Our Takeaways from Another Lackluster Offensive Performance in 6-1 Loss

Yo. Welcome to the North Shore Nine podcast presented by FanDuel. This is the NS9 postgame show powered by Permanent Brothers. I'm your host, Anthony DiNardo. With me, we got Dougie Fresh in the house. And Doug, we had another Pirates loss today. They lose 6-1 against the Angels in their second game. But how are you doing?

I'm fine. I've my hope has, gone away. I'm not really expecting the Pirates to go 16-4 down the stretch, you know. So, but this was a, this was a pathetic loss. the Angels are, what, the worst team in baseball. And, I know Kikuchi's left-handed, but dear Lord, he's got an ERA near six.

well, had to just, yeah, had, right. Again, as often is the case, the Pirates posing pitcher has a, season high, career high, et cetera. And today was, yeah, there's just brutal, just ugly.

This was certainly an ugly game. It was exactly how you probably anticipated it to go. Unfortunately, because like you said, Kikuchi is not what he once was. he was a fine pitcher, not too many years ago.

But he's not that same guy, but he is simply left-handed. And that's what the Pirates seem to do is, as long as you are a left-handed pitcher, they make you look like a Cy Young player.

And that's what he looked like tonight. he shut this offense down. Everyone outside of Bryan Reynolds was just non-existent.

And you know what really hurt today, too, was it was the guys that you need in this lineup, the ones that you expect to help this lineup to be sufficient, at least hopefully against lefties.

Konnor Griffin wasn't existent, Esmerlyn Valdez wasn't existent. Oh, no, Cruz wasn't up until, he finally got the hit late in the game.

But and all those guys were striking out. Again, it was Bryan Reynolds who did the damage and you hope, he's been struggling a bit, but he's one of the guys that you hope to, do well against lefties.

But it was other guys that are factors that make this lineup better versus lefties that were just completely lost the plate today.

Yeah, again, the team just looked inept when they got people on base, I suppose.

But when they did, they promptly hit into double plays and just nothing, couldn't string anything together, couldn't mount any attack at all.

Right. A very unenthusiastic looking, I don't know, it was just frustrating to watch.

They looked like they had no fight. I know it's baseball. I know these are a bunch of guys that keep even keel.

But you still sense something. There's a vibe of like, in the NBA, they call what they have a scheduled loss.

Like you play four out of five games on the road and the second game of a back to back, like, going in to the season, that's a loss.

And it's that it felt like, hey, we're the pirates. We're not going to win five in a row.

So, this is a scheduled loss. we're just we're just going to get through it and get on to tomorrow's game.

Sure. And that's one of those things where you can live with that, in June, in May, in July, even in August, you know.

But actually, you can't. This is that problem.

Well, you can live with it. There's certainly another day and there's multiple other days.

But right now, there's a very finite amount of other days. Right. And that's where you just can't the position they're in.

You can't afford this type of loss. And that's why this loss is, hurtful for the team in that sense.

But what are we going to find? I need to know, Doug, what the hell does this shirt say?

Oh, I'm sorry. It says, I'm sorry. I'm late. I didn't want to come.

I didn't even realize that's.

Oh, that's not fitting for this postgame. I had no idea, too. I asked it legitimately out of curiosity.

So I'm glad I did. Yeah. So again, this offense was completely non-existent outside of Bryan Reynolds, who gave him the only run.

he had that home run. He was three for three today with a walk and his third hit being the home run.

So, he was certainly helpful, but that's all it was in his offense.

But it does start with Braxton Ashcraft. And I do want to start with him because he looked fantastic, Doug, until the fourth inning came along.

And then, of course, the fifth inning came along. But he was he was rolling.

This was one of those starts. Braxton Ashcraft starts today. It is the Angels.

So like you said, there are bad offense. It's a bad team.

This is the team that the Pirates have to sleep at home to the progress and whatnot.

And you're just assuming Ashcraft is going to shove today.

And those first three things, it looked exactly like that was going to happen.

