Your first place Pittsburgh Pirates

[theavrock]

You know I get why the media is sweating them. It's a great story for a franchise that has suffered for a long time.

 

But I don't remember this sort of coverage when the Brewers were doing the same thing in '08. Am I wrong? It just seems like every time I turn on ESPN or MLB someone is leading with or talking about the Pirates. I guess I just remember thinking in '08 no one is talking about the Brewers.

 

end rant...

I remember the Brewers getting quite a bit of love when they were exceeding expectations, and then when they traded for CC, they blew up.

 

So I do disagree with you on this one.

Yea, once CC came over but prior to that they were in 1st the entire season basically. I just don't remember anything pre-CC. Again, I could be wrong and just not remembering here.

[pebadger]

There is only room for one feel-good small market story. Pittsburgh has been bad for 20 years. Milwaukee was in the playoffs a couple of years ago. The Brewers have been a trendy pick since the spring. Pittsburgh is a true underdog. The Brewers have some very well-known players. The Pirates players are unknown quantities to a large degree. Pittsburg, as a city and media market, has closer ties to the east coast media centers. The Brewers are thoroughly midwestern.

 

No brainer as to where the media will steer the sympathies of neutral observers.

[theavrock]

There is only room for one feel-good small market story. Pittsburgh has been bad for 20 years. Milwaukee was in the playoffs a couple of years ago. The Brewers have been a trendy pick since the spring. Pittsburgh is a true underdog. The Brewers have some very well-known players. The Pirates players are unknown quantities to a large degree. Pittsburg, as a city and media market, has closer ties to the east coast media centers. The Brewers are thoroughly midwestern.

 

No brainer as to where the media will steer the sympathies of neutral observers.

I was talking about '08. The first time the Brewers were good in forever and comparing coverage then to the coverage the Pirates are getting now.

[TheCrew]

Yea, once CC came over but prior to that they were in 1st the entire season basically. I just don't remember anything pre-CC. Again, I could be wrong and just not remembering here.

The Brewers were 4 games out of 1st place on July 7th, 2008 - the day they traded for CC- there was no reason to talk about them before the trade.

 

Pirates aren't getting any more coverage than they should - and they've earned every bit they are getting. It's ok to give credit where it is due every now and then and the Pirates have earned it so far this season. Outside of Karstens, I'm happy to see them do well - albeit I hope they end up just short.

[pebadger]

I think the big sotry in 2008 was the Cubs. Not that they are small market, but they sort of share that 'underdog' role. (Whether that's a fair depiction is another matter, but the fact is that when the Cubs are in contention the whole 'lovable loser' BS crowds out small market stories).

 

The Brewers were nothing more than a Wildcard, and that was in large part because of CC. CC was the story in Milwaukee, not the Brewers (from a national perspective). Contrast that with the Pirates competing for the division title (at least right now). Also add in the fact that the Pirates were close at the AS Break, the slowest sports news time of the year, and that's a story that gets some traction. So long as they stay in contention the story will stay on the radar, to the extent that baseball does stay on the radar during the NFL news barrage that will be overwheliming next week.

[theavrock]

Memory must be going in my old age here...

[TheCrew]

The other difference is the Brewers had stars in Braun, Fielder and Sheets. Pirates really don't have any big names - biggest star is McCutchen and not many who don't follow the game know who he is.

[Funketown]

I think one of the big differences is that the Brewers were legitimately a very good team while the Pirates are most likely a slightly below average team playing way over their heads. I still would have to be offered 20:1 to pick the Pirates to make a playoff appearance this year.

[razzzorsharp]

I hope they win their next two games.

[cwolf2012]

They may be in 2nd place, but I'm definitely rooting for them over Cards for 2 reasons:

 

1) The Pirates are not a threat

2) Screw the Cards

[HiAndTight]

They may be in 2nd place, but I'm definitely rooting for them over Cards for 2 reasons:

 

1) The Pirates are not a threat

2) Screw the Cards

Agreed...with #2 in particular.

[jhart05]

GO Bucs !!!

 

Beat the Cards !!!

