The Fan Early Morning Show
How do the Pirates lose to THESE pitchers?
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With all trails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently with offline maps and on trail navigation. Download the free app today and make the most of your summer with all trails. Today's episode is sponsored by NerdWallet Smart Money Podcast. Ready to expand your financial game? NerdWallet can coach you on smart strategies like choosing investments, finding your next credit card, and setting a budget that works for you. Score major points towards your summer vacation by learning expert tips for choosing a high yield savings account and how to build wealth by investing in index funds. Slide into summer with smarter decisions in 2024. Follow NerdWallet Smart Money Podcast on your favorite podcast app. Future you will thank you. Sports Radio 93 7 The Fan. Hi, welcome. My name is Nicholas Harry-Kallis. This is the fan early morning show. It's for the average Joe and on the average Joe wants to shop like a pro. The average Joe can go to CGR wholesale, our fan early morning show sponsor. That's the start of a new week, so plenty of opportunities to be had if you're thinking that way or you could think of it as the pirates lost the game. The Paul Skeens pitched against one of the worst ERAs by a starter this season in a series that they really could have won. Maybe you're thinking that way, so maybe it's a terrible start to the week for you. No, no, no. Hopefully not. It'll be fun. Hey, the good news is that the National League is still either ultra competitive or ultra weak, so the pirates are still in it regardless. So there's that 10 to 3 on Friday, raise one, four to three Pirates one on Saturday and Sunday yesterday. Pirates lost three to one. We'll go over this and you're welcome to react four, one, two, nine, two, nine, three, seven, zero. It's just it is astonishing how the Pirates can continue to maintain their position this season in the playoffs or in the playoff push, I should say that's not really even a push yet. I'm still a little too early for what should be a classic push. But they're they're in the race and there are reasons to be excited about these games. There are reasons right now to hope that they win these games. And so we follow them and we get frustrated by a loss. I mean, going over the score line too, this one was just extra frustrating. Like I said, Savali was on the mound for the raise and the worst DRA among starting pitchers in baseball, one of if not the worst. And we've seen the track record for the Pirates this year and I was a little concerned because I mean, I've seen memes, you know, online, they kind of reflected the Pirates do not hit well against some of the lower tier pitchers in the league. They just haven't this season. So this game was no different Brian Reynolds at his home run, but that was the only offense. They went over four with runners in scoring position throughout the game when they had those opportunities to score. Paul Skeens did his part. Paul Skeens had a great outing, which I think some people too were criticizing. I saw online after the game that they should let Paul Skeens pitch more. He was under a hundred pitches and he was dealing, he was still thrown in the hundreds with his velocity. Seven innings for him, eight strikeouts, one run, six hits, one walk. Now, if the bullpen were still the bullpen that, you know, it had been, I might agree with that, but Colin Holderman's been good. So that one, that one doesn't hold that much water, that much weight, doesn't hold that much water. Colin Holderman's been really good. And it was an unconventional outing for him. He hasn't really struggled yet this season. He started the year late because he was on the injured list, but he came back. He, you know, he did well. So I can't fault the decision here. Paul Skeens still young, seven innings. You don't want to overwork him. You don't want to take too many risks with him right now. I understand that perspective. I'd say I totally agree with it. I think it would have been cool for him to throw a complete game if he could have or nine innings or eight innings at least, you know, whatever. But I think that seven innings was fine for him. Colin Holderman though comes in. You don't expect him to give the game away. He gives up two runs on three hits. He walked a guy pitched full inning. He got out of it, but gave up a late lead. So not, not great, but again, that's, that's kind of excusable to me because Holderman hasn't been all that bad this season. So to give up two runs late like that, and it wasn't even like the damn burst as two runs. The pirate's offense until the last couple of games here that Skeens is pitched for, you know, for the start of his career, they were pumped. They were feeling great, and they were scoring close to 10 runs a game for Skeens. That trend has changed in the last two or three games that he's pitched. But this game, they got one run Brian Reynolds at a home run. That was it. And Savali, who had an ERA north of five coming into the game, he pitched five innings and gave up one run on three hits. And one of those hits was the Reynolds home run. That was it. And the race bullpen, shut