I haven't checked the standings lately, but I do believe at 6:58 p.m. EST on Saturday, August 6, 2011, the Pittsburgh Pirates are out of the race for the division title in the NL Central.
Basically, that means they will not make it to the playoffs for the 19th straight year. I was starting to think they had a shot, although I shouldn't be so naive.
I still believe they can finish above .500, which would be nice if they could build on that, but I don't know if they can.
Since the horrible stretch of losing season began in 1993, the Bucs have finish five games under the .500 mark twice.
In 1997, they were 79-83 and finished second to Houston in the division race. They had the opportunity to win it, but faded in the last month of the season.
In 1999, Pittsburgh was 78-83 after not playing a makeup game because it had no relevence in the standings. I believe it was against Milwaukee. The Pirates were 78-80 going into the final series against the New York Mets, but were swept.
I always go back to that year because that was the first year of my life that I started to watch baseball. I was about 13 back then. I attended two games live that year and they split.
In my youth I was more positive. I thought to myself, "they will turn the corner next year and break .500, then make the playoffs in the first year at PNC Park, and with all the revenue generated, win the World Series in a few years."
I think I took Greg Brown's announcing too much into account because none of that has happened.
The Pirates have dropped eight in a row and are three games under .500. If they can squeeze out a few series here and there, they will be back at .500. Although, they don't have what it takes to win the division. It would be nice, but it won't happen.
I give Clint Hurdle credit. He still deserves the manager of the year award for what he's done with this rag-tag bunch, but I guess teams like this only win divison titles in the movies.
Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI ask any "fan" of this FO the following serious question:
if the team was/is pretenders, not contenders, and the minors are pretty bare, then how can anyone say we are on the right track, and the future looks bright?
Seriously?
Sorry guys, .500 is a pipe dream. We all knew this season was lightning in a bottle & would eventually end, but this is pathetic.
ReplyDeleteLook for nutting to dump some salary QUICK!
commical, to me, are the nutters who call the team pretenders & use that as the excuse for nothing deadline moves, but still claim the regime is on the right track.
Lokkout 20__!
GET OUTTA MY BALLPARK NUTTING! Nand stay away pgh fans!
Yeah Roger. How do you like the excuse for not ponying up for pence of- we didnt have the chips to trade for him? No chips? The regime did away with an entire MLB roster & picks 1st EVERY year. Pathetic
ReplyDeleteBFD
This is really getting ugly.
ReplyDeleteRoger,
ReplyDeleteI wll answer your incorrect question.
Number 1 The system s not barren. That is a rdiculously flawed assertion on your part.
Number 2 They were a pretender, but that doesn't mean they are not on the upswing.
To be specifc. The team is in a much much better position today than they were when NH took over. The ML team and Farm system both have more talent and more depth. That isn't an opinion that is a fact.
Being a pretender this year was a large leap forward. Being a contender was nothing but a pipe dream. You can try and spin this season as something that it isn't, bt that won't make it true. This season has been a success, the team is improving and there is help on the way.
Dog
Dog, I am not the one spinning anything.
ReplyDeleteWhen Huntington took over, the Pirates minor-league system was ranked 19th. Today, 4 years after blowing up the MLB roster, and "flooding" the system with talent (HA!), the minors are ranked 18th. How in the hell is that an improvement???
The MLB team at the time of the infamous Bay trade, was only a few games under .500, and had a good offensive punch to it. Now? No punch at all.
Huntington has been a failure, and those who defend him are the ones spinning. I dont hate the man, as I dont know him, but to say the majors and minors are improved is flat-out wrong.
Also, who is this help on the way?? Taillon in 2016? Heredia in 2017?? Any position players at all?? Hurdle got the most out of this bunch this year, and when the pitchers stopped pitching out of their minds, the crash was inevitable.
Sorry Dog, all the experts agree---------- you are wrong on this one.
