FanNation - The Republic of Sport

And all 6 Pirates fans care.

I'm just glad it was McLouth that went to Atlanta and not Cody Ross as was rumored....dodged a bullet on that one...

Hey LaRoche, wake up - YOU PLAY FOR THE PIRATES. If you were any good, they'd trade you, too.

It's a AAA team ... once you're ready, you go to a big league team.

Teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates are antidotes to expansion. They are essentially a major league farm team, much like the Royals were in the 50's and 60's during their notorious feeder system of the Yankees. If Major League Baseball is going to put together really good line-ups, then they will always need teams like the Pirates, the Marlins, Nationals and Blue Jays, or Texas whom have resigned to keeping their line-ups young and their payrolls low, so that a team that is one player away from validity can bolster the top of their order. Consider the career of Aramis Ramirez. He is likely on pace for Cooperstown. If the Pirates had not unloaded Ramirez and his burgeoning potential for an eventual Independent League player, Bobby Hill, the good people of Wrigleyville would have a lot less to stave off depression, and the Hall-of-Fame would have one less likely candidate.

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 07:41 AM ET  06.05 by Schadenfreude - Chitown bound.

And all 6 Pirates fans care.

6? I thought is was 4. My bro lives in Pittsburgh and he isn't even aware that they have a team.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 08:40 AM ET  06.05 by IT'S OVER!

Same with Cleveland, they are a AAA team disguised as an MLB team.

then what are the Nationals? Single A?

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 08:49 AM ET  06.05 by IT'S OVER!

They are A-

Didn't they used to have a "D league"?


the DC area was hungry for baseball before this team showed up. They now want to switch to women's field hockey.

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 07:15 AM ET  06.05 by Nigel Bigre

you mean adam laroche hasn't figured out that the pirates suck ass and always will. that boy needs to grow a brain

lol... a bit harsh- but true

No offense, but you take a teamin any city that's lost for 16 years in a row and the fans will disappear. That being said,I like the trade of McClouth. This management group is finally trying to rebuild the right way and Andrew McCutchen looks like he's the real deal.

Furthermore, we're smack dab in the middle of a tied Stanley Cup Finals, who gives a rat's arse about baseball and a team that does nothing but lose?

They should all be upset that it wasn't them that were chosen for Early Release...

What is Neal "Gabe Paul" Huntington doing??????

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 07:41 AM ET  06.05 by Schadenfreude - Chitown bound.

And all 6 Pirates fans care.

Its hard to expect the fans to support these teams when you know that as soon as you get a good player hes gonna be gobbled up by one of the bigger market teams. The Montreal Expos had great fans until they realized that every good player they had was about to be shipped out.

It is well known that the Pirates will not PAY anyone, BUT....McLouth is signed for 3 years and is not making all that much -- especially for an All-Star!
Apparently the Pirates are not motivated simply by frugality -- they must be highly motivated to CONTINUE LOSING!
ANY/EVERY TIME a Pirates player begins making a notable impact, they trade him for mulitple prospects/suspects. Clearly, they have NO FREAKIN' CLUE that you might build a solid team around 3 (count 'em THREE) All-Star-caliber outfielders....McLouth, Bay, Nady. Exactly WHO did they acquire (of relevance!) for those three?
The Pirates can cry "Small Market/Small Budget" until eternity, but that FACTS are....they rake in a nice chunk of change in the MLB Revenue-Sharing......and simply put it into ownership's pockets!
The Pirates, Royals, and Reds are marquee examples of how the benefactors of MLB's revenue-sharing are quite content to take their "small-market welfare" checks, and ring up a profit....REFUSING to spend money on players who can win at the MLB level.

(PS: Andrew McCutcheon is a nice player, but he will never be an All-Star. He won't hit much, and he has some attitude issues.)

Go angels!!

QUOTE(#18):

Originally posted 09:44 AM ET  06.05 by WmTFord

The Pirates, Royals, and Reds are marquee examples of how the benefactors of MLB's revenue-sharing are quite content to take their "small-market welfare" checks, and ring up a profit...

What else can it be? Although the Pirates can still sweep a team decimated with injuries...