Bautista was disappointing (relative to his age and prior Sally season) in the Carolina League in 2003. Then he went through five transactions in which five teams showed little evidence of seeing any prospect value in him–Rule 5, waiver, trade for cash only, etc. His reacquisition by the Pirates represented that organization stretching a little, presumably based on coaches’ opinions. I don’t think one can blame Pittsburgh for not giving Bautista enough of a chance.
I can get you all a list of mismanaged Pirate front office snafus over the course of the Nutting ownership, but here’s one that is often given as an example.
The Phillies offered the Pirates Ryan Howard for Kip Wells. Straight up.
The Pirates turned it down.
Let that sink in for a moment
Yes. Yes they did. Five teams had him on their roster, and five teams let him go. He actually played for 4 teams that year. I’m not sure what your point was.
[QUOTE=Wikipedia]
During the 2004 season, Bautista played for the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was also technically on the New York Mets roster after being acquired from the Royals and dealt to the Pirates the same day.[8] This made him the first and only player to be on five different Major League rosters in one season (more specifically, his rookie season).
Bautista, originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th round of the 2000 amateur draft, was selected by the Orioles in the Rule 5 Draft, and made his debut with Baltimore on April 4, 2004. He was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay on June 3, then traded to Kansas City on June 28. He was then sent to the Mets on July 30, and without playing a game for New York, was traded back to Pittsburgh.
[/quote]
Wait,the Pirates are 3 games over .500 and only 1 game back in the division? What the hell is going on?
It won’t last, though. They’ll be dismembered in about a month in the annual late-season fire sale and they’ll slowly decline back to their proper place. I’ve been burned too many times to believe otherwise. Still, right now it’s an interesting time to be a Pirates fan.
It’s an increasingly depressing time to be an Indianapolis Indians fan though. I expect I’ll be getting a call any day now to play shortstop - a big chunk of the Pirates’ roster right now was playing at Victory Field a week ago.
I have been waiting for the all-star break to post, but when the Pirates went 4 games over 500, I became absolutely giddy.
Like you, Airman, I’ve seen the annual summer dismantling of the Pirates every year for so long, it’s hard to think it won’t happen again. But I read this weekend they sold out 2 of their games and have had 4 sellouts this season. That just goes to show you how hungry that area is for decent baseball.
Pittsburgh is always talked about as a shit baseball town, but it’s actually a very good one. It’s just hard to be a fan of a shit product and plunk down good money to see garbage play. I am one fan hoping the Pirates add a bat to the lineup for a run after the break. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so excited about a Pirate season so late in the year. Maybe Manny would give them a few months of his time?
Just kidding. I read that Hurdle has stated that he will be looking for someone that fits the locker room chemistry to add, and not just throw anyone in the locker room.
But, until the trading deadline, I will not be comfortable. I can’t believe this historic streak of futility has a chance to end this year!
Let’s go Bucs!
Make it 4. At least. I haven’t checked the past few days. The exciting thing is that they’re really hitting well recently. They’re actually putting up runs, which is a big turnaround from the beginning of the season.
The addition of speedy Alex Presley has helped a lot. It may be too early to talk, but he’s batting well over .300 at this point and for extra bases, too. Even when he hits a single, he’ll swipe 2nd a fifth of the time. I mean, the kid’s so fast that he’s already got two triples in less than two months!
Garret Jones, after a dismal May (batting .179), has finally started to return to the form we first saw him in in 2009 when he was hitting more home runs per at-bat than anyone in the league. He’s batting .300 now for June and July.
And of course, McCutchen’s numbers are more solid and more reliable than a glacier. So you know he’ll keep knocking them in.
And that’s why we’re seeing such skill from the ball club lately. We’ve finally got enough hitters to back up the good pitching, which, admittedly, is new this year.
Still 3 over and 1 game back. This is almost enough to get me actually watching baseball regularly again, which I haven’t done since 1994 (I still haven’t forgiven or forgotten the strike and cancellation of the World Series).
However, if they tear this team apart I’m done forever. When it comes to sports I am not a fairweather fan, it’s Pittsburgh do or die for me, but dammit, how much can fans take? If I wanted to see endless futility in sports I could be a Philly or Chicago fan (the Phillies recent successes notwithstanding). The Pirates have a long and storied history, and nothing in the last 18 years has come even remotely close to living up to that.
