Pirates Demoralized, But Not Dead

A Scene Pirates Fans Are Sick of Seeing...

Pirates fans have seen alot of losses.  They've seen alot of losing in general in the past 20 years, but last night's loss was different.  As I sat in Grille 36 just a stone's throw away from PNC Park watching the game go from "easy going" to "excruciating" in a matter of minutes, I couldn't help but think of the ramifications of this loss in regards to team morale, the NL Central division race, and the Wild Card seedings.  However, the longer I thought about it, the more I realized that although this loss was perhaps the most demoralizing loss in PNC Park history it doesn't mean that the Pirates are dead.  No way are they dead.  The Pirates are a team that has had it's struggles this year, and this is nothing new.

Don't get me wrong, the Pirates loss hurt...it hurt really bad.  Nonetheless, the Pirates still can rebound from it and make all "right with the world".  For one, the starting pitching has been outstanding for the Pirates recently.  The past 3 starts have seen Charlie Morton, Gerrit Cole, and Francisco Liriano (last night) throw absolute gems...only to have the bull pen ruin the win for Morton and Liriano.  If the pitching stays hot, there is a good chance the Pirates will be in a great position to win every game they play down the stretch.

Pirates fans need to remember that although inconsistent, this Pirates team is a resilient bunch.  Plain and simple.  I fully expect AJ Burnett to give the Buccos a chance to win tonight, and I wouldn't be shocked if Jeff Locke follows suit on Sunday.  Don't think this team has forgotten about their MVP, and possibly the league MVP, getting hit AGAIN by the Reds.  Don't think that this team won't take the field today with something to prove.  Don't think for a second that Clint Hurdle won't pull every single motivational card that he has in his deck before the games today and tomorrow.  These games are important, and Bob Walk said it best last night on the radio broadcast "These games are essentially playoff games.  This is great training for this team getting used to big games."  The one thing that every fan should have realized after last night is that there is no way you want a one game playoff game.  Even if the game is at PNC Park, there is NO WAY that you will just be happy with the playoffs.  Both the Reds and Pirates have an uphill battle with them both being 2.0 games back of the Cardinals with only a handful of games to go.  It might be a steep hill to climb, but I wouldn't count the Pirates out yet...just call it a hunch.