The Kazmer Report

The Pirates

A few weeks ago a colleague and I debated in the daily about the probability that the Pirates would finish with a .500 record.
The debate can be found here, www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2009/04/28/opinion/columns/column573.txt.
I believed then that the Buccos will have another folly-filled season ending with a losing record. So far, my prediction is accurate, they are somewhere around 10 games below .500. Going into the season I could see why some might believe the Pirates would break a 16-season losing streak. They had some good talent including Nate McLouth and Niger Morgan. But those players were traded away before half of the 2009 season was even finished. Now rumors of trade talks involving Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson are out there. Today the Bucco’s management traded Adam LaRoche. They never learn and seem to revel in being a farm squad for other teams.
If they would have kept those players, and Jason Bay, who they traded to Boston in 2008, the Pirates would arguably have the best outfield in baseball. But it’s not to be. Pirate’s fans will have to be content with seeing talent walk through town on their way to other cities where winning baseball games is the priority for the town’s ball club.

-Rick Kazmer

rickk@dailyamerican.com