Just a few quick things before we get started at PNC Park (since I planned poorly for traffic and arrived later than I would have liked):
First, tonight’s lineups —
Cincinnati (5-4, tied for 1st National League Central)
1. Choo cf
2. Heisey lf
3. Votto 1b
4. Phillips 2b
5. Bruce rf
6. Hannahan 3b
7. Cozart ss
8. Mesoraco c
9. Leake p
Pittsburgh (3-6, tied for 3rd National League Central)
1. Marte lf
2. Walker 2b
3. McCutchen cf
4. Jones 1b
5. Martin c
6. Alvarez 3b
7. Snider rf
8. Barmes ss
9. Burnett p
Worth noting — Garrett Jones is at first base tonight. Russell Martin is hitting fifth and Pedro Alvarez is hitting sixth. I imagine that’s a result of their slow starts at the plate and the move is just something to try and get them going.
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Mike Leake is making his second start of the season for the Reds tonight. In his first outing he lasted six innings and gave up two home runs (and four runs total) before being pulled in a non-decision against Washington (that Cincinnati would go on to lose). A.J. Burnett is on the hill for the Pirates tonight (and on a bunch of t-shirts at PNC Park tonight). If Burnett pitches anything like he did in his last appearance in Pittsburgh, it would be a good night for the Pittsburgh lineup to jump on Leake. The wind is blowing out right now, if that lasts we could be in store for some runs (we can always hope, right?).
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While on the road to Pittsburgh today I was listening to some of the local sports talk radio and talk of retaliation for Aroldis Chapman’s triple-digit beanball on Andrew McCutchen dominated the conversation. That’s not surprising considering what happened between the Dodgers and Padres last night, but that doesn’t make it any less stupid. If the Pirates were going to do something about what happened, it should have been done the next day. James McDonald didn’t retaliate by buzzing Joey Votto or Brandon Phillips and life went on. That’s where it should end. It’s a new season and all of the players are adults. I just hope they all act like it.
