Screw the general baseball thread, this deserves its own for history...Pirates!

Also a Cardinals fan, but I can't help but root for the Pirates, too.

And getting way, way ahead of myself, the Pirates last six games of the year are 3 game sets against Cincinnati and Milwaukee. If they can stay in it until the end, it would be a fascinating last week of the season.

 

I am just LOVING this shit. Saw Buccos beat some Boston organization at PNC in June.

Stanley Cup, Pirates in first place, dare I say ... Ladies and gentlemen, your NBA champion Washington Wizards!

 

Very important stretch of games coming up for Pittsburgh, including Cincinnati and St. Louis. They need their pitching to keep doing what it's been doing, which seems like a longshot. Some of Morton and Correia's recent starts haven't been so good.

As a life-long Pirates fan, what's been happening has certainly rekindled my interest. But I'll feel better about it when management gives some indication that it has decided to pay what it costs to compete. McCutchen's contract is still dirt, but that changes after this season. They'll save $5 million when they get out from under Overbay's contract. You have to figure that savings goes straight into McCutchen's bank account.

They'll owe Maholm a $9.75 million club option for 2012 if they keep him. What happens if they don't keep him and the rest of the pitchers come back down to earth? Yes, it's been different management groups over the past 20 years, but history tells you this franchise doesn't pay that much for one guy. That's nearly a quarter of their current payroll.

If they don't want to get labeled as "same old Pirates" they need to keep the guys who are producing and be willing to pay for guys who can come in from elsewhere and contribute. To me, the Overbay signing was business as usual -- overpaying a veteran and hoping for a career year. When their free agent signings become viable players rather than spare parts, I'll believe a little more.

 

I'll admit it. I have watched more games this year than I have in a decade.
And it's great they are first place this late in the season, but I ain't drinking the Kool-Aid yet.
One winning season in 18 years is a more of a fluke than anything else. Though I think there was one major baseball writer whp pegged the Pirates to win the division this year.
I'm watching, which is a step, but I'm not getting all fired up just yet. Let's see if the team makes any moves to improve downt he stretch, stand pat or strip the team to build for the future.

 

8-2 against the Astros. Under .500 against the rest of baseball.

 

Don't talk about the Fight Club...

 

Stargell, Lloyd Waner and Clemente are all toasting with heaven's best....

 

Fans in Pittsburgh are responding. Attendance us up an average of 3,522 fans per game over the first 45 home dates.

 

YES! (btw I was at that combined Cordova-Rincon no-hitter at 3RS).

Went to PNC not too long ago and the energy there was incredible. I felt like I was at a Pens game.

Andrew McCutchen is by far the most consistent player the Bucs have had in years, and has the makings of being a superstar. Plus, the Pirates aren't just giving in when they're in a 2-0, 3-0 situation. There's some life there now.

I am proverbially holding my breath, but the skeptic in me wants to see if the team can sustain this through the second half.

 

Ohhh-kay. This was cute and all until they passed the Brewers.

Now? Fuck 'em!

In all seriousness, my 9-year-old daughter is (inexplicably) a Pirates fan, so its really cool to see her excited about the race.

The one thing missing for her are victories over her dad's Brewers, who have absolutely owned Pittsburgh for the last several years. I hope that doesn't change!

 

That's only because training camp hasn't started yet.

 

Sad, but true.