One of the reasons that I pay for the deluxe MLB.tv package every year is because the extra $20 lets you choose the broadcast for each game. It’s not that I love Greg Brown or Tim Neverett or Steve Blass or John Wehner or Bob Walk so much that I think they’re worth the extra money (quite the opposite; I’m usually pretty annoyed by all of the Pirates’ announcers), it’s that I can’t handle the way other teams’ broadcasting crews talk down on the Pirates. I know how ba the Pirates have been since 1993. You know it. Everyone knows it.
That made tonight’s win particularly gratifying. As I was on an airplane and listening to the game on XM, I only had the Reds’ broadcast available to me. Jeff Brantley, I think, was inconsolable as the Pirates piled the runs on the Reds tonight. Marty Brennaman, who ripped into the Pirates this winter, talked about how “Every pitch just seems to be belt high and over the heart of the plate,” refusing to give the Pirates credit in his anger. The Pirates were obviously expected to roll over in GABP and give the Reds some wins this weekend, and instead they pounded the ball and took three of four from the defending division champs.
After waiting for the bats to break out at home, the Bucs finally strung some hits together in Cincy. Coupled with some good starts, the Pirates are back at .500. Did you think you’d be able to say that again after those two ugly games in PNC against the Brewers?
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
