Cutch Got Tha' Powah'

The Pirates don't expect home runs out of Andrew McCutchen. The fans have come to give him a pass in that respect as well. After all, he could go two months without a long-ball, and still be the most significant contributor in a Pirate uniform. He doesn't have the power to hone home run expectations. He has the speed, quick swing, and poised ballwatching to get around the bases the old school way.

But Boy, did we Pirate Fans just get new-schooled.

Mr. Cutch has the swing to knock 'em out once in a while. By once in a while, I mean hitting three home runs in one night, capping off a 6 RBI 4 hit night for the young buc(k). The humble slugger shrugged it off as a good night where he got his pitches, but it was much more than that. It was surprise slugger party for a team that will take all and any pleasant surprises at the moment.

Surprises like Lastings Milledge hitting in RBIs when it counts.

Like Ronnie Cedeno hitting well at the bottom of the order.

I think we're all beginning to enjoy these stint-series with Nationals.

Let's Go Rebuilders

Please Do Not Say You're Surprised; Pittsburgh Edition

Sorry for the title thievery, but right now, surprises are like crying in baseball, they just don't happen.

From the big shot teams suffering steroid outbreaks-cough Red Sox and Yankees-to the small market teams trading away their money players-your own Pittsburgh Pirates-nothing has really shocked me.

Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, and Ian Snell were traded yesterday from the Pirates. But before you criticize, before you call the pirates a farm team for the big market, and before throw away your Pirate Parrot Bobble Head Doll-please recognize that the Pirates are on the right track.

The Good: The Pirates are in rebuilding mode, and they're following the pattern effectively. These trades brought them some great potential with low cost upside. Of course, we won't see the return until 2011 as Ron Cook points out in his latest column, but if even half of our prospects turn out as projected, the Pirates could be in serious contention in a few years.

thats right-not fighting for .500 with all our pennies on Jack Wilson and Nyjer Morgan coming through-but in contention with established pitching, depth, and hopefully some good hitting. Signing big names or keeping old players would just put the rebuilding process in jeopardy.

I will admit, I wrote an entry earlier this month praising Wilson and Sanchez and begging to keep them, but that was assuming that the return for Wilson would be very small. Somehow, the Pirates found a way to get 3 decent pitchers, a great prospect in Jeff Clement, and a veteran shortstop to cover Jack's hole. They were also able to get rid of the mess that was Ian Snell.
Later in the day, the rebuilders were able to get one of the Giants' best pitching prospects in Tim Alderson for Freddy Sanchez. He instantly becomes the Pirates best pitching prospect in a depleted farm bullpen.

The Bad:
The Pirates aren't going to win much this year. They've already fell out of contention, and have no veteran leadership on their team. Furthermore, the infield will suffer tremendously on the defensive end. Freddy and Jack held together the double play, and although Delwyn Young can hold his own at the plate, flashy plays are a rarity for him. Cedeno is average at best.

The personalities of these guys will also be missed. Jack Wilson's efforts seemed to revitalize some guys, and inspire them to give their all on the field.

The Ugly:
The fans have been dropping like base hits on Ramon Vazquez. People have walked away from this season, as they rightfully can, given that the team is no longer in or trying to become in contention. Players are also speaking out, or are just speechless. That's what scares me. These guys need to recognize just as well that their organization needs to make changes for the future. It is understandable that they fear for their own jobs, but speaking to the media is no way to change that. Hopefully they keep the drama off the field-something they've been able to do very well this season.

Due to the drastic changes within the Pirate Ballclub, I will now refer to the team as "The Rebuilders." This not a negative nor a positive term, just an adequate label to what the team is pursuing at the moment.

Let's Go Rebuilders.

The Double Play; Good and the Bad

Getting a double play in baseball is like...

realizing that your ice cream sinks all the way down the cone

getting a superhero figure in your wheaties box

finding money in the laundry

getting free shampoo in the mail

i could go on, and on

The point is, a double play is not only relief, but a pleasant surprise. Seeing a guy on first base disappear-and consequentially their prior hit made irrelevant or, at least, less damaging-is incredibly satisfying, exciting, and relieving.

But, statistically speaking, is turning a lot of plays a good thing in baseball? Although this statistic does imply that your defense is on point and efficient, it also suggests that the defense allows guys to get on first base a lot.

So does leading the league in double plays mean that the team has great shortstops and second basemen duos, or that they don't have the pitching and infield defense to keep guys off base?

let's look at the stats.

