|
| Halfway through 2008 |
|
| Leading NL catchers in avg, and SLG percentage. (photo courtesy of Phil at Tees-n-Tops) |
Doumit gets 'good grades' at mid-term
July 18, 2008 -- Technically, the regular season
is more than half over, going by games played. The all-star break brought out a plethora of baseball critics to provide
mid-season grading of Pirates players.
Here's a summary of Ryan Doumit's reviews at mid-term, so to speak, and some other reviews, with
attribution as to who gave them.
Doumit fans' assessment can be summarized in the accompanying photo. (Yes, it's a shirt now.)
Ryan Doumit, C: Russell’s idea to make Doumit
the starting catcher was a stroke of genius and he has established himself as one of the best at the position in the NL. Grade:
A (Beaver County Times)
Biggest surprise: Credit new management with giving
both Nate McLouth and Ryan Doumit the chance to be everyday starters, something which the previous management group never
did. And credit both McLouth and Doumit for seizing the opportunity and establishing themselves near the top offensive categories
for each of their respective positions. (mlb.com)
Ryan Doumit, C: Doumit has been one of the most productive hitters, not only for the Pirates, but in the entire National League. His
emergence as a consistent, middle-of-the-order presence has been critical to the Pirates’ offensive resurgence, and
it is no surprise that he was recently promoted to the No. 3 spot in the batting order, given his lofty .943 OPS. If only he had been healthy all season, the Bucs could be a few games closer
to that .500 mark. Midseason Grade: A (Bleacher Report)
PIRATES : What went right: The hitting has been better
than expected. The Pirates rank third in the NL with 4.9 runs per game. All three outfielders -- Jason Bay, Nate McLouth and
Xavier Nady -- have hit well. And catcher Ryan Doumit, in his first full year as a starter, is hitting .329 with 11 homers.
(The
Morning Journal, Ohio)
Catcher: B -- Ryan Doumit has been awesome. Ronny
Paulino, not so much. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Ryan Doumit Grade: A- ... A little defense, a lot
of health all that is keeping him from game's elite (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
New additions to the site |
|
|
As promised, there's a new quote page of Ryan Doumit quotes from here-and-there this season.
Click the "Doumit said..." menu item in the left-hand navigation bar.
Also, photos from the July 9, 2008 game against the Houston Astros at PNC have been added to
the top of the stack on the "Ryan's Photos" page and the "Pirates photo album" picture page.
The "Web sites to visit" page leads you to other sites for Pirates players (two new
fansites cropped up this summer) and other Pittsburgh athletes and baseball players.
More additions are on the way! |
| Nearing the break |
|
| Ryan Doumit had a career-high number of consistent starts in June/July. |
'He sees the finish line...'
July 12, 2008 -- With just one game left before the All-Star break, Pirates
Baseball Club announcers made reference several times to starting catcher Ryan Doumit "seeing the finish line" in the break.
As of Saturday's game, he'd started 12 of the last 13 Pirate games, 15 of the last 17 - that's
a career high stretch of starts for Doumit in his major league career.
In Saturday night's phenomenal comeback against the St. Luis Cardinals, in a game that saw
the Pirates call on an AA starter Yoslan Herrera to start his first major league game, and hits in favor, at one point,
of the Cards 20-3, the Pirates scored seven runs in innings 7-9 and another two in the 10th to win the game 12-11. Doumit
was 1-5 with a key single in the 9th to move the tying run to third base and a brilliant slide into second on Jason Bay's
dribbler to prevent a game-ending double play when the Bucs were still down by one. His batting average is a team-leading
.324. Because of the depleted bullpen, a late-game thumb injury to Adam LaRoche and some bench issues with Doug Mientkiewicz
getting ejected for arguing a call on a Luis Rivas play at second, in the 10th inning Doumit was moved to first base and Raul
Chavez caught for Denny Bautista.
| Slugger |
|
| Ryan Doumit fouls off a pitch July 9 against the Astros |
Leading all NL catchers...
July 10, 2008 -- As of July 9, Ryan Doumit leads all National League catchers
with a .592 slugging percentage, according to a game fact posted on the jumbotron during one of his at-bats against the Houston
Astros in the final game of the Houston series at PNC.
Doumit went 2-4 against the New York Yankees in the July 10 make-up game at PNC Park, where
the Buccos won it 4-2, taking 2 of 3 in the drawn out interleague series.
Takes a beating, keeps on batting
July 8, 2008 -- There's something about Ryan Doumit
behind the dish when Phil "Dead to Me" Dumatrait is pitching. He becomes a magnet for the ball to ricochet off him like one
of those superballs in the machine in the foyer of the restaurant that your kids beg two quarters for and then bounce around
the kitchen until something breaks. In the 10-7 win Monday at PNC Park against division foes the Houston Astros, Doumit took
a ball off the mask, a ball of his throwing hand, and a few banging around on him like a pinball, artfully seeming to miss
most of his protective gear. Dumatrait happens to own that bad pitch that put Doumit on the DL for a fractured thumb earlier
this season. Anyone sense a pattern here?
Superhero that he is, Doumit, right after getting that zing in the throwing hand, hit a two-run
homerun that hit the second to top row of outfield seats in right field, taking the Pirates line from a losing score of 7-6
to 8-7. The Pirates would go on to score two more unanswered runs.
