SB Nation Pittsburgh - Pirates Vs. Astros: James McDonald Wild In 9-5 Losshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2012-07-29T17:47:29-04:00http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/rss/stream/29561042012-07-29T17:47:29-04:002012-07-29T17:47:29-04:00Pirates Vs. Astros Recap: James McDonald Wild In 9-5 Loss
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> pitcher <span>James McDonald</span> saw his second-half struggles continue, as he walked seven batters in five innings as the Pirates lost 9-5 to the lowly <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a> on Sunday. McDonald allowed five runs on six hits while striking out five.</p>
<p><span>Kevin Correia</span> didn't fare much better in his bullpen debut, allowing four runs in two innings, including a three-run double to <span>Marwin Gonzalez</span> in the seventh inning that put the game away.</p>
<p>The Pirates took their only lead of the day briefly in the top of the fourth when <span>Garrett Jones</span> hit a mammouth two-run home run to put the Pirates up 2-1 in the fourth. The Astros then answered with five unanswered runs. Other offensive highlights included <span>Pedro Alvarez</span> going 2-for-3 while <span>Starling Marte</span> went 2-for-5.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Pirates, check out <a href="http://bucsdugout.com/">Bucs Dugout</a>. For more on the Astros, there's <a href="http://crawfishboxes.com/">Crawfish Boxes</a></i>. <i>For all your Major League Baseball news and notes, visit the all new <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/" target="_blank">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
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https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/29/3200544/pirates-vs-astros-recap-james-mcdonaldSteve Uhlmann2012-07-29T11:58:52-04:002012-07-29T11:58:52-04:00Astros Vs. Pirates Lineups: Andrew McCutchen Sits; Michael McKenry Plays
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<p>Here are the lineups for the final game of a four-game series between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a> at 2:05 p.m. on Sunday, as the Bucs go for the sweep.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/Pirates/status/229597327990587392/photo/1">Pirates</a>:</p>
<p><span>Starling Marte</span> CF<br><span>Alex Presley</span> LF<br><span>Neil Walker</span> 2B<br><span>Garrett Jones</span> RF<br><span>Casey McGehee</span> 1B<br><span>Pedro Alvarez</span> 3B<br><span>Michael McKenry</span> C<br>Jordy Mercer SS<br><span>James McDonald</span> P</p>
<p><span>Andrew McCutchen</span> gets a rare day off, and Starling Marte gets his first career start in center field. Michael McKenry, who has nine homers in 120 at-bats and a .907 OPS, gets another start. Bucs fans have been clamoring for him to get more paying time, instead of <span>Rod Barajas</span>, who gets the day off after starting a night game on Saturday. Jordy Mercer gets a rare start, taking the place of <span>Clint Barmes</span> at shortstop.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/229581094775820288">Astros</a>:</p>
<p><span>Jose Altuve</span> 2B<br><span>Marwin Gonzalez</span> SS<br><span>Chris Johnson</span> 3B<br><span>Scott Moore</span> 1B<br><span>J.D. Martinez</span> LF<br><span>Brian Bogusevic</span> RF<br><span>Chris Snyder</span> C<br><span>Jordan Schafer</span> CF<br><span>Lucas Harrell</span> P</p>
<p><i>For more on the Pirates, check out <a href="http://bucsdugout.com">Bucs Dugout</a>. For more on the Astros, there's <a href="http://crawfishboxes.com">Crawfish Boxes</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/29/3199964/astros-vs-pirates-lineups-andrew-mccutchen-michael-mckenryCharlie Wilmoth2012-07-29T08:00:27-04:002012-07-29T08:00:27-04:00Pirates Vs. Astros Preview: James McDonald Tries To Lead Bucs To Sweep
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> will look to complete a four-game sweep of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a> -- and to win their fifth game in a row -- at 2:05 p.m. Sunday, as <span>James McDonald</span> takes on <span>Lucas Harrell</span>.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Cincinnati Reds</a> have won nine games in a row, so the Pirates have made up no ground in the N.L. Central despite some very solid recent play. They'll at least have a good chance of keeping pace with the Reds on Sunday, though, as the Astros have lost 12 in a row.</p>
