The time is not now...for now

So as the dejected faithful of the Pirates drudge to school and work today, the dreams of a World Series trophy enshrined in PNC Park will have to wait for another year.  It is a humbling time for a city and fan base that had built momentum over the past two seasons and the climax was last night's game in St. Louis.  The stage was set for a national upset and the birth of a new sheriff in Major League Baseball town.  Despite the efforts from Gerrit Cole, who pitched like anything but a rookie, Adam Wainwright was that much better in proving that experience and calculated coaching by the  Cardinals down the stretch, to set up the potential game 5 matchup with their ace at home, proved to be too much for the Pirates.

Let us rejoice for what has been accomplished, not what is yet to be achieved.  This is a huge leap that rapidly helped us forget, even just for a moment, the 21 years of anguish and failure that the franchise had endured. Now the scope focuses solely on football and hockey, at least in Pittsburgh, for the time being.  The hot, but not all that surprising start, from the Penguins, who will likely be a very real contender for Lord Stanley's Cup come May, and the Steelers, who look to break their worst start in fifty years by going 0-5. 

 

It is quite alright to let the image above fester for a while.  Look at it as motivation to avenge the feeling of disappointment the next time this opportunity presents itself to the organization (hopefully sooner than 21 more years from now).  For the front office and player personnel, this is an off season regiment in one image.  A division rival celebrating on their field, ending the Pirates plans of playing that lovable team of destiny.  Yes, we lost two straight to, in effect, blow the series.  But understand, the opponent has a crazy good elimination game record and jockeyed with the Pirates for the best record in baseball all season long.  So  they were no slouch, but they did persevere the way a champion should.  That is what we can learn from this.  That is how an experienced postseason team responds in the face of adversity.