Introduction

If you're reading this, welcome to the site. I originally was reluctant to blog because I feel like it seems like everybody has one lately, but I enjoy writing, and especially enjoy writing about my biggest passion - baseball.

If you're wondering what my rooting allegiances are, allow me to present my convoluted baseball history.

Because I'm from Hamilton, Ontario, about 50 miles from the Rogers Centre (home of the Toronto Blue Jays) you'd expect me to be a Blue Jays fan. Wrong.

Here's the story. I grew up in a household and family of New York Yankee fans. My mom grew up watching Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris long before the Toronto Blue Jays existed. My dad's uncle - whose shoe shine shop my dad worked at - was also a New York fan and in turn, turned all his nephews into Yankee fans.

But my upbringing leads me to Pittsburgh. My mom's aunt lived in Erie, PA, and much of my childhood was spent taking weekend trips around Lake Erie to visit her. There was rarely a trip that didn't involve heading south to Pittsburgh and taking in a Pirates game at Three Rivers. My earliest baseball memories involve watching baseball at Three Rivers, and can remember my disappointment vividly when Sid Bream narrowly beat Barry Bonds' throw to beat the Pirates in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS. For proof, here is my baseball card taken in 1991 at Three Rivers Stadium:



In case you haven't heard, this is the last time the Pirates were any good. While I never stopped visiting Pittsburgh, and have always liked the Pirates, my allegiances have taken many twists and turns.

As mentioned previously, my parents are Yankee fans. In the mid-late 90s it was the in thing to be a Yankee fan, and given that everybody in my family liked the Yankees, it was the easy thing for me to do.

But around that time, something happened. I was 13 years old in 2000 and I was beginning to take my own baseball more seriously. I was (and still am) a pitcher, and was instantly mesmerized by Pedro Martinez. There was something about Pedro that was special. Every game was a big event with the potential for something extremely special to happen. Being a pitcher, I could truly appreciate his greatness. But it wasn't just his ability to dominate the best hitting era of all time with a slight 5'10 180 pound frame that was incredible. Pedro was the total package. Charisma, arrogance, swagger, humour, he had it all.



This led me to the Red Sox, and in 2002 when I finally got the MLB Extra Innings package, I was able to watch every Pedro start, which in turn, turned me on to the Red Sox.

I remain a loyal Red Sox fan to this day, but I will admit things haven't been the same since Pedro departed for the Mets in the Winter of 2004. I have seen the players and characters that I love leave one by one, to the point where only 3 players from my beloved 2004 Championship remain with the team.

I have followed Pedro to the Mets and Phillies, but I have never adopted these teams as I adopted the Red Sox. My Pedro fandom has led me to many great experiences, including watching his Game 2 World Series start in 2009 from a seat at Yankee Stadium. I am a Pedro fan above all else, and am anxiously awaiting his return to a Major League field in 2010.

Through this, my fondness for the Pirates has never dissipated. Watching the failures of front office and management from afar broke my heart. The city of Pittsburgh, and the loyal fans deserved better.

Last summer, when showing my girlfriend around Pittsburgh, we went to PNC Park to watch the Pirates play the Phillies. Being a Pedro fan above all else, I wore my Phillies Martinez jersey to the game. But something felt off. Pedro wasn't pitching, I was watching Joe Blanton and Cole Hamels pitch, and I really wanted the Pirates to win. I decided it was time for me to really rekindle my love for the Pirates, no matter how poor their record is.

Being a believer in Sabermetrics, I have enjoyed seeing what Neal Huntington has done with the team. I believe that for the first time in nearly two decades there is reason for optimism in the Burgh. When I listen to Huntington speak, I feel confident knowing that he has a sensible plan and it is only a matter of time before the Pirates experience a serious revival.

So while Pedro Martinez is in the twilight of his illustrious career, I look forward to watching another Pedro revitalize my Pirates for years to come.

This blog will be a baseball blog with a focus on the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Pedro Martinez will continue to be a much discussed topic on this blog, and expect for me to mix in anecdotes about my own baseball. (Which by the way if you're interested you can follow here: http://theibl.ca and http://www.hamiltonthunderbirds.org)

Thanks again for visiting.