By Cocktailsfor2

If you’re a regular reader of RumBunter, you know of our deep admiration for Kyle McPherson, he of the 60 K’s and only 6 BB in 71.2 innings so far this season. The young man who took a no-hitter into the 9th inning on May 31 and ended up with a one-hit complete game for Bradenton.  Named to the FSL All-Star team.  The 6’4″ right-hander who has recently been promoted to Altoona (where he’ll make his AA debut tonight).

 

The icy cold stare, the ability to put a pitch RIGHT WHERE HE WANTS IT TO BE.

The day before he twirled that one-hit beauty, I spoke to Kyle for a bit, and picked his brain about his control, his hometown, his (now former) Bradenton teammates, and his ranking as a double black belt.

In conversation, he is very thoughtful, extremely polite, very focused, but very easy to laugh. I’m not sure he was quite ready for the line of questioning that is my usual style…

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Cocktailsfor2: All righty, sir – how was your weekend? I didn’t see the results.

Kyle McPherson: Well, we just got back from a four-game road trip against Daytona, and we dropped all four games to them, so… we’ve been struggling as a team- I mean, we’ve only scraped together one win in the last coupla weeks, so…[chuckling] definitely a rough road so far…

Cfor2: Well, team wins are a good thing, but of course a player’s development is the key, is what’s important. Don’t get me wrong, the wins are nice…

KMcP: Oh, yes, sir…[laughs]

Cfor2: So, let’s get down to it: One of the things that I know you focus on is command and control, and you’ve actually got more HBP than BB this year. What’s the psychology – the decision process -in backing a guy down, or working the inside portion of the plate, and not worrying about it?

KMcP: I attribute both of those [command and control] to pitching inside -  I’ve definitely felt that’s one of my strongholds as a pitcher is…  in the past, I really didn’t pitch “in” that much, and I felt that coming into this season I needed to establish that, and establish that persona for myself – that I’m not gonna back down, that I’m gonna go right at a guy, whether that’s attacking him in hard, just to get him off the plate or if it’s to go in there for effect, to actually get a result. So, all that being said, you know, a couple of “errant throws” that might slide in there and nick ‘em, or actually square ‘em up, [laughs] and that’s where that comes from. And that’s an ability that you really have to work on to hone, a skill to hone, and so that’s where that split comes from with the walks in comparison to the hit by pitches.

Cfor2: What do you think gets someone out of that mind-set? Why would someone move away from pitching inside when that’s the most effective place to pitch most guys?

KMcP: Well, sir, I guess that’s a pretty deep question – some guys, it’ll come down to depending on whether you’re a reliever or a starter.  As a starter, the starter should establish both sides of the plate, and show that he CAN command  both sides -  because if he doesn’t establish that inside half early in the ballgame, then when he turns the ball over to his relieving staff, they’ll try to go in and they’ll get hurt – mainly, in essence, they’re supposed to live away as a reliever, because that’s how you’ll get your quickest outs. I guess it comes down to that mentality – some guys are pitch-to-contact, and they can throw a ball middle-middle and get the results there and some guys, to keep ‘em off their other stuff and to go deeper into a ballgame, I feel it’s a necessity to pitch in.

Definitely NOT a “one-hit wonder.”

Cfor2: What’s the best-kept secret about Mobile, AL?

KMcP: Well… [laughs] Well, Mardi Gras is pretty good down there… um…. [long pause] …

Cfor2: I wasn’t trying to stump you…

KMcP: Ha ha!

Cfor2: Let’s say you’re elected to the publicity dept. of the Chamber of Commerce… do you have, maybe, a favorite restaurant?

KMcP: I mean, there’s a lot of good restaurants down on the Causeway, some real good ones… .Also, a main attraction down there is the USS Alabama… that and Mardi Gras… and they have a Moon Pie drop now …

Cfor2:  What?!?

KMcP: …where they do one similar to the ball drop on New Year’s Eve in Times Square…

Cfor2: Wait – a REAL Moon Pie?

KMcP: Yes, sir – because Mobile and New Orleans kind of compete for judgement on who was first on developing and creating Mardi Gras, and they go back and forth on that.

Cfor2: You don’t really get to hit any more…Do you miss hitting?

KMcP: Yes, sir, I do. I do really miss hitting. That’s something I was intrigued with, having an opportunity to come into Major League Spring Training this year and to have an opportunity to swing a bat again, that was something special there – even though they keep it limited, and mainly you’ll do more… there’s more emphasis on bunting, than there is, you know, swinging, but you’re able to get some hacks in, and it felt good to swing the bat again, and then you move  back to Minor League Spring Training – and being in the upper level groups we were able to continue to swing the bat a little bit, but, like I say, it’s doing cage work, and you get in 5 or 10-minute splits there that you get to work on…

Cfor2: You have to pick one of the following 3: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee…

KMcP: Bruce Lee.

Cfor2: Tell me why?

KMcP: He’s the one that always intrigued me as a kid growing up – I have just about every one of his movies – and he’s… I mean, he exemplifies kung fu, you know? And he’s definitely the guy you watched, and he exemplified a lot of the great things there, coming up, and he started his own school, and started his own form of martial arts, so – a very intriguing person, and a pleasure to watch.

Cfor2: Well, Kyle, you have to know that you have what many people will never accomplish, and then, as a subset – baseball players, you know… there’s not too many double black belts.

KMcP: Right.

Cfor2: Who’s the funniest Marauder?

KMcP: Let’s see – - I’m gonna go with Duke Welker. He’s a pleasure to be around – he’s one of my roommates, so I have to put up with him 24/7 [laughing] – he’ll definitely keep you on your toes! I mean, he has a varying sense of humor – it ranges from dry, all the way up…  you never know what you’re gonna get with him. It could be any time from 5 o’clock in the morning when you’re getting up, to 1 o’clock in the morning, when you’re getting in [from] off the road and getting into bed, he’s just going that whole time…

Cfor2: What three words do you want people to use when they describe you as a player?

KMcP: Well, let’s see… fearless, competitive….hmmmm…and… a good teammate.

Cfor2: Now, without using any of the words you just used, what three words do you want people to use when they describe you as a a person?

KMcP: Ohh … caring, reserved …man, umm….respectful.

Cfor2: What’s your favorite “Saturday Night” record?

KMcP: Record?  [Grumpy Old Man rant: WTH is with these kids today?]

Cfor2: Okay -your favorite Saturday Night music?

KMcP: I’ll hafta go with Country – some Jason Aldean, Brant Lee Gilbert, Christian Kane…maybe some George Strait and Garth Brooks thrown in there.

Cfor2: You and Tony Sanchez, neck-and-neck on the country music there…

KMcP: Really? (I imagine he and “Relentless” have had the opportunity to exchange mp.3′s by now)

Cfor2: And so, what’s your Sunday music?

