Pirates Still hangning around .500

Payroll limited. Fanbase, disgruntled and embarrasedd. They haven't had a winning season since I was 5 years old. Yet a new smell of optomism has started to bleed it's way through the air in Pittsburgh. Maybe it's because the Steelers lost Super Bowl XLV, and the Penguins lost at home in game in a game 7 for the second straight season, or mayb it's just desperation by the Pirates' fanbase. One things for sure, the Bucco's fans are starting to get excited.

But for what? Being .500 in May? I mean I know it's the little things in life that are supposed to get make you happy. I just get that excited about the Pirates being .500 in May. It's nice. At least they don't suck really bad this year. They have some really good young players. Andrew McCutchen is a big time player. Neil Walker is the real deal. Jose Tobata and Pedro Alverez are really young talented players.

The Pirates haven't been .500 in May since 2002. My thing is I don't think they'll finish above .500 or even at .500. I think they won't finish better than fourth in the division. Not this year anyways.

The Pirates are one of the worst franchises in all of sports. Go ahead and blame baseball for the way it's set up. Blame the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Blame the payroll.

Fact is the Cleveland Indians, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres, are all in the same boat, and have all competed for a World Series at some point in the last 10 years.

The one thing I will stick up for Pirates' fans is this: Frank Coonelly insists that if the fans support the team via attendance, he'll put more money into the payroll. If that's true then he should be trying to hype this up as much as possbible. This is the first time the Pirates have a lot of young, talented prospects and players.

They may not be able to keep these guys for the next 5 years but if the Pirates would make it to the playoffs or even the World Series one year, it would be worth 10 losing seasons.

And lastly, Coonelly needs to keep his word. If the Pirates' fans show up to almost every game, then he needs to keep the talent and put more money into the payroll.

I'll keep my word as well. If the Pirates finish .500 or better this year I'll streak from PNC Park to Munhall.

Whammy