PBC
Another season begins

The Pittsburgh Baseball Club…the Pirates…begin play for keeps next Monday at St. Louis against the Cardinals. Spring training is a wonderful time. Every hitter has the potential to hit over .300 and every pitcher the potential to win 15 or more games. Such is the exuberance of training in the sunshine of Florida or Arizona. But, now it is time for a healthy dose of realism. Returning north to the cool of spring also helps to cool down overheated expectations.

The fact is that the Pirates return the same players that lead them to a 95 loss season. In fact, over the past 4 years the PBC has averaged 95 losses a year. So, how can any sane fan believe they will be winners. It will take an additional 15 wins just to have the current edition break even. Last year they had the worst ERA for starting and relief pitchers in the National League. And, they have virtually the same staff. So, if the old saying rings true, “offense sells tickets but pitching wins games”, there is not much reason for optimism. There is no offense to bring in the folks and no pitching to put the Buccos on the winning path.

The Pirates are facing a major league record 17 straight losing seasons. Unfortunately, that seems much more plausible than a winning record in the 2009 season. I have been a Pirate fan all my life. From the O’Brien twins in the fifties; to the unbflievable 1960s team that won the Series on Maz’s bottom of the 9th homer; to the two championships of the 70s, 1971 starring the Great One and 1979 with the “We are Family” of Pops Stargell; to the present years of mediocrity broken only by the early 90s teams of Van Slyke, Bonilla and a drug free Bonds, I have hung with the PBC.

I would start each year watching and rooting for the Bucs until they were out of it…usually by Decoration Day! My dear Susan wondered why I wasted my time and frustrated myself on such a bunch of losers. So, beginning last year, I decided I would not watch them until they proved they could win through May. Needless to say, I saw no contests last year. Likewise, I will only read about them until they can prove they can win this year. Only then will I give of my time. I should get a lot done this spring!