Well sports fans…who’d have ever thought it might come to this, but it has. On Saturday June 30, 2007, the truly faithful Pittsburgh Pirate fans intend to demonstrate their frustration with the team. I’m not talking about the team on the field; I’m talking of course about the ownership group (Kevin McClatchy & Bob Nutting) who is now responsible for 14 consecutive losing seasons and a jumpstart start on the 15th. Should the bucs make it to 15 seasons, they would tie the record for most consecutive losing seasons in professional sports history. Yes, that’s correct - not just a baseball record, a pro sports record.

The demonstration calls for all Pirate fans to sport green shirts to the game that evening. This would represent the money the fans generate through ticket sales and merchandising. At the end of the third inning all fans should get up and walk out of PNC Park. This demonstration signifies the exit of the money from the fans. I believe there’ll be a demonstration rally outside the ballpark following the mass exodus.

Of course this demonstration only works if the fans don’t return to the ballpark until the necessary changes are made. It’s kind of  a pointless demonstration if all we did was miss 6 innings of baseball. (after having purchased tickets anyhow!) I’ve been a fan all my life, and in the face of all those who said I was a fool for believing every year, I continued to believe the team would be better this year than it was last year. Although the winning percentage fluctuates from season to season, the fluctuation never matters… all those seasons ended in failure.

If you’re not from Pittsburgh, or you’re not an avid baseball/Pirate fan, I should mention what really makes us mad. It’s not so much as it is the colossal profits the team’s ownership group is making from it’s failure. In 2006, the Pirates franchise was the 3rd most profitable team in the major leagues. Yes, you heard that right… The 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates were the third most profitable team in the league, while posting the 4th WORST winnning percentage. (.414) How is that possible?! Well it’s wholey possible because fans still showed up…. 1.) Because of the All-Star game, and 2.) Bobble Heads & Fireworks nights. Isn’t it about time that we demanded more than knick-knacks and explosives from our PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM?

I’ll be at the game that night. I’ll be wearing my green and I am prepared to leave the game between the 3rd and 4th innnings, although I hate leaving a ballgame early! I’ll demonstrate with my fellow fans afterward. I’ll even write the letters to the team. What I won’t do is contribute another bloody penny to that team by buying tickets, merchandise, or anything else until I see something worth spending my money on.

I encourage you to attend the game that evening if you can. I also encourage you to leave a comment on this post if you’re going to be there. It could be like a registry of those who are fed up. Whether you can or can’t attend, please forward this to everyone who you know would be interested. Since it’s a mass demonstration, the more we get, the better the results will be.

“Take me out to the ball game…
Take me out with the crowd…
Buy me some peanuts and cracker-jacks…
I don’t care if I ever get back….
For, it’s root, root, root for the Pi-rates…
If they don’t win, it’s the same…
For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out…
at the old…ball…game!”

I’ sing this at the 7th inning stretch every time I go to a game… I’d love to sing it the way it’s supposed to be, so help me please?

Ok, it seems bleek: The  Yankees (as of June 7, 2007 at 10:04am) are 10.5 games  behind the dreaded Red Sox for first place in the American League East. While that’s horrific if you’re a Yankee fan, there is some reason to get (or remain) optimistic. First, Boston is 1-6 in their last 7 games. While they tore up the A.L. for May, June hasn’t been good to them. On the other hand New York is 5-2 in their last 7 and have been getting some better starting pitching - the reason for the poor record to date.

I’ll admit that my confidence in the 2007 Yankees had been shaken, I recently awoke from that dream. It’s the Yankees…they’ll be fine. The season is young and New York still has plenty of time to cover the 10.5-game gap. It’s why I love this game. Maybe if NY overtakes Boston, we’ll talk about THAT as being the biggest meltdown in MLB history.

I wasn’t shocked to hear the news thar Roger Clemens was back in the Pinstripes. Clemens is money-hungry, and who better to get your cash fix from, than Steinbrenner and the Yankees. Yes, I know I’m a fan - you don’t need to remind me…even if you were only going to do it with that sarcastic voice.

Am I a fan of the move? Well, I’ll be the first to agree the Yankees could use his arm. Sure, he’s 45, but he’s in great shape, he’s a heck of a pitcher, and his value to the young rotation is pretty valuable. Was it a 28.2 million dollar move? Not a chance in Red Sox hell. This is about the worst move Brian Cashman has made as GM for the club. Let me explain…

The current state of Yankee affairs tells us that the Yankee starting pitching is having problems going deep into ballgames. The bullpen is taxes nightly, and the starting pitching that can go deep into games is hurt. Tell me how a 45 year old pitcher (even if he is the Rocket) solves that problem. The truth is, he doesn’t. At his best, we should expect a quality start. That’s less than or equal to three runs in six innings. That still leaves the bullpen to finish the seventh, eighth, and nineth innings. For the same 28.2 million dollars, the Yanks could have invested in some quality young arms to get through the season. The benefit is that if one of them works out, they’ll also be around next season too.

This deal was a bad one. It was bad for the Yankees, bad for the fans, and bad for the game. The only beneficiary was Roger. And as this is the case, The Average White Guy would like to break down for you, just how Roger Clemens will benefit. Here’s the formulae:

Roger will make $28.2 million in 2007. If he starts (let’s estimate) 23 games for New York this season (it definitely wouldn’t be more than 24 starts), Roger will make approximately $1,226,087.00 per game. Do you know how long I’d have to work my current salary (including my 3% cost of living increase each year) to make that much? About 18 years!

Ok, so we’re going to say that Roger will average about 6 innings per start. Based on the figure above, he’ll stand to make $204,348.00 per inning - or about three years at my current salary. If Roger thows about 80 pitches during his starts, that’s about 13 (we’ll be nice and say 14) pitches per inning. So for EACH pitch Roger will throw, he’ll make about $14,596.00. How the fuck do you like that? $15,000 per pitch? He’ll make my annual salary in 4 pitches.

Sure, I’m estimating…but I’ve been a fan of the game long enough to know what he’ll bring to the Yankees, so I’m comfortable with my estimate. I guess I gotta say good luck to him. If the Yankees are going to be that stupid and pay him $15K a pitch, I can’t blame him for taking it. And who knows, maybe be brings the Yankees back to competitive.

I’ve pinched myself, had someone slap me, and asked “Am I dreaming?” But each time I find that I’m awake. It’s weird. The Pirates are 10-10 on the season, and in 2nd place, only 2½ games back of the Milwaukee Brewers. They moved back to .500 today as they swept the Houston Astros in 3 at PNC park. This, despite being only 3-4 at home so far this season, the Pirate bats not hitting, and the Bucco bullpen blowing leads routinely.

The success of the team in spite of their shortcomings so far is reason for joy, but also a reason to be a bit nervous if you’re a Pirate fan. Of course it’s good their winning, but the rest of the division is off to a slow start. Had the Bucs been playing at their peak, and winning the games they should have won so far, they’d be in first place. Once the rest of the division heats up, the Bucs should fall towards the bottom unless they keep up their pace.

Either way, I’m a fan and it’s nice to see the Bucs sweep the dreaded Astros - who have owned the Pirates in recent years. RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER!