Coach Trev

Their lineup feels pretty long right now.

They're working really long at bats here.

I think the thing with the Cardinals that I like a lot and it might be dumb is like

The two things that I feel like define a lot of successful teams is can you form your identity, which I feel like they have, and two, can you get a rallying cry?

And they definitely have that now with the Tarps Off crew.

That's kind of spread throughout baseball.

But the Pirates kind of combated them with their own identity, which was pitching.

I mean, they shut them down and came to Carmen Majinski, who was kind of like the odd man out because they wanted to try out Bubba Chandler, has fully reclaimed his spot.

He is here to stay.

The bigger one is Braxton Ashcraft, who's become quietly the number two in that rotation, just as good as Paul Skeens, really.

He has five starts of six and two thirds innings, which leads MLB right now in May 28 and a third six earned runs for the one nine one ERA nine strikeouts in this game three.

This is how the Pirates need to go.

I mean, they have the offense.

Obviously, the defense will be a concern for them for the remainder of the season.

It's not going to go away.

But if they can hit enough to complement their great starting pitching, I have no problem seeing them with a winning record at year's end and possibly a playoff spot.

The NL is very competitive, so that remains to be seen.

So for them to take care of business on the road with a Cardinals team that was hotter than hot with all the momentum in the world, I think it's a big series win for the Pirates.

Trevor Ploof likes Mississippi boys.

Oh, I didn't know that.