Pirates’ fans cast wary eye on 2016 season
Fans at PNC Park cheer in the background as the Pittsburgh Pirates' Starling Marte (6) is greeted by his teammates after hitting a bottom-of-the-ninth, game-winning home run against the Giants on Aug. 22 last year. The Pirates have made the playoffs three consecutive seasons but their fans' faith聽could be tested in 2016 as the team dealt fan-favorite Neil Walker among other聽offseason decisions that have drawn the ire of followers.
Associated Press
Fans at PNC Park cheer in the background as Josh Harrison scores on a single by Neil Walker that led to a 1-0 win over the Indians on July 4 last season. The Pirates have made the playoffs three consecutive seasons but their fans' faith聽could be tested in 2016 as the team dealt fan-favorite Walker among other聽offseason decisions that have drawn the ire of followers.
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is regularly celebrated for a desire to 无毛视频渞e-bond the city with its ball club,无毛视频� a mantra oft-cited during the team无毛视频檚 steady rise back to contention.
Following three consecutive winning seasons, it无毛视频檚 tempting to proclaim the mission as accomplished.
Even still, the previous 20 years of futility remain in the rear-view mirror. They hover as a grisly reminder that as gradual as the team无毛视频檚 recent success has been, a sport without a salary cap combined with changing landscapes could derail that progress at a considerably faster rate.
On the heels of questionable roster moves giving way to a growing vocal minority of fan unrest, can that re-bonding survive anything less than a repeat of last year无毛视频檚 98-win season?
If you attended the recent PiratesFest fan convention, you might not be so sure. The annual gathering is often viewed as pure fan service 无毛视频� an opportunity for fans and their families to inch closer to their idols.
On this day, three days after the team traded Pittsburgh native Neil Walker to the New York Mets, a peculiar tension filled the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Random patches of Mets blue perforated the usual sea of black and gold. It did not take much eavesdropping to overhear fans with serious misgivings in regards to team owner Bob Nutting无毛视频檚 intentions.
Early that morning, starting pitching stalwart Charlie Morton was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league fodder. Often a lightning rod for criticism, the longest tenured Pirates starting pitcher on the current club quickly became a fulcrum for the building criticism of the team无毛视频檚 management. In that way, he was instantly transformed from a frequent scapegoat into somewhat of a martyr.
As fans awaited a chance to find the answers they craved through player and management Q&As, a scheduled session with the official Pirates chef took place. After demonstrating one of his charges无毛视频� favorite quick snacks (a banana and peanut butter burrito), the chef fielded several softball questions until the tension went from a simmer to a boil.
无毛视频淵es I have a question,无毛视频� a frail voice echoed from in the back of the audience, where a microphone was set up.
无毛视频淚 want to know what Neil Walker liked to eat before he was traded to the New York Mets!无毛视频�
The anger in her voice rose, and she added an addendum in case her point was not clear.
无毛视频淒id everyone hear THAT?无毛视频�
Credit PNC Park in-game host Joe Klimchak for successfully diverting the question, but there was more in store, and this time the players felt fans无毛视频� ire.
The player无毛视频檚 Q&A session was well attended, with stars such as Andrew McCutchen, Josh Harrison and Starling Marte in attendance. Greg Brown moderated questions from the audience, but it wasn无毛视频檛 long before reliever Tony Watson fielded the first curveball.
无毛视频淢y question is for Tony,无毛视频� a shaky voice cracked, 无毛视频淎re you ready to replace Mark Melancon as closer when he is traded before next year?无毛视频�
A nervous laughter overtook the room. A few smatterings of applause served as a weak ice-breaker as Watson searched for the right words.
It would be the second tough spot for Watson that day, as he later explained that he was at breakfast with Morton when the latter received the news that he无毛视频檇 been dealt.
General Manager Neal Huntington, President Frank Coonelly and Hurdle did not fare better during their Q&A session. A fan clambered to the podium to ask Huntington 无毛视频淐an you explain the thinking behind bringing Jon Niese in for Walker?无毛视频�
You无毛视频檒l have to use your imagination, but the tone of that question and inflection suggested more venom that the words on the page can convey.