Which is sad because at one time, the Pirates were one kickass team.
I’m not a baseball fan, but being from Pittsburgh, I’d love to see the Pirates make a major comeback. We ARE the City of Champions, after all.
Well, they beat the Cubs tonight, after Carlos Marmol threw like ten fastballs in a row to a light-hitting catcher. This series is eminently sweepable.
As you can imagine, I am one happy baseball fan.
First, I can’t believe that this thread, which I started because the Pirates won the first game of the season and were therefore in first place, is still relevant. It has been a fantastic season so far, one I’ve been waiting for since 1992.
This is the best record at the break the Pirates have had since 1992 (the last year they won the division… the EASTERN Division.
The Pirates are 4 games above 500, and are one game out of first place.
More importantly, they are tied in the loss column with the Brewers and Cardinals.
The Pirates are also sending 3 players to the All-Star team, which probably hasn’t happened since the early 90’s either. I may actually watch an all-star game for the first time in years.
For a starving baseball fan, 19 years is a long time to wait. But boy does it feel sweet.
I know there is another half of the season to play, but I couldn’t be happier with the way things have played out so far.
If they make a run for the playoffs, I might have a heart attack.
I was in the stands for the 1979 World Series against the Orioles. I was in the stands for all three Playoff losses in the 90’s. I had World Series tickets for each year. Then, 19 years of futility. This has been the most exciting half of baseball in two decades in Pittsburgh! Voted the best ballpark in MLB, they finally have a decent team to play in it.
Let’s Go Bucs!
See you all in Houston on Friday
Finally, after half a season and nearly a generation of waiting, we can say that the Pirates are, in fact, in first place! Never would I have imagined such a thing possible. Even if they stink on ice the rest of the year I still have tonight.
Woo hoo hoo hoo woo hoo!
The Bucs are making me smile like a butcher’s dog!
And on an 83-pitch shutout. How often do you see a guy pitch a complete game throwing just 83 pitches?
The Pirates are doing it with the arms:
NL Central Teams, Ordered By Standings, With Runs Allowed
Pittsburgh - 346
St. Louis - 413
Milwaukee - 422
Cincinnati - 413
Chicago - 466
Houston - 468
On the other hand they don’t hit well. Actually, the Bucs are one of those teams in a position where they have glaring lineup holes but where that’s kind of a positive because you know precisely what they could upgrade to get better. I mean, they’re in first place, despite Pedro Alvarez being unexpectedly horrible. They’re in first place despite the fact that they have Lyle Overbay. They’re in first place despite the fact that they don’t hit any home runs. If they could add a corner bat at the trade deadline, they could give themselves more than enough to win the division.
I can’t believe I am in the position to have to root for any team from Pittsburgh(lifelong Reds fan here),but Clint Hurdle was my boyhood idol,so I hope they do well.Still won’t root for them against the Reds tho.If Clint switches sports to coach the steelers, he can kiss my ass.
Today was a great win. Last night was a sucky bullpen and defensive performance reminiscent of last year. Today Hanrahan gets his first blown save. Easy to fold. But Bucs win in 11. I feel like a kid again! (Actually because the last time the Bucs had a winning season, I was a kid 
)
6 games ABOVE 500.
In first place, all alone, one week after the All-Star break.
It’s the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Do you believe in miracles?
Yes. I believe the Reds will take the next two games of the series, sweep the Braves at home and be back in first place by the end of next week.
So, how about the Pirates getting absolutely jobbed last night? If they finish a game back, or even a game under .500, that umpire’s house better be insured to the hilt.
How does a call that bad get made? It wasn’t even as close as Joyce’s call last year, or even Denkinger’s call in the '85 Series. It was just bad. It’s like the ghost of Sid Bream helped the ump make that call.
I don’t want to rub salt in it, but last night the Cardinals won 3-1. Albert Pujols hit a ball with a runner on 1st that seemed to skip off the wall instead of going over. The umpires looked at the replays for a looong time and called it a home run.
The Cardinals’ radio announcers didn’t believe it, their TV announcers didn’t believe it, the sportscasters on the late news didn’t believe it. the morning paper didn’t believe it. . .