The Pirates Finally Have the Depth to Contend

What's going on, everyone? Welcome to the North Shore Nine podcast presented by FanDuel. This is Bucco Brew powered by Defer Coffee and Tea. Ryan, I'm Jim. No DiNardo today.

Still, he's having some pretty bad airline luck right now. He is currently stranded in Charlotte, North Carolina. His layover got delayed an entire day, so that's fun. So yeah, Ryan, filling in for DiNardo.

Yeah, well, good morning. Last week, I filled in for you. This week, I'm filling in for DiNardo, and I don't know. It's like, might as well just become a regular thing around here. I don't know.

You can just take one of our spots every week. How about that? There you go. There you go. We got to have a conversation about DiNardo, though. So he misses his flight on the way down. And then, like you said, he's stranded in Charlotte. He had a delay.

I don't know. He had a notification on the way down. It wasn't true, and he ended up missing the flight. Why? But then he said he didn't have luggage in Charlotte. Did he check a bag? Like, I haven't checked a bag in like 10 years.

He always checks a bag. I don't understand why. He will. This guy. You know how he is. I think he just doesn't want to walk around with anything. So like when he's in the airport, he literally just wants to walk.

Okay. Like, he basically, he has his phone, and that's all. He doesn't want anything else. And so, yeah, he checks a bag every time. Like when we go to Bradenton, he always checks a bag, too. And well, he doesn't check a bag because he drives to Bradenton.

And that's what I was going to say. Yeah, he brings this ginormous suitcase. Just fills it up. He just brings that one bag.

Because I've never, like, I was thinking about that, too. Like, I've never flown with him. Usually, we go to spring training. He drives, because he's so close. So, yeah, I'm like, did he check a bag? Like, he was in Cleveland for like three days.

Like, what are you doing? Like, I go on family vacations, and I don't check a bag. Like, it's crazy. So, I had to give him a blast for that.

Yeah, a three-day trip to Cleveland. But I don't know why you'd check a bag. I have no idea why you would do that. But he did. And now he's stuck in Charlotte with nothing because he checked a bag.

Brutal. Brutal, Donato. Get it together.

Brutal. You guys talked about this, I think, well, I guess, was it last week or this week before?

Donato and I talked about a brutal stretch that the Pirates were in, about to approach, facing a lot of teams, above .500.

And so far, our Buccos are performing pretty well. They're 6-3 in their last nine games.

They've caught up to St. Louis and Miami in the wildcard race.

If the season ended today, there'd be a three-way tie for that last wildcard spot.

I'm not entirely sure what the tiebreaker is there, and I'm not going to get too much into it because the season doesn't end today.

So, to be honest, I don't care what the tiebreaker is.

But, yeah, those three teams tied for that last final wildcard spot currently.

And that's crazy because two weeks ago, I thought, I was like, I don't know how they're going to catch the Marlins.

The Marlins didn't lose, like, I think they lost three games in the month of June.

And now here we are, the Nationals.

I think the Marlins have lost seven in a row, I think.

And the Pirates are just, they're playing hot.

The Cardinals seem to be scuffling a little bit, too.

So, yeah, they are officially in this wildcard race, like, squarely in it.

You look at, the fan graphs, playoff odds, and the Pirates do currently have the fourth, the sixth highest playoff odds in the National League.

Yeah.

it's getting real.

Like, they're right there.

And we could talk about the bullpen and where they should be if they had just blown, like, half the saves they have.

But even with those losses, like, there's six, but we played a game 100 yesterday.

There's 62 games left.

Like, there's plenty of time for them to write some rules, win some games, stack some wins, and you really control your own destiny.

Because, like, the Marlins or Cardinals won't win every game going out.

But, yeah, you're right there.

So, like I said, they're in a brutal stretch.

But even going back to that Philly series that they split, they took two or three against the Nationals.

They swept the Brewers, out of the first half and then started off with Cleveland.

Should have swept Cleveland, but they take two or three.

You'll take it.

So, yeah.

Speaking of the Cleveland series, Jim, I don't even know if you realize this being up there.

The Pirates did not trail in any of those games.

Yeah.

They dominated the series.

Yeah.

They dominated every inning but two.

Yeah.

I said even the game they lost.

Like, that game, they owned that game.

They were fully in control the entire time until the eighth inning happened.

Yeah.

And they didn't trail until that walk-off.

Like, that was their first, they lost.

So, yeah.

They really dominated the Guardians and it's a shame.

But like I said, even with these losses and the bullpen just throwing games away, they're still right there.

Like, you're in the hunt.

And, yeah.

The Marlins are, they tailed off.

Of course, they played the Brewers and the Brewers go right back to their winning ways after playing the Pirates.

So, Brewers keep winning.

I know we've talked about it.

Like, the Cardinals, will they fall off?

Hopefully.

But, good Lord, they blew a big game yesterday.

But, yeah, it's nice to actually scoreboard watch.

Like, we're later in the season now where it's like we're not like May, mid-May scoreboard watching.

Like, we're at the end of July here getting towards there.

And, yeah, we're going to be – there's really only – it's what?

Marlins, Cardinals, Diamondbacks are like the three that they're – but, like, yeah, that's it.

Because the Reds have really fallen back in the standings and the Padres aren't doing too well.

So, yeah, there's a couple teams there.

Hopefully, the Cardinals fall off.

You'll play them here coming up.

But, yeah, you're in it.

You got 62 games left.

Like, go pick up some arms and let's do this thing.

Yeah, there is a pretty clear path now to the postseason.

And they're not entirely in control of their own destiny.

But they're pretty close.

Like, they just – at this point, they just need to be better than a few other teams from this point forward.

And they're in.

So, yeah, it's going to be an exciting stretch coming down here.

And one of the things I wanted to talk about today, and I think what really separates this team, like, we can talk about the offense.

We can talk about how, Bryan Reynolds is having this outstanding season.

Brandon Lowe.

Nick Gonzales overperforming what everyone would have expected.

I think this offense is a huge story this year.

But one thing that I – just getting ready for this show, and I was like, man, what are we going to talk about?

One thing that I – that is just completely different this year for me watching these games as opposed to, the last, six years, that we've been watching Ben Cherington-era Pirates teams is this team has, like, depth on the offensive side.

And that depth isn't just, like, filling in and performing admirably.

Like, the depth is winning baseball games for this team at times.

And that's just something that we didn't see.

Like, I was pulling up just old numbers here from, like, last year.

And, like, when – right.

I know.

But, like, when the Pirates – like, I'm not talking about, like, the everyday players because, obviously, the everyday players, weren't good.

But if you look at just the guys who they had to call up for a few weeks or months at a time, the role players, the people who, played sparingly, these teams had nobody.

