The Lloyd watch

Both Dave Littlefield (via Paul Meyer's Pirate Notebook) and Ron Cook talk about what a great job they think Lloyd has done this year. Well, Littlefield is "satisfied":"

I'm very satisfied with Lloyd. I think he's doing a fine job. There's no deadline, per se [for picking up the option]. It's something we'll continue to look at." Littlefield said McClendon's strength is that he's 'tough.' "And he relates well to the present-day player. He's very solid in strategy. And I've seen improvement in the team."

Cook, on the other hand, is downright effusive:

McClendon insisted the next 300 wins will come much quicker. Still, he might need that tough skin in the immediate days ahead. In the next five weeks, the Pirates will play the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Cardinals again on the road and the Florida Marlins, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles at home. Twenty-nine of their next 36 games are against teams with winning records.

They shouldn't just give McClendon that extension if he keeps the Pirates near .500 through that stretch.

He also calls into question the "cowards" that criticize McClendon on talk shows and on the internet. Sounds to me like he feels threatened. You all know where I stand, and I will continue to stand there until given ample reason to move. Ron Cook hasn't given me one.