One of my favorite sports movies will always be Major League. Although the movie takes place in Cleveland, a.k.a. "the Mistake by the Lake", Major League is a hilarious baseball film, with great characters. Towards the beginning the film, the director utilizes a montage of Indian fans saying the same phrase over and over again, in order to exhibit how no one actually knows any of the players being invited to spring training. The phrase that is repeated by the fans is "Who are these &^%$*(# guys?" As I read the paper Sunday morning, I remembered that phrase as I perused the Pirate's spring roster. The only difference between myself and those hapless Indian fans; I unfortunately know exactly who these guys are and there is no expletive to help assuage my frustration in Pirate management. I understand that under MLB's current structure that a Pirate dynasty is probably too much to ask, but it has been eighteen years since I have seen a winning team! Looking at the roster I am hopeful when I see names like, McCutchen, Alvarez, Tabata and Walker, all of these position players have potential, but there is no way that these potential stars offensive abilities can make up for the dreadful state of the pitching staff. Hearing GM Neil Huntington's statements about the staff do not inspire confidence either, especially after hearing him try to dress this disaster up over the last couple of years. Huntington has been quoted saying that four of the rotation spots are locks. He also added that one of those locks was Ross Ohlendorf "the best 1-11 pitcher in the league." That is tantamount to having the highest F in the class. It might be true, but who really cares, the guy went 1-11 for crying out loud! There should be no locks on any spot in the Pirate rotation, all jobs should be up for grabs, but that would make too much sense. Eighteen years of losing is testament that the word sense and Pirate's management usually don't mesh.
2/13/11
Who Are These %$#*&^ Guys?
One of my favorite sports movies will always be Major League. Although the movie takes place in Cleveland, a.k.a. "the Mistake by the Lake", Major League is a hilarious baseball film, with great characters. Towards the beginning the film, the director utilizes a montage of Indian fans saying the same phrase over and over again, in order to exhibit how no one actually knows any of the players being invited to spring training. The phrase that is repeated by the fans is "Who are these &^%$*(# guys?" As I read the paper Sunday morning, I remembered that phrase as I perused the Pirate's spring roster. The only difference between myself and those hapless Indian fans; I unfortunately know exactly who these guys are and there is no expletive to help assuage my frustration in Pirate management. I understand that under MLB's current structure that a Pirate dynasty is probably too much to ask, but it has been eighteen years since I have seen a winning team! Looking at the roster I am hopeful when I see names like, McCutchen, Alvarez, Tabata and Walker, all of these position players have potential, but there is no way that these potential stars offensive abilities can make up for the dreadful state of the pitching staff. Hearing GM Neil Huntington's statements about the staff do not inspire confidence either, especially after hearing him try to dress this disaster up over the last couple of years. Huntington has been quoted saying that four of the rotation spots are locks. He also added that one of those locks was Ross Ohlendorf "the best 1-11 pitcher in the league." That is tantamount to having the highest F in the class. It might be true, but who really cares, the guy went 1-11 for crying out loud! There should be no locks on any spot in the Pirate rotation, all jobs should be up for grabs, but that would make too much sense. Eighteen years of losing is testament that the word sense and Pirate's management usually don't mesh.
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