<p>McDonald has been the Pirates' ace this season, but right now, he's trying to get back on track, having given up two homers in each of his last two starts. The Astros' weak lineup could provide a perfect prescription. Harrell hasn't allowed more than one run in any of his last three starts, and he struck out nine Pirates in early July, but he also gave up five runs to the Bucs. And based on his long-term track record, he arguably wouldn't be in most big-league rotations.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Pirates, check out <a href="http://bucsdugout.com">Bucs Dugout</a>. For more on the Astros, there's <a href="http://crawfishboxes.com">Crawfish Boxes</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/29/3199575/pirates-vs-astros-preview-james-mcdonaldCharlie Wilmoth2012-07-28T22:26:30-04:002012-07-28T22:26:30-04:00Pirates Vs. Astros: Pittsburgh Hands Houston 12th Straight Loss
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> topped the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a> by a score of 4-3 on Saturday night, marking their third straight win over their N.L. Central foes. It was also Houston's 12th straight loss and 24th in their last 26 games.</p>
<p>The Pirates did, however, have to come from behind. Trailing 3-2 after five innings at Minute Maid Park, they would add a pair of runs over the remainder of the game to pull ahead. In the sixth, <span>Garrett Jones</span> scored on a wild pitch to knot the game at three apiece. Then, in the eighth, a single from <span>Rod Barajas</span> scored Andrew McCutchen, giving the Bucs a late one-run advantage they wouldn't surrender.</p>
<p>Starting pitcher <span>Wandy Rodriguez</span> took the hill for Pittsburgh, making his debut after being traded from Houston on Tuesday. Rodriguez lasted six innings, giving up three, but was given a no decision. He struggled with his control, walking five.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Pirates, check out <a href="http://bucsdugout.com/">Bucs Dugout</a>. For more on the Astros, there's <a href="http://crawfishboxes.com/">Crawfish Boxes</a></i>. <i>For all your Major League Baseball news and notes, visit the all new <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/" target="_blank">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/28/3199325/pittsburgh-pirates-houston-astros-final-scoreJoey Kaufman2012-07-28T20:40:17-04:002012-07-28T20:40:17-04:00Pirates Vs. Astros Score Update: Pittsburgh Trails 3-2 After Five Innings
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<p>Much like Friday night when they got off to a sluggish start, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> again find themselves trailing at Minute Maid Park in Houston.</p>
<p>A pair of solo home runs from right fielder <span>Alex Presley</span> and second baseman <span>Neil Walker</span> gave the Bucs enough to hold a narrow 2-1 lead over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a> after four innings.</p>
<p>But in the bottom of the fifth, center fielder <span>Justin Maxwell</span> tripled to deep right field to drive in two runs and give the Astros a 3-2 edge.</p>
<p>On the mound for Pittsburgh is starter <span>Wandy Rodriguez</span>, who was acquired through a trade with Houston on Tuesday night. Thus far, he's given up four hits and three earned runs over five innings of play against his former team.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Pirates, check out <a href="http://bucsdugout.com/">Bucs Dugout</a>. For more on the Astros, there's <a href="http://crawfishboxes.com/">Crawfish Boxes</a></i>. <i>For all your Major League Baseball news and notes, visit the all new <a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/28/3199184/pittsburgh-pirates-houston-astros-score-updateJoey Kaufman2012-07-28T17:49:51-04:002012-07-28T17:49:51-04:00Pirates Vs. Astros Lineups: Wandy Rodriguez Makes Bucs Debut Against Former Team
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<p>Here are the lineups for Saturday night's 7:05 (Eastern) game between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a>, in which new Bucs pitcher <span>Wandy Rodriguez</span> will make his Pirates debut. The Pirates acquired Rodriguez earlier in the week for prospects <span>Robbie Grossman</span>, <span>Rudy Owens</span> and Colton Cain.</p>
<p>Pirates:</p>
<p>Starling Marte LF <br><span>Alex Presley</span> RF <br><span>Andrew McCutchen</span> CF <br><span>Garrett Jones</span> 1B <br><span>Neil Walker</span> 2B <br><span>Pedro Alvarez</span> 3B <br><span>Rod Barajas</span> C<br><span>Clint Barmes</span> SS <br>Wandy Rodriguez P</p>
<p>Astros:</p>