KMcP: I like to – on Sunday morning, I like to listen to a little Country Gospel, and then, if we have a game on Sunday, then I’ll switch back to just regular country music, but the main genre is gonna remain country. Randy Travis, he’s about my most favorite in there.

Cfor2: What’s the worst thing about doing interviews?

KMcP: Ha ha! I guess being on the spot – you never can tell exactly what the question’s going to be, or how it’s phrased, and you want to give the answer that’s genuine to yourself, and to your fan base, that helps explain it thoroughly for them, I guess that would be the way to generally put it there.

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Legend

By Cocktailsfor2

When you think of the Pittsburgh Pirates, you think of a lot of larger-than-life figures. Wagner. Maz.  Pops. Murtaugh. Clemente. The Parrot.

Yes, The Pirate Parrot. The sheer size of this green bird confirms that he’s a member of the  “larger-than-life” club.  Born in the Championship year of 1979, The Parrot has seen it all.

You’ll find him at PNC Park every home game, taking (mostly harmless) potshots at opposing players, interacting with fans (high fives, silly string barrages), dancing on the dugouts – providing entertainment for Pirate fans young and old.

We had the opportunity to interview The Pirate Parrot recently, and asked him a variety of baseball, and, as per our usual, non-baseball questions – to try to get inside the (very large) head of the beloved Pirates’ mascot.

We dipped into the mailbag first, and here’re some of the questions you had for The Parrot…

Colin K., Pittsburgh: A two part question: What’s your favorite food at PNC?

The Parrot: Since I’ve been trying to watch my figure, I like the Salad options in the Lexus Club and then also because they have seeds (of the sunflower variety) to put on it.

Colin K.: What’s your favorite outside PNC? Do you have a favorite restaurant in town?

The Parrot: I once went with MLB over to Japan, and since then I’ve become a big fan of sushi!  So, I’ll go to Nakama every once in awhile… Hopefully one year they’d ask me to be a part of their celebrity chef competition!

Tom S., Farmington, PA: What other team’s mascot would you say you have the biggest “feud” with? Have you made friends with any of the other mascots?

The Parrot: I can truly say that there aren’t any mascots that I feud with – I get along with all of them.  But I’m pretty close to the Phanatic in Philly, Slider with the Cleveland Indians, Billy the Marlin with the Florida Marlins, and a character by the name of Thunder who performs with the Lake Elsinore Storm (a minor league team in Southern California) because I like to think I taught him everything he knows.  I get to see all the big league guys at the All-Star game every year…we have to work all the events leading up to the game, but we actually get to relax and watch it once it starts.

Caitie B., Phoenix, AZ: You play a pretty mean air guitar – were you ever in a band?

The Parrot: Never played in a band, but I will work you in Rock Band on my PS3!!!  You know, Cutch plays the guitar, Hanrahan’s got some pretty mean vocals, and I rock out on the drums.  We’re still looking for a bass player, so send in your demo reel if you think you’ve got what it takes.  We call ourselves DREADLOCKED – it was only appropriate when you look at the guys in our group.  With Cutch it’s pretty much obvious why we picked this name, but when people ask Joel he explains, “it’s cause the other teams DREAD seeing me come in and LOCK down the victory!” [Cfor2's note: I'm not sure if this "band" really exists or if The Parrot is just pulling our leg here...]

Charles W., WV: How do you get silly string out of your feathers… or is that a trade secret?

The Parrot: I don’t have to get silly string out of my feathers – I’M the one who does all the spraying!  I buy that stuff by the pallet, and go through hundreds of cans a season.  No better feeling than when the crowd reacts to someone being covered by twelve cans of silly string…I’ve got two Six Can Shooters (one for each hand) that were the greatest investment I ever made.

Tara D., Chicago: I enjoy going to Kennywood – do you ever go? What’s your favorite ride?

The Parrot: I’ve been a couple times, but have never been on the Sky Coaster thing that is like a giant swing… I once was a part of a big show there where Jim Lokay of KDKA lost a bet.  For losing this bet, he was blindfolded and I came in with a whip cream pie (at which point the crowd went nuts and he had no idea why) and threw it in his face!

Dick P., Ohio: What’s the best way for a family to enjoy a Pirate game at PNC?

The Parrot: Sundays are the best days in my opinion for a family to enjoy a Pirates Game…we gear everything around the kids that day – from the ones selected to run to the positions with the guys to start the game, to all the fun stuff we have on Federal Street before the gates open.  It’s just a great family atmosphere on Sundays.  SkyBlast and fireworks nights are also a great way to enjoy a Pirates game.

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The interview continued with my questions:

Cocktailsfor2: How do you prepare for a game – walk us through a typical game day?

Parrot: I eat a lot of seeds and drink a lot of water!! Here’s my typical Game Day:

Arrive at ballpark about 3pm – put together a schedule sheet that has all of our night planned out so that my “Wingman” or “Bird Keeper” knows what we have to do for the night.

After that I head to my locker room where my assistant and I put together all my props that we’ve planned to use for the night and get everything ready to go

6:30pm:  Head to the field for Pre-game festivities and interactions:  This is where I mess with the opposing team or some of the grounds crew

7:00pm-End of Game:  Work the game

Afterwards shower and clean up to get my feathers smelling all nice and fresh

Then I head home to my bachelor pad and call it a night – to rest up and get ready to do it all again the next day!

Cfor2: What do you do on your day off? Do you ever get a day off?

Parrot: There are not a lot of days off, actually! If and when I do get an off-day, though, I like to just sit at home and veg out on the couch where I can just sit down and relax from the hustle and bustle of a long season and 250 days (other than the 81 home games) of community appearances we do. [Note: You can check out some of the upcoming events  HERE, as well as some of the past events the Parrot and the Pirates have participated in.]

Cfor2: How do you get to the ballpark?

Parrot: I just got this Can-Am Spyder motorcycle which fans can see me driving around town.  It gets great gas mileage and puts less exhaust into the atmosphere compared to some of the other trucks on the road today.  Also, I can’t stress how nice it is when I only have to fill up a 4 gallon tank with how ridiculous gas prices have gotten these days.  This brings up another point.  At the end of July, I will be riding this motorcycle across the State of Pennsylvania in an effort to raise money and bring awareness to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.  Fans can read up about it and make a pledge or one-time donation at Cruise for a Cure . Check it out, it’s a project that’s near and dear to my heart and something I’m very proud to say I started.  Next year, I’m hoping to drive it all the way down to Bradenton, FL as I fly south for the winter off-season!

Cfor2: Who is your favorite current Pirate?

Parrot: I’m not sure I can pick just one favorite…I really appreciate what Clint Hurdle brings to this team, and I’m really good friends with his kids, Maddie and Christian!!! Cutch and I have a sweet, secret handshake that we do …Tabata and I are cool, although the language barrier can be challenging for us at times (I just started listening to the Rosetta Stone tapes the team bought me when we opened up the Dominican Training Academy) and he sometimes has a hard time figuring out my non-verbal communication.  And then there’s Walker, and well, as you can imagine we go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back.  He’s been a fan of me ever since I can remember…Ha!…I guess it’s only fair that I repay the favor, right?