To see what MLB calls "Doumit's monster homerun" and his 11th of the season, click the
link below.
As for the beaten catcher behind the plate, he showed up in the same spot the next night, batting,
for the second night, in the three-spot.
Doumit's monster homerun No. 11
| Doumit one of five with 10 home runs this season |
|
| photo thanks to Kenneth Ung |
For only the second time in franchise history...
July 5, 2008 -- The Pirates have five players -- Xavier Nady, Jose Bautista, Jason Bay,
Ryan Doumit and Nate McLouth -- with at least 10 home runs in the team's first 84 games for only the second time in franchise
history. The 2006 club first accomplished the feat. - according to MLB.com
| Out at the plate |
|
| Doumit tags out Encarnacion |
One game at a time
July 2, 2008 -- The Pittsburgh Pirates took the series, two of three
games, from the Reds at Cincinnati. In game three, a 9-5 win, Xavier Nady hit two home runs, a solo shot and the second
longball with Doumit on base. Ryan went 2-4 with two singles and scored three runs, reaching once after being hit by a pitch.
With July 3 off before a three-game stand against those Brewers
in Milwaukee, Ryan leads the team in batting average with .341 and Nady is right there at .323.
Going into this series the Pirates have two starting pitchers (Ian
Snell and Phil "Dead-to-me" Dumatrait), a relief pitcher (Frankie Osoria) and now our beloved closer (Matt Capps) on the disabled
list. As has been Manager John Russell's plan all season, the Buccos plan to battle for 27 outs every game. The Pirates now
have five hitters with 10 home runs just two games after the midway point, including Nady and Doumit, and lead the National
League in outfield performance.
| Man of Steel |
|
|
| Photo graciously shared by Kenneth Ung |
That 'Man of Steel' thing is catching on!
June 30, 2008 -- In a MLB article for Fantasy
411 Baseball, Pirates starting catcher Ryan Doumit is described as "Breakout slugger displaying superhuman power in Pittsburgh."
First, www.ryandoumit.com takes full credit for starting Superman references, and, as we said in elementary school "Called it!"
The important thing is the respect and recognition for No. 41 is growing. And deserved.
As the "Unusual suspects" report goes, "Doumit's
2008 breakout can largely be attributed to his sharper approach at the plate. The 27-year-old has struck out just 21 times
in 156 at-bats this year compared to 59 flameouts in 259 trips to the dish a season ago as his K rate has fallen from a ghastly
23.4 percent to a respectable 13.5 percent."
The report also calls Doumit's signature superhero tactic: Fighting through a slew of injuries to become the best catcher you've never heard of.
The link to the full article is below.
Unusual Suspects: Fantasy 411 report on Doumit
Defining the first half
June 29, 2008 -- The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette profiled
the first half of the Pirates 2008 season with a "best and worst" list in several categories, from best pitcher and worst
pitcher to best win, worst loss. There's a link below this excerpt to lead you to all of it, but two of the "bests" included
Ryan Doumit.
Best personnel move: Neal Huntington received
credit throughout the industry for acquiring Tyler Yates for a fringe prospect, as well as building a solid bench from scrap.
But his most important move came in the winter, when he correctly identified McLouth and Ryan Doumit as impact players.
No decision was more important in creating what, stunningly, became the No. 5 offense in the majors.
Best quote: "We let 'em know we weren't going
to be pushed around in our own house. Especially by Randy Johnson." That was Doumit on June 9, right after that argument between
the Big Unit and Doug Mientkiewicz emptied the benches and bullpens. The Pirates beat Arizona, 5-3, and appeared to enjoy
it thoroughly.
On the Pirates: Reeling rotation defined first half
Ryan Doumit joins dad in book signings
June 28, 2008 -- Ryan Doumit's dad, Pete Doumit, made two booksigning appearances
in the Pittsburgh area on Friday and Saturday, June 27-28, promoting his book "What I Know about Baseball is What I Know About
Life."
Learn more about Mr. Doumit's book and the forward, written by Ryan, on the "Baseball Book"
page, new to this site. It's in the lefthand navigation bar.
Visit Doumit's player page |
|
Click below to go to Ryan Doumit's player page as maintained by Major League Baseball. The page gives you current stats,
averages and information on the player, including links to Doumit's top plays video archive and past articles.
Doumit's player page
|
Pittsburgh's Mr. Negative praises Ryan
Administrator's note: I really can't just
post the following column without prefacing it. Ron Cook is a columnist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Look up "arrogant
and snarky" on Wikipedia and his picture may be the first search result. Columnists get paid to irritate people, and when
it comes to Pittsburgh sports in general, Cook is a leader in that game. Never more so than with the Pirates. The fact that
this is overall complimentary about Ryan Doumit is as astonishing to me as Kevin Costner showing up in my office later in
a baseball uniform, carrying a latte and asking if I want to find a quiet place to talk. That said, this kind of generally
positive feedback on Superman's play in Pittsburgh is remarkable given the source, so it has to be here. --Andrea
Pirates should build around Doumit
By Ron Cook, From the Post-Gazette
June 27, 2008 -- With July speeding toward us
by the minute, trade speculation involving the Pirates is increasing. Would you give up Jason Bay? Xavier Nady? Damaso Marte?