The Pirates, with 107 DPs, are tied with the Indians, and second only to the Astros who have turned 109 DPs.

The Pirates, Indians, and Astros are all in the top 10 team fielding percentages in the MLB-the Pirates in 2nd, Astros 5th, and Indians in 8th

However, NONE of these teams are in the top 10 for Pitching ERA

and ALL are in the bottom of the league in On Base Against Average for Pitching-the Indians and Pirates are in the bottom 5, and the Astros are 19th in the league.

These teams are great at fielding, but they let guys on base far too much.

And, although this tendency does translate into a lot of double plays, the earned runs average speaks for itself.

Because so many hitters reach the base with these three ball clubs, and not all of them are stopped with double play groundouts, the pitching ERA suffers drastically, and translates into losing games.

Although the Double Play is certainly a satisfying thing to watch and execute-it's not necessarily a good stat to lead the league in.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

I went to what turned out to be a great Pirates game this past Wednesday-

5 homers, a Brandon Moss walkoff, the Garrett Jones phenomenon continuing, several lead changes, and burnt knees as always at PNC Park. I was a bit confused as to why Mr. Garrett Jones was playing 1st base, until a fellow gamewatcher back-a-row filled me in on the Adam LaRoche trade that happened earlier that morning.

Finding out that the Pirates found someone to take the old slugger actually made the game even better.

Anyways, I was going to blog about the trade, but Pat at WhyGavs wrote a follow up post that said everything there is to be said about Adam LaRoche, management, salary, patterns, trades, etc.-in eloquent bucco fashion. It's a long post, but it reads smooth, even when you're not. like keystone.

Therefore, i've decided to feature that article, titled "Why might the Pirates be dumping salary?" as the article of the week.

Whygavs is a great blog with updates, follow ups, reactions, game recaps, and just about anything else Pirate-ish. And the fact that a Pirate blog can flourish in these days is more than respectable.

So check out this article, and be sure to bookmark the blog.

Like Myoplex, NOW i'm done.

T(i)rades

Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson talk is floating around like sex talk in middle school computer labs. The duo is being labeled the only proven core of the Pirate Ballclub by some, and a large expense by others.

As far as media goes,

Gene Collier will lose all hope in the Pirates organization if they leave.

Mark Madden will be disappointed if we pay big bucks for the duo.

Both guys have valid arguments-->

Freddy and Jack are incredible defensively, and Freddy is a hit machine when his mole is healthy. But if we keep them, are the Pirates merely wading in the waters of rebuilding? Do they have one foot in, and not have the balls to jump in the cold water. 'Lord knows there could be success in the deep end-or a drowning victim.

I personally would like to keep the duo intact and inburgh.

The D: These guys turn double plays like it's the seventh inning stretch. Their defensive efforts have kept the Bucs in several ballgames, and their limited errors hold together the infield, and have played big part in this year's pitching improvements.

The Bats: Jack Wilson is not a slugger by any means(he's in a bit of a slump right now), but his bat can be dangerous at the bottom of the rotation. Many-a-time he has the extra spark to drive in runs and get the bases moving. Freddy Sanchez is the best hitter on the team. That would be "nuff said," but he is also a master at ball placement. He can put the ball at the right place at the right time to squeeze runs. Hitting the other way, hustling, bunting-you get it all with Freddy.

The Bucks: There is no reason the Pirates shouldn't negotiate with Jack Wilson. Even if based solely on the fact that he is much more valuable to the Pirates than to any other club-Firstly because we have no replacement for him, and secondly because he isn't seen as an above average player to anyone in the MLB. Teams will only look to acquire him for defensive purposes, and the Pirates will not get a sufficient replacement for him from within the organization or from trading him. Freddy's negotiations are much more tricky, because he is worth a lot of money, and teams do see him as a great player-he has a batting title to prove it.

This duo wants to stay in Pittsburgh. It's great to see that from guys, and if you look at the way they play, it's evident. To boot, isn't it great to see Jack Wilson playing so well late in his career?

In the end, rebuilding has its counterarguments, and "unrefuseable trades" can take their toll; but this duo has me convinced that this is one trade that the Pirates should not make.

Mr. Jones, Are You For Real?

Hype is a funny thing. As is rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates

As Pirate fans, we're forced to do two very contradictory things.

