Nice of Michael Kay, long-time Yankees announcer, to take time out during his team's weekend stomping of the minor-league Buccos to note something I'm not aware that the Pittsburgh sports media have the honesty or guts to talk about ...
The Pirates, who have $76.3 million in committed payroll allocations in 2025, according to Spotrac, are a team with plenty of young developed talent, but as Kay points out, "they have not signed a free agent in nearly a decade."
"And their owner has been here at the ballpark this weekend, and he’s getting jeered every time they see his face,” Kay continued.
“We’ve noticed for two days already, especially on Opening Day, the frustration of the fan base here in Pittsburgh,” broadcast partner John Flaherty replied. “Such a great sports town, great sports fans, they’re craving a winner again here with the Pirates.”
“And you can’t say that it’s too small of a town,” Kay continued. “The Steelers sell out every game. The Penguins do great as well. This could be just like Cleveland. Cleveland contends almost every single year.”
https://nypost.com/2025/04/07/sports/ya ... -spending/The Pirates, just like every team in baseball, receives a share of the revenue between local TV money and national revenues, which was projected to be roughly $200 million per team.
Pittsburgh’s spending less than half that is a brutal reality for a Pirates team that has some legitimate young talent.
“The thing that has really angered the fans the most is they have an all-time pitcher in Paul Skenes, who has just electrified the baseball world. And they did nothing to build a competitive team around him.”
