The season has imploded but the organization is apparently resisting the urge to start over, again. One reason why might be that there’s no need to this time.
The season teased long enough to inspire dreams of October. But it’s imploded into another nightmare that’s more on who they are than what they’re spending.
They need to add offense to maximize the opportunity at hand. But even if they don’t, and their history says they won’t, the postseason may yet be within reach.
Bob Nutting may be saying the right things. But until Ben Cherington does the right thing the Bucs are in danger of wasting the type of opportunity that doesn’t come around very often.
It’s sensory overload whenever the Buccos’ latest pitching phenom takes the mound. Such is the extent to which the franchise’s latest savior has already delivered.
Their latest savior can’t and won’t solve all of the Bucs’ problems. But the long-awaited promotion of last season’s first-overall pick has nonetheless changed the game.
The broadcaster who is retiring on Sunday seemingly never got his proper due for what he did as a pitcher. But what he did on the mound for the Pirates in 1971 is on the short list of the best Pittsburgh has ever seen in any sport.
