The Pittsburgh Pirates are 2 games over .500

[Mudhippie]

How long do you think their winning ways will last? Will they trade off their big names again this summer and go back to their losing ways?

Let's discuss.

[Setharion]

Whos the pittsburgh pirates?!?

All i know dude is i wish they would get "on the map" again..i miss watching baseball for the pirates, but i think they will just be exactly who they have been for the last 20 years almost.

[BuckFly]

Jun 16, 2011 21:44:22 GMT -5 Mudhippie said:

How long do you think their winning ways will last? Will they trade off their big names again this summer and go back to their losing ways?

Let's discuss.

I hope they don't, Mud. You guys in Pittsburgh deserve better than what they have been dishing out for years.

[BingJohnson]

They have a chance to finish at or near the .500 mark this year. The difference is the pitching rotation. They are getting 6-7 solid innings out of their starters on a nightly basis. And their relief crew > ass. Which makes it much better than the last 18 seasons. I don't follow the Pirates super close, but I will watch them as long as they flirt with .500.

Let's go Bucs.

[Obiwan316]

It's one of the main reasons why football is better than baseball. The teams are closer to equal in the amount that they can spend.

[potterscrow]

One big reason why I have a love/hate relationship with baseball. There should never be a discrepancy of over a one hundred millions dollars in payroll between teams. Yet we have that in baseball and we will continue to have that. There are a handful of always the same teams that you know going into a year they have no shot. Or you have to wait years and years and build a team properly like the Rays have done. But if you draft poorly like a team like the Pirates then you are always going to be at the bottom. They just can't compete financially with these other teams. It is a joke. Sure there will always be expections to the rule but for the most part these big market teams are always going to be in it. Unless you are my Mets and you spend poorly.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

Haven't really followed the NL for a few years now, but I have to say I'm surprised.

[potterscrow]

Jun 17, 2011 12:13:41 GMT -5 CastlevaniaNut18 said:

Haven't really followed the NL for a few years now, but I have to say I'm surprised.

Do you follow the AL? I only ask because I find it strange how baseball seems to be the one and only sport where you find people that follow one league/conference but not the other. I never get that response for football, basketball, or hockey. Like I never met someone who said yeah I follow the NFC but not the AFC. Yet in baseball I have met several people who just watch the NL and don't pay attention to the AL and vice versa.

Not sure if fanstasy baseball has something to do with it as I believe there are still NL or AL only leagues.

[Mudhippie]

One part of the problem with the Pittsburgh baseball team is that they got a new stadium and people are flocking in because "it's a nice place" or "it has a nice atmosphere" but the onfield product never lined up with the excitement of a new park to play in. People are willing to pay for tickets to see the park. Call me crazy but shouldn't you go to see baseball?

Well now that the fair weather fans are back, the stadium is filling seats. Hopefully the management sees that and does what they can to re-sign some of the bigger names on the team, not trade them off for more peons so we all have to learn a whole new roster next season.

[Setharion]

93 was the last time i went to see a pirates game, haha Mud you probably were there with me, it was with Eric and them guys. But that was seriously the last time i went to a game. When they got rid of all their players around 93 that was just it for me, my interest really waned.

But sadly i havent been to the new park yet

[pseudoprime1979]

I saw them at PNC beat up on the Mets a few weeks ago. I hope they can be close enough to be buyers this trade dead lines.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

Jun 17, 2011 13:30:15 GMT -5 potterscrow said:

Jun 17, 2011 12:13:41 GMT -5 CastlevaniaNut18 said:

Haven't really followed the NL for a few years now, but I have to say I'm surprised.

Do you follow the AL? I only ask because I find it strange how baseball seems to be the one and only sport where you find people that follow one league/conference but not the other. I never get that response for football, basketball, or hockey. Like I never met someone who said yeah I follow the NFC but not the AFC. Yet in baseball I have met several people who just watch the NL and don't pay attention to the AL and vice versa.

Not sure if fanstasy baseball has something to do with it as I believe there are still NL or AL only leagues.

Yup, I'm an AL kinda gal.

Red Sox all the way!

[bottle]

Jun 17, 2011 13:30:15 GMT -5 potterscrow said:

Jun 17, 2011 12:13:41 GMT -5 CastlevaniaNut18 said:

Haven't really followed the NL for a few years now, but I have to say I'm surprised.

Do you follow the AL? I only ask because I find it strange how baseball seems to be the one and only sport where you find people that follow one league/conference but not the other. I never get that response for football, basketball, or hockey. Like I never met someone who said yeah I follow the NFC but not the AFC. Yet in baseball I have met several people who just watch the NL and don't pay attention to the AL and vice versa.

Not sure if fanstasy baseball has something to do with it as I believe there are still NL or AL only leagues.

It might sound strange because of the other sports but it really isn't. With football, your team is playing once a week but there are games on all day Sunday, Monday, Thursday. The NFL is even starting to bump college ball on Saturdays. With the Pirates playing 162 games a year I don't have time to keep up with the AL. Other than the standings I'm generally clueless and I've always been a pretty big baseball guy. The leagues just don't play each other much.


As for the topic I can see them hovering around 500 for the rest of the year. The rotation has been nice, they're carrying a pretty terrible lineup right now. And I can see them reversing over the next half of the season. Jeff Karstens obviously isn't the 5th best pitcher in the NL, but we should be getting more out of Tabata and Pedro than we are too. I'm guessing they finish around 79-83. This year is all about progress anyway, which they're making in the draft.

[Mudhippie]

Jun 17, 2011 14:22:18 GMT -5 Setharion said:

93 was the last time i went to see a pirates game, haha Mud you probably were there with me, it was with Eric and them guys. But that was seriously the last time i went to a game. When they got rid of all their players around 93 that was just it for me, my interest really waned.

But sadly i havent been to the new park yet

I have been there a couple times, but that is because of the musical talents playing afterwards.

And you are probably right. I was probably with you guys at that game! Those were good days for baseball in Pittsburgh.

[pseudoprime1979]

GO TRIBE!!!

[bottle]

The Pirates haven't won a game since this thread was started.