LETTER What now, Pirate fans?
Well, it came to pass. Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole have both been traded. You can’t open a newspaper or listen to a sports talk show without being pounded with discontent about the Pittsburgh Pirates.
What is going to be the draw to PNC Park this year? Who are the “young and hungry” rookies? Will we have hints of a promising run, only to be buried by payroll and experience when the season really gets rolling? Is there some broken down pitcher who has Hall of Fame potential waiting to be anointed by the Pirates’ pitching coaches?
Be patient! In another five years, the Pirates will have assembled a formidable group, only to have its members snatched away by organizations that are willing to pay them what they’re worth.
I read somewhere that Pittsburgh has been referred to as a farm system for major league teams. Pathetic. If Pittsburgh is such a small market, why was a major league stadium built? For pierogi races?
It seems, however, that the Pirates organization turns a respectable profit, even in lean years. Why is that? We keep getting the same song and dance because we put up with it, cycle after cycle. The owners of the Pirates know that we will whine and complain for a while, but eventually after a period of time (and clever promotions) will be lured back into the stands. Hope springs eternal.
Now is the time for fans of the Pirates to hold onto their money. Don’t go to the games. Don’t listen to the games on the radio or watch the television broadcasts. Don’t buy the merchandise. Signing petitions hasn’t had any effect, but if each signature represented a season ticket, it certainly would. When it really affects the bottom line, only then will the organization change the way it is doing things.
Sally Brown-Pawlosky
Hickory