Wednesday’s Daily Five

1. The ending of the Braves – Pirates 19 inning marathon is already being labled as “the worst call ever”.
Pedro Alvarez’s throw to the plate to Michael McKenry was clearly on time as Julio Lugo tried to avoid McKenry’s tag with a pop-up slide. Replays clearly indicated McKenry made the tag, but home plate umpire Jerry Meals called Lugo safe.
“I didn’t feel the tag,” Lugo said. “He made the right call. I got in there, ” Lugo said via Associated Press.
“I saw the tag, but he looked like he oled him and I called him safe for that,”umpire Jerry Meals said. “I looked at the replays and it appeared he might have got him on the shin area. I’m guessing he might have got him, but when I was out there when it happened I didn’t see a tag.
“I just saw the glove sweep up. I didn’t see the glove hit his leg.”
Umpires make human error but this was one of those calls that is just inexcusable to make and there should be some type of replay system where plays at the plate can be reviewed and overturned.
The Pirates can’t go back and replay the 19th inning but what I want to see is Pirate officials casuing an uproar with Major League Baseball about this.
2. In the past, other than the diehards, not too many people would be glued to their tv for an extra inning Pirates game. According to Mike Vukovcan of KDKA Sports, the Pirates drew a 7.8 rating at 1:30 a.m.
3. The Pirates continue to get excellent work from their bullpen as they gutted out 13 1/3 innings, surrendering just one run which was a blown call. It’s been phenomenal what they’ve been able to get out of this group.
4. Will come to the Pirates defense on this: They are spot on with their long-term concerns of Pedro Alvarez being extremely overmatched against lefties. He’s been up and down since his callup but at this stage of his professional career, you would hope he would be a little bit more developed at the plate.
5. Ike Taylor on reaching a four year agreement with Pittsburgh: I would like to thank GOD The ROONEY family KEVIN COLBERT COACH TOMLIN MY SUPER AGENT JOEL SEGAL For getting this deal done STEELCITYSWAGG, ” Taylor said on his twitter page.