THE CURSE OF THE SID BREAM
Before the Curse: 5 World Series Championships ('09, '25, '60, '71, '79), Division Champs with 95+ wins in '90, '91, '92.
After the Curse: 18 straight losing seasons. Longest consecutive losing streak ever of any team in any of the major sports.
THE CURSE:
Shocking to anyone under 25, the Pirates were actually a good team in the early 90s. Led by manager Jim Leyland, the Pirates thundered to 3 division titles in '90-'92 behind the bats of
the Killer B's (Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla), Andy Van Slyke, and Jay Bell and the arms of Doug Drabek, John Smiley and Stan Belinda. After first falling in six games to the Reds in '90, the Pirates had two epic battles with the Atlanta Braves in the '91 and '92 NLCS. In each series, the Pirates were heavily favored. In '91, the Pirates led 3-2 with Games 6 & 7 to be played at Three Rivers Stadium. However, in both these home games, their bats went silent and the Bucco's were shut out in both games; 1-0 and 4-0; propelling the Braves to the World Series.
The Pirates got their opportunity at a rematch with the Braves the next season. Many viewed this run as the Pirates last shot at a World Series Championship as the team had already been forced to trade Bonilla & Smiley during the off-season and potential free agents Bonds & Drabek were seen as unlikely to return to Pittsburgh. The Braves jumped out to a 3-1 lead but the Pirates battled back to force a Game 7 in Atlanta. Behind a masterful performance by Drabek, the Pirates held a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the 9th. Then the wheels came off. Terry Pendleton led off with a double. David Justice then hit a grounder to Jose Lind. Lind, who won a Gold Glove at second base i
n 1992 and committed only six errors during the season,booted the ball. Justice was safe at first on the error and Pendleton advanced to third. Drabek then walked central Pennsylvania's own Sid Bream to load the bases. The next batter, Ron Gant, flied out to Bonds in deep left. Pendleton then tagged and came home to make the score 2-1, but Justice, the tying run, remained at second. Reliever Stan Belinda then walked Damon Berryhill to again load the bases. Brian Hunter then flied out for the second out. Little used pinch hitter Francisco Cabrera then strode to the plate. With the count 2-1, Cabrera smacked a Belinda high fastball to left field. Justice scored easily with the tying run, but former Pirate Bream represented the winning run coming from second base, and was known as an unusually slow runner. The ball was hit to Bonds' left, forcing the left-handed Bonds to move left and throw across his body. Bonds' throw was high and about six feet up the first base line, forcing catcher Mike Lavalliere to field the throw and sweep his glove back to the plate. Bream just barely beat the throw. The Braves won the game 3-2, and the Pirates have not even sniffed success since Bream's amazing slide.
Evidence of Curse:
CONCLUSION: DEFINITELY CURSED
PRAYER FOR RELIEF: As this team's curse seems especially dire, drastic actions are needed. According to NBC11 in Atlanta, curse-master Sid Bream lives in "the rolling hills outside of Pittsburgh." Might be time to bring him in as a hitting coach or bench coach or some other sort of figurehead position. Or they could just stop giving away their good players. Otherwise I have no doubt that we will see Andrew McCutchen in a Yankees jersey and the Pirates still at the bottom of the standings.
Shocking to anyone under 25, the Pirates were actually a good team in the early 90s. Led by manager Jim Leyland, the Pirates thundered to 3 division titles in '90-'92 behind the bats of
the Killer B's (Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla), Andy Van Slyke, and Jay Bell and the arms of Doug Drabek, John Smiley and Stan Belinda. After first falling in six games to the Reds in '90, the Pirates had two epic battles with the Atlanta Braves in the '91 and '92 NLCS. In each series, the Pirates were heavily favored. In '91, the Pirates led 3-2 with Games 6 & 7 to be played at Three Rivers Stadium. However, in both these home games, their bats went silent and the Bucco's were shut out in both games; 1-0 and 4-0; propelling the Braves to the World Series.The Pirates got their opportunity at a rematch with the Braves the next season. Many viewed this run as the Pirates last shot at a World Series Championship as the team had already been forced to trade Bonilla & Smiley during the off-season and potential free agents Bonds & Drabek were seen as unlikely to return to Pittsburgh. The Braves jumped out to a 3-1 lead but the Pirates battled back to force a Game 7 in Atlanta. Behind a masterful performance by Drabek, the Pirates held a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the 9th. Then the wheels came off. Terry Pendleton led off with a double. David Justice then hit a grounder to Jose Lind. Lind, who won a Gold Glove at second base i
n 1992 and committed only six errors during the season,booted the ball. Justice was safe at first on the error and Pendleton advanced to third. Drabek then walked central Pennsylvania's own Sid Bream to load the bases. The next batter, Ron Gant, flied out to Bonds in deep left. Pendleton then tagged and came home to make the score 2-1, but Justice, the tying run, remained at second. Reliever Stan Belinda then walked Damon Berryhill to again load the bases. Brian Hunter then flied out for the second out. Little used pinch hitter Francisco Cabrera then strode to the plate. With the count 2-1, Cabrera smacked a Belinda high fastball to left field. Justice scored easily with the tying run, but former Pirate Bream represented the winning run coming from second base, and was known as an unusually slow runner. The ball was hit to Bonds' left, forcing the left-handed Bonds to move left and throw across his body. Bonds' throw was high and about six feet up the first base line, forcing catcher Mike Lavalliere to field the throw and sweep his glove back to the plate. Bream just barely beat the throw. The Braves won the game 3-2, and the Pirates have not even sniffed success since Bream's amazing slide.Evidence of Curse:
- Did I mention 18 straight losing seasons.
- Finished last or 2nd to last in division in 13 of the 18 losing seasons
- After winning his second MVP award, Bonds signs with San Francisco in the off-season
- Cy Young award winner Drabek signs with Houston.
- Bad trades abound. List of shipped off players include Aramis Ramirez, Jason Bay, Nate McLouth, Freddy Sanchez, Xavier Nady, Jose Bautista, Adam LaRoche, Nyjer Morgan, Jason Kendall, Jose Guillen, Bronson Arroyo, Matt Capps, Jack Wilson. I could go on...
- Bad free agent signings: too many to list.
- Just had worst losing season in team history in 2010 finishing with 105 losses. So much for rebuilding.
CONCLUSION: DEFINITELY CURSED
PRAYER FOR RELIEF: As this team's curse seems especially dire, drastic actions are needed. According to NBC11 in Atlanta, curse-master Sid Bream lives in "the rolling hills outside of Pittsburgh." Might be time to bring him in as a hitting coach or bench coach or some other sort of figurehead position. Or they could just stop giving away their good players. Otherwise I have no doubt that we will see Andrew McCutchen in a Yankees jersey and the Pirates still at the bottom of the standings.
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