The 2005 Pittsburgh Pirates (on hold)

[KG Erwin]

Pittsburgh, Friday May 13. The Brewers visit. Chris Capuano (1-1, 3.22) vs Ben Sheets (2-4, 6.16). 54 degrees, with a 20 mph wind out to CF. Pirates win 5-4. WP: Capuano (2-1) LP: Sheets (2-5) SV: Trevor Hoffman (11)
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Saturday May 14. Josh Johnson (1-1, 2.45) vs Kip Wells (2-2, 2.57). 51 degrees, with a 20 mph wind in from LF. Bucs win 3-1. WP: Johnson (2-1) LP: Wells (2-3) SV: Trevor Hoffman (12)
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Sunday May 15. Tim Wakefield (4-1, 1.57) vs Tomokazu Ohka (2-4, 5.17). 52 degrees, with an 11 mph wind out to RF. Pirates win 9-7. WP: Wakefield (5-1) LP: Ohka (2-5) SV: Trevor Hoffman (13)
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We have Monday off.

Trade news: we send P Oliver Perez to the Royals in exchange for 3B Mark Teahen (POT 99, .287/4/18). This makes Freddy Sanchez expendable, so we trade Sanchez to the Braves in exchange for P prospect Kyle Davies.

We sign Teahen to a 5 year contract @$452,336. He will platoon with Aaron Hill. Davies in turn is signed to 5 years @$154,184. We assign Kyle to single A. Our payroll is now $49.8 million, still the lowest in the majors.

[KG Erwin]

Pittsburgh, Tuesday May 17. A short series with the Cubs. Josh Fogg (2-2, 4.47) vs Jerome Williams (2-2, 3.41). 54 degrees, with a 16 mph wind out to CF. Aramis Ramirez hits 3 HRs as the Cubs win 11-6. WP: Scott Williamson (1-2) LP: Fogg (2-3)

Trade news: the faltering (and cash-strapped) Yankees trade 2B Robinson Cano (99 POT, .265/2/12) to us for P John Grabow. We sign 23-year-old Cano to 5 years @$2.1 million.

We in turn ship 2B Craig Counsell to the Braves in exchange for still-effective but expensive P John Smoltz. Smoltz will immediately enter the rotation, but we realize he will not be kept after the season. Josh Fogg is moved to the bullpen.
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Wednesday May 18. John Smoltz vs Glendon Rusch (1-0, 1.32). 67 degrees, with an 11 mph wind out to CF. Pirates win 6-5. WP: Smoltz (1-0) LP: Rusch (1-1) SV: Trevor Hoffman (14)

Milestone reached: in Seattle, the Yankees defeat the Mariners 3-1 and Randy Johnson gets his 250th career victory.
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Thursday is an off day.

[KG Erwin]

Pittsburgh, Friday May 20. We host the Rockies for the weekend. Chris Capuano (2-1, 3.38) vs Jason Jennings (0-2, 7.00). 53 degrees, with a 15 mph wind out to CF. In the bottom of the 9th, with 2 on and 2 out, Robinson Cano hits the GW RBI, and the Pirates win it 7-6. WP: Andrew Sisco (3-0) LP: Brian Fuentes (2-2)

This is the interleague "regional rivals" weekend, with the Mets facing the Yankees, the Dodgers against the Angels, Cubs vs White Sox etc.

There were also a few FA signings: the Rangers signed P Carl Pavano, the Blue Jays signed 2B J.J. Furmaniak, and the Cubs signed former Pirate OF Michael Restovich.
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Saturday May 21. Josh Johnson (2-1, 2.25) vs Aaron Cook (0-2, 9.00). 65 degrees, with a 2 mph breeze in from LF. Rockies win 11-3. WP: Cook (1-2) LP: Johnson (2-2) SV: Marcos Carvajal (1)
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Sunday May 22. Tim Wakefield (5-1, 1.93) vs Jeff Francis (2-7, 5.27). 47 degrees, with a 16 mph wind in from RF. Pirates win 3-1. WP: Wakefield (6-1) LP: Francis (2-8) SV: Trevor Hoffman (15)

FA signings: the Nationals sign P Ismael Valdez, the Tigers sign P Wayne Franklin, and the Braves sign former Pirate OF Ray Sadler.

