A boycott is in order folks.

 You can say all you want, but a boycott is the only reasonable response to 16 years (going on 17 years) of inept management and the fleecing of the Pittsburgh fans of baseball.  Some (in fact the Pirate organization itself--just another line of BS to keep you coming back to fill their wallets) will tell you that a boycott destroys jobs at the stadium and that Nutting will only lower the payroll to reflect lesser attendance.  Bull!!!!!!!!  In response to the first--the workers at the stadium are in constant fear of job loss as this team makes endless empty promises--a slow bleed for those who work at the stadium.  Instead, how about we get ownership in there who put a winning product on the field thereby producing jobs that are secure for years to come.  Yeah, it might be a little painfull for a short run, but the end result without Nutting & Co would be worth it.  The second---Nutting knows there is and end game to reducing payroll.  Sooner or later either he gets embarassed enough to sell, or MLB people would eventually step in to warn current ownership that revenue sharing is not for profit purposes, but to keep teams viable and competitive ON THE FIELD!!!

Nutting's newspaper businesses are hurting I'm sure, just as they all are right now.  Interesting how Seven Springs (the resort the baseball fans bought for Nutting) isn't producing quite that well in this tight economy, AND he trades McLouth to the Braves!!!  Interesting timing.  Of course, ol' Bob says not for cost-savings though.  Right.  Stop being gullable people.  The man is ripping us ALL off!!!  AND, in the process, is destroying baseball in our town!!!   Look around, when I was a kid everyone knew the Pirates and their success and played ball.  Now, no one cares and the High School programs and lower league programs are being forgotten in response to the "who cares" attitude.  Everywhere else in the country baseball is booming.  Yes, revenues are up, kids are playing, and high schools are competitive as well as local college programs.  Here--thanks to Ol' Bob--the dream of America's Past Time is past!!!

Tell me, what have the Pirates gotten in return for Nady, Bay, McLouth, Marte, etc, etc.  Here's the answer:  2 below average starters at the back of the rotation and a bunch of underperforming minor leaguers who will probably NEVER see a big league roster.  In the most recent trade we gave up a gold glover, team-leading HR hitter, All Star resume (even if you weren't a fan of McLouth's future you know we could have gotten better than what we did with his credentials!!) for what--a guy who "might" be a good pitchers someday at the back of a rotation, 2 minor leaguers who probably will never see a MLB field--even if they do they probably will never be a McLouth!!!  What they have gotten however, is PAYROLL SAVINGS!!! 

In the draft for the Pirates, watch, to make up for this latest disaster, they will probably pay some "prospect" some nice cash to fleece us into believing it's not about money.  Not as much as it would have cost to keep McLouth, mind you, but another scheme to keep you coming  back and to say "see, we told you it's not about payroll."  Even if the kid did make it--he'd be gone before the Pirates acutally had to pay him his all star salary. Hence, salaries are lower, and the fans are fleeced again!!!  Now, it will be a while til the McLouth noise goes away, so don't look for any more BIG trades to come to get rid of favorite players for a while.  But once the clouds clear from this trade---Wilson, Sanchez, others are on the block.  The only other trade I see this year from the Pirates--bye, bye, Laroche.  Gets rid of like 7 million and he's a nice guy but not a fan favorite.  Hey, money savings move with no fan backlash!!!  The perfect kind of Pirate trade.  And they'll get a used jock strap and two old bats for him--but they'll dump a ton of salary!!!  Perfect!!

Incidentally, at the beginning of each season guess what the cheapest way to fleece fans into believing you've made SIGNIFICANT changes and that this is really going to help the club???  Yep, give them new management!!  Think about it.  New management, particularly if they are new to management as the Pirates new management always is, always costs less than the established management you're getting rid of!!!  The old management is up for raises.  Give the new management less money, tell the fans of all the significant changes you've made to become a winner, and voila--ATTENDANCE.  Til the new management sees the tight wallet and product on the field stinks and they can't win with it!!  It's a heck of a lot cheaper than paying what star players are asking, be it right or wrong.  Unfortunately, getting real players is the only way to compete in today's baseball world.  Something Nutting & Co are fully aware of, AND, won't do.

SO STOP GOING TO THE GAMES AND EMBARASS NUTTING INTO SELLING THIS TEAM.  IN A LONG RUN, IT WILL BE WORTH IT!!!!!  OTHERWISE, GET USED TO AN EMBARASSING BASEBALL TEAM REPRESENTING OUR WONDERFUL COMPETITIVE CITY!!!!!  As long as Nutting & Co run this ship, baseball in this town is dead.  The truly sad part, if you got an owner who actually wanted to win PNC Park would be filled EVERY game and baseball would "come alive" in this City of Champions!!!!  We could have another team to be proud of, instead of embarassed.  Currently we are the "City of Chumpions" in baseball with Nutting fleecing all of our wonderful fans in this great city!!!