1. Remain hopeful, and therefore sane. If you don't have any hope, then there's really no reason to be a Pirate Fan at the moment. And hope is really the only way to convince yourself that you're simultaneously a pirate fan and sane.

2. Deny large hype-->aka we can't get our hopes up, because that will ultimately lead to drastic disappointment, and therefore a downfall, due to not being able to accomplish the aforementioned task 1.

These two tasks beg the question at the present moment-->what do we do with Garrett Jones?

Our Dear Mr. Jones has only played in 12 games for the Pirates. Yet in these 12 games, he's managed to hit 7 home runs. In the past 4 games, he's hit 4 Home Runs. That includes last night, when he hit 2 HRs, one walkoff, that counted for the Pirates only runs.

But you know this.

What you don't know, is whether beginners luck has teased us Pirate Fans yet again.

Well Pirate Hopefuls, I'm here to announce that I know for a fact that...................

he has potential!

I know, classic answer, but really, there's no way to tell if Jones will be able to develop into a true power hitter in the league. The truth right now, is that pitchers just haven't figured him out yet and/or are underestimating him, and Jonesy is taking full advantage of that.

Andrew McCutchen did the same thing, with much less power but more hits, when he went on his 11 game hit streak. Then he struggled for a while after pitchers picked up a little more on him. I think we're seeing Cutch come out of that cycle unscathed and ready to grow even more, but there's no telling if Garret Jones will do the same.

As of right now, i'm going to enjoy is slugger streak; he's certainly earned his starting job, and will perhaps provide some competition for Brandon Moss. But i'm not going to act like I don't hope he develops into a Nate McLouth type contributor. And i'm not going to assume that as fact either.

Because I'm a pirate fan.

A Landfill of Wasted Opportunity. Take it away Shakespeare

Waste might be an understatement. And toxic waste may not be politically correct. But the Pirates wasted the night tonight.

This is a waste that only Shakespeare's 129th sonnet can come close to describing. Go for it 'Bill

"The expense of spirit in a waste of shame"

Garret Jones hit his 4th homer of his very young career. 4 out of his 11 hits at that point were homers.

"Mad in pursuit and in possession so"

Delwyn Young came through with a two run homer and Ryan Doumit hit two doubles.

"Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust"

Andrew McCutchen hit a two run homer to push the envelope. of waste.

"Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream."

Ross Ohlendorf gave up only 3 runs on 5 hits. He had five wasted strikeouts and some great pitches.

"Enjoyed no sooner, but despised straight"

Andy LaRoche had a double and triple, and scored a wasted run.

"On purpose laid to make the taker mad"

I believed in them. I thought this win was in the bag. And yet, the Pirates, accompanied by Matt Capps, find a way to blow such an offensive explosion by giving up 4 runs in the ninth.

"All this the world knows, yet none knows well"

I guess I should have seen it coming. But I like rooting for the Pirates, not awaiting their bloody downfall. It's disheartening.

Look, everyone knows Shakespeare is probably talking about masturbation in this sonnet, but for now, it seems perfectly clear that he wrote this following last night's loss. The lines are shuffled but you catch his drift. What a waste.

Fear and Loathing in Las Pittsburgh; So Long Sanchez?

Well not so much loathing, but there's definitely some fear on the homefront this week.

I swear, every time I check-scratch that-refresh my computer screen, I take a deep breath and prepare to see that the Pirates have arranged some massive trade that will send me into hibernation for the next month-I just won't be able to bear it anymore. ha....ha.....

Rumors are flying in the Steel Mill, and the Pirates' starting roster and bullpen aren't coming out intact. According to several sources, including the PG's Dejan Kovacevic, the Pirates are pushing to trade Freddy Sanchez-coupled with their closer Matt Capps for a side-dish. I'm really not sure about the return, but i'm expecting a couple prospects at a cheap price with a lot of upside. Call me Dr. Obvious.

I'm scared.

I really like Freddy, and he's always been a great guy with a clutch bat. And to boot, I will really miss his facial mole. It added a really nice touch to the clubhouse. There's something about Freddy's stature that calms me, and tells me that it's going to be ok. But, he's expensive and if we can get upside prospects fo' cheap, the Pirates might as well stick to their plan.

Pirates fans are taking a beating right now, but the best we can do is look to the future and be confident, because Huntington is sticking to his plan. And when the time comes, the plan will either succeed or he will have to directly face the consequences. At the moment, however, the Pirates are amazingly still in the run for a playoff spot, given the weakness of their division.

