Your first place Pittsburgh Pirates

[Invader3K]

I feel like credit needs to be given where due. We all know how horrible the Pittsburgh franchise has been the last couple decades, but this is the latest they've been in first place in, well...a really long time.

Do I think they can keep it up? No, not really. But I'm sure Pirates fans are feeling good today, and I thing they need to be given their due.

[DuWayne Steurer]

It's definitely a feel good story for them, no doubt. I think they're still a year away, but I'm not going to say they CAN'T hang around, I just don't expect them to.

 

They're in a sticky situation right now. I'm sure the fans would love to see them make a few moves to try to stick around, but honestly, are they ready to make that kind of leap yet? I don't think so.

[MillerBombers]

It is a great feel good story and I am happy for the Pirate fans. If they were in any other division, I would be pulling for them. They seem to have done a lot of damage lately against the Astros, Nationals and Cubs (which is what good teams are suppose to do). This next stretch is going to tell a lot about this team as they are at home vs. CIN and STL. Then they are on the road at ATL and PHI to finish out the month.

 

On that note, I hope we own the Pirates again this year.

[Matt Breen]

I seriously doubt the Pirates will be standing at the end of the season - but it's great for them and their fans. Even a taste of winning makes things happens. I hope they can at least manage to stay above .500. I remember how big that was for the Brewers a few years ago.

 

Great story. Good for Pittsburgh.

[pretendastronaut]

It's cool seeing people starting to fill the stadium more, and all indications so far are that the front office is looking to make moves to try to take advantage of this opportunity. Brewers, Cards, and Reds continue to disappoint on various levels, so why not give it a run if you're them. If we can't take the division, it would be pretty fun to see them take it over anyone else in our division.

[jazzytrav]

I hope this doesn't mean ticket prices will start going up at PNC. Value-wise, that might be the best park in the league. Three years ago, I sat three rows from first base for $26.

[hawing]

If we can't take the division, it would be pretty fun to see them take it over anyone else in our division.

Absolutely - as long as it doesn't come down to the September 26-28 series. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/ohwell.gif

[davemakovec]

If the Brewers don't win the Central, I want it to be the Pirates.

[DuWayne Steurer]

If we can't take the division, it would be pretty fun to see them take it over anyone else in our division.

Absolutely - as long as it doesn't come down to the September 26-28 series. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/ohwell.gif

Actually, I think it'd be pretty cool for the Brewers and Pirates to be slugging it out for the division crown in Miller Park in late September.

 

I mean, obviously I hope the Brewers have clinched by then (LOL!), but a Brewers/Pirates series for all the chips would be fun.

[TheCrew07]

As I said before I'm pretty happy for the Pirates organization which was vilified for spending revenue sharing money on facilities and development so they could start building from the ground up instead of wasting it on FA hacks that weren't going to make a long-term difference for the franchise.

[joepepsi]

Their offense isn't very good, but their pitching has been excellent.

[FoxyFoxes]

That is pure genius schedule making if that Pirate/Brewer series is for the division...http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[geddymd73]

The problem is that the Pirates schedule has been outrageously easy so far. How does a team manage to get a strength of schedule of .485 at this point in the season?

12 games against Houston, and 9 against Chicago, and 8 against Washington will do that. Then, for them Cincy tends to be a cupcake.

Pittsburgh hasn't had a tough series all month long.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Their next 10 games after this series with the Reds are against St. Louis, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. They can kiss first place goodbye.

[bjkrautk]

The problem is that the Pirates schedule has been outrageously easy so far. How does a team manage to get a strength of schedule of .485 at this point in the season?

12 games against Houston, and 9 against Chicago, and 8 against Washington will do that. Then, for them Cincy tends to be a cupcake.

Pittsburgh hasn't had a tough series all month long.

 

Without you pointing it out, I wouldn't have realized just how soft the Pittsburgh schedule has been in the first half, the weakest in all MLB. I'd point out that the Cardinals have had the 2nd weakest schedule (.486), but I'm not sure that would be good form.

 

The Reds and Brewers are tied near the middle of the pack for SoS (.497). Oddly, the Reds have played 49 of their 96 games this season against the NL Central, roughly 10-13 more than anyone else has at this point.

