Isn't life a B%$&* sometimes. That is what Buchholz has to be thinking right now as I post this. If you didn't see the game I won't waste your time telling you evey detail about it in the begining. All you have to know is that with 2 outs in the ninth after only facing 1 over the minimum Buchholz throws a 96mph fastball on the 100th pitch that is routinely grounded to 2nd and an error is made to extend the game.

If you made it this far I will tell you about the best game pitched this year.

                   IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Buchholz (W, 1-1) 8.2 2 0 0   0 5   0 1.80

FB 66 50-16  CB 21 15-6 SL 12 6-6 CH 5 3-2

That is totals then strikes and balls

Taylor really changed it up in this game more than he has done in the rest of the games in ST or this year in the ML. He threw more than just straight FB and CB this game. It seemed he threw a bunch of sinkers or 2 seams(whatever you want to call them) this game. His fastball was at 92-94 almost all the time with some serious movement on some of them. He also threw some cutters or really hard sliders.

The sliders wer form 84-89 and verying movement depending on the speed. He struck out 2 on the slider(2 CB, 1 FB). He didn't walk anyone and got stronger through the game.

If you saw the game and enjoy pitching it might be one of your favorite games this year. After the 2nd IP it was like the Pirates had no chance. I know that he has been talking to RoyO and has been saying that you don't have to K everyone and that that is really not possible. If you watch RoyO you know that he works at a much lower mph on most pitches then brings it 96-98 when he needs to. The same can be said for Buchholz in his starts. Last game he threw to C-Lee at 96,96,98 and today he threw at Bay 94,95,95. And the last pitch that should have ended the game was at 96.

I know I am a broken record and I am not saying he will win even 15 games this year, but if you have a chance to watch this kid pitch on any given night you might be able to see something really special. So I suggest you do so. He has really never thrown this hard or accurately before in his life and he is suprising everyone along the way, even myself, the only guy that has had his back in the last year.