Why Can't We Be Friends

by Pittsburgh Pro Sports Report

Throughout the frustrating roller coaster ride that has been the Pittsburgh Pirates' season, one thing has been going right for the team, no dugout blowups. There has been no Carlos Zambrano vs. Michael Barrett type boxing matching or no Jim Leyland vs. Barry Bonds shouting duels. That's was until last night during the game against the Colorado Rockies when SS Jack Wilson and and Pirate pitching coach Jim Colborn got into a heated argument about a difficult fly ball dropped by the Bucco shortstop. Who can blame them, personally I'm surprised this hasn't happened early. Fourteen years of losing, a four game losing streak after such a promising end to the first half of the season, a bullpen that couldn't provide relief if they were sponsored by Rolaids, a star in Jason Bay who strikes out more than Jose Hernandez (remember him?), and an organization which seems to be content with mediocrity. Id be yelling too if I had to deal with this.

After the game the two down played the confrontation. "Nothing happened," Jack Wilson said. "I have no comment on that. You'll have to ask [Colborn]." Reporters did, "I've got nothing to say about that," Colborn said as he walked by a group of reporters. "It's not newsworthy." Contraire Mr. Colborn, this was newsworthy, how can a team move foreword and grow when individuals are taking their frustartions out on each other. Its hard to say this, but it could be getting worse for the battling Buccos.

Maybe the 10-8 loss wouldn't have been so bad if so much wa [1] sn't made of the team going into the All-Star break. .500 baseball and even playoffs.....PLAYOFFS!!!! were being tossed around in the same sentence as the Pittsburgh Pirates. But during this four game losing streak the once confident team seems to be feeling a bit different. "It's frustrating for everybody to lose four in a row," starting pitcher John Van Benschoten said. "I think we had a lot of momentum going through the All-Star break and it's tough to hit a wall like this." He did not do his part in detouring around that wall, 2 innings pitched, 9 earned runs, bringing his ERA up to a Paul Maholm-like 8.17.

There were some positives in the loss though. The bullpen did perform better only giving up only one run in the seven innings they pitched. The offense also shined with every position player getting at least one hit. On the other hand, this offensive outburst overshadowed the the lack of key hits in key situations, but what else is new. The Pirates left nine men on base and hit into double plays that killed huge innings.

There is hope though Pirate fans. Q: How do you stop a losing streak? A: Face a Pirate pitcher, right. Thats exactly what the Pirates will do tonight, they face former pitcher Josh "If you dont know where the ball is look over the fence" Fogg. If the Pirates will stop this losing streak, it will be tonight.

DwalbertVarsity Captain

883 days ago

Score 0

jose hernandez was terrible. i almost dislike you for reminding me of his existence.

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