Cfor2: Favorite All-Time Pirate?

Parrot: This may be the easiest question you ask me today.  Clemente, because as you see we have a lot in common.  Not only did/do we both give MVP-type performances on a nightly basis…but just like him I’m always in the community.  I admire him for what he did in the community, and what he did to help others.  He was truly a remarkable man, and that went way beyond the ballpark.

Cfor2: What was the best part about winning the ’79 World Series?

Parrot: That unforgettable, indescribable feeling once that last out was made!!!

Cfor2: Tell me a secret about Steve Blass…

Parrot: He’s only caught the last hotdog once in… I don’t know how many times I’ve shot one up to the booth!

Cfor2: What’s your favorite “Saturday night” record?

Parrot: I like Skynyrd, for obvious reasons.  Well, I at least think it’s obvious because of one of the greatest songs of all time – “Free Bird”.

Cfor2: And your “Sunday morning” record?

Parrot: I’ve got a new one and it gets me excited for Sunday Day Games – “Bon Bon” by Pitbull and it’s also Jose Tabata’s song in some of the videos the scoreboard team has created for him!

At this point, The Parrot needed to get a move on to prep for that evening’s game, otherwise I’m sure he would have squawked my ear off  all day long. My thanks to The Parrot, his “Wingman,” and Matt at the Pirates’ offices for coordinating this interview.

Icon?

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Well, hell – I had to scrap a perfectly good,

750-word piece about the Pittsburgh Pirates anemic offense because they actually did okay in the two games against Cincinnati.

During today’s game I was struck by just how up-and-down the Bucs’ offense has been lately. In particular, just how much better the team’s record would be if they’d provided even just the teeniest bit of run support for poor, poor Paul Maholm – who, despite all of the upbeat and positive things he posts on twitter, has to be shaking his head and grinding his teeth at all of this, at least a little bit. Paulie has gotten a paltry average Run Support of 2.24 per game – 115th and last in Major League Baseball, and more than half a run worse than the pitcher above him (Jeremy Guthrie of BAL, at 2.89). The next lowest Pirates’ starter is James McDonald, who gets an average of 5.13 of support – with the Bucs giving him 5 again today!

Think of it – the Pirates plated 10 runs in the two Cincy games (howzabout THAT, Brennaman?), while scoring only 15 during the recent six-game losing streak.

I am well aware that players have slumps. It’s not exactly news, hasn’t been since well, ever. That the Pirates are doing it in groups, however, is almost maddening. When three guys are hot, four others are not, and vice versa. This group has more ups and downs and twists and turns than The Jackrabbit at Kennywood…

Look – we all knew that there wasn’t going to be a huge amount of improvement in this year’s team over last, but as Popeye was quoted on more than one occasion, “What a revoltin’ developmink this is!” The only hitter that has displayed real, game-to-game consistency is – ready for this? – Steve Pearce, who has had one oh-fer in any game he’s had more than 2 AB’s.

Among our favorite players, Neil Walker’s average has dropped 21 points this month, with only 8 RBI (yes, I’m going with “traditional” stats here), and Andrew McCutchen has raised his 22 points, with nearly as many hits (17) and RBI’s (11) as he had in the whole month of April (21, 12). Jose Tabata has sunk like a stone (16 R, 3 HR and a BA over .265 most of the April) to 2 R, 0 HR and a current BA of .226 in May, while Rockin’ Ronny Cedeno has raised his average 33 points in 18 games, with more hits (16) and twice as many walks (8) as all of April (14, 4). Garrett Jones and Chris Snyder are running cold lately, Lyle Overbay is heating up (a bit, anyway). Ryan Doumit has been moving up too, but even he’s had 4 oh-fers in his last 8 or 9 starts.

Up and down like a seesaw.

Throw Mr. Hurdle’s predilection for bunting in just about any circumstance into the mix, and you have to wonder if the Buccos will ever get out of the bottom 5 in AB’s (15th of 16 in the NL), Batting Avg. (15th), OPS (14th), Hits (14th), Runs (15th) and Strikeouts (14th). Hell we’re even tied with Atlanta for last at getting HBP (5), and the next nearest is double the amount (NYM & SD with 10 each)!! Can’t we freakin’ lean into one once in a while, fer chrissakes? (The first person to mention Jason Kendall gets one high and tight. Rewind yourself.)

You know where we’re in the Top Ten in offensive categories? Walks, with 151 (7th), SB (9th, by 1), and Sacrifice Hits (T-7th). Celebrate the small victories.

If the Pirates’ pitching (including a very good ‘pen) hadn’t kept them in most of the games so far this year, they wouldn’t even be as close to .500 as they are now (and that .500 thing is something I’ll address another time).

Where am I going with all this? I’ll be damned if I know. I’ll tell ya what I do think: as maddening as things have been so far, this team just feels more exciting, overall, than last year’s team. Rarely do I feel the “Sunnuvab- – we’re gonna get blown out again tonight” feeling of recent years; on the contrary – I often get the “There’s a big inning coming” feeling, even if it doesn’t materialize. I’m a Pirate fan, and my belief in this team will never, ever go away as long as I live. I’ll ride the seesaw, because pretty soon, they’re going to start firing on all cylinders.

I just know it.

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by Cocktailsfor2

Last week, Ms. Cocktailsfor2 and I hopped in the car and drove East by Southeast from Chicago to watch the Indianapolis Indians play a 7:05pm game against the Tides of Norfolk. It’s one of the ( very few) advantages to being currently unemployed – the freedom to act on a whim once in a while. After checking the Indians’ schedule, we decided to make an overnight trip out of it, since the Pirates’ AAA-ers would also be playing the next day, one of their “Business Day Wednesday” games at 1:05.

[Related note: There is some strange juju going on with Ms. Cfor2 and Indiana - each and every time we have driven through the Hoosier State, it has rained. Horrible, sideways, the-wipers-can't-go-fast-enough-to-clear-the-windshield-holy-shit-please-let's-not-run-off-the-road rain!! I am not assigning blame here, just sayin' that IT HAPPENS EVERY FREAKING TIME, so perhaps somebody or something is a jinx.]

Despite the deluge, we made good time, though about 45 minutes before getting into the city, Ms. Cfor2 turned to me and asked “Why does your iPhone say 7:00, but the car’s dashboard clock reads 6:00?” D’oh! Why must Time in Indiana remain mired in the 20th Century? The game was scheduled to start at 7:05 (Eastern Time!) and not only were we not at the park already, we were not checked into our hotel… Hell, we weren’t even in Indianapolis yet! Gah!!!

