My Favorite Year

After winning the first two games of their dramatic four-game series with the Chicago Cubs, the Pirates got their split of the final two by winning the finale today, behind power-hitting Chris Duffy, who hit two home runs, including the game-winner in the ninth. As a result of the 7-5 victory, the Bucs took three of four from the Cubs and left the Windy City in sole possession of fifth place in the NL Central.

The game followed a familiar pattern of late: the Pirates burst to a five-run lead; starter Shawn Chacon wasn't discouraged by that, and gave up five runs by the time he exited in the sixth with the game tied. Duffy deposited the second pitch he saw in the ninth over the ivy in centerfield, and the embarrassed Xavier Nady, who saw that he now trailed Duffy in homers as a Pirate this year, 2-1, apparently felt compelled to hit one of his own for the insurance run. Salomon Torres didn't need that, as he clamped down in the ninth for his fourth save.

But enough of this boring stuff about two teams that are a combined 53 games under .500. The Buccin' Ear only laments that baseball lost in 1981 its great opportunity to really inject life into the game. What's that, you say? The infamous 1981, the season in which a strike cost fans and players nearly two months of the season? Yes, I say, yes.

It was in 1981 that Major League Baseball, confounded by the question of what to do to account for the huge gap in the middle of the season (the All-Star game wasn't played until August 9 that year), declared that the year would be divided into two parts: pre-strike and post-strike. The "winners" of the first half would be playoff entrants, and the second half would begin fresh, with every team having a chance to contend. The "winner" of the second half would also earn a playoff bid.

Naturally, after all was said and done, there were naysayers, like the Cincinnati Reds, who merely had the best overall record in for the year, but didn't make the postseason because they "lost" to the Los Angeles in the "first half" (by a half game) and to Houston in the "second half" by a game and a half. The Philadelphia Phillies and the Montreal Expos (need we say more about how the downtrodden loved this concept?) also made the playoffs.

Forget the whining from Reds' fans. Consider what an '81 system would do for the Pirates in '06. Although they went 30-60 in the first half of the season (as defined by all games before the All-Star break), they are 27-24 in the second half. That might not sound terribly impressive, but if the second half were a "season" being contested, the Pirates would be tied for first with the St. Louis Cardinals for the lead in the Central Division. We'd have an old-fashioned barn-stormer on our hands, sports fans!

The interesting thing about this concept is that just about everything else would play out normally. The relentless mediocrity in the National League would hold sway, something that would undoubtedly soothe the soul of Bud Selig. The Mets, at 32-16 post-break, would still be the class of the league. Their only pursuer would be Florida, at 31-22. After that, eight teams would be bunched within four games of the 28-23 record recorded by the Dodgers.

Those of us who despised the strike-shortened year of 1981 when it occurred should take another look. If we could but go back, we Pirates fans would be breathing a sigh of relief this evening in picking up a much-needed victory over a team we should beat, damn it, over the 22-30 Chicago Cubs, and moaning over the fact that we don't get another crack at those Cardinals.

The Trade Watch: Zach Duke pitched a fine game on Wednesday, and deserved a win. After leaving with seven innings pitched, no walks and an unearned run, he was partially undone by yet another bad defensive play by Jose Castillo, who forgot to cover the bag on a bunt. Most infuriating was this quote from Castillo, courtesy of the Post-Gazette:

"I was a little bit confused, and I was a little bit late. That's okay. It's one time a year."

No, Jose, it isn't "okay," and it isn't "one time a year." Here's yet another pebble on the mounting pile of evidence that Castillo needs to move on after this year to a place where he can daydream in peace.