Malaise

A close loss to the Cardinals, one in which many a runner was left on base, should upset a Pirate fan like me. For some reason, it doesn't. Maybe it's nice to lose to a team other than Milwaukee. To lose a game that does not extend some dreadful streak (though, to be fair, versus St. Louis: it's 2 and counting). The Pirates usually lose to the Cardinals, but the Bucs always beat them occasionally, so losing the first of two can't be shocking, or especially disappointing. It's business as usual again, with no Brewers games on the schedule until after the All-Star Break. There will be wins. There will be losses. Probably more of the latter. But no games against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Pirates' one bane. Except for Inter-League Play, of which the Bucs play 15 games between now and the next series with the Brewers, and which the Pirates are 63 and 103, the worst in the Majors, since its inception in 1997. Oh.

On the bright side, I'm actually kind of excited about the Bucs' lineup for today's game in St. Louis:

1. McLouth, CF
2. Young, 2B
3. Monroe, LF
4. Hinske, 1B
5. Moss, RF
6. Andy LaRoche, 3B
7. Diaz, C
8. Bixler, SS
9. Ohlendorf, P

The team has lost 8 of 9, so it's really time to give some guys a day off and get some other players involved. I like seeing McLouth back at lead off, for today, anyway, not permanently. And I like seeing Delwyn Young getting some more playing time. I worry about having 2 pitchers hitting at the end of the lineup, but hopefully the top 7 can create some runs.