Are Royals fans cheering for the Pirates?

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 19, 2011 11:00 AM EDT

Royals fans feel a kind of kin-ship to some of their other small-market brethren, but the one club that shares our true tale of misery the most is the Pittsburgh Pirates. Well before we were losing stars like Carlos Beltran, Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye, they were losing Bobby Bonilla, Barry Bonds and John Smiley. While they have made the post-season more recently than we have, our 1985 Championship is more recent than their 1979 Championship, and their 1991 NLCS appearance left a bad taste in their mouth.

via cdn2.sbnation.com

Going into this year, the Pirates had suffered eighteen straight losing seasons - the Royals have had losing seasons in fifteen of the last sixteen years. The Pirates have lost 90 or more games nine times in that stretch, the Royals have had ten such seasons. The Pirates have topped the century mark in losses twice, the Royals four times. The Pirates have finished dead last nine times, the Royals eight times. If the Royals had a partner in losing the last two decades, it was the Pittsburgh Pirates

But things have changed. The Pirates stand on July 19 in first place, half a game up on the Cardinals and Brewers with a 50-44 record. In a lot of ways, they mirror the 2003 Royals (who were 52-42 with a 6.5 game lead after 94 games). Both teams were winning games with smoke and mirrors - pitching staffs with unsustainably low strikeout numbers, hitters with remarkably high BABIP and "clutch hits", and a weak division to deal with.

Are you cheering for the Pirates so they can represent small-markets and the Loserville Duo in the post-season? Or are you jealous that they have escaped the clutches of Loss-tonia and have forgotten where they came from, leaving us in their wake?

Poll

Are you cheering for the Pirates?

Yes

96 votes

No

18 votes

The National League is an inferior league that should ignored and shunned.

33 votes

147 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 48 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

no, in find their story over-blown and their team fluky and not that interesting

by Freneau on Jul 19, 2011 11:46 AM EDT reply actions

How can you find Kevin Correia uninteresting?

Kevin CORREIA!!!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 19, 2011 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I think RoyalsRetro hit the nail on the head here

It’s so smoke and mirrors that I hope they can actually capitalize on it. The odds of hitting their 90th percentile in the second half after doing it in the first half… well…

by sterlingice on Jul 19, 2011 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Therefore you don't cheer for them?

Is it really their fault that the media has gone crazy over this? Sure they’ll most likely regress, but there’s reason to hope for them to keep it going. The NL Central needs to be shaken up. Tired of seeing the usual suspects coming out of that division.

by hawkinscm87 on Jul 19, 2011 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

depends on how much overlap there is between steelers and pirates fans

i’ve found some steelers fans to be insufferable

batter nine you sucky

by marbotty on Jul 19, 2011 12:32 PM EDT reply actions

No way - I don't want to be alone in the small-market perma loser category.

by deezle on Jul 19, 2011 12:35 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Yes

Just to stick it to the Cards and Cubs and keep them out of the playoffs.

Tension is the enemy. - Charlie Lau

by aHorseWithNoName on Jul 19, 2011 12:36 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

+1

by jbrocato on Jul 21, 2011 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions

not in the least.

how dare you say our loyalty sways!

by BeauJackson on Jul 19, 2011 12:45 PM EDT reply actions

Yes, I'm rooting for the Pirates

and why not? — if the only real alternative is yet another LaRussa-fest

But I think when all is done we will see Xaq and the Brewers prevail.

by 2X2L on Jul 19, 2011 1:01 PM EDT reply actions

The only possible answer here is yes

because they aren’t the Cardinals………and they’re the underdogs.

by Fernando Vina School of Linguistics on Jul 19, 2011 1:31 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

I usually root Ninjas.

Unless Zombies are involved. I guess if you’re talking Pirates vs. Jedi, then I could go Pirates. I like them better than the Unicorns, that’s for sure.

by Dadunca on Jul 19, 2011 1:38 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs

the reds have been my NL team for awhile...

so, no…fuck the pirates

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Jul 19, 2011 1:43 PM EDT reply actions

This is not right!

I thought we ALL loved the Braves!

I'm waiting for my wave of talent to arrive.

by mitchfreakingmaier! on Jul 19, 2011 2:22 PM EDT reply actions

Ex-Braves.

Just the ex-Braves.

by kcemigre on Jul 19, 2011 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Lived in Pittsburgh for a few years

and saw more baseball games in PNC than any other stadium. I watched a ton of bad baseball there, and am happy that my friends with season tickets are having a good time this year. I may try to make a late season game or two this year. Go Buccos!

by bas on Jul 19, 2011 3:02 PM EDT reply actions

I'm not sure how you can't root for the Pirates, unless you are partial to another team in that division.