Trade news: in a shocking move, the Yankees trade 42-year-old P Randy Johnson to the Pirates in exchange for minor league prospect Edwin Jackson. There is method to my seeming madness. We are renting Johnson for two reasons: (1) we can send Zach Duke down to AAA for further seasoning; (2) we can promise the Pittsburgh fans some exciting baseball during a rebuilding year. Sure, Johnson has a $20 million contract, but he is eligible for free agency at the end of the season. He is also pitching incredibly well, with 73 K and just 9 BB in 64.1 innings.

In a further team note, I have talked with Johnson, Wakefield and Smoltz. Each of them understand their roles, and each have promised to give us all they have for this year. Their jobs are to win games, put fans in the seats, stay healthy and give our young pitchers in the farm system more time to develop. Of course, between the three of them, they're making over $42 million. Wakefield has even talked about staying into 2006 if necessary. We'll see.

[KG Erwin]

St Louis, Monday May 23. Our first regular season visit to the new Busch Stadium. Randy Johnson (4-3, 3.36) vs Mark Mulder (2-0, 4.22). 63 degrees, with a 5 mph breeze out to RF. Pirates win 3-1. WP: Josh Fogg (3-3) LP: Anthony Reyes (1-3)
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Tuesday May 24. John Smoltz (1-0, 3.86) vs Jason Marquis (4-3, 2.92). 54 degrees, with a 20 mph wind out to CF. Cardinals win 6-4. WP: Anthony Reyes (2-3) LP: Andrew Sisco (3-1) SV: Jason Isringhausen (11)

Trade news: we send P Josh Fogg to the Blue Jays in exchange for P David Bush (POT 77, CON 100). 26-year-old Bush has a 5-year $4.9 million contract, and is ready to step in as a spot starter and middle reliever. He could enter the regular rotation in 2006.
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Wednesday May 25. Chris Capuano (2-1, 3.48) vs Jeff Suppan (5-3, 1.96). 71 degrees. Cardinals win 8-4. WP, CG: Suppan (6-3) LP: Capuano (2-2)

FA news: the Twins sign P Javier Lopez, the Nationals sign P Brad Hennessey, and the Rangers sign C Mike Mahoney.

[KG Erwin]

Cincinnati, Thursday May 26. We face the 1st place Reds (28-18) at Great American Ball Park. We are in 3rd, 3 GB (25-21). Reds' SP Brandon Claussen is on the DL. We are 100% healthy. Josh Johnson (2-2, 3.44) vs Eric Milton (4-3, 3.66). 63 degrees, with a 10 mph wind in from RF. Reds win 7-3. WP, CG: Milton (5-3) LP: J Johnson (2-3)
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Friday May 27. Tim Wakefield (6-1, 1.89) vs Ramon Ortiz (6-1, 4.03). 60 degrees, with a 10 mph wind in from RF. Pirates win 3-1. WP: Wakefield (7-1) LP: Todd Coffey (2-1) SV: Trevor Hoffman (16)
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Saturday May 28. Randy Johnson (4-3, 3.15) vs Luke Hudson (0-4, 15.00). 57 degrees, with a 6 mph breeze out to LF. In the 8th, Alexis Rios hits a grand slam to give us an 8-7 lead. The Reds tie it 9-9 in the 9th. We score three in the 11th, and go on to win it 12-9. WP: David Bush (3-5) LP: Matt Belisle (1-2)

FA signings: the Blue Jays sign C Einar Diaz and the Orioles sign 3B Russ Johnson.
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Sunday May 29. John Smoltz (1-0, 3.46) vs Randy Keisler (1-2, 3.16).

[Orcin]

RE: Johnson, Wakefield, and Smoltz

I like it. Good plan to keep the young pitchers in AAA until they are ready. You have a ton of money, so why not rent a few players for this year as long as they don't stand in the way of young talent.

Good move getting Cano also. He will be a solid player for many years.

[KG Erwin]

Pittsburgh, Monday May 30. The Marlins visit PNC Park.

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Tuesday May 31.

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Wednesday June 1.

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Thursday June 2.