The Pirates may not break their losing streak after all

[stomperspc]

I admit that sometime around July 17th when the O's were 2 games above .500 and fading rapidly (10 GB of the Yankees) while the Pirates were 10 games over .500 and 1 GB of the Reds, I started to hope they would fade as well. It was purely selfish - I had not given up on the O's by a long shot but if we were going to finish under .500, I was hoping the Pirates would as well. Otherwise, the Orioles would have been stuck with the "longest consecutive losing seasons in MLB" title. When the O's turned it around I hoped the Pirates would keep it up, too. I liked their team this year and have always felt a certain kinship with Pirate fans. I hope they can break it next year.

[Frobby]

I know some still harbor resentment over the '71 & '79 World Series, and for some it's the Steelers connection, both understandable, but I really feel bad for the Pirates. If for no other reason, we went through the exact same thing 7 years ago. This, in every sense of the word, is their 2005, except they were even more in it, for several reasons, I think, than the Orioles were in 2005. Heck, just a few weeks ago this team was still "alive" for the second Wild Card spot, now they just wrapped up their 20th consecutive losing season. What the Orioles went through was bad, no doubt about it. But this is worse, and it's happened to a historical franchise, one of the oldest in the game's history, who play in one of the finest ballparks in all of baseball. I could wish this on the Yankees and their fans, maybe. But, I don't wish this on Pirates fans.

Me neither. They've suffered long enough. Now as to the Yankee fans, if they suffered 50 losing seasons in a row they'd still be ahead of the game.