2014 Pittsburgh Pirates

Anybody feeling kind of bad for the Pirates and their fans? I know as O's fans we're inclined not to sympathize too much with them, what with the World Series and Steelers factors, but at 10-18 and 9.5 games back they've got to be feeling like fate has dealt them a pretty cruel blow after last year. I remember how on edge I felt at the beginning of 2013, wondering if the previous year had been real.

They did seem very fortunate last year. This year, the lack of overall talent is showing up a bit more.

Well aside from the second game last night they're not hitting well at all. McCutchen has been himself, Sanchez is hitting, Walker has been fine, but nobody else is getting it done.

This team is far from under talented. The front office really messed up not getting a real 1B this off season and not trying to address a hole at SS. They also put too much faith in Grilli at closer and are probably 3 games worse for it. I know it looks bad now, but this team will finish with a better season than the Orioles. They have possibly the best farm system in the game.

What they really need to do is commit and bring Polanco up, service clock be damned. The guy is raking and they are getting nothing out of RF right now. If Marte gets back on track they could easily have the best OF in the game by the ASB, and for the next 4 years.

The other way they could commit... they have holes at 1B and SS. What a coincidence Morales and Drew are still out there.

It's still a question of money there.

They also have a ton of pitching depth in the minors, even with the injury to Taillon.

Not for one second. It's ****tsburgh.

Two TWO! game 7 losses to them. How anyone can have any sympathy for the Pirates is preposterous.

No sympathy. Remember 1979!!

I do feel bad though I concede despite the two WS losses to them in the 70's, the Pirates are a team I sort of like due to familial connections to the city of Pittsburgh and the Pirates themselves. Plus I feel bad for any team not named Yankees or Red Sox that had to go through that long of a gap between winning seasons.

Not for one second. It's ****tsburgh.

Two TWO! game 7 losses to them. How anyone can have any sympathy for the Pirates is preposterous.

c. 1983

o

(SEPTEMBER 5th)

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Josh Harrison - 3B

Jordy Mercer - SS

Andrew McCutchen - CF

Russell Martin - C

Starling Marte - LF

Gaby Sanchez - 1B

Neil Walker - 2B

Jose Tabata - RF

Vance Worley - RHP (6-4, 3.01 ERA)

CHICAGO CUBS

Arismendy Alcantara - CF

Javier Baez - SS

Luis Valbuena - 3B

Jorge Soler - RF

Chris Coghlan - LF

Welington Castillo - C

Logan Watkins - 2B

Chris Valaika - 1B

Tsuyoshi Wada - LHP (4-2, 2.79 ERA)

http://www.baseballpress.com/lineups

o

(SEPTEMBER 17th)

After getting swept by the Cardinals 2 weeks ago, it looked like the Pirates had no shot at winning the division, and were on the outside looking in in terms of getting one of the 2 wildcard births.

Since then, they have won 9 out of their last 11 games, and currently hold the position of the 2nd wildcard.

They are also 2 and-a-half games behind the Cardinals in the N.L. Central division.

o

(SEPTEMBER 26th)

The Pirates remain very hot, as they trail the Cardinals by one game with 3 left to play in the season.

They have already secured a playoff birth for the 2nd consecutive season.

They want their first division title since 1992.