Friday, March 7, 2008

Pirates vs. Reds, bottom of fifth

You don't need to be a sabermatrician, or whatever the heck those guys are called, to know why Pirates pitcher Jonah Bayliss struggled in 2007. Opponents hit .323 against him last season and a mind-blowing .413 with runners in scoring position.
The wind has quieted somewhat and it's turned into a pretty nice day. Just as I write that, Nate McLouth nearly gets fooled by another fly ball before changing direction for a running catch.
Can McLouth be the long-term answer for the Pirates in center? His numbers last season were adequate -- a .258 average, 13 home runs, 22 stolen bases -- but how many victories that level of production adds to the ledger is the question.
Chris Dickerson just tied it 7-7 with a single off Bayliss, who gets Scott Hatteberg to ground out to end the inning.

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