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鈥� fortunes.
The 鈥渟econd half鈥� 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鈥檝e been a Pirates fan since I was born into a family of Pirates fans. I was five months old and on my mother鈥檚 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鈥檝e been alive for most of them.
Yes, I get upset, frustrated and disappointed with the franchise. But, I鈥檝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鈥檚 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 鈥淛im Downey view (from the bench)鈥� 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鈥檚 that optimistic fan approach surfacing, again.)
I鈥檝e coached long enough to understand I can only win with the team I have, not with the team I want to have. That鈥檚 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鈥檛 speak for the outfielder, but I really doubt he would come back to the Pirates. Actually, I鈥檓 not so sure he鈥檒l be back with the San Francisco Giants next year.
I had the sense Gerrit Cole didn鈥檛 want to be in Pittsburgh anymore. Sure, he is having a stellar season, but it鈥檚 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 鈥渢hrown away鈥� and he鈥檚 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 鈥淥h no, not him, isn鈥檛 there someone else?鈥� 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鈥檒l sell themselves on the merits of winning with regularity.
I understand the uniquely-American approach of the boycott. You know, hit 鈥檈m in the pocket book. I respectfully don鈥檛 believe that will change anything, so it鈥檚 incumbent for the employees on the field to step up and do the job they鈥檙e paid to do.
So, yes, I will still cheer on the Pirates. I鈥檒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鈥檒l pay off in the end.
I won鈥檛 apologize for being a Pirates fan (or, Steelers or Penguins fan, either). I respect someone鈥檚 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鈥檚 their prerogative, as it is mine. Just don鈥檛 call me an idiot for my lifelong loyalties.