He was throwing for strikes. He was getting all kinds of strikeouts.

six strikeouts to six innings. I think it was 34 pitches, 27 of them for strikes cruising.

And then the fourth inning came. Yeah.

It seems like he's running out of gas. His last start was similar.

Right. I think he went through five and then, he looked great.

And then, gave up some runs there toward the end of the appearance.

again, he's pitched 100, 160 innings.

He's extended, every little mark he set.

So it's not, shocking that he's struggling like this.

And Donnie's got a bullpen now and he doesn't want to use it.

It's just there were times in this game where it seemed like now would be a good time to bring in another pitcher.

And he just stood there.

this is the Ben Cherington culture of we have no sense of urgency.

Our systems will work out, that thing, because, again, I don't know.

The hitting wasn't giving you any fire.

And the pitching, again, you have options.

And I know we've been using a lot of bullpen pitchers lately.

The starting has not been holding up their end of the bargain for the most part.

Jared Jones did yesterday.

But, yeah, I would have liked to seen an earlier hook on Ashcraft.

I know he's our best pitcher.

I know he's had the best season on the team.

But, like I said, you saw it last, his last start.

And, it seems like he's just running out of gas here.

he might not have six, seven innings in him anymore or maybe, push him back a day.

But you can't afford to push him back a day because he's just about the only starter you can count on.

Right.

And that's the unfortunate part.

And, with him, that was the tale of this entire season.

How are they going to allow the starting rotation to last and go into October, right?

Because aspirations are October this year.

So, it's not so much how you're going to get through the season, but how you're going to get through the season and then have these pitchers ready for the playoffs.

And, he goes, again, three fantastic innings.

And then he starts the fourth.

Strikes out.

Mike Trout.

It's Mike Trout.

You strike him out, you know.

Off to a good start.

Yeah.

Then a person named Wade Meckler.

Again, we're talking about the Angels.

That's why I'm sorry to just be disrespectful, Mr. Meckler.

But, again, like, that's the team they're facing.

Wade Meckler's up.

He doubles.

Vaughn Griffin comes up.

Fly out Esmerlyn Valdez.

Moises, Ballesteros, singles.

Meckler scores.

That makes it 1-0.

And, again, it's no – it's a 1-0 ballgame in the fourth.

It's not huge damage, right?

But it happens.

And I say this also, too, because it's not all Braxton Ashcraft.

Again, this is something the team has endured all season long.

These pitchers aren't afforded a good defense behind them.

They just simply aren't.

And, the tale today was a little bit of that as well, where it wasn't the best defense behind them today.

But it's a 1-0 ballgame.

It's a 1-0 ballgame.

It's a 1-0 ballgame.

Then the fourth inning starts.

It's a 1-0 ballgame, Doug.

Fourth – I'm sorry.

That was the fourth, the fifth.

That was the fourth.

Josh Brandon Lowe, homers.

Now it's 2-0.

Denzer Guzman, singles.

Adam Frazier.

Who?

Who?

I say who?

Right.

And, again, Denzer.

Not to be confused with maybe a Denver.

The Denzer Guzman.

Adam Frazier, sack punt.

And then there's that balk.

Now this is the second time Bryson Ashcraft has been called with the balk.

This one, I don't think as egregious last time.

Last one was very confusing.

This time, he just loses the ball in the mound and just fumbles it.

It's a balk.

Then Guzman advances the third.

Then Neto, of course, singles.

Now it's a 3-0 ballgame.

Again, the fifth – that one escaped him.

that escaped Bryson Ashcraft.

Wasn't his cleanest.

Now it wasn't – obviously the home run was, but it also wasn't that he was getting pounded.

And, these guys were teeing off.

There was a lot of soft contact, but hits were being – hits were happening.

the balk is in there.

It wasn't clean.

It wasn't great.

But, again, five innings, three earned runs.

This is still a winnable ballgame.

Like, Braxton – Theoretically.

It wasn't his best performance, by all means.

he looked very good for three innings, and he looked fine.