John Grabow?
I'd trade any or all of 'em for the right return,
but I wouldn't part with Ryan Doumit.
He's my one untouchable, more so than Nate McLouth
and Matt Capps.
The more I watch Doumit, the more I love him
as a player.
Do you have any idea how valuable a switch-hitting
catcher with power is?
I know the downside to Doumit. He has been injury-prone,
almost to the point of being beyond belief. There are few worse things you can say about a proud athlete. Cal Ripken Jr.,
when asked about his famous iron-man streak, always said he was most proud of the fact his teammates could count on him every
game. Doumit's teammates have not been able to count on him. In his parts of four seasons with the Pirates, he has been on
the disabled list five times with injuries ranging from a bad left hamstring to a sprained left wrist to a right high ankle
sprain to -- this season's problem -- a fractured left thumb. In his first eight full professional seasons, he played more
than 100 games just twice.
Meet the anti-Ripken.
But some of Doumit's injuries can be attributed
to immaturity. It's nice to think he's taking better care of himself now that he realizes the potential money that's out there
for him. Neal Huntington, the Pirates' first-year general manager, challenged him in the offseason to come to spring training
in better shape. He did just that and won the starting job from -- everyone applaud -- the bemoaned Ronny Paulino.
It's also easy to believe that Doumit's luck
has to change. Late last season, he missed almost a month with his wrist injury, was activated for a game against the Chicago
Cubs Sept. 8 and his ankle was sprained in that first game back and was done for the year. Really, how much does one guy have
to suffer?
I don't know about Huntington, but I'm willing
to bet on Doumit's maturity and luck.
I also want Doumit playing catcher, not first
base or right field, where some have suggested he belongs. His value is greatest behind the plate as long as he keeps improving
because big-time hitting catchers are so rare. Early in his career, merely receiving the ball was an adventure for him. That's
no longer the case. He has worked hard to become a respectable catcher. No, he's not Johnny Bench, not even close. But he
doesn't have to be.
Not with that bat.
After the New York Yankees jumped on Pirates
starter Paul Maholm for three first-inning runs in the rained-out game last night, Doumit answered in the Pirates' half of
the first with a run-scoring single off starter Mike Mussina. The hit won't count because the game was postponed at 10:25
with the Yankees holding that 3-1 lead in the third. Still, Doumit went 5 for 9 in the series and is 15 for 32 in his past
nine games, the latter a streak which -- it must be pointed out -- was interrupted by the five games he missed with concussion-like
symptoms after taking a series of foul balls off his face mask.
For his abbreviated season, Doumit is hitting
.354, which would rank him third in the National League if he had the required at-bats. He has been remarkably consistent
-- .355 against right-handers, .351 against left-handers and .417 with runners in scoring position.
But Doumit's power capability is what makes him
especially intriguing. His 10 home runs in 147 at-bats would equate to 34 over a full 500 at-bats season.
Beyond that, respect has grown for Doumit in
the Pirates' clubhouse -- because of his new, improved conditioning and because of his production. He has talked a good game
at times; remember his well-publicized "We weren't going to be pushed around in our house" spiel after a minor dust-up earlier
this month between teammate Doug Mientkiewicz and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson? But he also has walked the walk.
I don't trade a guy like that.
I build around him.
Like it never happened
June 26, 2008 -- The series finale against the New York Yankees at PNC Park suffered a
lengthy rain delay before the game was called at the top of the third, with two outs, Yankees leading 3-1.
The game was rescheduled for July 10, which was an off-day for both teams.
Ryan Doumit had a single in his only at-bat in this game, scoring Freddy Sanchez who had the first hit of
the game in the bottom of the first. The hit and the RBI are erased with the partial game, and the two teams start over July
10.
Pirates fall to Bronx Bombers 10-0 in game 2
June 25, 2008 -- The Pittsburgh Pirates "Met
Joba" at PNC park Wednesday night when the 22-year old Yankee firearm, moved into the starting rotation from the relief staff
just recently, led the Yankees to a 10-0 drubbing of the Pirates.
By saying Jack Wilson was charged with two errors, that should say
it all.
Attention Ryan Doumit fans: Doumit
went 2 for 4 with a double to extend his nine-game tear to .500 -- 15 for 30 -- but his home run streak at PNC Park ended
at four games.
Also, Ryan's dad, Pete Doumit, will be joined by No. 41 for two book signings this weekend
for the Pete Doumit baseball book (see the Inside Ry page on this site for more information about that book). One is Friday
(June 27) 11-1 at Barnes&Noble South Hills Village and one is Saturday (June 28), 11-1 at Borders on the East Side.
Bucs clobber Yanks 12-5; Doumit goes 3-5
June 24, 2008 -- The storied return of the New York Yankees to Pittsburgh
resulted in the Pirates bats coming alive, the defense making the plays and the Pirates taking the Bronx Bombers down hard,
12-5.
Tom Gorzelanny got the win, giving up three earned runs in six innings, and evening his record
to 6-6.
The offense was hot up and down the lineup (LaRoche and Sanchez were knocking the ball into
holes and getting on base like crazy) with a team high 19 hits. Ryan Doumit returned to the line up after concussion-like
symptoms and was back behind the plate catching. He went 3-5 with a solo home run, his 10th of the year, a double and a single
with two runs, two RBIs and one strike out.
