Pirates Begin Climb Out of Hell

It’s official Pirate fans.  The Pirate players that performed so poorly that they have given the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise the title of the worst franchise in professional sports are gone.  History.  The ex-Pirates are off to fresh starts and new beginnings.  Back here in Pittsburgh, we are officially in hell.

Thanks guys.  Thank you for finally leaving Pittsburgh. Take your excuses, grudges, lies about wanting to retire a Pirate, take your shattered feelings, bad attitudes, take it all and be gone.

Some of you gave up on us. Gave up on the Pirates.

We never gave up on you. We are Pirate fans. We will be for life. You did the commercials. We live it. We breathe it.

All of the Pirates starters from last year’s opening day lineup have been chased out.  Only Ryan Doumit remains and his jersey day is Sunday.  Take a look at those players on those opening day lineups from the past 15, 16 years for a moment.  Face it, most of them weren’t very good.

Sure we liked them.  You might have their jersey.  You will always remember that great play, the time he took while signing that autograph for you.  Most of these players were outstanding citizens in the city of Pittsburgh and did great things in the community. Those were special times.

They were also losing times.   And this is what this game is all about. Winning. And it never happened. Year after dreadful year. It. Just. Didn’t. Happen.

A quick calculation of Jack Wilson who played with the Pirates since 2003: 87 losses, 89 losses, 95 losses, 95 losses, 94 losses, 95 losses, and 2009… 56 losses.

Wilson saw a lot of losing.  In fact, Wilson saw 611 losses in his time with the Pirates.

Freddy Sanchez saw over 400 losses.

Adam LaRoche saw over 200 losses.

We saw those losses too. And Pittsburgh is about winning. This losing is hell. We hate it. Hate it with a passion.

Some fans will probably give up on the team.  Some of you already have given up.   That is your right as a fan.  But it’s a shame.  A damn shame.  Because Pirates fans are the best damn fans in baseball.

You don’t have to agree with the madness behind Pirates baseball.  I totally agree it was a mess, but I also think the new plan is very smart.  It was the only way to attempt to quickly transform the organization. 

Transform the old habits.  The culture.  The losing.  It all needed to go.  And it has gone quickly.

Too quickly for some of us.

Some of you are pissed.  Some of you liked some of those ex-Pirates.  We all did. You said we should have built around them.  You are right.  At one time it would have been a good plan.  But it didn’t happen.

You can go back now and look and say, heh, take this player and that player….but guess what?  It’s over.  No matter what happens…. that is over. Pointing fingers because of this decision or blaming it on this person or that trade does nothing for us. That is what cowards do. We must look forward.

But many Pirate fans are happy as hell today. Thrilled. Estatic.  It reminds some of you of quitting something, walking away from a time that sucked in your life, a new beginning.

No matter what you say, what you do, or where you go, you will be a Pirate fan.

Now let’s climb out of this hell and enjoy watching this team take its lumps for a while, lets watch an improved minor league system loaded with talent. A system that is loaded with players that were given a second chance by this Pirates organization.

Players who want to win.

Let’s show these players that we expect winning. We will not be satisfied with losing. Pirate fans will not be satisfied when you don’t hustle, give excuses, or refuse to play while making millions. We don’t accept being out of shape. Pittsburgh is about winning.

We win. We win daily. Shower. Repeat.

We won’t be satisfied with anything but a Pittsburgh mentality and Pittsburgh swagger on the baseball diamond.

Rest assured, the pits of hell at PNC Park could be very hot over the next few months. The remaining Pirate season will be hell. And I am going to love every minute of it.

Hit play.

Thanks Nick10 for the video.   [if you like reading Rumbunter, get it in your email here]

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