THE BULLPEN

     Hitting to make contact, playing small ball, a deep bullpen, tightening up the defense. All these attributes sound like a formula for success, correct? It worked for the Kansas City Royals when they won the AL pennant in 2014 and the World Series last season. Now our Pittsburgh Pirates are attempting to duplicate that formula. At least, that's what management would have us believe. Sorry Buccos, but until Mrs. Black-N-Gold sees the same type of results, she will remain guardedly optimistic. Why, you may ask? Allow Mrs. Black-N-Gold to examine the differences between our favorite Black-N-Gold team and KC's favorite sons.

1)KC got RH Johnny Cueto and UTL Ben Zobrist at last year's trade deadline. Sure looked like they were all in. What did the Pirates do? They got RH JA Happ and 1B Michael Morse. True, Happ's arrival produced happy results. We're still waiting for Morse to make an impact and may spend the entire season continuing to do so.

2)KC showed that they want to continue to win championships when they re-signed LF Alex Gordon to a long term deal this offseason. They also looked up RH Ian Kennedy to a big contract. What did the Pirates do? They traded away 2B Neil Walker and signed RH Ryan Vogelsong. Now Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't so sure the Royals made a good deal with the Kennedy signing. But one thing is for certain: he's alot younger than the aging Vogelsong and has proven healthier, too.

3)KC locked up World Series MVP C Salvador Perez to a long term deal in the past few days. What have the Pirates done this week? They got into a finger-pointing match with All-Star, 19-game winning RH Gerrit Cole and his agent, Scott Boras over a few thousand dollars. "A mathematical error", they called it.

4)KC wins championships. What do the Pirates do? According to owner Bob Nutting in recent interviews, they want to "remain competitive".

     Notice a difference, sports fans? It's like that game where you have 2 pictures that look the same but you have to find the differences between the 2. Don't get Mrs. Black-N-Gold wrong. She would love nothing more than to see our Pirates when a World Series in her lifetime. But after further review, she can't help but think of that line from "The Outlaw Josey Wales" that says "Don't piss down my back and call it rain".

     Now Mrs. Black-N-Gold realizes that Nutting is a business man first and foremost. And a damn fine one at that. He must be since he's worth millions. She just wishes that he would find a nice, new, shiny toy to play with and let someone else have a crack at the Bucs, perhaps someone who actually, you know, wants to win championships. As always, if the Pirates prove Mrs. Black-N-Gold wrong, she'll gladly admit it while she's enjoying the victory parade down Grant Street. I just call them as I see them. As always....Let's Go Bucs!!!!!