Pittsburgh Pirates

I think it’s a shame that the Pittsburgh Pirates company does nothing with African American children EVER. I go to games and have tried to get them involved in some of the programs the Pirates have and they are NEVER choosen. Every game all I see is non African American kids. They love the Pirates too. PNC Park need to do better by us.

Beware of purchasing partial season packages. I bought a 2014 13 game package and they lied about post season ticket purchase opportunities. In order to purchase tickets to 2014 post season games I was told that I had to upgrade and purchase a full 2015 season package or else buy online like the general public. Also the exchange policy for unused tickets requires snail mail or a physical trip to the stadium office. However the future ticket exchange is done online up to 48 hours prior to the game.
They only cater to new business full season ticket holders for post season ticket sales, existing partial season holders get no priority whatsoever.

The Pittsburgh Pirates just had their first winning season in twenty years. They made the playoffs and got Pittsburgh excited for baseball again. So what would you rate the pirates front offices right now? Are the pirates going to be in the pennant race for years to come or will they be one and done?
Neil Huntington became the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager 6 years ago. Their minor league system ranked near the bottom half of the MLB when he first started. Now they are rated in the top three minor league systems in all of baseball.
Neil has done a great job drafting the best players available in the MLB amateur drafts in his tenure. His first pick was Pedro Alvarez. The first Manager that he hired was John Russell. I think that was a terrible hire but I do know what Neil was thinking. The Pirates were not going to contend for the next three years at least. So they just wanted to get a guy in there that would do what they wanted and try to teach their young players baseball and keep them motivated. They soon fired Russell and made a terrific hire in Clint hurdle. In the coming years in the draft the Pirates drafted Jamison Taillon, Tony Sanchez, and Gerit Cole. Three of these draftees are significant parts of the major league team right now. Tallion will join the Pirates by mid season this year. I give the Pirates a grade A in drafting in these last 6 years. Before 2008, Pirates management would draft the player who they could sign the easiest and not the best player available. Now by drafting the best players available they have made their minor league system and their major league team one of the best in the majors.
Another big factor in the team’s most recent success and their future is their international signings. Before Neil Huntington and Pirates owner Bob Nutting there were no Pirates facilities in Latin America. That was a huge piece the Pirates were missing. Roberto Clemente is from the Dominican Republic and all of the DR Players were going to other teams and not the Pirates. The Pirates built a brand new facility in the DR and now they have some impact players to help the Pirates now and into the future. The biggest signing so far has been Starling Marte. In 2004 the Pirates hired Renee gayo to be director of their Latin America baseball operations. His first signee was Starling Marte and he signed him for a measly $ 100,000. He is now one of the top left fielders in the game. Gayo also signed the Pirates number one prospect Gregory Polanco for $ 150,000. He should be in Pittsburgh by midsummer this year. He has the potential to be better that Marte and MVP Andrew McCutchen. The two signings and a multiple other signings are leading the pirates to a very successful short term and long term future.
Overall I really like what I see from this Pirate team and management. Yes I would have liked them to sign a few guys over the off season but I trust they know what they are doing. They are relying heavily on their farm system to carry them through this year. They might have to make a trade or two if this plan doesn’t work but they have a good young core in Pittsburgh that should allow them to have another successful 2014 and for several years to come.

Pirates, thank you for making me believe again and prompting me to watch my first live baseball game in 24 years. Your club has made great strides since my last review in 2010, making the playoffs after a bad streak 2 decades long. The last two games were heartbreakers, but yinz have nothing to be ashamed of for this season was something to build on. I predict greatness and dynasties in the future. Ahoy maties!!!
P. S. THIS should be your new rallying song…

Go Pirates!!! That’s all I can say. They’ve made me love baseball and Pittsburgh again. They’re only going to get better.