There was nobody really performing in those roles over the last few years.

probably the closest they got to, like, a – like, a – the closest they ever got to something like that would have been probably 2020 for Joshua Palacios, where he came up and he was just, like, this pinch-hitting extraordinaire, you know?

But, like, outside that, like, these guys that they called upon sparingly in 2024, 2023, like – and the Alika Williamses of the world, the G1 Bays, the Edward Olivareses, even Nick Yorks back then, Billy Cook.

Like, I know that those people contributed this year, and I'm going to talk about them, but they didn't have games where just some guy won them the game.

And you're seeing that over and over and over again this year where it's different people stepping up.

It's not just the stars.

It's the depth guys.

Yeah, like, here in the Bucko Commish, this Tyler Callihan and Billy Cook game.

Like, we've had a Tyler Callihan game.

We had a Billy Cook game yesterday.

And Billy Cook, he gets – I think that was his 10th start of the season.

So, like, he doesn't get too many chances besides hoisting that cone in the dugout.

But he – three for four yesterday.

Like, I wrote in the takeaways last night, his WPA in that game was .34, which is like – some players don't even hit that for a season.

Like, Skenes was, I think, .26 in his performance yesterday.

So, Billy Cook was, like, that valuable to the game yesterday for the Pirates.

And that was just Cook's offensive WPA.

Like, you don't – that doesn't even count.

Oh, that's true.

It doesn't even count the defense.

I think there – I think that double play that he turned, that sacrifice fly turned into a double play at home, I think that was, like, a plus 16% play, too.

So, it's like – There you go.

So, he was, like, basically, like, a half – Yeah, like, Billy Cook essentially single-handedly won this game yesterday.

And, yeah, I just don't remember those games happening before.

Like, there was never a game where it's like, oh, Jared Triolo just took over and won the Pirates this game.

Or, Matt Gorski, who was called up and put into service, was, took over and won a game for the Pirates.

Like, that just didn't happen.

Like, when we were at that game, G1 Bay hit a walk-off home run, but, like, that was, like, it.

Like, that was the only thing G1 Bay did, like, that year.

Yeah.

So, it's – and I went through and I was like, what are some games where, like, just these guys played such a huge role in?

And, there's quite a few here.

Like, where would the Pirates be without – Endy Rodriguez on June 29th had the two highest win probability added plays in that game, right?

And Endy wasn't anybody we were expecting anything from this year.

You mentioned the Tyler Callihan game June 10th against the Dodgers.

The Pirates don't win that game without Tyler Callihan, obviously.

And then, also, the second – the person who – you don't really remember it, but the guy who, like, set up Callihan.

The reason why Tyler Callihan's big homer there late in the game won the game is because Rafael Flores got on base for him.

Like, just little things like that.

Nick Yorke with a walk-off win on April 4th.

Like I said, the Billy Cook game yesterday just taking over.

Esmerly and Valdez has pretty much won two games by himself.

July 11th against Milwaukee, July 2nd against the Phillies.

And then, July 18th, Friday night's game was essentially, Esmerly and Valdez and Jacob Gonzalez.

Like, those two came up and won the game.

And I don't know how much we can call Valdez, like, a role player anymore.

I don't think he – I think he's shed that label.

He is now squarely this team's starting right fielder, starting left.

he's a start – he's the starting cleanup hitter on this team.

I was going to say, he's not only starting, he's, like, the cleanup hitter now.

Yeah, he's one of the more important hitters on this team.

But it's impressive to see these guys where it's – like, I just listed off one, two, three, four, five people that – six people that we wouldn't have expected them to really contribute meaningfully this year.

we were hoping Valdez might come up at some point, but we weren't expecting this.

Well, right.

And, like, literally the only person that has, like – besides, like, Davis Wendell and Jack Brannigan, who was here for, like, a hot minute.

Like, the password.

Garcia's the only one that's really come up and struggled.

Because, like you said, then we saw Valdez, and Valdez took off.

But it's not just role players.

Like, we've had – we talked about these injuries.

Cruz goes down.

Horwitz goes down.

You have Jake Mangum coming in.

Jake Mangum.

Count him, too.

Yeah.

Jake Mangum's in there.

You've got – just everybody who's done it.

pretty much everybody, even Azuna's been hitting better.

It's just a – it's a remarkable turnaround from where we're used to seeing, like, this offense.

And, like you said, just the depth.

Guys that come up and struggle, usually, in other years.

And it's everybody pretty much performing.

And I don't know, like – obviously, they've acquired better hitters in the offseason.

we've – even guys, they make the trade here for Jacob Gonzalez.

And he's hitting – he had a home run and, a double yesterday.

Like, he's already looking pretty good.

So, like, they're acquiring these guys.

They've acquired better guys.

But, like, it's not just the guys they picked up, too.

It's, like, pretty much everybody.

Guys coming up in the minors.

So, I don't really know, like, where the – I know we killed Bill Murphy for the pitching, which justifiably so this year.

But, like, Matt Haig?

Like, no one really talks about Matt Haig right now.

Like, are we giving him some credit, I guess?

You got to at this point.

But they also did acquire better hitters.

But, yeah.

It seems like something's working with this hitting.

Yeah.

You got to give him a little credit here, right?

last year – and DiNardo always points this out – but last year, this team had two players that were above average on offense.

Spencer Horwitz and Joey Bart.

That was it.

This year, just anybody who's taken it at bat.

So, we're going pretty small sample size here.

But, last year, there were two.

This year, there are 13.

So, again, you can only play nine guys, right?

13 players have been above average offensively.

And, like, you think – like, look at these names that are littered through here.

Like, Jake Mangum, Tyler Callihan.

Like I said, Endy's in there.

Jacob Gonzalez is in there now.

Rafael Flores Jr. is in there.

Esmerlene Valdez.

Like, yeah, you've got Reynolds.

You've got Horwitz.

You've got Cruz.

You've got O'Hearn.

You've got Brandon Lowe.

But, it's like all these other guys are also playing better than any Pirate played last year.

Like, 13 players that are above average hitters.

That's incredible.

The turnaround just from that depth piece of this.

Where you're not just relying on one or two or three people.

Like, everyone on your major league roster.

Billy Cook just proved it yesterday that, like, there isn't a player on this team that isn't capable of going out there and just winning you a baseball game at this point.

Jake Mangum, his OPS would have been second best on last year's team.

Like, Horwitz was the only one that hit last year.

And, like you said, it's everybody.

And I like – when you have depth, you can – I like the way Don Kelly has been playing guys this year.

And it's like, can we – because, like, Tyler Callihan, he'll start – you know, like, game – he's going to – when he faces, like, a middle-of-the-road starting pitcher, like, Tyler Callihan might get a meatball or so and put it over the fence.

