[Badger Bob]

And so it starts.....



Make sure you watch the HR at the end. It still give me goosebumps. Believe it or not

[Badger Bob]

[billvill]

Sorry BB, as much as I'd love to have a winner in the Pirates, Nutting still sucks and the Bucs (as usual) will be irrelevant by July.

[Badger Bob]

billvill, on 05 April 2012 - 05:43 AM, said:

Sorry BB, as much as I'd love to have a winner in the Pirates, Nutting still sucks and the Bucs (as usual) will be irrelevant by July.

You don't have to be sorry bv. I'm not as optimistic as those first couple of posts indicate, but the start of baseball season is always fun and it shows Spring is here. They're still a mediocre team that doesn't spend a bunch of money. I saw a report yesterday that Nutting is actually the 10th richest owner in the MLB with a net worth over $1B. I thought he was a little fish in a big pond, but that pisses me off. Although they did lay out the cash for McCutchen, so maybe that a small sign that things will change (assuming they don't trade him away in 2 years). I will say this, they can't get good MLB talent to come here as free agents. They can't spend the money even if they want too. Obviously they created that situation with 19 years of suckititude, but it makes it more difficult to become a winning team if you can't coax decent MLB level talent here. Then again, I'm not sold on their MLB talent scouts either. Right now they're going to have to rely on guys that are home grown to come up here and produce and somehow maybe one of these years, they'll catch lightning in a bottle.


And here's the 10th most richest owner

I love reading the reaction in Smozo's blog

[billvill]

Badger Bob, on 05 April 2012 - 06:26 AM, said:

You don't have to be sorry bv. I'm not as optimistic as those first couple of posts indicate, but the start of baseball season is always fun and it shows Spring is here. They're still a mediocre team that doesn't spend a bunch of money. I saw a report yesterday that Nutting is actually the 10th richest owner in the MLB with a net worth over $1B. I thought he was a little fish in a big pond, but that pisses me off. Although they did lay out the cash for McCutchen, so maybe that a small sign that things will change (assuming they don't trade him away in 2 years). I will say this, they can't get good MLB talent to come here as free agents. They can't spend the money even if they want too. Obviously they created that situation with 19 years of suckititude, but it makes it more difficult to become a winning team if you can't coax decent MLB level talent here. Then again, I'm not sold on their MLB talent scouts either. Right now they're going to have to rely on guys that are home grown to come up here and produce and somehow maybe one of these years, they'll catch lightning in a bottle.

Incredible, and it really speaks volumes of the mismanagement (profit over all) of this team, when, in a small market like Pittsburgh, an owner can amass that kind of wealth. The part that that POS doesn't get is that it's entertainment, and entertainment by definition is supposed to be entertaining, not painful. I blame him, I blame the sheep that keep on shelling their money out for this joke of a team, but above all, I blame Selig for letting it go on for so long.

[Badger Bob]

billvill, on 05 April 2012 - 06:36 AM, said:

Incredible, and it really speaks volumes of the mismanagement (profit over all) of this team, when, in a small market like Pittsburgh, an owner can amass that kind of wealth. The part that that POS doesn't get is that it's entertainment, and entertainment by definition is supposed to be entertaining, not painful. I blame him, I blame the sheep that keep on shelling their money out for this joke of a team, but above all, I blame Selig for letting it go on for so long.

I will say that he's only been totally at the helm for 5 years since he bought McClatchy out. There are plenty of idiots, in addition to Nutting, to blame over the years. The minor league system was devoid of any talent and that has changed under his watch. They're spending more money than any other team in that area. So there is some reason to have a little hope that things may change. Although one of their biggest prospects, Pedro Alvarez seems like he could be a failure. Then again, other teams in their position would have taken him in that draft spot, so it's hard to blame the Pirates for that one. The only thing you may question is their teaching ability in that case. Or maybe Alvarez is a head case. It'll be their luck to trade him away and he'll turn into another Joey Bats.

[billvill]

Badger Bob, on 05 April 2012 - 06:52 AM, said:

I will say that he's only been totally at the helm for 5 years since he bought McClatchy out. There are plenty of idiots, in addition to Nutting, to blame over the years. The minor league system was devoid of any talent and that has changed under his watch. They're spending more money than any other team in that area. So there is some reason to have a little hope that things may change. Although one of their biggest prospects, Pedro Alvarez seems like he could be a failure. Then again, other teams in their position would have taken him in that draft spot, so it's hard to blame the Pirates for that one. The only thing you may question is their teaching ability in that case. Or maybe Alvarez is a head case. It'll be their luck to trade him away and he'll turn into another Joey Bats.

I just looked for email responses from Kevin McClatchy and Littlefield. I wrote them both, slamming the Bucs and both wrote me back. McClatchy actually addressed every point (of suckitude) I brought up, his answers were BS, but at least he did it. Littlfied gave me a bunch of lip service. I think I probably deleted them a few years back.