Haven’t had a winning season in two decades and now are in 1st place. Rooting for them to win doesn’t mean you have to think they are going to win, or are “for real,” but I don’t see how a completely out of the dark underdog in 1st place as we near August is “uninteresting.” That’s a hell of a lot more interesting to me than the Red Sox and Yankees racing for the division every single year in baseball history (slight exaggeration).

Killing time until time kills me

by EspeciallyK on Jul 19, 2011 3:05 PM EDT reply actions

Also, the Mariners in 2009 outperformed their pythag. record by 10 games (finished with 85 wins)

..and they were the darlings of the sabermetric community the entire year. Jack Z was being praised as truly “getting it” and tons of other hype about Franklin Gutierrez and how they truly understood how defense was important.

I don’t see how that team can be so loved, yet this Pirates team can just be dismissed as nothing. Sure, the Pirates are having some good luck..but so what? Luck is a part of the game.

Killing time until time kills me

by EspeciallyK on Jul 19, 2011 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I'm rooting for them because I'm tired of having to share the losing glory with them

If they finish above .500 and maybe even make the playoffs, that leaves the Royals as the true losers in baseball. I want that to happen.

by NotAHippie on Jul 19, 2011 3:46 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with this person who is Not a Hippie

"Shot by my own men."

by StonewallPDS on Jul 19, 2011 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Are you saying the Pirates are just loser posers?

WE ARE THE TRUE LOSERS!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 19, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions

The Pirates have been outed as mere Poseurs.

WE ARE INDEED THE TRUE LOSERS!!

"Shot by my own men."

by StonewallPDS on Jul 19, 2011 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Easy answer:

Yes – they could potentially prevent a STL postseason.

Now, I am careful throwing my support their way. For example, I’m uncomfortable rooting for them to beat the Brewers or the Reds, since I want as many viable contenders to stop STL from winning the division as is possible.

If strikeouts are indeed fascist - then find me some starters that believe in fascism

by loyal2sdad on Jul 19, 2011 4:12 PM EDT reply actions

My attempt at sarcastic post of the year:

Sure - because if they win, it will spur Glass on to do whatever it takes to match their success story.<code>

If strikeouts are indeed fascist - then find me some starters that believe in fascism

by loyal2sdad on Jul 19, 2011 4:14 PM EDT reply actions

NO

because:
1) I live 2 hours from Philadelphia and am a fan of all Philly teams (Phillies are my NL club).

2) being a Penn State grad, our natural rival is Pittsburgh (University of), even though we don’t play them regularly anymore.

3) I am really really sick of the city of Pittsburgh due to the Steelers and Penguins and their winning ways.

by NittanyNutz2 on Jul 19, 2011 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

Wow.

A Phillies fan is sick of Pittsburgh fans.

by hawkinscm87 on Jul 19, 2011 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Hell no

I want us to break out of loserville first.

Chaim Mattis Keller New York City's # 1 Royals fan!

by cmkeller on Jul 19, 2011 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

My NL team is them or the Nationals. I can't decide. I don't really "want" an NL team anyway.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Jul 19, 2011 5:09 PM EDT reply actions

I just love DC, as a city.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!

by KeepItCopacetic on Jul 19, 2011 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah,

I lean Nationals for NL as well. I guess if I ever saw a Pirates game on the telly, I could root for them, but that happens approximately never.

Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.-Bertrand Russell

by Dr. van Strijcker on Jul 20, 2011 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Pirates have always been my NL team

Primarily because they’ve always been just as bad if not worse than the Royals since I’ve followed them. I’d love for them to make the postseason, but they won’t.

by OnixConcepcion on Jul 19, 2011 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

Was it 2 years ago

When the Pirates traded EVERYBODY with even a modicum of trade value on their team before the trading deadline?

I wrote a couple of fanposts about how the Royals should have been doing that exact same thing, at the exact same time instead of trying, scratching, clawing, pleading, begging to get to .500. F*** .500! I want to win the damn division.

I’m pretty sure I was called an idiot by some on this board by taking that position.

Can you imagine how deep our farm system could be if we had gone that route? And, oh yea, we haven’t sniffed .500 in the 2 years since either.

BOOM! ROASTED!

by GoBabies!! on Jul 19, 2011 11:26 PM EDT reply actions

I figured out how to go back in time on SBN

Here’s what I wrote on July 29, 2009

BOOM! ROASTED!

by GoBabies!! on Jul 19, 2011 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions

WTF

http://www.royalsreview.com/2009/7/29/968613/shouldnt-we-be-doing-what-the

BOOM! ROASTED!

by GoBabies!! on Jul 19, 2011 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions

In '09 The Pirates traded for

Charlie Morton

2011 – IP – 102 FIP – 3.49 WAR – 1.6 ERA (for the neanderthals like me) – 3.62

Joel Hanrahan

2011 – FIP – 2.05 WAR – 1.4 S (for those more neandralathic (?) than I) – 27

Ronny Cedeno

2011 – WAR – 1.2 UZR – 4.3 UZR/150 – 9.4

and several players that are still in AA/AAA + Nathan Adcock!!!