So, like, I feel like they're playing these guys in certain spots.

They're – like I said, you could play pretty much – not everybody.

It's not like you're not going to see Billy Cook every day play.

But they're putting these guys in at different spots, and it's working.

And that's the other thing, too.

Like, can we get over the whole, like, when the lineup comes out, everybody just throws a fit on Twitter?

Because it's like, throw that out the window this year.

Like, this lineup, no matter who it seems to be, like we just talked about, like, it's – they come through.

And it's like, as soon as I see people start complaining about the lineup, and it's like, oh, what are they doing?

They got Billy Cook in here.

Then we score seven runs.

And it's just like – it's really like they can't do any wrong.

But, yeah, they're getting these guys playing time.

I guess they're – even the guys on the bench, keeping them fresh, keeping them in there, seeing some at-bats.

Cook comes in as a late-game defensive replacement, which is a good spot for him.

But, yeah, he gets a start even once in a while and then comes through with the game like yesterday.

So, it's just – the whole lineup thing, it cracks me up because it's like, dude, everybody's hitting besides, like – the course of the season, and Azuna's been better.

But, like, pretty much, like, besides Triolo and even Henry Davis has been better, everybody else is an above-average hitter.

It's like – it's nuts.

I'm with you on the lineup thing.

It's gotten to be pretty funny at this point.

And so, I even mentioned it again yesterday before the game.

I was like, everybody's complaining about this lineup.

It's like, watch them put up seven or eight runs.

Like, they're going to do that because that's just what they do.

I feel like, yeah, every time people start complaining about the lineup, they perform.

And, yeah, so I think we just need to stop complaining.

Like, just stop complaining.

Or maybe keep complaining because, it's obviously – it's working.

It's working. It's right.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's impressive.

It's a complete – it's impressive, but then it's also just a – it's a complete switch from these past years.

And, whether you say the last two years, five years, 10, whatever, like, they just haven't been good offensively.

And I talked about it before when, a starter gives up a couple runs and you're like, oh, the lineup's just going to go down in order.

We're going to lose this game 6-0.

It was hard to get out of that mindset because that's what it was for five-plus years.

Like, it's just, oh, this lineup, they were just overmatched.

And they're not overmatched anymore.

And it is hard getting out of that mindset.

And somebody said here in the comments, like, if you would have told me spring training that, like, the offense was going to be where it's at and it's pretty much carried the team and been second in baseball and runs and tied for first with the national – like, I would have never – like,

that would have been insane.

It would have been – yeah, it would have been, like, you're a crazy person, obviously.

Yeah, like, I'm not – you're nuts.

Yeah, and it's been an unbelievable turnaround.

And it's just – it's fun to watch.

And it's just – yeah.

And then, of course, the starting rotation hasn't been bad, obviously.

But, yeah, it's just the bullpen.

The bullpen.

You got to make it better.

Yeah.

It sucks, but – Yeah, I don't want to get too much into the bullpen today because I feel like we talk about it a lot.

We do.

I was like, let's mix things up a little bit.

But, goodness gracious, they do need to do something there because I don't know how many games it is now.

I think it's eight.

I want to say it's eight games where the Pirates have had an 88% win probability or higher at some point.

And they've lost the game.

And you just can't have that many losses that you throw away.

Like, you're going to lose some of those games sometimes.

There's a reason why the win probability isn't 100, right?

Because sometimes you lose those games.

But to lose eight of them over the course of just through July, we're not even done with July yet, is pretty incredible.

This team still has more blown saves, and they have saves at this point.

They need to get way better quickly because, again, they're still somehow in this thing, even how bad it is, right?

They're in it despite the bullpen.

Like, that's pretty much – that's how talented this team has been.

Like, they'd be – they said you blow – you win five of those eight games or whatever you just said or four of them.

You're, what, eight games over, nine games over, and you're right there.

Like, look at this – the Yankees series coming up that we're going to talk about.

They're only three wins behind the Yankees in the standings.

Now, the Yankees have been not as good, but they're a game and a half out of first in the AO East, which is usually a very good division.

So, like, yeah, you're not far off, and it's like, where could this team be if they hadn't, had blown all those games?

But, yeah, getting back to the offense, too, like, all these – the injuries that they've had.

Like, we haven't even mentioned Konnor Griffin.

Like, a team losing Konnor Griffin that's going for a wildcard space would be a huge blow.

And, of course, yes, we missed the defense.

I think that's squarely number one.

But we haven't missed his offense.

Like, and he was turning it on, and he was doing everything.

And, he had a little bit of power.

He was getting on base.

He was stealing bases.

And, yeah, we're not – like, we haven't even mentioned him because it's just like, this offense keeps scoring.

And the other thing I wanted to touch on, too, about this offense is you see people like, well, oh, when Cruz comes back and Horwitz comes back, and how are you going to play all these guys?

And it's like, that's the best problem you could possibly have.

Yeah.

And, like, I thought – I think Don Kelly's done a good job to date just playing, getting everybody at bats.

And, you have, like, a – you have a bunch of first basemans and, like, guys that are playing out of position.

But that was what they signed up for in the offseason.

Like, they said, we're just going to get some guys that can hit, and we'll find a place to play them.

And they've used the DH position better.

Like, Azuna's been sitting more.

And it might have helped him because he's been better at the plate, too, doing that.

But, yeah, like, that's a good problem to have.

Like, I'm confident that they'll be able to work through it.

And, no, don't just trade Cruz at the deadline for a reliever.

Like, that's – no, you don't do that when you're buying.

So, yeah, I have confidence that they'll be able to fit these guys in and play them.

Yeah, that's a good point, too.

Like, he is doing – I feel like he's doing a pretty good job with everybody.

Like, Marcelo Azuna is clearly not playing as much as he'd like to right now.

But it's working.

Like, when the Pirates aren't playing Marcelo Azuna, they tend to win the games.

When they play Azuna, they lose.

And, like, not all of that is Azuna's fault.

He has been playing better as of late.

But it is weird that there's just better – there's just better hitters than Marcelo Azuna right now.

So, when you're not playing him, you're able to squeeze in, like, one more hitter who's outperforming him.

And, sometimes that's the difference maker.

And, again, Billy Cook is someone who's obviously not playing a whole lot.

And when he had been playing up to this point, like, he wasn't really doing anything offensively.

But to see him do that yesterday was really cool.

Because, obviously, he's valuable to this team.

Like, Billy Cook is a guy that, like, good teams often have on their team.

Like, that person who can come in, he can pinch run for you.

He can play good defense in the outfield anywhere.

Like, you're not really ever going to put him up to the plate in a big situation.

But, like, he has his role on the team.