Whatever the reason BB, I won't spend a dime on that team until they show me conviction to winning. In fact, I'm done spending an $$ on MLB all together. F Selig.

[stonewizard51]

At least for today the Bucs are mired in the thick of things tied for 2nd. Cards won yesterday or it would be tied for 1st. Enjoy it cos it won't last.

[Badger Bob]

billvill, on 05 April 2012 - 07:03 AM, said:

I just looked for email responses from Kevin McClatchy and Littlefield. I wrote them both, slamming the Bucs and both wrote me back. McClatchy actually addressed every point (of suckitude) I brought up, his answers were BS, but at least he did it. Littlfied gave me a bunch of lip service. I think I probably deleted them a few years back.

Whatever the reason BB, I won't spend a dime on that team until they show me conviction to winning. In fact, I'm done spending an $$ on MLB all together. F Selig.

It's a side interest for me. I like baseball, but Hockey is king for me and has been for a long time. I don't blame you one bit for your feelings. MLB is screwed up. We all know they're run by the big boys. Even worse, a guy like Nutting is getting rich off of teams like the Yanks and Bosox. He's like a parasite. And the Yanks and Sox don't really seem to give a shit that it's happening. Until they have a cap and a floor it's going to be screwed up. And I don't see that happening.

I's still like to see the Buccos somehow rise from the ashes and somehow become competitive. Not holding my breath though. If it weren't for my kid keeping me semi-interested, I'd care even less.

[Badger Bob]

Sometimes I think about how cool it would be for Lemieux and Burkle to own the Pirates. And then I get pissed off again that Nutting wouldn't sell to them. The guy definitely has a goose laying golden eggs.

[billvill]

Badger Bob, on 05 April 2012 - 07:30 AM, said:

Sometimes I think about how cool it would be for Lemieux and Burkle to own the Pirates. And then I get pissed off again that Nutting wouldn't sell to them. The guy definitely has a goose laying golden eggs.

He has no reason to stop acting that way and no reason to sell when the place fills up every season. Until people stop going, nothing's gonna change IMO.

[Badger Bob]

billvill, on 05 April 2012 - 07:35 AM, said:

He has no reason to stop acting that way and no reason to sell when the place fills up every season. Until people stop going, nothing's gonna change IMO.

People still like to go because it's a great ballpark in a great setting and it's really relatively inexpensive compared to the Steelers and Penguins. Personally, I went to like 2 or 3 ames last year, so it's not like I'm contributing greatly to the man's wallet.

[billvill]

Badger Bob, on 05 April 2012 - 07:50 AM, said:

People still like to go because it's a great ballpark in a great setting and it's really relatively inexpensive compared to the Steelers and Penguins. Personally, I went to like 2 or 3 ames last year, so it's not like I'm contributing greatly to the man's wallet.

You x 30,000 x 2 or 3 are, though. The man has no reason to stop raping the good people of Pittsburgh, BB. Believe me BB, I like nothing more as an ex-player and ex-coach to go to the ballpark, and I did, every summer at PNC, but enough's enough.

[Badger Bob]

billvill, on 05 April 2012 - 08:02 AM, said:

You x 30,000 x 2 or 3 are, though. The man has no reason to stop raping the good people of Pittsburgh, BB.

I don't disagree. I didn't go to a single game the year before. There are plenty of people that still go on a regular basis. Those are the people that need to stop going. Then again, he's making the most money from TV and the luxury tax on the big spending teams. The guy makes a profit before one ticket is sold. It's a cash cow for him no matter how many people show up. That's where Major League Baseball is at fault. To reward mediocrity. The tax is supposed to allow smaller market teams be more competitive, not for lining rich owner's pockets.


It's my son's fault. He has a 20 game plan. He's gonna be there today and Sunday.

[Robert Goulet]

I liked what I saw from Bedard today.

Too bad he had to go up against Roy Halladay.

[Badger Bob]

And the Buccos win 2 out of 3 against the Phillies. Pittsburgh teams doing a number on Philadelphia teams.


Of course the Phillies didn't have Chase Utley or Ryan Howard, but I'll take 'em any way I can get 'em.

[Jonathan Glaude]

Me, i like the baseball


I like the the Pirates

Victory ! 5 - 1 of Pirates againts the Rockies

Go ! Pirates Go !

Play ball ! Play ball !

[Jonathan Glaude]

Badger Bob, on 05 April 2012 - 05:11 AM, said:

I like much the youtube and the movie. Yep !

[Jonathan Glaude]

Badger Bob, on 05 April 2012 - 05:10 AM, said:

And so it starts.....



Make sure you watch the HR at the end. It still give me goosebumps. Believe it or not

The Youtube is very interesting

[TDL]

Badger Bob, on 05 April 2012 - 08:06 AM, said:

There are plenty of people that still go on a regular basis.

i go on a regular basis...

one game a year around mid to late August...