Since the inception of this blog, our intention has been to have a place for those openly dissatisfied with Pirates ownership to come together (see what I did there?) to voice our displeasure. As the season wore on and the Pirates began to play at their usually decrepit pace, posts became increasingly redundant and basically hard to write. How much can you write about how bad a team stinks? Sure, the PG and Trib's beat writers do it, but that is because they are getting paid for it.
But now, nearly 2 months since our last post, an earthquake is shaking up the foundation of the Buccos fan base. Many fans, even those who were decidedly in the middle, have begun to suggest an all-out boycott in order to send a message to the Nutting Regime. With the league-forced sale of the Dodgers, in some part due to fan's vociferous disdain for the ownership group, Pirates fans are starting to wonder aloud if the same results could be had in Pittsburgh. I'd be lying if I said that I truly believed a full-on boycott would hurt the Nuttings in such a fashion that they would consider selling their cash cow. But that doesn't mean I don't believe the passionate fans who want to see change in ownership should stand by idly.
There is little doubt that profit comes before winning for the Nuttings. They are the team's owners and they have a right to turn a profit. But that also doesn't mean the fans have to contribute to further lining their already deep pockets. While same may argue their pockets aren't deep enough to fund a competitive team, my rebuttal would be to simply the sell the team if you can't afford to win. Despite the fact that the Nuttings are using a Taxpayer funded stadium to churn out cash, the fans can't merely show up and force them to sell the team. Pretty much the only way this happens is if the team is no longer profitable. That is one aspects the fans do control and if people stay away from the ballpark, there is nobody to blame but those at the top.
We need to organize. A simple passive boycott will not be enough, though. In order to convey our message, we will need to have a voice and a presence. We will need that voice to be heard, that presence to be seen. We need to be there at PirateFest, in the public eye. We need to be there at opening day, loud and proud. We need to get an organized and unified message that is concise and crystal clear: No more waiting on five year plans. No more watching other cities, with comparable population bases, have higher payrolls and win world titles (St. Louis) and NO MORE NUTTING BULLSHIT about building for the future!!!
The Nuttings have had plenty of time to get their guys in place. And yet they seem more interested in turning a profit than winning baseball games. When a player, no matter the skill level, is due for a salary increase as he reaches his free agent years, that player is dumped, regardless of what kind of replacement is ready to step in. It is a cycle that continues to repeat itself, with well heralded power hitters like Aramis Ramirez. Jason Bay, Freddy Sanchez, and lesser lights (but capable major league players) like Nate McLouth, Matt Capps, Paul Maholm. If that money saved would be spent on bringing in better players, we would have no complaint. Instead, the labor cost of the major league operation are kept artificially low, and the revenue keeps streaming in as fans are sold on a circus like distraction of Fireworks, Prospects, Rock Bands, Baseball Nostalgia, Gimmicks, and hope for a future that is always dawning on the horizon, but never seems to get here.
There are a few choices as proud Pirate fans. You can continue to go to games, and hope against hope the Nuttings catch lightning in a bottle one year, the entire (always underpaid) roster over performs, and success magically comes about for a few fleeting moments before the economic realities of the team’s situation wash it away once again, much like in 2011. You can lose your interest in baseball all together, and exclusively follow the many other well run, winning organization that our city is blessed to have. I have a feeling many fans have taken this route.
But there are those of us who are both still passionate about the Pirates, and utterly dissatisfied and disgusted with the way the team has been run for the past two decades, the majority of which has been under Nutting control, despite their outright lies about how long they have owned the club. Kevin McClatchy was always their puppet since the late 90s, just like President Frank Coonelly is now. The time has come for us to not only not go to the games, in silent protest, but to loudly show up at the gates, but not enter, but instead besmirch and embarrass the misers sitting atop their piles of gold in their stately palace of baseball.
Pirates Nation Rise UP!!! You have nothing to lose but more baseball seasons, 19 and counting.
Any comments, suggestions, solutions, etc can be sent to mutinyontheallegheny@gmail.com
