When will the Pirates streak end?

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KR1245's avatar

KR1245

Senior Member

4,317 posts
Mar 31, 2011 1:12 PM
They are looking at their 19th consecutive losing season.

Who's to blame?
Do they have any decent prospects in the minors?

I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers, I'm just curious. I cant remember seeing a skid like this by any team in any sport
Mar 31, 2011 1:12pm
Automatik's avatar

Automatik

Senior Member

14,632 posts
Mar 31, 2011 1:18 PM
It all starts with an asshole named Robert Nutting.
Mar 31, 2011 1:18pm
Art Modell's avatar

Art Modell

Senior Member

2,338 posts
Mar 31, 2011 1:22 PM
Until they change ownership the streak will live on and on. Mark Cuban was interested a few years ago but the current owner wouldn't sell. Vegas has them at 72 wins but I am going with 61-101. The streak lives on.
Mar 31, 2011 1:22pm
like_that's avatar

like_that

1st Team All-PWN

26,625 posts
Mar 31, 2011 1:23 PM
Art Modell;729890 wrote:Until they change ownership the streak will live on and on. Mark Cuban was interested a few years ago but the current owner wouldn't sell. Vegas has them at 72 wins but I am going with 61-101. The streak lives on.

So you are a fan now? Or only when they are doing good? Pretty sure you said you aren't a pirates fan...
Mar 31, 2011 1:23pm
G

Gblock

Mar 31, 2011 1:25 PM
when they sell the team ....GO PIRATES!
Mar 31, 2011 1:25pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Mar 31, 2011 1:26 PM
Gblock;729893 wrote:when they sell the team ....GO PIRATES!

Yep.
Mar 31, 2011 1:26pm
Heretic's avatar

Heretic

Son of the Sun

18,820 posts
Mar 31, 2011 1:30 PM
And goes down to poor GMs, especially David Littlefield. A lot of low-budget teams at least have good seasons here and there, but that's because they have good talent evaluators. Littlefield was a worthless piece of shit who completely destroyed the organization by being the pure definition of fucktard. He didn't care about the minor leagues or developing prospects. He seemed to operate by the motto of being cheap even by cheap standards, constantly trading for marginal AAA talent that couldn't operate in the bigs, which left us with first-round draft picks being used on guys like John Van Benshocton and Bryan Bullington. Hell, I read recently that he basically got overruled the year they drafted A. McCutchen, as he wanted someone else.

After he got canned, the organization started spending money on draft picks (Alvarez, Tallion, Allie as the biggest examples) and seems to at least have a plan that could pay off down the road. I could see them threatening .500 in 2012 and I'd be disappointed if they weren't over that mark in 2013. I was hoping things would progress a little more quickly, but they had so many injuries to prospects in the minors last year (Tony Sanchez, Starling Marte, Brock Holt, etc.).
Mar 31, 2011 1:30pm
Art Modell's avatar

Art Modell

Senior Member

2,338 posts
Mar 31, 2011 1:32 PM
like_that;729891 wrote:So you are a fan now? Or only when they are doing good? Pretty sure you said you aren't a pirates fan...

It's hard to be a fan when the owner doesn't give a shit if they win or lose. I used to go to around 20 games a season but decided not to give him another dime until he shows he wants to win.
Mar 31, 2011 1:32pm
GoPens's avatar

GoPens

Senior Member

2,339 posts
Mar 31, 2011 2:41 PM
Dave Littlefield set this organization back by decades. Horrible drafting decisions. It doesn't help that Nutting is a tight-wad either but at least some money is finally being spent on the draft and in the new academy in the Dominican.

No .500 this year (95-100 losses). Maybe improve to 5-10 games under next year. I say at least 2013 before any hope of.500 (and that's only if the starting pitching improves immeasurably--meaning Tallion, Allie and others make it to the bigs that year.
Mar 31, 2011 2:41pm
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

Senior Pwner

23,151 posts
Mar 31, 2011 2:44 PM
I was just discussing with a friend how the Pirates history would be different if Bonds had never left for San Francisco Giants. I doubt the losing streak would have lasted so long.
Mar 31, 2011 2:44pm
Raw Dawgin' it's avatar

Raw Dawgin' it

Just Ain't Care

11,466 posts
Mar 31, 2011 2:47 PM
Commander of Awesome;729994 wrote:I was just discussing with a friend how the Pirates history would be different if Bonds had never left for San Francisco Giants. I doubt the losing streak would have lasted so long.

you don't say...
Mar 31, 2011 2:47pm
Automatik's avatar

Automatik

Senior Member

14,632 posts
Mar 31, 2011 2:49 PM
lol....responding to yourself?

