Let's Go Pens, Let's Go Pens, Let's Go Pens

Finally, the madness is over......  Pirates put pierogi back in the race

"The employee has been rehired because he was not terminated in accordance with company [human resources] procedures," Brian Warecki, the team's communications director, said in an e-mail Tuesday night. "While his conduct was in violation of our company policy (and many other companies), it was not subject to termination at this time."

It's good to see that being so bold as to state the blatantly  obvious in public is not subject to termination "at this time".

Mr. Kurtz, 24, who was in his second year as one of the team's mascots, was dismissed Thursday evening, hours after posting a message on his Facebook page that said the contract extensions the Pirates gave to general manager Neal Huntington and manager John Russell would mean another losing season.

He said he apologized to Dan Millar, the team's mascot coordinator, but he was still fired from the $25-a-night job.

Just a question- how many mascots is enough? Could the answer be... "WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY THAT YOU NEED TO EMPLOY AN EFFING MASCOT COORDINATOR ?!!!"

"When they (HR and Senior Management) were made aware of the improper termination on Friday evening, they conducted an investigation into the firing. Upon learning the facts of the case and determining that he should not have been fired, [management] contacted the employee Saturday morning to offer him his job back, and he accepted."

If there's one thing I've learned from my years of life experience, it's everything comes up sunny once HR gets involved.

Mr. Kurtz said the resulting publicity from his dismissal was "overwhelming," and that he didn't tell anyone that he'd been rehired because he wanted to leave that in the hands of the Pirates.

And, naturally, the Succos PR machine lets its mess continue to fester another halfa week. Any press is good press, ya know.

Unfortunately, reinstating  Kurtz means that  perhaps the only job Ross Ohlendorf could perform consistently is gone.

Ohlendorf retired Texas' first 10 batters, pounding his sinker under plenty of swings and misses. But the Rangers have come about their 42-28 record honestly, and they looked far more comfortable second time through the order and chased him with two outs in the fifth.

His line: Four runs, five hits and home runs by Michael Young and Julio Borbon.

His record: 0-6, winless in 15 starts since Aug. 18, 2009.

His ERA: 5.43.

Have no fear, though. Ohlendorf has a handle on it-

"It's frustrating," Ohlendorf said. "I need to pitch a lot better than I have been."

October 7th can't come soon enough.