Let's face it, seeing "Pirates trade their only All-Star for Prospects" on the top of the sports section is going to lose a lot of fans. For those of you Bucs fans that are on the cusp of a fallout after McLouth and Morgan were cast away, all I can ask is that you don't just look at the headlines and formulate your opinions. Also, don't look at this from a 17 year timeline. We're rebuilding from 2 years ago, with a new manager. It takes a long time, and we're at a pretty good spot after two years, given how dreadful a spot Littlefield left the team at.

Sanchez is probably going to go, and i'm sure Wilson and Laroche will follow. For all the pirate fans left with me, let's bite down, and be proud to say we stuck through it when everyone else is running to celebrate a 2012 championship.

can someone take me to the psych ward?

The Pursuit of Latin-ness

La La La La La La Bamba, scratch that, Pirates!
After all the years of sitting back, watching other teams find incredible talent in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Pirates fans have felt very left out. The Pirates organization has been, in a sense, out of the loop when it comes to international signings-they were underequipt with horrible and out of date facilities, and had no motivation to pursue the talent that many teams have treated as a gold mine in Latin America.

Me oh my, how management can change things.

The pirates are now equipped with a state-of-the-art facility, supposedly capable of luring latin long-ballers to the Pirate ballclub. They've also stepped up their recruiting game in other fashions, going after the top guys and getting the Pirate name out there to kids that may only know the big names and big players-rodriguez, ramirez, the list goes on. Instead, these kids are seeing the Pirates facilities, seeing the Pirates efforts, and it's getting the Bucs closer and closer to landing big talent in Latin Land.

We're already seeing results.

Today, with the start of the International Signing Period, the Pirates have confirmed that they've offered Miguel Angel Sano, the top prospect from Latin America, a contract with the ballclub. Don't take your shirt off, don't down a shot of tequila, but this is surely some promising news. The MLB is still concerned about this young buck's age, so they're doing a super high-profile investigation. While that takes place, hopefull the Bucs can convince this kid to make a tentative agreement, given that his age is approved.

Here is a blurb about Sano from SI.com
"Dominican Republic; Bats: Right; Throws: Right; 6-3, 190
Sano is an unusual talent, as many international scouting directors say they have never seen a 16-year-old player who is built like Sano or who can hit like him. Sano, who is from San Pedro de Macoris, has an athletic, projectable body with broad shoulders and a strong lower half. He stands out at the plate with a right-handed stroke that he's able to repeat in games, showing good bat speed and the ability to hit for power to all fields. Some scouts have said he's better in batting practice than in games, while others say he has dominated against live pitching. He can get caught out front against good breaking balls, but he doesn't have a long swing and scouts have seen him drive off-speed pitches for home runs. Sano's current position is shortstop, but scouts are nearly universal that he'll end up at either third base or in right field. Sano has shown above-average speed in the 60-yard dash for some teams, but his range is already questionable at shortstop and he's expected to slow down as he adds another 20 to 30 pounds to his frame. Though he doesn't have a particularly quick release, Sano's arm is a 65 or a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Scouts expect Sano to sign with a team that doesn't typically sign players for big money in Latin America, with the Pirates believed to be the leaders."

Notice that Sano is the top International signee on SI's list.

He's a young guy, definitley with a lot a room for improvement and growth, but he's a great start for this organization to get their name out there in the international market. He'd also be a great addition to a Pirates team that's looking more, and more ready to compete in the next decade.

Morgan Doesn't Last(ings); Recent Pirate Trades

Upside can't come fast enough for the Pirates, who have traded 3 Major League Roster players for 4 futuristic phenoms (ok, that's a stretch, prospects)

Let's look at the trades

The Bucs traded Eric Hinske to the Yankees for: Pitcher Casey Erickson( Playing A Ball currently) and Catcher Eric Fryer (also playing A Ball)
these guys do have to potential to be contributors in the future, and honestly, I hated Eric Hinske.

This is a guy that supposedly had power and was our token lefty bench hitter, but he rarely looked enthused to be on this Pirates team. Along with that, he was incredibly slow, and I have no respect for athletes that get payed in the millions who can't seem to lose some weight, or at least gain some muscle. The Pirates called up Garret Jones, also a lefty, to replace Hinske. Jones has been hitting very well in Indy, and will hopefully become a Josh Phelps type guy; Clutch hits when we need them. (that's a big hope)

The second trade is the headliner, sending Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to the Nationals for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan.
First impression: i love the names
Double Take: I loved Morgan-he had great enthusiasm and he really took McCutchen under his wing. Also, he had some great speed and he seemed to be a light personality in the clubhouse.