[TooLiveBrew]

For the Pirates' sake, I hope they don't give up any significant prospects for rental players this season. Glad to see some success for them; it's certainly long overdue.

 

Now if they make a move to add someone like Hanley Ramirez...

[brewmann04]

I think the Pirates are for real enough to take this division this season. They have played good baseball and wonder if they will be going all in like Doug Melvin.

[Matt Breen]

If the Brewers don't win the Central, I want it to be the Pirates.

As long as it's not the Cardinals. I hate the Cardinals. Pirates would be better than the Reds, but in the end, anybody but St. Louis.

[logan82]

The Pirates remind me of the Brewers in 2009. We were in first place, or close to it, around the All-Star break. Despite our record, we were not realistic contenders. I think I said at the time we should be trading for prospects.

[TheCrew]

I think the Pirates are for real enough to take this division this season. They have played good baseball and wonder if they will be going all in like Doug Melvin.

I agree - I think people are sleeping on the Pirates. Their pitching staff is due for regression, but if they make a big trade...... you never know.

[Raw Biz]

Just curious as to what everyone attributes their success to so far. I know people mentioned they have had an easy schedule but the Brewers have lost to some poor teams as well, especially on the road. They have some young talent but I think we have a far more talent at most positions (obviously not SS, 3B, probably not CF). Also, a few younger guys they were counting on like Tabata and Alvarez have spent a lot of time on the DL so they have quite a few young 20-somethings playing. So is it the easy schedule, getting lucky/playing over their heads, management, what?

On a side not, some of their players were "thrown to the wolves" being promoted in a pennant race and they seem to be doing just fine. Why wouldn't this work with Green, who is older than some of these players?

[RockCoCougars]

The Pirates are getting hyped plenty, turn on ESPN for 5 minutes and you'll see a feel good piece on them. I'm happy for their fans, but look at that rotation, a bunch of journeymen pitching out of their minds. If a couple of these guys start pitching to what you would expect or a couple bats get injured, things will probably fall apart quickly. This team reminds me more of the Brewers circa 1997 than a true playoff contender. I'd be shocked if they can sustain what they've been doing, but I've been wrong before. If the Brewers can maintain some of the dominance they've had over these guys the past few years, it's going to be a moot point.

[Ennder]

I still would take the under on 81 wins for the Pirates. Easy schedule, massively overproducing pitching. I hope the team turns it around but I really hope they don't become buyers because it would be a mistake and hurt the franchise.

[danzig6767]

I still would take the under on 81 wins for the Pirates. Easy schedule, massively overproducing pitching. I hope the team turns it around but I really hope they don't become buyers because it would be a mistake and hurt the franchise.

Why are so many here wanting the Pirates to not make mistakes which might hurt their rebuilding of the franchise?

 

I certainly understand feeling good for Pirates fans who have suffered forever because of terrible team management given we Brewers fans also suffered a very long time watching mostly just bad baseball teams.

 

That said, the Pirates are in the Brewers division, not the NL West or AL Central. So while i agree with others here that if the Brewers don't win the NL Central this year, i'd hope it was the Pirates even though it's unlikely. I don't want them though building a franchise that becomes consistently good over the next five years or so given that the Brewers will have to compete in the same division as Pittsburgh over those years.

 

I'd liken it a bit to Kansas City. They've also struggled a long time along with Royals fans, but by all accounts they now have a loaded farm system on top of high end prospects recently called up to the majors this year. I'm happy to hear that for KC fans and i hope it leads to a nice run of success. If though the Brewers were in the AL Central instead, i'd be significantly less pleased to see what the Royals could potentially building.

[TheCrew]

I still would take the under on 81 wins for the Pirates. Easy schedule, massively overproducing pitching. I hope the team turns it around but I really hope they don't become buyers because it would be a mistake and hurt the franchise.

They've also been without some key guys - Pedro Alveraz for a good portion of the year and Jose Tabata went down at the end of June. A number of people on here were saying they'd be in trouble after the break - well, they've won 4 out of 5 and are going for the sweep against the Reds today.