After watching the game today I was thinking about some things that I was way off on before the season started... I was curious about some of your preseason thoughts that were wrong...

I was wrong:

I considered Andrew McCutchen a good all around player.. I thought we overhyped him a little. Last year was a down year and I really thought he was a better leadoff hitter than in the 3 hole.. WOW I am pleasantly surprised to say I WAS WRONG! Besides Matt Kemp there is no other center fielder in baseball that belongs in the same sentence as Cutch.

I thought Barmes would prove to be the stability at the shortstop position that the pirates lacked since Jack Wilson's allstar year. I would still rather see him than Cedeno, however that's like saying I'd rather drown than be burnt alive..

I was right:

I really thought Jones would have a much better season. Jones needs to be in the lineup more than not. I think last year he really suffered from the constant platooning. Even this year the guy goes 0 for 8 and he sits for a week. Give the guy the rest of the year and see what he's got.

Jones cannot hit lefties and probably never will...THAT is a big downside to him playing every day...

Did you watch the game today? 2 hits against a lefty, so it's a little extreme to say he "never" will when he just had success.

His average against lefties is normally pathetic....There will always be days when he manages to hit them, but by and large he just won't...

The ship might have sailed, but I have always thought we turned Jones into a platoon player a little too quickly, especially with the right handers we've paired him with the last two years, not exactly a huge upgrade, although to be fair, Diaz should have been an upgrade and just happened to stink for us.

The guy on the mound today is known for getting touched up by lefties in the small sample size that he has in the bigs.

Well, luckily there are more pitchers like this guy and less lefties like Randy Johnson out there :)

"I considered Andrew McCutchen a good all around player . . . "

You were not wrong in that assessment. Up until this season, McCutchen had proven to be a "good all-round player" and not much more. This year, he's become the player we've all been waiting for him to be. He's now a full-fledged star.

You're not a believer at all. You're a hoper.

Uhhh, what's the difference between belief and hope?

That's easy.

Someone who has to have his brother in law make telephone calls for him is not a believer. Believers make their own telephone calls.

Someone who won't put his money where is mouth is is not a believer. Believers believe so much that they're willing to back their words with money.

Each time I get such calls, my message back has been consistent- A) Make his own calls. B) Put up or shut up.

Out of coriousity, how much are you willing to bet that the Pirates finish above/below .500?

He hit a HR off a lefty last year, that does not mean he should start against lefties. He has been terrible against them his whole career.

When have I predicted any salary dumping?

Do you have any thoughts as to whether our competitors could add some talent between now and the end of the month?

When the discussion, if you could call it one, between he and I began, he did not have a 9-game head start.

Easy to make it now, isn't it?

""When the discussion, if you could call it one, between he and I began, he did not have a 9-game head start.""

Oh. I see. You're trying to work him for odds. What kind of odds are you wanting?

If you want to arbitrate the messages I've received from Champs as relayed to me through NJDave, let us know.

I have made no such wager nor made such statements to either of them.

What HAS been said is by Champs (supposedly, because they have been relayed to me by Dave.) It is he who has wanted to bet ME.

So, my advice is that if you would like to hop on his bet, take it up with him.

About a week ago, in one of the gamethreads someone asked what the hand signal was the players were making. I posted the zoltan video clip from the movie. He or she said it was kinda lame.

Here was my reply....

"Yeah, I don't know who on the team started it or why. It doesn't seem to be "catching on" in Pittsburgh, I don't think anyways. The few games I do get to see, I don't think I've seen anyone in the crowd doing it or any t-shirts for that matter."

I was wrong

I just hope I never see a Zoltan bobblehead