<p><span>Jose Altuve</span> 2B <br><span>Matt Downs</span> 1B <br><span>Chris Johnson</span> 3B <br><span>J.D. Martinez</span> LF <br><span>Justin Maxwell</span> CF <br><span>Ben Francisco</span> RF <br><span>Brian Bixler</span> SS <br><span>Carlos Corporan</span> C <br><span>Armando Galarraga</span> P</p>
<p>Galarraga is making his 2012 MLB debut and his Astros debut, taking Rodriguez' place in the rotation.</p>
<p>Also, the Pirates have <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/229318001311236097">claimed</a> former Pirates first baseman <span>Steve Pearce</span>, although he won't be with the team until Sunday.</p>
<p>You can read a good scouting report on Rodriguez <a href="http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/28/3198631/wandy-rodriguez-trade-profile-mlb-trading-deadline-pirates-astros">here</a>.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Pirates, check out <a href="http://bucsdugout.com">Bucs Dugout</a>. For more on the Astros, there's <a href="http://crawfishboxes.com">Crawfish Boxes</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/28/3198949/pirates-vs-astros-lineups-wandy-rodriguezCharlie Wilmoth2012-07-28T14:52:06-04:002012-07-28T14:52:06-04:00Wandy Rodriguez Trade: Astros Blogger Comments On Pirates' New Starter
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<img alt="HOUSTON TX - JULY 26: Wandy Rodriguez #51 of the Pittsburgh Pirates speaks with the media as he returns to Houston as a Pittsburgh Pirate at Minute Maid Park on July 26, 2012 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/to16SxK-OvgAs3OJBMWVkAOq0_0=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/8059425/149311254.jpg" />
<figcaption>HOUSTON TX - JULY 26: Wandy Rodriguez #51 of the Pittsburgh Pirates speaks with the media as he returns to Houston as a Pittsburgh Pirate at Minute Maid Park on July 26, 2012 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>David Coleman of Crawfish Boxes, SB Nation's Houston Astros blog, answers questions about newly-acquired Pirates pitcher Wandy Rodriguez.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pirates</a> acquired left-handed pitcher <span>Wandy Rodriguez</span> from the <a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Astros</a> on Tuesday night, and he will make his debut with Pittsburgh on Saturday night against his former teammates in Houston.</p>
<p>The Bucs got Rodriguez and will receive up to $17.7 million from the Astros to pay his salary, assuming Rodriguez picks up his player option for the 2014 season. In return, they gave up prospects Colton Cain, <span>Robbie Grossman</span> and <span>Rudy Owens</span>.</p>
<p>Rodriguez could be a staple of the Pirates' rotation for the next couple of years. He brings a 7-9 record, 3.79 ERA, and 89 strikeouts against 32 walks to the table, but those numbers don't tell the whole story. For some deeper perspective on Rodriguez and the trade that brought him to the Pirates, SB Nation Pittsburgh chatted with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.crawfishboxes.com/">David Coleman of SB Nation's Astros blog, Crawfish Boxes</a>.</p>
<p><b>AB: Could you give us a quick scouting report on Wandy Rodriguez?</b></p>
<p>DC: The shortest possible scouting report is that Wandy is a soft-tossing lefty with a serious curve. He's never had a ton of velocity and took a while to develop as a prospect. However, his curve is what made him special. After the 2009 season, <span>Roy Oswalt</span> called Wandy's curve the best in baseball. If you go by the linear weights on FanGraphs, it probably was close to that, too.</p>
<p>However, it's never been that good since. He has trouble getting a feel for it from time to time as he's aged, so his numbers haven't been as good as they were that season.</p>
<p>But, in recent years, he's managed to work a two-seam fastball into his repertoire, so his ground ball rate has gone up some. That's important, because he pitches to contact more often than not these days.</p>
<p><b>AB: What kind of pitcher has Rodriguez been in the past? How does that compare to this season?</b></p>
<p>DC: At his peak, Wandy was maybe the second-best pitcher on this staff. He's still been the best guy in recent years, but hasn't been that No. 2-quality guy in a couple of seasons. His strikeout rate has declined. With it, so has the expectation that he can go out and shut a team down for seven innings. Now? You know he'll keep you in the game, unless his curve isn't working, and then things could get ugly.</p>
<p><b>AB: What do you think the Pirates can expect from Rodriguez moving forward?</b></p>
