has faced the Bucs just once in his career. That outing was in 2010.
Of course he pretty much had his way with the Battlin’ Buccos.
| W | L | G | GS | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2.57 | 1 | 1 | 7.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1.143 | 3.9 | 0.75 |
Keeping that in mind he obviously hasn’t faced too many current Pirates.
| PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rod Barajas | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .167 | .250 | .167 | .417 |
| Andrew McCutchen | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 |
| Casey McGehee | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | 1.250 | 1.750 |
| Neil Walker | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .250 | .000 | .250 |
| Garrett Jones | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Total | 23 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | .300 | .348 | .550 | .898 |
Charlie Morton, RHP (28)
Any time a guy gives up just one run over six innings without recording a strikeout it’s pretty safe to assume he is a ground ball pitcher. Therefore we will use the Ground Chuck photo.
And whatta ya know. He even picked up a win!
| Opp | Rslt | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | Pit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFG | L,3-4 | 5.0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5.40 | 71 | |
| STL | L,1-4 | L(0-1) | 5.0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3.60 | 93 |
| COL | W,5-1 | W(1-1) | 7.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2.65 | 101 |
| STL | L,7-10 | L(1-2) | 4.1 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4.22 | 95 |
| CIN | L,0-5 | L(1-3) | 6.0 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4.61 | 97 |
| HOU | W,5-2 | W(2-3) | 6.0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.05 | 88 |
| 33.1 | 39 | 19 | 15 | 9 | 20 | 4 | 4.05 |
Mr. Morton has never faced the Tigers! Never ever. Though he did come over in a trade which included Gorkys Hernandez, a former Tigers farmhand. That has to count for something right?
| PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Fielder | 15 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .182 | .400 | .455 | .855 |
| Gerald Laird | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 18 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .167 | .353 | .417 | .770 |
