Week 1 Summary

Since I didn't manage to get this up and running until now, a full week and a day into the season, I'll post my first week impression of our Buccos, as ugly as they may be (a bit long since we're talking about a full week here:

The Good
1. Mark Redman might not suck as much as we first expected
2. Jason Bay can still hit, eh.
3. Jose Mesa and Benito Santiago haven't died of old age, at least not yet.
4. The Fogg appears to not be in his April haze like last year when he opened the season with an ERA of around 47.00
5. Not only did Craig Wilson shear his mullet (which was coming since about last June, when his 0-for-summer slump began), but he grew the greatest sports mustache since maybe the 70s Oakland A's. When I can find a picture of this, I will share it.
6. Freddy Sanchez's mole. I love it.

The Bad
1. To this point in the season, Brewers 25 Pirates 6, and in total Other Teams 43 Pirates 18
2. Tike Redman batting 5th
3. Jack Wilson looks like the 2003 Jack, not Jumpin' Jack Flash from 2004
4. Kip Wells is the same person as Kris Benson, minus the hot wife. This is a bad thing
5. Oliver Perez is either a flash in the pan, or injured. If he's hurt, well let's just say Josh Fogg is looking like he'll be our ace.
6. The net effects of the wonderful Kendall and Benson trades: 1 quality start (Redman), a couple hits (Lawton), and a fat guy (Wigginton).

The Ugly
1. Opening Day, runners on first and second, no outs, Brewers lay down a bunt, in comes Wigginton, no. That didn't just happen. They bunted over his head. He made a 2 inch vertical leap. They bunted over his head. Dear Lord, this is going to be a long season.
2. Tike Redman batting third.
3. Daryle Ward, 0-12. Ty Wigginton 4-25. Both defensive liabilities. The only place these two should be in relation to PNC Park is on the bridge, fighting the saxaphone guy for quarters. And yet we watch them play daily.
4. Lloyd's managing. Somehow he got stupider. Tike Redman has batted 3rd, 2nd, 5th, and 6th and it's only 7 games into the season. He has no concept how to manager pitchers. Instead of starting a "rally" something we haven't seen yet this year he lets Perez bat in the 5th of the opener instead of hitting for him, then lets him start the sixth only to put two runners on, then pulls him for RICK WHITE?? Whatever he's smoking I want. He brings Rick White into a 0-0 game in the 12th inning, only to watch him WALK IN THE WINNING RUN, with Vogelsong still in the pen after his lights out relief showing in the opener. I honestly have no idea what goes on in this man's head, but thus far he's making me root for a 5-25 start, just to see him canned.

After one week, my ideal lineup (which, of the myriad lineups Lloyd has used so far, we've seen zero times):
1. Lawton RF
2. J. Wilson SS
3. Bay LF
4. C. Wilson 1B
5. Mackowiak CF
6. Hill 3B
7. Santiago C
8. Sanchez 2B

Sorry about the length, but the Pirates make me a bitter person and we're only one week into the year.