Pirates Have Lost 8 Straight Since Emrick Cited Their Then First Place Standing

Last Sunday, during the NBC telecast of the Boston Bruins’ game 6 win at Toronto (Maple Leafs) in an eventual series win, lead announcer Mike Emrick commented/”bragged” a bit about his favorite baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, leading their division.

At that point, the S.F. Giants led Pittsburgh in that day’s game and won. After that loss, both Arizona in Pittsburgh and the Dodgers, as fairly big home favorites, each swept the “Buccos,”–Arizona winning 4 and L.A. 3.

However, Mr. Emrick’s “shot” at the world champion Red Sox that day continues to hold up. That day, (Sunday April 21st), Boston completed a sweep of Tampa Bay (Rays) however, a subsequent (2-4) home stand, including 2 losses to “T.B,” leaves the Red Sox (11-17).

Alas, do not look now, but the New York Yankees have the opposite (17-11) record, having won nine of their last 10 games.

In the bigger picture, Emrick made a good point about smaller market/lower payroll teams (citing Pittsburgh and “knocking” Boston) however, 40 years in “the desert” of no titles for the Pirates, in my opinion, warranted a “pass over” regarding Pirates’ exploits, not a second day of Passover, “Buccos brag.”

Alas karma, if not another force erupted, I did not do near enough and looking to the future, as it is so early in the baseball season, I  surely feel the Red Sox are “plagued” and who knows regarding Pittsburgh?

Meanwhile what a “hunch!” Emrick “boasts,” the Pirates lose. Since he does much else so effectively, Jeopardy phenom and “professional sports bettor,” James Holzhauer would have/maybe was “all in,” regarding what is now an 8 game Pirates’ loss skein.

Jose Pagan, pictured above, drove in Willie Stargell with what proved to be the World Series run, as the Pirates won it all in 1971.