I'll say it, fine for those two.

They pull him out, which I think is fine as well because, again, he is starting to lose in the fifth.

You have this strong bullpen, as you said, right?

I'm fine with him being pulled there as well.

I want to ask you, like, were you fine with him going just five innings today in the 76 pitches, I believe it was?

Like I said, I wouldn't have minded if they pulled him a little early.

And, I'm always saying let him go another inning.

Give him another inning.

But today, again, based on his last start, based on what we saw in the fourth inning, and then what started happening in the fifth inning, it seemed like, to me, it was time to get him out of there as soon as possible.

Donnie was doing his, statue pose.

Well, right.

And so that's one of the two.

I apologize.

I did flip-flop it.

It was 67 pitches, not 76.

So he goes just 67, which is, most people would say, well, what are you doing pulling him out here?

But again, I felt the decision to pull him out was certainly fine, just going five, because again, you've made those moves.

You have this really strong bullpen.

It's been outstanding since the trade deadline.

So go to your dogs.

He does bring in Isaac Mattson to take over.

And Mattson had a one, two, three, sixth inning.

Like that was great.

Well done.

But Doug, I know it's a three-nothing ballgame.

I know it's three-nothing.

So again, April, May, June, July, like I'm maybe okay with this, but you're technically in it.

You're still fighting for something.

That's the team message that you certainly should be.

Are you going with Mattson again after that one, two, three?

I think you take your winnings and you walk away from the table, right?

You got a beautiful inning from Mattson who has struggled this year.

often we say, we think maybe he's pulling the starter now because he wants to have him end on a high note.

Like wouldn't this have been a good time?

and I do want to push back a little.

And this might be okay in June.

I've been saying all year long when we're losing these games early, like the Pirates are not good enough to give away games.

They're just not good enough.

They were never going to win 95 games and run away with the division.

They're going to win.

if we're lucky, they were going to win 85 or 86.

And they could have, they could be at that number by now, but they gave away game after game after game from everything from poor bullpen, poor management decisions, poor general manager decisions, bad play, that thing.

So, sorry to go off on a little rant there, but yeah, this team can't give away games and it sure can't give them away in September.

Right.

No.

And I'm glad you bring that up because, that's good dialogue, right?

What I'm going to push back here and say is the reason I'm okay with that in, May and June and July is you also have to manage not just today's game, but tomorrow's and, you're down three, nothing.

Are you going to go to Luke Weaver today when tomorrow you might really need him?

now it's a one nothing ball game and you wasted Luke Weaver in a three, nothing deficit.

That's fair.

Right.

So like I can understand, it's three, nothing.

Let's go back to Mattson again.

He can give us length.

we'll see what happens.

Right.

The difference is today.

You don't have like, you have to worry about today.

You don't have tomorrow.

And that's where I'm like, that's what today to me, it's a little bit different than it is back in May because you're not totally just managing today and tomorrow.

You have to really focus on today.

Doug, you've coined it.

Like every, these are the playoffs for the Pirates.

It's been the playoffs since August 1st.

Right.

And you have to have a little bit talking about urgency, right?

A little bit of that mentality that today's game is a little, it's, today's game is always like the most important game, not so much tomorrow, because if you don't get through today, tomorrow doesn't really matter.

Yesterday, Joe Block and Kevin Young were talking about, or I'm sorry, and Greg Brown, we're talking about how the Pirates have gone from like having three sacrifices all year to 11 over just the past couple of days.

That suddenly they're sacrificing and Kevin Young's like, yeah, they have a sense of urgency.

It took till September to get a sense of urgency.

Like, you know what I'm saying?

Like, what is wrong with this organization?

You're right.

This is the time of the year where this is the only game that matters.

You have to win this game today.

You need to manage it like game seven.

And they were managing it, like you said, like, or it's an April game.

Like, let's see if we can extend Mattson a little, see what he's got.

it's like, this is not the time to be answering that question.

This is the time to, who's the best possible guy I can bring up in this situation and put on the mat in this situation to get us out of this and keep this at a three run deficit.