SO BOB & CO, YOU'LL NOT GET ANOTHER DIME OF MINE UNTIL YOU AND YOUR PENNY-STEALING CRONNIES ARE GONE FROM OUR BASEBALL LORE IN THIS TOWN!!!  YOU HAVE EMBARASSED THE NAMES OF STARGELL, PARKER, CLEMENTE, CANDELARIA, DRABEK, TEKULVE, ETC, ETC.  I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN I RE-ENTER PNC PARK TO SEE OUR BASEBALL TEAM PROUD AND CONTENDING.  GO AWAY AND FIND ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF ANOTHER CITY, PITTSBURGH DOESN'T DESERVE IT AND THE FANS OF 'BURG TEAMS DON'T DESERVE YOUR MISTREATMENT!!!!!

SORRY FOR RANTING, BUT IT'S DESERVED.

 Go ahead and boycott. I love baseball and will go and spend money for a great family night out. Stay at home and watch America's got talent.

Agreed.  The Pirates suck, but it's still fun to head out to a game every once in awhile.

A boycott won't get it.  You'll always have those dyed in the wool baseball fans who will come out for the bobbleheads, fireworks, bands, etc.  There might even be a game going on on the field.

What is needed is for management to shut up at the beginning of the season and stop pumping up the fans with promises that sound good, but aren't kept.

Next, is to lower the prices on everything to a Minor League level.  If a "star" comes to town, that's a bonus.

If people will just go along with this, there won't be any high expectations and it will be like taking your son or daudhter to their little league game.  That could turn into a lot of fun.

Local papers could run a contest as to how many losing seasons the club will have.  Only problem is they might be out of business before the contest ends.

Bossman Mike

 I love baseball more than anyone I know, always have.  But to sit back, pay these types of prices to see a team that's not competitive and embarasses my city, be a lemming to management's line of bull, pretend that management knows what they're doing when they clearly have no commitment to the fans of "the burg", is pure nonsense. 

So yeah, it will really hurt not to fo to the games, but in the long run it will be worth it when I go to PNC to watch "The Battlin' Buccos" again!!!  My answer to not GOING to the games is to watch on TV.

This group is killing the sport in Pittsburgh, not just at the major league level, but high school, summer leagues, and local college programs are suffering as this nonsense of 16 LOSING SEASONS continues.  I, for one, will not continue to support people who could care less about the fans or myself.  So go ahead and support this with your hard-earned money, I WON'T ANYMORE.  

Another poster suggest that a boycott won't work because there are still those who will go occasionally with the kids for concerts, bobbleheads, etc.  Well, I have news for those folks who don't think it will work.  Try watching Nutting's response to 2-3000 fans EVERY game.  That won't pay the bills folks, and it won't be PROFITABLE any more--which is ALL he cares about!!!!  The only way to find out--TRY IT!!!  We might just find ourselves with a new owner and something we don't even think about anymore---A WINNING TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I understand why some of you think that it is okay to keep attending the baseball games, but we do not need to boycott the rest of the season there is an organized walkout on AUGUST 1 2009 and it is really important as Pirate fans and as Pittsburghers that we do not let this organization think it is okay for them to pocket over $20 million dollars that should be going to the team!!!! We are not asking for a championship we are asking for a team that can compete in Major League Baseball! Together we can make a difference.

 There is nothing to be gained from whining about the past.  Blaming ownership is not altogether appropriate.  Most of the problems stem from hiring so called "baseball people" who had little or no ability to judge talent. 

Looking back on previous drafts it is easy to see the many mistakes made.  Players who are now performing well at the major league level were available when the Pirates made their picks.  Many of the Pirates picks are no longer in professional baseball.

Huntington has the right idea.  Start a new process by acquiring new prospects for older players.   Jack Wilson was very popular, but Wilson missed 172 games over the last three seasons due to various health issues.

It won't happen overnight, but the Pirates will get better.

 Oh, the past, you mean like the LAST 16 YEARS of this ownership?????  He (and/or they) are the ones who "claim" to hire great baseball people.  While the whole while knowing the ruse is to keep it cheap!!  Hey, like I said earlier, what could be cheaper than simply to replace the management with "new, better baseball people" (define that as "cheaper than the group leaving as they might require a raise) and sell it to the fans of "The Burg" as  "new and improved" management.  You, of course don't have to tell them--they're CHEAPER TOO!!  And the ruse goes on!!

After all, who hired these "great baseball people" over the years??  Yep, Ol' Bob.  And what, he suddenly got better at it??  Give it up.  He's hired new management because you can sell it to a few fans and it's a cheaper way to tell them how many changes you've made than to have to pay real players the kind of money they earn.

Whining stopped about 6 or 8 years ago my friend.  This fiasco is WAAAAAYY past whining about.  Now, I'm sure you think the "new management" that BOBSTER is selling you is surely the answer.  How gullable can YOU be??? 