Our inability to time-travel notwithstanding, getting to Victory Field from the highway was super easy, a fairly straight line right through town. My only quibble (and it’s a pretty minor one) is that Downtown Indianapolis proper seems to be made up of primarily one-way streets. Which, for a first time visitor, can be daunting while also trying to find the stadium and available parking. I’m sure that next time we go, it’ll be a snap. After finding the nearby parking lot, we hustled up to the ticket window. I had picked up a copy of The Indianapolis Star at the hotel, torn out the Indians’ “Indy Star 2-for1 Tuesday” ad, and so we scored 7th row seats, directly behind home plate! AWEsome!

[Alas, it was the top of the 5th inning, due to the aforementioned "time difference." The Indians were down 4-2 at that point. We'll cover the game itself, perhaps, another time.]

Victory Field is an absolutely gorgeous ballpark! Those who have visited PNC will find the “feel” of the stadium familiar – not only because of the names on the backs of the players’ uniforms,  but the view is reminiscent of PNC, in that the city is on display beyond the outfield fences.

The ballpark itself is named after an earlier Indianapolis stadium, dating back to 1942, in celebration of the United States’ victory in World War II. Out in right field, they have the 1000-pound Victory Bell, which clangs in celebration after each  home win. The bell is dedicated to Max Schumacher, President and Chairman of the Board, who has been with the Indians for 55 years. According to Diana Nolting, Marketing Manager of the Indians, Mr. Schumacher was kept in the dark about having the bell named for him:  “He’s so modest, he wouldn’t have wanted it.” The Victory Bell rang out loud and long that night, the Indians having scored a come-from-behind victory against the Tides, 8-5, courtesy of a Jason Jaramillo grand slam, with now-Pirate Daniel Moskos nailing down the victory with his first save of the year.

The Victory Bell peals loud and long after each Indians' home win.

A little bit about the Indians’ organization itself: this year marks the 125th Anniversary of baseball in Indianapolis, and their 15th at Victory Field – they’re in their 7th year as the Pirates’ AAA squad – and they’re really doing the celebration right.

The Indians typically draw about 600,000 annually, and a portion of that is from out-of-towners like us, who come to see the rising stars of their favorite pro teams at a bargain price. Fans of not only the Pirates, but the Reds, Phillies, Mets, Braves, Yankees, Rays and others can see future players pass through the International League, and jerseys of the respective Big League teams can see seen sprinkled throughout the stands on any given night ["Pirates-to-be" that have suited up for the IL All-Star squad include Willie Stargell (1962) and Mike Easler (1977)]. They have a solid season ticket base, because, like most clubs, they have very flexible options for full- and partial-season seats. We had a chance to tour the luxury boxes, and I can attest they’re as nice as any I’ve ever been in – including Dodger Stadium, Heinz Field, the Fabulous Forum and Staples Center.

Invariably, everyone we encountered in and around the stadium – the security crew, ticket-takers, concessionaires, bartenders, ushers, front office members – were affable and super helpful. Victory Field has some absolutely dee-licious food and drink – I snarfed down a “Shish-ke-Dog” and a Sun King Brewery’s brewed-specially-for-the-Indians “1887″ beer down in the Captain Morgan Cove (highly recommended!). while the Ms. opted for a good ol’ hot dog and soda on the first night, and then we opted for more “standard” fare during the day game (dogs, beers, peanuts, etc. [I had to go back for another 1887]).

The Indians are deeply involved with community activities: in addition to the Knot Hole Kids Club and a very cool Baseball in Education for the kids, the club also honors those who serve America with the Tickets For Troops program.

This summer, the organization is also helping in a unique way with their “Lend a Helping Glove” campaign.  Several local charities have been given huge fiberglassed baseball gloves [like the one pictured below], and will decorate and display them. Fans will vote on their favorite, and the winning charity will be the recipient of $10,000 from the Indianapolis Indians. Another event will honor various contributors to the Negro Leagues in conjunction with the Jerry Malloy Negro Leagues Conference, being held in Indianapolis on July 21st.

The Indians are also very involved with social media, and I can speak of this first hand: just before we left Chicago, I tweeted to @indyindians that we were going to be heading that way, and could they recommend a good place to eat before the game (not knowing about the aforementioned non-time change)? Within half an hour, my @cocktailsfor2 feed was bombarded with dinner suggestions – they even posed the question to the fans via their facebook page, and there were DOZENS of replies!

Ms. Nolting took some time from her busy day on Wednesday to tour the ballpark and talk with me, and said that the team has an “easy and direct connection to the fans – and the fans love sharing their knowledge about restaurants, events” and so on, which really sends out a welcome feeling to visitors. I highly recommend not only checking out the main website, but using all the available entities – twitter, Facebook, etc. to keep track of the team’s progress or when planning a trip. She continued, “We’re always trying to make sure people have a good time here – we’re very proud as Hoosiers of our hospitality. While Indianapolis is the 11th largest city in the country, it still feels like a small town – it’s very ‘walkable,’ and those are [some of] the reasons people keep coming back.”

Attention to the details, like having today's lineup...

...and the current standings, make Victory Field very enjoyable.

It’s also the small touches that make Victory field a great place to enjoy a game – the lineups posted behind home plate,  clean sightlines, the opportunity to see up-and-coming players in the Pirates’ organization at family prices… Gorkys Hernandez and Alex Presley (currently the two favorite Indians’ players, according to Media Relations Manager Brian Bosma), guys like d’Arnaud,  Hague,  Harrison… pitchers like Rudy Owens and Brad Lincoln. Players who may be in the Black and Gold as early as this summer, or making their mark in the ‘Burgh sometime in 2012.

For an afternoon or evening game – or for a multiple day/weekend expedition – this ballpark, this team and this organization in Indianapolis make this a “must” for any Pirate fan.

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Special thanks for information included in this article go to Diana Nolting and Brian Bosma of the Indianapolis Indians organization for their time and patience, and a very special thanks to Ms. Cocktailsfor2 for indulging me and the wild hair I got on a Tuesday afternoon.

You can follow the Indianapolis Indians on twitter at @indyindians or at their main site (with great videos and more) at indyindians.com . Follow cocktailsfor2 at @cocktailsfor2 Follow RumBunter at @rumbunter . Or don’t.

An Interview With The Relentless Tony Sanchez

Non-stop Tony Sanchez took some time this week to talk with Cocktailsfor2

Author: Cocktailsfor2

ALTOONA, PA

You know a lot about Tony Sanchez already. Born May 20, 1988, in Miami… Oldest of two children… All-County three times in high school… Led Boston College in BA, H, HR, RBI, SLG and OPS as a Sophomore… As a Junior, finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, first BC player named to the All-ACC first team, threw out the most runners in the ACC, had 22 multi-hit games…First Round Draft Pick, #4 overall… batted .309 with 48 RBIs in 48 post-draft games with three Pirates affiliates his first year as a pro…Broken jaw, missed a large part of last season, drank Chef Boyardee through a straw…

What you may not know about Tony is that he is relentless. In his first MLB camp with the Pirates, he told Chuck Finder [about people and pundits who took the team to task for selecting him fourth overall],”It kind of fueled the fire, yeah. There are always going to be doubters, and you’re always going to have critics. If you just go out there and play the game, you’ll end up having them on your side. It just takes time.”

