| Power Rankings |
| Date | Ranking | Previous |
| 09/30/2008 | 26 | 26 |
| The two New York teams win 89 games and get labeled by slow-blinking fans as weak-willed losers. Pirates devotees must see that and think, "Unappreciative a--holes" ... The first postseason move was to fire the first base coach -- that'll sure fix what ails 'em ... Neither the Pirates nor their players took anything resembling a step forward in 2008. The season's biggest success? Nate McLouth, I guess, or maybe that Matt Capps' arm remains attached to his torso ... Most people reading this aren't old enough to remember a time when the Pirates were a competitive franchise. That's tragic, in a circle-of-life/one-generation-giving-way-to-the-next sense. |
| 09/23/2008 | 26 | 28 |
| Well, at least they settled the grievance with first-round pick Pedro Alvarez in a way that didn't topple MLB's draft structure or foment labor unrest. It's kinda interesting that they wound up giving him extra cash after pledging all along that they wouldn't, though ... Everyone's painting the Pirates as easy pickings for the Brewers this week, but the Bucs actually have a better record in September: 8-12, vs. Milwaukee's 5-15. |
| 09/16/2008 | 28 | 30 |
| Do you think that the LaRoche brothers sit around in the lifeless Pittsburgh dugout thinking, "We'd be far more interesting reality-show subjects than the Kardashian sisters"? ... Ryan Doumit is fading fast. ... There's not much to say here. Since the mid-1990s, Pirates baseball in September has been as depressing as a divorce. |
| 09/09/2008 | 30 | 30 |
| Condolences on the 16th consecutive losing season, Pirates fans. Y'all deserve better. ... Rough game for Nate McLouth on Sunday. He took a fastball to the hand and then a liner to the face, leaving his uniform looking like something out of a White Stripes video. ... But Sexy Steve Pearce notched his fifth and sixth doubles of the season in the losing effort. His bat is as electric as his curves. |
| 09/02/2008 | 30 | 27 |
| On the field, they've lost 10 straight (scoring 28 runs in the process) and will cinch a 16th consecutive losing season within days. Off it, top draft pick Pedro Alvarez appears to be the unwitting pawn in a Scott Boras ploy to get his balls back in the wake of the A-Rod debacle. I'm trying to think of what could've made last week worse for the Pirates and their fans. A greasefire in the cheap seats? The addition of Pat Meares to the coaching staff? One step up, 11 steps back. |
| 08/26/2008 | 27 | 26 |
| Matt Capps looked fine in his return from the DL and has promised to start paying attention to pesky matters like conditioning from here on out. Ain't it funny how the light bulb goes on when a young hurler without financial security has a brush with his pitching mortality? |
| 08/19/2008 | 26 | 25 |
| For the first time since a young Scotty Weiland single-handedly sang a cheery nation into dope-addled ennui, Pirates fans can feel optimistic about the direction in which their team is headed. They're playing the kids, signing their picks and working the player-development angles. ... I'm no scout, but here's my report on the Pirates after watching them against the Metsies this weekend: Nobody on this team except Ryan Doumit can hit anything other than fastballs. ... Yet another game-winning hit against the Mets for Sexy Steve Pearce. Is there anything he can't do? ... Say what you want about the just-demoted Jose Bautista -– I'll go with "his swing makes me sad" -- but he's more likely to help the Pirates, now and in the future, than Doug Mientkiewicz. |
| 08/12/2008 | 25 | 24 |
| Jeff Karstens couldn't get AL hitters out. His startling early success in the NL is yet another indictment of the junior circuit's inferior talent. ... Far be it for me to tell anybody how to run his business, but the Pirates might want to devote the lion's share of their organizational energy to signing top draft pick Pedro Alvarez before Friday's deadline. ... In case you're counting at home -– and I know some of you are -– that's four doubles for Sexy Steve Pearce in 41 plate appearances this season. |
| 08/05/2008 | 24 | 26 |
| Checklist for the rest of the season: Ease off on Gorzelanny, Snell and Capps (if he returns); take enough of a look at Brandon Moss, Andy LaRoche and Sexy Steve Pearce to see whether they can be contributors in 2009; and sign your damn first-round draft pick, whatever the cost. Letting Pedro Alvarez go bye-bye would sap the franchise of its recent credibility infusion. |
| 07/29/2008 | 26 | 26 |
| This might not be the most instructive comparison and it might be premature, but a few years ago we heard the same "he won't hit for power"/"he's an immature dumbass" bleats about Hanley Ramirez that we're currently hearing about recent Pittsburgh acquisition Jose Tabata. ... The "Sexy Steve" Pearce era began in earnest Monday night with two -– count 'em, two -– sacrifice flies and a walk. ... I would say the Pirates could play NL Central spoiler down the stretch, but by now this franchise is genetically programmed to shut down in mid-August. |
