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The Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing organized baseball since 1882. The club has run the gamut of success and struggle. The Pirates early success came with teams led by shortstop Honus Wagner and player/manager Fred Clarke. Wagner and the club won three straight pennants form 1901 to 1903, making all those with Pittsburgh Pirates tickets extremely happy so early in the franchise's history. The first World Series ever in 1903 pitted them against the Boston Americans. The team lost the series 5 games to 3. The Pirates would keep the same star-studded roster and return to the World Series in 1909. The club won this time, defeating the Detroit Tigers. The team and Pittsburgh Pirates tickets holders would have to wait for sixteen years for the next pennant and World Series victory as the club’s fate was tied to the decline of Wagner.
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Wagner had a hall of fame career that lasted two decades. His career .327 average, 3415 hits, and eight times as NL batting leader made him key in all the major Pittsburgh Pirates in the club's early history, but age caught up to him and the Pirates fell to the cellar of the National League began.
The Pirates came around briefly in the mid-20’s and the early ‘60s, winning pennants and World Series titles in 1925 and 1960, but like many teams, failed to overcome the dominance of the Yankees. People still managed to enjoy the team kept their Pittsburgh Pirates tickets despite the struggle.
The ‘70s were a new time for the Pirates and the club built a roster that battled the Big Red Machine for the league that decade. The Pirates had slugger Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente, Rennie Stennett, Dave Cash, Al Oliver, and Dock Ellis. The team suffered a tragedy in 1972 when Roberto Clemente, one of the best hitters ever, was killed in a plane crash. Everybody with Pittsburgh Pirates baseball tickets mourned his loss that day.
The team went on to win the National League East four more times, but only walked away with one more pennant and World Series victory in 1979 as the post season Pittsburgh Pirates baseball schedule was extremely difficult.
The ‘80s were not kind to the club, so Pittsburgh Pirates tickets were very easy to find. They were in the bottom of the East when Jim Leyland took over as manager in 1986. He took a roster full of young talent like outfielders Bobby Bonilla, Andy Van Slyke, and Barry Bonds and starting pitching that included Doug Drabek and Stan Belinda and turned the team into contenders.
The Pirates won East Division titles in three straight years from 1990 to 1992, making Pittsburgh Pirates tickets a hot commodity, but could not quite get to the World Series. The club decided to start over, giving up its talent to rebuild. The club has been rebuilding ever since, failing to produce a winning season since 1992.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates, after fifteen straight losing seasons, have turned the ball club over to Neal Huntington as general manager and John Russell as manager. The franchise is hoping the leadership change will lead in a record change, but that will depend on the performance of one of the youngest teams in baseball over the grueling 162-game schedule.
The starting rotation is headed by staff ace Tom Gorzelanny. A southpaw who went 14-10 and had a 3.88 ERA might not be the traditional choice for the first spot in a rotation, but the rest of the staff does not offer much to challenge him. Gorzelanny is followed by young pitcher Ian Snell, veteran Matt Morris, and young lefties Paul Maholm and Zach Duke. The closer role is going to Mattt Capps in the bullpen. His 18-save campaign last year earned him the job. The only reliable setup man left is Damaso Marte, but a young talent might blossom in the bullpen.
Catcher Ronny Paulino, leftfielder Jason Bay, and first baseman Adam LaRoche need to have better seasons than last year. Each had great 2006 seasons, so they have the potential and just need to tap into it. Xavier Nady in right and Nate McClouth in center could become the 21st century version of Andy Van Slyke and Bobby Bonilla, but only time will tell. Jose Bautista will need to improve dramatically at third base and hit better than his .256 average and 15 homeruns last year to keep his job.
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ leadership change hopes to begin a new era with new talent to deliver the first of many contending teams to PNC Park.