Think it's tough being a Devil Rays fan? Try being a Pirates fan.
At least Tampa Bay, in the grand scheme of things, still is a baby in the baseball world. But Pittsburgh is a city with a rich baseball tradition that makes today all the more painful.
Remember Bill Mazeroski's home run in 1960? Or Roberto Clemente's 1971 World Series? Or how about the Lumber Co. teams and the We Are Family teams of the 1970s? And the Killer B's (Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla) that won three consecutive division titles in the early 1990s?
This is the team that produced legendary names such as Honus Wagner, Pie Traynor, Ralph Kiner, Paul and Lloyd Waner and Willie Stargell.
Remember? Well, that's all there is left to do now. All that is left are the memories of a proud franchise. These days, the team is run like a used car lot, with players being shipped off for next to nothing.
In a span of 48 hours last week, the Pirates traded their All-Star closer (Mike Williams), their leading RBI guy and best potential star (Aramis Ramirez), their starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter (Kenny Lofton) and their top left-handed reliever (Scott Sauerbeck). In return, they picked up a mediocre infielder (Jose Hernandez), a damaged pitcher (Brandon Lyon) and marginal prospects.
And the fire sale isn't over. Their best player, Brian Giles, is on the block and almost certainly will go before Thursday's nonwaiver trade deadline.
This is a franchise that has decided to rebuild in the middle of a rebuilding process.
Owner Kevin McClatchy claims he has lost $30-million since 2001, and the killer is that is when the Pirates moved into a new ballpark.
"The ultimate goal of this organization is to win a World Series," general manager Dave Littlefield said. "To do that, the talent level of this organization has to improve quite a bit from where it is now, and we also need the financial flexibility to go out and acquire players."
Manager Lloyd McClendon said he doesn't like using the word rebuilding and said this is all part of a master plan to build a championship club.
So far, though, the only thing it has done is remind everyone in Pittsburgh of the good old days. And how bad things are now.
ON THE MOVE: So if the Pirates trade Giles, where might he land? Early favorites include Seattle and Oakland.
NO COMMENT: Bonds, who is on leave while his father battles cancer and recovers from open-heart surgery, said he was bothered and surprised that his comments about Babe Ruth offended practically everyone and said he only wanted Hank Aaron and today's players to get more credit for their accomplishments. So what's he saying now? Nothing.
"I cannot talk to the media anymore," Bonds said.
AUTOGRAPH PLEASE?: The Brewers have picked up negotiations with second baseman Rickie Weeks, the second pick in the draft, in an effort to get him on the field this season. Brewers GM Doug Melvin said that if Weekes isn't signed by Aug.1, the Brewers won't attempt to sign him until next year.
None of the top four picks, including Rays first pick Delmon Young, has signed.
AMAZING: After winning his third consecutive game last week, Atlanta ace Greg Maddux went above .500 (9-8) for the first time this season. With 12 or 13 starts left this season, Maddux has a shot of extending his streak of 15 consecutive 15-win seasons.
"That's an amazing streak," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
Maddux's comment: "I don't worry about it. I'm not trying to put up numbers, just make pitches."
HE SAID IT: San Diego pitcher Rod Beck said this while working on a crossword puzzle after getting nailed in the back of the head with a line drive: "There's already some good of this. I just got a couple I couldn't get before."
ONE SHOT: Speaking of San Diego relievers, closer Trevor Hoffman, who has had two shoulder surgeries since the end of last season, said he wants to pitch this season.
"I don't know if it can happen," Hoffman said. "There are no set time schedules. But even if I get in one game ... "
Hoffman hopes to throw off a mound today for the first time this season.
WHAT'S ON SECOND: Arizona second baseman Junior Spivey is coming off the disabled list, but the Diamondbacks like rookie Matt Kata at second. They are thinking about asking Spivey to play in the outfield. They better think again.
"I'm a second baseman," Spivey said. "I've worked hard to get where I am there (including an All-Star spot in 2002), and that's where I should play."
CALL FOR ARMS: The Cardinals are on the lookout for another starting pitcher, especially now that Matt Morris has a broken bone in his pitching hand. Problem is, the Cards can't add much to the payroll.
Instead of going after a big name, they might have to settle for the likes of Rick Helling or Pat Hentgen. Manager Tony La Russa loves Hentgen, who won 15 games the one season (2000) he played for St. Louis.
CLOSING THE DOOR: Los Angeles closer Eric Gagne blew might have blown a save in the World Series, but otherwise, he has been incredibly dependable.
He has coverted all 34 of his saves. The record at the start of the season is 38, set by Jose Mesa of the 1995 Indians.
Overall, Gagne has 42 consecutive saves. Tom Gordon holds the record of 54, set in 1998-99 with Boston.
"He has been dominant," Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca said of Gagne. "The All-Star Game may be the only runs he gives up (the rest of the season).
"You expect the game to be over the way he's throwing. And he just keeps getting better."
SHORT HOPS: St. Louis' Albert Pujols hit his 100th homer last week to join Hall of Famers Kiner, Joe DiMaggio and Eddie Mathews as the only players to hit 100 or more in their first three full seasons. ... Look for the Expos to play all of their home games next season in Puerto Rico. ... How bad have the Tigers been? They have had two nine-game losing streaks, two eight-gamers, a seven-gamer and two six-game losing streaks. ... The Cardinals haven't had a left-handed starter win a game this season. The only time in modern team history (since 1900) that has happened was in 1972, when they won 75 games and finished fourth. That was the season after they traded Steve Carlton to Philadelphia, where he won 27 games. Carlton's nickname? Lefty.
- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.
