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McClatchy 'extremely disappointed' in Pirates' play
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LOS ANGELES -- The Pirates' frustration is boiling to the top.
"I'm extremely disappointed," owner Kevin McClatchy said shortly after the team's 11th loss in a row, 7-4, to Los Angeles yesterday at Dodger Stadium. "When you look back at how we came out of San Francisco and the progress we were making ... I'm disappointed."
The Pirates took three of four from the Giants June 8-11 and were on a 9-6 roll, their best of the season. They have lost 12 of 13 since then, including the current streak that is the franchise's longest since another 0-11 run May 11-22, 1955.
With a loss at home tomorrow against the defending World Series champion Chicago White Sox, the streak will tie the team's modern-day record of 12, set in 1939.
The streak started upon returning to PNC Park from San Francisco, when the Pirates went 1-5 against the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins, four of the five losses by two runs or less.
"I don't care if anybody says those games were close or not," McClatchy said. "Those are games we should have won. I don't take any satisfaction as to whether you were close or not."
He underscored that by pointing to the game against Arizona June 19, one in which the Pirates had bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth with a 4-4 tie but struck out three times. The Diamondbacks won in the 11th.
"I especially don't take satisfaction in one-run losses when you have bases loaded and nobody out and you don't get that run across. That's just ... not good."
In the offseason, McClatchy praised the various moves made by general manager Dave Littlefield, who was working with an additional $12 million in payroll. On opening day, McClatchy extended Littlefield's contract by a year, to 2008.
He also was effusive of manager Jim Tracy, whose contract expires the same year as Littlefield's, upon his hiring in October.
McClatchy was asked yesterday if he still had confidence in Littlefield and Tracy.
"Yeah, I still have confidence in both," he replied. "But that doesn't mean I'm happy about the way we're playing right now. There's accountability that will go everywhere, and I will be at the top of that list. But I think that accountability goes through to not just the general manager or manager but also the players."
He laughed slightly.
"I guess I can sit here and take all the blame, and that would make everybody feel better. But that's probably letting some people off the hook who also need to have some accountability."
Robin Rombach, Post-GazetteKevin McClatchy -- "I don't care if anybody says those games were close or not."
Click photo for larger image.
First Published June 26, 2006 12:00 am
