Being a fan means you stick by your team through the good times and the bad times. For Pirates fans, it has been mostly bad times in recent memory. However, that was all erased this season when Pittsburgh had its first winning season in 21 years. Not only was it their first winning season, but their first playoff bid in 21 years.
The Pirates did not turn things around overnight. Drafting players like Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez, this team was aiming to compete with the big hitting teams like Detroit and Los Angeles. With the addition of Russell Martin and AJ Burnett, the team got a veteran boost. It was also due to the emergence of rookie pitcher Gerrit Cole in big situations that helped this team turn it around. Through this healthy mix of draft picks and free agents, Pittsburgh has a team that is ready to compete for years to come.
In their first postseason game in 21 years, the Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds in a Wild Card game in Pittsburgh. It was quite magical watching these fans go nuts after waiting so long to see their team succeed. They went on to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, where despite a valiant effort, they fell to their NL Central rivals.
