JP

@Pirates @SNPittsburgh @937theFan It’s a miracle - Horwitz is in over Triolo vs. LHP. Solid lineup overall, now keep this lineup vs. RHP & move Horwitz to the 2 hole & Lowe cleanup.

My optimal Pirates lineup with O’Hearn healthy. Griffin - SS (R) Horwitz - 1B (L) Lowe - 2B (L) Reynolds - DH (S) O’Hearn - RF (L) Garcia - LF (R) Cruz - CF (L) Gonzales - 3B (R) Rodriguez - C (S) Ozuna needs a phantom IL stint until he proves he can be that 800 ops guy.

Memorial Day check in on the #Pirates. 27-26. 4th in runs & BA. 7th in run differential. 2nd in K’s. 11th in ERA & 7th in punch outs. Time to bat Griffin lead off, Cruz middle, and give E-Rod some run. I also like Horwitz as a table setter.

@colin_beazley Griffin is 20 years old & does not need days off. Stop playing Triolo so much, he’s a late inning D replacement. This team would probably hit more consistently if the lineup was ever consistent.

No Konnor Griffin for the Pirates today. Spencer Horwitz leads off, while Esmerlyn Valdez gets a 3rd consecutive start in RF. DH Day for Oneil Cruz, so Jake Mangum’s in center. Don Kelly has said the Pirates want to be careful with Jhostynxon Garcia coming off the back injury.

@colin_beazley Cruz needs to be batting somewhere 5-7. Time to see how Griffin does at lead off. Would also like to see what Horwitz can do in the 2 hole in front of Lowe, Reynolds, O’Hearn with those BB/K numbers.

Officially landed in Canada. In other news, Oneil Cruz currently leads baseball in strikeouts. He’s on pace for the most in MLB history. Is it time to worry about it? And more in this week’s Pirates mailbag: post-gazette.com/sports/pirates…

@BobSmizik Nice to see he’s settled in, now let’s get him batting lead off.

Konnor Griffin since April 23: .348/.396/.522 – –.918. The All-Star game isn’t until July but the #Pirates have two legit candidates to start: Griffin at SS and Brandon Lowe, who leads 2B in HR, RBI, and slugging %. Along with, of course, Paul Skenes.

Now win the series today.

Last night is why the #Pirates simply cannot put 3-4 bench guys into the same lineup. This lineup can put pressure on a pitcher with quality at-bats even if they don’t get a hit v. LHP(you can still chase a lefty early if you raise their pitch count). 1 guy here & there is fine.

@JMackey_PGH I understand getting O’Hearn a day here and there, but can we not bench him & Lowe at the same time. Yeesh.

Lowe & O'Hearn sitting against the lefty, Robbie Ray. Bart gets another start. Yorke playing first.

@PitcherList Can’t believe those are even considered earned runs honestly lol

Paul Skenes has allowed fewer runs in his last four starts (4 ER) than during his opening day start (5 ER).

@_NoahHiles @BuccoTerritory Would it make more sense for the Pirates to separate Skenes & Keller given that they are best suited in the rotation to eat innings & the uncertainty of the bullpen lately?

Sending out a call for questions for this week’s @BuccoTerritory mailbag. Comment what you have below!

@JMackey_PGH @JMackey_PGH - wouldn’t it make more sense for the Pirates to separate Keller & Skenes, since they are the 2 most likely candidates to eat innings?

Pirates fans: Moved my mailbag to Monday because of the off-day in Dallas. I need your questions. Whatcha got?

The #Pirates are 5th in run differential at +25, 6th in almost every offensive category, & 3rd in team ERA. Amazing! On the flip side, they are 22nd in fielding %, & 23rd in BBs. Meh. The structure is there for a great team!Throw strikes & focus every play. Let’s go Bucs!

@KDPomp A thing of beauty! A few more like that and you’ll start seeing the 3B creep up & those hard hit balls to the left will start making their way through a little bit easier.

Love to see a well placed bunt like the one Konnor Griffin executed yesterday

@BUCoachGriffin @DTonPirates Regardless, he is a helluva ball player. Glad to have him in the Burgh!!

@jp1102jp @DTonPirates Let’s hope not!

It’s damn impressive but I wish the announcers would stop saying Konnor Griffin is 19 every time he fields a routine grounder. #Pirates

@ThePoniExpress The game is on Apple TV, so he will probably hit 4 of them tonight.

AJ Burnett prediction: "Konnor Griffin will hit his 1st major league home run tonight." I'm with him!

@Pirates @PiratesFaithful @SNPittsburgh @937theFan How about benching the guy that went 0-6 Monday & 0-2 last night in the 2 most crucial spots instead of the 19 year old that just went 2-4 last night. What are we doing here?

18/162. 📺 @SNPittsburgh 📻 @937theFan

@ChrisMuellerPGH I’m getting more frustrated by the day

Konnor Griffin goes 2-for-4 with a double, has a very solid game, and then sits. Maaaaake it make sense.

@rumbunter 100% over managing. You don’t bench your hottest bat for a bench player, especially when you would have had the better matchup in the 9th!! Hopefully it’s a lesson learned by DK. Move on and win tonight.

Pirates fans had every right to be frustrated with Don Kelly last night. When you’ve spent years waiting for meaningful baseball, seeing your hottest hitter taken out of the biggest spot is going to sting. rumbunter.com/pirates-fans-e…