It seems that every year the Pirates enter the season with very low expectations for the upcoming season. Usually the number of wins projected for that team is in the area of 60-65. They then spend the first third or so of that season playing baseball that is above the expectations for that team, usually finding themselves near the .500 mark or slightly above that. Local media and fans begin to get excited about a team that has over produced. They will make a couple of meaningless trades where they trade away a player or two that have produced well to that point of the season.
Then in the middle third of the season, they usually find themselves playing losing baseball that eventually drops them to 15-20 games below the .500 mark by the All-Star break. It is at that point when the Pirates management begins to show their true colors. They usually make a couple of moves that in their words will strengthen the team. In reality most of the time, these are usually just money saving maneuvers for the organization. Fans and local media begin to question the rationale behind some of these moves.They continue to trade away players who have done well to that point and get back a couple of relief pitchers in return.
During the final third of the season, reality sinks in for the organization as the MLB trading deadline approaches. The Pirates usually go out and trade away a couple of the better veteran players on the team. In return they usually get some additional relief pitching and young players whom most of us have never heard of. They will say that it is to help improve the team for future years, but in reality, it is again a money savings move by the Pirates. By the time the season ends, the Pirates find themselves right where most baseball experts predicted they would be at the start of the season, 35-40 games below the .500 mark.
The local fans are left disappointed and the local media will again try to prop up the hopes of those disappointed fans for next year.
It is because of this vicious cycle that the Pirates put their fans each year, that I do not support the team by going to games. Just once, I'd like to see the team go out and do something different. Maybe get a couple of MLB players who are not over the hill or even, my God, dare I say it...are actually MLB stars in the prime of their careers.
Could you imagine the fan interest and attendance numbers that would be coming out of PNC Park if they had a player like Trea Turner, Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge or Juan Soto on the team??? Heck, I'd even settle for a player like Kyle Schwarber or Joc Pederson.
As they say at Walt Disney World, "Dreams Can Come True".
We can only hope.
Then in the middle third of the season, they usually find themselves playing losing baseball that eventually drops them to 15-20 games below the .500 mark by the All-Star break. It is at that point when the Pirates management begins to show their true colors. They usually make a couple of moves that in their words will strengthen the team. In reality most of the time, these are usually just money saving maneuvers for the organization. Fans and local media begin to question the rationale behind some of these moves.They continue to trade away players who have done well to that point and get back a couple of relief pitchers in return.
During the final third of the season, reality sinks in for the organization as the MLB trading deadline approaches. The Pirates usually go out and trade away a couple of the better veteran players on the team. In return they usually get some additional relief pitching and young players whom most of us have never heard of. They will say that it is to help improve the team for future years, but in reality, it is again a money savings move by the Pirates. By the time the season ends, the Pirates find themselves right where most baseball experts predicted they would be at the start of the season, 35-40 games below the .500 mark.
The local fans are left disappointed and the local media will again try to prop up the hopes of those disappointed fans for next year.
It is because of this vicious cycle that the Pirates put their fans each year, that I do not support the team by going to games. Just once, I'd like to see the team go out and do something different. Maybe get a couple of MLB players who are not over the hill or even, my God, dare I say it...are actually MLB stars in the prime of their careers.
Could you imagine the fan interest and attendance numbers that would be coming out of PNC Park if they had a player like Trea Turner, Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge or Juan Soto on the team??? Heck, I'd even settle for a player like Kyle Schwarber or Joc Pederson.
As they say at Walt Disney World, "Dreams Can Come True".
We can only hope.