We might be able to come back from that.

And exactly.

Like, that's it.

Your goal right now is I need to maintain this to be in a three, nothing deficits.

That way we can chip away because that's something, again, we've talked all year long.

I think the best word to call this team is resilient.

they're never truly out of it.

There is a lefty and I get it, but if you can keep it to a three, nothing ball game and they go to the bullpen, you can come back and get three runs.

You can at least try to extend this in extra innings or win the game outright.

I don't have any doubt that this offense, given three innings can find a way to get three runs at some point.

you get to this angels bullpen at the three, nothing ball game.

There's still a chance.

They think it was possible to maintain it and keep it at three, nothing.

So like, that's the goal right now.

It's not that, all right, let me say these arms for tomorrow.

It's let me make sure I get this a three, the ball game.

So that way we can get to their bullpen and fight a way to get that W.

And then we'll worry about tomorrow later.

So again, I'm talking about this.

So when you look at, and again, Mattson just got caught up.

he's a fresh arm.

He can go multiple innings.

I get it.

You got the one, two, three out of Mattson.

Like you said, take your money and walk away from the table.

Yohan Ramirez was available as we saw, cause he does then finally go into today's game.

Gregory Soto hasn't pitched since Tuesday.

Doval hasn't pitched since Wednesday.

Weaver was used on Thursday and Tuesday.

So he's pitched 27, pitches this week so far.

So like guys were available after Mattson pitches that inning one, two, three.

Yeah.

I just think again, June, I don't have that big of a problem with this today.

There's a reason why Mattson has been in triple A most of the year.

I'm going with the guys that have been major leaguers all this year.

They're more trustworthy.

They got better stuff.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I just think again, that just wasn't the right decision today.

No, it clearly wasn't.

Again, the Pirates only scored.

Right.

You can just shrug your shoulders and say, oh, well, it wouldn't have mattered.

But again, you, the manager has to set the tone, right?

Like he needs, he needs to call Derek Shelton and say, tell me about that time you pitched Ben Nahr for like nine innings against Dodgers to secure us.

right.

Right.

What was your thinking there?

a little help there.

Or even worse, Cam View.

Oh God.

Cam View for 72 pitches.

Right.

effectively ending his career.

But yeah, again, under Ben Cherington, this team has never really had any sense of urgency.

But every once in a while, Derek Shelton would wake up and he would just play a game like it was, the world series or something.

And Donnie needs to find that now and maintain it for the rest of the rest of the season.

Chances are good, but it looks like the other teams are all trying to lose too.

Right.

So, yeah, that was my biggest beef day with, again, the Mattson staying in for that second inning.

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But, all right.

So, like I said, we talked about Mattson.

I didn't agree with that.

Again, a guy who was available at your disposal has been excellent.

He's the experience.

It's always an experience, right?

Yohan Ramirez was available.

He does finally come in.

And, again, he gave an experience.

Yohan, you're never going to be comfortable when he comes in.

Never.

Nobody is.

Not the batter.

Not the catcher.

And not us, right?

Not the up either.

Yeah, the up's a little nervous, too.

he's like, am I getting paid enough for this job?

Right.

So, yeah, but he has been very effective most of the season.

When he's off, it's awful.

But, he's, again, we've seen so many people swing at pitches that are hitting them or swing at pitches that are behind them.

it's amazing that, what his stuff does.

And, yeah, so, whatever.

He got the job then.

Yeah.

Doug, we talk a lot about this.

It's, I think most people do know.

But, absolutely.

I think they talked about on the broadcast today, he has certainly been effectively wild.

He's gone from ineffectively wild to effectively wild.

And, you're talking since the beginning of June.

since the calendar flipped from May to June, 44 innings, a 205 ERA, and a 118 win.

Like, he has been good.

This isn't just the Yohan that you remember of last year who was DFA or whatever, this, what, six times it was or whatever.

Like, this is, he's been a staple of this bullpen.