FSN Pittsburgh commentators Greg Brown and Bob Walk focused quite a bit on Doumit's improved
defensive moves behind the plate, discussing his off-season conditioning and his work at spring training to win the starting
job.
Following the game, in his press conference Manager John Russell was also praising Doumit's
performance, both offensively in the four hole and as part of the team makeup.
"He's really grown into that role. Obviously when we don't have him we miss him," Russell said.
In post-game clubhouse comments, Jack Wilson talked about the win feeling good in front of
the standing room only, 36,000 plus crowd, adding that coming off a still stinging White Sox sweep and two of the starting
pitchers ailing, "Getting Doumit back was pretty huge for us."
In comments to media after the game, Doumit said it will be a battle the next two nights because
of the kind of game the Yankees bring, but "right now this one feels pretty good."
What's Superman's secret, one media guy asks?
"The key is to hit the ball as hard as you can when guys are on base," Doumit said.
Click the link below for MLB video of the homerun hit from the left, on the 1-0 pitch.
Doumit's 10th homerun
Yankees? Bring it!
June 24,2008 -- The New York Yankees start
a three game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight (Tuesday) at PNC Park, marking the first return of the Yankees
since the 1960s world series.
Much has been made of this match-up, and the kind of "awe"
(gag) that comes with the Yankees, who are in 3rd place right now in their division.
Of the matchup, the following comes from the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette:
"The Pirates and Yankees meet four times each spring along Florida's
western coast, and 11 of the 12 pitchers on the Pirates' current staff have faced most of New York's big-name batters. The
lone exception is T.J. Beam, who played for the Yankees in 2006.
When catcher Ryan Doumit was asked about the fuss of facing the
Yankees, he replied: "Yeah? So? We play the Yankees all the time in the spring."
Right, but this counts, he was reminded.
"Well, yeah, it's a big series for us. But, playing competition
like that, we should raise our game. Especially with them coming on our home turf. We should be more excited about it than
afraid. It's our chance to show the country where we stack up, how we handle the big boys."
He smiled.
"I'm looking forward to it, to be honest with you."
Doumit hits the "one day" mark
From the Post-Gazette:
June 23, 2008 -- Catcher Ryan Doumit had his first symptom-free day with his concussion, encouraging management that he can pinch-hit
Tuesday and, perhaps, return to full duty the next day.
He took his first full batting practice yesterday, then stepped
into the on-deck circle -- but never batted -- in the seventh inning of the game.
Catching on the side
June 22, 2008
-- According to the Pirates Web site, Catcher Ryan Doumit caught a side pitching
session on Sunday morning and everything checked out as normal. Doumit was considered available to pinch-hit on Sunday, Russell
said, but he did not in the 8-5 loss to the Blue Jays.
The Pirates also plan on giving Doumit extra work on Monday. If everything goes accordingly, Doumit should
be able to play on Tuesday. Both Doumit and Xavier
Nady had been ruled out of playing in the series against the Blue Jays.
Doumit seems most likely to return after suffering a concussion Tuesday
against the White Sox. Russell said Doumit's symptoms are waning, and would like to give his catcher and No. 4 hitter the
next three nights to recuperate.
"Ryan feels better," Russell said. "He had a good night [Friday] night.
His symptoms are getting less and less. Again, that type of situation you'd like to see no symptoms for at least 24 hours.
If we can get him past that point, maybe we can get him ready to go."
Nady, who suffered a left shoulder injury after running into a wall
at Baltimore on June 14, needs more time to "calm" down, Russell said. Nady is available to play the field and has no trouble
running and throwing. But when it comes to swinging, that's where the right fielder feels pain. (from
MLB.com)
Also this week:
This Tuesday the New York Yankees (ick) come to PNC. It's their first time playing in Pittsburgh since
they lost the 1960 World Series to the Pirates on Bill Mazeroski's home run at Forbes Field. Mazeroski will throw out the
first pitch opening night.
According to FSN Pittsburgh, Ryan's family will be in town for the series and Stan Savran intends to
feature Ryan's dad, Pete Doumit, and Ryan to talk about Pete Doumit's book, "What I Know about Baseball Is What I Know About
Life."
Savran on Sportsbeat airs at 6 p.m. on FSN Pittsburgh and it was unclear which night's show will include
the Doumits.
For a link to Amazon, which carries the book, check out the Inside Ry page by clicking on the title in
the left navigation bar. Also new to that page is a high school photo of Ryan thanks to a classmate of his in Ryan's hometown
of Moses Lake, Washington.
Doumit sits rest of series with slight concussion
June 18, 2008 -- After suffering a slight
concussion in Tuesday's game in Chicago, Ryan Doumit was out of the lineup and unavailable for Wednesday's game. The Pittsburgh
catcher is listed as day-to-day, though he likely won't be back in the starting lineup until Friday at the earliest.
Doumit took three foul balls off his mask on Tuesday, the last of
which came on a ball hit by White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye, with one out in the sixth. Doumit was slow to get up out of
his crouch after the ball ricocheted off his mask, and then stepped back in a daze for a few seconds.
He stayed in to finish the inning, but was then replaced by backup
Raul Chavez in the bottom of the seventh.
"We're being overly cautious with a concussion," manager John Russell
said. "He's feeling better today."
