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"Every year http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-konerko-jersey , the MLB scheduling gods bring the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers together for a manufactured interleague rivalry series that doesn’t have any really history as a rival pairing. Regardless, we can always count on some quality baseball to be played when these two clubs clash, and when the Tigers visit Pittsburgh, we can also count on those magnificent PNC Park views.This week the Pirates will visit Comerica, the first time the teams are meeting since the Tigers took half of the Pirates infield over the offseason. Jordy Mercer won’t be playing, but Josh Harrison should be ready to face his old team.We decided to chat with someone who was familiar with this dynamic duo about what we could expect from Mercer and Harrison this season, and how the Pirates feel about their chances in 2019. Alex Stumpf from the SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout was a natural choice, and was kind enough to take the time to talk to us about this upcoming rivalry showdown.BYB: Not related to the Tigers, but Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows have done really well since moving to Tampa Bay, how has the Chris Archer trade felt in retrospect?AS:A lot of people have “Glasnow” and “Meadows” muted on their Twitter feeds because they’re tired of hearing about them. Honestly, outside of his first couple starts with the Bucs where he was adjusting, Archer has been better than advertised and is becoming a fan favorite, easing the blow. It just sucks that it cost three guys to trade for him. I think most of the frustration is with the player development and coaching since they gave up on Glasnow so quickly.Lots of people seem to think either the Brewers or Cardinals will run away with the NL Central this season. Do you think the Pirates have a team that could potentially best them in the division?I think they can compete for the division or a wild card spot, especially if the starting pitching continues to dominate. The bullpen has suffered some injuries and has lost three or four winnable games so far, which is a tough to swallow this early. The hard part of their April schedule is in the books, and if they can get Gregory Polanco/Corey Dickerson back and some more consistent work out of the ‘pen, then they’ll be pesky and stick around all year.You have some experience watching Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison play together. What can Tigers fans look forward to? What (like Mercer’s injury...) should we be worried about with this pair?Jordy was pretty healthy in his time in Pittsburgh- with the once notable exception being when he was the victim of a takeout slide in 2015. Unfortunately James Shields Jersey , that really impacted his range in the field, so while he usually makes the plays he can get to, a lot of ground balls got by. Harrison’s range is better, but he’s more prone to making errors. I would still say he’s the better defender out of the two. As far as their bats go, Jordy is going to be a below average, but not terrible hitter. Harrison broke the same metacarpal in his right hand in back to back years, sucking him of his power, but if the BABIP gods are smiling on him, he can still produce.Is there a particular Pirates player you would consider to be “under the radar” and one folks should watch out for?Nick Burdi has quietly been one of the best relief pitchers in baseball so far, striking out 50% of his batters faced with a -0.30 FIP. (You’re welcome for stealing him from the Twins.) If I can make it two under the radar guys, I’d say Joe Musgrove. He’s at the start to what will be his breakout campaign. Which Tigers player would you say is the biggest concern for you going into this series?I’m really excited to watch Boyd pitch Tuesday. I also expect him to strike out a dozen in 7 innings.A few years ago, Clint Hurdle was being hailed as an old school manager who embraced analytics, as recounted in Travis Sawchik’s Big Data Baseball. Any advice for Ron Gardenhire?Hurdle really only started to embrace shifts/analytics thinking when he was backed into a corner and it looked like his job and career were on the line. Don’t get me wrong, he’s been very receptive of new ideas and has become one of the most progressive minded managers in the game, but desperate times called for desperate measures. That first step is the toughest one to take, and with the Tigers clearly in rebuild mode, I don’t know if Gardenhire is going to change unless the job demands it. If I was to give him advice http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-konerko-jersey , I’d say “keep an open mind.”Do you also wish MLB would stop trying to convince people that the Pirates and Tigers are somehow “rivals”?I think I’m the only person who looks forward to these series every year. Obviously the Pirates’ AL rival should either be Cleveland for proximity or Baltimore to relive those 70s World Series, but I think these two teams match up well and have played some fun games over the years.Thanks to Alex for taking the time to chat with us about this beloved annual interleague tradition. You can find more of his work over at Bucs Dugout or on Twitter @AlexJStumpf. CHICAGO (AP) — At one point during Anthony Rizzo’s tough start, the big first baseman visited Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon in his office.Rizzo and Maddon talked hitting, and Maddon wrote down what he thought Rizzo’s numbers would look like by the end of the season. Fast forward to the last days of August, and Rizzo’s statistics are beginning to approach his usual numbers — where Maddon thought they would go eventually.Only Rizzo might have to just trust his manager on that one.