And, when you have a true DH, like the Pirates do, you don't necessarily need all that position flexibility sometimes.

Because, for the most part, everybody's just playing every day.

Which is another big thing that this Pirates team has, as opposed to other Pirates teams, is before you were constantly shuffling people around, playing so-and-so in a position, someone else in a different position, batting them second, then batting them seventh.

Like, there's just so much.

There's a lot of continuity here.

Like, you know that, you know what your lineup is going to look like for the most part every day with maybe one or two differences.

But, yeah, it's been impressive.

Like I said, impressive is the word, because it's not anything I would have foreseen coming into this year.

And it's just really neat to see everyone step up and everyone contribute.

It's everyone.

It's just everyone across the board, and it's really cool to see.

It's the next man up mentality, like me being on here for DiNardo.

Exactly.

Exactly.

we've used June 1st a lot.

I know DiNardo's used it, I think, on last week's show, like just the offensive numbers since June 1st.

But, like, I've talked about it.

We talked about it overall, like pretty much everybody, but Triolo, Azuna, and Henry Davis is above average.

Since June 1st, like even Triolo, he has a 94 WRC+.

Billy Cook has a 90.

And Brendan Brandon Lowe is your worst hitter since June 1st, 85.

And everybody else.

Azuna's had a 111 WRC+, since June 1st.

Jake Mangum, 119.

Endy Rodríguez, 135.

Nick Gonzales, 136.

And then, Esmerlyn Valdez, 209.

even Flores, 214.

Like, everybody is hitting the cover off the ball pretty much all year.

But, like, even since June 1st, they've been really good.

And that's a big date to remember because that's, like, that's right when Konnor Griffin hit the IL.

And that was, like, a week before Oneil Cruz hit the IL.

So, like, those are two key pieces that you lost.

And everyone's just stepped up since then.

Stepped up in a big way.

that's one way to say it.

And, again, we're not used to it.

We are not used to it as recent Pirate fans here because the offense has been so bad.

And even in the years, even through 13 through 15, the offense was good.

It wasn't like this.

And, they obviously had really good pitching.

And the bullpen was shut down.

I missed that bullpen.

But, yeah, like, this offense wasn't that.

Like, we had Andrew McCutchen and, Pedro could hit a bunch of home runs.

But, like, this is just, like, top to the bottom.

And then it's the depth.

The depth's the key right now.

And it's next man up.

Because, look, injuries are going to happen.

And that's the other thing, too.

Like, where are these guys going to play when everyone's healthy?

Well, somebody else might go down.

Like, injuries are going to happen.

That's why you just don't go around trading.

Oh, let's trade Brandon Lowe.

Oh, let's trade Oneil Cruz.

Like, no.

Like, we're – and I think – I'm going to write about this, too, in the NS9 report today.

They – like, we're squarely buyers at this point.

Like, you swept the Brewers.

You come in – you come out of the second half.

You're thinking, oh, maybe they'll cool off.

You probably should have swept the Guardians.

You still took the series.

Like, you're in the hunt.

You're ready to earn that wild card tie.

So, they're buyers at this point.

I think that's squarely.

And, Ben making the move for Eisert and Jacob Gonzalez, I think, played his hand a little bit.

Like, they're buying at this deadline.

And – Yeah, they are.

Yeah, so – they have to at this point.

Yeah.

there's – I honestly, last night, when I looked at my phone late last night and I saw – because I have, like, our group chat's muted, I'll be honest.

But, like, I saw you tagged me and it just said, Ryan, you available.

And I'm thinking, oh, God.

Like, I thought a trade happened.

I was like, Ben made one of his midnight deals.

We got Mason Miller.

We're going to have to go live.

And then you're like, are you available for the morning?

I was like, oh, okay.

But, like, yeah, I could – I wouldn't be surprised if a trade comes this week.

It's July 20th now, Jim.

So, like, we only got two weeks – two weeks to the trade deadline.

So, I think trade's going to happen at any point here.

Like, meaningful trades, not just like, hey, we picked up Jacob Gonzalez and somebody else from a first-place White Sox team.

But, so, yeah, we'll see.

But, yeah, this offense is – don't trade from them.

Just – you'll figure it out.

You'll figure it out as we go.

I agree.

And I do want to talk about some of these trade things, a little bit this show.

I know we talked about it a lot on Thursday nights NS9 Live, but I do want to get into some things there.

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So, make sure you hit up Defer the next time you're in the Strip or, again, any of their locations across Pittsburgh.

Yeah, definitely.

And, yeah, they can deliver it right to your door, even if you live in Jacksonville, even though Donato's not currently in Jacksonville.

They can deliver it right to your door.

Yep.

It's nice.

And, I'm going to take this time, too.

I want to say, so, one of my buddies was in town.

we just went to Cleveland, went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which was the first time I'd ever been there.

It was really neat.

But I had my buddy, my old college roommate, visited Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago.

And they were like, what should we do?

What should we do?

And I was like, well, first, go to Defer.

Go to the Strip, go to Defer.

And then I told them, hey, then just keep going down the street a little bit more.

Roberto Clemente Museum.

I don't know if you've ever been to the Clemente Museum over there, Ryan, but it's also really cool.

So I just want to shout out the Clemente Museum, friend of the show, Tim.

I'd let him know that my friend and, his kid and, they were coming.

And, yeah, awesome time at the Clemente Museum.

So I just want to give them a shout out.

Zoe, CJ, Tim, everybody over there.

You all rock.

And, yeah, if you haven't been, if you're in Pittsburgh, you've got a, you've got like a gem of a museum right there.

And if you're visiting, just, yeah, make sure you hit that place up.

It's awesome.

You have a chance that you could run into Paul Skenes.

Didn't him and Livy show up there the one day?

And he was, he signed a couple, I think he signed a couple of balls or something for the, for the museum.

And, but yeah, that's, that was cool.

But yeah, it's a great place.

so at your college roommate comes to Pittsburgh and you weren't in town.

I wasn't, he was like, Hey, I'm coming into Pittsburgh.

It was his kid and a bunch of other kids from their little league baseball team.

So it was like, it was like a father son trip for four people.

And, he was like, what should I do?

What should I do?

And I was like, well, go to the strip, go to Defer.

And then, yeah, talk about the Clemente museum and they went to some pirates game.

So yeah, they had a really good time in Pittsburgh.

They had a, they had a better time in Pittsburgh.

I think then we had in Cleveland.

I could see that we had to deal with just insane smoke inhalation the entire time.

again, the food situation in Cleveland wasn't outstanding.

but the, Hey, you know what?

They want two out of three and they want two out of three.

I at least got home on time and I got there on time on like DiNardo.

So that was, that was a positive.

but yeah, Cleveland.

