The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing some terrible baseball right now. They've won just three games in September, just 12 games since Aug. 1, and are 20-50 since July 1. After emptying their roster in late July, their lineup has been composed mostly of players that only have an opportunity to play regularly in the majors because the Pirates exist. These players, with the possible exceptions of Garrett Jones and Lastings Milledge, obviously haven't made much of the opportunity afforded to them by the Pirates' firesale. Monday, word got out that they don't seem to be too worked up about it either. When GM Neal Huntington went around the clubhouse looking for winter ball commitments, he got an apathetic response from most players. In fact, John Perrotto is reporting that not one American player on the Pirates has agreed to go to Latin America for the winter.
Huntington was disappointed by the reaction and it's easy to see why. Among the young Americans struggling on the Pirates at the moment are Delwyn Young, who's trying to re-learn how to play second base and who has just five hits in his last 60 at-bats, an .083/.167/.117 streak that's dropped his OPS over a hundred points, and Andy LaRoche, who's needed a recent hot streak to get his OPS up to .700 on the season.
Of course, winter ball really isn't for everyone, but it seems awfully telling on a team like the Pirates that so few players are interested. The Bucs really are playing a lifeless brand of baseball right now (they were just shut out for the 15th time on Sunday) and I guess it's not surprising to hear that none of them are interested in extending their season at this point.
On the flip side of things, it's also probably just a blip on the radar since most of the guys on the team right now don't have long-term futures with the Pirates. If you're a Pirate fan that's getting worked up over these reports, I'd recommend you close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and repeat to yourself, "Pedro Alvarez is almost here, Pedro Alvarez is almost here, Pedro Alvarez is almost here." I mean, maybe a team can be awful for 17 years, but they can't be awful forever. Right?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-21-2009 @ 7:40PM
steveblust said...
Why can't they be awful forever? Can you say Chicago Cubs? Hey, anyone can have a bad century.
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9-21-2009 @ 8:04PM
afanadornyc said...
I think that the Pirates are a joke, as well as the owners. Who's gonna wanna go to winter ball for that club the way that management just gets rid of their talented players and show no dedication to wining in that city. MLB should take that team away and give that team to a city that is yearning for a team and that's willing to put the effort to try to put a wining team out on the field. I lived in Pittsburgh for five years and the people out there have no respect for that team, and they just got that team a new stadium. That makes no sense. If I was a player for that team, I myself would not try to put an effort because the owners don't even show any type of loyalty. Fans, Stop going to those games until the ownership show a bit of an effort for your city!!! Am a New Yorker so I have no complaints, Go Yankees!!!
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9-21-2009 @ 10:49PM
leecan135 said...
Why take the team away from the city when it's the owners who have messed up the franchise? Your plan makes no sense at all. Fire the owners and reward the city and its faithful fans for the support they have given that woeful team for seventeen straight losing seasons.
11-09-2009 @ 7:06AM
Roll and Fab said...
The players should play some Winter baseball somewhere someplace to continue practicing and try to im[rove themselves. I think Winter baseball will do a world of good for the team. In reality, just how many team members actually continue practicing at home through the winter once the season is over? They be fools if they don't continue practice. As the old expression goes ... "Practice makes perfect!"
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