Last Pirates game I went to...it was "bring your dog to the game" night. I was like WTF?! The promotions they do to get people in the stadium are ridiculous.
Mar 31, 2011 2:49pm
R

rock_knutne

Mar 31, 2011 2:54 PM
Until the Nuttings sell the team, I won't go to any games or buy any merchandise. They don't even try to put a winning team on the field and that's a shame because a vast majority of Pirates fans are being driven away. If the Nuttings would at least try to make some moves to show they are serious about winning it would be a different story but the way this organization is run now, there's no chance. They will continue to have their firework nights, bobblehead nights and free concerts to sucker the ordinary "Joe" in who doesn't know any better and the Nutting's wallett keeps getting fatter by continuing to drive the worst franchise in Pro Sports farther and farther in to the ground.
Mar 31, 2011 2:54pm
Raw Dawgin' it's avatar

Raw Dawgin' it

Just Ain't Care

11,466 posts
Mar 31, 2011 2:56 PM
rock_knutne;729999 wrote:Nutting's wallett keeps getting fatter
Sounds like a smart business man to me.
Mar 31, 2011 2:56pm
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

Senior Pwner

23,151 posts
Mar 31, 2011 2:56 PM
With the current set up the MLB has, these teams are still turning a profit which gives little incentive to dbag owners like the Pirates/Indians to want to compete.
Mar 31, 2011 2:56pm
R

rock_knutne

Mar 31, 2011 2:58 PM
Raw Dawgin' it;730000 wrote:Sounds like a smart business man to me.

It will eventually bite him in the ass. If the Nutting's were really smart, they would sell out to put a contending team on the field and pack the stands........revenue would go up accross the board and they would make even more money.
Mar 31, 2011 2:58pm
like_that's avatar

like_that

1st Team All-PWN

26,625 posts
Mar 31, 2011 2:58 PM
smh, when I read this thread, I almost think I am reading the Indians thread. Can we just combine threads?
Mar 31, 2011 2:58pm
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

Senior Pwner

23,151 posts
Mar 31, 2011 3:00 PM
No doubt, as long as the dolans own the Tribe we can start our own losing streak thread.
Mar 31, 2011 3:00pm
Heretic's avatar

Heretic

Son of the Sun

18,820 posts
Mar 31, 2011 3:44 PM
like_that;730005 wrote:smh, when I read this thread, I almost think I am reading the Indians thread. Can we just combine threads?

Cheap owners. Check.
Young, unproven players. Check.
Journeymen retreads. Check.
A handful of actual stars-in-the-making serving as the chicken salad amongst the chicken shit (yes, I did watch Lesnar on TUF last night). Check.

Yep. Might as well combine the Pirates and Indians threads. And then add a death watch poll for fans of the two teams.
Mar 31, 2011 3:44pm
T

thavoice

Senior Member

14,376 posts
Mar 31, 2011 4:26 PM
Probably just moments before the apocalypse is upon us.
Mar 31, 2011 4:26pm
killer_ewok's avatar

killer_ewok

iRep

11,379 posts
Mar 31, 2011 4:31 PM
Hopefully this year.

Hopefully.

But probably not.
Mar 31, 2011 4:31pm
F

Fabio

Gibby Hunter

547 posts
Mar 31, 2011 6:24 PM
Art Modell;729890 wrote:Until they change ownership the streak will live on and on. Mark Cuban was interested a few years ago but the current owner wouldn't sell. Vegas has them at 72 wins but I am going with 61-101. The streak lives on.

Actually the MLB was the one barricading Cuban's attempt to buy them I believe. They did the same thing when he wanted to buy the Cubs. It all comes down to Major League Baseball still being hung up on being a "good ole boys" club and stuck in a 1917 mentality when it comes to conduct and player attitude.
Mar 31, 2011 6:24pm
wes_mantooth's avatar

wes_mantooth

Tomfoolery & shenanigans

17,977 posts
Mar 31, 2011 6:45 PM
Gblock;729893 wrote:when they sell the team ....GO PIRATES!

I think most of the Pirates' fans I know feel the same.
Mar 31, 2011 6:45pm
Non's avatar

Non

Senior Member

9,517 posts
Apr 1, 2011 12:28 AM
There's a glimmer of hope I'd say for 2013-2016, roughly those years.

Obviously we'll know a lot more after this season. Tabata, Walker and Alvarez showed glimpses last year but this is their first full season.

I would say the two position players in the minors that could join the MLB mix in the couple years are catcher Tony Sanchez and toolsy outfielder Starling Marte.

If they end up drafting Anthony Rendon from Rice that could give them another top hitting threat.

OF
Andew McCutchen
Jose Tabata
Starling Marte

3B
Anthony Rendon

SS
???

2B
Neil Walker

1B
Pedro Alvarez

C
Tony Sanchez

They might take Gerrit Cole, the pitcher from UCLA, with the No. 1 overall and that would give them potentially two No. 1 type starters in Cole and Taillon. They've done a good job in the draft the past couple years stocking up on pitching. Along with those two, they also took Stetson Allie, who figures to be a closer long term, and they signed Luis Heredia, a talented prospect out of Latin America.

They'll stink this year. I'll say about 64-98 because the starting pitching this year is going to be average, at best, but they're starting to get a legitimate nucleus of position players and they have a lot of pitching in the minors if they can develop it.
Apr 1, 2011 12:28am
G

Gblock

Apr 1, 2011 7:40 AM
i think that they actually have drafted and groomed good players...the problem is that they basically groom them for the yankees and the redsox.
Apr 1, 2011 7:40am