72-90

Well, the Pirates season went out with both a bang (six of them, actually - the number of HR's hit by the Brewers in the last two games) and a whimper - Pedro Alvarez looking at a called third for the final out of the season. If there could have been a more appropriate and symbolic ending to the 2011 season, I can't think of it at the moment.

Let me pose a question to you. If, in the dead of winter prior to the opening of Spring Training, if someone had guaranteed that the Pirates would improve their sorry 2010 record by 15 games, would you have signed on for that?

And let me present a quote from the November 15, 2010 edition of this blog, made upon the hiring of Clint Hurdle as new Pirates skipper:

"He also knows what lies ahead. If he can coax 70 wins from this team, I would make him an early candidate for Manager if the Year in the National League for next year."

Based on those two suppositions, you'd have to say that the 2012 Pirates season was a successful one wouldn't you? But of course, to those of us who followed it intently, it sure isn't that simple. We all remember the giddy days of July when the Bucs hit their high water mark at 51-44, and how thay sat all alone in first place after 100 games with a 53-47 record. Then there was that 101st game in Atlanta, the 19 inning "Jerry Meals Game" after which it all seemed to come crashing down upon the Buccos.

Of course, it isn't THAT simple either. No doubt you have all seen the various statistical comparisons of the First 100 Game Pirates vs. the Last 62 Game Pirates, and know that the downfall can be explained very simply, and the reason is as old as baseball itself: the pitching, so stellar, so over-achieving for three and one-half months, simply gave out and came crashing back to earth. This, combined with an offense that never was very potent, spelled the end not only of division title hopes, but hopes for the end of the losing seasons streak.

While I agree that the downfall of the pitching staff caused the downfall of the Pirates, to me, the single biggest story and theme of this season was the failure of Pedro Alvarez to do anything at all at the plate. Coming off a rookie season that filled us with so much hope and optimism, Alvarez had a season of hitting below .200 with only 4 HR and 19 RBI while spending time on the disabled list and having two return trips to the minor leagues. At a game in June with some SABR friends, Len Martin said that Alvarez was the Pirates linchpin, not only for this season, but for all the seasons to come in the Pirates immediate future. As the team heads into the off season, Alvarez is in my mind the most important player and biggest question mark before the team. Was 2011 an aberration, a bump in the road on the way to a stellar career? Will Alvarez, indeed, be the next Willie Stargell? Or the next Brad Eldred?

As fall fades to winter, I am guessing that the optimism that springs eternal in all baseball fans will cause the sorry finish of the Pirates' season to fade, and that memories of the excitement, the baseball excitement, that returned to Pittsburgh in June and July will be what remains. How cool was it to see the Pirates at the top or near the top of the standings everyday, how great it was to look forward to getting to the ballpark or turning on the TV to see the next game, even when you knew in your heart-of-hearts, that, no, they weren't going to win the division, but wouldn't it be great to hang in until after Labor Day and then finish over .500.

To that end, when I look back upon this season, I will remember two very specific games:

June 8. Pirates 3 Diamondbacks 2. The Pirates staged a terrific come from behind win the night before to get to within one game of .500, Zach Duke was returning to PNC Park, and Dan Bonk reached into his own wallet, paid his way into PNC Park, and jumped on the Pirates Bandwagon. At Dan's instigation, Len Martin, Jim Haller, he, and I met up and went to that June 8 game, and, serendipitously, also met up with SABR buddy Marky Bilson as well. In extra innings, the Pirates fell behind the D'backs, and tied the game on a clutch Neil Walker RBI in the bottom of the 10th, and the game was won in the 12th on an Andrew McCutchen walk-off HR. It was a great ball game and a great time spent with some good friends. And the Pirates hit the .500 mark for the latest time in a season since 2003.

July 8. Pirates 7 Cubs 4. Marilyn and I headed down on a Friday night and were part of a sell-out crowd that witnessed what forever will be called the "Mike McKenry Game." It was a back and forth game, several lead changes, and all seemed lost in the eighth inning when McKenry worked and worked and worked the count on Carlos Marmol in a terrific at bat that ended with his first major league home run, a three run shot that stunned the Cubs, caused the crowd to explode, and keyed a win that put the Pirates over .500, where, I believe they stayed until into early August. The most unlikely guy on the team hit perhaps the most important home run in the 11 year history of PNC Park.

Walking over the Clemente Bridge after both of those games was like leaving Three Rivers Stadium back in the day after Steelers playoff wins. No exaggeration. The Pirates front office folks who continually say that ".500 is not the goal" should have been walking over the bridge those nights.

After a scintillating last day of the season wherein the Wild Card winners were decided in amazing fashion, we now await the baseball post-season. Will attempt to squeeze out a predictions posting for you tomorrow. Can't wait, can you?