By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/?m=1
Only 38 days until the start of Steelers training camp.
No need to thank me.
I do it every year, you know? I perform a valuable public service by providing that information. The start of camp is the next big thing we have to anticipate on our sporting calendar. Pirates season is over early again, at least from a competitive standpoint. It was over before Father's Day, Memorial Day, Mother's Day. Do I hear May Day?
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez and second baseman Neil Walker.
Despite winning home games against the Cleveland Indians Saturday night and Sunday, the Pirates drag a 25-44 record -- second worst in all of baseball -- into Texas tonight for the start of what figures to be a brutal nine-game trip against the Texas Rangers, the Oakland Athletics and the Chicago Cubs. Would you really be surprised if they came home 28-50? Or worse? I wouldn't.
In addition to all of the losses -- there was an historic 12-game losing streak right before the wins against the Indians -- the Pirates just endured what might have been their worst week in a quarter-century, going back to the Baseball Drug Trials here in 1985. There was the silly secrecy surrounding the Pedro Alvarez call-up from the minors. There was the shameful deceit surrounding the announcement that general manager Neal Huntington and manager John Russell had their contracts secured for next season in October, truth-bending if not flat-out lying that will make it difficult for anybody to believe anything that team president Frank Coonelly and owner Bob Nutting have to say moving forward. Then, there was the firing of a part-time employee who played one of the racing pierogies during the in-game entertainment at PNC Park for posting critical remarks about Coonelly on his Facebook page.
That last one made all of the national news shows.
Pirates deal with 12-game losing streak by firing Cheese Chester! Details at 11!
Even though the organization was right to terminate a publicly critical employee, the story blew up in its face and made it look awfully cheesy.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
These next 38 days can't go by quickly enough.
Or maybe not ...
Despite all the negatives, this Pirates season has a little different feel than the 17 seasons of losing that came before it. Ordinarily, I'm tuned out by now. But I'll tune in tonight to watch the game against the Rangers and keep tuning in past Independence Day, past even July 30 when we all celebrate the goings-on with the Steelers in Latrobe, a day that certainly qualifies as an unofficial holiday around here.
I won't watch to see the Pirates win; certainly, that seems unlikely tonight against a Texas team that has won eight games in a row and 11 of 12. I'll watch to see Alvarez, Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata and Neil Walker, to feel their energy and enthusiasm, to perhaps see them grow into terrific big-league ballplayers.
McCutchen is well on his way. His numbers for his first 176 games -- a .297 average, 119 runs, 205 hits, 19 home runs, 76 RBIs and 40 stolen bases -- are astounding. The other three are much newer to all of this but have shown good signs. Not even Alvarez, who is off to a 1-for-16 start, has looked overmatched.
Tabata, Walker and Alvarez all showed me something good in the 5-3 win Sunday against the Indians.
Tabata's speed led to an infield single and a throwing error to set up a two-run first inning. Walker, who still is learning to play second base, looked like a 10-year veteran when he fielded a ball with the go-ahead runner on third base in the eighth inning, calmly jumped over diving first baseman Garrett Jones, who had tried to make the play, and raced to first base to get the out. Then, in the bottom of the eighth, Alvarez, who had looked foolish on an 0-1 pitch from left-handed reliever Tony Sipp with the go-ahead runner on third base, ripped the 0-2 pitch for a sacrifice fly to right field.
"Piece by piece," is how Russell described the career-building of Tabata, Walker and Alvarez.
"They're starting to figure out how to win [games] a little bit."
I'm not quite ready to go that far, but I've seen enough to be intrigued.
I'll count down the days until July 30 -- absolutely -- but I'll keep watching baseball, too.
Pirates baseball.
I know, I can't believe it, either.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.
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