<p>DC: He's definitely aging, so I'd expect the kind of performance like a No. 3 starter going forward. His strikeout rate probably won't stay as low as it is right now, but his ground ball rate probably won't stay as high either.</p>
<p>When he was in Houston, there were two different Wandys that could show up. We called them Home Wandy and Road Wandy, because his home/road splits were so pronounced. So, there's that delightful bit of fun too, as you struggle early in a start to figure out which one will show up.</p>
<p><b>AB: What did you think of the return from the trade? </b></p>
<p>It was a pretty fair trade. As a sabermetrics guy, I really like Robbie Grossman for his on-base skills. Houston doesn't have many guys in the system like that. As for the two pitchers, it tracks with GM Jeff Luhnow's style of gathering a ton of them and hoping one or two will hit. If Houston had traded Wandy three years ago, they might have gotten more for him, but this may have been their best return on a trade since the <span>Hunter Pence</span> deal.</p>
<p><b>AB: How do you feel about the Astros paying part of Rodriguez's contract the next three years?</b></p>
<p>DC: It was inevitable. He was paid a lot of money, but was probably fairly paid (at least in the early years of this deal). So, Houston basically picked up some of the cost to get his yearly number down to a more reasonable area for a pitcher his age on the free agent market. That allowed them to get a better return in the trade, which helped build up Houston's depth in the farm system.</p>
<p><b>AB: Do you have any insight about what kind of clubhouse guy Rodriguez is?</b></p>
<p>DC: It's interesting. I've never gotten the sense that he's one of the most vocal clubhouse guys or leader types, but he has talked with younger guys. I think part of that may be his comfort level with English as a second language. One of the most fascinating exchanges I saw in the clubhouse this year was a postgame interview with him after one of his starts. The usual scrum of reporters gathered around his locker and he looked to the Houston PR guy, asking for a translator. The PR guy told him to just try to do his best and he did, but it's really interesting that a guy who's been in the league for as long as Wandy still would want a translator.</p>
<p>Other than that, he's been a pretty low-key guy who his teammates obviously respect in his time in Houston. I don't doubt that he'll fit right in with the Pirates and be a great addition chemistry-wise.</p>
<p><b>AB: Any nickname suggestions? </b></p>
<p>DC: His first name has always worked as pretty easy shorthand, so we've never really given him a nickname on the site. However, the Magic Wand-y pun has been made plenty of times.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/28/3198631/wandy-rodriguez-trade-profile-mlb-trading-deadline-pirates-astrosFTG18552012-07-28T10:34:03-04:002012-07-28T10:34:03-04:00Pirates Vs. Astros: Wandy Rodriguez To Make Bucs Debut
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<p><span>Wandy Rodriguez</span> makes his <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> debut Saturday at 7:05 (Eastern) as the Pirates try to continue to beat Rodriguez' former team, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a>.</p>
<p>The Astros traded Rodriguez to the Pirates earlier in the week for prospects <span>Robbie Grossman</span>, <span>Rudy Owens</span> and Colton Cain. He's expected to bring stability to their rotation, providing a strong veteran arm behind <span>James McDonald</span> and <span>A.J. Burnett</span>.</p>
<p>Rodriguez throws a fastball, curve and change. His fastball isn't an impressive-looking pitch, typically coming in at around 89 MPH, but his curveball is nasty at times.</p>
<p>Rodriguez pitched 130.2 innings with the Astros this year, striking out 89 batters and walking 32. His strikeouts are down somewhat this year, but he's helping make up for that with better control than he's had in the past.</p>
<p>Starting opposite Rodriguez -- and taking his place in the Astros rotation, actually -- is <span>Armando Galarraga</span>, who had nine starts with Houston's Class AAA affiliate in Oklahoma City this season.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Pirates, check out <a href="http://bucsdugout.com">Bucs Dugout</a>. For more on the Astros, there's <a href="http://crawfishboxes.com">Crawfish Boxes</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-pirates/2012/7/28/3198262/pirates-vs-astros-wandy-rodriguez-debut-previewCharlie Wilmoth