I lived up in the West side.

I lived there for a bit for like three, four years.

And, Cleveland gets a bad rap.

Cause we're from Pittsburgh.

It's not overall that bad.

be honest.

I went to a couple of games, but I didn't really like hang out right around the stadium.

but there's some good stuff, but yeah, like I remember going to a road game in Detroit too.

it was an afternoon pirates tigers game.

And I remember like the game ended, it was like four o'clock and like a weekday.

And like, Oh, we'll go over, like check out hockey town, whatever.

And then like most of the stuff around it just closed.

And it was like, what are we doing here?

Like you have a baseball team.

They just played a game.

And I know you mentioned about how, what Cleveland, like band, or at least the guardians, like there's no tailgating.

There's like, there was like no tailgating anywhere.

Yeah.

I didn't see a tailgater anywhere.

That's crazy.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I was wondering, cause I'm like, I'm like, I was wondering if that was actually true.

Like, or if it was just something you guys read that wasn't accurate, but could you imagine like the North side on a Saturday in the summer, like before a pirate game and no one's tailgating, absolutely not like that's so like foreign to me.

Like, it's just, yeah.

Like you'd tailgate and, underneath the overpass or, over there, but all the lots that we've been in and it's like, yeah, that's crazy.

So, but gladly, at least you guys got to see baseball.

Cause it didn't look like I we figured Friday's game wasn't going to happen because of the smoke.

and then Saturday it was looking like pretty severe, storm.

So, but they got them in, you gotta, you got to see some games in a winning series.

Also got to see, I was, one thing I was not expecting to see this weekend was Khristian Curtis's debut.

Yeah.

So that was, that was pretty cool because if you don't know, we had, we've had Khristian Curtis on the show.

He was the first Bucs On Deck, episode this year that Murphy and I did.

And he joined us for that, for a few minutes, talk about his upcoming season and yeah, he started the year in Altoona got promoted to Indianapolis really quickly.

and yeah, they team was in a pinch.

They needed somebody to throw some innings on Saturday and he stepped up big time because like that second game, it could have gone a few different ways.

Like they ended up losing the game, but like Curtis got them to the, to the seventh inning.

So, he did, he did his job and it was really cool to see his debut because let's say his story, if you're not familiar with it, make sure you check it out.

Bucs On Deck has, a feature on their front page right now from, like what they did from 2024 on covering Khristian Curtis.

And he had, he had an elbow surgery years ago that the doctor botched, and like messed up one of his nerves in his elbow.

And like, they weren't sure if this guy was ever going to be able to play baseball again.

and this was, this was, let's see in 2022, somewhere in that area, this was while he was at Texas A&M.

So the 2020, 2021, but yeah, just an incredible story being able to like rebound from that.

Like that's a, that's just a freak thing that happens to you.

And yeah, I was, it was really cool to see Khristian Curtis make his debut on Saturday because, yeah, well-deserved, well-deserved.

Should've got the win.

He should've got the win.

Should've got the win.

He deserved it.

but no, it was good to see, like, we talked about all these guys coming up, even for the hitting, but pitching hasn't been exactly the same this year, but good to see Khristian Curtis, like Wilber Dotel, when he came up was really good until he got injured.

So yeah.

And Curtis goes back to AAA, obviously they want him to start games.

but yeah, it's, it was, it was good to see him and he stepped up big time for them and that's, it's been the theme here.

Like a lot of guys have come up mostly hitting size, but I had the hitting side of things, but yeah, it's been, it has been good to watch.

So yeah.

before we get into the Yankee series, Ryan, I do want to bring up just this quote from Bob Nightingale, your boy, Bob Nightingale.

I know you're a big fan of him, but he, did he make in a tweet yesterday at USA today?

He said, he said the pirates who entered the break, having scored an MLB leading 516 runs planned to be aggressive at the deadline yet only if they can acquire pieces without increasing

payroll.

And so I think this got a lot of people talking yesterday where, well, that means that they're going to trade Ozuna, you trade Ozuna and then you're fine, right?

Or you trade, you trade Keller and you're fine.

It's like, well, I think it's going to be a lot more difficult to do that than we anticipate.

Like this is, this is an MLB, the show where you can just trade, you can put Marcell Ozuna on the trading block and say, okay, who wants Marcell Ozuna, right?

Nobody's going to raise their hand in real life.

I don't, I don't think anybody's raising their hand for an aging DH only right-handed bat who isn't really hitting like a DH should and getting paid more money than he's worth.

So this quote though, I'm not saying it caught me off guard because it's the pirates right.

We all know how they operate.

And I don't know if this is like sourced or if this is just Bob making things up, you know?

Yeah.

But I'll say this, if the pirates aren't able to add pieces at this deadline because of payroll reasons, like that's inexcusable, absolutely inexcusable that they wouldn't

be able to do this.

You got rid of Joey Bart that saved you like a million and a half the rest of this year.

You traded the 34th pick, which you would have been given $3 million to anyways, had you used it.

like there should be money here to use to up payroll by a few million dollars if you have to do that.

and at the same time, like you went into this season saying the goal is playoffs period full stop.

You can't tell me, Oh, you know what?

We weren't able to make that playoff push because the guy we wanted was owed a little bit more money.

So again, I know this is, this is just straight up a quote from Bob nightingale.

Yeah, this is a, this is a USA today reporter saying the pirates are expected to be aggressive, but only if they don't add payroll.

And yeah, I just, I, it scares me, right?

Because we all know how the pirates operate, but I just, I can't fathom that's even in play right now.

Like if you need a couple extra million dollars at the deadline to put this team over the edge, I can't imagine that not being something they can do.

Yeah.

Again, it's Bob nightingale.

Yes.

He's a national reporter or whatever you, call him this, whatever you want to call him, but he's sometimes out to out in left field, no pun intended, but it, the tweet just doesn't make sense to me because okay.

Yes, the payroll thing does make sense to me, but then how can you be aggressive, but not add payroll?

Like, even if you go get Luke Weaver, like Luke Weaver's making like nine, 10 million bucks this year.

And I get it.

Like there's going to be prorated because it's halfway through the season, but like, you're still going to add payroll.

Like there's something.

So whether, and even if you DFA Azuna, like you're still, you still owe him that money.

So unless you get creative with some of these deals and try to package one of them, but like you said, it's not MLB the show, like who wants to take back Marcello Azuna really.

But yeah, you can't really be aggressive and not add payroll that you can be aggressive with your prospects.

And we've talked about that a lot about trading guys and using that minor league prospect depth, but your payroll is going to add.

And I'm saying like, maybe you don't get somebody that's making 15, 17 million a year, but yeah, even Luke Weaver and some of these guys are making, a decent amount.

