Pirates Win Season Opener

This is 1 of the best times of the year,And for long,Long,Long time suffering Pirate fans opening day is a fresh start.

This could be the best baseball we see all season,Or it could be a harbinger of things to come...

Well if this is what the 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates offer us the rest of the season,I for 1 am impressed..


But it is only 1 game.. And a very decent game it was..

Kevin Correia  got out of early troubles,Going 6 innings,Giving up 2 runs on 7 hits.The downside of the game had to be Pedro Alvarez with a very bad throw to first,Earning him and error,And should have could have had another 2 on the day.

But the hero of the day would be second baseman Neil Walker.His grand slam in the fifth inning(Only the second granny on opening day in Pirate History)Left Wrigley field and bounced down Sheffield Avenue..Pirates 4-Cubs 2..

Andrew McCutchen then added a 2 run shot over the non ivy walls to make it 6-2.. The Cubs would add 1 more run in the seventh,But then the Pirates bullpen shut them down with Joel Hanrahan  getting his first save.. Drive home safely.

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Jolly Rogers

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Pedro Alvarez is a great ball player, But this very well could be his last season at third,1 Charged error and the chance he could have had another 2 is disturbing.Yes it is the first game of the year,But you just left spring training..This is what you have been working on for over a month now..

Kevin Correia pitched 6 effective innings.Here's hoping this continues.

Jose Tabata showed a little more patience at the plate,During the seventh inning he worked a full count.Last season he probably would have swung away. Again, Here's hoping it's just the start of a great season.

Is it just me,Or does the Wrigley Field grounds crew suck? 

Spring games at Wrigley are odd,No ivy covering the walls.Just doesn't look right.

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I was planning on doing a season preview of the Pirates.But honestly I can sum it up like this.. IF,And that is a huge if,The Pirates play like they did yesterday,This team could be very special.. But the honest outlook would the Prates record at seasons end being  71-91.. I could be wrong..