He's been in big moments, and he's helped this team out.

We were critical when they brought him onto the roster last year.

I was critical at the end of the year when he was still.

I'm like, why hasn't he just been DFA?

We've got through the season.

It's over, that thing.

Yeah, well, you think about it, the decision was big banker Yohan coming into next year, and they put their money on Yohan.

Right.

It was the right move.

Yeah, it sure was.

It sure was.

And I don't think we thought that, so I guess kudos to them on that one.

he's fun to watch pitch.

Like I said, you're not comfortable.

Your word wasn't going to happen.

Your word to wear that picture.

I don't know if I always have fun.

Yeah, but it is.

Yeah, it can't be fun, right?

It's certainly interesting.

Yeah.

But he gets the job done.

he does go multiple winnings.

Like he goes two winnings days.

So I guess that's where, again, like I question, instead of having.

Weaver.

Sorry.

Well, yeah.

instead of having.

I have a question real quick.

Do you think they were saying.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And what?

Instead of a match and go to.

Why doesn't.

Yeah.

Like he goes two winnings today.

Like you could have just.

Brought him in.

Go to.

And then figure out the ninth inning or whatever.

Or later.

when he needed to.

Depending on what the score was.

Like.

I don't.

Again, that's even more reason.

He was able to go to today.

It's too effective.

Like why continue to pitch.

Matt's in when you go.

Yohan.

For multi winnings as well.

Do you think.

Now, this may just be a little out there.

But do you think that perhaps they're trying to save some.

Relievers.

Relievers for tomorrow.

Knowing that.

Skenes is going to start.

We're losing this game.

Three.

Nothing.

Skenes is going to start.

We're not.

We can't count on.

Six.

Seven innings.

You know.

You know.

I don't know.

But.

You need.

Someone needs to explain it to me.

Yeah.

Well.

Here's the thing.

You can't count on that with Paul Skenes these days.

Right.

But if you're going to make a run.

You need Paul Skenes to be Paul Skenes.

And again.

Going back to the whole thing.

You need to.

You need to win today to worry about tomorrow.

You know.

You can't take too many.

That's my.

That's my thought.

That's the baton to tomorrow's game.

Because you know.

Let's make sure we get our guys set up for tomorrow.

You need to win both games.

And you don't win both games unless you win today's game.

So I don't think that was really the case.

But again.

Like I just.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know why you go with Mattson there for two innings.

But either way.

Yohan does come in.

He pitches.

And he hits trout right on the hand.

So again.

You talk about everyone being worried.

Right.

Like.

Absolutely.

The experience existed today.

But he gets through it with.

Great results.

Yohan goes two innings.

The one hit.

The one hit batter.

Two strikeouts.

He has a three-team array on the season.

You know.

It's like.

Yohan's been good.

The Padres are losing.

Cardinals are losing.

Marlins lost.

The Padres are tied.

I know.

And.

And.

The Padres are losing.

And the Diamondbacks are tied.

So.

This could have been a great day to make up some ground.

But.

Oh well.

So that's the pitching side of things.

You know.

We did talk about the offense somewhat.

But yes.

You know.

As mentioned.

It was.

It was a lost game.

It was already six.

Six.

Nothing.

Bryan Reynolds does come up.

And he hits that home run.

Ends that home run list drought.

What's that?

He ends that home run list drought.

Like.

Yeah.

But he hasn't home run since like April 3rd or something.

April 3rd.

He hits his 16th on the year.

And again.

That's a guy who's been struggling.

So it's nice to see his back come a bit alive now.

And again.

The power side of things.

You know.

The home run drought.

He does hit the home run today.

But he goes three for three.

With a walk.

His OPS is now back over 800.

So yes.

He does hit the home run.

Again.

6-1.

It's late in the ball game.

You're not really anticipating.

You know.

A comeback.

But this is a team that can.

It has the capability.

Oh no.

Cruz is up next.

And he gets a hit.

So I don't know.

Maybe we're sparking something.

Oh no.

Cruz still second.

