PITTSBURGH PIRATES FANS TO BOYCOTT JUNE 30th GAME...

Copied from....http://www.protestthepirates.blogspot.com/

Dear Pittsburgh Pirate Fans,
For fourteen consecutive seasons, we, as fans, have had to endure a depressing reality in professional sports.
Since 1993, fans of Pittsburgh Pirate baseball have painstakingly tolerated a series of significant ownership and front-office errors that have ultimately contributed to fourteen consecutive seasons of losing baseball. Two ownership groups, two general managers, and a plethora of less than adequate player and manager personnel have combined to produce what has simply become one of the most repulsive and inexcusable professionally-run organizations in sports history.
For years, we have eagerly awaited a winning season, eagerly awaited competition, eagerly awaited change…all to no avail. For years, we have despondently watched as the organization has blatantly wasted money and misevaluated talent, all while profiting at the ticket-buyer’s expense. For years, it has been quite obvious that the current ownership group is not committed to putting a winning product on the field.
Simply put, as fans, we deserve better…we deserve change.
On Saturday, June 30, 2007, several frustrated fans will organize prior to the 7:05 game on Federal Street in an effort to raise public awareness of the current state of Pirate baseball in the city of Pittsburgh. The message is simple: This is our chance to be heard, this is our chance to demand change.
As fans, we have the right…and together, we have the power.

Sigh...

When does Steelers training camp start?

Bob Nutting(owner) is pathetic.

sell the damn team to mark cuban already.

lmao

If I was living in Pittsburgh, I'd be boycotting life let alone a Pirates game.

This sounds eerily similar to the gas boycott.........

the post gazette should turn in their press passes for the pirates and stop coverage of the players and the games... two months later see if circulation has gone down or up for the newspaper.

boycott the pirates? that's like boycotting AIDS

Labeeb said:

If I was living in Pittsburgh, I'd be boycotting life let alone a Pirates game.

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:youmad:

crunch99 said:

This sounds eerily similar to the gas boycott.........

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:missingte And as effective too.

the team has made zero progress in 15 years...something drastic needs to be done. i dont see us being a contender or even a .500 ballclub anytime soon. got a great ballaprk that people are gonna pack nonetheless. nutting and the other owners are making money regardless.....so who cares if they win right????

its a total mess

Fifteen Years of Failures.........

