The Pittsburgh Pirates are on a roll downhill. They’ve lost four games in a row and seven out of their last ten. They are in third place in the National League Central and fading fast.
At one point this season, they seemed destined for the playoffs. Now they’ll be lucky to break .500.
And if they do win at least half their games, it will be significant. You see, the Pirates haven’t had a winning season since 1992, the same year Bill Clinton was elected as president. The 19-year record of futility is the longest ever. Not just in baseball, but add football, basketball and hockey to the mix and you won’t find one team that’s been as consistently bad as the Pirates.
And yet they play in one of the most beautiful parks in Major League Baseball.
PNC Park
In Pittsburgh, you can even kayak to the ballpark or take a water taxi along the Allegheny River, as my son Matt and I did back in 2007. What an experience!
Allegheny River
And with so few people in the park, you can usually get a great view of the action. Here’s a picture showing Jose Bautista at bat, before he became a Blue Jay.
Jose Bautista at the plate
So why are the Pirates so bad year after year? Bad management, bad luck and a below-average payroll are all factors. Consider the loss of Barry Bonds, Jose Bautista and other players who struck it rich with other clubs.
For the sake of competitive balance in Major League Baseball, here’s hoping the Pirates can have a winning season this year and keep their one true star, Andrew McCutchen, happy enough to stick around.