Roger,
ReplyDeleteYour memory is a bit faulty. The team when Bay was traded was on pace for almost 90 losses. Not only that but most of the key players were close to free agency and would not have resigned. Tack on the fact that all of the key players since then have regressed except for Bautista. Then you need to tack on the fact that the minors had 2 players that were any good at all Cutch and NW.
You conviently also ignore the fact that that team was almost injury free and this one was ravaged by injuries. When that team was dismantled they completely fell apart. Why? Because the minors had no talent.
This team was ravaged by injuries and the team did well w/o their players. Why? Because there was actually decent talent in the minors.
Sorry Roger, but you are wrong and I promise you all the experts agree. I actually use facts you use unfounded opinions.
In regards to the help you are way off in your time frame for both Heredia and Taillon. As far as who, you have already seen some of the help, and they are the lesser talented of the help.
Dog
I am an expert and i never agree with this Dog person.
ReplyDeleteDog:
ReplyDeleteThe 2008 team was only 5 games under .500 on July 31st, 2008. The reason they achieved 90+ losses was because Huntington dismantled the team. That is not an unfounded opinion.
And as for my time frame being off? I dont think so. The kids at A ball are on a 5 year plan to reach the Pirates, and that is if they dont get injured or regress. And as for the kids who made the team this year (to help with the injuries), the only one respectable was Presley. D'Arnaud, harrison, Lincoln, etc. were warm bodies, nothing more.
This is why you are hated on Smizblog, and are not encouraged here. I do not use unfounded opinions. I looked the Pirates record up to verify that they were only a few games under .500 when Bay was shipped out. I used real rankings of the minors for both pre-and post NH.
Unfounded my ass.
I have wasted enough time on you and your trouble-making ways. Enjoy your day, I am out of here. Think what you want, no one cares.
Roger,
ReplyDeleteThe Pirates record on July 31 was 50-59. That is on pace for 74-88. 88 is almost 90 exactly as I said.
That team was also getting unsustainable offense much like this one was getting unsustainable pitching.
Look at the performances before the first half of 2008 and since of some players to see the truth. Nady Nate etc have all performed much worse since that magical run. Those are facts.
In regards to the minor league rankings, you are correct. I prefer to use actual performance. When the youngsters were here the team performed quite well. Lastly let's see where the team is ranked next year.
In regrds to why I'm hated at the Smizblog, it's pretty simple. I make idiots like Daquido and BFD look like the idiots that they ar. I have ripped to shreds every argument they have ever put forth not to mention others. People hate when others make them look stupid. Anyway have a good day. I'm off to the links.
Dog,
ReplyDeleteAs an impartial observer, let me tell you something. I read Smizik's blog all the time but never post on there because of the pissing matches that occur daily. I believe you are the one called philmickelson on there now.
Sometimes you make a good points, but your distain for everyone who disagrees with you is unnecessary. You get treated the way you treat others and then whine about being attacked.
Long ago I learned to skip over your posts because most of them are repetitive complaints about antis.
You make no one look stupid but yourself and if your whole self worth is to make posters on a blog look like idiots, then you truly have a pathetic existence.
I feel sorry for you.
Dale,
ReplyDeleteI don't dislike anyone here and you have it backwards. They have disdain for me not the other way around. I never whine about being attacked the others whine about me. I don't care if people attack me I actually welcome it. I stopped instigating on the smizblog months ago. People just could never let anything go and they constantly came after me. I sometimes struck back, but I never whine. I never complain about antis per se. I complain about ignorant posts that are made as if they are factual.
I just want to discuss the Pirates nothing more and nothing less. I welcome people who agree and disagree with me. I don't claim to know more than people and I always admit when I'm wrong. I can guarantee you that you would never have an issue with me. 90% of the people on the smizblog didn't either.
I think I'll do the same thing on here that I do on Smizblog which is to skip over your posts. You have some anger issues you need to work out. Remember, this is just the internet, it doesn't matter. It isn't real life.
ReplyDelete