GiveHyzduashot
05-24-2002, 01:22 PM
SCOUTING REPORT
The series: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pirates, three games at PNC Park.
The times: 7:05 p.m. today and tomorrow, 1:35 p.m. Sunday.
TV, radio: Today and tomorrow on Fox Sports Net, Sunday on WCWB; all games on KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network.
Probable starters: RHP Garrett Stephenson (1-2), RHP Woody Williams (1-0) and RHP Jason Simontacchi (2-0) for the Cardinals; RHP Kip Wells (6-2), LHP Jimmy Anderson (4-5) and RHP Josh Fogg (5-2) for the Pirates.
About the Pirates: Wells and Anderson recorded the only wins on the eight-game road trip. Wells has won two in a row and five of his past six since recording a career-low four outs April 10. In his lone start against the Cardinals, Wells went 5 1/3 innings in an 8-3 loss last year. ... Anderson is coming off one of the best starts of his career, a two-hit shutout over seven innings against the Cubs. He will be pitching on three days of rest. ... Pirates have lost seven of their previous nine games and are 9-20 after starting the year with a 12-5 record. ... Their worst record against any Central Division foe last year came against the Cardinals. They were 3-14, including 1-6 at PNC Park.
About the Cardinals: Come into this series as the hottest team in the National League with five consecutive wins and 12 in their past 14 games to move two games behind of the first-place Reds. The Cardinals struggled early with six pitchers on the disabled list. ... Stephenson and Williams have never lost to the Pirates. Stephenson is 5-0 with a 3.12 ERA lifetime, and Williams is 3-0 with a 3.67 ERA. ... Simontacchi, a rookie, pitched in the Pirates' minor-league system with Class A Hickory in 1999, going 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA. ... Last year against the Pirates, Albert Pujols hit .339 with five home runs and 14 RBIs.
On deck: Pirates have four games against the Cubs at home; Cardinals visit Houston for three games.
NOTEBOOK
Manager Lloyd McClendon met with pitching coach Spin Williams yesterday to discuss possible changes for starter Dave Williams during his bullpen session before his next start. Williams has lost four consecutive decisions and has pitched a little more than 14 innings in his previous four starts. "I don't know the mechanical jargon. All I know is the results. He's not throwing strikes. Dave's a big boy. He's a tough kid. He'll bounce back," McClendon said. "At the same time, this is not a country club. You have to win baseball games. The fact is, if we don't perform between the lines, they're going to get somebody who can. That includes players, coaches, management and everybody else. That's just the nature of this game." Williams' woes began after he was hit in the shin in an April 30 game in Coors Field. He missed a turn in the rotation and has struggled with his command and confidence since. "It's too early to be calling it a goner. I know I can pitch up here," Williams said. "I'm battling myself right now. It's frustrating when I can't help the team. I'm going to look to the future, not the past."
The Chicago Tribune carried Mark Prior's entire pitch chart in yesterday's editions, but it was a line from columnist Rick Morrisey that caught the clubhouse's attention: "Time out for a perspective break. The Pirates came into the game hitting .228, last in the majors. You don't need to be otherworldly to stop them. You need an arm, a ball and eight guys from a softball beer league. Think of the Pirates as a starter set." The Pirates will see Prior Monday when the Cubs visit PNC Park for a four-game series. There also was this item in Teddy Greenstein's column: "After making his debut before about 40,000 fans at Wrigley Field, Mark Prior will see something different when he takes the mound at PNC Park -- empty seats. The Pirates are batting just .223 at home. So if Prior flirts with a no-hitter, don't say you weren't warned."
Two pitchers on the disabled list will be throwing at PNC Park today. Reliever Josias Manzanillo will throw his first side session since having arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone chip in his right elbow 2 1/2 weeks ago. "He's progressing well," trainer Kent Biggerstaff said. Manzanillo is not expected to return to active duty until early June. Also, Ryan Vogelsong will throw a simulated game of two innings or 35 pitches on the mound. Vogelsong had reconstructive elbow surgery in September, and with his first session off a regular mound, he will reach a milestone in his rehabilitation. Vogelsong is on the 60-day disabled list and hopes to be starting a rehabilitation assignment in August.
