Game 5 - Maholm Provides a Spark

The Pirates scored six runs from the 6th inning on trying to get back into the game but fell one run short. But this game was more about Jim Tracy's stupidity than it was how the players fell a run short.

After a rain delay, Tracy asked Paul Maholm to take the mound. Ok you might say, that shouldn't be a big deal. Normally it wouldn't have been. But, what compounded the problem was that Red's officials initially told everyone the game would start on time so Maholm went out and did his warm-ups. Red's pitcher Eric Milton did not. After Maholm threw about 10 - 15 minutes, Red's officials decided to delay the start of the game because of the nasty weather in the area.

So Maholm went to the clubhouse with the rest of the Pirates gang and waited for his start.. some 2 1/2 hours later.

I don't care how good a pitcher is.. when you start warming up at 6:20 pm in 70 degree heat and then sit in the clubhouse for several hours then come back out and start pitching a game at 52 degrees, you just aren't going to be sharp. And, Maholm wasn't.

The only way Paul could find the plate was to virtually push the ball to the strike zone early in the game. He was laboring so bad, 7 of his first 14 pitches in the first inning were balls, 10 of his first 14 pitches in the second were balls, and 6 of his first 9 pitches in the third were balls. All of this a clear red flag signal to any little league coach that he was was having severe command problems, and sitting in between innings was not helping him. Now remember, Maholm is typically a control pitcher.

By the end of the second inning, it was clear Maholm should not have been asked to start this game because about half his pitches had gone for balls. But Colborn and Tracy hung him out to dry. So did the Red's batters. In the third inning, Maholm gave up two walks, a home run, two doubles, and was already up to 62 pitches.

As if the Red's felt sorry for Maholm with a 5-0 score and the Pirates only having one hit so far, they went down 1-2-3 in the 4th, and Maholm got out of the 5th having giving up just a single. But he was clearly laboring. In the 6th, Maholm threw 15 pitches, 7 for balls, but got out of the inning without giving up a run.

Mercifully, Tracy pulled him in the 7th after he had heaved 107 pitches, just 57 for strikes. All night I kept asking myself why in the world would Tracy hang Maholm out to dry like this? Obviously the kid had a rubber arm. I never could find a reasonable answer.

One of three things will probably come from Tracy's immature, insane, and ridiculous request to force rookie Maholm pitch tonight:

1. Maholm develops elbow or shoulder problems from pitching off balanced, tired, and completely out of sync; or
2. Maholm becomes a better pitcher from being tossed out there like a rag doll and told to take one for the team no matter what because the pen has been used too much; or
3. Tracy loses the player's respect.

I hope it is number 3. It *should* be number three. But that's my take --

Now - the rest of the game.

The Pirates had a light come on in the bottom of the fifth inning when, with two outs and a man at first, Paul Maholm hit a grounder to third base and dang near beat out Encarncion's throw because of his hustle. Several players walked up to Maholm and gave him a fist bump as he headed to the mound. It was the spark we have needed.

In the sixth, McLouth lined a double into center field. Then Hernandez flied out almost to the warning track to Griffey. For some reason, McLouth didn't take off for third and just about the entire Pirate bench was up screaming their heads off. Casey then came to the plate shaking his head and promptly deposited Milton's second pitch over the right field wall. When Casey stepped on home plate, he patted Nate on the helmet then hit him in the helmet again and you could see a sly smile on Nate's face.

The team rallied over the next three innings to score three more runs and you could just see a totally different bounce in their game. They were popping their fists in their gloves on defense, they were shuffling back and forth in their positions, and it seemed like they were hungry. They had finally come together as a group.

Thanks to Maholm who took one for the team.

While they didn't win tonight, it is quite obvious they are ready to breakout offensively. It might not happen after a 6 hour hotel nap and a game tomorrow, but it is going to happen, and happen very soon. It is the first time I have seen this group confident together.

Now all we can do is hope the offensive confidence bleeds over to the pen. Tonight it did with Marte who stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th after Capps lost it after giving up the home run.

Did anyone else read how Jack Wilson was pulled by Tracy in favor of Jose Hernandez because Hernandez had better numbers against Milton? Didn't Tracy just say the day before he wouldn't do that very same thing with Burnitz, even though Craig Wilson had better numbers? Tracy is a loose cannon in my book.

We might be 0-5 but three of the losses are flat out due to Tracy's poor managing. Tracy 0-3, players 0-2.

The Pirates have hit bottom. It's time to climb the ladder. We W I L L!!