The Bucs are in Town
You know what's great about your favorite, hometown, childhood baseball team coming to town? Why you get to head out the park and take in a ballgame, of course!
Of course, if you're a Pirates fan, the sun and the good times seem like a lifetime ago. But you hold out hope, you swallow losing seasons over and over, and you take away from it a renewed sense of being a fan. Enduring this losing streak will make me a better fan in the long run. That's what your mind tells you.
LaRoche, in his typical "post-swing" position.
But when your team comes to town to face the former division rival New York Metropolitans (Author's note: I think the Pirates still belong in the N.L. East), and you happen to now live in New York, well, then you scoop up tickets as if they were somehow in demand, and you take the 7 out to Shea. It's a wonderful ritual; supporting your team in enemy territory. No matter how bad your team is and no matter what others may think of them, wearing your colors in an opposing stadium is an experience for which this baseball fan lives.
Yet it's also about the game. The purity of the sport. And those guys, no matter how unhappy you are about their play, are most likely doing the best they can with what they're given. You can be angry and bitter and full of bile toward your team, but if the desire to cheer when your team does something, anything well is not in you, you have lost what it means to be a fan.
I have yet to lose that when it comes to the Pirates. I cheer, I bellow, I criticize, I drink. And I defend my team with knowledge and the understanding that they weren't always doormats. When the Mets came to Pittsburgh in the late 80's and early 90's, I was in the stands at Old Three Rivers with friends and family and it was a rivalry-type atmosphere. Both teams were good, both teams had stars and both teams, at least in 1988 and 1990, were at the top of the division.
It rained all day in New York today and at about 5:30, I found out the game was going to be postponed. I was sapped - my energy just left me. This news was bad, but JTeezy's e-mail contained a link that hurt much, much worse:
OUCH!
I've listened to WDVE'S Randy Bauman a few times and I like him. He's not as iconic as Scott Paulsen in my book when it comes to morning show history, but Bauman puts in a solid performance with this one. You can hear the hurt in his voice and even though he spoofs "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White T's, Randy's lyrics are great.
But there is good news out there in Pirates land, friends. The Pirates released Matt Morris on Sunday before the game. Paul Maholm went out and two-hit the Phillies for the Pirates' first complete game win in what feels like forever. If that's not an omen, I don't know what is. Cut the dead weight and win. Maholm shut down the potent Phils' offense and hummed through nine innings with ease. I believe, and I could be wrong about this, but Maholm finished the complete game, one-run gem in 99 pitches. Omens, galore!
The Pirates now sit at 10-15 games on the young season. Five games under .500 after 25 is slightly worse than I thought they would do, but that doesn't mean taking both or at least splitting the remaining two contests with the Mets won't do loads of good for this team's confidence. Their rotation is no longer "young" to me. If they add Dumatrait to the the starting five, which in all likelihood they will do, that's four left-handed starters. Kansas City tried it in 2004 with predictable results. It's going to be interesting to say the least.
Baseball will have to wait for another day, but seeing the Bucs in person will certainly make it worthwhile to me, no matter where they are in the standings.
Of course, if you're a Pirates fan, the sun and the good times seem like a lifetime ago. But you hold out hope, you swallow losing seasons over and over, and you take away from it a renewed sense of being a fan. Enduring this losing streak will make me a better fan in the long run. That's what your mind tells you.
LaRoche, in his typical "post-swing" position.But when your team comes to town to face the former division rival New York Metropolitans (Author's note: I think the Pirates still belong in the N.L. East), and you happen to now live in New York, well, then you scoop up tickets as if they were somehow in demand, and you take the 7 out to Shea. It's a wonderful ritual; supporting your team in enemy territory. No matter how bad your team is and no matter what others may think of them, wearing your colors in an opposing stadium is an experience for which this baseball fan lives.
Yet it's also about the game. The purity of the sport. And those guys, no matter how unhappy you are about their play, are most likely doing the best they can with what they're given. You can be angry and bitter and full of bile toward your team, but if the desire to cheer when your team does something, anything well is not in you, you have lost what it means to be a fan.
I have yet to lose that when it comes to the Pirates. I cheer, I bellow, I criticize, I drink. And I defend my team with knowledge and the understanding that they weren't always doormats. When the Mets came to Pittsburgh in the late 80's and early 90's, I was in the stands at Old Three Rivers with friends and family and it was a rivalry-type atmosphere. Both teams were good, both teams had stars and both teams, at least in 1988 and 1990, were at the top of the division.
It rained all day in New York today and at about 5:30, I found out the game was going to be postponed. I was sapped - my energy just left me. This news was bad, but JTeezy's e-mail contained a link that hurt much, much worse:
OUCH!
I've listened to WDVE'S Randy Bauman a few times and I like him. He's not as iconic as Scott Paulsen in my book when it comes to morning show history, but Bauman puts in a solid performance with this one. You can hear the hurt in his voice and even though he spoofs "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White T's, Randy's lyrics are great.
But there is good news out there in Pirates land, friends. The Pirates released Matt Morris on Sunday before the game. Paul Maholm went out and two-hit the Phillies for the Pirates' first complete game win in what feels like forever. If that's not an omen, I don't know what is. Cut the dead weight and win. Maholm shut down the potent Phils' offense and hummed through nine innings with ease. I believe, and I could be wrong about this, but Maholm finished the complete game, one-run gem in 99 pitches. Omens, galore!
The Pirates now sit at 10-15 games on the young season. Five games under .500 after 25 is slightly worse than I thought they would do, but that doesn't mean taking both or at least splitting the remaining two contests with the Mets won't do loads of good for this team's confidence. Their rotation is no longer "young" to me. If they add Dumatrait to the the starting five, which in all likelihood they will do, that's four left-handed starters. Kansas City tried it in 2004 with predictable results. It's going to be interesting to say the least.
Baseball will have to wait for another day, but seeing the Bucs in person will certainly make it worthwhile to me, no matter where they are in the standings.
Ahh Finally!! I've been checking the site nearly every day waiting for an update.
This past week has been a fun time watching the Buccos, Let the winning continue. We're only 1 game out of .500!!
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