The best pieces they gave up were Nyjer Morgan, Nate McClouth (who has fallen off a cliff since the trade), Freddy Sanchez (who they weren’t going to resign) & Adam LaRoche (who was in his last year of team control)

BOOM! ROASTED!

by GoBabies!! on Jul 19, 2011 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

And Jose Bautista...

by maguro on Jul 20, 2011 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Freddy Sanchez

for Tim Alderson. one of the several players still in AA, but one whose prospects now are not what they were then.

by 2X2L on Jul 20, 2011 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Reads like almost all (with one exception) agreed with you

Unless I'm wrong...

by Top Ramen on Jul 20, 2011 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

NO

They will always be the ‘90-’92 Pirates to me, winning the pennant an choking in the NLCS. Whiny Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla. The odds-on favorites who couldn’t overcome GRIT and determination (OK, maybe it was Smoltz/Glavine/Avery).

by Tito42 on Jul 19, 2011 11:36 PM EDT reply actions

Bream was out!

Out, I tell you!

by maguro on Jul 20, 2011 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Bonds and Bonilla did play poorly

in the 1990-92 playoffs, and teams that go win to win the World Series need production from the best players on the team. The Pirates have won an impressive total of five world titles, and I think you’ll find, from Wagner to Maz to Clemente to Stargell, those players rose to the challange when it counted most.

by SteelStealth on Jul 20, 2011 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Just like

Buddy Biancalana.

by 2X2L on Jul 22, 2011 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

So on a more serious note

I think you’re saying that the best players on the winning team in a short series typically have a good series. I think that’s bound to be true most of the time; if key guys play poorly, of course the opportunities lost are typically costly in a short series.

It’s true that the best-known Pirates have typically done well in the World Series. Of the players you mentioned, only Stargell had a poor series at the plate in ’71 while the Pirates won anyway. Wagner had a poor series in ’03 when they lost but a good one in ’09 when they won.

Traynor and the Waners all had pretty good to great series at the plate in ‘27, but the Pirates got swept anyway by you-know-who. I guess playing against those guys wasn’t much of an occasion.

by 2X2L on Jul 22, 2011 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions

One of the myths of the 1927 World Series

was the newspaper account the Pirates were intimidated by the Yankees, and the Series itself was a cakewalk for New York. In reality, neither was true, especially since the 1927 Pirates won it all in 1925. While the Yankees did sweep the Bucs, only one game was a blowout, and two games came down to a single run.

Stargell did have a poor NLCS and ’71 WS, but he more than more up for it in 1979, including the game winning home run in Game 7.

by SteelStealth on Jul 22, 2011 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes

As others said, because it would prevent the Cardinals from winning.

If not the Cardinals, then who?
I’d choose Reds, but I hate Baker to get the credit for winning.
I’d choose Brewers, but I Braun and Fielder are the biggest babies.

I was hoping for the Brewers this year because I still like Zack, but if Pirates can do it, then great.

Kansas City Royals: your 2006 and 2007 NL Central champions!

by mazoboom on Jul 20, 2011 12:19 AM EDT reply actions

Sure, I'm always for the underdog

unless they’re playing Barça. By the way, it looks like the Cesc Fàbregas deal is not going to go down. Arsenal is still asking for too much, they figure Xavi isn’t going to fall off the cliff next season, their bench midfield players, Keita and Mascherano, are pretty good, and Jeffren will need some playing time. It also looks like Bojan Krkic is going to be sold to Roma, where his coach will be former Barça player and assistant Luis Enrique Martínez.

And poop on the Cardinals. And on St. Louis pizza.

"From northern New Jersey came Boom Boom Mazzaro
A righthanded starter drafted out of high school
He pitched in the minors at Stockton and Midland
And blew them away with all of the tools" --Not Warren Zevon

by Juancho on Jul 20, 2011 5:55 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Oops. Jeffren is going to be sold, as well

Thiago Alcántara is the young midfielder who’s going to get some playing time.

by Juancho on Jul 21, 2011 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm rooting for the Pirates

But I’m jealous they are having this kind of season (even if it’s a fluke) before the Royals. Oh well. I think KC is going to be legitimately good by next year. I’m probably crazy. So far, though, this has been my favorite last place team they’ve had.

by lcfeyh on Jul 25, 2011 11:43 AM EDT reply actions