Doumit did undergo a concussion test, which Russell said "came back
very good." As a result, there is no expectation that Doumit will have to be out more than a few days.
Doumit was held out of most pregame work on Wednesday and did minimal
on-field running. The plan is for that pregame work to increase some on Thursday, as the Pirates are targeting a potential
return behind the plate for him when the team opens up a nine-game homestand Friday.
This doesn't mark the first time that Doumit has missed action due
to a concussion. He missed four starts just over a year ago, also after suffering a slight concussion. The fact that this
is the second time in 13 months that Doumit has had a concussion explains why the organization is remaining extra guarded
on pushing Doumit back on the field too quick.
For Doumit, the minor setback has come not long after he was finally
able to make his return to the field after recovering from a fractured left thumb. He has played in 10 games since the injury,
going 11-for-35 with four homers and seven RBIs. The switch-hitting catcher also garnered National League Player of the Week
honors last week.
Doumit earns his first National League weekly honor
June 16, 2008 -- Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Ryan
Doumit, whose four home runs led the National League, was named Bank of America Presents the National League Co-Player
of the Week for the period ending June 15th.
He shares the honor with Florida Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco,
who went 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in the same time period.
Bank of America, the Official Bank of Major League Baseball, is
the presenting sponsor of the National League and American League Player of the Week Awards.
Doumit led the N.L. with his four homers, a .960 slugging percentage
and 24 total bases, and tied for the league-lead with eight runs scored. The 27-year-old backstop hit .400 (10-25), drove
in seven runs, collected two doubles and recorded a .483 on-base percentage. On June 10th vs. Washington, Ryan recorded his
third career four-hit game, including two home runs, two doubles and three RBI. In the Pirates' three-game series with Washington,
Doumit went 9-for-11 with four home runs and seven RBI, homering in each of the three games. The Moses Lake, Washington native
is batting .346 on the season with nine home runs and 22 RBI. This is Ryan's first career weekly award honor.
Teammates point to Doumit as a leader in the 'change of culture' of PBC
June 16, 2008
-- A survey of the Pirate clubhouse is unanimous
in identifying that yes, the culture has begun to change. So with that readily established and accepted, the question now
becomes how. In other words, what has contributed to this shift?
Three sources, according to players, and none playing more of a role
than the next.
To begin with, it seems that the team is taking the cue from its manager.
With a presence and a personality contrasting that of his predecessor, Russell has stamped this club with some of the tenacity
befitting his days as a catcher.
"JR is an old-school, hard-nosed type of guy," catcher Ryan Doumit
said. "That's the type of player he was, a hard-nosed guy. And that's what he expects and he demands. We're giving that to
him."
With Russell providing the direction, it's then been some of the unlikeliest
of leaders -- Ryan Doumit and Nate McLouth -- who have stepped up and led the way both in terms of production and attitude.
As teammates pointed to these two guys as the second source of a new clubhouse mentality, it's interesting to consider that
neither had a starting spot on the team before Spring Training.
Under old management, Doumit had been relegated to the backup role,
with doubts about his potential to ever be an above-average backstop prevalent. McLouth had many of the same doubters, with
the common criticism being that he didn't have the range, nor the offensive pop, to be an everyday outfielder.
But when both not only cracked the starting lineup, but became fixtures
in it, their presence and work ethic have been noticed.
"You start to see the attitude of guys like Doumit and McLouth, who
are going to be here are a while, [and] they want respect around the league," said utilityman Doug Mientkiewicz. "They're
not going to let anyone come in here and trying to intimidate them or push them around."
Though their leadership would seem to differ in style, interestingly
enough, both describe themselves very similarly.
"I'm just hard-nosed," Doumit said. "And I'm glad people are picking
up on it and noticing it because it's the only way I know how to play."
Said McLouth: "Being a tough-nosed player is something I kind of have
to do. Hopefully people see that and hopefully it rubs off."
It has. For a club that still hasn't reached the .500 mark since mid-April,
that hard-nosed attitude has been evident, maybe no more so than one week ago when every member of the team spilled out onto
the field to send a message that they weren't going to be walked over.
"I think that guys are liking the style of play that we have here
this year," Doumit said. "I think it's not as laid back as it has been in the past, and I think that it's contagious. When
you see someone running into a wall, it motivates you and it pushes you to do the same."
Read the complete article about the new culture here.
| Aargh! |
|
| That's one way to get the team to the Inner Harbor! |
On the road in Interleague play
June 15, 2008 -- The Pittsburgh Pirates sailed
into the first stretch of Interleague play this season. The trip began June 13 at Orioles Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore,
Md. where the Bucs went 1-2 with a win Sunday in 10 innings.
Friday night the Pirates lost a 6-1 lead to lose 9-6 and Saturday
was a tug-of-war as the Pirates had, and lost, the lead four times.
Ryan Doumit was behind the dish in games one and two of the series,
batting cleanup and catching Phil (Dead-to-me) Dumatrait on Friday and Zach Duke on Saturday. Sunday, Skipper John Russell
used Doumit in the American-League allowed designated hitter spot, still in the four-hole and Raul Chavez caught for Paul
Maholm. Doumit caught the 10th inning after a 4-2 lead was lost in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run homer off of Matt
Capps - the second straight night the Bucs lost the lead in the ninth.