So it just doesn't make sense to me.

The other thing too, like people are like, Oh, Ben's going to be aggressive and he's going to just mortgage the farm to get, Mason Miller or get even a rental or something.

It's like Seth Hernandez, like, do we really think Mr. conservative Ben Cherington is going to go out and like trade Seth Hernandez for like a bullpen piece?

Like maybe Mason Miller, but again, who knows?

I don't even think that's just not, I don't think that's happening, but no, it's not, if I have confidence, that is not going anywhere.

Well, right.

But I have confidence.

And if I have confidence in Ben with anything, it would be that he's not going to mortgage the farm and just panic and go crazy at the deadline because that's just not who he is.

He's, always reserve and Mr. conservative and yeah, they'll try to make the team better, but that's why I, if, and like you said, if it's payroll that is going to hold them back, then this may be a really deflating deadline for the pirates because it's going

to suck because you need to add some, you need to add some legit back of the end arms.

And if they don't do it and they just go and get like a, Oh, we pick up like another, like another Brandon nicer type or whatever.

That's just like, no, the other team doesn't really need him or he's got okay numbers.

It's not going to be good enough.

So that's the worry there.

but yeah, it's a weird, it was a weird tweet.

Weird.

and again, he didn't say like it was from a source or like you said, it could have just been some rumblings he heard from a scout or something, it could, but again, like a lot of these people, it's the pirates.

So they just assume, Oh, they're not going to add payroll.

one thing we haven't seen though, that we usually hear from nutting, like around this time and maybe even like the auto all-star break or even before that, but remember like, in recent years or even back in 2016, 17, like he's talked about, Oh, they have

the resources at the deadline to like go and do something.

We haven't really heard that quote yet.

Yeah.

So we really haven't heard that yet from, and I don't know if he's just been like off traveling and just hasn't been around to talk to the media, but I feel like nutting hit was very visible this season early on, but I, we haven't really heard too much from recently.

So yeah, we haven't gotten that quote, but there's gotta be some room to be able to, cause the pirates always usually leave.

Cause we talked about it.

Like we needed a third baseman.

Like there was, we probably needed a starter.

Like you could have went and got Patrick Corbin in spring and they didn't do it.

And you're thinking, were they out of payroll or were they leaving some for the deadline?

So hopefully they left some room in there.

It's probably not much.

And yeah, would I, would I love to find a trade that you could just dump Mitch Keller and save, 10 million or whatever, 15 million.

Like, sure.

But like, how realistic is that?

I don't think it's very realistic.

So yeah, I'll be curious to see how they go.

I think at this point, just with all the trick, the crazy trade talk that this fan base has had up to this point, if they don't get Mason Miller or Luke Weaver, like I think people are going to be really upset.

Like there's just been so much hype around those two guys and Mason Miller, in particular, like, I don't think, I don't even know if Mason Miller's in play.

And if he is right, he's going to cost a lot.

I don't know.

I don't know how that's going to go.

I would not bank on getting Mason Miller right now.

But like, I think you got to set your targets on someone high.

You got to set your targets on someone who's like actually going to impact games for you in that back end.

I think they could think they're fine with, if they add like one of those guys and then like two other, just like good relievers, not the Brandon Eisert types, right.

But like someone that you can count on, to actually pitch a seventh or an eighth inning.

You need somebody with like a sub three ERA in that bullpen.

Yeah.

Like they're going to need, they're going to need some good relievers here.

And yeah, like Brandon Eisert, like that, they can't add any more of those guys.

They've got to add guys who are actually going to, going to help you.

Hunter Stratton.

It's like, no.

Yeah.

None.

No more of that.

Nate Pearson was just DFA'd by the Astros.

I don't know if you take a, take a flyer at him.

if you're, if you're Ben, he's probably Nate Pearson is most likely washed and he's been, he was a top prospect, what, seven years ago.

just never really panned out.

The stuff is pretty good, but he's just never really been able to get MLB hitters out.

So, but at the same point, he's probably better than Dennis Santana right now.

So like I'm down for trying anything.

So I'd be on the lookout for something with Nate Pearson.

I could, I could see that happening.

Cause that's also a Toronto guy, Ben.

It's a Ben guy.

Yeah.

It was been there when he was drafted or whatever.

Cause then Ben was there.

Yeah.

Oh, well it, well, it's happening now, but like, you're right.

Like I'm okay.

Like they've done that with, guys like Stratton and, but like, you can go and do that and like try to hit on one of these, but like, yeah, you need to go out and get much better arms, proven serious, legit back of the end arms.

And that's what they need.

And, yeah, like Mason Miller, look, and like people would say, like, I wouldn't trade Seth Hernandez.

I wouldn't either, but like, I don't think it's that absurd of a trick.

Like there's a chance.

It's probably fair value, right?

I'm not saying it's not fair value.

Yeah.

There's a chance Mason Miller is a, and I'm not saying he's going to finish his career with the pirates that they got them, but like, there's a chance he could, he's a hall of fame reliever and like, he's still young and he's still very good.

So like, I don't think it's absurd to say like, Oh my God, you would never, I don't think it's like you said, it's maybe fair value depending on what else you throw in there.

But that's probably the, I wouldn't do, I just wouldn't move Seth Hernandez.

That's all.

But you have like, yeah, prospects like that don't get traded unless you're the Padres.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And you have other guys, you have a very good minor league system right now that, as well as anybody with Bucs On Deck, like they got guys that can, they can trade that would be able to pull in.

Not maybe not a Mason Miller, but pretty good relief farms, or at least should.

And, Greg Brown was on the broadcast yesterday.

Like, Oh, these guys are not, he went, I think it was on the radio.

He was saying, Oh, it's going to be a real, these teams are really going to have to pay up for relief farms.

this deadline.

And it's like, yeah, but like, I don't know.

Like, I feel like it's being overrated or overblown a little bit.

So like, we'll see, we'll see what team, at the end of the day, it's the market.

We'll see.

We'll see what these teams end up doing if they bite and end up trading a lot of people.

So.

Yeah.

And a lot can change just in the next week, right?

Like you've got, you've got almost, you got two weeks still until the trading deadline.

It's later this year than normal.

you can see the, some teams, like, I feel like right now people are saying it's a buyers, it's a, it's a seller's market.

Cause there aren't a lot of sellers, but that could change.

Like next week there could be more sellers.

Like if the Padres, the Padres lose five games this week, they're squarely in the sellers category.

If there are a lot of teams that are teetering right on the edge there.

So things could look a lot different in two weeks as opposed to right now.

So, yeah, it's going to be interesting to see what they do.

Again, we've got two weeks and I would love for them to not wait two weeks, like go out there and identify some sellers right now and add to this team as soon as possible.

but like, you're probably going to see some things open up.