Triple Take: Morgan didn't get on base enough. He was hitting .277, and didn't have a great eye for strikes. Furthermore, he was caught stealing 10 times in the few times he got on base. Looking at all this, is this a guy we really wanted to take McCutchen under their wing? We will never know.

Last(ings) take: Millidge is said to be a lousy character with intentionally poor hearing, but he has the potential to explode as a hitter. Drafted 11th in the draft, he was supposed to be a boom for the Mets-and traded to the Nationals, he was supposed to be a revived young man, ready to take the Nats to glory.
He might not explode, and he might not shape up, but this has GOT to be his wake up call. If he doesn't perform after all this, the Pirates can honestly say they gave up an average hitter for a flop, taking some risk for a possible big return. But if Milledge turns into half of what he was touted as, the Pirates have made quite the steal. One thing is, indeed, on the Pirates side-karma. After years of horrible drafts and flopped picks, Milledge might be the guy that turns out to be the reward for all the bad luck we pirates fans have endured. Many say that he isn't the bad guy that he's made out to be, and he might be able to perform much better without the expectations, as well as playing aside the spotlight of the Pirates' future in Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez. I've got a good feeling that he could really be a boom.

As for Sean Burnett, he is replaceable at most, and a pitcher that John Grabow seems to think is has some great stuff in Joel Hanrahan, the risk is surely worth it.

Jack Wilson, on the other hand, needed to shut his mouth, and has rightfully apologized for it today. He said some angry, Adam LaRoche-esque stuff yesterday, and although he backs it up with his play much more than Adam, he is disrespecting his owner and his teammates. He's playing with the rising Brandon Moss and a great pitcher in Charlie Morton; both from recent trades. I know he's suffered, and I love him for being consistent, but he needs to know what's best for his ballclub. Plus, crying over Morgan? uh-uh.

I can't wait to see how Milledge turns out-he's set to play in Indianapolis within the week.

Meanwhile, Ross Ohlendorf pitched a beauty against the Cubs to shut them out with 7 innings, 8 Ks, and 4 hits. Also, McCutchen has hit a wall-don't fret, let's see how he handles it, and go from there.

Here's to the future. Here's to still being on-board the Pirate Ship in July.

Forget the Recession, The Buc(k)s are Rising

Just when you'd think the Pirates would descend into the deep, mucky, stanky hole of no return, they go on a 4 game win streak to give you that little tingle of hope. Amidst trade rumors and Latin American free agency talk, our favorite Pittsburgh Ball Club put together a fine ending to their series against Cleveland, and took a step further to clinch a series win against the Royals.

The walkoff is what did it. With a stingy and scrappy steal by Jack Wilson, and a clutch hit by none other than "Cutch the Clutch" McCutchen, the Pirates sealed a win and a series against the Indians; was great to see such an effort by two respectable Buccos. Andrew McCutchen also completed a 13 game hit streak to lead any rookie this year. He also leads all rookies in batting average and is climbing in RBIs. What a player-he is quite the expectation surpasser.

Delwyn Young is impressive yet again, driving in 4 RBI's tonight, while Jack Wilson has climbed to a .291 batting average in very under-the-radar fashion-he's hitting 8th in the lineup. Jason Jaramilo has also shown glimmer in these past two series.

This is directly following a dismal and frustrating 5 game losing streak, which included a sweep from their former coach , Jim Tracy, and his Rockies. The losing streak reminded us that these guys are young and inconsistent. It reminded us that our pitching can fall apart, and Andrew McCutchen can't carry the team by himself (as a rookie at that). It reminded us that shaky lineups don't lead to consistent wins.

But. this team responded. they put on their big boots and drudged up the muddy hole, trying to ignore the remnants of their fall. They're back to breathing room, but there is so much left to go. Seeing the light is only the beginning to this team's awkward strive to a winning season. Still, it is quite the beginning.

Pirates Trade Talk

Murderer's Row and Hot Steel join topics today, as Pirate trade rumors are afloat like oil in the Cuyahoga. Although there is not one guy that is the focus of Bucco trade rumors, it is obvious that the Pirates are pushing and possibly already shopping for a trade before the July 31st trade deadline. They're also showing signs of trades by promoting guys rapidly down on the farm.

