It's tough being a Pirates fan.

Yeeeargh! Shiver me timbers and fly the Jolly Roger at half staff, mateys!

The Pirates, who have averaged 89 losses since 1993, sank to the deepest part of Pittsburgh's Three Rivers on Thursday after one of its split squads lost to Manatee (Fla.) Community College during a fundraising exhibition game.

In some ways, the top of the box score says it all: Manatee C.C. 6, Pittsburgh 4.

The Sarasota Herald-Review, however, ran a very detailed story — almost 1,000 words, for your Bucco masochists — about how the Lancers did the unlikely at McKechnie Field in Bradenton.

It's only fair to point out that the Pirates lineup was filled out by guys who missed the cut in spring training. Several of the team's best players, including Nate McLouth, Ryan Doumit, the LaRoches and Stewcast guest Freddy Sanchez, did not play in the game.

Community College beats Pirates

i saw this on yahoo earlier, that franchise needs a major boost. where are you barry, bobby and andy??????

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Posted by cowcatcher

i saw this on yahoo earlier, that franchise needs a major boost. where are you barry, bobby and andy??????

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It's a shame Pirates fans are reduced to dreaming about the players who played 20,30,40 years ago. The Pirates are by far the worst team in professional sports.

I wonder if any of those college players are looking for Jobs..

The Jays could use some pitchers badly!

I've heard the first 50 fans into Rogers Center for the season opener will get to pitch off to determine the final starter in the rotation.

I happened to also find this fun tidbit in the link:

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One more note: I discovered that the Pirates have a prospect named Henry Henry, who played in the game and made the final out

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That might even be better than Coco Crisp!

One team in pro sports have the Pirates beat. As of recent the worst team is..(drum roll)...........

lol Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Pirates for the title of the worst professional franchise of all time. Pirates by round 2 submission.

They need to lay down some cash and get a "famous" face to the franchise. May not help them win games, but probably get more fans and other earnings so they can sign better people in the future. Manny Ramirez was a good option this off season. Or hope that "unknown" talent will take them far sometime like the 2008 TB rays.

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Posted by iceman69

lol Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Pirates for the title of the worst professional franchise of all time. Pirates by round 2 submission.

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Nah...I'm guessing both teams would lose via some sort of choke.

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Posted by Ordep

They need to lay down some cash and get a "famous" face to the franchise. May not help them win games, but probably get more fans and other earnings so they can sign better people in the future. Manny Ramirez was a good option this off season. Or hope that "unknown" talent will take them far sometime like the 2008 TB rays.

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That's the problem with the Pirates. Their revenue yearly is equivalent to that of the Yankees, Redsox etc.. I mean in terms of gross percentages. It's ridiculous that Pittsburgh has put up with them fielding a high school baseball team for the last 20 years. The only hope we had was when local boy Mark Cuban had slight interest in the team, and then ultimately looked more so at the Cubs. The truth is Pirates management don't see the Pirates as a sports team but as a cash cow. Why would they would to change their annual income and spending habits they've grown accustomed too just to satisfy fans urge for a winning team. It always reverts back to MLB needs a cap. That will never happen, the Pirates will be horrible for the next one hundred years. One more thing about the draft, it's hard for the Pirates to build through the draft when they had a top three pick 8 times in the last 20 years and probably drafted the 50th best player with such a high pick. Their reasoning, they didn't want to pay. It definitely sucks being a Pirates fan.

The Reds don't run that great of a franchise either

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Posted by postman

The Reds don't run that great of a franchise either

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There is more to be excited about being a Reds fan than a Pirates..Reds have some good young players. I think Votto is going to have a very good year and it will beinteresting to see if Jay Bruce can have a good Soph season. Phillips is a good 2B.

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Posted by Shawn91111

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Posted by postman

The Reds don't run that great of a franchise either

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There is more to be excited about being a Reds fan than a Pirates..Reds have some good young players. I think Votto is going to have a very good year and it will beinteresting to see if Jay Bruce can have a good Soph season. Phillips is a good 2B.

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I agree this is how great the Pirates management is. Andrew McCutchen the Pirates premier prospect has been in the minors for three years. During spring training this year he literally exploded. He was hitting something in the mid 300's, batting for power, getting to base, and most importantly driving in runs. He ended spring training with a 5 hit game. What do the Pirates decide to do with our 23 year old stud. Send him back down to the minors citing there is still work to be done with him. In reality they want him to rot down there so that the arbitration clock doesn't start on him. In place of him we are starting some guy who's lifetime .218 and a horrible fielder. We also are doing the same thing with Brian Bixler our second best prospect starting Jack " I couldn't ride the bench for any single contender" Wilson over him. It makes me laugh when I think about it, I say move them to Las Vegas and give me an NBA team lol.

