Bubba Chandler put together the best start of his career last night, but the Pirates were shutout by the Yankees in the second game of their doubleheader. The offense scoring 0 is a story, but not the big one. With Chandler cruising into the 7th inning, Don Kelly pulled him from Brandon Eisert. Predictably, the Yankees immediately scored twice to take a 2-0 lead (where the score would stay). Was it preplanned? Why can’t the Pirates push aside the script if someone gives them reason to? The guys brought up times this year when a pitcher is pulled well ahead of when the team would like, so why not have the same energy now? The lack of feel has grown in the wrong direction.
A tough call for the final out last night. The guys wanted to hear more heat from Don Kelly on the umpires, even in a game that was a shutout loss.
Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Did the front office push for Don Kelly to pull Bubba Chandler last night? The guys wanted to know the predetermined nature of decisions like the one made last night. Should we be concerned about Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, who are both in the midst of a rough drought? Jason projects Spencer Horwitz to return ‘this weekend’ and Oneil Cruz possibly in the next 2 weeks. Jason said the report of the Pirates not spending extra cash at the deadline is ‘baloney.’ Jason doesn’t think there will be a half measure taken this time around.
