Haven’t jump ship just yet
A well-known syndicated columnist doubted my sanity a couple weeks back because I still choose to be a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Now, not to my face mind you. It was more of a generic attack for those who still care to pay attention to the Pirates无毛视频� fortunes.
The 无毛视频渟econd half无毛视频� of the season begins for the Pirates tonight when they begin a three-game series in Cincinnati. The Pirates threatened to wrestle the bottom spot of the NL Central from the Reds, but a recent 8-2 surge kept them fourth and just one game under .500.
I无毛视频檝e been a Pirates fan since I was born into a family of Pirates fans. I was five months old and on my mother无毛视频檚 lap when Bill Mazeroski belted the first walk-off home run in World Series history.
The 1960 World Championship was the first for the Pirates in 35 years and their first appearance in the series since losing the to Yankees in 1927.
In a way, Baby Boomers in the tri-state area were spoiled with three world titles in 19 years. The Pirates have had a lot of miserable seasons in the past 100 years, and, unfortunately, I无毛视频檝e been alive for most of them.
Yes, I get upset, frustrated and disappointed with the franchise. But, I无毛视频檝e also felt the same way about the Penguins and Steelers (talk about some miserable seasons).
Yes, I get upset with the management, in the office and on the field, on a regular basis. I feel Clint Hurdle, though it无毛视频檚 not his way, needs to call out players on a regular basis. He did recently, in his way, with Starling Marte by giving him the 无毛视频淛im Downey view (from the bench)无毛视频� and the talented outfielder responded with a pre-break surge.
That surge has the Pirates nine games behind Chicago and 5陆 games from a spot in the wild card. (Oops, there无毛视频檚 that optimistic fan approach surfacing, again.)
I无毛视频檝e coached long enough to understand I can only win with the team I have, not with the team I want to have. That无毛视频檚 the responsibility of Hurdle and his staff.
Andrew McCutchen is in the last year of a 6-year contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2019. I won无毛视频檛 speak for the outfielder, but I really doubt he would come back to the Pirates. Actually, I无毛视频檓 not so sure he无毛视频檒l be back with the San Francisco Giants next year.
I had the sense Gerrit Cole didn无毛视频檛 want to be in Pittsburgh anymore. Sure, he is having a stellar season, but it无毛视频檚 a lot easier to have a stellar season with a proven commodity.
Charlie Morton is pitching pretty good in Houston, too. But, he is once again injured (he had his hamstring pop in his last start), a common refrain when he was a Pirates starter.
The fortunes of the Pirates are with who is on the team, not those who are not.
The all-the-talent-in-the-world combo of Marte and Gregory Polanco need to play as billed. Not in spurts, but with consistency. Josh Bell needs to play like the Josh Bell of 2017, who finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting.
Corey Dickerson was 无毛视频渢hrown away无毛视频� and he无毛视频檚 shown to be a solid player. Jordy Mercer is playing like Jordy Mercer, not spectacular but solid. The catching duo of Franciso Cervelli and Elias Diaz is solid (as long as Cervelli stops getting hit in the head).
Jameson Taillon needs to become the staff ace.
The relief crew drives me crazy, so I can only imagine what they do to Hurdle and his staff. Edgar Santana can be lights out or 无毛视频淥h no, not him, isn无毛视频檛 there someone else?无毛视频� Same can be said about any of the other pitchers who enter the game from the sixth through eighth innings (Kyle Crick, Tyler Glasnow, etc.).
The Pirates need to come out firing and just smoke the Reds. Do that and maybe they无毛视频檒l sell themselves on the merits of winning with regularity.
I understand the uniquely-American approach of the boycott. You know, hit 无毛视频檈m in the pocket book. I respectfully don无毛视频檛 believe that will change anything, so it无毛视频檚 incumbent for the employees on the field to step up and do the job they无毛视频檙e paid to do.
So, yes, I will still cheer on the Pirates. I无毛视频檒l be upset, frustrated and disappointed, but, on the off chance the Boys of Summer actually get their act together and put together a legit run, it无毛视频檒l pay off in the end.
I won无毛视频檛 apologize for being a Pirates fan (or, Steelers or Penguins fan, either). I respect someone无毛视频檚 position on the club and feel they should do the same if somebody is willing to go to the game or watch on TV. That无毛视频檚 their prerogative, as it is mine. Just don无毛视频檛 call me an idiot for my lifelong loyalties.