I hate you Pirate Management

(Vicious Rant to follow below)
This was the Headline in the PG on Feb 18th:

McLouth's contract caps Pirates' internal goal.

The Pirates surely have not made a splash in acquiring outside talent this offseason, but the three-year, $15.75 million contract they signed yesterday with center fielder Nate McLouth buoyantly capped management's goal of securing all three of its identified core players -- along with pitcher Paul Maholm and catcher Ryan Doumit -- into what would have been their free-agency years.

The most surprising of the signings, given all that led to it, was McLouth's.

He and the team agreed in the wee hours of yesterday morning on three guaranteed years plus a club option for 2012, with the following breakdown:

• $1.5 million signing bonus.

• Salaries of $2 million this season, $4.5 million next season and $6.5 million in 2011.

• Club option worth $10.65 million for 2012, with a buyout of $1.25 million.

• Escalator clauses that increase McLouth's salary the season after he makes any of three achievements: $200,000 for an All-Star appearance this year and next, $300,000 for one in 2011; $200,000 for a Gold Glove this year and next, $300,000 for one in 2011; $100,000 for a Silver Slugger this year and next, $150,000 for one in 2011.

Maximum value of the contract is $26.9 million and, unlike most of its kind, the bonuses appear reasonably attainable: McLouth, 27, is coming off a breakout 2008 in which he played in the All-Star Game, won a Gold Glove and batted .276 with 26 home runs, 94 RBIs and 23 steals.

Followed by this on 4/13:
Play ball: At home opener, there's hope for a winning season

The Pittsburgh Pirates kicked off the 2009 season with a dramatic win in their opening game against the St. Louis Cardinals -- the bases were loaded with two outs when shortstop Jack Wilson hit a bases-clearing double for the 6-4 win.

In the week since, the Pirates have had some ups and downs, but today is a day for hope and optimism -- and baseball lovers who will fill the seats at PNC Park would love to see a victory at the home opener. It seems an eternity since the Pirates had a winning season (they've lost the last 16 straight), but today the season is full of promise.

Fan favorites are back, including Freddie Sanchez, Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche, and newcomers include his brother Andy, acquired in the deal that sent Jason Bay to the Boston Red Sox.

Apparently that is probably a sign of who will be traded next.
Followed by a W/L record of:

NL Central	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	AWAY	EAST	CENT	WEST	AL
Milwaukee	31	22	.585	-	16-9	15-13	7-5	21-10	3-4	0-3
St. Louis	30	23	.566	1.0	18-11	12-12	7-4	18-15	3-3	2-1
Cincinnati	28	24	.538	2.5	13-12	15-12	4-7	19-13	3-3	2-1
Chi. Cubs	26	25	.510	4.0	16-10	10-15	4-2	14-14	8-9	0-0
Pittsburgh	24	28	.462	6.5	14-11	10-17	10-5	9-19	4-2	1-2
Houston	23	28	.451	7.0	12-15	11-13	2-2	11-21	10-2	0-3

YES. 24 wins -- 28 losses. From 2nd place to 2nd to LAST. AGAIN.


Followed by this on 6/03:

Pirates deal McLouth in stunning trade

All-Star outfielder to Atlanta for prospects, continuing long trend

The Pirates have shipped away another All-Star, part of a long-recurring summer theme.

In a stunning move, the team last night traded Nate McLouth, their Gold Glove center fielder with 35 home runs the past two years, to the Atlanta Braves for three prospects -- outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and pitchers Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton -- none of whom will play in Pittsburgh immediately, maybe not for years in two cases.

Those BASTARDS that run the ball club claim this:

"I know how it's going to be received back home," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said by phone from Bradenton, Fla., where the team is preparing for the amateur draft next week. "Believe me, it was the most difficult move I've made, but we believe it was the right baseball move, and we believe it firmly."

Hey Neal? Bob Nutting? Fuck you both. You claimed to be NEW management. NEW leadership. Last year you said you would do things DIFFERENT. Oh yeah it's different all right. You started sending all the talent away sooner.

"Baseball Move" ??

MY ASS.

It looks like you didn't want to have to PAY Nate that contract of 26 million. Despite how reasonable it was for this season. You NEVER had any intention of keeping him around after that signing. You Lied to fans. You got basically NOTHING in return for Nate. As Usual. You claim you WANT the team to win. That is a LIE. You want to make easy money. I know how this shit works. You figure as long as the ball club still makes a little, you can keep on losing and spend as little as possible. Then once the fans finally start to abandon ship you will claim we don't support you and then you will sell or move the team.

Why don't you ask the fucking Rooney's and Mario how much MORE MONEY they make with winning teams? Huh? Mario operated at a loss once or twice and now we are in the Cup finals. AGAIN. Guess what playoff games equals MONEY. Dumb ass motherfuckers. You break the hearts of fans over an over again. 16 losing seasons. Working on the 17th. Signing good players to long term contracts and then trading them away by the all star break.

If you hate the team that much that you want to doom them to wishing they were the Detroit Lions, then get out of the fucking business. Stop pretending you CARE. I know your both LIARS.

I won't buy a ticket to PNC Park, I have never been there out of protest towards poor team management. I refuse to support a ball club run this way. No wonder the players can't get it together. I hate how you destroy team dynamics and the fan base repeatedly. It makes me fucking sick. What decent player in their right fucking mind would want to come to Pittsburgh to play baseball?

The joke of it is... Look at the Brewers. Small market too. They are winning. They are in FIRST PLACE.

Welcome to the fucking 17th losing season of the Pirates.