The emotions of that day can easily be chalked up to the still-raw reaction to Walker无毛视频檚 departure. The two months that followed that day were filled with questionable moves from a team that seems to be losing lock-step with its National League competition.
With the team just beginning full workouts at spring training, can fans hold onto the trust built up by an organization with 280 wins over the past three years?
A quick sampling of vocal, supportive fans on various internet fan forums shows the trust runs surprisingly deep.
Tony, 31, is a father of two living in the Philadelphia suburbs. A Pittsburgh native, he makes it back for 3-4 games per year. One of those is an annual tradition in which he and his wife Jamie celebrate their anniversary at the ballpark.
Clearly, the Pirates are a part of their lives. Does he have faith that the team has done enough to remain in the playoff picture? To even be competitive?
无毛视频淵es. Absolutely. It无毛视频檚 all about sabermetrics and trust,无毛视频� he told me. 无毛视频淭o take a second to look back and see that this team won 98 games with such a horrendous defense is astounding.无毛视频�
His comment is telling. The team let enigmatic first baseman and defensive liability Pedro Alvarez walk to free agency. Even with his 23 errors and frequent strikeouts, Alvarez无毛视频檚 departure left a fanbase fractured. Fans wondering how the team could replace his 27 home runs were lined up to debate against those thankful to see him go.
Even with the trust that the organization has built up with Tony, he is still realistic, as seen when I asked him if missing the playoffs would be seen as a failure.
无毛视频淔ailure? Sure. Massive failure? Not so much. I see this as a bridge year. Not something anyone likes, but is needed.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 not just fans that are preaching patience.
Dan Zangrilli is a host for radio broadcasts on the Pirates radio network. As part of his duties, he takes calls from fans after each game. He anticipates a new level of patience among fans.
无毛视频淚 think a strong, vocal, minority can sometimes grab more of the market share of the fan base than what actually exists and they control the narrative,无毛视频� Zangrilli told me recently. 无毛视频淚 think a majority of the educated fans out there (and there are a lot) believe the team makes prudent decisions and tries to field the best 25 it can. I don无毛视频檛 think 2016 will be any different form 2015 or 2014 for that matter.无毛视频�
Zangrilli continued.
无毛视频淔or the most part, yes, the city has been re-bonded in my opinion. Their record-setting attendance numbers the last two seasons have lent to this being more fact than mere perception.无毛视频�
Scott is a 41-year-old diehard Pirates fan. A season ticket holder, he finds his way to at least 70 games a year. It took some convincing 无毛视频� Scott did not pony up for the seats until after the team无毛视频檚 triumphant wild-card win against the Reds 无毛视频� but he now values the game as a vehicle to bond with his son.
无毛视频淲hat got me back was the shimmer in his eyes, tucked under the shade of his ballcap and just over his tanned little cheeks as he punches the glove in his hand hoping the next ball comes to him,无毛视频� Scott said.
Scott无毛视频檚 fandom wasn无毛视频檛 always this bright. When I asked him if he thought he would ever see seasons such as the last three during the team无毛视频檚 infamous 20-year losing streak, he was very candid in his thoughts.
无毛视频淭here were times that I didn无毛视频檛, but I always figured there would be a salary cap or something eventually. I was shocked that they were able to climb out of that hole without the aid of forced financial equivalency across the league.无毛视频�
From his seat, Zangrilli believes that the specter of the 20-year losing streak still looms large over the fan base.
无毛视频淚t plays. It无毛视频檚 still there,无毛视频� Zangrilli said.
无毛视频淟ess and less, however, as the years go on and the Pirates continue to win. Twenty straight years of losing will alienate a lot of fans. For some it will take more tangible results than others to make them believers. However, I无毛视频檇 like to think the majority of the fans are tuned into the reality of the Pirates无毛视频� situation playing in this league and have a strong appreciation for the successes they无毛视频檝e enjoyed despite the odds being so heavily stacked against them.无毛视频�
In a way, the Pirates may have found the exact right moment to explore the possibility of a 无毛视频渂ridge year.无毛视频� With fan support at a near all-time high, the team is in much better shape to weather its yearly war of attrition in seeing talented players go.
Mission accomplished indeed.