it down from there. So it's, it's frustrating because Paul Skeens could go out there and Paul Skeens could, you know, pitch as well as he did. And you're still not guaranteed to win. I mean, this is, this is an example of where my worst fears were realized because I've said this before, I'm concerned that the pirates could not get through a playoff series with the pitchers that they have for this reason. Now, over the last few games, I think my mind was put at ease a little bit because they were scoring runs. They did seem like they were producing at a, at a normal rate and they were producing at a rate at least well enough to win games. I mean, that's really all that matters. You just need to win games. They were producing well enough to win games. This concerns me though, because you've got the rays who, they're a respectable team. They play in one of the most competitive divisions, if not the most competitive division, in baseball, the AL East. And they're a team that's had success in recent years. I mean, they're, they're a team that you could see in the World Series. They could be one of those, those teams. You're not winning the World Series against a team like that. And maybe they, you know, managed differently. I mean, I guess there's arguments there to be made for that. But think of some of the other teams that they've lost to that have been teams that did. They could see in the playoffs just from the nationally bracket. There are some games where the pitchers have done well, but the offense still was unable to, to bring a healthy share of runs in and the bullpen couldn't, couldn't stop it. I mean, that's happened a few times this year and that's just where it concerns me. First, I wasn't concerned over the last month. There was no reason to be concerned. Now I'm concerned again. Now I'm a little concerned. You just, I, I don't know when the offense is producing even an average amount, when the offense is carrying its weight, this pitching staff is dominant and this pitching staff shines. When the offense isn't, it just looks like you have wasted pitching opportunity after wasted pitching opportunity. And it's not fun. It's not fun to look at a game like this where Paul Skeens, I think for the first time in his career, I don't think I let him go seven and he's getting his career. They've really capped him at six and they've kind of been gradually growing. He pitched five to start, you know, consistently that it was six. I know he pitched six last week. This is one of the first times I thought the first time he pitched seven and you just, you need just two innings from the bullpen to get it done, which they can't. And again, I'm not blaming the bullpen very much. I was really calling hold him in the give of the runs. But again, he's been fine for most of the year. I got to give him a pass here. The offense scored one run. I don't think you're getting through the playoffs with an offense that is cold in this case. And we've seen that in baseball history. I mean, this isn't a new concept. Jacob de Groms, one of the greatest case studies of that with the New York Mets. I think there was the notorious here. He won the Cy Young. I want to say it was 2018 or 2019 where his ERA was a one seven seven. But his record was like seven and seven or eight and eight. Like he had a 500 win loss rate because the Mets offense was not scoring when he pitched. I'm worried about that with the pirates that they're going to become the next meme for baseball here, which I don't want to see happen. Where the offense is just going to get absolutely roasted because people love Paul Skeens. People love Jerry Jones. Nationally, the pirates are getting a lot of attention for those two alone. And the pirates are still in the hunt in the hunt. Steelers in the hunt. They're still there. So the pitching staff for the pirates is lovable. The offense will create, I think, some, some uneasiness among fans or, you know, not just pirate fans, but nationally, you're going to get a lot of sympathizers for guys like Skeens. And the offense is going to start to get roasted. If it hasn't already, I mean, reality to us is, has seen it. But I've only really seen that from like Pittsburgh fans, Pittsburgh guys who know because I think the general major league baseball fans just see, okay, Paul Skeens pitched well and the pirates are still in the race. I don't think they're looking closely enough yet. Like how the pirates are winning and losing games. I mean, I remember those Mets teams, they were not really in it when DeGrom was pitching as well as he was. And that's why they weren't in it. That's why they weren't competitive. He's Jacob DeGrom was pitching as well as he was, but the offense wasn't picking up enough runs. This is just what I'm worried about. Now, this isn't exactly what's happening. You know, you lose a bad game and you're frustrated and I'm going to continue to be frustrated today. And then hopefully move on throughout the week as they continue to play games. But really, it's just a matter of, I'm scoring those runs and I don't want them to become a punchline for the league. I don't want to see that. I know deep down, you don't want to see that. I know some of you call in and say things or tweet in or