Pirates’ President Frank Coonelly said of Tony, “[W]e are extremely excited about Tony Sanchez and what he brings to the organization. He is a tremendous leader with an outstanding work ethic and high character.”

Even earlier this year here at Rumbunter, Tom said, “Remember, this guy worked his ass off to soar up the draft boards when he was in Boston College. It doesn’t appear he has stopped working since.”

In talking to Tony Sanchez, you get the feeling that he’s out to accomplish something, and he isn’t going to sit still and wait for that something to come to him. He speaks all in a rush – unhesitatingly, as if he’s grabbing the words out of the air and throwing them out with the ease that he grabs a Bryan Morris fastball and fires it to second to snare an attempting base stealer.

And Tony’s as exciting to speak to as he is to watch as a player: sharp, focused, but always, always, having fun. Even if you can’t see him, you can hear the smile on his face as he speaks. His laughter comes easy, and his excitement for the game – and life in general – is always right beneath the surface, ready to come up and overtake him if not held in (loose) check. I spoke with Tony last week before an Altoona Curve home game. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

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Cocktailsfor2: What’s your earliest baseball-related memory?

Tony Sanchez: My earliest baseball related memory is my dad yelling at me for not tying my cleats tight enough [laughs]. Easily, easily my earliest memory. I can remember that like it was yesterday. I was only about 5 years old and I can remember him yelling at me [about] tying my shoes because I didn’t do it right.

Cfor2: So, then, who was your favorite player when you were growing up?

TS: At that age I really didn’t know baseball too much, but as I got older I always looked up to Ivan Rodgriguez.

Cfor2: I can see that. What’s the best game you ever played and why was it the best game you’ve ever had?

TS: [mulling it over] The best game I’ve ever played… I’ve had two, and it’s hard to decide which one was the best one, but I can’t go against that regional game against Texas that Boston College played 25 innings and in front of 10,000 fans. In the first inning the fans were yelling at us and by the 25th inning they loved us. It was a great atmosphere to play in and to have that experience, and go there to that stadium and that kind of – such a prestigious program like Texas, and to take them 25 innings, to be basically one swing away from a win… and unfortunately we came away with a loss, but we had a lot of fun and we set the record for the longest game in NCAA history and I’ll tell you what – the next day I felt like a dang zombie, I couldn’t walk. But it was all worth it.

[Note:The game Tony is talking about was May 30, 2009, and lasted seven hours and three minutes. Tony knocked in the tying run in the 6th inning, which led to the marathon. And yes - He. Caught. All. 25. Innings.]

Cfor2: And all in all it was still just a game, so it’s great that you can come away with that attitude afterwards. What would be the other game?

TS: In high school, we were in the Regional playoffs and we were playing Sunset and I played for Killian and it was the bottom of the seventh and there were two outs. And our lead-off man and our two-hole hitter had got on base and we were down by three runs – no, we were down by two runs. So we had a man on first and second, and our three-hole hitter came up, struck out. Our four-hole hitter came up, struck out, and I was the five-hole guy. And like I said, we had two outs and we were one out away from missing State, and I was a sophomore with a bunch of guys who were absolutely humongous and guys who were a lot more advanced than I was, and I was the five-hole hitter and I came up to bat and he threw two balls and it was 2-0, and I cheated 2-0 and I hit a walk-off home run to send my team to State, and it was just an unbelievable memory. Any time I feel depressed or sad, I look at the photo album that my Mom made me and you just gotta look at the faces of my teammates and my coaches and the people in the stands and it’s absolutely unbelievable to make people cry, laugh, so proud, and it was an unbelievable experience.

Cfor2: That is pretty sweet. All right, which is more satisfying: hitting a double to the gap or catching a runner stealing a base?

TS: Easily, catching a runner.

Cfor2: Is it because you’re prouder of your defense than your hitting?

TS: Oh yeah, definitely. It’s always been like that. I put so much work into my defense. And not only does hitting a double in the gap – [it] does help your team out, but to throw a runner out… I take a special pride in working harder for my pitchers than I do for myself at the plate. So if I throw a runner out and help my pitcher that way, it’s a lot more, a bigger achievement for me than to hit a double.

The work Sanchez did in Spring Training is already showing up in his play for the Curve.

Cfor2: Nice to squash the other team a little bit.

TS: Oh yeah, definitely!

Cfor2: All right. Tony, if you couldn’t play baseball, what you would you do?

TS: It’s a great question, [Cocktailsfor2]. A lot of people have asked me that… [laughs] My girlfriend asks me that every day because she hates that I’m so focused on baseball and that it runs my life and it’s the only thing I think of. But I mean, God, where would I be without baseball? I honestly have no idea. I don’t know what I would do. I like to think I have… I couldn’t even tell you the field I’d have outside. I’m a real friendly guy, personable guy, know how to talk to people, very respectful, loyal, very punctual, [laughs] I don’t know where that would take me but it’s gotta take me somewhere. I’d be in college, I’d be a regular guy – I’d definitely have my degree because I always got my work done. Whether or not that was to stay eligible and whether or not eligibility had any effect on that I don’t know [laughs] but I’m not gonna say it didn’t. So I’m gonna say I got my work done and got my degree anyways and who knows what I would have been.

Cfor2: There you go.
If you have no consequences regarding training or diet, what’s your favorite meal?

TS: Oh, man…my favorite meal, no consequences regarding caloric intake?
[Note: I swear I could almost hear Tony's eyes widening as he said that...]

Cfor2: Correct.

TS: Jesus, man, you know… sometimes you really need to throw a Big Mac down the hatch with a large fry and a huge sweet tea and let it simmer down with a McFlurry with extra Reese’s Pieces.

Cfor2: Wow, I hope your Mom doesn’t read this article and find out it’s not her cooking!

TS: [Realizing what he has just said, laughs] Oh my God! … Well, my girlfriend’s cooking is unreal, but she loves fast food just as much as I do and when I’m with her there’s no way we’re getting it, so…

Cfor2: Now, if there is a caloric restriction or a diet or a training restriction what’s your favorite meal?

TS: Tuna sandwiches.

Cfor2: Okaayyy…

TS: I don’t know if you know – when I was at BC, before I got drafted, I was overweight and I did the “Jared Subway Diet” and all I did was crush tuna subs and became really disciplined with my diet. But I ate a lot of tuna subs and I lost 40 pounds, so… [laughing] It helped me get here.

Cfor2: I’m gonna have to try that.
A couple more quick ones. What’s your favorite Saturday night record to listen to?

TS: Anything country. I’m a big country guy. My apologies. I gotta elaborate?

Cfor2: You’ve gotta pick a record to put on for Saturday night.