“I wrote the numbers down a couple months ago. I just have to remember where I put them,” a grinning Maddon said.At the end of perhaps his most challenging season in Chicago, the 64-year-old Maddon remains as comfortable with himself as the day he took over four years ago, when he boldly talked about the playoffs at a bar in the shadow in the Wrigley Field.Maddon’s personality — his steady hand, and perhaps more importantly, his subtle changes over the years — is a major reason why the Cubs just keep winning through the kind of adversity that knocks some contenders out of the playoff race.Playing without 2016 NL MVP Kris Bryant, closer Brandon Morrow and shortstop Addison Russell due to injuries, Chicago had won six in a row heading into Tuesday night’s game against the New York Mets, running the NL’s best record to 77-53. Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood, who were expected to help solidify the rotation after signing big free-agent deals, struggled all summer, but nothing has derailed the Cubs so far.Credit Javier Baez for turning into one of baseball’s biggest stars. Credit rookies David Bote and Randy Rosario for their unexpected contributions, and Steve Cishek and Pedro Strop for their consistent performances all year out of the bullpen.And credit Maddon Yolmer Sanchez Jersey , who is working with a largely new coaching staff compared to last year, and still has the Cubs on track for their third straight division title and fourth consecutive playoff appearance.“Every year, it’s kind of just let us be ourselves,” outfielder Kyle Schwarber said. “I think that he has full trust in us and I think that says a lot. We back him up, too. I think that’s kind of how, it’s a give and take. He gives us the rein and we always have his back at the end of the day.”Chicago’s latest win streak coincides with Maddon’s annual “American Legion Week,” where he has his players come in later than usual — harkening back to when they were kids and hit the field when they arrived for the game. The Cubs still have themed road trips — dress like the flamboyant Strop was a big hit this year — but Maddon has largely stayed away from anything like his more famous stunts.No petting zoos. No magicians. No Mariachi bands. The Cubs are no longer the wide-eyed group of kids Maddon had in 2015. They have grown up, and their manager has tweaked his style to fit his playoff-tested group that ended the team’s infamous World Series championship drought.“If you pick your spots more separately or not so close together, I think they have a greater impact, so I just think, I’m ashamed to say I might be maturing a bit,” Maddon deadpanned. “That would be awful. But if that’s true, I would really be disappointed in myself.”While that whole maturity thing is still in question, Maddon has made a couple decisions this year that helped keep the Cubs on top of the NL.The three-time manager of the year has smartly picked his spots for Ben Zobrist, and the 37-year-old utilityman has responded with a more typical performance after struggling last season. Rizzo’s resurgence was jump-started by a productive stint in the leadoff slot. He has let Baez be Baez, shrugging off the occasional baserunning blunder while the infielder repeatedly turns in electric plays in the field and at the plate.The bullpen, a disaster in the playoffs last year Adam Engel Jersey , has been one of NL’s best, helping the Cubs to a major league-best 41 come-from-behind wins.“I think Joe does a good job of not hammering the little things, even when we’re not playing well,” left-hander Jon Lester said after Monday night’s 7-4 victory over the Mets. “I think a lot of teams and organizations, when they don’t play well, they run to the early (batting practices) … and maybe you’ll see a (pitchers’ fielding practice) thrown in there, whatever, but Joe goes the other way.”Maddon’s deft touch will be tested when Bryant and Russell come off the DL, creating a logjam in the infield after the Cubs acquired second baseman Daniel Murphy last week in a trade with Washington. Of course, Maddon knows it’s a problem many other teams would welcome.And if anyone wants to talk it over, his door is always open.“It’s been a really interesting year,” Maddon said. “A lot of great conversations. When they have issues, they come and talk to me about them. It’s been really good.”