text in and you say some pessimistic things. I think the majority of us really don't want to see them struggle like this. I mean, this is important line heartbreaking when you think and when you worry about, you know, living in a world where Paul Skeens pitches as well as he doesn't, this offense can't back him up and I give them all the credit in the world back. When he started, when he made his debut and beyond, I mean, they were scoring runs, but now it just seems like the luster may have, may have floated away. It has passed. It has expired. It's not as exciting anymore. I don't know. It's just frustrating. Quick review of the standings real quick and then we'll react to some more stuff. I got a lot to say about this game and maybe it'll take the whole week to talk about this. Unfortunately, this is not the NFL and there will be more games to come this week. And we're approaching the all-star break. We got that in a couple of weeks, so that'll be exciting. So okay, some things to be happy about, but I'm going to be mad today. Be mad with me if you want four, one, two, nine, two, nine, three, seven, zero, hop on a phone line, react with me, talk about the Pirates. You can also talk to me on XAT-Calus_33, that's C-A-L-L-A-S_33. Tweet me or post. I hate that it's called X now. The word tweet was so much better than post, but it's a post down. Post to me, mention me in a post on XAT-Calus_33, C-A-L-L-A-S_33. Pirates lost two of three and the Pirates are still, but they were a half game back to end last week. Now they're a game and a half back. They're still very much in it, and we're starting to see one team fall down a bit. It looks like the Giants are three games out. That doesn't mean that they're definitely out of it, but just notice that they've slid down. They're now 36 and 42, and they've lost their last five. So now the Giants who were once in a playoff spot a couple of weeks ago were now out of it and are now trailing the most. The Reds and the Cubs are back-to-back Cubs are two games out, Reds are two and a half out. Then the Pirates are there. One and a half out. So that's three national essential teams bunched together. A couple of games out of a wild card spot. Then it's Metz Diamondback's Nationals, and then the Padres have the third wild card spot right now, and the Cardinals are a half game, or excuse me, Cardinals are a full game up on that third wild card spot. The Braves are five and a half ahead. Braves are 43 and 32, and every wild card team right now that is not qualifying, so that's below the Padres, all have under 500 records. So at least the playoff teams now that are in for the National League have at least a record of 500. There's one team with a record of 500. Everybody else is above. So that's better than Ashley starting to it looks like to sort itself out. Everything's kind of hitting a median, so that's, you know, that's what it is, but that's where the standings are right now. And I've got a caller on the line who wants to talk, so we'll get this caller in, and then we will take a quick break. So good morning. What's your name? Good morning. It's a day from Newcastle. All right. What's up? You know, so there's a couple of things. I was kind of thinking along the same lines as you were yesterday. It seems like it's going to take like some like national figure or somebody to completely roast this ownership at this at this point because we have everything there. And I mean, it really is the time where you actually do have to invest a little bit. There's nothing there. If you don't do it now, it just shows your hand that you never will. The other thing is Andy Haynes is an extension Derek Shelton. It's to the point where how I felt about Tomlin and I still feel this way. It's it's it's inexcusable. What has he done? And so at this point, you have to extend that to Derek Shelton. That's a fireball offense keeping this guy around. I mean, it's inexcusable. So those are my two points. I hear you. Thanks for the call. Appreciate it. Very reasonable takes. I've talked about Andy Haynes for a while. So is the entire morning show, and in fact, entirely 937, the fan has done a deep dive into this guy and the output just doesn't seem like it's consistent from him. And players have gone to outside help to hit better on multiple occasions. So that's not a great look. So yeah, I agree with that. It's fine. I think he needs a deeper look into by management and perhaps a replacement for him needs to come. The hitters are just inconsistent. I'm with that. I can meet you halfway there. Actually, I can meet you all the way there. Never mind. That's not just halfway. I can meet you all the way there. But Yeah, I'm so excited that there are national media that actually care about the pirates. And that excites me very much. The pirates haven't really been roasted as the word you used. Worst roasted. They haven't been roasted yet by anybody. They've just been complimented because schemes and Jones are really good. And the pirates are in the playoff hunt right now. If people start noticing this though, I mean, if games like that keep happening for the pirates, you're going to see more of a reaction, I believe, from national fans in general. And it's going to be like a met situation. So