Discontinued

[KG Erwin]

Edit: after talking with my buddy Let's Play 2, I've come to the same realization that Brian Wilson sang about years ago. "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" sums it up.

OK, time for something completely different. 1990 real rosters (40-man), finances ON, but one important alteration: the most modern parks will be used. This means that the Pirates of Bonds, Bonilla and Van Slyke will be playing in beautiful PNC Park, not the ugly Three Rivers Stadium.

It's up to me to see if I can take Pittsburgh further than Jim Leyland did, and try to keep the team intact.

The Pirates placed 7th in the pre-season power rankings, and are also 7th in overall payroll ($105,028,355). The team's treasury stands at $56,353,093.

My first moves were to sign Barry Bonds, Jay Bell, Stan Belinda and Andy Van Slyke to contract extensions. Doug Drabek is my highest-paid pitcher (5 years @ $9.4 million). Barry Bonds is now signed for 4 years @ $7.8 million.

Fred McGriff of Toronto is the highest-salaried position player in the majors ($10, 289,963). The Mets' Dwight Gooden is the highest-paid pitcher ($13,885,611).

[KG Erwin]

New York, Monday April 9. 55 degrees at Shea Stadium, with a breeze of 2 mph blowing in from LF. Drabek vs Viola.

2nd Inning. The first Pirate to get a hit this season is Don Slaught, who singles to CF.

4th Inning. Slaught hits an RBI single. 1-0, Pirates.

6th Inning. Drabek hits an RBI single. 2-0. The Mets come back and tie it up.

Machado relieves Viola in the 8th. Kipper relieves Drabek in the 9th.

We go to the 10th. Pena relieves Machado.

Patterson relieves Kipper in the 11th. Gregg Jefferies hits the GW RBI. Mets win 3-2. Pena gets the victory, Patterson loses.
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Wednesday, April 11. 55 degrees, with the wind blowing OUT to RF @15 mph. Smiley vs Gooden.

2nd Inning. Backman hits a 2-run single. 2-0, Bucs. NY answers with three runs. 3-2, Mets.

5th Inning. Bonds hits an RBI grounder. 3-3.

NY takes a 4-3 lead in the 6th.

Machado relieves Gooden in the 7th.

Whitehurst relieves Machado in the 8th. Strawberry homers. 5-3, Mets. Ruskin relieves Smiley. The Mets score again. 6-3.

Franco relieves Whitehurst in the 9th, and earns the save for Gooden. Smiley loses.
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Thursday, April 12. 46 degrees, wind out to LF @7 mph. Walk vs Cone.

Strawberry hits a 2-run homer in the 4th. 2-0, Mets.

7th Inning. Bonds hits one out to RF. 2-1.

Pena relieves Cone in the 8th. Patterson relieves Walk.

Franco relieves Pena in the 9th. He gets the save, Cone gets the win, and Walk takes the loss.

[KG Erwin]

Trade news: we made a deal with the Padres, sending 35-year-old RP Ted Power to SD. In exchange, we get 22-year-old 2B Roberto Alomar. Alomar will take over the leadoff spot for us. We also sent 2B Rafael Belliard down to AAA.

Alomar has a 3-year contract @ $4.2 million. He declined to sign an extension.
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Pittsburgh, Friday April 13. 58 degrees at PNC Park. The wind is blowing in from RF @15 mph. Heaton vs Boskie. The scene at the home opener:

[KG Erwin]

Pittsburgh, April 13.

1st Inning. Bonds and Backman hit RBI singles. Bream hits a sac fly. 3-0, Bucs.

4th Inning. Bell hits a 2-run double. 5-0.

5th Inning. Bream hits an RBI grounder. 6-0.

Nunez relieves Boskie in the 7th. Bream hits an RBI single. 7-0.

8th Inning. Alomar hits an RBI triple. 8-0. Lancaster relieves Nunez. Bell hits an RBI single. 9-0.

Heaton pitches a CG shutout (7 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts).
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Saturday, April 14. 52 degrees, with the wind blowing out to RF @9 mph. Drabek vs Dickson.

The Cubs take a 1-0 lead in the 1st, and 2-0 in the 2nd.

2nd Inning. Redus hits an RBI double. 2-1. Dickson loads the bases and walks in the tying run.

Wilson relieves Dickson in the 4th.

Chicago takes a 4-2 lead in the 5th. Lavalliere ties it with a 2-run single.

Assenmacher relieves Wilson in the 6th.

Drabek strikes out the side in the 8th.

Bottom of the 8th. Bell hits a 2-run double! 6-4, Pirates. Bonilla hits an RBI single. 7-4.

Belinda pitches the 9th. He gives up two runs but earns the save for Drabek. Pirates win 7-6. Assenmacher takes the loss.
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Sunday, April 15. 57 degrees, wind in from LF @10 mph. Terrell vs Maddux.

Chicago takes a 1-0 lead in the 2nd, 2-0 in the 5th, and 4-0 in the 7th. Nunez relieves Maddux in the 7th.

Patterson relieves Terrell in the 8th.

Bottom of the 8th. Bonds hits a 2-run homer. 4-2.

Williams relieves Nunez in the 9th. He gets the save for Maddux. Terrell loses.

[KG Erwin]

Pittsburgh, Monday April 16. The Cardinals visit for three.

[KG Erwin]

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