Pirates Lose to Cubs; Buccos Writer, 93.7 The Fan Jock Shaves Head

Joe Starkey has admittedly spent most of his life making a mockery of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The shame of it is, the Pirates have lived up to most of his critique.

Apparently, Starkey was surprised by the putrid performance from the Bucs pitching staff at Wrigley Field.  When the Cubs whipped the bullpen late, Starkey was at risk and he lived up to it.

Here is what Starkey wrote when the Bucs were 16 games over .500 this season.

"I believe Neal Huntington, who said if he’d met  the Phillies’ price (Huntington didn’t give details), “Your phone lines would be  lit because I’d be the biggest idiot in the history of the world.”The Pirates are not averse to taking on salary  (they did so in the Rodriguez deal) and adding rental players. They did both  last season to mixed results.Derrek Lee was fabulous before he got injured. Ryan Ludwick stunk. He has rebounded to hit 20 home runs for the Reds this season. You never know what you’re going to get with a two-month sampling.In the meantime, why can’t people enjoy the  process of watching a young team grow up?Why can’t people admit that management, for all  its past sins, is acting in good faith these days?The signing of Andrew McCutchen was an excellent  example. So was picking up Rodriguez.You can understand why fans who’ve been beaten  down for 19 years don’t trust it when they are suddenly treated well.It’s hard to love again.But instead of looking for evidence of betrayal,  how about looking at the standings? The Pirates are 16 games over .500.I’ve spent much of my adult life reflexively  ripping this franchise, but if you ask me to identify my major complaints at the  moment, I’m quoting Tomlin.“None.”"

Read the rest of  what Starkey wrote when the Bucs were 16 games over .500