It’s easy to blame the manager, but that doesn’t make it right

A long time ago, as we’ve all heard in fairy tales and bedtime stories, Pittsburgh was The… A long time ago, as we’ve all heard in fairy tales and bedtime stories, Pittsburgh was The City of Champions.

Time has gone by, 13 years to be exact, since the city has produced a champion, so I cannot say that the name rings true any longer. But still, we have come to expect a lot from our sports teams, and with high expectations, fans in the ‘Burgh have been teased all year long.

The Steelers took us to the playoffs, only to be devastated by Big Ben’s big choke. Pitt football gave us a little taste of a Bowl Championship Series bowl and sent us home with a heartbreaking blowout. The Pitt men’s basketball team took us to the NCAA tournament but ruined our brackets with a first-round loss, and the Pens — they didn’t even show up this year.

Consequently, now that it’s baseball season, there is a lot of pressure on the Pirates this year. They have a lot to make up for, which explains, in part, the tremendous criticism from fans and media after the opening-day loss. It also explains the horror that followed the next game when the Buccos started the season 0-2.

The majority of the criticism is directed toward none other than manager Lloyd McClendon, and to be honest, I don’t understand it. Now, after five games lost (before last night’s production) already this season, many are calling for McClendon to be fired.

Again, I have to ask: why? McClendon is working with a program that hasn’t been to the postseason since 1992 and doesn’t have the financial assets to upgrade its roster effectively.

The Pirates’ struggles aren’t necessarily the fault of the manager, but not all of Pittsburgh understands that. The Pirates’ reasoning in firing managers in the past has been anything but reasonable. And after a dozen consecutive losing seasons, could we really expect McClendon to do what two previous managers could not?

As a former Pirate, he is experienced and qualified, but he is not a miracle worker.

The truth is, the Pirates just aren’t good. Jason Bay, Oliver Perez and Jack Wilson are fine players, but McClendon cannot turn water into wine, and he cannot turn a few good players into an All-Star team.

The problem is not a manager who is doing his best with a so-so team. The problem lies in an entirely different field — David Littlefield, the general manager.

Questions about under-performing players should be aimed at Littlefield. Even owner Kevin McClatchy deserves a bit of the heat and owes the city a few answers before McClendon should be fired.

The order of the batting lineup doesn’t really matter when one player is as bad as the next. The quality of players and the level at which they play is not something that can be improved by position change — it improves with roster changes, and the roster will only change for the better when an owner expands the payroll.

Just look at the outfield under Jim Leyland compared to what McClendon has to work with now. Leyland had Bobby Bonilla, Andy Van Slyke and that Bonds guy. Today’s Pirates usually put out an outfield of Jason Bay, Tike Redman and Craig Wilson, who can’t be considered on the same level. And I can’t remember many of Leyland’s pitchers walking in a winning run at the bottom of the 12th …

McClendon has shown good judgment in much of what he can control, especially managing the bullpen. I have full confidence that Littlefield and McClatchy will come to their senses and send in some talent and money, and when they do, McClendon will give us the team that The City of Champions has come to expect, the team they have waited so patiently to root for.

Jodi Neely is a staff writer for The Pitt News.