A Macha made in Heaven?

Dear Mr. Ken Macha,

Please excuse me for writing you this letter a bit early, but just… Dear Mr. Ken Macha,

Please excuse me for writing you this letter a bit early, but just hear me out – please?

I know you are still managing in the playoff hunt with your young, scrappy Oakland Athletics, and I don’t mean to bother you, but you see, I – just like you – am from Pittsburgh, and around here we have lost all idea of what exactly a playoff hunt is.

For the last 12 years (soon to be 13), we, the fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates, have suffered through one losing season after another.

But on Tuesday, a bright, shining light was cast over the Pirates organization, as General Manager Dave Littlefield finally got a clue. He pulled the trigger and made the move that we’ve all seen coming for quite some time.

He fired manager Lloyd McClendon.

McClendon averaged more than 90 losses a season for his four-plus years at the helm of the Pirates, including a National League worst record of 55-82 at the time of his firing on Tuesday.

Now Ken – may I call you Ken? Okay. This is where you come into play.

Of course, when a manger gets fired from his respective job, then that position is now open and looking for applicants.

It’s also been said that the early Pirates list of interests includes you, along with former Pirates manager, Jim Leyland. I’m not one to bash Leyland, but I just don’t believe he’s quite the skipper that others claim he is.

In his 14 years as a manager, Leyland accomplished just five .500 or better seasons. You, on the other hand, have managed the Athletics to more than 90 wins in your first two seasons and look to be well on your way to that mark this year as well.

You have done this with a young team, filling your roster with new rookies year in and year out. In addition, you’re winning under similar financial circumstances as the Pirates.

I also understand how upset you were that you didn’t get the Pirates job back in 2000 when you applied, but don’t blame Mr. Littlefield. He wasn’t around then, and perhaps he, unlike Cam Bonifay, is willing to pay the money for your services as manager.

This is still home to you, Ken. Murrysville, Gateway High School and the University of Pittsburgh, where you received your degree in civil engineering, would all love to have you around all year long.

Just so you know, we aren’t the only ones bringing up rumors about your whereabouts next season. On Aug. 14, the San Francisco Chronicle made sure to note that this job may be open if Oakland doesn’t renew your contract.

The paper wrote, “If Ken Macha doesn’t return to Oakland next year, plenty of managing jobs might be available, including the one in his hometown, Pittsburgh.”

It’s no secret that Oakland hasn’t renewed your contract, and that seems a bit odd, don’t you think? Why wouldn’t they want to keep around a guy who has done nothing but win?

“Right now, there have been no talks. I’m not worrying about it,” you told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Aug. 22.

Funny, those are the same words that came from McClendon when asked earlier this year about not being renewed, and look what happened to him.

Again, I know this was a bit early and I know you don’t want to comment on anything about Pittsburgh, just as you told the Associated Press Tuesday when instantly questioned after McClendon’s firing.

But c’mon Ken, you said yourself how much you love Pittsburgh, so how can I not dream about you managing the Pirates?

You told the Post-Gazette in that same interview when asked if you’d ever move out west, “When it’s snowing sideways, I question living there. But I have ties to Pittsburgh and my wife is from there. Pittsburgh is a great place to live. I’ll probably stay there the rest of my life.”

So how about it Ken? Why not manage the team you once played for while living out your days just minutes down the road? You don’t have to respond to this letter, because I know you’ll do the right thing.

Hope to see you soon.

Sincerely,

Alan Smodic (Pirates fan for life)

Alan Smodic is a senior staff writer for The Pitt News. E-mail him at ams85@pitt.edu.