He gets his 100th career stolen base.

That's what he can do.

27 stolen bases on the year now.

For Ohno Cruz.

He's still second.

He gets in scoring position.

He does what he does.

He's a catalyst.

Good job.

But there are two outs though.

So.

Good job getting a second.

Can you enlighten us.

What happened next?

I can't remember.

Well.

He stole third.

Well.

He attempted.

To steal third.

Yeah.

That's what it was.

Yeah.

I was.

I was in a debate with somebody about like.

He shouldn't be stealing second.

And I missed it.

And I looked down for a second.

You know.

And I'm like.

He didn't think he should be stealing second.

What are your thoughts on stealing third?

Yeah.

No benefit to that whatsoever.

Like with his speed.

Right.

You know.

Now.

I have bet on Cruz.

To lead the Major League of Steals.

So.

I have some personal.

You know.

Conflict with this.

I may need to.

May need to recuse myself.

From.

But.

This is the thing with Cruz.

And we've been bragging about him now.

For a couple weeks.

Talking about how locked in.

And how focused he is.

And how well he's playing.

And then.

What do you think?

What do you think?

You know.

And.

I'm with you man.

Like.

Yeah.

Again.

There's just.

I remember when I was young.

And I didn't understand why people didn't steal third.

As often.

And it's like.

Well you don't have to.

Because a single will score you from second.

You know what I'm saying?

Especially when you're Oneil Cruz.

And when you're.

When you.

When you can get from one base to the next.

In eight steps.

In eight strides.

Like.

Yeah.

Exactly.

It's like.

Just read the ball off the bat buddy.

And.

And do your thing.

Yeah.

It's.

You know.

We had the.

Yohan Ramirez experience.

We get the Oneil Cruz experience.

Yeah.

Yep.

It's just unfortunate.

Again.

Huge supporter of Oneil Cruz.

He's got tremendous talent.

And he's been.

You know.

It's funny.

Like they were talking about on the broadcast.

How locked on he's been.

And yeah.

There was that one pitch.

That was the low one away slider.

With one strike.

And he swings at that.

Gives him two strikes.

Then there was a good pitch.

He makes a strike three on.

Like.

Like they mentioned.

Like that.

Second strike that he's swung at.

That's the old Oneil Cruz.

And again.

Like everyone's prone to do that.

You know.

The thing is.

That's what Oneil Cruz.

Has done more often than most.

You know.

In cases.

In the past.

And this year.

He's.

He's certainly been a different player.

He still strikes out.

You know.

He's going to.

But he's still super productive.

You know.

Give me the.

Give me the 35% K rate.

If he's going to give me this.

I'll take that all day long.

But.

Yeah.

It was one of those.

And he was pissed at himself.

And it's like.

You know what.

Okay.

Whatever.

Comes up the next at bat.

And he gets on base.

Gets a single.

Steal second.

Like you said.

Like he's been locked in.

They're talking about it.

Why.

Why.

Why.

Are you even attempting to steal third?

Like I get the aggressiveness.

I get.

Let me try to help this team.

But.

Like.

Like.

There's no benefit there.

That's.

Right.

You just have to be smart.

Like.

That's the.

This is the reason he does get.

A bad rap.

Which.

Yeah.

Again.

Like.

Is well overblown.

Than what he deserves.

But those are the reasons.

You know.

And you just.

You just need to keep yourself at second base there.

No.

Yeah.

That helps the team win.

I don't think he deserves all the criticism that he gets.

But he keeps doing things like this.

That brings it first and foremost in people's minds.

Like every time we say.

Look at that game.

He was four for four.

And he made that great catch.

And he.

The great throw.

And all this stuff.

And then it's like.

Oh yeah.

But then remember when he tried to steal third.

You know.

And went with two outs.

And down by five.

You know.

That thing.

It's just like.

You know.

How he didn't run after that.

You know.

All this stuff.

It's.

It's.

Yeah.

There's been less of it.

It seems.

I do think.

But.

Oh for sure.

You know.

He's.