Yeah.

That's the thing.

Like the Mets are a hundred percent selling.

Like you gotta be talking to them.

You gotta be talking to them.

They got more, not just Luke Weaver.

Like they got a couple of relievers over there that you'd take.

the Red Sox have gone on a tear and are back in it.

So like Chapman's probably not available.

Garrett Whitlock's probably not available.

but yeah, you have the farm to deal, to get some guys, but I, it's just, yeah, the payroll, the payroll thing is the one thing you probably don't really have much of.

And we'll see.

cause that might, if that dictates the trade deadline and what they can do, that could really be deflating.

I agree.

I agree.

let's do this.

Let's kick it over to Cody real quick.

And then when we get back, let's wrap things up with this, New York series coming up this week.

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All right, Ryan.

So Pirates head to the Bronx to face the 55 and 44 New York Yankees this week.

First game is tonight, three game set, Ryan Weathers on the mound for the Yankees and just a guy who, top prospect, lefty power arm.

He's just always been injured, but he's putting it all together this year.

He's been healthy.

He's made 18 starts.

He's got a 4.15 ERA striking out, over 10 batters per nine innings, putting together his best season as a pro at age 26.

So if there is one game here that I'm worried about, it's this one because, the pirates just have not had a ton of success against left-handed pitchers and Weathers is someone who not only is he left-handed, but he's like a strikeout guy.

So I could see Weathers like rolling through this lineup a little bit.

And but on the flip side, the Yankees, their bullpen, the back end of it is pretty good.

But if you can get to that, like middle relief part of the New York Yankees bullpen, there's not a lot there.

there's just some guys, that are going to man the fifth, sixth and seventh inning.

So I think that's the key to this game is see if you can get Ryan Weathers out a little bit earlier than like six or seven innings.

Because if you hand the ball over to like Fernando Cruz or David Bednar, then maybe you're in a little bit of trouble.

But if you can get to this middle relief in the Yankees, I think you can you can steal a game here.

Now, the Pirates have Ashcraft going.

So that's a that's a good sign.

Maybe we're looking at just like a two to one win if we can get it.

But they're going to need they're going to need Ashcraft to step up tonight, I think.

And they're going to have to see what they can they want to see.

We need to see if we can knock Weathers out a little early.

I think that's the name of the plan tonight.

Yeah, you mentioned their bullpen like we have to get to the Jake Birds of the world.

Tim Hill, Tim Hill's strikeout per nines, Jim, 4.3.

He strikes out four hitters every nine innings.

Those are the guys you want to see in this bullpen.

Yeah, we missed we missed Cam Schlitter.

He pitched yesterday.

Obviously, they miss Paul Skenes, too.

So it's like it's it evens out there.

But yeah, Ryan Weathers, lefty, like you mentioned, having a good year.

I say we light them up tonight, but let's do it.

I think we should do it.

But yeah, a couple old faces.

David Bednar, as you mentioned, closer.

And then I'm looking forward to Wednesday's game.

Mitch Keller versus Gerrit Cole, her old pal, Gerrit Cole.

That should be a fun one.

Mitch Keller obviously has been scuffling.

Hopefully this like long layoff does Mitch Keller a little bit of good.

he's going to basically be like a week and a half, between starts.

And yeah, they're going to need Mitch Keller down the stretch here because otherwise you got to start looking for a Mitch Keller replacement at the deadline.

Like we haven't even we haven't really gone too deep into that.

But this Pirates team, you feel pretty comfortable with Ashcraft schemes, Chandler Jones right now.

Keller's the weakest link in this rotation currently, and it sucks to say that, but it's true.

And they yeah, he needs to start pitching better, just plain and simple.

Like he's just been it's been a bad season for Mitch Keller.

He had a good April and then just fell off a cliff.

I know it's disappointing because I love Mitch and he's been so steady for us for years and been an innings eater and always, quality start Mitch.

I'd love to see quality start Mitch right now, but this is going to be a tough.

him and Yankee Stadium, the way he's been pitching this year, doesn't sit too well with me.

I think these next this next two starts for him is going to be huge, because if he goes in and writes the ship and maybe throws a quality start together or two, I don't maybe you can rely on him in the second half.

But if he goes out Wednesday and struggles and then struggles in the next start, like a starting pitcher may have to just be as high as priority as your bullpen at the deadline.

So I really think these next two starts are big for him.

So I'm not really looking forward to him in Yankee Stadium, but I am looking forward to seeing the Pirates bats in Yankee Stadium.

Yeah, we know, Ben Rice and Wells and Goldschmidt.

We know that they'll hit some home runs.

But like, yeah, the Pirates have been hitting some home runs.

So, can you I want to see the magician in Yankee Stadium against the pinstripes.

I'm excited to see that.

You know who else you mentioned was the worst hitter on the team since June 1st?

Brandon Lowe.

I feel like I feel like this series is built.

This is going to be the Brandon Lowe series.

We need we need to break out Brandon Lowe series.

I like it.

I like that.

And you mentioned tonight's pitching matchup.

Brian Weathers, Braxton Ashcraft, the Pirates on FanDuel plus 100.

So like where it's pretty much a pick them.

Yankees are a slight favorite minus 118.

They're facing a lefty.

And what we know from the NS9 interview, what's Valdez like?

Valdez does love lefties.

He does.

And you're in Yankee Stadium.

So he's plus 285 to hover tonight.

There you go.

Those aren't great odds.

Literally, as I said that, it went to 280.

So it's already going down.

But again, the homer twice is 22 is 20 plus 2200.

So there you go.

There we go.

Let's just hit two of them.

Valdez.

That's what we might need that tonight.

But I just said overall, I'm interested to see Gerrit Cole to Gerrit Cole's, one of my one of my favorite pirates that, during my lifetime.

So, yeah, Gerrit Cole versus Mitch Keller.

That seems like a fun one.

Will Warren getting the start in game two.

I really I'm not really too concerned about either of those guys.

This team, I think, has just shown time and time and time again, it can hit right handed pitchers.

So, yeah, let's go out there and score like three or four runs off them.

That's within the realm of possibility.

Yeah.

So, like, let's just go out there, but take two out of three head home, with a four and two road trip.

I think that's the name of the game here.

If you can win tonight's game, then I think that sets you up really well for the rest of the series.

Obviously, lots of lefties in the in the Yankees lineup.

So that has been Mitch's, kryptonite this year is he hasn't really been able to get lefties out.

So he will have to face a lineup of seven left handed hitters when he goes out there on Wednesday.

So in Yankee Stadium in Yankee Stadium.

So, yeah, Mitch Keller versus lefties.

We'll see how that how that goes.