The Buc stops with ownership my man--good or bad.  Always has, always will!!  You don't see too many people wanting to run the Rooneys out of town now, do ya??  Hmmm, wonder why that is???  GREAT OWNERSHIP.  Not, GREED OWNERSHIP--great ownership.  They don't forsake the City of Pittsburgh fans for money.  Yeah, I'm sure they've done all right with the ownership financially.  And that's fine with me and apparently the rest of the City.  They've built a great franchise and the value of the franchise itself will pay handsomely for the Rooneys--AS IT SHOULD.  Now my man Nutting--can care less about the fans or the game itself and it clearly shows in the product on the field.  He's in it solely for the money he can rape the fans for today--to hell with building a great baseball franchise that would be worth a ton of money and earn him great respect from the City of Pittsburgh and it's baseball fans.  His motto:  "What's in it for ME today?"

As for starting a new process:  Answer this:  If you were a player, would you want to come to Pittsburgh and develop as a player, develop friendships and team comradere, thinking you might be a champion someday, look to your right or left and know the guy in the foxhole next to you worked his guts off on the field to earn it just like you did, become a fabric of the community?  NO FREAKING WAY!!!  If you do get good, Neal & Co are outright telling you that you won't be here long--they won't pay you!!  So what are the odds that this organization will develop enough talent at the right time (and keep it) with all the contracts and negotiations that are required, put it on the same field at the same time, AND WIN??  Next to a billion to 1 my man.  Neal's flagship Cleveland isn't faring too well.  And as I said earlier, those teams who do make it piecemealing a team of young players together to get to a World Serier or Championship of any type are VERY rare and almost never repeat.  Ol' Bobbo's answer--"hey, we'll get new managment!!!  They'll buy that scam one more time!!!"  Nonsense.  GO AWAY BOB and get a group of owners who want to build a relationship with the City and the fans of Pittsburgh sports!!!!  SELL--you'll make a great deal of money.  But, unfortunately, he won't.  Why?  Because he's got a 25-30 million dollar a year cash cow he can count on with revenue sharing my man--he's a good accountant though!!

Stop defending the ownership for cryin' out loud.  Isn't 17 years enough for you yet????????????  "But hey, we've got new management!!!!"  STOP ALREADY.

 Tina, I like your enthusiasm, but I assume you will have already paid for your ticket before you walkout??  Mr. Nutting would like to thank you for your $15 to $40 donation for a ticket!!!  The only money he loses is about 2 to 3 innnings of concessions he could have sold you.

The only thing people like Mr. Nutting understands is MONEY!!  When only 2000 to 5000 fans show up for the games his income is reduced and he will either get out due to reduced income or become so embarassed that he will be forced to sell his $20 to $30 million annuity--The Pittsburgh Pirates.

Obviously, baseball won't drive him out by requiring the revenue sharing be used to improve the team, so we, the fans, have to find a way to GET HIM OUT!!!  He's a businessman, not a baseball man.  When the money gets a little short--HE'LL GET OUT.  That's the only way he sells Tina.  Like your idea though, something must be done.  17 years of fleecing "and still going!!"

 Go ahead and go to the games--Mr. Nutting loves people like you who don't mind giving him like $300 to take your family out to a great (read EXPENSIVE!!) night at the Ol' ball yard to watch a AAA team play against major leaguers at PNC Park!!!  In fact, it's people like you that he depends on to subsidize his lifestyle!!  He's got to be laughing all the way to the bank on ya'.  Hey, git ya' several season tickets and some bobbleheads--PERFECT!!!! 

I'd rather watch America's got talent--there's more talent on that show than on the whole field at PNC Park on the Pirates side!!!!! 

You keep hoping for 2010, then 2011, then 2012, then 2013, then........................................I'll save my money for when a real owner and a real baseball team shows up. 

"Thank you for your support,"

Always,

Bobby Nutting

"Now that's funny.  If you don't think thats funny you need to get the hell outta here."

North Side:

 Go ahead and boycott. I love baseball and will go and spend money for a great family night out. Stay at home and watch America's got talent.

 I love baseball more than anyone I know, but there are options now. I have a subscription to mlb.com, so I can follow my favoriate players wherever they are. And I have a suggestion for those who are already holding tickets: give them away to someone who can't ordinarily afford to go to a game.

Sorry, but I don't agree with any boycott idea.  What will it ultimately prove?  That you are unhappy?

No, I'll not boycott.  In fact, I'm going to brave the rain and the traffic and drive 1.5 hours to take my family to the game tonight.  I'll be in section 315, and will cheer like crazy for my favorite baseball team.

I fully understand everyone's frustration, but the team needs our support...  not a boycott.  I truly believe that Huntington has a good plan, and that he did what was needed.

We all hope the Pirates are winners again someday.  But boycotting this team will only hasten their move out of town.  And the one thing that would hurt more than 17 losing seasons would be to have NO team in Pittsburgh.  That's something I won't support.

I would wholeheartedly support anything to get this lousy organization out of Pittsburgh.  All this city needs is football & hockey. 

Writing a long-winded email certainly doesn't seem like a boycott, it just seems like you care a lot.  You'll probably watch the Pirates tonight on TV, and you will most likely go to another game (if you live in Pittsburgh).   Have fun boycotting the team, I'll be having fun watching them as I always do.  Yes, I get frustrated too, but who else am I going to root for.  Go Buccos.