Bucs Swept, Italy Advances, US is Ghan

The Series of the Century
The worst the AL had to offer met with the worst the NL had to offer in a thrilling three-game sequence at Kaufman Stadium which coincedentally enough had less people in it, than Kaufmans in Ross Park Mall at the time of game three.

The Pirates proved beyond a reason of a doubt that they are the worst team in Major League Baseball today after being handed an ever so embarassing three game sweep by the Royals. This is unquestionably the low water mark of the season. The Titanic looks high from this vantage point.

Joe Randa filled in at Designated Hitter for the third time in this series which begs the question, if a journeyman bum hitting .227 is batting in that position is it still considered a designated hitter. I would prefer designated swinger.

In this interleague matchup between the two worst teams in the majors, the Royals seemed to establish themselves as the best of the worst.
-AP

The Series of the Century
Tuesday
Game 1
Pirates 6
Kansas City 10

Wednesday
Game 2
Pirates 4
Kansas City 6

Thursday
Game 3
(Its a Day Game!!)
Pirates 7
Kansas City 15

Wednesdays debacle featured 22 runs, 9 of which were uneared. Re read that and try not to laugh.

Kansas City Scoring by innings
Now remember these arent the 1920 Yankees here.
1st 2
2nd 1
3rd 0
4th 2
5th 2
6th 2
7th 4
8th 2
9th Mercy rule had already been enacted

Kansas City, Mo.- These are, after all, the two losingest teams in the majors, so it was fitting that they would close out their series with a sloppy game.

Lets see if this ridiculously bad baseball performace had any rendering on the Pirates.com poll askin if the battlin buccos can reach .500
Yes 56%
No 44%

I assume the Pirates are fixing that voting as well.

Don't Let Bay Play
Bay has fallen to .294 after a terrible 0-for-10 slump including game ending double plays and strikeouts. Get this guy off the all-star team NOW.

Power Rankings
Sportsline.com No. 29

Race for the Worst
29) Pirates .351
30) Royals .310

Things are getting interesting as the race heats up.

18 Games Back
22 Games under .500
5-21 in day games
8-28 on the road
8 straight losses

Pirates 26-48
On pace to be 57-105
Odds of losing 100 games 61%

Kansas City beat Pittsburgh 15-7 on Thursday in a game that included four errors, 13 walks, nine unearned runs, two wild pitches, three hit batsman and a zany double play.

Humberto Quota Of the Day
"A lot of mistakes," said Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy. "It was just a medley of things."

Atleast the battlin bucs aint losin by one run anymore.

Odds to win the NL Central
Pirates 400/1

Odds to win the World Series
Pirates 800/1

Odds to win the NL Pennant
Pirates 475/1

World Cup 2006
6.22.06
PM Rankings
Brazil and Italy won their groups, second round matchups are set between the Aussies and Italians as well as Ghana and Brazil. Ronaldo finally emerged, the Czechs and Americans faded out along with the Croatians and Japanese. Lets take a look at them standings

1) Brazil 3.07
2) Argentina 3.32

3) England 7.13
4) Germany 7.55
5) Italy 8.20
6) Spain 9.03
7) Netherlands 13.36

8) France 21.78
9) Portugal 26.02

10) Sweden 54.46
11) Ghana 71.77
12) Ukraine 73.75
13) Ausralia 83.62

The rest
14) Switzerland
15) Mexico
16) Ecuador
17) Korea
18) Saudi Arabia
19) Tunisia

World Cup Leader Board
Goals
1) Germany 8
1) Argentina 8
3) Brazil 7
3) Spain 7
5) 6 tied with 5

Goals Allowed
1) Switzerland 0
2) Netherlands 1
2) Italy 1
2) Brazil 1
2) Portugal 1
2) Argentina 1
2) France 1
2) Spain 1

31) Costa Rica 9
32) Serbia 10

Italian Goals
Pirlo
Ianquinta
Gilardino
Materazzi
Inzaghi

Totti leads the team with 6 shots on goal. The next is Toni with 4 and Del Piero with 2. None of which have a goal.

Lippi
I replaced Alessandro Nesta because he was holding his groin and signalled to us that he wanted to come off. I would tell you that it was so I could bring on Marco Materazzi to score but that would be a lie (smiles).

Man of the Match
Marco Materazzi
"I've often come in for criticism and not always fairly, so I think today was a bit of divine justice. I came on for Alessandro Nesta, who for me is the best defender in the world, and I scored right away.

Pavel Nedved
I want to rest now, but I will now be supporting Italy for the rest of the tournament.

Gennaro Gattuso
It was a difficult game. Both teams knew that a loss meant going home. We want to do well for the Italian people as the World Cup comes every four years. For the next game I would like to play Croatia.

Filippo Inzaghi
I phoned by family after the match and my father was crying with happiness.

-n