TS: A record? Who listens to records? MP3s? [laughs]

Cfor2: Alright then, dude… what song is your Saturday night song?

TS: Saturday night…? Do we have a game on Sunday? ‘Cause if we have a game on Sunday, then there’s no beers involved… [laughs]

Cfor2: [laughing]There’s a follow-up to this question, so, no. No consequences.

TS: Jason Aldean’s new album … It’s so hard to choose. Zac Brown Band. Sarah Evans. I love it all. It’s so hard to choose one song to play. Normally what we do is throw the iPod on shuffle and anything that comes up is normally good, but…

Cfor2: The follow-up to that is, what’s your Sunday morning record?

TS: My Sunday morning record… You know, we really don’t have mornings because we don’t wake up until noon every day. [laughs] I’d say, “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” is one of my favorite songs by Blake Shelton.

Cfor2: Last question. It’s your third year as a pro. What’s your favorite stadium to play in so far?

TS: Easily Altoona. This place is unbelievable!

Cfor2: Is it? I haven’t been there yet, so..

TS: You gotta get out here! You gotta get out here for one or two games, because it’s a beautiful stadium and we got, obviously we got – I don’t know if you know, we’ve got the roller coaster in right, Altoona Curve down the left-field line… in the left-field awning a grassy area… behind the plate, there’s so many trees, a beautiful club house, a beautiful playing surface, a huge scoreboard, and the fans last night were unbelievable! We got four or five thousand and they’re all cheering for us and it was great, man! It was just a wonderful place to play. I’ve played at some good stadiums – I played in the ACC in college, and there were some good venues there. But to call this place home is an honor.

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You can keep “track” (see whut i did there?) of the Altoona Curve and get Curve merchandise and tickets here, and you can follow Tony Sanchez on twitter as @TSanchez26 . You can follow Cocktailsfor2 on twitter as cocktailsfor2 , but I wouldn’t if I were you.

Sanchez and the Curve pitching staff lead the Eastern League in numerous categories this season.

So, You Want To Be A Major League Beat Writer?

Rob Biertempfel is the Pittsburgh Pirates beat writer. He took some time to speak with Cocktailsfor2 recently about one of the best jobs on the planet.

Author: Cocktailsfor2

According to his bio on TribLive, Rob Biertempfel “has covered the Pirates exclusively since the 2007 season. He joined the Trib in 1994 and covered Division I college football – Penn State/Big Ten for 11 seasons and Pitt/Big East for one season. He has helped with the Trib’s coverage of the Pirates since ’94. Personal background: Biertempfel, a Shaler Township native, graduated from North Catholic High and Penn State.”

Well, that gives you his professional credentials, and a teensy bit about him personally – but in an effort to get to know the man behind the blog, the tweets and the up-to-the-minute Pirate news, I talked with Rob earlier this week. What you’ll find in the following is a funny, opinionated and articulate man who is a baseball fan, and a baseball purist at heart. And some of his opinions may surprise you.

Cocktailsfor2: How would you describe a typical day on the road for a beat writer? How long is your day and how do you manage getting everything done that you need to do?

Rob Biertempfel: Being on the road, it can be more productive I guess in some ways than even being at home because you have – well, like today – fixing the sink and things like that that get in the way [laughs].

Biertempfel isn't just a kick-ass beat writer, he gets it done at home as well.

[Note: This was during the homestand against Milwaukee. I caught him in the middle of doing household repairs] But when you’re on the road you’re in a hotel room, unless it’s a city where there’s things to do nearby like San Francisco or Chicago or something. If I’m in Milwaukee or even in New York where we stay out by the airport, instead of staying downtown, you’re sort of isolated. So you tend to just wake up and start the laptop and start working pretty much once you get up in the morning, and doing odds and ends.

So usually, I’ll go online, I’ll read my stuff, I’ll read some other peoples’ stuff, I’ll scan different websites that I go to – twitter, mlb rumours, espn , those kind of sites… I’ll try to get a local paper if I can in the hotel and go through that, see what they wrote about the game the night before, those kind of things. And then usually you have interviews that you need to transcribe and figure out how you’re going to use that and game plan. A lot of game planning for what I’m going to write tonight, tomorrow, next week; big features and things like that that you want to get your thoughts organized.

And then around 2 o’clock – same for a home game as any other game – usually for a 7 o’clock game I head over to the ball park around 2, get there about 2:30 and then there’s the whole litany of pre-game stuff – going through the notes, you put your blog together – gotta do a pre-game blog so you start putting that together. Clubhouse opens three and a half hours before the game, go down and talk to the coaches, the players, blah blah blah, head back upstairs, start putting everything together and then usually you look up and it’s 6 o’clock, you try to grab something to eat and then run to the press box and it’s 7 o’clock and there you go.

Cfor2: That dovetails perfectly into the second question. You are pretty prodigious, between twitter and your blog and the actual articles. How do you decide what goes into a twitter blurb or what is going to be a copy of a press-release or a re-wording of an announcement and what’s going to be an actual story? How do you judge if it’s going to be a story or just going to be “Joe Beimel is on a rehab.”?

Rob: Well, there’s different, I guess, levels of stories, there’s different levels of coverage as well. Usually the first thing I’ll do is, if it’s a significant story – a rain-out, a significant injury, a trade, even a significant roster move of some sort, I’ll send that to our internet site as breaking news, and they’ll put it up on the website right away. Usually it’s on the front page of the Trib – it may not get on the Pirates [section]. There’s a Pirates page on our website as well as the regular front page. They still think of our website as kind of like a newspaper with different sections and whatnot and [sighs] I’m not always sure that’s the best way to approach it. But if there’s breaking news, it’ll first get on the major Trib Live page and then it’s bounced back on to the sports page and then onto the Pirates’ page. That’s usually the first place I’ll send something.

Biertempfel uses Twitter religiously to drive eyes to his coverage.

Then I’ll tweet just the bare bones of what happened – “Beimel’s elbow’s injured, could miss significant time,” something like that. And that’s just the way I look at twitter: it’s more like, it should be called “teaser” because it’s just a way of sending out little snippets of news without really getting into big juicy details of it – where you throw a link out to pull people back into your site, or to pull them into a longer more explanatory type story. But I use it a lot too for just “I’ll throw out comments or observations or stuff that might be mildly amusing or interesting but isn’t really news.”

And from there the coverage kind of builds with things, depending on how important the story is, whether it’s truly a big breaking news item or a run-of-the-mill transaction or update or something I’ll run it in our notes or write a separate story about it for the newspaper, and then I’ll also throw it in the blog with maybe some details that didn’t make it in the print edition. With the print edition I’m very locked in because our paper is a tabloid, except on Sundays. It’s not a regular broadsheet-sized newspaper so I’m very locked into very specific story lengths, because it’s very rare that you jump a story on a tab for whatever reason.

