I’m not exactly sure where to begin. It’s not like much of what I am going to write has not been said over and over and over and…you get the point. In the early 90’s, I had the fortunate advantage to attend Pirate playoff games with my good friend Sam. We got to watch Drabek and Smiley pitch, Spanky catch, Barry and Bobby occupy the middle of the batting order. Van Slyke patrol centerfield and of course Jim Leyland manage like a boss. Striving for the pennant that escaped them when former Pirate Sid Bream rumbled, bumbled and stumbled his way home to beat perennial All Star outfielder Barry Bonds' throw home. I found myself burying my grief with my Uncle Jim Beam. Wait, let’s rewind a bit, let’s go back to 1979! Pre free agency and pre million dollar contracts. I’ll never forget sitting with my parents and watching the “Family” led by Captain Wil Stargell beat the Baltimore Orioles. The cast of that team was amazing and the pride that the city of Pittsburgh had was immeasurable. Those Pirates used to visit my little steel mill town every year. They would hold a parade and end up in the middle of our 16,000 residents thriving downtown where they would sign autographs and mingle with the fans. The Pittsburgh Pirates were a proud bunch with a rich history. Fast forward to modern day baseball in the Steel City ( as it is still known even though it’s been decades since that was the backbone of the work force) it has been a disastrous run for the last 30 odd years and continuing to spiral downward with today’s baseball economics. Bob Nutting, the paper tycoon from West Virginia purchases the team in 2007 with one soul purpose. Pads his pockets with the proud fan bases money while providing those same diehards one of the worst products in baseball year in and year out. Sure, sure there was that blip on the radar when they made the wildcard game back in the mid 2010’s but that was a farce. Nutting said keep bringing money in and we will spend more to have a better team. No such luck! He let guys walk that got a pittance from other teams, relatively speaking, because he cares more about being in the black at the end of the year. He has changed General Managers, spent money to develop a great facility in the Dominican Republic and basically signed every guy over 35 who used to have a big name to a one year deal with the hopes he can have him traded to enrich his farm system. The Pirates drafted a generational talent a few years ago in Paul Skenes, had another one in Gerritt Cole but not at the level Skenes is at yet he has surrounded him with has beens and hopefuls. The largest free agent contract, 10 million dollars, was given out to Ivan Nova almost 8 years ago. The Pirates are never in a buy now mode. It would crush the profits. They will inevitably move on from Skenes and maintain their dismal existence. He’ll, look at this years free agents they picked up for a mere 10 million bucks: Tommy Pham, Adam Frazier, Tim Maya, Caleb Ferguson and resigned Andrew McCutcheon. They traded players away for Spencer Horwitz who has little to no power as a first baseman but “makes good contact”.
Factor in bringing back two time 100 loss season manager Derek Shelton for another preposterous run at nothingness and there you have it folks. As the Pirates gear up for their last place finish on 2025, we can only hope that Nutting sees the light and sells the team before the city of Pittsburgh stops attending games. Afterall, it’s the only summer activity in Pittsburgh that has been around for ages. Being on the 2025 Buccos!!!