Friday night at the plate Ryan had one run, one base on balls and
two strike-outs; Saturday he had one run, one base on balls and one strike-out; Sunday as the DH he had one hit, one run,
one base on balls, and was hit by a pitch. If there was a box score for "you were robbed" that would have been his line drive
early in Sunday's game that was snared by the second baseman. That had extra bases written all over it.
New game photos from the Pirates-Orioles game at Baltimore
is on the Ryan's Photos page, just click that topic on the left navigation bar. The newest ones are at the top.
| Breaking new ground |
|
| Post-Gazette photo |
Three game, three categories: Another achievement
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
June 14, 2008 -- The Elias Sports Bureau said Ryan Doumit's
9-hit, 4-home run, 7-RBI spree in three games against Washington marked the first time a catcher reached those levels in those
three categories in a three-game span since Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers had 9 hits, 5 home runs and 11 RBIs
in three games June 29-July 1, 1996.
Doumit's offensive surge further cemented his status as the Pirates'
regular catcher. That means Raul Chavez is the official backup.
| Fifth inning longball |
|
| Third Base coach Beasley congrats No. 41 Wednesday night. Post Gazette photo. |
Can we have an "Amen?"
June 12, 2008 -- Ryan Doumit hit another two-run
homer at the start of the final game of the series against the Nationals at PNC today, bringing his total to nine for the
season, four in the last 48 hours of the afternoon game today.
Words like "torrid" and phrases like "red hot" come before or after
his name on dozens of sports stories this week. On the Pirates web site, the Doumit lift to the Nats' series has John
Russell, a catcher in his own day, seeing what the rest of Pirates management this year is probably thinking and for us Doumit
fans, this is all about the big "We knew this, but go ahead and act like it's new information. We've always been
this excited."
"And as (Skipper John) Russell continues to rave about his young catcher, it's becoming clearer that Doumit
is expected to be an integral part of the Bucs' lineup for years to come.
"This guy has the potential to be an All-Star catcher," Russell said. "If he continues to do what he does,
especially offensively, he's going to be one of the better all-around catchers in the league. It's a good thing for him. It's
a great thing for us."
With the 2-for-3 performance today, Doumit pushed his team-leading
average to .365 for the season. He's hitting at an even better mark (.389) out of the four-hole, where he has recently become
a fixture.
"Guys are showing up and doing what they do," Doumit said. "We're
on a roll and doing great."
I've added a couple of links below to video of today's homer
(enjoy the comment about left handers not being able to hit that pitch) and the full story on the Pirates site. The Bucs
head easterly for a three-game series against Baltimore Friday through Sunday. It's been some 30 years since they played a
game there during the regular season.
I actually live closer to Baltimore than Pittsburgh, and Orioles
fans here tell me there are plenty of displaced Yinzers like myself that live even further east in the Baltimore-DC area and
could show up in Pirates gear. Good - me and my gang won't be alone Saturday night for game 2 in the series. If you go, look
for the loud crowd with the signs, the Trib Total Media thundersticks and the Bucs shirts in section 23 - that would
be us. Come by and give us a shout.
Homerun Number 9
'Doumit powers up' article
| Clean play for the out |
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| Post-Gazette photo from June 10 game vs. the Nats |
Two nights, three homers, 18 bases
June 11, 2008 -- The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Washington
Nationals tonight at PNC in the second game of the three-game series.
For the second consecutive night, Ryan Doumit was behind the plate and batting cleanup. Tuesday
night he went 4-4 with two doubles and two homers. This time, in the win, he went 3-4 with two singles and a homerun from
the right - his eighth of the season.
Ian Snell got the win, Matt Capps got his 16th save.
That longball went 416 feet tonight off Ryan's bat - as Color Analyst Steve Blass says, "Nothing
cheap about that one."
The link to the video clip of No. 8 is below.
From the right
That's right... walk toward the light
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 -- A Ryan Doumit fan spoke up in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pirates Q&A today,
speaking highly of Ryan's play and his character on the team.
It went like this:
Also could you please pass on to Ryan that fans such as myself really appreciate his spirit and
competitiveness, not to mention his offense?
Deanna Yee of Bethel Park
KOVACEVIC: Plain and simple, Deanna, he is growing up. And, if I pushed this laptop in front of
him and had him answer your question, he would type the same thing. Some of you might remember this line from anecdote from back in minicamp. Well, take that approach, mix it with one seriously intense motivational phone call from Neal Huntington
over the winter, than add a large dose of sitting next to Doug Mientkiewicz in the Pirates' clubhouse, and you have what you
see before you.
Mientkiewicz tells me he thinks the Pirates' clubhouse will belong to Doumit someday, not something
he offers lightly.
As for letting Doumit know how you and others feel, Deanna, you can do that yourself. The ballpark
is located conveniently on the North Shore of Pittsburgh, and my understanding is that there are plenty of good seats available
most nights.
Atta girl, Deanna. Walk toward that light shaped like the No. 41. There's pure baseball joy on the other
side, dear.
Tough words, hard hits and painful L
June 10, 2008 -- Doug Mientkiewicz won't be rushed at the plate. The gold glove winning,
Olympic winning, World Series ring-owning first baseman turned star utility man is going to get set to bat. Even if the Big
Unit, Randy Johnson of the Diamondbacks, is in a hurry to pitch.