In 1993, the Pirates drafted Chuck Peterson, who is now out of baseball.
In 1994, the Prates drafted Mark Farris. The next three picks after the Pirates drafted were Nomar Garciaparra, Paul Konerko, and Jason Varitek. Farris by the way is also out of baseball.
In 1995, the Pirates drafted Chad Hermanson. They actually passed on Roy Halladay & Matt Morris. Hermanson is, yep, you guessed it...... out of baseball.
In 1996, the Pirates had the #1 overall pick and drafted Kris Benson. Benson has since bounced around from team to team never living up to his full potential. He is currently out for the year after having arm surgery. The Pirates couldve had Eric Chavez.
In 1997, the Pirates did not draft Lance Berkman or Jon Garland. They instead took JJ Davis, who is also out of baseball.
In 1998, the Pirates could've had CC Sabathia, Brad Lidge, Mark Prior, or Kip Wells (Now you know why they tried so hard to acquire him via a trade years later!). Instead they drafted Clint Johnson.
In 1999, the Pirates drafted Bobby Bradley. After multiple elbow surgeries, the Pirates released Bradley. The following players were drafted AFTER Bobby Bradley.....Barry Zito, Ben Sheets, Brett Myers, and Alex Rios. Zito and Sheets were drafted right after the Pirates took Bradley.
___________________________________________________________________________
The players drafted in the next few years are just now starting to get their feet wet in the majors so a lot will be determined in the years ahead.
In 2000, Sean Burnett was the Pirates first round draft choice. He has had elbow problems and multiple surgeries since.
In 2001, the Pirates passed on 3B David Wright. Instead, they selected John Van Benschoten. Van Benschoten was a power hitting star at Kent State. He hit 31 home runs his junior year which led all of NCAA Division I baseball players. He also closed some games for Kent State. The Pirates opted to use him as a pitcher. Since being drafted, he has had numerous arm problems and surgeries.
In 2002, the Pirates drafted Bryan Bullington with the #1 pick overall. They passed on all of the following players....BJ Upton, Prince Fielder (who by the way is leading the majors in homeruns this season so far), Jeff Francis, Scott Kazmir, Nick Swisher, Cole Hamels, Jeff Francouer, & Joe Blanton. Bullington also has had arm problems and missed an entire season due to surgery.
In 2003, the Pirates selected Paul Maholm. Maholm is currently a Pirates starter. While it is still early in his career, his numbers are really poor. His 2007 numbers....2-7 5.33 ERA. Chad Cordero Aaron Hill, Lastings Milledge, and Conner Jackson were drafted after Maholm.
In 2004, Neil Walker was selected by the Pirates as a catcher. He has since been moved to 3B because "he couldnt handle the catching position." Jered Weaver, Huston Street, and Stephen Drew were all drafted after Walker.
In 2005, the Pirates selected Andrew McClutchen. He is currently still in the minors.
In 2006, the Pirates selected another pitcher, Brad Lincoln. Lincoln is still in the minors.
In 2007, the Pirates passed on the best catching prospect since Joe Mauer and drafted yet another pitcher, Daniel Moskos. Moskos is projected by many top baseball scouts to be a "relief pitcher at best" in the majors.
Fifteen years of bad drafts. Fifteen years and not one bona fide solid above average major league ballplayer. How much more can we as fans take? Enough is enough!
______________________________________
In these same 15 years, here is what the Oakland A's have done with their 1st round picks.....(keep in mind they too are a small market team!)
BEN GRIEVE
ARIEL PRIETO
ERIC CHAVEZ
MARC MULDER
BARRY ZITO
BOBBY CROSBY
JEREMY BONDERMAN
NICK SWISHER
JOE BLANTON
JEREMY BROWN
MARK TEAHAN
HUSTON STREET
Anyone notice a slight difference in the scouting departments of the Pirates & A's?

:nohead:

They're the Clippers of the MLB.

Labeeb said:

If I was living in Pittsburgh, I'd be boycotting life let alone a Pirates game.

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It's june 30

if I lived in Pitts I'd hit the Bucs game today!!!

they had 100.2% of capacity last night.

their drafts the past 10 years have been as good as any. the drafts the past 5 years have been the best in the league

funny to look back on those posts, and it did seem hopeless.

hell even 2010 saw the Pirates lose 105 games.

I might suggest their 2005 pick was pretty solid

5teamparlay said:

It's june 30

if I lived in Pitts I'd hit the Bucs game today!!!

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not when the sharp edge european beerfest is happening

heard on the radio the bucs are seriously considering putting cole back to aaa for $ reasons....something about having to ante up with a huge contract for a guy in mlb in just 2 years. it's always about saving money for them even if they have the most wins in mlb. such a fn joke

rolltide said:

not when the sharp edge european beerfest is happening

heard on the radio the bucs are seriously considering putting cole back to aaa for $ reasons....something about having to ante up with a huge contract for a guy in mlb in just 2 years. it's always about saving money for them even if they have the most wins in mlb. such a fn joke

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yeah if he stays up he'll almost assuredly get super two status. Which means he'll be able to get arbitration $ after his 2nd season instead of his 3rd.

so instead of making about 440,000 he'd get a few million. Plus the Pirates would lose control over him after year 5 instead of year 6.

their owners are the stingiest ever. but their GM has done a miracle to finally turn this system completely around.

as a fan i'm okay with Cole missing 2-3 starts if it helps them sign a bigger free agent or get a contract extension for a guy like Alvarez down the road.

the fact that Wandy may be done for the year is very very bad news for baseball and business reasons.

Wandy will now almost certainly kick in his 2014 player option. Which means that Pirates will be ponying up 13 million for a older hurt pitcher.

making the Cole send down to slow his arb clock even more likely