Pittsburgh Pirates Fans Feeling The Hurt As Team Struggles To Find Success
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pirates are amid one of the worst slides in franchise history.
The Pirates have lost 18 of their last 20 games, freefalling in the standings.
And fans are calling for changes.
Denise Muter of Beaver loves the Pirates but has mixed feelings about this squad.
"I sometimes don't like to watch the games because they upset me," Muter said.
And she's far from alone.
With the Pirates on an eight-game losing streak and losers of 24 of the last 28 games, Linda Nathenson of Cecil Township wants action.
"Something needs to be done," Nathenson said. "I mean we're the city of champions and the Pirates haven't been too much champions lately."
Lori Williams of Dormont said the miscues in the field, "That would definitely be the players, but why are they not performing? Maybe it is the management."
On his weekly radio show on KDKA-FM 93.7 The Fan, Pirates General Manager Neil Huntington, in essence, fell on his sword.
"It is myself who is ultimately to shoulder the responsibility and the blame for this is on me," Huntington said. "We understand in professional sports when a team loses — more than the media thinks they should, or the fans think they should — they think the solution is to blame somebody and fire somebody and Bob Nutting and Frank Coonelly may get to the point where that is the case. Whether it's the general manager or the manager, they are hired to be fired."
Fans are spreading the blame to everyone, including manager Clint Hurdle, to Huntington, to President Frank Coonelly and to owner Bob Nutting.
"They've been saying that their method works for years, and we don't have a winning team so maybe they could try something else," Muter said.
Heather Stover of Elizabeth said it's really not that complicated.
"They need to spend more money," Stover said. "It's time for a change. Sell them, sell them to somebody who cares for the city."
Alexis Rzewski of Squirrel Hill said a friend is offering up his season tickets.
"I told my friends, give me your tickets for free I'll go to the stadium and fill the seat," Rzewski said.
Shumway: "But for free?"
Rzewski: "Yeah, I'm not going to pay for it."
Herbie Joseph of Arlington still has faith in Hurdle and the Pirates.
"They are close," Joseph said. "They are still fighting, but they have to fight extra hard."
Huntington hasn't lost his faith in Hurdle either.
"I think if you ask Clint, he still has the fire to help this team and help these players figure out some things," Huntington said on the radio.