Inside Conditions…Treasure Hunt

Check this out, boys’ and girls’.  On July 13, 2014 the won-loss record of the Pittsburgh Pirates was 49-46, a mere 3 games over .500.  Pittsburgh was also in 4th place, just 3.5 games behind the NL Central Division leading Milwaukee Brewers.
Hit the FFW button to July 13, 2015.  The won-loss record of Pittsburgh is 53-35.  The Pirates are currently 18 games above .500 and are 2.5 games out of the top spot of their division.
The game of baseball can be a bit tricky.  One year a team is in 4th place, 3 games over .500, 3.5 games out of 1st place around the All-Star break.  The next year a squad is 18 games over .500, but remain 2.5 games out of the top spot in their division.
Of course as we all know, the Milwaukee Brewers failed to qualify for the 2014 MLB post season and are currently 18.5 games out of 1st in the NL Central Division.  What a difference a year makes!
The Pittsburgh Pirates seemed to have found the map leading back to the “treasure of success” that was buried so long ago.  The hidden bounty of talent that is being produced by the Pirates minor league system is beginning to pay dividends again.
Access to the map revealing the Pirates the hidden treasure of the Pirates is no longer given to “pillagers” masquerading as general managers in exchange for providing the Pittsburgh squad with such meager provisions as bread, water and an adequate supply of citrus fruit to prevent “scurvy.”  The Pirates now provide “fake” treasure maps of their own leading fortune hunters on a wild goose chase.
The Pirates recently raided the New York Yankees stronghold and came away with a jewel named Francisco Cervelli.  They also recovered a valuable piece stolen from them by the Philadelphia Phillies named A.J. Burnett.  No longer can the talent “vultures” sit on the Bradenton spring training fence, waiting for a piece of Pittsburgh talent to land in their coffers for little or nothing.  The usurpers and talent seeking mercenaries of MLB, no longer have a clear and unimpeded path to the riches of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club.
Playoff bound teams looking for a piece here and a piece there to solidify their position in the post season are no longer sailing away from “Pirates Island” with a shipload of Pirates developed talent, freely reaping the harvest nurtured and developed by the Pirates organization.  The days of Pittsburgh giving away 2 “genuine” prospects for 10 “hopefuls” and a player to be named later are long gone, or at least they should be.
The Pirates are now the team that must be thinking about adding to their roster in anticipation of performing in the post season.  Pittsburgh must now be of the mindset of giving away a few crumbs in order to come away with a full pie. Remember that the: “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.”  That may work when you are sitting squarely in the church pew.  However in the real world; “the Lord giveth and many just take.” The Pittsburgh Pirates must always remember that…….. Amen
Aubrey Bruce can be reached at: abruce@newpittsburghcourier.com or 412.583.6741
He is also a contributing columnist for urbanmediatoday.com Follow him on Twitter@ultrascribe