So, I’m locked into 14 inches – whether it’s a no-hitter or a 30-20 slugfest or 2-nothing shut-out on Tuesday night against the Brewers – I gotta write 14 inches either way, which is gamesmanship… and then the lengths are different for notes and things like that. So there’s a lot to consider in where you’re going to use it because different stories get different play, have different lengths, you have to gauge the value of the story, the importance of it, and then you sort of determine whether it’s going in print or just electronic alone.

Cfor2: My, how the times have changed when you have to make so many decisions.

Rob: Yeah, it used to be reporters would just write a story and the game stories. Back when I started at the Trib in ’94 you would write these long, sprawling game stories and then notes, and however long the notes took – some days there were no notes, some days there were a lot of notes – it just varied. Now you’re locked into notes every day but they can’t be longer than this… Yeah, you’re right – you do a lot more thinking on your feet than you ever did before!

Cfor2: One more writing question: What other writing have you done, and is there “The Great American Novel” lurking inside Rod Biertempfel?

Appealing?

Rob: [Laughs] My wife keeps telling me to write a novel about all the different things that happen when you’re covering a team or just working this job in general. But I don’t know if I have enough patience to [laughing] sit down and put together something that long and involved. Like anybody else, I dabble with short stories and that, and I have ideas that have been floating around for years that haven’t made it on the paper yet, and like most reporters you come up you do a lot of different stuff. I did mostly sports in college, but I dabbled with a few other things when I wrote for the paper in college, and right out of college I was a stringer for a couple of years. So, I did some news writing, I did some features writing, and even at the Trib I’ve done some college football, baseball, sports business writing, features, i think it’s important to do a lot of different kinds of writing because it helps you in general make a better product.

Cfor2: Let me toss a couple of opinion things at you. We all know that PNC is, of course, the most beautiful ball park in the Major Leagues. What are your favorites outside of PNC, just to watch a game? Not necessarily the view from the press box, but just to take in a ball game?

Rob: If I was watching a game from the press box, PNC would be near the bottom of my list actually. It’s the worst press box in America! It may actually be the most dangerous ball park in America, given the events of the last few days [laughs]. But as far as a reporter, I like Minute Maid Park in Houston, although they just moved their press box this year and I’m curious to see where it ended up. Like everybody else they’re sticking it higher in the air and further away from the action. I like Wrigley a lot, just because it’s Wrigley. And it’s hard to beat the ambiance around the park and inside. Even though the place is a dump, it smells like beer and old socks, and I’m always amazed I don’t see giant rats come out at night when I leave.

Cfor2: I live here [Chicago], and I can still remember the first time I went into that park [Wrigley]. You walk up the ramp and see the green – the scoreboard and the green of the field… it’s almost a cathedral [Rob: "Yeah."] – you can almost hear the angels when you first see it. [Rob laughs] I also lived in Los Angeles, and Dodger Stadium is a nice stadium but there’s nothing special about it.

Rob: It’s just a nice venue. I think the fact that it’s just simple is what’s nice about it. I think some places [pauses]… I got in trouble a couple of years ago, because I blogged about new Comiskey [US Cellular] and I think they tried too hard with that one. And they had a chance to make it one of the PNC or Camden Yards-type places, and instead they made another Riverfront Stadium type approach and that’s too bad for them because… it’s clean, it’s – - there’s nothing awful about it, there’s just nothing special about it, either.

Cfor2: I have to agree, there’s nothing special about it.

Rob: And some of it, too, is – I consider the stuff that goes on during the game. It’s one of my biggest… I don’t want to say one of my biggest problems but it’s… [hesitates] One of the things I don’t like about PNC is that they’re constantly bombarding you with screaming people on the scoreboard and yelling and screeching and music and, I don’t know, one of my tag lines is – most places you go, the better the team that’s in the park and calls it home, the less of that between innings screeching and music and dancing bears and fireworks and fire engines and strippers dancing on the dugout and all that other crap that goes on. If the product, if the baseball is good, which is why we’re there, if the baseball is good, you don’t need any of that other stuff. You have an organ and that’s it.

Cfor2: And you see that also particularly at NBA games – the decibel level is just brutal. In my opinion it has devolved into “sports entertainment.” There’s so much money at stake that it has to be entertaining for everybody, from the most casual baseball fan to the most die-hard baseball fan. You have to have “something for everyone” and I think the overall product suffers.

Rob: Yeah, because you’re trying to get everybody to come back, and obviously that’s good for your bottom line if you fill up the place every night, but for the overall experience if you’re trying to make everyone happy then you’re pissing off everyone. You get a stadium full of people who aren’t watching the game, who are standing up constantly and walking around, who are talking on cell phones or playing with their iPads. At the end of the day, why are you going there? That’s, you know, and I’m a bit more, not a bit more but a lot more traditional with it – you go to a ballgame, I’m gonna watch the ball game.

Cfor2: You and me both. What’s your favorite restaurant on the road in any city?

Rob: Boy…. Heaven on Seven in Chicago is fabulous. It’s right across from the downtown Marriott.

Cfor2: I’m well familiar with that restaurant. I’ve had more than a couple of meals – and more than a couple of cocktails there…

Rob: Oh, yeah. The Cajun Martini is outstanding! Every time we go there I always stop there. And of course every time we go to San Francisco, I always go down to the Wharf – I’m such a tourist, obviously, because I always get the bowl with the sourdough bread with the chowder inside. [laughing] I feel like “Joe Tourist” but hey, I really like that, so that’s what I always do. And there’s other good little places tucked away. It’s tough, because we don’t always have a rental car and you can’t really do a lot of exploring because you don’t have a ton of time, and you can’t really go for dinner, per se, because your evenings are all booked up. So sometimes it can be kind of hard to find places, but there’s different spots. I like Skyway in Cincinnati, again I guess I”m a tourist but…[laughs] I like the Skyway Chili.

Cfor2: What Pirates’ player – if you weren’t covering the Pirates or if you weren’t a Pirates’ fan … let’s say an Orioles fan -

Rob: [jumping in] I lived in Maryland for awhile and tried to become an Orioles fan. It didn’t go well, because the year I moved down there was the year they started off by losing, what was it – 22 in a row? Whatever the hell the streak was. So I went to about 8 of those games and sat through them. Hard times for Orioles’ fans.

Cfor2: All right, so which Pirate player would you pay to go see? Who’s the most exciting?

Rob: I believe right now it’s Andrew McCutchen. When I did the “Face of the Franchise” story a couple of weeks ago, – maybe it was a month ago, it’s all kind of a blur – he really is the one guy on that team who can do anything. And he’s getting better! That’s what’s more impressive about it, is that as good as he is right now, he’s still improving, he’s still on the upswing. Matt Diaz put it pretty well: he’s a 300 run guy. He can save you 300 runs, he can hit 300 homers, he’ll drive in or score 300 runs for you. He can kill you in a lot of ways. I think he’s the one guy on that team that other teams specifically game plan for.