Ugh! Another losing season. WTF man, weren’t we in first place at the All-​Star Break? What happened? I wasn’t expecting a World Series Champ or even a Pennant winner. But was a winning season too much to ask for? This marks the 20^th anniversary since the Pirates’ last winning season. That’s right folks – it’s been since 1992. Let’s take a look at the world of 1992.
BASEBALL: The Pirates’ roster that year included Stan Belinda, Doug Drabek, Zane Smith, Denny Neagle, Jay Bell, Orlando Merced, Andy Van Slyke, and of course Barry Bonds. All have since retired. The only new ballparks were New Comiskey Park (now U.S. Cellular Field) and Camden Yards. No stadiums had corporate names. The Arizona Diamondbacks, the Colorado Rockies, the Miami Marlins, and the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays didn’t exist. The Washington Nationals were the Montréal Expos. The Milwaukee Brewers were in the AL. Both the NL and the AL only had two divisions each. The minor league Washington Wild Things didn’t exist either and nor did their league. KBL was the big cable sports channel.
TV: «Saturday NIght Live’s» cast included Dana Carvey, Ellen Cleghorne, Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Phil Hartman, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade. «Seinfeld» hadn’t become a huge hit yet and no one knew Kramer’s first name. Monday nights on NBC included «Murphy Brown», «Evening Shade» and «Northern Exposure».
MOVIES: The top movies included «Lethal Weapon 3», «Basic Instinct», «Hone Alone 2», «The Bodyguard» and «Aladdin». When you wanted to watch movies at home, you had to rent them from the video store and you watched them on VHS tapes or laserdiscs.
MUSIC: Bruce Springsteen released «Lucky Town» and «Human Touch» on the same day. R.E.M. had «Automatic for the People». Gin Blossoms released their first album «New Miserable Experience», which stayed on the charts for almost two years. Bare Naked Ladies «Gordon» featured the cult classic «If I Had a Million Dollars.» You either listened to albums on cassette or CD and you bought them at record stores like National Record Mart. Doug Hopkins (Gin Blossoms), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Shannon Hoon (Bline Melon) and Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) were all alive.
TECHNOLOGY: Few people had internet access. You also used pay phones because you didn’t have a cell phone. You watched movies on a VCR. You met up with your friends without texting them. You ordered merchandise by «sending in» or by calling an «800» number. You had to buy tickets by waiting in line.
And OJ Simpson was still a football hero.
So that’s it, Pittsburgh Pirates. I feel like telling you I’m done with you guys. I’m no fair weather fan, but 20+ years of losing is enough.

I love the buccos, win or lose. Going to the games are always a good time, and when they are on TV at the bar, I always find myself happy to enjoy my meal and watch the game. Gotta love them battling bucs. Please just let me see one round of Playoffs in Pittsburgh before I die.

Go Bucco’s! Ownership sucks!!!

Hats off to the 2011 version of the Pittsburgh Pirates! for the most part, this team showed a lot of heart, they have a talented young group at the core of this team. What a thrilling summer it was with the Buccos near the top of the standings and even being in first place for a few days. Alas a bad losing streak towards the end of the summer brought the team down in the standings, but a lesson learned, at least they know they can win. A tweek or two here and there, maybe a little money spent on a free agent or two, and find that elusive home run hitter might bring us a title next year.
I went to 12 games this year, and this team almost reached 2 million in attendance, I think next year we’ll hit 2.2 million and a playoff!

The current era which is now on a 17 seasons under .500 streak is just horrid and deserves one star at best. The ’71 through ’79 and the early ‘90s eras get 5 stars for having such cool players as Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Spanky!
Throw in PNC Park (with ex-​Bucco Manny Sanguillen’s BBQ stand), the always cool black and mustard unis (bring back the ‘7s retro look) and the fact one day the Lumber Company wil return (when are the Bucs going to return to scouting Latin America again?).
Plus the perogy races are classic!

It’s cathartic to give this sorry organization 1 star.
Note: this is a review of the baseball club, not the stadium in which they play