[razzzorsharp]

I can see this being the end of the media hype after their run of St. Louis, Atlanta, and Philly.

 

They will still be over .500 but I think they may fall back a little.

[pebadger]

If the Pirates don't fall back a little after this week, they are in great shape. The Brewers and Cards will have failed significantly (or Pittsburgh will have just played very well) if they don't open a lead this week after getting to play the 'Stros and Cubs all week.

 

It's nice to tale about Pittsburgh and all, but they're really not any different than the Nationals. They just play in a division where they have been able to go 15-6 against the two worst teams in teh NL. If Washington were in the NL Central, they would be contenders and getting all the press.

[brewmann04]

the pirates have just as good chance to win the division as our brewers.

[pebadger]

the pirates have just as good chance to win the division as our brewers.

 

 

No argument here. It's just nicer to talk about the story in a positive sense, and the Pirates rvide that story line. The dirty little secret is that nobody in the NL other than Philly or Atlanta is more than marginally good. The Giants are nice but can't score. After that, meh. But good for the Buccos. If they win the division I will have no complaints. The Brewers likely will have done themsleves in and I will shed no tears for the others.

[endaround]

the pirates have just as good chance to win the division as our brewers.

No they really don't:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/odds/

 

[pebadger]

And here is another prediction that says they do:

 

http://www.coolstandings....ll_standings.asp?sn=2011

 

I haven't seen anything to make me beleive that the teams with better "true talent", or whatever other stuff people like to rely on to say that what is on paper matters all that much, will employ that talent (and probably more important get out of their own way in positions that are gaping holes) to make this division race anything more than a final week coin-flip.

[RockCoCougars]

The Brewers have a favorable schedule the rest of the way and 34 of 59 are at home. Since they met my goal of getting out of this road trip in first, in my view if they can't lock up the division it's a big time failure. If they can take care of business within the division at home, things should take care of themselves. Pittsburgh still has 33 road games.

[logan82]

The Brewers have a favorable schedule the rest of the way and 34 of 59 are at home. Since they met my goal of getting out of this road trip in first, in my view if they can't lock up the division it's a big time failure. If they can take care of business within the division at home, things should take care of themselves. Pittsburgh still has 33 road games.

Yeah that is kind of it. The Brewers just got done with their toughest part of their second half schedule. Pittsburgh banked quite a few wins against an easier schedule. Everything being equal(which it isn't, the Brewers and Cards are better teams) Pittsburgh has a tougher schedule then either St. Louis or Milwaukee.

[TheCrew]

Yet the Pirates have a winning record on the road and they have a winning record against teams that have a winning record. I really hope the Brewers aren't overlooking the Pirates as much as some around here.

[owbc]

You have to give the Pirates fans credit for showing up to the Cardinals series this weekend. Over 110,000 fans for the largest 3-game series total in PNC Park history. Usually it takes awhile for the fans to show up again after a long period of losing--18 years in this case--but it is good to know that baseball is alive and well in Pittsburgh.

[RockCoCougars]

Yet the Pirates have a winning record on the road and they have a winning record against teams that have a winning record. I really hope the Brewers aren't overlooking the Pirates as much as some around here.

The Brewers have won 75% of their games against Pittsburgh over the past 5 seasons. Until that changes, it's pretty easy to overlook them. I'm still not convinced that they are legit, but we'll see.

[adamb100]

3 way tie in the divison. This is really going to be one of those seasons where the winner isnt determined till the very last game.

[Glennron]

You have to give the Pirates fans credit for showing up to the Cardinals series this weekend. Over 110,000 fans for the largest 3-game series total in PNC Park history. Usually it takes awhile for the fans to show up again after a long period of losing--18 years in this case--but it is good to know that baseball is alive and well in Pittsburgh.

Agreed. I was at a Brewers-Pirates game there in 2007 where Damian Miller had two home runs and drove in 7 runs. There were plenty of apathetic Pirates fans both sarcastically and non-ironically cheering him during his second home run. I guess it's hard to feel too bad given the Steelers and Penguins recent success, but still. That stadium is too awesome to have a terrible team for so long.