ESPN.com: Page 2 : Worst franchise: Pirates

ESPN.com: Page 2 : Worst franchise: Pirates

Finally someone else is jumping on the Quest for 100 bandwagon.

Here's how the Pittsburgh Pirates organization works.
In 2001, the Pirates drafted an apparent nonprospect from Utah in the 33rd round.
That year, he hit .305 for Williamsport.
The next year, he hit .340 with 17 home runs in 93 games for Hickory.
In 2003, he hit .359 with 21 home runs in 95 games for Lynchburg.
The Pirates didn't protect him on their 40-man roster that offseason, and the Detroit Tigers drafted this nonprospect in the Rule 5 draft for $50,000.
Chris Shelton is hitting .479 with eight home runs in his red-hot April for the Tigers.

That is the second worst move in the organizations past 10 years, behind only giving away Aramis Ramirez because McClatchey couldnt pay the bills.

Readers, I give you the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that has suffered 13 consecutive losing seasons, is off to a 4-10 start and just rewarded general manager Dave Littlefield's four straight losing seasons with a contract extension through 2008.
Let the good times roll.
And don't blame Pittsburgh's "small-market" status. This team hasn't finished above .500 since 1992! That isn't lack of money; that's lack of competence.

-Trading Aramis Ramirez (and Kenny Lofton) to the Cubs for Jose Hernandez, Matt Bruback and Bobby Hill.

-Armed with the first overall pick in the 2002, the Pirates bypassed the consensus top talent, B.J. Upton, and drafted Ball State right-hander Bryan Bullington, who never showed his college velocity, didn't pitch well and eventually got hurt. Other first-rounders the Pirates could have drafted that year: Prince Fielder, Jeremy Hermida, Khalil Greene, Scott Kazmir, Joe Blanton, Matt Cain.

- The year before, they drafted Kent State slugger John VanBenschoten, who had led Division I in home runs, in the first round. The Pirates turned him into a pitcher.

-One of Littlefield's first moves after replacing Bonifay in July 2001 was trading Jason Schmidt to the Giants for Armando Rios and Ryan Vogelsong. Oops.


2005
67-95
.414

2004
72-89
.447

2003
75-87
.463

2002
72-89
.447

2001
62-100
.383

Last winning season: 1992
Last playoff season: 1992

Join the Quest for 100 now


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