Doug calls time June 9 in 90-plus degree heat at PNC, Diamondback catcher Montero may have mouthed off a
bit, Johnson has a little comment, Doug has a comment and boom, the dugouts clear, then the bullpen.
While no punches were thrown and no one was ejected for that, it was the defining moment of team pride,
spirit and warriorism that many Pirates fans have waited a while to see.
Doumit was the first out of the dugout to have Doug's back.
From the Post-Gazette:
Listen to catcher Ryan Doumit, minutes after the Pirates' emotional, exceptional 5-3 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks
yesterday afternoon at PNC Park ...
"We let 'em know we weren't going to be pushed around in our own house," Doumit said, loud enough for nearby teammates
to take notice. "Especially by Randy Johnson."
Now, when was the last time anyone associated with the Pittsburgh Baseball Club went public with anything like that?
Better question: When was the last time the franchise showed a competitive streak comparable to the one this edition
has displayed all season?
On this day alone, these Pirates stared down and wore down the legendary Johnson, emptied their bench and bullpen when
Doug Mientkiewicz and Johnson had a verbal spat, pleaded their cases passionately with the umpires, slid and dived as if it
were a playoff game and, most important by far, performed at a level that made all of that energy pay off.
Fast forward to Tuesday night - the series opener against the Washington Nationals. The Nationals, ranking lowest in home
runs for a team, scored six runs - four were solo homers. Ryan went 4-4 with a two-run homer, a solo shot and two doubles.
The reason there's not Indiana Jones music or Superman's theme playing while you read this is, based on his post game interview, Ryan
just shrugs off those hits when the end result is a loss for the team. So out of respect to him and his amazing performance,
we'll just hold the fanfare for the win. (Pirates fans are still clapping for No. 41 though - we'd rather have those hits
in a loss than no hits in a loss).
| Bucs bowling for charity |
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| Ryan Doumit with John Grabow during introductions of the players. |
Check out Bowling with the Bucs!
June 10, 2008 -- Jack and Julie Wilson's Fourth Annual Bowling with the Bucs in Crafton, Pa. was June 9.
Photos, tales and tidbits on that has been added to the site - including photos of Ryan at the event and other favorite
Bucs.
The event benefits Pirates Charities and is hosted by the host with the most, Jack Wilson and his wonderful
wife Julie. As was said on the Pirates pregrame radio show tonight, what a tribute to the kind of person Jack is that his
teammates turned out enforce for that event - much to the delight of all Pirate fans in attendance.
Go ahead - click on the page in the navigation bar at left, check out the photos and read the absolutely
mindboggling experience I had in getting to meet and have a little chat with Ryan himself.
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| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette photo |
Behind the dish, again!
Saturday, June 7, 2008 -- On his first day back from the 15-day Disabled List, Ryan Doumit started behind
the plate Friday night when Ian Snell and the Bucs took on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the series opener at PNC, losing
3-1.
In FSN Pittsburgh interviews, Doumit said his thumb felt fine, but the splint he wears in his glove now
and for the rest of the season will "take some getting used to."
He went 0-4 at the plate, leaving runners in scoring position with two outs twice, and was charged with
one passed ball.
He did bat cleanup, sandwiching his switch-hitting power between Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. Last night's
starting roster marked the first time that group has been able to start together since April 3 when Jack Wilson was hurt.
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Ryan Doumit fans can share their stories and photos of encounters with No. 41 on the new Fan Tales page!
Click on the title "Fan Tales" in the left-hand navigation bar.
From fans, in their own words! |
Doumit reactivated for Diamondback series
Thursday, June 5, 2008 -- The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their intention to reactivate Ryan
Doumit off the 15-day Disabled List (left thumb fracture) Friday (June 6) and have him playing in the home, four-game series
against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In a press conference following the 4-3 win Thursday night over the Astros, Manager John Russell
said that Doumit was eager to get back in it, and that he didn't expect to "ease him in" to playing time in the bigs.
Doumit played three rehab games with Class AA Altoona Curve this week, pinch hitting once Tuesday
night for a single, catching several innings Wednesday night going 1-3 and charged with a passed ball; and catching six innings
Thursday night going 1-3 at the plate.
The odd catcher out for PBC is Ronny Paulino, who is being sent to AAA Indianapolis, where
Russell says he wants Ronny to catch every day, work on some skills behind and at the plate, and follow a program the team
has outlined for him. Raul Chavez, who has started more than five of the Pirates most recent games, will be considered the
back-up catcher.
Doumit still leads the Pirates in batting average with a .350.
Doumit to begin rehab stint in Double-A
By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com ST. LOUIS -- Injured catcher
Ryan Doumit will begin a rehab stint at Double-A Altoona on Tuesday, where he is expected to play in three games before returning
to Pittsburgh on Friday.
If all goes as planned, Doumit, who fractured his left thumb on May 13, will then be taken off the disabled
list in time for Friday's game. That will be less than the expected minimum four-week recovery time that was initially given.
Doumit spent Monday serving as the bullpen catcher during the game. It marked the second straight day in which
Doumit has taken high-velocity throws behind the plate. Like he did on Sunday, Doumit reported no pain after Monday's work.
