This morning I sent the following email to the management of the Pittsburgh Pirates through their online portal at this link. The focus of my message was to ask Pirates management to bring up several of the incomparable Bradenton Marauders when they expand to a 40-person roster. For the sake of our kids, I hope they listen and give these guys a chance. At more than 20 games out of first place and with no hope of even a wild card berth, the Pirates have nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving our guys a chance. I hope they listen.
Here is the email:
Dear Pirates Management
I am one of several hundred holders of season tickets to watch the incomparable Bradenton Marauders play Class A ball here in the Florida State League. The Marauders are, without doubt, the greatest show on dirt.
As the summer has progressed it has become readily apparent to me and others that Pirates management has some definite major league talent waiting in the wings with the Marauders. People like Robbie Grossman, Quincy Latimore, Starling Marte, Eric Fryer, Jeremy Ferrell, Greg Picart, Brock Holt, and Tony Sanchez immediately jet to the top of the list of Marauders who should be in the Show some day. And lets not forget incomparable starting pitcher Nathan Adcock and Noah Krohl, quite possibly the best closer in baseball. Its because of these guys, working hard with the others on the team, that Bradenton will likely win their Division this year and hopefully take the Florida State League championship.
As I have watched these guys grow and develop over the 2010 summer I've also watched as the Pirates have had a less-than-successful year. Right now the Pirates are about 20 games out of first place and unfortunately its very unlikely they will get even a wild card shot at post season play.
That reality being the case, I have a suggestion I wish you would seriously consider. As much as it would pain all of us to see the Marauders stars mentioned above leave us in the closing weeks of the season, why don't you give them each a chance? When you expand to a 40- person roster why not bring each of the kids I mentioned up to Pittsburgh, give them a Pirates uniform, and tell them to go take on the opposition just like they do in Florida?
What do the Pirates have to lose? You will give these guys some time in the Show, and who knows, if they perform as well in a Pirates uniform as they do in a Marauders uniform, my guess is your record will be much better than 20 games back from the lead. Again, it would be a blow to the Marauders and our chance at winning the Florida State League to see them go, but those kids have earned the privilege to be in the Show.
Please consider giving at least some of them mentioned above a chance when you expand the roster. Thank you for considering my request.
Craig Faanes
Sarasota, Florida
Love it! The problem with the Pirates is that once a player becomes a star and shows what he can do, they trade him off for more prospects instead of investing in his (and their) future by paying him what he's worth and building a team around him. It seems more and more like the Pirates are just another minor league unto themselves--they develop players for the other Major League teams but don't give a damn about their own team.
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