The Pirates continue to be frustrating as April ends

There is something that is often said in terms of professional sports and making the playoffs. Win the games you should, or in the case of Major League Baseball win the series you should win. The Pirates are ending April on the wrong foot.

This is not about stats or about who should be playing versus who should not be. This is about being a fan of the team and once again being frustrated by the lack of production from this team. It is very basic but the formula is getting old.

During Neal Huntington's time as General Manager fans of the Pirates would often make jokes about the team going dumpster diving, and for a few years that worked out for them. Same with pitching, it got to be to the point where it seemed like they rather fix a player and be patted on the back for it rather than just filling a hole another way, I.E. Jon Niese.

Things have not changed under Ben Cherington. Is it because the Pirates are a small market team? No, the Rays, the Guardians, and the Orioles are all small-market teams and have figured it out. Even the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals have had more success than the Pirates in the last 30 years.

Are the Pirates cursed? Maybe. However, the team does not by any means seem to be trying to eliminate the curse by signing better, more established players. The team continues to dumpster dive, hoping guys like Rowdy Tellez and Marco Gonzales can rebound. It is the same old Pirates, trying to prove they can win by doing it their way.

Well, their way is not working right now. The team's offense looked good for the first week of the season and has slowly become worse over time. Is it the hitting coach that needs to go? Maybe, or maybe not. One thing is for sure this team has scuffled at the plate, especially with runners on base for Andy Haines' tenure with the team.

I see the argument that maybe this team just does not have talented hitters. Who knows that could be the case, but it's hard to argue the pedigree of some of these players and the fact their bats are lacking. Whether you believe Henry Davis should have been selected #1 overall in 2021 or not, he was considered the best college bat in the Draft. Yet Davis looks more lost at the plate than he probably ever has been in his life. Ke'Bryan Hayes had to go behind the Organization's back to help get his hitting back on track, and he has been one of their better hitters since.

All in all, it is the same old Pirates. They are not a serious Organization. No professional sports Franchise should just sit by and be so content with this idea that either it works their way or it just will not work at all.

The Pirates should let go of their hitting coach. This could help prove who is the reason the offense is struggling, the players (in turn the front office as well) or the coaches. Whether it is Haines' fault or not, he is in charge of hitting and the team is not doing it, someone has to answer and we know it will not be Shelton, not at least now. If they move on from Haines and things do not change then it just helps clear up that there are more problems up the ladder.