The Pirates' message

As a lifelong Pittsburgher and Pirates fan, this is my second letter to the editor concerning this team. My first letter, in 2008, explained my reasons for canceling my season tickets, which was when Jason Bay, before last season, said the Pirates were hoping to be a .500 club during the upcoming season.

I have remained a fan, and I feel compelled to write again because of my strong agreement with Gene Collier's July 21 column regarding Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson ("Wilson-Sanchez Scenario Gloomy"). The Pirates have the fourth-lowest payroll in the major leagues. They receive $27 million per year from revenue sharing. They have represented to their fans that they will spend money in order to put together a championship team.

Now is the time to show the fans that they are serious about doing just that. It has always been my belief that teams that are strong up the middle have the best chance of winning. With Ryan Doumit at catcher, Wilson at shortstop, Sanchez at second and Andrew McCutchen in center field, this could be the nucleus of a championship team.

To let, arguably, their two best players go would send a message to the fans that this management cares only about spending as little as possible in order to maximize their profits. The fans deserve better.

 

ALAN H. PERER
Squirrel Hill