The Pirates broke the longest losing-season streak in professional sports history with their 82nd win of the year on Monday against the Texas Rangers.
82 has a special meaning in Pittsburgh.
Some fans say that only the playoffs matter, but those are the same fans who, once the Pirates lock up a postseason birth, will say that it’s pennant or bust, then follow that by saying World Series or bust.
Pittsburgh’s a demanding sports town.
The true followers of the Pirates know that 82 wins, even if the players and management fail to acknowledge so, are very important. It has to do more so with the off-the-field actions of the team, as opposed to the on field play.
For two decades, the Pirates ran their organization worse than the city of Detroit.
Almost every time they made a move involving the draft, a trade, or free agency, it was a monumental — set-the-organization-back-three-years — screw-up.
It all started after the 1992 season when Pittsburgh allowed Barry Bonds and Doug Drabek, the team’s best hitter and pitcher, respectively, to leave for nothing. The Pirates could have offered salary arbitration, but didn’t want to risk paying the players a premium price.
From there, a domino affect ensued.
Tim Wakefield was released, before winning more games than all but two pitchers in Red Sox history.
Derek Bell quit the team after he was told he would have to compete for his job in the spring.
Two years later, Raul Mondesi left the team midseason to return to Puerto Rico. He waited until the Pirates figured he wouldn’t return and released him, then he signed with the Angels just days later.
The team then called up third baseman Aramis Ramirez too early. This, in turn, made him eligible for arbitration before he matured as a player, which forced the Pirates to trade him AND Kenny Lofton for Jose Hernandez, Matt Bruback and Bobby Hill. Even better, they released Bruback days later to make room for Hill.
Pittsburgh selected Bryan Bullington over Prince Fielder in the 2002 MLB Draft, saying the pitcher had the upside of a number three starter. They also chose Brad Lincoln over Clayton Kershaw with the fourth-overall pick in 2006 and said in their own press release they had chosen the fifth-best pitcher.
Scouts later begged general manager Dave Littlefield to draft Andrew McCutchen.
Willie Stargell even died the same day PNC Park opened, but the 82nd win this year puts an end to all of that pain, suffering and stupidity.
Alas, it’s been a long time coming.
as299810@ohiou.edu
@akarl_smith