Although some are saying that the Pirates wont trade a big-time player so soon after the Nate McLouth trade, I think it's exactly what the Huntington needs to do in order to stay on track. If the Pirates don't trade the mediocre/.500 players now for upside prospects or pitching, then they're just going to leave when their contract expires and we won't get anything in return.

Next year, Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, and Jack Wilson become Free Agents. Seeing that these guys wont likely resign, I think the Pirates will need to trade two of these three guys to get some young talent if they want to compete in the coming years. They need to get support around Andrew McCutchen, Alvarez, Tabata, and possibly Andy LaRoche, and they have a chance at being a playoff team in 2011.

I'm personally hoping that the Pirates can trade Adam LaRoche. He's extremely slumpy and has a bad taste in his mouth from the McLouth trade. He wants his team to compete but isn't doing anything to contribute! He's also the kind of guy that will probably hit better on another team, because he's really a deadbeat in the clubhouse at the moment. In terms of replacements, the Pirates have already called up Steve Pearce to try him out at 1st base.

I don't want to see Sanchez go, but I think the Pirates could get A LOT by trading him. He's a great hitter and I would love to see him take us to the playoffs, but his age and price just don't bode well for those dreams.

I really would like to see the Bucs keep Jack Wilson, because no one can match him defensively in the infield. He's really an asset to the team for double plays, and is a clutch hitter at times. He's a great guy to have on the field and at the bottom of the lineup, not to mention he doesn't come with as much of a price tag as the other two guys in the long run. Also, how great would it be to see Jack Wilson win a championship with the Pirates after all these years as a suffering bucco? I'd be in tears.

In other buccos news, I hate Eric Hinske and I think Delwyn Young is an asset if he learns how to field. Andrew McCutchen is already leading the NL in triples, after 17 games; he also has a 10 game hit streak. whoa.

Meet You At PNC Park; We've Got Baseball to Watch

Pittsburghers-

You have no excuse. The Penguins season has come to a close, the Steelers Latrobe camps haven't started and let's face it-you're watching The Bachelorette to keep you busy at nights. I propose a much more entertaining alternative.

There's a park down the road, next to the river, right off Ft. Duquesne and Veterans Bridges. This park is touted as one of, if not THE best park in Major League Baseball. It has a beautiful skyline of the city of champions, with comfortable seats and great food. They sell your Iron City, your Primanti Bros. cheeseteak, and your "Lemonade here!". They even have all the food your heart could desire if you're willing to chip up a little extra. Not only that, but if you pay 9 bucks at the door, you can look down and see a competition. A match between two professional major league baseball teams, and one of them, I guarantee you, will be the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This team has great pitching, fast runners, and some decent hitting. Hell, you might even catch a souvenir ball hit by your favorite athlete. You can see home runs, stolen bases, and strikeouts. You can yell at umpires, dance around to goofy songs, and collectively stretch with the rest of the audience. And the way the Pirates have been playing recently, there's a good chance you'll leave that ballpark basking in that feeling; that victorious tingle of goodness.

Look Pittsburgh fans, I know I'm patronizing you a bit, but I really think this is the time of year when the Pirates really could use our support. I was happy to see a big crowd these past couple games while the Stanley Cup Buzz was in the air. But I think that the team really plays great when the seats are full, and I know that if the seats start filling up, and the Pirates continue winning, things can change quicker than your milk when you put Nesquik cereal in it. Filling the stands will
1. Motivate the Pirates
2. Give the organization more money to spend on players
3. Give Pittsburghers the summer pastime that we all desperately need.

Don't resist because of this nate mclouth apathy. Instead, how about we rally around the fact that we have one of the MOST EXCITING players in baseball right now in Andrew McCutchen. And Pirate hopefuls, we have him for 6 years. There's a different feel for this year. I know, people say that every year. But when was the last time we had this kind of solid pitching, this kind of young promise, this kind of owner? This year feels great, and we can be a part of the change. Right now is the time to go, the time for support, and the time to have fun at our amazing ballpark.

The next home stand is from the 23rd to the 30th of June, when the Pirates play the Indians, the Royals, and the Cubs respectively. If you go on the 25th, you'll get a free t-shirt!

It's 9 bucks. For a night of family fun or time with the friends. Grab your peanuts, get that glove, put on that Brian Giles jersey [it's also acceptable to wear a penguins or steelers jersey]. I'll see you at PNC, and let's go bucs!