With the New York Yankees claiming their 27th World Series Championship last night, the 2009 baseball season is in the books. It also means that PitchByPitch is one year old! I started this site one year ago (the day after the Phillies won the 2008 title), as a place to host my baseball scoring projects and as a place to track the Pirates through thick and thin. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed year #1, and I’m looking forward to the year ahead.

Just this week, the Pirates made their Blueprint for Success available to the public. The blueprint talked about their 5 core priorities: Extremely aggressive drafts, Increased focus in our international operations, Aggressively adding talent at all levels, Rebuilind our player development systems, and Significant investment in our core operations.

Days later, the Pirates made good on one of their priorities by acquiring Akinori Iwamura from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Jesse Chavez. Iwamura is a 30 year-old second-baseman who will make $4.85 million in 2010. Iwamura fills an obvious need for the Pirates at 2B. He’s an exciting player, and I look forward to seeing him in black and gold. With the departure of Chavez, our bullpen is even further depleted. You have to believe that the bullpen is the next thing that management will look to improve.

Finally, I got a good chuckle when I looked at the rewards available on my Pirates’ Bank of America credit card. I was curious when I saw “Pirates Autographed Baseball”. Then, I saw the players that were available.

signedball

Hmm… who to choose?

Go Bucs!

Phils @ Yanks – Game 1

I’ll be watching with some Philadelphia die-hards who will be serving cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, and italian ice…. mmm!

I also plan make an attempt at scoring the game, Reisner style. I’ll let you know how it goes.

phillies-755414

22 yankees

“)) {
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“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
$venue=substr($rowvalue, $starter+12, $amount-12);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_first_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+9, $amount-9);
If($team==0)$away_first_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+9, $amount-9);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_last_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+10, $amount-10);
If($team==0)$away_last_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+10, $amount-10);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_throwing_hand=substr($rowvalue, $starter+14, $amount-14);
If($team==0)$away_throwing_hand=substr($rowvalue, $starter+14, $amount-14);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_wins=substr($rowvalue, $starter+6, $amount-6);
If($team==0)$away_wins=substr($rowvalue, $starter+6, $amount-6);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_losses=substr($rowvalue, $starter+8, $amount-8);
If($team==0)$away_losses=substr($rowvalue, $starter+8, $amount-8);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_era=substr($rowvalue, $starter+5, $amount-5);
If($team==0)$away_era=substr($rowvalue, $starter+5, $amount-5);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_so=substr($rowvalue, $starter+4, $amount-4);
If($team==0)$away_so=substr($rowvalue, $starter+4, $amount-4);
$team–;
}

}
echo $away_first_name . ” ” . $away_last_name . ” (” . $away_throwing_hand . “) (” . $away_wins . “-” . $away_losses . “, ” . $away_era . ” ERA, ” . $away_so . ” K) @ ” . $home_first_name . ” ” . $home_last_name . ” (” . $home_throwing_hand . “) (” . $home_wins . “-” . $home_losses . “, ” . $home_era . ” ERA, ” . $home_so . ” K)

“.$gametime.” EST @ “. $venue;
?>

Click Here for Live Updates

“)) {
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
$venue=substr($rowvalue, $starter+12, $amount-12);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_first_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+9, $amount-9);
If($team==0)$away_first_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+9, $amount-9);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_last_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+10, $amount-10);
If($team==0)$away_last_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+10, $amount-10);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_throwing_hand=substr($rowvalue, $starter+14, $amount-14);
If($team==0)$away_throwing_hand=substr($rowvalue, $starter+14, $amount-14);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_wins=substr($rowvalue, $starter+6, $amount-6);
If($team==0)$away_wins=substr($rowvalue, $starter+6, $amount-6);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_losses=substr($rowvalue, $starter+8, $amount-8);
If($team==0)$away_losses=substr($rowvalue, $starter+8, $amount-8);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_era=substr($rowvalue, $starter+5, $amount-5);
If($team==0)$away_era=substr($rowvalue, $starter+5, $amount-5);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_so=substr($rowvalue, $starter+4, $amount-4);
If($team==0)$away_so=substr($rowvalue, $starter+4, $amount-4);
$team–;
}

}
echo $away_first_name . ” ” . $away_last_name . ” (” . $away_throwing_hand . “) (” . $away_wins . “-” . $away_losses . “, ” . $away_era . ” ERA, ” . $away_so . ” K) @ ” . $home_first_name . ” ” . $home_last_name . ” (” . $home_throwing_hand . “) (” . $home_wins . “-” . $home_losses . “, ” . $home_era . ” ERA, ” . $home_so . ” K)

“.$gametime.” EST @ “. $venue;
?>

Click Here for Live Updates

“)) {
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
$venue=substr($rowvalue, $starter+12, $amount-12);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_first_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+9, $amount-9);
If($team==0)$away_first_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+9, $amount-9);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_last_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+10, $amount-10);
If($team==0)$away_last_name=substr($rowvalue, $starter+10, $amount-10);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_throwing_hand=substr($rowvalue, $starter+14, $amount-14);
If($team==0)$away_throwing_hand=substr($rowvalue, $starter+14, $amount-14);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_wins=substr($rowvalue, $starter+6, $amount-6);
If($team==0)$away_wins=substr($rowvalue, $starter+6, $amount-6);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_losses=substr($rowvalue, $starter+8, $amount-8);
If($team==0)$away_losses=substr($rowvalue, $starter+8, $amount-8);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_era=substr($rowvalue, $starter+5, $amount-5);
If($team==0)$away_era=substr($rowvalue, $starter+5, $amount-5);
}
If(strpos($rowvalue, ““)){
$starter=strpos($rowvalue, ““);
$stopper=strpos($rowvalue, “
“, $starter);
$amount=$stopper-$starter;
If($team==1)$home_so=substr($rowvalue, $starter+4, $amount-4);
If($team==0)$away_so=substr($rowvalue, $starter+4, $amount-4);
$team–;
}

}
echo $away_first_name . ” ” . $away_last_name . ” (” . $away_throwing_hand . “) (” . $away_wins . “-” . $away_losses . “, ” . $away_era . ” ERA, ” . $away_so . ” K) @ ” . $home_first_name . ” ” . $home_last_name . ” (” . $home_throwing_hand . “) (” . $home_wins . “-” . $home_losses . “, ” . $home_era . ” ERA, ” . $home_so . ” K)

“.$gametime.” EST @ “. $venue;
?>

Click Here for Live Updates

The two teams from the State of Champions go head to head this evening.

IMG_5210

It’s officially baseball season!

Phillies @ Pirates – 1:05 P.M.

This was a nice game and a great start to the 2009 season for the Pirates.  Shelby Ford hit a 3-run home run in his first MLB outing.  The Pirates threw nine different pitchers in the game.  The “Mad Capper,” Matt Capps struggled in the second inning when he walked the bases loaded on 12 pitches.  Still, he escaped with a scoreless inning.  

I scored this game using FixedIt.  Here is the completed scorecard.  There are a lot of aspects of this program that I really enjoy, but other aspects can be frustrating.  I’ve found that you need to be very careful when entering substitutions, as it is very difficult to undo mistakes.

I plan to experiment with several different scoring methods throughout Spring Training, but I plan to stick with Project Scoresheet once the regular season begins.