that's why I say that. Yeah, maybe they're going to be roasted eventually. But also, I think it's humbling too to hear that there are national people that actually care about the pirates. And you know, that's my opinion on that there. I think that, you know, they already care. And I think they're going to care more if they realize that this team is not hitting the way that they should be. And it's just frustrating after yesterday. You got a guy on the mound who's got an ERA north of five starting the game. And he goes five innings and gives up one run and the bullpen shuts the pirates down for the rest of the game when Paul Skeens worked through seven, dominated through seven, gave up one run through seven, struck out eight through seven and couldn't get the win. It's just tough. My name is Nicholas Harry Callus. This is the fan early morning show. If you want to call and talk about the pirates, you're welcome to as well for one, two, nine, two, eight, nine, three, seven, zero. And my X account always open at Callus underscore three, three mentioned me in a post at C. A L L A S underscore three, three, I got to take a break. I'll be back. We'll talk more about the pirates. You can get your opinions in as well. When I come back from this break, my name is Nicholas Harry Callus. And this is the fan early morning show on sports radio. Ninety three seven. This season Instacart has your back to school. As in, they've got your back to school lunch favorites like snack packs and fresh fruit. And they've got your back to school supplies like backpacks, binders and pencils. And they've got your back when your kid casually tells you they have a huge school project to tomorrow. Let's face it. We were all that kid. So first call your parents to say, I'm sorry. And then download the Instacart app to get delivery in as fast as 30 minutes all school year long. Get a zero dollar delivery fee for your first three orders while supplies last. Minimum $10 per order additional terms apply. We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature, whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the succulents that adorn our homes. Nature makes all of our lives well better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it. But the outdoors is closer than we realize. With all trails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently with offline maps and on trail navigation. Download the free app today and make the most of your summer with all trails. Today's episode is sponsored by Nerd Wallet Smart Money Podcast. Get your head in the financial game with smart investing and budgeting tips straight from the nerds. Nerd wallets experts will set future you up for success with dependable fact-based insights. No financial misinformation allowed. Learn how to save on your summer vacation. Find your next credit card or loan for a big purchase and invest in your next index fund. Make smarter decisions in 2024. Follow Nerd Wallet Smart Money Podcast on your favorite podcast ad. From the Fan. All right, sports radio 937 the Fan. My name is Nicholas Harry Callus and I've got a time for a couple more quick calls on the Pittsburgh Pirates talking about them losing to the race yesterday and losing the series, losing two of three in the series. Start with this caller 4129289370. Good morning. What's your name? Many from Springdale. All right, make a quick, sir. What's up? Real quick. Something I've called and complained about for the past six, seven weeks. As our catcher's mainly granddoll sitting back there, lobbing a ball, making our pitchers have to move off the mound, jump up, come in because the guy's too lazy to get the ball back to the pitcher. There is no Sheldon. There's nothing about this team. This team's a renegade team. All right, yeah. Thanks for the call. Appreciate it. I understand the gripes and frustration. Granddoll's kind of an old story, but still shouldn't happen in the first place. I hear you. Yeah, I hear you. 4129289370. Last caller of the morning. Good morning. What's your name? Hello. Hi, you're on the air. What's your name? Yeah, my name's Joe. All right, Joe. What's up? Yeah, I have a problem. Whenever people talk about schemes and zones, they never mention color. Color is one of the best pitchers in baseball. And like you just today, this morning, you didn't mention him. And I sort of like pissed me off because he's one of the better pitchers. And he doesn't get his due and he doesn't get it locally either. Yeah, thanks for the call, Joe. No, you're right. I should have mentioned color, but that actually serves my point all together as well. I think the national media is more concerned with Jones and schemes, but I hear Mitch Keller should be in there as well. But even the fact the color is pitching well, just further is my point too, which is that this team is pitching well, but the offense isn't pulling it together to be able to win more games, even though these guys have been pitching well. So I hear you though. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Joe. I should have mentioned Mitch Keller. You're definitely right there. My name's Nicholas Harry Callis. This has been the fan early morning show. 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