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

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Posted by Shawn91111

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Posted by postman

The Reds don't run that great of a franchise either

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There is more to be excited about being a Reds fan than a Pirates..Reds have some good young players. I think Votto is going to have a very good year and it will beinteresting to see if Jay Bruce can have a good Soph season. Phillips is a good 2B.

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I agree this is how great the Pirates management is. Andrew McCutchen the Pirates premier prospect has been in the minors for three years. During spring training this year he literally exploded. He was hitting something in the mid 300's, batting for power, getting to base, and most importantly driving in runs. He ended spring training with a 5 hit game. What do the Pirates decide to do with our 23 year old stud. Send him back down to the minors citing there is still work to be done with him. In reality they want him to rot down there so that the arbitration clock doesn't start on him. In place of him we are starting some guy who's lifetime .218 and a horrible fielder. We also are doing the same thing with Brian Bixler our second best prospect starting Jack " I couldn't ride the bench for any single contender" Wilson over him. It makes me laugh when I think about it, I say move them to Las Vegas and give me an NBA team lol.

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I dont get it either, McCutchen is a top 10 player in the minors and easily their top prospect a 5 tool player. He has spent a full year at AAA. I can understand if they were the Yankees and were gunning for the playoffs every year bring them along slowly, but they arent so why not give him some seasoning at the major league level. The Pirates have young pitching and have had a breakout year from Duke and Snell but then they dip back into having crap seasons. I still think if Tabata who they got from the Yankees, can get his head on straight, can be a real good player. He was the Yankees top hitting prospect 2 years in a row. Also watch out for Pedro Alvarez, players have already compared his hitting to Pujols.

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Posted by Shawn91111

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Posted by The_Metal_Maniac

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Posted by Shawn91111

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Posted by postman

The Reds don't run that great of a franchise either

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There is more to be excited about being a Reds fan than a Pirates..Reds have some good young players. I think Votto is going to have a very good year and it will beinteresting to see if Jay Bruce can have a good Soph season. Phillips is a good 2B.

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I agree this is how great the Pirates management is. Andrew McCutchen the Pirates premier prospect has been in the minors for three years. During spring training this year he literally exploded. He was hitting something in the mid 300's, batting for power, getting to base, and most importantly driving in runs. He ended spring training with a 5 hit game. What do the Pirates decide to do with our 23 year old stud. Send him back down to the minors citing there is still work to be done with him. In reality they want him to rot down there so that the arbitration clock doesn't start on him. In place of him we are starting some guy who's lifetime .218 and a horrible fielder. We also are doing the same thing with Brian Bixler our second best prospect starting Jack " I couldn't ride the bench for any single contender" Wilson over him. It makes me laugh when I think about it, I say move them to Las Vegas and give me an NBA team lol.

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I dont get it either, McCutchen is a top 10 player in the minors and easily their top prospect a 5 tool player. He has spent a full year at AAA. I can understand if they were the Yankees and were gunning for the playoffs every year bring them along slowly, but they arent so why not give him some seasoning at the major league level. The Pirates have young pitching and have had a breakout year from Duke and Snell but then they dip back into having crap seasons. I still think if Tabata who they got from the Yankees, can get his head on straight, can be a real good player. He was the Yankees top hitting prospect 2 years in a row. Also watch out for Pedro Alvarez, players have already compared his hitting to Pujols.

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Pedro Alvarez is the first player the Pirates have drafted who was actually ranked where he was drafted. Usually with the first, second, or third pick the Pirates would draft a Sean Burnett type of player. If at one point they get Alvarez, Tabata, Bixler, and McCutchen in the lineup at the same time, we could quite possibly hit the .500 mark. At least I can hold on to that lol.

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Posted by emfleek

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Posted by iceman69

lol Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Pirates for the title of the worst professional franchise of all time. Pirates by round 2 submission.

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Nah...I'm guessing both teams would lose via some sort of choke.

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Its not choking when you that good at it.....then its called .....blowing.


Lets go Bucos, another year of below .500 baseball. That would make 17 in a row. Why kick a winner, right? i am a proud supporter of the pirates. i go to at least three home games a season. I live 3 hrs away. On the plus side PNC Park is a very nice facility. One silver lining anyways

I thought they had new management there now?Are the new people the same as the old group?Seems like whenever they have a quality player they trade him at the deadline for prospects.Hope their getting some quality guys they can turn into solid major leaguers.I agree PNC park is a beautiful stadium.

maybe this is their year!

Bucco's starting pitching has been tough so far this season.

Fear not prized prospect Andrew McCutchen could be called up this week with oblique strain McClouth has battled through is worse than they thought.

McCutchen has been up since the McClouth deal. He has produced very well so far and has shown glimpses of his true potential. The countdown to his trade now starts. lol

Is it true that the Steelers towels are named after the Pittsburgh baseball team ?