So the Pirates finally found a scapegoat for their 18th straight losing season

Mac, the guy who ruined Chad Hermansen, is coaching MLB hitters again? Yikes.

Didn't Andy Van Slyke coach first base for the Tigers at one point? Hell, I bet Stan Belinda cleans the Comerica Park toilets.

 

Oh yea, forgot about Van Slyke. He was first base coach last year.

Legendary LLoyd has been coaching hitters here now for 3-4 years. Pretty sure he came in the same time as Leyland.

And don't get me started on his coaching ability.

 

in many ways the Pirates embody everything that is wrong with sports in the 21st century

 

Well, they haven't threatened to move the franchise out of town yet in the new millennium in order to extort a new stadium out of taxpayers.

But wait, it won't be too long.

 

If I underestand the lease agreement they signed properly, they cannot do that for another 20 years or so. And given the quality of the ballpark they have, that would be too stupid for even the Pirates.

 

These are pretty cool...

Two separate guys are betting the Pirates to lose each game. Here are their results...

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Aq0v0bsD6EIDdEo5OUw2WFgwRHlMSFBRMklVNTE2c0E&hl=en#gid=0

http://www.facebook.com/lolthepirates

 

Like any pro sports franchise has paid any attention to any "lease" in the last 50 years. If they want to leave, they'll leave.

Although with something like 85% of all "major league" franchises now playing in predominantly taxpayer-financed arenas, I suspect it's a matter of short time before somebody tries it and some courageous city rolls out every legal nuclear weapon they can get their hands on to stop them.

 

They do have some loyal fans, though. Attendance figures this past weekend series with the Indians ...

29,845 on Sunday
38,008 on Saturday
28,478 on Friday

... That's pretty damn impressive for a team on an 11-game losing streak when that series began. I'm sure some of that had to do with Alvarez and Tabata being called up, but still, that floored me.

 

So John Russell already has a job lined up? Good for him.

Other Pirates in Tigers org include: Bob Walk scans tickets at the main gate, Doug Drabek works the pizza oven in left field, Don Slaught sells beer in the stands and R.J. Reynolds is the clubhouse attendant.

 

Al Martin couldn't get a job with the Tigers because they're still mad about the MVP performance he gave in the Rose Bowl as USC beat Michigan.

 

It's tough to tackle Leroy Hoard.

( and yes, that was a nice reference)

 

The language being written into those leases has changed over time. You are comparing what teams were able to do leases that were signed with 10, 20 and even 30 years before PNC Park was built.