PirateFest Standing Ovation Needs to Happen Sunday

Everyone that reads this has more than likely been a part of a standing ovation for the Pirates players.  The Bucs played their way into the hearts of even the most negative Pirates fan in 2013.  An ovation is sure to happen on Saturday when the players take the mainstage, but Sunday, fans will have an opportunity to give some other deserving gentlemen their due.

You might have guessed who we are talking about by now.  The opportunity to make the standing ovation happen will be Sunday around 12:59pm.  Fans will be able to ask their questions about offseason moves, the 2014 season, and more during the annual  Q&A with Pirates management team Frank Coonelly, Neal Huntington and Clint Hurdle on the PirateFest Stage from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The guys deserve recognition for what they have done.  It’s not easy working magic in Pittsburgh, but these gentlemen did it.  If Bob Nutting had the courage to jump on stage, we would give him a rou…. well…

But Nutting did answer the challenge last season when on August 19, these were the Bucs offensive numbers post All-Star break.  It looked pretty damn scary outside of the white hot McCutchen, a simmering Neil Walker and Jordy Mercer.

We wanted Bob Nutting to finish the job.

The Bucs offense didn’t score a great deal of runs in 2013, hanging near the bottom of the pack for most of the season.  At the trade deadline we were told the price was just too steep.  We thought that was fair.

But when the Pirates General Manager brought up the discussion of being concerned about contracts regarding potential talent acquisition, the warning light went off in my mind. It can’t be that. Can it? This is about a contract?

After Collapse Twenty, Bob Nutting was a no show at the PirateFest main stage. The fans were lining up to pepper the Bucs brass, each prepared with questions from that mornings Trib Live Blog by Dejan Kovacevic. The article asked, Did you ever want to be a beat reporter?  And then laid out a few questions for Frank Coonelly. Questions for Neal Huntington. Questions for Clint Hurdle.

No questions for Bob Nutting.

When we questioned why Nutting didn’t take the stage, many came to his defense. The bottom line was this…. the owner doesn’t do the main stage.  Never has, never will.

Refreshingly, Bob Nutting stayed low in 2013.

But when the Bucs needed the cash to make moves, he provided it.  The Chairman of the Board changed his reputation. The guy made a name for himself, well as most as he possibly could in this long suffering town.

The guys who always take the PirateFest stage on Sunday made it happen.  They got Nutting on the phone.  Got the cash and Frank and Neal got what they wanted to chase what Coonelly had stated when he set the bar high earlier in the month. The Bucs President had stated that the “only thing that’s acceptable is the National League Central crown.”

The players nearly delivered.

The fans delivered.

The ownership group, mainly Bob Nutting delivered.

Frank and Neal and Clint delivered along with their staff.

They deserve a standing ovation.

And then we can all sit down and get to work on what is going on for the 2014 roster.