He's grown a lot.

Again.

What really makes this year bad.

Is the very first game.

The Mets.

We all know.

That first inning.

That.

The first inning.

Hell.

Like the first five batters of the season.

Essentially.

Like.

I just like.

It cost him like two months worth of positivity.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Golly.

Yeah.

We spent all the spring training.

About how outfield defense may be a problem for this team.

And in the very first inning of the very first game.

It was like.

Okay.

I didn't think it was going to be this big a problem.

This fast.

This soon.

With this much impact.

But.

Here we are.

Remember how we're worried.

Because of Paul Skenes's ERA then.

How like.

Yeah.

Remember.

It was like five.

Something with a ERA.

In the two.

Will he get it down?

Yeah.

Now it's like.

Then he did.

He and there are threes.

Yeah.

But I'm saying it's a whole other reason now too.

Yeah.

Now we're talking.

Yeah.

Can he do a Mitch Keller.

And just get it under four at the last.

Yeah.

The last little.

Yeah.

But at any rate.

Yeah.

Just.

Bad baseball there.

For Lionel Cruz.

But again.

It was more or less meaningless.

A 6-1 ball game.

Goes at a 9.

There were 2-1.

Two outs.

Brennan Brandon Lowe strikes out.

Game over.

It is what it is.

Another loss.

For the Pirates.

Just was not a good game.

Again.

I know there's a lefty.

But they.

You open the show.

It just.

It was a pathetic performance.

And again.

It was by the people that you really count.

They struck out nine times today.

Connor.

Three.

Esmerlyn Valdez.

Two.

O'Neal.

Two.

Right.

So again.

The guys that you want in this lineup.

Because there's a lefty on.

These are the guys that are competent.

Or better.

You know.

Good.

Versus lefties.

Those are the guys that were your biggest problems today.

Unfortunately.

Yeah.

Exactly.

You're counting on those guys.

To fix this problem.

You know.

Connor's back.

Cruz's.

But Cruz is hitting lefties.

Well.

Connor's right-handed.

And you're like.

All right.

And you know.

And they do not.

They don't.

You know.

Triolo and York.

And those guys.

You know.

Flores had two hits today.

I guess.

But.

He did.

He did.

You know.

He went through before.

None of them were timely.

You know.

Jose.

It's like.

Oh.

You know.

But.

Oh well.

Yep.

You got to win tomorrow.

Tomorrow's the most important game of the season.

So.

And with tomorrow.

Like you mentioned.

Paul Skenes does take the mound.

He is going to face Urena.

The Pirates are.

Favor.

So.

On FanDuel right now.

They are minus 196.

Really?

Wow.

Doug's like.

Really?

I'm not.

I'm not betting that.

You know.

I'll just.

Which side do you want to bet on?

But anyway.

Yeah.

I really.

They need to win.

They're a better team.

They have much more talent.

But that's a big.

You know.

Yeah.

One ninety.

Yeah.

And like you say.

Two to one basically.

What version of Paul Skenes are you getting?

Yeah.

We'll find out.

Yeah.

Nope.

Nope.

Yeah.

Hey.

You and I will be here to do the post game.

So.

Is it you again too?

Is it back to back?

Doug.

He's been trying to keep us apart.

You know.

He fears us.

You know.

But here we are.

Keep that shirt fresh.

Yeah.

You might want it tomorrow too.

I might be familiar.

I might.

You know.

I'm not homeless.

I'm just going to.

Well.

I don't know.

I thought tomorrow's bet.

Maybe.

If I bet on.

Yeah.

If I bet.

Hey.

We'll be back tomorrow.

Like Doug said.

Again.

Pirates take the angels.

Paul Skenes is on the mound.

That used to be a day.

Hopefully it's.

Make it a day again.

We'll see you then.

Like.

Subscribe to the channel.

Download the app.

We'll see you again tomorrow.

Bye.

Bye.

Let's go lock out.

Oh.

Doug.

All right.

That wraps up this episode of North Shore Nine.

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