Pirates Mathematically Eliminated From Major League Baseball

[trotsky]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/pirates-mathematically-eliminated-from-major-leagu,17862/

PITTSBURGH—After losing their fifth straight game Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates were mathematically eliminated from Major League Baseball, having fallen to a 36-69 record that officially disqualified the team from ever playing the sport again. "Eventually it comes to a point where there just aren't enough future games to turn things around for a baseball team," manager John Russell said following a 4-0 loss to the Reds that ended the Pirates franchise. "I had high hopes that we would go deeper into our regular seasons, but truthfully, we've been playing so lousy for the last 18 years that even if we got to our 106th game we wouldn't have been able to contend." In response to the Pirates' getting knocked out of professional baseball forever, Pittsburgh fans said that they were frankly relieved.

:rofl:

[joeybee12]

1. You linked to the Onion, but this is actually a REAL story.

:evilgrin:

[Upton]

2. If only it were true..

The Pirates should be relegated to AAA where they can then earn their way back by becoming competitive.

[KamaAina]

8. That's the way it works in English soccer

it's called "relegation". The problem with employing that in MLB would be that, up until this year, both the Orioles AND Natinals would have found themselves in the International League, leaving the Mid-Atlantic high and dry..

[madinmaryland]

9. Of course there is the futility of a certain team over the last 56 years

that cannot win a championship for their city.

:D

And then of course the attendance records show how pathetic even the fans of that certain Frisco team is.

:evilgrin:

[KamaAina]

19. You must be confused between the TWO Bay Area teams

it's the A's (four-time world champions) who suffer from lousy attendance at the moment, largely because the owner is seeking to move the team to San Jose or elsewhere and thus has not really even attempted to field a competitive team in recent years.

[TZ]

11. You are wrong about the Nats.

They've only had 3 really bad years here. THe first year they were here they were in competition for THE WILD CARD until September and finished at exactly .500. But its completely fashionable to bash them as never been good..:eyes:

[flvegan]

25. .500 is their best season ever (as the Nationals).

:rofl:

Credit where due, however...a much better team this year than last.

[Auggie]

3. It sucks to live in an area where the baseball team is perennially lousy

I know, having grown up in Cleveland during the '60s and '70s.

People of Pittsburgh and Pirates fans everywhere have my empathy.

[JonLP24]

6. They do got the Penguins and the Steelers

I don't have any empathy for them! :)

[Auggie]

14. That's some solace, I suppose

unless you like baseball.

[madinmaryland]

4. That is funny!

:rofl:

[El Supremo]

5. The Pirates have won...

9 Division titles
9 Pennants
5 World Series

On the other hand, the Texas Rangers have won only one postseason game. The Senators/Rangers franchise is the oldest team in any of the major North American professional leagues that has never won a league championship. I don't feel sympathy for the Buckos.

[madinmaryland]

7. And yet the Frisco Ginats have yet to win a World Series for their city which

they have been in for 56 years!

[trumad]

10. I always get a kick when Cboy-Lite

hops on and disses other franchises.

All hat---no cattle.

[Upton]

13. That may be true..

but the Giants are in the race virtually every year...September matters when you're a Giants fan. Yeah, they've come up short in their quest for a WS title for San Francisco, but they're entertaining and they try to win. Outside of demanding a title, what more can a fan ask for?

All this stands in sharp contrast to the once proud Pirates. They're not only not competitive, they haven't even had a winning season since '92. It must suck every spring training knowing your favorite team has absolutely no chance to win, and even worse.. doesn't even make an effort at it. Perhaps this is why you're always looking forward to football season. And given the present state of the Pirates, who can blame you?

[TZ]

12. Unlike other teams PIttsburgh doesn't even TRY anymore

I mean, every year when they actually find real talent they quickly trade them to another team and while that was helpful to the Nats in gettting a very productive Nyjer Morgan, its still a :wtf: to me....

[PRETZEL]

22. Nyjer Morgan was a product of Andrew McCutcheon

Pirates thought Cutch had more upside.

Both teams benefited from the trade even though Milledge probably won't fit into future plans with Pittsburgh.

[JonLP24]

23. He is a good player

I don't have cable so I don't see any highlights on ESPN but he had a very good rookie year last year. I was impressed. Not sure how is doing without looking up his numbers.

[PRETZEL]

24. If I had to make a comparison

I'd say he has Andrew Jones potential without the power.

[PRETZEL]

15. The difference is past years is that this may be the bottom of the rock bottom

yeah it's really sucked for a long time being a Pirate fan, however, being the optimist I am, I see a lineup for the next five years looking like this,

Andrew McCutcheon - promising star in the making
Jose Tabata - good young versatile player
Neil Walker - another good young player
Garrett Jones - tailored made for PNC Park
Pedro Alverez - Another tailored made player for PNC Park
Chris Snyder - good young strong defensive catcher

The good thing about this is that all of these young players are under contract for the next 5 years.

Yeah, this is pretty much their AAA team, but got to start somewhere. (I guess I've heard that before too)

[Auggie]

16. Cleveland, Kansas City, Oakland -- all in the same boat

[PRETZEL]

18. yep,

Philly was in the same boat (ok, maybe not) not that long ago when Rollins, Utley, Victorino and Howard were all up and coming prospects.

[TZ]

17. How many of those players will be traded off to somewhere else though?

Thats what I don't get about Pittsburgh...as soon as someone develops good MLB skills they are prompty shipped elsewhere...

[PRETZEL]

20. Hopefully none,

prior administrations in Pirateville have been totally screwed up.

I'm really hoping this current one will be different. We're seeing the beginnings of that with this lineup.

[Auggie]

21. That is odd

Even Cleveland waits (mostly) until a contract is up. The exception was last year when the team publicly announced they were reducing payroll from $80M to $60M around mid-season.