Doumit has also been taking consistent batting practice from the left-handed side of the plate and will likely
hit primarily -- and maybe even exclusively -- left-handed during the rehab games, manager John Russell said. Because more
pressure is put on Doumit's thumb swinging right-handed, he hasn't progressed past hitting soft toss or off the tee from that
side of the plate.
Put him in coach!
Monday, June 2, 2008 -- Ryan Doumit is expected to catch another full-speed bullpen session today (Monday,
June 2) to gauge if he can get back into the game, behind the dish.
There's some debate about whether he'll play a few rehab games on the farm in Indy or Altoona to get
his bat back. Russell remains conservative, according to reports - Doumit remains confident he doesn't need a farm stint,
according to this MLB.com article published Sunday on the Bucs home site:
ST. LOUIS -- After crouching to catch his first bullpen session Sunday since fracturing his left thumb,
Ryan Doumit pronounced himself ready to come off the disabled list later this week.
"I feel days away," Doumit said. "I felt game ready catching in there."
Doumit caught Zach Duke's side session and reported jamming his thumb just once in what was the latest big
test for his left hand. Encouragingly, though, the slight sting he felt after catching that pitch went away immediately.
For Doumit, Sunday's catching session marked the first time he had received high-velocity pitches since fracturing
the thumb in St. Louis on May 13. The diagnosis initially called for four weeks of no activity, after which Doumit was expected
to begin rehab work. However, a quicker-than-expected recovery has Doumit poised to return well before those initial estimates.
Doumit is scheduled to catch Paul Maholm's bullpen session on Monday, and said that, if all goes well there,
he'd lobby to return to play in the Pirates' upcoming series against Houston.
However, manager John Russell's comments prior to Sunday's game suggested that a little more time may be in
order before Doumit is reinstated from the disabled list. That would include the possibility of playing a few Minor League
rehabilitation games, an option that Bucs general manager Neal Huntington and Russell have been discussing in recent days.
"I think the safest route is sending him out for a couple games anyway to make sure the catching is OK and
get him a few at-bats," Russell said. "It's been talked about. I don't know which direction we'll be going."
Doumit, however, was quite firm in his opinion on the issue.
"I would rather not," he said when asked if he would consider playing in a few Minor League games before returning
to the field for the Pirates. "I would rather just jump into it. I feel like I've taken enough [hitting] reps here that I
am not too far out of it. If I have a say in it, I hope I don't have to do it."
Doumit is wearing a splint on the thumb and plans to continue using it for the remainder of the season.
Doumit has been participating in batting practice -- hitting from the left-side only -- for days now, and
has reported doing so pain-free.
Over the last couple of days, the Pirates backstop has tested his thumb from the right side of the plate,
hitting off soft toss and a tee, which he did again on Sunday. He has yet to hit right-handed during batting practice since
it calls for more pressure to be put on his left thumb.
Though Doumit will likely start taking batting practice right-handed in the next few days, neither he nor
Russell foresaw a situation where Doumit would need to hit exclusively from the left side when he first makes his return.
"If the situation called for it," Doumit said, "I would definitely go up there right-handed."
Batting is fine; catching hurts
May 29, 2008 -- Listening to Bob Walk color the Thursday game against
the Reds at Cincy, we learned that Ryan is batting fine, in terms of being able to handle it with the left thumb fracture,
but catching is an issue. Even with the splint, he's got to take 140-some pitches per game at an average of 90-some miles
an hour. They said he should try to catch some tomorrow (Friday).
He was eligible to come off the 15 day DL Wednesday.
In the meantime, Phile "Dead-to-me" Dumatrait gave the Bucs a quality
start Thursday night, seven innings, one unearned run, two hits. His nickname is the result of breaking Superman's thumb,
and I can cheer K's for "Dead-to-me" as easily as I can try to pronounce his last name correctly, instead of phonetically.
"Nothing imminent" is how the announcer's described word on Doumit
while Chavez keeps picking them off on the base paths. With Jack back (bow your head in a moment of thanksgiving and rejoicing
right there and God Bless Bixy for his help in the meantime) Russell is eager to have Superman in hitting spot No. 4, where
he belongs.
Doumit focus on catching
From the Post-Gazette, May 26, 2008 --When catcher Ryan Doumit is cleared for full baseball
activity, he likely will need two or three games in the minors to test his fractured left thumb, mostly behind the plate.
The thumb is healing better than the team's initial prognosis, and he is taking full batting practice in the
cage. But the Pirates' greater concern is how the thumb will hold up to catching. He will be fitted for a protective splint
and give it a try, likely later in the week.
"That thumb is in his glove, and he's going to have to withstand the thumping of every single pitch," Huntington
said.
Superman heal thyself...
Friday, May 23, 2008 --Reports started coming out Wednesday that Ryan Doumit's thumb may be healing quicker
than anticipated. That had to be confirmed by another exam Thursday night. I figured, given Ryan's dance with fate, it would
either be really good news or they'd tell us they were amputating. Seems to go that way for him. Anyway, it was good news
- the fracture has not done whatever fractures do to get worse, and he's been fitted with a special glove for catching and
taking dry swings already this week.
Perhaps the one true uplifting thing in all this trip to the DL is all those babbling bloggers that last
year loved to use the injury tag are the same ones this year saying "he better get back soon!"
Read on |
