The Pittsburgh Pirates (15-21) take on the Chicago Cubs (15-20) in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday night, starting at 7:40 PM. The Pirates are sending out Wil Crowe (2-2, 2.57) for his first start of the season. He last pitched on Saturday when he threw one inning. The Cubs are countering with veteran lefty Drew Smyly (1-4, 3.64), who is making his seventh start.
Roberto Perez is done for the season.
The game is on YouTube tonight:
Watch tonight's Cubs-Pirates game for free on the MLB @YouTube channel: https://t.co/6eeUEOfCwP pic.twitter.com/eMN1E1pSen
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 18, 2022
Here are the lineups:
Pirates
Wil on the hill.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/e6eKmRANTT
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 18, 2022
Cubs
#Cubs Lineup 05/18/22
1. Rafael Ortega CF
2. Willson Contreras C
3. Ian Happ LF
4. Seiya Suzuki RF
5. Alfonso Rivas 1B
6. Frank Schwindel DH
7. Jonathan Villar 2B
8. Christopher Morel 3B
9. Andrelton Simmons SSStarting Pitcher : Drew Smyly
— Daily MLB Lineups (@DailyMLBLineup) May 18, 2022
Nice win and happy for the Suwinski’s but looks like another left handed hitting catcher with a huge hole in his bat!
The guys at the booth on YouTube gave Suwinski a trophy for YouTube player of the game, corny, and yet cool!
I was skeptical going in but really liked the YouTube broadcast. The announcing crew was good and didn’t show the big city bias of some “neutral” crews. Some interesting camera angles, and the postgame interviews were good.
I’m sure winning helped with my impression, and I only saw the last few innings, but it made me interested in watching future YouTube broadcasts.
That Mazeroski clip just brings goose bumps every time. About the only thing I like about you tube is the historic clips.
Nice touch by YouTube to air classic clips in between innings.
I’m always amazed that he had to knock fans out of the way to get to home after he rounded second base.
On a business trip, so was checking scores on MLB app. My CEO said that you don’t get a hangover from tequila. I decided to drink a double for every run scored. Waiting….
So what’s the verdict?? 😉
It’s been a long time but I can vouch for the fact that your boss is wrong…
He probably meant you don’t get a hangover if you only drink when the Pirates score.
Touché
Good call Shelton, any other bright ideas you got?
Contrearas is annoying but I’d sure like him if he was a Pirate.
I’d like a Contreras/Contreras battery every fifth day
Read somewhere that Suwinski would go back down when Greg Allen comes off the IL. Not sure that’s a good idea.
Underwood coming in for Keller, this could be interesting!
JACKIE BOY!!
Woohoo, a JackJack.
Heineman? Not a very strong throw there. Good speed, catch to throw though.
Not knocking Diego’s attempt going after that drive by Suzuki I just feel like Suwinski gets to it.
I’m really wondering about the scouting reports on Suwinski’s defense. It’s a tiny sample size, but UZR has him at +8. Statcast has him at one out above average. And Statcast shows at least plus speed. This is a guy somebody put a 20 on for defense? Wtf?
Here’s the link: Fangraphs has his fielding at a 20! Something is wrong…
https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jack-suwinski/22244/stats?position=OF
Also has a 30 for speed. Statcast has 90 for sprint speed and 89 for OF jump. Somebody totally screwed those ratings.
I complained about that during a ST game, the first one he play, hit a triple displaying at least average speed.
I think that 20 was a typo or data entry error.
From what I’ve seen he gets a great jump on the ball plus has good speed. Also if Suwinski would have felt he wasn’t going to get to that ball he usually backs off and plays the carom so he has good instincts also.
He must’ve been the DH the day that scout showed up.
Well it’s an upside down baseball world when Fangraphs has an article calling Josh VanMeter a bonafide hitting nerd, lol.
Morel is good. Got a ton on that throw on one knee.
A Run! How exciting!
2,…in one inning!
Ooohhhh KeBryan steals 3rd, okay!
God Doth Not Wish for Thou Hayeth to Homer
Almost the first HR all year to include Spring training for Hayes.
Missed it by that much….
What channel is the game on tonight?
Why not on FSN?
YouTube
And the announcers even have YouTube microphones lol
And the announcer, watching slow mo saying “Oh, that’s obvious that it it the top of the basket “ in a tone like why are they reviewing it. At full speed you couldn’t tell that obvious…..
Happy Crowe Day Y’all!!!
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Not sure if it’s out of necessity Crowe gets the start but I have a bad feeling about it. And ffs give Yoshi the day off and have an infield of Chavis, Castillo, Castro and Hayes. Gamel, Reynolds and Suwinski in the outfield. Why does anyone need a day off since they only scored 1 run in 3 games. Probably miss the start gotta go to the store and get some more paper bags, lol.
Crowe opening for Keller?
If the wind’s blowing out, I would prefer to keep Keller as a spectator.
All we need is for Crowe to fail miserably, so as to drive a stake into Shelton’s experiments.
Of course, hoping Crowe gives 5 solid innings. But it’s gotta be maddening being flip-flopped around from reliever to starter and back again.
And a concerning thing to me is that they’ve adopted this at every level from the top to the bottom. Hopefully they allow for the fact that some guys won’t thrive in this role.
Anyone know about Suzuki’s arm strength? It looked good last night, Rabelo needs to be more careful about sending Vogie and Yoshi! Smh.
Other teams usually get players who are capable of all facets of the game, the Pirates not so much.
This team could really use a rainout. And new management. And…
They need a crazy zillionaire to pass and leave his entire fortune to the team in a trust fund which pays out $100 million dollars a year. And even then I’m not sure it would help…
Nickles would still figure out a way to put payroll in his pocket
On the one hand, this is a lineup in which I might actually enjoy watching seven of the the nine come to the plate. On the other hand only two of the nine inspire any real confidence in their ability to hit the ball.
Four players in this lineup have prospect status (just means they don’t have more than 130 at-bats yet). Which of the four do you think lose/loses that status during their current stint with the Pirates? Meaning they don’t get sent down (or released for one) before that happens.
Castillo (87 at-bats), Castro (104), Suwinski (60) and Heineman (68). I think only one will, but I see a path for zero.
I think Heineman sticks around for the rest of the season and will reach 130 at some point. Castillo and Castro are similar players and Castillo is better – he’ll get 130.
I think Suwinski is gonna rack up a lot of AB a may never go back down. Castro goes back down when Newman comes back. So, 3 outta 4 IMO.
Castro will. He’s getting everyday starts and is only 7-8 games away.
Castillo won’t. Newman looks like he’ll be off the IL in a week, so someone has to be optioned. Castillo has barely played the last week. They’ll make the excuse that he needs to get everyday at bats at Indy.
Suwinski probably doesn’t get there unless Allen and Marisnick are both out well beyond early June.
Heineman probably doesn’t last 62 PA either. Knapp only got 35, and this experiment is just going to keep going on and on and on. Jamie Ritchie, Taylor Davis, some jabroni the Tigers DFA…
I’ll admit that I’m becoming a sucker for those AAAA guys who take time to make the majors. I’m rooting for Heineman to hang around for a bit, collect some big league checks, especially with the higher salary this year. I always think about someone who just barely made it, hangs on until about 35 and has to just get a regular job a week after they retire. These $700,000 minimums gives those guys some vacation time (obviously it matters if they are thrifty or spend it while you got it types). If he’s mediocre and lasts the entire year, then my rooting for him will fade away. That’s enough, let someone else in on it
I’m going to go with my gut and say Castro sticks around long enough.