Statistics are an important part of baseball, and so players are constantly being evaluated, judged, measured and scrutinized. In July, all the numbers are brought front and center by two events: the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and the trade deadline. Cory and Alan consider the Pirates’ roster in that context.

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ ship began to sink shortly after the last recording of Pirate Revolution, a Titletahn podcast. Hosts Cory Humes and Alan Smodic return to their microphones today, and in doing so, hope to bail out a team that’s struggled through their early schedule in 2010.

Mike Lowell broke out at 26, and — risking being a jinx — Andy LaRoche is breaking out, too. Just 19 games into the 2010 season, I’m ready to commit to Andy at third for the long term. Move Pedro Alvarez to first base.

It’s the top of the 12th inning. You’re deadlocked at five runs. Your opponent, the Milwaukee Brewers, brings in a left-handed pitcher, starter-turned-reliever Manny Parra. You have the heart of the order due up. What’s the call?

All numbers that point to this being the darkest day in recent Pirates history. A record-breaking shutout loss, eclipsing a standard that stood for a century. A three-game series of absolutely one-sided baseball. A Pythagorean expectation so pessimistic that it’s quite literally unbelievable.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are slated to pick 18th overall in the NFL draft, and only the top minds in their war room know which names are on the team’s wish list. The rest of us are left to speculate … and that’s exactly what Cory and Alan are here to do.

Either I’m easily impressed, or you can still see a glimmer of what made Ronny Cedeno a former prospect. I’m not expecting him to become a star, but I do think Ronny can be a usable piece of the Pirates for more than a season or two. Jack Wilson, on the other hand, seems to be trending the other way.

For the third time in the past four seasons, the Pittsburgh Penguins will square off against the Ottawa Senators in the playoffs. Host Cory Humes is joined by Matt Rudzki, who shares his insights on the first-round series.

When the Washington Nationals announced that Stephen Strasburg would make his professional debut for the Harrisburg Senators on Sunday, April 11, 2010 in Altoona, PA, I bought tickets immediately.