Is it the All-Star Break yet?

If there’s one light shining in the darkness of being swept (again) by the Astros, it’s that the Brewers’ pitching staff is absolutely awful and if anything is going to get the Pirates’ bats going, maybe it’ll be the Brewers. Tonight, Doug Davis returns to the mound for them after missing two months with heart inflammation. Prior to his ailment, he was horrible for the Brew Crew.

Of course, he was horrible in a “get a ton of strikeouts, but give up a lot of walks and hits” kind of way and that sort of pitcher seems to dominate the Pirates without failure. So maybe he’ll get a warm welcome back to Miller Park tonight courtesy of the worst offense of the last decade. I’d still rather see him than Yovani Gallardo.

The Pirates send Paul Maholm out to the hill to face Davis. Maholm is coming off of a horrible start, which was preceded by his best start of the season, which was preceded by one of the worst starts of his career. Which means … he’s due for a good start (I think). Anyways, he seems upbeat tonight and I guess that’s better than the alternative.

First pitch is 8:05. Clemente/Cangelosi is after the jump.

Not sure what this is? Check here and here. Short version: in the comments pick the Pirates you think will be most and least valuable in today’s game. If you haven’t jumped aboard yet, it’s been a lot of fun so far and now’s as good a time as any to join in.

Ross Ohlendorf’s solid start ensured that the Pirates didn’t get shut out in the Clemente category last night (only Jason Jaramillo put up a positive WPA score on the offensive side of things). Javier Lopez was the runner up, who no one ever picks. It’s not easy to pick a Cangelosi out with the naked eye when you get one hit, but WPA says Jose Tabata and Garrett Jones and so that’s who it is.

Today’s standings.

  1. Don_Madden: 48
  2. Carnegie Chip, North Shore Ryan: 28
  3. dafletch: 25
  4. brian2: 23
  5. Woodward: 21
  6. J. Latrobe: 20
  7. ndbrian: 19
  8. pdiddy0020, whygavs: 16
  9. hisjazziness , Garrett122, Mornacale: 15
  10. Wizard of Woz: 14
  11. hwtrine68: 13
  12. michaelbro8: 11
  13. dboz, bwzimmerman:10
  14. UtesFan89: 9
  15. apk: 8
  16. TuckerD13, Nate, TheHulk: 6
  17. WallyR,  Cecilio_Guante, edgeman2k: 5
  18. Dave Mesing: 4
  19. TomKaikis, Joek, tylerrcurtis, TheJewelryMan!, fruitbat, appeal2smail, SeansRamblings, cocktailsfor2 : 3
  20. PatrickHealy, MattB, SteelCity66, BadAndy, spazaru, Adam_Reynolds, Mr. Ando, hilltoppeer, DrewRit21: 2
  21. FSU Bucs, Christy, appeal2smail, SeanGentile, shsteimer, TheHulk, Traco Bucco, Tate, Neopold, IndianaJohns04, jac8, Mr. Ando,  DoctorGeeves, CoryR, Polish Prodigy, azibuck , PHook4000, Chrissy Wolbert, matt w, TAmy, bweiser831: 1
  22. Everyone else: 0
  23. NSN, Mosca, danatural, Teflon, John Sparrow, , Fielding Yost, wojobucco, Nate: -1
  24. Don_Madden: 48
  25. Carnegie Chip, North Shore Ryan: 28
  26. dafletch: 25
  27. brian2: 23
  28. Woodward: 21
  29. J. Latrobe: 20
  30. ndbrian: 19
  31. pdiddy0020: 16
  32. hisjazziness , Garrett122, Mornacale: 15
  33. Wizard of Woz, whygavs: 14
  34. hwtrine68: 13
  35. michaelbro8: 11
  36. dboz:10
  37. UtesFan89: 9
  38. apk, bwzimmerman: 8
  39. TuckerD13, Nate, TheHulk: 6
  40. WallyR,  Cecilio_Guante, edgeman2k: 5
  41. Dave Mesing: 4
  42. TomKaikis, Joek, tylerrcurtis, TheJewelryMan!, fruitbat, appeal2smail, SeansRamblings, cocktailsfor2 : 3
  43. PatrickHealy, MattB, SteelCity66, BadAndy, spazaru, Adam_Reynolds, Mr. Ando, hilltoppeer, DrewRit21, IanBrinksman: 2
  44. FSU Bucs, Christy, appeal2smail, SeanGentile, shsteimer, TheHulk, Traco Bucco, Tate, Neopold, IndianaJohns04, jac8, Mr. Ando,  DoctorGeeves, CoryR, Polish Prodigy, azibuck , PHook4000, Chrissy Wolbert, matt w, TAmy, bweiser831: 1
  45. Everyone else: 0
  46. NSN, Mosca, danatural, Teflon, John Sparrow, , Fielding Yost, wojobucco, Nate: -1
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