Cfor2: What non-Pirate would you pay to see? Who do you think is the most exciting ballplayer to watch – as in, “This guy’s coming to town, I gotta go see him!” ?

Rob: A lot of pitchers in the Phillies’ rotation are fun. They’re fun to see individually, and it’s also fun to see a team that has gathered that much talent into one starting rotation. It’s almost a mini “dream rotation” kind of thing.

Albert Pujols – obviously, everybody’s answer is Albert Pujols. I really believe right now he’s head and shoulders – and has been for about a decade or so – the best player in the game, he’s sort of the Bonds or Sosa of this generation, and that he’s doing it clean is even more impressive. So, guys like that.

It depends, too – there’s some nights where I’m just in the mood to sit down and watch a pitcher, watching pitching I guess, because that’s the one thing I never did when I played and the one thing I know the least about is pitching. All the different ins and outs that go into that. And it’s fun sometimes to watch a pitcher try to repeat his delivery or to tweak it in different situations, different batters. It doesn’t matter who – doesn’t matter lefty, righty, starter, reliever, just to see how a guy handles different situations and how he tries to alter what he does to adapt to that. I really like watching that.

Cfor2: The chess match between the pitcher and the batter. Okay, another change up. What is your Saturday night record to listen to?

Rob: It depends on what kind of mood I’m in. If I’m in an upbeat mood it might be the “Purple Rain” soundtrack? Or if I”m slowing down a little bit, Lexicon of Love, by ABC. Kind of in between, I might slip in ABBA’s Greatest Hits.

The Key To Survival on the Pittsburgh Pirates beat.

Cfor2: Okay, so what’s your Sunday morning record?

Rob: Kind of Blue, Miles Davis? Either that, or Charlie Parker Live at Storyville, which I think was recorded … I forget when but it’s tremendous [Note: It was recorded and released in 1953]. Johnny Hartman is also good too. So Sunday morning would be those three guys, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Johnny Hartman.

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You can read Rob’s blogs and columns on TribLive, and follow him on twitter (if you don’t already, and if not, what the hell is wrong you?) as @RobBiertempfel

Turn it up. ABBA–Take a Chance on Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij-jM8CcQIQ

RumBunter.com

RumBunter Columnist Cocktailsfor2 checks in with a series of articles that you are sure to enjoy:

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Ten thoughts that somehow relate to the Pittsburgh Pirates:

1] The Dalai Lama recently said:

“In training the mind, perspective is of crucial importance. We cannot expect to transform our minds in a few minutes or even a few weeks, thinking, perhaps, that the blessings of an enlightened individual will enable us to obtain immediate results. Such an attitude is not realistic. It takes a long time, sometimes years or even decades; but if we persevere, there is no doubt we will make progress.”

How does this relate to the Pirates, you ask? Simple. Exchange the first four words – “In training the mind,” with these four: “Regarding rebuilding the Pirates,” the word “mind” in the second sentence with “franchise,” and the phrase “the blessings of an enlightened individual” with “the few decent trade chips we have.”

See? Enlightenment!

This comes in handy, especially when thinking about the past 18 years, which I will try not to mention too often.

2] THIS is Joel Harahan’s entrance music.

THIS was Octavio Dotel’s before him.

If I were an MLB closer, I would have THIS for my entrance music

The advantage of this is that it would freak the hell out of the other team. Or have them laughing their asses off. Either way, they would be unsettled as they stepped to the plate against me, giving me decided leverage.

3] David Todd is doing a fine job on the Pirates’ post-game show “Extra Innings“ on WPGB (I listen online, obviously, as I live in Chicago). Gets better with each show I hear.

Author’s note: I cannot compare Dave to Rocco, having never heard Rocco, so please don’t take me to task on this. I’m not trying to start any kind of heated debate (but if you want to fight it out in the comments, feel free to do so – I LOVE a good fight. Especially between two scantily-clad ladies. um, wait…). I do, however, have one critique: Try to get more callers in, please, Dave…(and try to relax and breathe once in a while, too).

You can follow him on twitter if you don’t already do so: http://twitter.com/DTonPirates, http://twitter.com/hammerspeaks .

4] I am NOT going to gripe about Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf or Ronny Cedeno.

I am NOT going to gripe about Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf or Ronny Cedeno.

I am NOT going to gripe about Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf or Ronny Cedeno.

…or how our hitters are striking out. A lot.

5] I will be writing something neat about Tony Sanchez soon.

6] I freely admit, without reservation, and with full knowledge that my girlfriend will be reading this: I have a man-crush on Jose Tabata. The next Pirate jersey I get will be a #31 (and with the knowledge that my girlfriend is reading this, consider this a hint for my Christmas present this year, sweetheart!), and I will wear it proudly. Tabata may be the most exciting player on the Pirates – yes, Cutch can fly, and Pedro can send ‘em flying – but Jose is an out-and-out joy to watch. He’s certainly my favorite Pirate. This is strictly platonic, by the way, but if I ever meet the guy, I wanna hug him.

How To Be A Better Pirates Tweeter by @CocktailsforTwo will be released soon

7] Attention Bloggers / tweeters: Enough already with “Yinzer” as an insult. If someone’s a Yinzer, they know they are. And who they are. And so does everybody else. And anyway, not all Yinzers are created equal. If you’re going to be pissed off at anybody on the internet (an exercise in futility at best), aim your venom where it really belongs – toward Bob Smizik.

8] Attention tweeters, part 2: There’s no need to re-tweet the Pirates’ lineup to your followers every single game, for chrissakes! We all follow the Pirates! Between the official Pirates twitter feed, Inside Pirates, Dunlap, DK, Biertempfel and Langosch, the lineup is pretty well covered. Just because you have a twitter account doesn’t mean you have to use it. You’re only serving to clog up my twitter page! And get off my damned lawn!

Added benefit: those of your followers that aren’t Pirate fans will thank you, too.

9] Okay – I lied about #4. The strikeouts are alarming. As of this writing – after 8 games, we have 73 74 K’s, to lead not only the National League – it’s the most in all of baseball. That’s nearly TEN STRIKEOUTS PER GAME!! And the team leader isn’t even Pedro or GFJ… it’s Neil Walker, with 13 14K’s – hell, it’s rising fast….!

“Yes, yes, you idiot, take it easy,” I hear you saying, “it’s a ‘Small Sample Size’ you’re looking at – hey, Pedro’s second with 12, and look at what a slow starter he’s always been! And let’s also note that ‘Pine-Richland’s Own’ also is tied for the team lead in hits, with 11, so whaddaya say to that, smartarse? Howzabout his great slashline?”

That’s great, but that 39% strikeout rate worries me. Just a bit. Did I say I was freaking out over it? No. I said it was “alarming.” Not catastrophic. I’ll be better in a minute. Just let me sit down and catch my breath. Can you bring me a drink of water, please?

10] There is no number 10, but about that man crush….

Loving the shield...

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