But David Bednar, you mentioned him earlier.

Yeah, it'd be nice to have him on our team right now, wouldn't it?

Oh, God.

Yes.

And he's five nine.

Yeah, he's back because I know he's he started off.

He was struggling in the beginning of the year, but he's really come on.

He's been really good lately.

He did have a rough April.

But yeah, really, since.

Since then has just been pretty good.

Yeah, striking out ten point two per nine, not walking many his FIPS at two point five.

He hasn't given up.

He hasn't given up a run since May.

Oh, great.

Yeah.

He's been really good.

We couldn't use that in our bullpen.

He hasn't given up a run since May 18th.

You just look back to that trade and it's like.

I get the money thing with it, but then you went out and signed Soto.

And it's like you should have just kept Bednar.

This team, Dippy Golf Sears says this team with Bednar has ten more saves.

We could be like nine over ten over if Bednar was on this team.

Yeah, I think ten might be pushing it, but I think this team with David Bednar probably has four more wins.

Yeah, at least.

And what's crazy is you just do the math there.

If you have four more wins, you are fifty six and forty four.

You're.

at this point, you're just you're just cruising.

Yeah, you're on cruise control at that point.

Like, yeah.

Oh, my goodness.

Yeah, it's I'm looking forward to this series.

It's a big test for them.

And like I said, this isn't the twenty seven Yankees.

It's not even the two thousand Yankees.

They're still pretty good.

Like they're still going to hit their home runs.

And they got a ton of injuries in the rotation, but they're still they still got some good pitchers.

So and Cole, he came back off the injury.

He's been he's settled in like he's got a mid three R.A.

He's striking out he's not.

Yeah, he's not walking many.

What's his?

Yeah, he's at nine strikeouts per nine.

Exactly.

So, yeah, Cole settled in.

I think it'll be interesting to face him.

But, yeah, it's always fun.

the pinstripes in Yankee Stadium.

So it'll be fun to see what they do with them because the Yankees are in a battle for their division right now.

Yeah.

Ben Rice, though, with Aaron Judge out this lineup, it's like Ben Rice is the only guy who scares you at this point.

Like Trent Grisham, I feel like is a pirate killer from his Brewers days.

Cody Bellinger is having a solid season, but it's not like, Bellinger is not the guy he used to be.

But, yeah, overall, like this lineup that the Yankees have, like it's solid.

It's solid.

It's not as good as the Pirates lineup, though.

like who is the Pirates lineup is better than this.

So, yeah, go out there and see if you can shut these guys down.

Let's say win two out of three.

Feel really good.

I want to also quick.

Quick shout out to there's a couple there's a couple NS9 MVPs who are going to this game.

I think from Cody will be there, too.

Right.

Cody will be there.

But I think what's what else is neat is let's see if I can find them here.

God, this team still has Ryan McMahon.

He's like they're starting is he's they're starting third baseman.

My God.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But no, in terms of NS9 listeners, I said, I know I know there's some people heading over to the game.

There's a couple people.

Jamie's one of them from the United Kingdom.

Him and his brother.

His brother's a Yankees fan.

Jamie is a Pirates fan.

They flew to America for this series.

So they're in New York.

They're going to be going there.

And then and then I'm trying to find another person who I know is also coming over here.

One of our one of our listeners from Israel is coming is coming over for this series.

So we've got some international NS9 listeners who are going to be in attendance at Yankee Stadium.

So the World Cup may be over, but our MVPs are coming overseas to see the Buccos in New York.

I love it.

Yes.

Yes.

But even jazz Chisholm, who I feel like I feel like we had jazz Chisholm because we talked about him so much in that trade deadline.

he's been pretty good for the for the Yankees, too.

So he'll be he'll be there as well.

Yeah.

Sof is his name.

He's coming over from Israel.

So, yeah, I said it's going to be hopefully it's a fun series.

Hopefully, if you're traveling to New York, you guys have a good time.

Yeah.

Cody will be there at least the first two games, I think.

So he's going to try to do the postgame shows from Yankee Stadium.

So that'll be that'll be fun.

And yeah, let's kick off this week with a bang.

Hey, they've played well recently against good teams.

So I don't like used to go into these series or a series of the Dodgers and you're just like, oh, God, like, how are they going to win one?

I don't like feel that way.

And I know you're going to make your prediction like they'll win two or three.

But I just don't feel like that doom.

Like, oh, boy, we were playing the Yankees on the road.

Like, I feel like we'll be in most of the games and unless Mitch just goes out on Wednesday and throws up a stinker.

But I think they'll be in pretty much every game.

The other thing, too, is this team is dominating the American League.

Yes, they've won five straight series against the American League this year.

I think they're just 13 and six against them overall.

They're killing.

They're crushing them.

The American League is so bad.

So 18 and nine.

We're 18 and nine against the AL.

I'm convinced that if the Pirates were in the AL Central right now, they'd be they'd be 15 games up on the next team.

They'd be they'd be clinching a playoff spot next month.

Look at the Guardians who we just like we just talked about in the beginning of the show.

They dominate.

We dominated that series.

And like I said, they didn't trail the bullpen blue that one game.

But like the Guardians, they're missing Jose Ramirez, which helped.

But like they really struggle offensively and they're they had the same record as us.

And they're like winning their division or right there with the White Sox.

So like, yeah, like if you were in the AL Central, like we could be like 10 up or who knows what.

So, yeah, I line up was just Cleveland's lineup was just littered with hitters with OPS is in the five hundreds.

like it looked like it looked like the Pirates, like 22 lineup.

Yeah, I'll put this Pirates lineup up against anybody right now.

Like in the in, like you said, like I'm not I'm not scared to face anyone at this point, which is a crazy thing to say.

Unless it's Christopher Sanchez.

Yeah, that the outside of like dominant left handed starting pitchers don't give me those.

But like I'm pretty confident in this team that they're going to be able to put up runs on everyone.

And then it's just it's just a matter of can the bullpen not blow up?

Yeah, if you would have said that line, I'd put this Pirates lineup against anyone.

If you would have told me that in March.

it's just it's unreal where they where they're at, because I'm serious when I say like if you're giving me a choice between the Yankees lineup and the Pirates lineup, I'm taking the Pirates lineup 10 out of 10 times.

Yep.

And that's with Cruz out, Griffin out, Brandon Lowe out and Horwitz out.

Crazy.

Yeah, but no Aaron judge this series so that will obviously help things.

Is he out for the year?

Or is it he's out for like a really good chunk of the year?

He's I think he is.

He was out for a while, but I didn't know if he's like maybe for the playoffs or whatever.

But he's the last update as of Saturday is that he is not ready to resume baseball activities.

Yeah, it's going to be a while.