The series: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pirates, three games at PNC Park.
The times: 7:05 p.m. today and tomorrow, 1:35 p.m. Sunday.
TV, radio: Today and tomorrow on Fox Sports Net, Sunday on WCWB; all games on KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network.
Probable starters: RHP Garrett Stephenson (1-2), RHP Woody Williams (1-0) and RHP Jason Simontacchi (2-0) for the Cardinals; RHP Kip Wells (6-2), LHP Jimmy Anderson (4-5) and RHP Josh Fogg (5-2) for the Pirates.
About the Pirates: Wells and Anderson recorded the only wins on the eight-game road trip. Wells has won two in a row and five of his past six since recording a career-low four outs April 10. In his lone start against the Cardinals, Wells went 5 1/3 innings in an 8-3 loss last year. ... Anderson is coming off one of the best starts of his career, a two-hit shutout over seven innings against the Cubs. He will be pitching on three days of rest. ... Pirates have lost seven of their previous nine games and are 9-20 after starting the year with a 12-5 record. ... Their worst record against any Central Division foe last year came against the Cardinals. They were 3-14, including 1-6 at PNC Park.
About the Cardinals: Come into this series as the hottest team in the National League with five consecutive wins and 12 in their past 14 games to move two games behind of the first-place Reds. The Cardinals struggled early with six pitchers on the disabled list. ... Stephenson and Williams have never lost to the Pirates. Stephenson is 5-0 with a 3.12 ERA lifetime, and Williams is 3-0 with a 3.67 ERA. ... Simontacchi, a rookie, pitched in the Pirates' minor-league system with Class A Hickory in 1999, going 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA. ... Last year against the Pirates, Albert Pujols hit .339 with five home runs and 14 RBIs.
On deck: Pirates have four games against the Cubs at home; Cardinals visit Houston for three games.
NOTEBOOK
Manager Lloyd McClendon met with pitching coach Spin Williams yesterday to discuss possible changes for starter Dave Williams during his bullpen session before his next start. Williams has lost four consecutive decisions and has pitched a little more than 14 innings in his previous four starts. "I don't know the mechanical jargon. All I know is the results. He's not throwing strikes. Dave's a big boy. He's a tough kid. He'll bounce back," McClendon said. "At the same time, this is not a country club. You have to win baseball games. The fact is, if we don't perform between the lines, they're going to get somebody who can. That includes players, coaches, management and everybody else. That's just the nature of this game." Williams' woes began after he was hit in the shin in an April 30 game in Coors Field. He missed a turn in the rotation and has struggled with his command and confidence since. "It's too early to be calling it a goner. I know I can pitch up here," Williams said. "I'm battling myself right now. It's frustrating when I can't help the team. I'm going to look to the future, not the past."
The Chicago Tribune carried Mark Prior's entire pitch chart in yesterday's editions, but it was a line from columnist Rick Morrisey that caught the clubhouse's attention: "Time out for a perspective break. The Pirates came into the game hitting .228, last in the majors. You don't need to be otherworldly to stop them. You need an arm, a ball and eight guys from a softball beer league. Think of the Pirates as a starter set." The Pirates will see Prior Monday when the Cubs visit PNC Park for a four-game series. There also was this item in Teddy Greenstein's column: "After making his debut before about 40,000 fans at Wrigley Field, Mark Prior will see something different when he takes the mound at PNC Park -- empty seats. The Pirates are batting just .223 at home. So if Prior flirts with a no-hitter, don't say you weren't warned."
Two pitchers on the disabled list will be throwing at PNC Park today. Reliever Josias Manzanillo will throw his first side session since having arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone chip in his right elbow 2 1/2 weeks ago. "He's progressing well," trainer Kent Biggerstaff said. Manzanillo is not expected to return to active duty until early June. Also, Ryan Vogelsong will throw a simulated game of two innings or 35 pitches on the mound. Vogelsong had reconstructive elbow surgery in September, and with his first session off a regular mound, he will reach a milestone in his rehabilitation. Vogelsong is on the 60-day disabled list and hopes to be starting a rehabilitation assignment in August.