The Pirates return to business as usual

I guess I had too high an expectation for a team that has not had a winning season since 1992. I mean really they have 39 wins and we are in the second week of August in 2010. This is a team that for lack of a better more suitable word sucks. After receiving high marks for what they did at the trade deadline, once again is it business as usual for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Today they fired their pitching coach, and their bench coach. Because they are what is wrong with this team, NOT!!

I am not saying these were the best coaches ever, nor that their performance this year did not justify the firing. My argument is this is not what is wrong with this team. The ownership and front office have no idea what it means to build a winner, and the Pirates are nothing more than a glorified Triple A farm system for the rest of Major League Baseball.

That may sound a little harsh, but Robert Nutting bought the team in 1996, got a beautiful ball park built in 2001, but this team has one nothing on the field in 18 years. That is almost two generations of Pittsburgh baseball fans lost to the losing. Sure the average ticket price for the Pirates is just 15 bucks, but even that feels like a rip off.

Until this team goes out and spends some money, and fields a team worthy of being called a Major League team I will continue to say that the owners and the front office is what is wrong with this club. Fire all the coaches, keep promoting talent that is not major league ready, and I can guarantee you the streak of losing seasons will continue.

Related Links:

•Pittsburgh Pirates news and notes
•The Business of Major League Baseball
•MTR Baseball