Bucs Win in 16, Fully Endorse Adderall

Who knew that ADD Laroche's attention span could last 16 innings? I sure as hell didn't.

Salomon Torres, who opened the season with some "lights-out stuff" but has struggled since, blew a save in the 9th again. After a well-pitched game by Zach Duke (Dude allowed a run in the 1st again and the Bucs still had a chance to win it before Torres came out), the offense added 3 runs in the 5th and 6th to help Duke out. Big Country hit a solo shot to dead center in the 6th and the game was all but won. Until the 9th.

Torres, who blew his 3rd save in the past 5 outings, hardly looked like a legitimate closer. 4 singles in the 9th, along with a throwing error by Jose Castillo (Maybe he needs the Adderall) helped the Astros back in it

After managing only 3 hits since the 8th inning, an intentional walk to Jason Bay in the bottom of the 16th loaded the pillows for ADD. With a home-opening start of 0-18 at the plate, and a game long enough for his Adderall to wear out, Laroche wasn't really expected to do much. Actually, the guy had 318 career RBIs, the most for any active player without a walk-off hit in his career. To prove everyone wrong, ADD hit a walk-off single, and the Buccos prevailed 4-3.

John Wasdin, who pitched the scoreless 15th and 16th, collected his first win of the season.

The Pirates are on a 3 game win streak, and have now opened the season with 5 straight wins against the 'Stros. During the start of the season, I mentioned how the Pirates' early season success against Houston was kinda like the Penguins' season success against the Flyers this past year. 5 straight wins against Houston will do nothing to change that. Hopefully that equals a playoff run for the Bucs (That would be crazy) this year.

The 2007 Pirates: Holding Company With John Smiley and Doug Drabek

aided by a four-run 5th inning, the pirates prevailed 5-4 over the astros, and swept the first series of the season. considering that the buccos havent swept the astros in houston since 1991, at the astrodome, i consider this sweep a massive positive to build on for the rest of the season. in 1991, the pirates ruled, so equalling a feat by the buccos of my childhood is commendable. the pirates started 0-6 last year. right about the time of the 4th or 5th consectutive loss, i actually wondered if it was possible to go winless! thats not even a possibility this year.

sweeping the astros in the opening series between the two teams got me thinking. this reminds me of the pens sweeping the flyers in philly this hockey season. the pens were a young group of guys, playing in an arena where wins have been hard to come by, against a divisional foe that the pens have struggled against in the past. crosby and company ended up exercising some demons and making a run to the playoffs. the pens beat the flyers 8-2, 5-3, 5-3 and 5-4 in philly. the pirates are a young group of guys, playing in a ballpark where wins have been hard to come by in the past, against a divisional foe that the pirates have struggled against in the past. hopefully, this means bay and company can make a meaningful run to the playoffs, and not a bs run like the one by the 1997 "freak show" pirates (although that pitching staff was pretty sweet).

i think the pirates can make some waves in the national league this year, and although ive said that every year since that other sid crushed my dreams in 92, i honestly think these buccos can be legit.

more later...