Say What?

So I watched the first innings of the ball game before going out for drinks with friends. I got to watch the 2nd through the 6th before heading out, which meant I got to see the "good" Ian Snell. You know, the Ian Snell who strikes out batters and manages to get out of a bases-loaded jam only giving up one run. Have I mentioned how much I adore the "good" Ian Snell? Like, seriously, adore?

Then, arriving at the bar (no baseball game in the friend's car radio), I see the Pirates are behind 3-2, and I inwardly groan. I presume that "bad" Ian Snell appeared, though when I later examine the box score, I discovered that Mr. Snell was still throwing heat and not giving up home runs, so I guess that Mr. Snell wasn't really horrifically bad. Just unfortunately not perfect.

Speaking of unfortunately not perfect, until Xavier Nady hit that jack to tie the game, I was about to comment that the hot Bucco bats of August had gone cold, yet again, against a AAA pitcher (not that this is really news, but still and all, it hasn't been customary this month as it was for every preceding month of the 2007 season). And yet, in spite an offense that was mostly inept for most of the night, in spite of appearing to waste, yet again, another quality start from a starting pitcher, I still expected the Pirates to lose this game. Because reality had to crash at some point, right?

Except Shawon Chacon didn't give up a run. Except Shane Youman struck out 3 hitters. Shane Youman. My good friend, who admits to not following baseball very much, told me that she knew it was not a good idea to put in Salomon Torres or Shawn Chacon (she's seen enough sports broadcasts to know that placing these two relievers into the middle of a tight game is more likely a surefire way to lose rather than to win the match). And still--the Pirates won? How? What? What has happened to this team? They now win games they should probably lose? What?

For however nice the win was, and it was very nice, and for however much I enjoyed Mr. Tracy's histrionics (seriously, the animated hand gestures were eminently fun), I offer this helping of reality to fans who have "Comedy Central" disease in hoping the Pirates can win the division. Look at the Bucco record. The Pirates are closer to being the worst team in all of baseball than they are to winning a division. And unlike other teams, which might manage to dig themselves sub. 500 holes and then have enough talent to get out of such holes, the Pirates, at best, have .500 talent. .500 talent is not enough the rest of the way. .500 talent is not enough to overcome months of sub .500 play. The Pirates are still the Pirates, and the adjective pathetic should still precede Pirates, not just for alliterative purposes, but also for factual purposes.

Still, I must admit that watching my pathetic Pirates win games is very, very, very fun. I like this winning thing. And giving the pathetic draft record of this organization, I can't object to seeing more wins the rest of the season (I know all the logical reasons why I should and yet I still want my team to win). How fun it must be to be a fan of the Yankees and expect your team to win. Seriously, it must be fun to be a fan of such a team.

For now, however, I'll just take the unlikely wins, the mostly good performance from the "good" side of my favorite pitcher (be glad you weren't at the bar tonight to hear me rant about all the reasons I adore emotionally high-strung, sensitive athletes), and enjoy winning--all the while knowing that as much as I like Gorzy, Ian Snell, Freddy Sanchez, and the Adam Laroche who has taken to mashing the ball of late, that my team just doesn't have enough talent to sustain winning more often than losing for the duration of the season.

Of course, I'll still tune in and cheer for a victory--such is the disease of being a deluded fan of the pathetic Pirates. But definitely not so deluded enough to think that a very bad baseball team, as signified both by their record and lack of talent, could contend for a division title.

Speaking of which, I found myself jealous when the TV camera panned to show all the recent (this millennium) Houston team honors. It's been a l o n g time since my team won anything. I understand the delusional fans who want to see a pennant, as seeing those banners made me almost want to be delusional myself.

But not until the "good" side of players gets consistently good, and not until there are many more players sporting a Pirates uniform who even have a "good" side to win out over a "bad" side.